Critical Edition
संजय उवाच अथ त्विदानीं तुमुले विमर्दे; द्विषद्भिरेको बहुभिः समावृतः महाभये सारथिमित्युवाच; भीमश्चमूं वारयन्धार्तराष्ट्रीम् त्वं सारथे याहि जवेन वाहै;र्नयाम्येतान्धार्तराष्ट्रान्यमाय
M. N. Dutt: Sanjaya said In the thick of that awe-inspiring fray, Bhima, fighting single-handed, against tremendous odds, addressed his charioteer and said-"drive towards the centre of the Dhartarashtra force."
संचोदितो भीमसेनेन चैवं; स सारथिः पुत्रबलं त्वदीयम् प्रायात्ततः सारथिरुग्रवेगो; यतो भीमस्तद्बलं गन्तुमैच्छत्
AI Translation: Thus urged by Bhimasena, the charioteer of your son's army went to where Bhima wished to go with his army, with great speed.
ततोऽपरे नागरथाश्वपत्तिभिः; प्रत्युद्ययुः कुरवस्तं समन्तात् भीमस्य वाहाग्र्यमुदारवेगं; समन्ततो बाणगणैर्निजघ्नुः
AI Translation: Then the Kauravas, with their chariots, horses, and infantry, attacked him from all sides. They struck with showers of arrows at the foremost and swift-moving chariot of Bhima.
ततः शरानापततो महात्मा; चिच्छेद बाणैस्तपनीयपुङ्खैः ते वै निपेतुस्तपनीयपुङ्खा; द्विधा त्रिधा भीमशरैर्निकृत्ताः
AI Translation: Then the great-souled one cut down the arrows that were falling with arrows having golden-feathered shafts. Those arrows with golden-feathered shafts fell down, cut into two or three pieces by Bhima's arrows.
ततो राजन्नागरथाश्वयूनां; भीमाहतानां तव राजमध्ये घोरो निनादः प्रबभौ नरेन्द्र; वज्राहतानामिव पर्वतानाम्
AI Translation: Then, O king, in the midst of your army, the terrible sound of the elephants, chariots, horses and foot-soldiers struck by Bhima resounded, O lord of men, like that of mountains struck by thunderbolts.
ते वध्यमानाश्च नरेन्द्रमुख्या; निर्भिन्ना वै भीमसेनप्रवेकैः भीमं समन्तात्समरेऽध्यरोह;न्वृक्षं शकुन्ता इव पुष्पहेतोः
AI Translation: Those foremost among men were being killed, pierced by the arrows of Bhimasena. In the battle, they surrounded Bhima from all sides, like birds a tree for flowers.
ततोऽभिपातं तव सैन्यमध्ये; प्रादुश्चक्रे वेगमिवात्तवेगः यथान्तकाले क्षपयन्दिधक्षु;र्भूतान्तकृत्काल इवात्तदण्डः
AI Translation: Then he made a descent in the midst of your army, like the wind with its speed, like the end of time, consuming at the end of time, like the end of the world,
तस्यातिवेगस्य रणेऽतिवेगं; नाशक्नुवन्धारयितुं त्वदीयाः व्यात्ताननस्यापततो यथैव; कालस्य काले हरतः प्रजा वै
AI Translation: Your men were unable to restrain the great speed of that Ativega in battle, just as they are unable to restrain the open mouth of Death as he takes away the creatures at the time of death.
ततो बलं भारत भारतानां; प्रदह्यमानं समरे महात्मन् भीतं दिशोऽकीर्यत भीमनुन्नं; महानिलेनाभ्रगणो यथैव
AI Translation: Then, O great soul, the army of the Bharatas, being burnt in battle, was scattered in all directions, terrified and agitated by Bhima, like a mass of clouds by a great wind.
Supplementary Passages:
8.54.9 After 9, S ins.: *813 तद्विप्रकीर्णं त्वथ भारतं बलं पुनश्च भीमं परिवारयद्रणे
ततो धीमान्सारथिमब्रवीद्बली; स भीमसेनः पुनरेव हृष्टः सूताभिजानीहि परान्स्वकान्वा; रथान्ध्वजांश्चापततः समेतान् युध्यन्नहं नाभिजानामि किंचि;न्मा सैन्यं स्वं छादयिष्ये पृषत्कैः
AI Translation: Then the wise and strong Bhimasena, delighted again, said to the charioteer: "O charioteer, recognize the enemy or your own, the chariots, banners and arrows falling together. While fighting, I do not recognize anything. Do not cover my army with arrows.
Supplementary Passages:
8.54.10 After 10ab, S ins.: *814 त्वर त्वर ह्यद्य विशोक शीघ्रम् एतान्ध्वजाग्रांश्च रथांश्च पश्य
अरीन्विशोकाभिनिरीक्ष्य सर्वतो; मनस्तु चिन्ता प्रदुनोति मे भृशम् राजातुरो नागमद्यत्किरीटी; बहूनि दुःखान्यभिजातोऽस्मि सूत
M. N. Dutt: I am greatly mortified, O Vishoka, to see around me these leaders of war in hostile array and also with the sight of their cars and the tops of their standards. The king lies wounded and the diadem-decked Arjuna is not yet come to take the field. All these, O Suta, are preying heavily on me.
एतद्दुःखं सारथे धर्मराजो; यन्मां हित्वा यातवाञ्शत्रुमध्ये नैनं जीवन्नापि जानाम्यजीव;न्बीभत्सुं वा तन्ममाद्यातिदुःखम्
M. N. Dutt: O charioteer, that the pious king Yudhishthira should have gone away from the field, leading me alone in the midst of the enemy, is in itself hear-rending. Then again I am quite in the dark as to his fate. Nor do I know whether Vibhatsu is still alive or not. All these add to my grief.
सोऽहं द्विषत्सैन्यमुदग्रकल्पं; विनाशयिष्ये परमप्रतीतः एतान्निहत्याजिमध्ये समेता;न्प्रीतो भविष्यामि सह त्वयाद्य
M. N. Dutt: And though dejected and disspirited, I will play the hell with all these troops inspite of their strength. And thus making the vast army in hostile array pay the penalty in the wager of battle, let me rejoice with you today.
सर्वांस्तूणीरान्मार्गणान्वान्ववेक्ष्य; किं शिष्टं स्यात्सायकानां रथे मे का वा जातिः किं प्रमाणं च तेषां; ज्ञात्वा व्यक्तं तन्ममाचक्ष्व सूत
M. N. Dutt: O Suta, examine closely all the quivers of my arrows and see the numbers still left and then let me know decidedly the quantity and variety of each.”
Supplementary Passages:
8.54.14 After 14ab, T1 ins.: *815 कियन्तो मे इषवः सद्य एव while, T3 G M subst. for 14ab: *816 अवेक्षस्व मे इषुधी विशोक कियन्तो वा इषवो मेऽवशिष्टाः After 14, S (M1 om. lines 3-11) ins.: *817 कति वा सहस्राणि कति वा शतानि ह्याचक्ष्व मे सारथे क्षिप्रमेव विशोक उवाच सर्वं विदित्वैवमहं वदामि तवार्थसिद्धिप्रदमद्य वीर कैकेयकाम्भोजसुराष्ट्रबाह्लिका म्लेच्छाश्च सुह्माः परतङ्कणाश्च मद्राश्च वङ्गा मगधाः कुणिन्दा आनर्तकावर्तकाः पार्वतीयाः सर्वे गृहीतप्रवरायुधास्त्वां संवेष्ट्य संवेष्ट्य ततो विनेदुः रथे तवास्मिन्निशिताः सुपीतास् ततो भल्ला द्वादश वै सहस्राः
विशोक उवाच षण्मार्गणानामयुतानि वीर; क्षुराश्च भल्लाश्च तथायुताख्याः नाराचानां द्वे सहस्रे तु वीर; त्रीण्येव च प्रदराणां च पार्थ
M. N. Dutt: Vishoka said Being thus addressed, Vishoka replied-"O hero, you have full sixty thousand arrows still left, while your shafts, both razor-shaped and broad-pointed, number ten thousand each. O hero, you have still two thousand cloth-yard shafts, while the Pradaras, O Partha, number three thousand.
Supplementary Passages:
8.54.15 After 15c, S ins.: *818 वत्सदन्तानां दश कर्णिनां च अर्धचन्द्रा द्वादश षट्शतं च विपाठानां प्रवराणां च सप्त शिलीमुखानां दश च त्रिंशतं च अयोमुखानां क्षुद्रकाणां च त्रिंशत्
अस्त्यायुधं पाण्डवेयावशिष्टं; न यद्वहेच्छकटं षड्गवीयम् एतद्विद्वन्मुञ्च सहस्रशोऽपि; गदासिबाहुद्रविणं च तेऽस्ति
M. N. Dutt: To speak candidly, O son of Pandu, the quantity that is still left is quite unmanageable even by half-a-dozen bullocks, if placed on carts. O skillful one, throw off your weapons in no measured number, for your maces, swords and scimitars, as also your lances darts and spears and other weapons of the arms, number thousands upon thousands. So be of good cheer and pray do not be misapprehensive of your weapons running short."
Supplementary Passages:
8.54.16 For 16ab, S subst.: *819 अस्त्रायुतं पाण्डव तेऽवशिष्टम् एतद्वहेच्छकटं षड्गवं यत् After 16c, T3 G ins.: *820 शत्रूञ्जयस्वाशुसहस्रवीर B2.5 D (except D8) ins. after 16: T1 after line 1 of 819*: T2 after 16ab: *821 प्रासाश्च मुद्गराः शक्तयस्तोमराश्च मा भैषीस्त्वं संक्षयादायुधानाम्
भीम उवाच सूताद्येमं पश्य भीमप्रमुक्तैः; संभिन्दद्भिः पार्थिवानाशुवेगैः उग्रैर्बाणैराहवं घोररूपं; नष्टादित्यं मृत्युलोकेन तुल्यम्
M. N. Dutt: Bhima said Mark, O Suta, in this day's fearful engagement the plains will present the aspect of the dismal regions, of Death, when the field will be shrouded with thick sets of my irresistible arrows, furiously let loose from off my bow, tearing into pieces the entire body of the trainbands of my enemy and making the Sun, as it were, disappear from view.
Supplementary Passages:
8.54.17 T G2.3 M ins. after the ref.: G1 ins. after 16: *822 अद्यैव नूनं कथयन्तु सिद्धां मम प्रतिज्ञां सर्वलोके विशोक न मोक्ष्यते वा समरे भीमसेन एकः शत्रून्समरे वाप्यजैषीत् आशंसितानामिदमेकमस्तु तन्मे देवाः सकलं साधयन्तु
अद्यैव तद्विदितं पार्थिवानां; भविष्यति आकुमारं च सूत निमग्नो वा समरे भीमसेन; एकः कुरून्वा समरे विजेता
M. N. Dutt: Today, O Suta, it will be known to all the Kshatriyas, even unto the last generation, that either Bhimasena has given himself up in battle, or, singly, he has got the better of all the Kurus.
सर्वे संख्ये कुरवो निष्पतन्तु; मां वा लोकाः कीर्तयन्त्वाकुमारम् सर्वानेकस्तानहं पातयिष्ये; ते वा सर्वे भीमसेनं तुदन्तु
M. N. Dutt: Today, either let the Kauravas fall in battle, or, let all the world sound my death knell. Alone, encountering them all, I will either overmatch them, or, let them, all combined, put an extinguisher upon Bhimasena.
आशास्तारः कर्म चाप्युत्तमं वा; तन्मे देवाः केवलं साधयन्तु आयात्विहाद्यार्जुनः शत्रुघाती; शक्रस्तूर्णं यज्ञ इवोपहूतः
M. N. Dutt: May the guardian angels, who further the course of all righteous action, shower down their blessing on me; and let Arjuna, the victor of enemies, come here speedily (to my relief), like the invoked Sakra appearing in the sacrificial ground.
Supplementary Passages:
8.54.20 For 20cd, T1.3 G M subst.: *823 आयातीह केशवसारथी रथ इन्द्रो यज्ञे सहसैवोपहूतः T1.3 G M cont.: T2 ins. after 20: *824 पश्यस्व पश्यस्व विशोक मे बलं बलं परेषामभितश्च भिन्नम् नानास्वरान्पश्य विमुच्य सर्वे तथा द्रवन्ते बलिनो धार्तराष्ट्राः
ईक्षस्वैतां भारतीं दीर्यमाणा;मेते कस्माद्विद्रवन्ते नरेन्द्राः व्यक्तं धीमान्सव्यसाची नराग्र्यः; सैन्यं ह्येतच्छादयत्याशु बाणैः
M. N. Dutt: Look there and see the disbanded Bharata force! Why are all these chiefs taking to their flight. Surely it seems to me inevitable that Savyasachin, that best of human beings has been shrouding that force with a heavy downpour of his arrows.
Supplementary Passages:
8.54.21 For 21cd, S subst.: *825 धनंजयो नूनमायाति सूत तस्मादेषा दीर्यते भारती चमूः
पश्य ध्वजांश्च द्रवतो विशोक; नागान्हयान्पत्तिसंघांश्च संख्ये रथान्विशीर्णाञ्शरशक्तिताडिता;न्पश्यस्वैतान्रथिनश्चैव सूत
M. N. Dutt: Look there, O Vishoka, (and see how) the mounted soldiers riding on their steeds or elephants and standard-bearers and footsoldiers and beating their retreat. Look, also, at these war-chariots, (and see how) they with their warriors on, are getting scattered by the darts, shafts and arrows, O Suta.
आपूर्यते कौरवी चाप्यभीक्ष्णं; सेना ह्यसौ सुभृशं हन्यमाना धनंजयस्याशनितुल्यवेगै;र्ग्रस्ता शरैर्बर्हिसुवर्णवाजैः
M. N. Dutt: Charged with the gold-winged and peacock-feathered arrows of Dhananjaya and bursting like the bolts from the blue, those Kaurava forces, falling fast in numbers, as often swell the ranks of their file.
एते द्रवन्ति स्म रथाश्वनागाः; पदातिसंघानवमर्दयन्तः संमुह्यमानाः कौरवाः सर्व एव; द्रवन्ति नागा इव दावभीताः हाहाकृताश्चैव रणे विशोक; मुञ्चन्ति नादान्विपुलान्गजेन्द्राः
M. N. Dutt: Those steed yoked on war-chariots and elephants trampling down the vast array of foot-soldiers are fleeting away. In sooth, the whole host of the Kauravas, seized with consternation, are beating a hasty retreat, as do the terrified elephants in the midst of a flaming forest. The elephants are roaring furiously in the field and their savage cries, O Vishoka, make, one and all, utter cries of woe and alas!'
विशोक उवाच सर्वे कामाः पाण्डव ते समृद्धाः; कपिध्वजो दृश्यते हस्तिसैन्ये नीलाद्धनाद्विद्युतमुच्चरन्तीं; तथापश्यं विस्फुरद्वै धनुस्तत्
M. N. Dutt: All your wishes, O son of Pandu, have been gratified, yonder is seen the standard of Ape (of Arjuna) wafting aloft. Look there the bowstring (of Gandiva) is emitting incessantly rays of light, like the flashes of lightning from amidst the blue regions of ethereal space.
Supplementary Passages:
8.54.25 After the ref., K4 V1 B D (D8 partly damaged) T1.2 ins.: *826 किं भीम नैनं त्वमिहाशृणोषि विस्फारितं गाण्डिवस्यातिघोरम् क्रुद्धेन पार्थेन विकृष्यतोऽद्य कच्चिन्नेमौ तव कर्णौ विनष्टौ After 25, M1 ins.: *827 दोधूयमानस्य धनंजयेन
कपिर्ह्यसौ वीक्ष्यते सर्वतो वै; ध्वजाग्रमारुह्य धनंजयस्य दिवाकराभो मणिरेष दिव्यो; विभ्राजते चैव किरीटसंस्थः
AI Translation: For this monkey is seen everywhere, mounted on the top of the banner of Dhananjaya. This heavenly gem, shining like the sun, is shining on his crest.
Supplementary Passages:
8.54.26 After 26ab, N (except K3 D1) ins.: *828 वित्रासयन्द्विपसंघान्विमर्दे बिभेम्यस्मादात्मनैवाभिवीक्ष्य विभ्राजते चातिमात्रं किरीटं विचित्रमेतच्च धनंजयस्य
पार्श्वे भीमं पाण्डुराभ्रप्रकाशं; पश्येमं त्वं देवदत्तं सुघोषम् अभीशुहस्तस्य जनार्दनस्य; विगाहमानस्य चमूं परेषाम्
M. N. Dutt: Alongside him, behold, there, his conch Devadatta to thundering blare and resembling a white sheet of cloud. Behold there, Janaradana, reins in hand, making his way into the centre of the hostile divisions.
Supplementary Passages:
8.54.27 After 27ab, B3-5 D6 T2 ins.: *829 महाबलं भीम विराजमानं पश्यस्व संख्ये द्विषतां निहन्तुः On the other hand, T1 G1.2 M ins. after 27ab: *830 पार्श्वे स्थितं पार्थ धनंजयस्य दिव्यं शङ्खं पाञ्चजन्यं च पश्य
रविप्रभं वज्रनाभं क्षुरान्तं; पार्श्वे स्थितं पश्य जनार्दनस्य चक्रं यशो वर्धयत्केशवस्य; सदार्चितं यदुभिः पश्य वीर
M. N. Dutt: Behold, there, O hero, by the side of Janardana his discus, radiant like the Sun, nave like thunder and sharp like razor-that discus which enhances the fame of Keshava and which is always worshipped by the Yadus. son
Supplementary Passages:
8.54.28 For 28ab, T1.3 G M subst.: *831 चक्रं च पश्य ज्वलनप्रकाशं पार्श्वे स्थितं पार्थ धनंजयस्य After 28, Ś K V1 B1-4 Da1 Dn1 D1-5.7.8 T2 ins. a passage given in App. I (No. 26); B5 D6 ins. it after 832*; while B5 (om. lines 2 and 5) D6 ins. after 28: *832 तथैव कृष्णस्य च पाञ्चजन्यं महार्हमेतद्विजमाजवर्णम् (?) कौन्तेय पश्योरसि कौस्तुभं च जाज्वल्यमानां विजयस्रजं च कृष्णस्येमां पश्य च भीमसेन On the other hand, T1.3 G M ins. after 28: T2 after App. I (No. 26): *833 सविद्युतश्चैव घनस्य शब्दं विष्फार्यतो धनुषो गाण्डिवस्य धनंजयेनाभिपन्नस्य काले शब्दो घोरः श्रूयते तस्य नास्मिन् कच्चिच्छ्रोताहो बधिरोऽसि पार्थ
भीम उवाच ददामि ते ग्रामवरांश्चतुर्दश; प्रियाख्याने सारथे सुप्रसन्नः दसीशतं चापि रथांश्च विंशतिं; यदर्जुनं वेदयसे विशोक
M. N. Dutt: Bhima said For this welcome news, O charioteer, with unfeigned pleasure I grant you fourteen choice villages; and O Vishoka, as you bring me the tidings of Arjuna, I also present you a hundred female slaves and twenty chariots.