Critical Edition
संजय उवाच तस्मिञ्शब्दे मृदौ जाते पाण्डवैर्निहते बले अश्वैः सप्तशतैः शिष्टैरुपावर्तत सौबलः
M. N. Dutt: Sanjaya said When the loud noise of battle had somewhat subsided and the Pandavas had killed large numbers of their foes Subala's son once more came with the remnant of his cavalry, seven hundred in number.
स यात्वा वाहिनीं तूर्णमब्रवीत्त्वरयन्युधि युध्यध्वमिति संहृष्टाः पुनः पुनररिंदमः अपृच्छत्क्षत्रियांस्तत्र क्व नु राजा महारथः
M. N. Dutt: Spcedily approaching his own soldiers and urging them to fight, he again and again said-"You chastisers of enemies, fight merrily.”
शकुनेस्तु वचः श्रुत्वा त ऊचुर्भरतर्षभ असौ तिष्ठति कौरव्यो रणमध्ये महारथः
AI Translation: Hearing the words of the bird, they said, "O bull among the Bharata lineage, this great warrior of the Kuru lineage is standing in the midst of the battle.
यत्रैतत्सुमहच्छत्रं पूर्णचन्द्रसमप्रभम् यत्रैते सतलत्राणा रथास्तिष्ठन्ति दंशिताः
AI Translation: Where this great umbrella, shining like the full moon, Where these chariots with their tall poles stand, armed.
यत्रैष शब्दस्तुमुलः पर्जन्यनिनदोपमः तत्र गच्छ द्रुतं राजंस्ततो द्रक्ष्यसि कौरवम्
AI Translation: Where there is this loud sound, resembling the roar of thunder, Go there quickly, O king, and you will see the Kaurava.
एवमुक्तस्तु तैः शूरैः शकुनिः सौबलस्तदा प्रययौ तत्र यत्रासौ पुत्रस्तव नराधिप सर्वतः संवृतो वीरैः समरेष्वनिवर्तिभिः
AI Translation: Thus addressed by those heroes, Shakuni Soubala then went to where your son, the king of men, was. Surrounded on all sides by heroes who were invincible in battle,
ततो दुर्योधनं दृष्ट्वा रथानीके व्यवस्थितम् सरथांस्तावकान्सर्वान्हर्षयञ्शकुनिस्ततः
AI Translation: Then, seeing Duryodhana stationed in the chariot formation, Shākuni, delighting all your chariot-warriors,
दुर्योधनमिदं वाक्यं हृष्टरूपो विशां पते कृतकार्यमिवात्मानं मन्यमानोऽब्रवीन्नृपम्
AI Translation: O lord of the earth, Duryodhana, with a delighted countenance, spoke these words to the king, considering himself to have accomplished his task.
जहि राजन्रथानीकमश्वाः सर्वे जिता मया नात्यक्त्वा जीवितं संख्ये शक्यो जेतुं युधिष्ठिरः
AI Translation: O king, give up your army of chariots. All the horses have been defeated by me. Without giving up his life in battle, Yudhishthira cannot be defeated.
हते तस्मिन्रथानीके पाण्डवेनाभिपालिते गजानेतान्हनिष्यामः पदातींश्चेतरांस्तथा
M. N. Dutt: When that car-army, protected by the son of Pandu, will have been destroyed, we shall then kill all those elephants and foot-soldiers and others."
श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तस्य तावका जयगृद्धिनः जवेनाभ्यपतन्हृष्टाः पाण्डवानामनीकिनीम्
M. N. Dutt: Hearing those words your warriors, actuated with the desire of victory, cheerfully proceeded against the Pandava army.
सर्वे विवृततूणीराः प्रगृहीतशरासनाः शरासनानि धुन्वानाः सिंहनादं प्रचक्रिरे
M. N. Dutt: With quivers on their backs and bows in their hands, all of them shook their bows and sent up leonine war-cries.
ततो ज्यातलनिर्घोषः पुनरासीद्विशां पते प्रादुरासीच्छराणां च सुमुक्तानां सुदारुणः
M. N. Dutt: Again O king, the fierce twang of bows and the slapping of palms and the sound of arrows shot forcibly was heard.
तान्समीपगतान्दृष्ट्वा जवेनोद्यतकार्मुकान् उवाच देवकीपुत्रं कुन्तीपुत्रो धनंजयः
AI Translation: Seeing them approach, their bows drawn, the son of Kunti, Dhananjaya, spoke to the son of Devaki:
चोदयाश्वानसंभ्रान्तः प्रविशैतद्बलार्णवम् अन्तमद्य गमिष्यामि शत्रूणां निशितैः शरैः
AI Translation: Urge on your horses, without fear, and enter this ocean of an army. Today I will go to the end of my enemies with sharp arrows.
अष्टादश दिनान्यद्य युद्धस्यास्य जनार्दन वर्तमानस्य महतः समासाद्य परस्परम्
AI Translation: O Janardana, eighteen days have passed since the beginning of this great battle between us.
अनन्तकल्पा ध्वजिनी भूत्वा ह्येषां महात्मनाम् क्षयमद्य गता युद्धे पश्य दैवं यथाविधम्
AI Translation: Having been the army of the great-souled ones for countless aeons, they have today gone to destruction in battle. See how fate is.
समुद्रकल्पं तु बलं धार्तराष्ट्रस्य माधव अस्मानासाद्य संजातं गोष्पदोपममच्युत
M. N. Dutt: The army of Dhritarashtra's son, O Madhava, which was vast as the deep, has O Achyuta, became, after meeting ourselves, even like a pit caused by a cow's hoof.
हते भीष्मे च संदध्याच्छिवं स्यादिह माधव न च तत्कृतवान्मूढो धार्तराष्ट्रः सुबालिशः
M. N. Dutt: If peace had been made after Bhishma's fall, O Madhava, everything would have fared well. The foolish and wicked-minded Duryodhana, however, did not make peace.
उक्तं भीष्मेण यद्वाक्यं हितं पथ्यं च माधव तच्चापि नासौ कृतवान्वीतबुद्धिः सुयोधनः
M. N. Dutt: The words, that were given vent to by Bhishma, O Madhava, were beneficial and should have been accepted. Suyodhana however, who had lost his understanding, did not follow them.
तस्मिंस्तु पतिते भीष्मे प्रच्युते पृथिवीतले न जाने कारणं किं नु येन युद्धमवर्तत
M. N. Dutt: After Bhishma had been struck down on the carth, I do not know why the battle was fought on.
Supplementary Passages:
9.23.21 After 21, D1 ins.: *132 हते द्रोणे च कर्णे च भूरिश्रवसि संगरे दुःशासने च शाल्वे च शल्ये च सपरिच्छदे भगदत्ते च वीरेन्द्रे नैवाशाम्यत हा रणः येन भीष्मस्तथा द्रोणः कृपो विदुर एव च पिता माता शमस्यार्थे प्रत्याख्यातास्तु पापिना
मूढांस्तु सर्वथा मन्ये धार्तराष्ट्रान्सुबालिशान् पतिते शंतनोः पुत्रे येऽकार्षुः संयुगं पुनः
M. N. Dutt: I regard the son of Dhritarashtra as foolish and of weak understanding by every means since they continued the battle even after the fall of Shantanu's son.
अनन्तरं च निहते द्रोणे ब्रह्मविदां वरे राधेये च विकर्णे च नैवाशाम्यत वैशसम्
M. N. Dutt: After that when Drona, that foremost of Brahmanas, as fell, as also the son of Radha and Vikartana, the battle did not stop.
Supplementary Passages:
9.23.23 After 23, D8 reads 26, while K4.5 ins.: *133 राधेये सूतपुत्रे च नैव शाम्यति वैशसम्
अल्पावशिष्टे सैन्येऽस्मिन्सूतपुत्रे च पातिते सपुत्रे वै नरव्याघ्रे नैवाशाम्यत वैशसम्
M. N. Dutt: Even, when a residue only of the Kaurava army remained after the fall of that best of men, viz., Karna, with his sons the battle did not stop.
श्रुतायुषि हते शूरे जलसंधे च पौरवे श्रुतायुधे च नृपतौ नैवाशाम्यत वैशसम्
M. N. Dutt: After the fall of even the heroic Shrutayush, of also Jalasandha of Puru's race and of king Shrutayudha, the slaughter did not still cease.
भूरिश्रवसि शल्ये च शाल्वे चैव जनार्दन आवन्त्येषु च वीरेषु नैवाशाम्यत वैशसम्
M. N. Dutt: After the death of Bhurishravas, of Shalya, O Janarddana and of the Avanti heroes, the slaughter did not still stop.
जयद्रथे च निहते राक्षसे चाप्यलायुधे बाह्लिके सोमदत्ते च नैवाशाम्यत वैशसम्
M. N. Dutt: After the fall of Jayadratha, of the Rakshasa Alayudha, of Valhika and of Somadatta the killing battle did not still stop.
भगदत्ते हते शूरे काम्बोजे च सुदक्षिणे दुःशासने च निहते नैवाशाम्यत वैशसम्
M. N. Dutt: After the fall of the heroic Bhagadatta, of the Kamboja chief Sudakshina and of Dusshasana, the all-destroying battle did not still stop.
Supplementary Passages:
9.23.28 After 28b, T1.2.4 G1.3 M ins.: *134 नानादेशसमुत्थे च हते सैन्ये पृथग्विधे
दृष्ट्वा च निहताञ्शूरान्पृथङ्माण्डलिकान्नृपान् बलिनश्च रणे कृष्ण नैवाशाम्यत वैशसम्
M. N. Dutt: Seeing the many heroic and powerful kings, each master of extensive territories' killed in a battle, the all-destroying battle, O Krishna, did not still stop.
अक्षौहिणीपतीन्दृष्ट्वा भीमसेनेन पातितान् मोहाद्वा यदि वा लोभान्नैवाशाम्यत वैशसम्
M. N. Dutt: Beholding even a full Akshauhini of troops slain by Bhimasena in battle, the all-destroying battle did not still stop on account of either the folly or the covetousness of the sons of Dhritarashtra.
Supplementary Passages:
9.23.30 After 30, T1.3.4 G M2.4 ins.: *135 हतप्रवीरां विध्वस्तां दृष्ट्वा चेमां चमूं रणे अलम्बुसे च निहते नैव शाम्यति वैशसम् भ्रातॄन्विनिहतान्दृष्ट्वा वयस्यान्मातुलानपि पुत्रान्विनिहतान्संख्ये नैव शाम्यति वैशसम्
को नु राजकुले जातः कौरवेयो विशेषतः निरर्थकं महद्वैरं कुर्यादन्यः सुयोधनात्
M. N. Dutt: What king, born in noble family cspecially as one like that of Kuru, except the foolish Duryodhana, would thus create useless hostilities.
Supplementary Passages:
9.23.31 After 31, D4 ins.: *136 नृपप्रवीरान्विध्वस्तान्दृष्ट्वा चेमां महाचमूम्
गुणतोऽभ्यधिकं ज्ञात्वा बलतः शौर्यतोऽपि वा अमूढः को नु युध्येत जानन्प्राज्ञो हिताहितम्
M. N. Dutt: Who is there reasonable and wise and capable of distinguishing between good and evil, that would thus make a war, knowing his foes to be superior to him in merit, strength and bravery.
यन्न तस्य मनो ह्यासीत्त्वयोक्तस्य हितं वचः प्रशमे पाण्डवैः सार्धं सोऽन्यस्य शृणुयात्कथम्
M. N. Dutt: How could he listen to the advice of another when, indeed, he could not make up his mind to make peace with the Pandavas following your advice.
येन शांतनवो भीष्मो द्रोणो विदुर एव च प्रत्याख्याताः शमस्यार्थे किं नु तस्याद्य भेषजम्
M. N. Dutt: What medicine can be agreeable to that man today who discovered Bhishma, the son of Shantanu and Drona and Vidura, while they urged him to make peace.
मौर्ख्याद्येन पिता वृद्धः प्रत्याख्यातो जनार्दन तथा माता हितं वाक्यं भाषमाणा हितैषिणी प्रत्याख्याता ह्यसत्कृत्य स कस्मै रोचयेद्वचः
M. N. Dutt: How can be accept good advice who out of folly, O Janarddana, insolently disobeyed his own old father as also his own good mother who spoke wholesome words to him.
कुलान्तकरणो व्यक्तं जात एष जनार्दन तथास्य दृश्यते चेष्टा नीतिश्चैव विशां पते नैष दास्यति नो राज्यमिति मे मतिरच्युत
M. N. Dutt: The great Vidura, O sire, told me many a time that as long as Duryodhana would live, he would never give us our share of the kingdom.
उक्तोऽहं बहुशस्तात विदुरेण महात्मना न जीवन्दास्यते भागं धार्तराष्ट्रः कथंचन
AI Translation: O father, I have been told many times by the great-souled Vidura that the son of Dhritarashtra will never give me a share while I am alive.
यावत्प्राणा धमिष्यन्ति धार्तराष्ट्रस्य मानद तावद्युष्मास्वपापेषु प्रचरिष्यति पातकम्
AI Translation: As long as the vital airs remain in the body of Dhritarashtra's son, O you who are honoured by the virtuous, For that long, sin will be committed by you who are free from sin.
न स युक्तोऽन्यथा जेतुमृते युद्धेन माधव इत्यब्रवीत्सदा मां हि विदुरः सत्यदर्शनः
AI Translation: "He is not to be conquered in any other way than by war, O Madhava." Thus did Vidura, the seer of truth, always speak to me.
तत्सर्वमद्य जानामि व्यवसायं दुरात्मनः यदुक्तं वचनं तेन विदुरेण महात्मना
AI Translation: I now know all the evil intentions of that wicked one. The great-souled Vidura spoke these words:
यो हि श्रुत्वा वचः पथ्यं जामदग्न्याद्यथातथम् अवामन्यत दुर्बुद्धिर्ध्रुवं नाशमुखे स्थितः
M. N. Dutt: That wicked man, who having listened to the beneficial and proper worlds of Jamadagni's son, disobeyed them, should certainly be regarded as standing in the face of destruction.
उक्तं हि बहुभिः सिद्धैर्जातमात्रे सुयोधने एनं प्राप्य दुरात्मानं क्षयं क्षत्रं गमिष्यति
M. N. Dutt: Many saints and ascetics said, as soon as Duryodhana was born, that the entire Kshatriya race would be exterminated for that wretch.
तदिदं वचनं तेषां निरुक्तं वै जनार्दन क्षयं याता हि राजानो दुर्योधनकृते भृशम्
M. N. Dutt: Those words of the sages, O Janarddana, have now borne fruits, because the Kshatriyas are undergoing almost entire extermination on account of Duryodhana's miss-deeds. I shall, O Madhava, kill all the warriors today.
सोऽद्य सर्वान्रणे योधान्निहनिष्यामि माधव क्षत्रियेषु हतेष्वाशु शून्ये च शिबिरे कृते
AI Translation: Today, O Mādhava, I shall kill all the warriors in battle. When the Kṣatriyas are killed and the camp is made empty,
वधाय चात्मनोऽस्माभिः संयुगं रोचयिष्यति तदन्तं हि भवेद्वैरमनुमानेन माधव
AI Translation: He will be eager to fight with us for the sake of killing himself. For, O Madhava, the enmity will end with that.
एवं पश्यामि वार्ष्णेय चिन्तयन्प्रज्ञया स्वया विदुरस्य च वाक्येन चेष्टया च दुरात्मनः
AI Translation: Thus, O Varshneya, I see, reflecting with my own wisdom, And by the words of Vidura and the actions of the evil-souled one.
संयाहि भारतीं वीर यावद्धन्मि शितैः शरैः दुर्योधनं दुरात्मानं वाहिनीं चास्य संयुगे
AI Translation: Come to the Bharatas, O hero, until I strike with sharp arrows Duryodhana, the evil-minded one, and his army in battle.
क्षेममद्य करिष्यामि धर्मराजस्य माधव हत्वैतद्दुर्बलं सैन्यं धार्तराष्ट्रस्य पश्यतः
M. N. Dutt: Slaying this weak army in the very presence of Dhritarashtra's son, I shall today do what is for Yudhishthira's good."
संजय उवाच अभीशुहस्तो दाशार्हस्तथोक्तः सव्यसाचिना तद्बलौघममित्राणामभीतः प्राविशद्रणे
M. N. Dutt: Thus addressed by Arjuna, the Dasharha heroe, with reins in hand, fearlessly penetrated that vest hostile army for battle.
शरासनवरं घोरं शक्तिकण्टकसंवृतम् गदापरिघपन्थानं रथनागमहाद्रुमम्
M. N. Dutt: It was a terrible forest of bows. Darts were its prickles. Maces and bludgeons were its paths, Cars and elephants were its huge trees.
हयपत्तिलताकीर्णं गाहमानो महायशाः व्यचरत्तत्र गोविन्दो रथेनातिपताकिना
M. N. Dutt: Cavalry and infantry were its creepers. And the illustrious Keshava, as he entered that forest on that car adorned with many banners and pennons, shone exceedingly resplendent.
ते हयाः पाण्डुरा राजन्वहन्तोऽर्जुनमाहवे दिक्षु सर्वास्वदृश्यन्त दाशार्हेण प्रचोदिताः
M. N. Dutt: Those white horses, O king, bearing Arjuna in battle, were seen moving about on all sides urged by the Dasharha heroe.
ततः प्रायाद्रथेनाजौ सव्यसाची परंतपः किरञ्शरशतांस्तीक्ष्णान्वारिधारा इवाम्बुदः
AI Translation: Then the left-handed archer, the scorcher of enemies, went out to the battlefield in his chariot, shooting hundreds of sharp arrows like rain from a cloud.
प्रादुरासीन्महाञ्शब्दः शराणां नतपर्वणाम् इषुभिश्छाद्यमानानां समरे सव्यसाचिना
AI Translation: The sound of the arrows with bent joints arose greatly As they were covered by arrows in the battle by Savyasachi.
असज्जन्तस्तनुत्रेषु शरौघाः प्रापतन्भुवि इन्द्राशनिसमस्पर्शा गाण्डीवप्रेषिताः शराः
AI Translation: The arrows, falling on the bodies of the enemies, fell on the ground. The arrows, discharged from the Gandīva bow, were equal to the touch of Indra's thunderbolt.
नरान्नागान्समाहत्य हयांश्चापि विशां पते अपतन्त रणे बाणाः पतंगा इव घोषिणः
M. N. Dutt: Shot off the Gandiva, arrows, whose touch resembled that of Indra's thunder, striking men and elephants and horses, O king, fell in that battle with a noise like that of winged insects.
आसीत्सर्वमवच्छन्नं गाण्डीवप्रेषितैः शरैः न प्राज्ञायन्त समरे दिशो वा प्रदिशोऽपि वा
M. N. Dutt: Everything was covered with those shafts shot from Gandiva. In that battle, the points of the horizon could not be distinguished.
सर्वमासीज्जगत्पूर्णं पार्थनामाङ्कितैः शरैः रुक्मपुङ्खैस्तैलधौतैः कर्मारपरिमार्जितैः
AI Translation: The whole world was filled with arrows bearing the name of Partha, with golden nocks, washed with oil, polished by a blacksmith.
ते दह्यमानाः पार्थेन पावकेनेव कुञ्जराः समासीदन्त कौरव्या वध्यमानाः शितैः शरैः
AI Translation: The Kauravas, being burnt by the sharp arrows of Partha, gathered together, like elephants by fire.
शरचापधरः पार्थः प्रज्वलन्निव भारत ददाह समरे योधान्कक्षमग्निरिव ज्वलन्
M. N. Dutt: Struck with those keen arrows and burnt therewith by Partha even as a herd of elephants is burnt with burning brands, the Kauravas were dispirited and weakened. Armed with bow and arrows, Partha, resembling the burning sun, consumed the hostile heroes in that battle like a blazing fire consuming a heap of dry grass.
यथा वनान्ते वनपैर्विसृष्टः; कक्षं दहेत्कृष्णगतिः सघोषः भूरिद्रुमं शुष्कलतावितानं; भृशं समृद्धो ज्वलनः प्रतापी
AI Translation: Just as a forest fire, let loose in the forest, burns the forest, with a loud noise, So the fire of the mind, let loose in the forest of the body, burns the body, with a loud noise. The fire, when it is very strong, burns the forest with many trees, with the canopy of dry creepers,
एवं स नाराचगणप्रतापी; शरार्चिरुच्चावचतिग्मतेजाः ददाह सर्वां तव पुत्रसेना;ममृष्यमाणस्तरसा तरस्वी
AI Translation: Thus, he, the one who was radiant with a group of iron arrows, with the sharp, high and low flames of arrows, burned all your son's army, the swift one who could not bear it, in a hurry.
तस्येषवः प्राणहराः सुमुक्ता; नासज्जन्वै वर्मसु रुक्मपुङ्खाः न च द्वितीयं प्रमुमोच बाणं; नरे हये वा परमद्विपे वा
M. N. Dutt: His powerful gold-winged arrows, discharged with care, could not be baffled by any armour. He had not to discharge a second arrow at a man, horse or a huge elephant.
अनेकरूपाकृतिभिर्हि बाणै;र्महारथानीकमनुप्रविश्य स एव एकस्तव पुत्रसेनां; जघान दैत्यानिव वज्रपाणिः
M. N. Dutt: Like Indra, the wilder of thunderbolt, striking down the Daityas, Arjuna, alone entering that division of great car-warriors, destroyed it with arrows of various froms.
Supplementary Passages:
9.23.64 After 64c, K4 ins.: *137 धनंजयः संयति सायकैर्वा