Critical Edition
संजय उवाच पुत्रस्तु ते महाराज रथस्थो रथिनां वरः दुरुत्सहो बभौ युद्धे यथा रुद्रः प्रतापवान्
AI Translation: Sānjaya said: O great king, your son, the best of charioteers, standing on his chariot, shone in the battle, difficult to overcome, like the
Supplementary Passages:
9.21.1 After 1b, Dn D6 ins.: *117 दुर्धरः स पुमान्कश्चित्पाण्डवान्प्रति भारत
तस्य बाणसहस्रैस्तु प्रच्छन्ना ह्यभवन्मही परांश्च सिषिचे बाणैर्धाराभिरिव पर्वतान्
AI Translation: The earth was covered with thousands of his arrows. He sprinkled his enemies with arrows, like streams from mountains.
न च सोऽस्ति पुमान्कश्चित्पाण्डवानां महाहवे हयो गजो रथो वापि योऽस्य बाणैरविक्षतः
AI Translation: There is no man in this great battle of the Pandavas who has not been wounded by his arrows, whether he be a horse, an elephant or a chariot.
यं यं हि समरे योधं प्रपश्यामि विशां पते स स बाणैश्चितोऽभूद्वै पुत्रेण तव भारत
AI Translation: O lord of the earth, I see every warrior in the battle was pierced by your son's arrows, O descendant of Bharata.
यथा सैन्येन रजसा समुद्धूतेन वाहिनी प्रत्यदृश्यत संछन्ना तथा बाणैर्महात्मनः
AI Translation: As the army was covered by the dust raised by the army, the great soul was not seen, covered by arrows.
बाणभूतामपश्याम पृथिवीं पृथिवीपते दुर्योधनेन प्रकृतां क्षिप्रहस्तेन धन्विना
AI Translation: We saw the earth, O lord of the earth, turned into an arrow by Duryodhana, a swift-handed archer.
तेषु योधसहस्रेषु तावकेषु परेषु च एको दुर्योधनो ह्यासीत्पुमानिति मतिर्मम
AI Translation: Among those thousands of warriors on your side and the enemy, I think that only Duryodhana was a man.
तत्राद्भुतमपश्याम तव पुत्रस्य विक्रमम् यदेकं सहिताः पार्था नात्यवर्तन्त भारत
M. N. Dutt: The prowess displayed by your son was highly wonderful, since the Parthas, even in a body, could not approach him who was single.
युधिष्ठिरं शतेनाजौ विव्याध भरतर्षभ भीमसेनं च सप्तत्या सहदेवं च सप्तभिः
M. N. Dutt: He struck Yudhishthira, O best of Bharata's race, with a hundred arrows and Bhimasena with seventy and Sahadeva with seven.
नकुलं च चतुःषष्ट्या धृष्टद्युम्नं च पञ्चभिः सप्तभिर्द्रौपदेयांश्च त्रिभिर्विव्याध सात्यकिम् धनुश्चिच्छेद भल्लेन सहदेवस्य मारिष
M. N. Dutt: And he struck Nakula with sixty four and Dhrishtadyumna with five and the sons of Draupadi with seven and Satyaki with three arrows. With a broad-headed arrow, he then, O king, cut off the bow of Sahadeva.
तदपास्य धनुश्छिन्नं माद्रीपुत्रः प्रतापवान् अभ्यधावत राजानं प्रगृह्यान्यन्महद्धनुः ततो दुर्योधनं संख्ये विव्याध दशभिः शरैः
M. N. Dutt: Casting off that broken bow, the heroic son of Madri, took up another formidable bow and rushing against the king, viz., Duryodhana struck him with ten arrows in that battle.
नकुलश्च ततो वीरो राजानं नवभिः शरैः घोररूपैर्महेष्वासो विव्याध च ननाद च
M. N. Dutt: The great and brave bowman Nakula then struck the king with nine terrible arrows and uttered a loud war cry.
सात्यकिश्चापि राजानं शरेणानतपर्वणा द्रौपदेयास्त्रिसप्तत्या धर्मराजश्च सप्तभिः अशीत्या भीमसेनश्च शरै राजानमार्दयत्
M. N. Dutt: Satyaki struck the king with a single straight shaft; the sons of Draupadi struck him with seventy three and king Yudhishthira struck him with five. And Bhimasena assailed the king with eighty arrows.
समन्तात्कीर्यमाणस्तु बाणसंघैर्महात्मभिः न चचाल महाराज सर्वसैन्यस्य पश्यतः
M. N. Dutt: Though struck thus from all sides with numerous arrows by those illustrious warriors, Duryodhana still, O king, did not waver, in the presence of all the soldiers assembled there.
लाघवं सौष्ठवं चापि वीर्यं चैव महात्मनः अति सर्वाणि भूतानि ददृशुः सर्वमानवाः
M. N. Dutt: The quickness, the skill and the prowess of that illustrious warrior excelled those of every man.
धार्तराष्ट्रास्तु राजेन्द्र यात्वा तु स्वल्पमन्तरम् अपश्यमाना राजानं पर्यवर्तन्त दंशिताः
M. N. Dutt: Meanwhile the Dhartarashtras, O king, who had not fled far away, beholding the king, rallied and returned there, clad in mail.
तेषामापततां घोरस्तुमुलः समजायत क्षुब्धस्य हि समुद्रस्य प्रावृट्काले यथा निशि
M. N. Dutt: The noise made by them when they returned was exceedingly awful, like the roar of the surging deep during the rainy season.
समासाद्य रणे ते तु राजानमपराजितम् प्रत्युद्ययुर्महेष्वासाः पाण्डवानाततायिनः
M. N. Dutt: Approaching their invincible king in that battle, those great bowmen rushed against the Pandavas for fight.
भीमसेनं रणे क्रुद्धं द्रोणपुत्रो न्यवारयत् ततो बाणैर्महाराज प्रमुक्तैः सर्वतोदिशम् नाज्ञायन्त रणे वीरा न दिशः प्रदिशस्तथा
M. N. Dutt: With the arrows, O king, that were shot in that battle, all the points of the horizon were completely covered, so that the brave warriors could not distinguish the cardinal from the subsidiary points of the compass.
तावुभौ क्रूरकर्माणावुभौ भारत दुःसहौ घोररूपमयुध्येतां कृतप्रतिकृतैषिणौ त्रासयन्तौ जगत्सर्वं ज्याक्षेपविहतत्वचौ
M. N. Dutt: As regards Ashvatthaman and Bhimasena, O Bharata, both of them performed wonderful feats. Both of them were invincible in battle. The arms of both continued marks of bowstring for having repeatedly drawn the same. Opposing each other, they fought on, frightening the entire universe.
शकुनिस्तु रणे वीरो युधिष्ठिरमपीडयत् तस्याश्वांश्चतुरो हत्वा सुबलस्य सुतो विभुः नादं चकार बलवान्सर्वसैन्यानि कम्पयन्
M. N. Dutt: The heroic Shakuni struck Yudhishthira in that battle. Having killed the four horses of the king the powerful son of Subala uttered a loud roar, making all the soldiers tremble with fear.
Supplementary Passages:
9.21.21 After 21d, Dn D4.6 ins.: *118 यन्त्रेण हन्यमानौ तु रथाङ्गावपि चिच्छिदे मण्डलाग्रं धनुश्चापि निशितांस्तोमरानपि नाराचानर्धनाराचान्सुपुण्यान्मुद्गरानपि स्वर्णदण्डां च शक्तिं च भिण्डिपालान्परस्वधान् निरुन्धयन्सत्यधृतिं कृत्वैतत्कर्म दारुणम्
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे वीरं राजानमपराजितम् अपोवाह रथेनाजौ सहदेवः प्रतापवान्
M. N. Dutt: Meanwhile the valiant Şahadeva carried away the heroic but defeated king on his car from that battle.
अथान्यं रथमास्थाय धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः शकुनिं नवभिर्विद्ध्वा पुनर्विव्याध पञ्चभिः ननाद च महानादं प्रवरः सर्वधन्विनाम्
M. N. Dutt: Then riding on another car, returned king Yudhishthira and having pierced Shakuni at first with nine arrows, once more struck him with five. And that best of all bowmen then sent up a loud roar.
तद्युद्धमभवच्चित्रं घोररूपं च मारिष ईक्षितृप्रीतिजननं सिद्धचारणसेवितम्
M. N. Dutt: That battle presented a wonderful spectacle, It filled the spectators with delight and was praised by the Siddhas and the Charanas.
उलूकस्तु महेष्वासं नकुलं युद्धदुर्मदम् अभ्यद्रवदमेयात्मा शरवर्षैः समन्ततः
M. N. Dutt: Heroic Uluka rushed against the mighty bowman Nakula, in that battle, discharging showers of arrows from all sides.
तथैव नकुलः शूरः सौबलस्य सुतं रणे शरवर्षेण महता समन्तात्पर्यवारयत्
M. N. Dutt: The heroic Nakula, however, in that battle opposed the son of Shakuni with a dense shower of arrows from every side.
तौ तत्र समरे वीरौ कुलपुत्रौ महारथौ योधयन्तावपश्येतां परस्परकृतागसौ
M. N. Dutt: Both those heroes were born in high family and both were great car-warriors. They were seen to fight with each other, each enraged with the other.
तथैव कृतवर्मा तु शैनेयं शत्रुतापनम् योधयञ्शुशुभे राजन्बलं शक्र इवाहवे
M. N. Dutt: Similarly Kritavarman, O king, fighting with the grandson of Shini, that scorcher of foes, shone like Shakra fighting with the Asura Vala.
दुर्योधनो धनुश्छित्त्वा धृष्टद्युम्नस्य संयुगे अथैनं छिन्नधन्वानं विव्याध निशितैः शरैः
M. N. Dutt: Having cut off Dhrishtadyumna's bow in that battle, Dhrishtadyumna struck his bowless antagonist with kcen arrows.
Supplementary Passages:
9.21.29 After 29b, D4 ins.: *119 पञ्चभिर्निशितैस्तीक्ष्णैः शरैर्विव्याध मर्षयन्
धृष्टद्युम्नोऽपि समरे प्रगृह्य परमायुधम् राजानं योधयामास पश्यतां सर्वधन्विनाम्
M. N. Dutt: Then, in that battle, having taken up a formidable bow, Dhrishtadyumna fought with the king before all the bowmen.
तयोर्युद्धं महच्चासीत्संग्रामे भरतर्षभ प्रभिन्नयोर्यथा सक्तं मत्तयोर्वरहस्तिनोः
M. N. Dutt: The encounter between those two heroes was exceedingly dreadful, O best of Bharata's race, like that between two wild and infuriate elephants with temporal juice trickling down.
गौतमस्तु रणे क्रुद्धो द्रौपदेयान्महाबलान् विव्याध बहुभिः शूरः शरैः संनतपर्वभिः
M. N. Dutt: Worked up with rage in that battle, the heroic Gautama struck the mighty sons of Draupadi with many straight arrows.
तस्य तैरभवद्युद्धमिन्द्रियैरिव देहिनः घोररूपमसंवार्यं निर्मर्यादमतीव च
M. N. Dutt: The encounter that took place between him and those five resembled that which takes place between a man and his five senses. It was awful and fierce and no party showed any consideration for the other.
ते च तं पीडयामासुरिन्द्रियाणीव बालिशम् स च तान्प्रतिसंरब्धः प्रत्ययोधयदाहवे
M. N. Dutt: The five sons of Draupadi assailed Kripa like the senses afflicting a foolish man. He, on the other hand, fighting with thein, opposed them vigorously.
एवं चित्रमभूद्युद्धं तस्य तैः सह भारत उत्थायोत्थाय हि यथा देहिनामिन्द्रियैर्विभो
M. N. Dutt: That battle between him and them was indeed wonderful because it resembled the struggles, O king, between men and their Senses.
नराश्चैव नरैः सार्धं दन्तिनो दन्तिभिस्तथा हया हयैः समासक्ता रथिनो रथिभिस्तथा संकुलं चाभवद्भूयो घोररूपं विशां पते
M. N. Dutt: Men fought with men, elephants with elephants, horses with horses and car-warriors with car-warriors. Once more O king, that encounter became general and dreadful.
इदं चित्रमिदं घोरमिदं रौद्रमिति प्रभो युद्धान्यासन्महाराज घोराणि च बहूनि च
M. N. Dutt: Here an encounter was beautiful, there another was dicadful and there another was exceedingly fierce. O lord, many dreadful encounters took place in course of that battle.
ते समासाद्य समरे परस्परमरिंदमाः विव्यधुश्चैव जघ्नुश्च समासाद्य महाहवे
M. N. Dutt: Belonging to both armies and encountering one another, those chastisers of foes struck and killed one another in that dreadful battle.
तेषां शस्त्रसमुद्भूतं रजस्तीव्रमदृश्यत प्रवातेनोद्धतं राजन्धावद्भिश्चाश्वसादिभिः
M. N. Dutt: A thick cloud of dust was raised by the cars and the animals. Thick dust was also raised by the running of the horses, a dust that was carried from one place to another by the wind.
रथनेमिसमुद्भूतं निःश्वासैश्चापि दन्तिनाम् रजः संध्याभ्रकपिलं दिवाकरपथं ययौ
M. N. Dutt: A dust, thick as an evening cloud, was caused in the sky by the wheels of cars and the breaths of the elephants.
Supplementary Passages:
9.21.40 After 40, D1 ins.: *120 एकच्छायमिवाकाशं समभूत्तत्र धन्विनाम्
रजसा तेन संपृक्ते भास्करे निष्प्रभीकृते संछादिताभवद्भूमिस्ते च शूरा महारथाः
M. N. Dutt: On that dust being raised and the sun himself hidden therewith, the Earth became shrouded and the heroic and great car-warriors were not visible.
मुहूर्तादिव संवृत्तं नीरजस्कं समन्ततः वीरशोणितसिक्तायां भूमौ भरतसत्तम उपाशाम्यत्ततस्तीव्रं तद्रजो घोरदर्शनम्
M. N. Dutt: That dust disappeared and everything became clear when the Earth, O best of the Bharatas, was covered with the blood of heroes.
ततोऽपश्यं महाराज द्वंद्वयुद्धानि भारत यथाप्राग्र्यं यथाज्येष्ठं मध्याह्ने वै सुदारुणे वर्मणां तत्र राजेन्द्र व्यदृश्यन्तोज्ज्वलाः प्रभाः
M. N. Dutt: When that dense and awful cloud of dust was put down there were seen many single encounters, O Bharata, that the heroes fought at the noon each according to his strength and his rank. They were all exceedingly fierce. The sheen of the weapons in those encounters, O king, appeared full in view.
शब्दः सुतुमुलः संख्ये शराणां पततामभूत् महावेणुवनस्येव दह्यमानस्य सर्वतः
M. N. Dutt: Loud noise, of the falling shafts in that battle, resembled that of a vast forest of bamboo's while burning on every side.