Critical Edition
संजय उवाच तां प्रभग्नां चमूं दृष्ट्वा सौभद्रेणामितौजसा दुर्योधनो भृशं क्रुद्धः स्वयं सौभद्रमभ्ययात्
M. N. Dutt: Sanjaya said Then beholding his army routed Subhadra's son of immeasurable energy, king Duryodhana worked up the highest pitch of fury, himself proceeded against the former
ततो राजानमावृत्तं सौभद्रं प्रति संयुगे दृष्ट्वा द्रोणोऽब्रवीद्योधान्पर्याप्नुत नराधिपम्
M. N. Dutt: Then seeing the king turn back upon Subhadra's son in battle, Drona addressed the warriors saying "Save the king.
पुराभिमन्युर्लक्ष्यं नः पश्यतां हन्ति वीर्यवान् तमाद्रवत मा भैष्ट क्षिप्रं रक्षत कौरवम्
M. N. Dutt: The highly puissant Abhimanyu is slaying even before our very eyes, every one he is aiming at. Assail him and be not afraid; and rescue the king of the Kurus."
Supplementary Passages:
7.36.3 After 3, K2 (marg.) ins.: *271 अभिमन्युरसौ वीरो विष्णुतुल्यपराक्रमः सौभद्रो अयमायातो अस्माञ्जेतुं महाबलः
ततः कृतज्ञा बलिनः सुहृदो जितकाशिनः त्रास्यमाना भयाद्वीरं परिवव्रुस्तवात्मजम्
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon grateful, mighty and friendly warriors, ever attended with victory though inspired with fears, yet surrounded your heroic son in order to rescue him.
द्रोणो द्रौणिः कृपः कर्णः कृतवर्मा च सौबलः बृहद्बलो मद्रराजो भूरिर्भूरिश्रवाः शलः
AI Translation: Drona, Ashvatthama, Kripa, Karna, Kritavarma, Soubala, Brihadbala, the king of Madra, Bhurishrava, Shala,
पौरवो वृषसेनश्च विसृजन्तः शिताञ्शरान् सौभद्रं शरवर्षेण महता समवाकिरन्
AI Translation: Paurava and Vrishasena, releasing sharp arrows, showered Subhadra's son with a great rain of arrows.
संमोहयित्वा तमथ दुर्योधनममोचयन् आस्याद्ग्रासमिवाक्षिप्तं ममृषे नार्जुनात्मजः
M. N. Dutt: Then thus confounding the latter, they rescued Duryodhana. But Arjuna's son did not tolerate this snatching away of the monarch from his very mouth.
ताञ्शरौघेण महता साश्वसूतान्महारथान् विमुखीकृत्य सौभद्रः सिंहनादमथानदत्
M. N. Dutt: Compelling those mighty car-warriors with their horses and charioteer to turn their faces away from the field of battle, by means of his arrowy downpour, the son of Subhadra sent up a loud war-cry.
तस्य नादं ततः श्रुत्वा सिंहस्येवामिषैषिणः नामृष्यन्त सुसंरब्धाः पुनर्द्रोणमुखा रथाः
M. N. Dutt: Hearing that war-cry of his, resembling the roar of a lion desirous of prey, the warriors of your army headed by Drona and inflamed with rage did not brook it.
त एनं कोष्ठकीकृत्य रथवंशेन मारिष व्यसृजन्निषुजालानि नानालिङ्गानि संघशः
M. N. Dutt: Completely surrounding Abhimanyu's with their host of cars, your warriors O sire, began to shoot at him myriads of arrows of diverse description all falling in thick showers.
तान्यन्तरिक्षे चिच्छेद पौत्रस्तव शितैः शरैः तांश्चैव प्रतिविव्याध तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्
M. N. Dutt: But your grandson, with his own sharp arrows severed all these shafts even when the latter were coursing through the sky; in return also he pierced your warriors; indeed that feat then appeared wonderful.
Supplementary Passages:
7.36.11 After 11, S (M2 om.) ins.: *272 ततो रथाः पदात्योघाः कुञ्जराः सादिनश्च ह
ततस्ते कोपितास्तेन शरैराशीविषोपमैः परिवव्रुर्जिघांसन्तः सौभद्रमपलायिनम्
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon your warriors, excited with wrath in consequence of being wounded with shaft of the touch of fire and desirous of slaying the unretreating son of Subhadra, surrounded him on all sides.
समुद्रमिव पर्यस्तं त्वदीयं तद्बलार्णवम् अभिमन्युर्दधारैको वेलेव मकरालयम्
M. N. Dutt: Then, O foremost of the Bharatas, with his arrows that served the purpose of banks, Arjuna's son held in check the agitated ocean that was then identified with the vast number of your troops.
शूराणां युध्यमानानां निघ्नतामितरेतरम् अभिमन्योः परेषां च नासीत्कश्चित्पराङ्मुखः
M. N. Dutt: None among those heroes, viz., Abhimanyu on one side and all your warriors on the other, who were then fighting with and slaying one another, turned away from the field of battle.
तस्मिंस्तु घोरे संग्रामे वर्तमाने भयंकरे दुःसहो नवभिर्बाणैरभिमन्युमविध्यत
AI Translation: In that terrible battle, which was terrifying, Dushashona pierced Abhimanyu with nine arrows.
दुःशासनो द्वादशभिः कृपः शारद्वतस्त्रिभिः द्रोणस्तु सप्तदशभिः शरैराशीविषोपमैः
AI Translation: Duhshāsana with twelve, Kripa Sharadvata with three, Drona with seventeen arrows resembling venomous snakes,
विविंशतिस्तु विंशत्या कृतवर्मा च सप्तभिः बृहद्बलस्तथाष्टाभिरश्वत्थामा च सप्तभिः
AI Translation: Vivīnshati with twenty, Kritavarman with seven, Brihadbala with eight, and Ashvatthama with seven,
भूरिश्रवास्त्रिभिर्बाणैर्मद्रेशः षड्भिराशुगैः द्वाभ्यां शराभ्यां शकुनिस्त्रिभिर्दुर्योधनो नृपः
AI Translation: Bhuriśravas with three arrows, the lord of the Madras with six swift arrows, Śakuni with two arrows, King Duryodhana with three.
स तु तान्प्रतिविव्याध त्रिभिस्त्रिभिरजिह्मगैः नृत्यन्निव महाराज चापहस्तः प्रतापवान्
M. N. Dutt: Abhimanyu, on the other hand, O mighty monarch, pierced each of them with three straight-flying arrows, displaying his prowess and appearing to dance all the while with his bow in hand.
ततोऽभिमन्युः संक्रुद्धस्ताप्यमानस्तवात्मजैः विदर्शयन्वै सुमहच्छिक्षौरसकृतं बलम्
M. N. Dutt: Then Abhimanyu, enraged in consequence of your sons seeking to terrify him displayed his marvelous might that he had acquired through his culture and practices.
गरुडानिलरंहोभिर्यन्तुर्वाक्यकरैर्हयैः दान्तैरश्मकदायादं त्वरमाणोऽभ्यहारयत् विव्याध चैनं दशभिर्बाणैस्तिष्ठेति चाब्रवीत्
M. N. Dutt: Then borne by his well-trained steeds possessed of the fleetness of Garuda or of the wind and perfectly obedient to the behests of him who held their reins, Abhimanyu quickly repulsed the heir of Ashmaka. Standing before him, the prosperous and mighty son of Ashmaka, pierced him with ten arrows, saying all the while, stay stay.
Supplementary Passages:
7.36.21 After 21ab, S (M2 om.) ins.: *273 अभ्यद्रवत तं कार्ष्णिमश्मकेन्द्रः कृतत्वरः
तस्याभिमन्युर्दशभिर्बाणैः सूतं हयान्ध्वजम् बाहू धनुः शिरश्चोर्व्यां स्मयमानोऽभ्यपातयत्
M. N. Dutt: Then with ten arrows Abhimanyu smilingly cut down to the earth, his charioteer, horses, standards, arms, bow and head.
ततस्तस्मिन्हते वीरे सौभद्रेणाश्मकेश्वरे संचचाल बलं सर्वं पलायनपरायणम्
M. N. Dutt: When the heroic ruler of the Ashmakas had thus been slain by the son of Subhadra, the whole of his army being completely agitated, took to flight.
ततः कर्णः कृपो द्रोणो द्रौणिर्गान्धारराट्शलः शल्यो भूरिश्रवाः क्राथः सोमदत्तो विविंशतिः
AI Translation: Then Karna, Kripa, Drona, Ashvatthama, the king of the Gandharas, Shala, Shalya, Bhurishrava, Kratha, Somadatta
वृषसेनः सुषेणश्च कुण्डभेदी प्रतर्दनः वृन्दारको ललित्थश्च प्रबाहुर्दीर्घलोचनः दुर्योधनश्च संक्रुद्धः शरवर्षैरवाकिरन्
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon Karna, Kripa, Drona, Drona's son, the ruler of the Gandharas, Shala, Shalya Bhurishravas, Kratha, Somadatta, Vivinshati, Vrishasena, Sushena, Kundabhedin, Pratardana, Vrindaraka, Lalittha, Prabahu, Dirghalochana and king Duryodhana, all excited with rage, covered him with a shower of arrows.
सोऽतिक्रुद्धो महेष्वासैरभिमन्युरजिह्मगैः शरमादत्त कर्णाय परकायावभेदनम्
M. N. Dutt: Thus deeply pierced with straight-flying arrows by those mighty bowmen, Abhimanyu. Sped at Karna an arrow capable of penetrating through his armour and body.
तस्य भित्त्वा तनुत्राणं देहं निर्भिद्य चाशुगः प्राविशद्धरणीं राजन्वल्मीकमिव पन्नगः
M. N. Dutt: That swift-flying dart piercing through Karna's armour and body. Entered, O king, the
स तेनातिप्रहारेण व्यथितो विह्वलन्निव संचचाल रणे कर्णः क्षितिकम्पे यथाचलः
M. N. Dutt: Pained to the extreme in consequence of that deep wound and over-whelmed with a swoon. Karna trembled in battle like a hili during an earth-quake.
अथान्यैर्निशितैर्बाणैः सुषेणं दीर्घलोचनम् कुण्डभेदिं च संक्रुद्धस्त्रिभिस्त्रीनवधीद्बली
M. N. Dutt: Then with other sharp arrows the valiant Abhimanyu inflamed with rage, slew Sushena, Dirghalochana and Kundabhedhin.
कर्णस्तं पञ्चविंशत्या नाराचानां समर्पयत् अश्वत्थामा च विंशत्या कृतवर्मा च सप्तभिः
M. N. Dutt: Thereafter Karna pierced him in return, with twenty-five long shafts. Ashvatthaman pierced him with twenty and Kritavarman with seven arrows.
स शरार्दितसर्वाङ्गः क्रुद्धः शक्रात्मजात्मजः विचरन्दृश्यते सैन्ये पाशहस्त इवान्तकः
M. N. Dutt: Then that enraged grandson of Shakra, with his body struck all over with arrows. Looked, as he careered through the forces, like the destroyer himself with noose in hand.
शल्यं च बाणवर्षेण समीपस्थमवाकिरत् उदक्रोशन्महाबाहुस्तव सैन्यानि भीषयन्
M. N. Dutt: Then he covered Shalya who was standing near him with a thick shower of arrows; and then that mighty-armed hero sent up a loud war-cry, that inspired terror into your troops.
ततः स विद्धोऽस्त्रविदा मर्मभिद्भिरजिह्मगैः शल्यो राजन्रथोपस्थे निषसाद मुमोह च
M. N. Dutt: Pierced with straight arrows capable of penetrating to the vitals shot by Abhimanyu accomplished in all weapons. Shalya squatted down on the terrace of his car, o king and fainted away.
तं हि विद्धं तथा दृष्ट्वा सौभद्रेण यशस्विना संप्राद्रवच्चमूः सर्वा भारद्वाजस्य पश्यतः
M. N. Dutt: Beholding him thus deeply pierced by the illustrious son of Subhadra, all the troops began to fly away, even before the very eyes of the son of Bharadvaja.
प्रेक्षन्तस्तं महाबाहुं रुक्मपुङ्खैः समावृतम् त्वदीयाश्च पलायन्ते मृगाः सिंहार्दिता इव
M. N. Dutt: Beholding that mighty-armed hero Shalya, covered with gold-winged shafts, your troops fled like herds of deer frightened by the lion.
Supplementary Passages:
7.36.35 After 35, K2 (marg.) ins.: *274 एकोऽनेकाञ्जघानाशु प्राणिनामन्तको यथा कालाग्निसदृशो वीर्ये मातरिश्वेव वै जवे युध्यमानो महाबाहुः शक्रतुल्यपराक्रमः जघान समरे सर्वान्नानाशस्त्रविशारदान् इतीव तेषां समरे महात्मा प्रतापवान्नीतिवतां वरिष्ठः युद्धे च तस्मिन्स महाबलो रिपूंश् चकार सर्वानिषुभिः प्रदग्धान् On the other hand, S (except M3; M2 om.) ins. after 35: *275 सौभद्रशरनिर्भिण्णाः समरेऽमरविक्रमाः एवं शल्यो विमृदितस्तव पौत्रेण भारत
स तु रणयशसाभिपूज्यमानः; पितृसुरचारणसिद्धयक्षसंघैः अवनितलगतैश्च भूतसंघै;रतिविबभौ हुतभुग्यथाज्यसिक्तः
M. N. Dutt: Then Abhimanyu, extolled by the ancestral manes, the celestials and Charanas and Siddhas and also by various kinds of beings inhabiting the earth, with eulogies about his heroism and bravery in battle, appeared blazing like fire fed with clarified butter.