Critical Edition
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच आर्जुनिं समरे शूरं विनिघ्नन्तं महारथम् अलम्बुसः कथं युद्धे प्रत्ययुध्यत संजय
M. N. Dutt: Dhritarashtra said How, O descendant of the Bharata race, did Alambusha fight with the heroic son of Arjuna who had been slaying mighty car-warriors in battle?
आर्श्यशृङ्गिं कथं चापि सौभद्रः परवीरहा तन्ममाचक्ष्व तत्त्वेन यथा वृत्तं स्म संयुगे
M. N. Dutt: How did also the son of Subhadra that slayer of hostile heroes, fight with the son of Rishyashringa? Describe all this in detail to me as it actually happened in the battle.
धनंजयश्च किं चक्रे मम सैन्येषु संजय भीमो वा बलिनां श्रेष्ठो राक्षसो वा घटोत्कचः
AI Translation: What did Dhananjaya do to my troops, Sanjaya? Or Bhima, the best of the strong, or the demon Ghatotkacha?
नकुलः सहदेवो वा सात्यकिर्वा महारथः एतदाचक्ष्व मे सर्वं कुशलो ह्यसि संजय
AI Translation: Nakula, Sahadeva, or the great warrior Satyaki - Please tell me all this, for you are skilled, Sanjaya.
संजय उवाच हन्त तेऽहं प्रवक्ष्यामि संग्रामं लोमहर्षणम् यथाभूद्राक्षसेन्द्रस्य सौभद्रस्य च मारिष
M. N. Dutt: Sanjaya said I shall describe to you, O sire in detail, the hair-string battle that was fought between the prince of the Rakshasas an the son of Subhadra;
अर्जुनश्च यथा संख्ये भीमसेनश्च पाण्डवः नकुलः सहदेवश्च रणे चक्रुः पराक्रमम्
M. N. Dutt: As also the prowess that Arjuna and Bhimasena the son of Pandu, and Nakula and Sahadeva did display in battle;
तथैव तावकाः सर्वे भीष्मद्रोणपुरोगमाः अद्भुतानि विचित्राणि चक्रुः कर्माण्यभीतवत्
M. N. Dutt: As also how your warriors, headed by Bhishma and Drona, fearlessly achieved many wonderful feats in battle.
अलम्बुसस्तु समरे अभिमन्युं महारथम् विनद्य सुमहानादं तर्जयित्वा मुहुर्मुहुः अभिदुद्राव वेगेन तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति चाब्रवीत्
M. N. Dutt: In that battle uttering fierce roars Abhimanyu the mighty car-warrior, Alambusha, repeatedly challenging the former,
सौभद्रोऽपि रणे राजन्सिंहवद्विनदन्मुहुः आर्श्यशृङ्गिं महेष्वासं पितुरत्यन्तवैरिणम्
AI Translation: O king, Saubhādra also roared like a lion in the battle, the great archer Ārṣṭiśṛṅga, the bitter enemy of his father,
ततः समेयतुः संख्ये त्वरितौ नरराक्षसौ रथाभ्यां रथिनां श्रेष्ठौ यथा वै देवदानवौ मायावी राक्षसश्रेष्ठो दिव्यास्त्रज्ञश्च फाल्गुनिः
M. N. Dutt: Rushed at that mighty bowman, the son of Rishyashringa, that implacable enemy of his father. Thereupon these two foremost of carwarriors, man and Rakshasa, impetuously met one another on their respective cars, like a deity and a Danava. The foremost of the Rakshasas was possessed of illusive powers while Phalguna's son was accomplished in the use of celestial weapons. at
ततः कार्ष्णिर्महाराज निशितैः सायकैस्त्रिभिः आर्श्यशृङ्गिं रणे विद्ध्वा पुनर्विव्याध पञ्चभिः
M. N. Dutt: Thereafter, O mighty monarch, Krishna's nephew, piercing the son of Rishyashringa with three shafts of exceeding sharpness, again pierced him with five,
अलम्बुसोऽपि संक्रुद्धः कार्ष्णिं नवभिराशुगैः हृदि विव्याध वेगेन तोत्त्रैरिव महाद्विपम्
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon Alambusha, inflamed with rage, pierced Krishna's nephew on the breast with nine swift-coursing shafts, like a guide piercing a huge elephant with the hook.
ततः शरसहस्रेण क्षिप्रकारी निशाचरः अर्जुनस्य सुतं संख्ये पीडयामास भारत
M. N. Dutt: Then that ranger of the night, endued with great lightness, afflicted Arjuna's son in battle, OBharata, with thousands of arrows.
अभिमन्युस्ततः क्रुद्धो नवतिं नतपर्वणाम् चिक्षेप निशितान्बाणान्राक्षसस्य महोरसि
M. N. Dutt: Thereat Abhimanyu, waxing worth, with nine straight-knotted and whetted shafts, pierced that foremost of the Rakshasas on his broad chest.
ते तस्य विविशुस्तूर्णं कायं निर्भिद्य मर्मणि स तैर्विभिन्नसर्वाङ्गः शुशुभे राक्षसोत्तमः पुष्पितैः किंशुकै राजन्संस्तीर्ण इव पर्वतः
M. N. Dutt: Those shafts, then piercing through his body, penetrated into his very vitals. His body mangled with those shafts, the foremost of the Rakshasas appeared beautiful,
स धारयञ्शरान्हेमपुङ्खानपि महाबलः विबभौ राक्षसश्रेष्ठः सज्वाल इव पर्वतः
AI Translation: That very powerful best of demons, holding those arrows with golden nocks, shone like a mountain with flames.
ततः क्रुद्धो महाराज आर्श्यशृङ्गिर्महाबलः महेन्द्रप्रतिमं कार्ष्णिं छादयामास पत्रिभिः
AI Translation: Then, O great king, the mighty Ārṣṭiśṛṅga, enraged, covered the son of Kṛṣṇa, who was like the great Indra, with arrows.
तेन ते विशिखा मुक्ता यमदण्डोपमाः शिताः अभिमन्युं विनिर्भिद्य प्राविशन्धरणीतलम्
AI Translation: Those sharp arrows released by him, resembling Yama's staff, pierced Abhimanyu and entered the ground.
तथैवार्जुनिनिर्मुक्ताः शराः काञ्चनभूषणाः अलम्बुसं विनिर्भिद्य प्राविशन्त धरातलम्
AI Translation: Similarly, arrows released by Arjuna, adorned with gold, pierced Alambusa and entered the ground.
सौभद्रस्तु रणे रक्षः शरैः संनतपर्वभिः चक्रे विमुखमासाद्य मयं शक्र इवाहवे
AI Translation: But Saubhādra, in the battle, with arrows with straight-tufted shafts, made Māyā, having approached, turn away, like Śakra in battle.
विमुखं च ततो रक्षो वध्यमानं रणेऽरिणा प्रादुश्चक्रे महामायां तामसीं परतापनः
AI Translation: Then the demon, being defeated in battle by the enemy, and being killed, manifested a great illusion, the tamasic one, the tormentor of the enemy.
ततस्ते तमसा सर्वे हृता ह्यासन्महीतले नाभिमन्युमपश्यन्त नैव स्वान्न परान्रणे
AI Translation: Then all of them were carried away by Tamasa and lay on the ground. They did not see Abhimanyu or their own or the enemy's in the battle.
अभिमन्युश्च तद्दृष्ट्वा घोररूपं महत्तमः प्रादुश्चक्रेऽस्त्रमत्युग्रं भास्करं कुरुनन्दनः
AI Translation: Abhimanyu, seeing that terrible and great darkness, produced a very fierce weapon, the sun, O descendant of the Kurus.
ततः प्रकाशमभवज्जगत्सर्वं महीपते तां चापि जघ्निवान्मायां राक्षसस्य दुरात्मनः
AI Translation: Then the whole world became illuminated, O king, and he also destroyed the illusion of the wicked demon.
संक्रुद्धश्च महावीर्यो राक्षसेन्द्रं नरोत्तमः छादयामास समरे शरैः संनतपर्वभिः
AI Translation: The best of men, the very powerful one, became angry and covered the lord of the demons in the battle with straight-tufted arrows.
बह्वीस्तथान्या मायाश्च प्रयुक्तास्तेन रक्षसा सर्वास्त्रविदमेयात्मा वारयामास फाल्गुनिः
AI Translation: And many other illusions were employed by that demon, But all of them were warded off by Phālguni, who was skilled in all weapons and whose soul was immeasurable.
हतमायं ततो रक्षो वध्यमानं च सायकैः रथं तत्रैव संत्यज्य प्राद्रवन्महतो भयात्
AI Translation: Then the demon, struck and wounded by the arrows, abandoned his chariot right there and fled in great fear.
तस्मिन्विनिर्जिते तूर्णं कूटयोधिनि राक्षसे आर्जुनिः समरे सैन्यं तावकं संममर्द ह मदान्धो वन्यनागेन्द्रः सपद्मां पद्मिनीमिव
M. N. Dutt: Then son of Arjuna began to crush your troops in battle like an infuriated excellent elephant agitating a lake having lotuses blooming in its waters.
Supplementary Passages:
6.97.28 After 28ab, D6 ins.: *389 सौभद्रश्च महाबाहुः समरे च जितश्रमः पराक्रमी महातेजाः पितुस्तुल्यपराक्रमः
ततः शांतनवो भीष्मः सैन्यं दृष्ट्वाभिविद्रुतम् महता रथवंशेन सौभद्रं पर्यवारयत्
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon Bhishma the son of Shantanu beholding the troops thus routed by the son of Subhadra, choked the latter with a mighty shower of arrows.
कोष्ठकीकृत्य तं वीरं धार्तराष्ट्रा महारथाः एकं सुबहवो युद्धे ततक्षुः सायकैर्दृढम्
M. N. Dutt: Then the mighty car-warrior of the Dhritarashtra's host encircling that single hero, began to pierce him forcibly with many arrows.
स तेषां रथिनां वीरः पितुस्तुल्यपराक्रमः सदृशो वासुदेवस्य विक्रमेण बलेन च
M. N. Dutt: Thereat that hero (Abhimanyu) equal in prowess to his father and to the son of Vasudeva in strength and powers,
उभयोः सदृशं कर्म स पितुर्मातुलस्य च रणे बहुविधं चक्रे सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः
M. N. Dutt: That foremost of all wielders of weapon, performed in battle many a wonderful feat worthy of his father and his maternal uncle.
ततो धनंजयो राजन्विनिघ्नंस्तव सैनिकान् आससाद रणे भीष्मं पुत्रप्रेप्सुरमर्षणः
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon that heroic Dhananjaya, highly enraged, desirous of rescuing his son, rushed to the spot where the latter was, slaying your troops as he came.
तथैव समरे राजन्पिता देवव्रतस्तव आससाद रणे पार्थं स्वर्भानुरिव भास्करम्
M. N. Dutt: So also, O monarch your sire Devavrata encountered the son of Pritha in battle, like Rahu meeting the lustrous orb.
ततः सरथनागाश्वाः पुत्रास्तव विशां पते परिवव्रू रणे भीष्मं जुगुपुश्च समन्ततः
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon, O ruler of men, your sons with cars, steeds, and and elephants, surrounded Bhishma in battle and began to protect him.
तथैव पाण्डवा राजन्परिवार्य धनंजयम् रणाय महते युक्ता दंशिता भरतर्षभ
M. N. Dutt: So also, O king, the Pandavas, clad in mail, surrounding Dhananjaya, O foremost of the Bharatas, began to put forth all their energies in battle.
शारद्वतस्ततो राजन्भीष्मस्य प्रमुखे स्थितम् अर्जुनं पञ्चविंशत्या सायकानां समाचिनोत्
M. N. Dutt: Then, O king, The son of Sharadvata, who was stationed in front of Bhishma, pierced Arjuna with a number of twenty five arrows.
प्रत्युद्गम्याथ विव्याध सात्यकिस्तं शितैः शरैः पाण्डवप्रियकामार्थं शार्दूल इव कुञ्जरम्
M. N. Dutt: Rushing against him like a tiger rushing against an elephant, Satyaki pierced him with whetted shafts, desirous of doing good to the Pandavas.
गौतमोऽपि त्वरायुक्तो माधवं नवभिः शरैः हृदि विव्याध संक्रुद्धः कङ्कपत्रपरिच्छदैः
M. N. Dutt: The son of Gautami also great celerity and waxing worth, pierced the descendant of Madhu's race on the breast with nine shafts decked with golden wings.
शैनेयोऽपि ततः क्रुद्धो भृशं विद्धो महारथः गौतमान्तकरं घोरं समादत्त शिलीमुखम्
M. N. Dutt: Thereat the grandson of Shini also highly inflamed with rage, bending his bow quickly fixed on the bow-string a shaft capable of doing away with the son of Gautami.
तमापतन्तं वेगेन शक्राशनिसमद्युतिम् द्विधा चिच्छेद संक्रुद्धो द्रौणिः परमकोपनः
M. N. Dutt: Then the irate son of Drona seeing the effulgent dare course swiftly like the thunderbolt of Indra, speedily cut it in twain.
समुत्सृज्याथ शैनेयो गौतमं रथिनां वरम् अभ्यद्रवद्रणे द्रौणिं राहुः खे शशिनं यथा
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon that foremost of car-warriors the grandson of Shini, forsaking Gautama's son in battle, rushed towards Drona's son, like Rahu in the firmament rushing towards the moon.
तस्य द्रोणसुतश्चापं द्विधा चिच्छेद भारत अथैनं छिन्नधन्वानं ताडयामास सायकैः
M. N. Dutt: The son of Drona cut of the bow of Satyaki in twain. O Bharata; then he pierced him whose bow had been cut with numerous shafts.
सोऽन्यत्कार्मुकमादाय शत्रुघ्नं भारसाधनम् द्रौणिं षष्ट्या महाराज बाह्वोरुरसि चार्पयत्
M. N. Dutt: Then taking up another capable of slaying the foe and of bearing great stream, Satyaki pierced the son of Drona on the breast and on the arms with a group of sixty shafts, O king.
स विद्धो व्यथितश्चैव मुहूर्तं कश्मलायुतः निषसाद रथोपस्थे ध्वजयष्टिमुपाश्रितः
M. N. Dutt: Thus pierced and pained, the latter became unconscious and he sat down on the terrace of his and supported himself by holding the flagstaff.
प्रतिलभ्य ततः संज्ञां द्रोणपुत्रः प्रतापवान् वार्ष्णेयं समरे क्रुद्धो नाराचेन समर्दयत्
M. N. Dutt: Then Drona's son possessed of great prowess regaining consciousness and waxing worth, pierced the descendant of the Vrishni race with a Naracha.
शैनेयं स तु निर्भिद्य प्राविशद्धरणीतलम् वसन्तकाले बलवान्बिलं सर्पशिशुर्यथा
M. N. Dutt: That Naracha penetrating Shini's grandson, entered the surface of the earth like a powerful young snake entering its hold in the spring.
ततोऽपरेण भल्लेन माधवस्य ध्वजोत्तमम् चिच्छेद समरे द्रौणिः सिंहनादं ननाद च
M. N. Dutt: Then with another broad-headed arrow Drona's down the excellent standard of him of Madhu's race; and then uttered a fierce warcry.
पुनश्चैनं शरैर्घोरैश्छादयामास भारत निदाघान्ते महाराज यथा मेघो दिवाकरम्
M. N. Dutt: One more he covered Satyaki with a dreadful group of arrows, O monarch, like clouds covering the sun at the expiration of the summer season.
सात्यकिश्च महाराज शरजालं निहत्य तत् द्रौणिमभ्यपतत्तूर्णं शरजालैरनेकधा
M. N. Dutt: Satyki also, O mighty monarch, destroying that net-work of arrows, speedily scattered on Drona's a large number of arrows.
तापयामास च द्रौणिं शैनेयः परवीरहा विमुक्तो मेघजालेन यथैव तपनस्तथा
M. N. Dutt: Then that grandson of Shini, freed from that net-work of arrows, like the sun emerging out of the clouds, began to scorch the son of Drona (with his arrows).
शराणां च सहस्रेण पुनरेनं समुद्यतम् सात्यकिश्छादयामास ननाद च महाबलः
M. N. Dutt: Inflamed with ire, the highly puissant Satyaki once again covered Drona's son with a thousand shafts; and then uttered his war-cry.
दृष्ट्वा पुत्रं तथा ग्रस्तं राहुणेव निशाकरम् अभ्यद्रवत शैनेयं भारद्वाजः प्रतापवान्
M. N. Dutt: Then beholding his son in that plight, like the moon devoured by Rahu, the highly powerful son of Bharadvaja rushed against the grandson of Shini.
विव्याध च पृषत्केन सुतीक्ष्णेन महामृधे परीप्सन्स्वसुतं राजन्वार्ष्णेयेनाभितापितम्
M. N. Dutt: Then in that great battle, he pierced him of the Vrishni race with arrows of excceding sharpness, desirous of rescuing his own son so afflicted by the latter (Satyaki).
सात्यकिस्तु रणे जित्वा गुरुपुत्रं महारथम् द्रोणं विव्याध विंशत्या सर्वपारशवैः शरैः
M. N. Dutt: Then abandoning that mighty car-warrior that son of the preceptor Drona, Satyaki, picrced Drona with twenty shafts of sharpness like that battle axe.
तदन्तरममेयात्मा कौन्तेयः श्वेतवाहनः अभ्यद्रवद्रणे क्रुद्धो द्रोणं प्रति महारथः
M. N. Dutt: At this crisis, that afflicter of foes that mighty car-warrior the son of Kunti, (Arjuna) waxing worth, rushed against Drona.
ततो द्रोणश्च पार्थश्च समेयातां महामृधे यथा बुधश्च शुक्रश्च महाराज नभस्तले
M. N. Dutt: Then Drona and Arjuna met in that fierce battle, like, O mighty monarch, Venus and Jupiter meeting one another on the heavens.