Critical Edition
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच भारद्वाजेन भग्नेषु पाण्डवेषु महामृधे पाञ्चालेषु च सर्वेषु कश्चिदन्योऽभ्यवर्तत
M. N. Dutt: Dhritarashtra said When in that fierce fight, the son of Bharadvaja had shattered the host of the Pandavas and the Panchalas, did any one else approach him for battle?
आर्यां युद्धे मतिं कृत्वा क्षत्रियाणां यशस्करीम् असेवितां कापुरुषैः सेवितां पुरुषर्षभैः
AI Translation: Having made the noble resolve to fight, which is glorious for Kshatriyas, Not frequented by cowards, frequented by bulls among men,
स हि वीरो नरः सूत यो भग्नेषु निवर्तते अहो नासीत्पुमान्कश्चिद्दृष्ट्वा द्रोणं व्यवस्थितम्
AI Translation: For that hero, O charioteer, is a man who turns back when his army is broken. Alas, there was no man who, seeing Drona stationed, did not turn back.
जृम्भमाणमिव व्याघ्रं प्रभिन्नमिव कुञ्जरम् त्यजन्तमाहवे प्राणान्संनद्धं चित्रयोधिनम्
AI Translation: Like a yawning tiger, like an enraged elephant, Abandoning his life in battle, armored, a colorful warrior,
महेष्वासं नरव्याघ्रं द्विषतामघवर्धनम् कृतज्ञं सत्यनिरतं दुर्योधनहितैषिणम्
AI Translation: The great archer, the tiger among men, the increaser of the enemies' misery, The grateful one, devoted to truth, desiring the welfare of Duryodhana,
भारद्वाजं तथानीके दृष्ट्वा शूरमवस्थितम् के वीराः संन्यवर्तन्त तन्ममाचक्ष्व संजय
AI Translation: Seeing Bharadvaja's son stationed in the army, who were the heroes who retreated? Tell me that, Sanjaya.
संजय उवाच तान्दृष्ट्वा चलितान्संख्ये प्रणुन्नान्द्रोणसायकैः पाञ्चालान्पाण्डवान्मत्स्यान्सृञ्जयांश्चेदिकेकयान्
AI Translation: Sanjaya said: Seeing them shaken in battle, driven away by Drona's arrows, The Panchalas, Pandavas, Matsyas, Srinjayas, Chedis and Kekayas,
द्रोणचापविमुक्तेन शरौघेणासुहारिणा सिन्धोरिव महौघेन ह्रियमाणान्यथा प्लवान्
AI Translation: By the shower of arrows released from Drona's bow, which was difficult to withstand, They were being carried away, as if by a great wave of the ocean, like boats.
कौरवाः सिंहनादेन नानावाद्यस्वनेन च रथद्विपनराश्वैश्च सर्वतः पर्यवारयन्
AI Translation: The Kauravas surrounded him on all sides with a lion's roar, the sound of various musical instruments, chariots, elephants, men and horses.
तान्पश्यन्सैन्यमध्यस्थो राजा स्वजनसंवृतः दुर्योधनोऽब्रवीत्कर्णं प्रहृष्टः प्रहसन्निव
M. N. Dutt: Beholding them (the routed army), king Duryodhana standing in the midst of his own troops and surrounded by his own kinsmen greatly delighted, smilingly said these words to Karna.
पश्य राधेय पाञ्चालान्प्रणुन्नान्द्रोणसायकैः सिंहेनेव मृगान्वन्यांस्त्रासितान्दृढधन्वना
M. N. Dutt: Duryodhana said Behold, O son of Radha, the ranks of the Panchalas shattered by the shafts of Drona, the resolute bowman, like a herd of wild deer frightened by a lion.
नैते जातु पुनर्युद्धमीहेयुरिति मे मतिः यथा तु भग्ना द्रोणेन वातेनेव महाद्रुमाः
M. N. Dutt: Meseems they will never again seek to fight, in as much as they are now broken by Drona like mighty trees broken by the tempest.
अर्द्यमानाः शरैरेते रुक्मपुङ्खैर्महात्मना पथा नैकेन गच्छन्ति घूर्णमानास्ततस्ततः
M. N. Dutt: Afflicted by the gold-winged shafts of the ilustrious Drona, they are flying away by diverse paths; and they seem to whirl round and round.
संनिरुद्धाश्च कौरव्यैर्द्रोणेन च महात्मना एतेऽन्ये मण्डलीभूताः पावकेनेव कुञ्जराः
M. N. Dutt: Impeded by the Kauravas and by the highsoulcd Drona, they are huddling together, like a herd of elephants encompassed in conflagration.
भ्रमरैरिव चाविष्टा द्रोणस्य निशितैः शरैः अन्योन्यं समलीयन्त पलायनपरायणाः
M. N. Dutt: Like a tree penetrated by a cluster of bees, they are being pierced by the keen-pointed arrows of Drona; they are huddling together as they are hastening away from the field of battle.
एष भीमो दृढक्रोधो हीनः पाण्डवसृञ्जयैः मदीयैरावृतो योधैः कर्ण तर्जयतीव माम्
M. N. Dutt: O Karna, there the highly enraged Bhimia, forsaken by the Pandavas and the Srinjayas and surrounded by my own warriors, affords great joy to me.
व्यक्तं द्रोणमयं लोकमद्य पश्यति दुर्मतिः निराशो जीवितान्नूनमद्य राज्याच्च पाण्डवः
M. N. Dutt: With certitude, that foo! today beholds the world full of Drona. Surely that son of Pandu a has today become hopeless of his life and his kingdom.
कर्ण उवाच नैष जातु महाबाहुर्जीवन्नाहवमुत्सृजेत् न चेमान्पुरुषव्याघ्र सिंहनादान्विशक्ष्यते
M. N. Dutt: Karna said Never will this mighty-armed hero abandon fighting so long life will remain in him; nor will this foremost of men brook the car-cries of others.
न चापि पाण्डवा युद्धे भज्येरन्निति मे मतिः शूराश्च बलवन्तश्च कृतास्त्रा युद्धदुर्मदाः
M. N. Dutt: I think also, that the Pandavas, brave. endued with might, learned in the use of weapons and invincible in battle, will never be routed in battle.
विषाग्निद्यूतसंक्लेशान्वनवासं च पाण्डवाः स्मरमाणा न हास्यन्ति संग्राममिति मे मतिः
M. N. Dutt: Remembering the woes inflicted on them by our attempts at poisoning ard burning them and by our defeating them at dice, as also bearing in mind the hardships they had to undergo in their exile in the woods, the Pandavas, I think, will never abandon battle.
निकृतो हि महाबाहुरमितौजा वृकोदरः वरान्वरान्हि कौन्तेयो रथोदारान्हनिष्यति
M. N. Dutt: Already the mighty-armed Vrikodara of immeasurable prowess, has turned back; this son of Kunti will now certainly slay many foremost of our car-warriors.
असिना धनुषा शक्त्या हयैर्नागैर्नरै रथैः आयसेन च दण्डेन व्रातान्व्रातान्हनिष्यति
M. N. Dutt: He will slay crowds upon crowds of our host, using his sword, bow, darts, iron mace and horses, elephants, men and chariots as implements for striking.
तमेते चानुवर्तन्ते सात्यकिप्रमुखा रथाः पाञ्चालाः केकया मत्स्याः पाण्डवाश्च विशेषतः
M. N. Dutt: Car-warriors headed by Satyaki and the Panchalas, the Kekayas, the Matsyas and specially the Pandavas, are following him (in battle).
शूराश्च बलवन्तश्च विक्रान्ताश्च महारथाः विशेषतश्च भीमेन संरब्धेनाभिचोदिताः
M. N. Dutt: Those mighty car-warriors, brave, endued with strength and prowess, are again urged on to battle, by the wrathful Bhima.
Supplementary Passages:
7.21.24 G1 M ins. after 24: T G2 after 24ab: *156 एष चापि महाबाहुर्हिमवानिव सुस्थिरः वधिष्यति महाराज गदया भीमवेगया
ते द्रोणमभिवर्तन्ते सर्वतः कुरुपुंगवाः वृकोदरं परीप्सन्तः सूर्यमभ्रगणा इव
M. N. Dutt: Those foreinost of the Kurus desirous of supporting Vrikodara and surrounding Drona on all sides, like the clouds surrounding the sun.
Supplementary Passages:
7.21.25 T G2-5 ins. after 25: G1 M after 26abcd: *157 समरेषु तु निर्दिष्टाः पाण्डवाः कृष्णबांधवाः After 157*, G3-5 read 23a-24b; while T G2 repeat 23cd. G1 M cont.: T G2 ins. after 24: G3-5 ins. after 24ab: *158 ह्रीमन्तः शत्रुमरणे निपुणाः पुण्यलक्षणाः बहवः पार्थिवा राजंस्तेषां वशगता रणे मावमंस्थाः पाण्डवांस्त्वं नारायणपुरोगमान्
एकायनगता ह्येते पीडयेयुर्यतव्रतम् अरक्ष्यमाणं शलभा यथा दीपं मुमूर्षवः असंशयं कृतास्त्राश्च पर्याप्ताश्चापि वारणे
M. N. Dutt: Inspired with a singleness of purpose, they will surely afflict the unprotected Drona of resolute vows, like flights of insects about to die afflicting a burning lamp.
अतिभारं त्वहं मन्ये भारद्वाजे समाहितम् ते शीघ्रमनुगच्छामो यत्र द्रोणो व्यवस्थितः काका इव महानागं मा वै हन्युर्यतव्रतम्
M. N. Dutt: Let us then swiftly repair to the spot where Drona is stationed. Let not the Pandavas slay Drona, like a pack of wolves slaying a mighty elephant.
संजय उवाच राधेयस्य वचः श्रुत्वा राजा दुर्योधनस्तदा भ्रातृभिः सहितो राजन्प्रायाद्द्रोणरथं प्रति
M. N. Dutt: Sanjaya said O monarch, hearing the words of the son of Radha, king Duryodhana, with his brothers rushed where the car of Drona was.
तत्रारावो महानासीदेकं द्रोणं जिघांसताम् पाण्डवानां निवृत्तानां नानावर्णैर्हयोत्तमैः
M. N. Dutt: Then there arose a mighty uproar caused by the Pandava warriors, who actuated by the desire for slaying the unsupported Drona had all returned to the field, riding on best steeds of various colours.