Critical Edition
संजय उवाच अस्यतां यतमानानां शूराणामनिवर्तिनाम् संकल्पमकरोन्मोघं गाण्डीवेन धनंजयः
M. N. Dutt: Sanjaya said With his Gandiva, Dhananjaya baffled the purpose of those unretreating heroes struggling in battle and striking their enemies.
इन्द्राशनिसमस्पर्शानविषह्यान्महौजसः विसृजन्दृश्यते बाणान्धारा मुञ्चन्निवाम्बुदः
M. N. Dutt: The arrows shot by Arjuna, irresistible and endued with great force and whose touch was like that of the thunder, resembled torrents of rain poured by a cloud.
तत्सैन्यं भरतश्रेष्ठ वध्यमानं किरीटिना संप्रदुद्राव संग्रामात्तव पुत्रस्य पश्यतः
M. N. Dutt: That army, O chief of the Bharatas' thus struck by Kiritin, fled away before the very eyes of your son.
Supplementary Passages:
9.24.3 After 3, D3.10.11 ins.: *138 पितॄन्भ्रातॄन्परित्यज्य वयस्यानपि चापरे
हतधुर्या रथाः केचिद्धतसूतास्तथापरे भग्नाक्षयुगचक्रेषाः केचिदासन्विशां पते
AI Translation: Some chariots were without their drivers, others without their charioteers, some with broken axles, yokes, wheels, O lord of the earth.
अन्येषां सायकाः क्षीणास्तथान्ये शरपीडिताः अक्षता युगपत्केचित्प्राद्रवन्भयपीडिताः
M. N. Dutt: The arrows of some were exhausted. Some were assailed with arrows. Some, though unwounded, fled in a body, stricken with fear.
केचित्पुत्रानुपादाय हतभूयिष्ठवाहनाः विचुक्रुशुः पितॄनन्ये सहायानपरे पुनः
M. N. Dutt: Some tried to rescue their sons, having lost all their kinsmen and animals. Some loudly called their father, some their comrades and followers.
बान्धवांश्च नरव्याघ्र भ्रातॄन्संबन्धिनस्तथा दुद्रुवुः केचिदुत्सृज्य तत्र तत्र विशां पते
M. N. Dutt: Some fled, leaving behind their kinsmen, O foremost of men and brothers and other relatives.
बहवोऽत्र भृशं विद्धा मुह्यमाना महारथाः निष्टनन्तः स्म दृश्यन्ते पार्थबाणहता नराः
M. N. Dutt: Many great car-warriors, struck with Partha's arrows and deeply wounded therewith, breathed hard, deprived of their senses.
तानन्ये रथमारोप्य समाश्वास्य मुहूर्तकम् विश्रान्ताश्च वितृष्णाश्च पुनर्युद्धाय जग्मिरे
M. N. Dutt: Others, taking them up on their own cars and soothing them for some time and resting them and satisfying their thirst by offering them drink, once more proceeded to battle.
तानपास्य गताः केचित्पुनरेव युयुत्सवः कुर्वन्तस्तव पुत्रस्य शासनं युद्धदुर्मदाः
M. N. Dutt: Leaving behind the wounded, some, incapable of being easily defeated in battle once more advanced to battle desirous of carrying out the commands of your son.
पानीयमपरे पीत्वा पर्याश्वास्य च वाहनम् वर्माणि च समारोप्य केचिद्भरतसत्तम
AI Translation: Some drank water, refreshed their mounts, and put on their armor, O best of Bharatas.
समाश्वास्यापरे भ्रातॄन्निक्षिप्य शिबिरेऽपि च पुत्रानन्ये पितॄनन्ये पुनर्युद्धमरोचयन्
AI Translation: Having comforted the other brothers and left them in the camp, some sons and others their fathers again desired to fight.
सज्जयित्वा रथान्केचिद्यथामुख्यं विशां पते आप्लुत्य पाण्डवानीकं पुनर्युद्धमरोचयन्
M. N. Dutt: Some, arranging their cars in order, O king, of superiors and inferiors, proceeded against the Pandavas once more for battle.
ते शूराः किङ्किणीजालैः समाच्छन्ना बभासिरे त्रैलोक्यविजये युक्ता यथा दैतेयदानवाः
M. N. Dutt: On their cars adorned with rows of bells, those heroes shone like Daityas and Danavas desirous of conquering the three worlds.
आगम्य सहसा केचिद्रथैः स्वर्णविभूषितैः पाण्डवानामनीकेषु धृष्टद्युम्नमयोधयन्
M. N. Dutt: Some, advancing quickly on their cars decked with gold, fought with Dhrishtadyumna amid the Pandava army.
धृष्टद्युम्नोऽपि पाञ्चाल्यः शिखण्डी च महारथः नाकुलिश्च शतानीको रथानीकमयोधयन्
M. N. Dutt: The Panchala prince Dhrishtadyumna and the great car-warrior Shikhandin and Shatanika the son of Nakula, fought with the car-division of the enemy.
पाञ्चाल्यस्तु ततः क्रुद्धः सैन्येन महता वृतः अभ्यद्रवत्सुसंरब्धस्तावकान्हन्तुमुद्यतः
M. N. Dutt: Worked up with rage and supported by a large army, the Panchala prince rushed against your infuriated soldiers from desire of killing them.
Supplementary Passages:
9.24.17 For 17cd, D4 subst.: *139 अभ्ययुस्तावकान्युद्धे शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
ततस्त्वापततस्तस्य तव पुत्रो जनाधिप बाणसंघाननेकान्वै प्रेषयामास भारत
M. N. Dutt: Then your son, O king, discharged many arrows, O Bharata, at the Panchala prince thus rushing at hiin.
Supplementary Passages:
9.24.18 For 18cd, D4 subst.: *140 एकैकं दशभिर्बाणैरविध्यद्भरतर्षभः
धृष्टद्युम्नस्ततो राजंस्तव पुत्रेण धन्विना नाराचैर्बहुभिः क्षिप्रं बाह्वोरुरसि चार्पितः
M. N. Dutt: Then O king, Dhrishtadyumna was quickly cut with many arrows in his arms and chest by your son fighting with his bow.
Supplementary Passages:
9.24.19 For 19c, D3.8. 10.11 subst.: *141 नाराचैरर्धनाराचैर्बहुभिः क्षिप्रकारिभिः and ins. after it: *142 वत्सदन्तैश्च बाणैश्च कर्मारपरिमार्जितैः अश्वांश्च चतुरो हत्वा
सोऽतिविद्धो महेष्वासस्तोत्त्रार्दित इव द्विपः तस्याश्वांश्चतुरो बाणैः प्रेषयामास मृत्यवे सारथेश्चास्य भल्लेन शिरः कायादपाहरत्
M. N. Dutt: Deeply cut therewith like an elephant with pointed lances, then great bowman then killed with his arrows the four horses of Duryodhana. With another broad-headed arrow he sundered, from his trunk; the head of his enemy's driver.
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा पृष्ठमारुह्य वाजिनः अपाक्रामद्धतरथो नातिदूरमरिंदमः
M. N. Dutt: Then that grinder of foes, viz., king Duryodhana, having thus lost his car, rode on horseback and retreated to a little distance.
दृष्ट्वा तु हतविक्रान्तं स्वमनीकं महाबलः तव पुत्रो महाराज प्रययौ यत्र सौबलः
M. N. Dutt: Beholding his own army thus enfeebled, your son, the mighty Duryodhana, O king, proceeded where Subala's son was.
ततो रथेषु भग्नेषु त्रिसाहस्रा महाद्विपाः पाण्डवान्रथिनः पञ्च समन्तात्पर्यवारयन्
M. N. Dutt: When the Kaurava cars were broken, the thousand huge elephants encompassed those car-warriors, viz., the five Pandavas.
ते वृताः समरे पञ्च गजानीकेन भारत अशोभन्त नरव्याघ्रा ग्रहा व्याप्ता घनैरिव
M. N. Dutt: Encompassed by that elephant, O Bharata, the five brothers looked beautiful, O foremost of men, like the planets surrounded by the clouds.
ततोऽर्जुनो महाराज लब्धलक्षो महाभुजः विनिर्ययौ रथेनैव श्वेताश्वः कृष्णसारथिः
M. N. Dutt: Then the mighty-armed Arjuna, O king, of sure aim, having Krishna for his driver and white horses, advanced on his car.
तैः समन्तात्परिवृतः कुञ्जरैः पर्वतोपमैः नाराचैर्विमलैस्तीक्ष्णैर्गजानीकमपोथयत्
M. N. Dutt: Surrounded by mountain-like elephants he began to destroy those animals with his keen and polished arrows.
तत्रैकबाणनिहतानपश्याम महागजान् पतितान्पात्यमानांश्च विभिन्नान्सव्यसाचिना
M. N. Dutt: Each killed with a single arrows, we saw those huge elephants fallen or falling down, wounded by Savyasachin.
भीमसेनस्तु तान्दृष्ट्वा नागान्मत्तगजोपमः करेण गृह्य महतीं गदामभ्यपतद्बली अवप्लुत्य रथात्तूर्णं दण्डपाणिरिवान्तकः
M. N. Dutt: The powerful Bhimasena, himself like an infuriate elephant, seeing those elephants, took up his formidable mace and rushed at them, quickly jumping down from his car, like the Destroyer armed with his club.
तमुद्यतगदं दृष्ट्वा पाण्डवानां महारथम् वित्रेसुस्तावकाः सैन्याः शकृन्मूत्रं प्रसुस्रुवुः आविग्नं च बलं सर्वं गदाहस्ते वृकोदरे
M. N. Dutt: Seeing that great car-warrior of the Pandavas with uplifted mace, your soldiers were possessed by fear and passed urine and excreta.
गदया भीमसेनेन भिन्नकुम्भान्रजस्वलान् धावमानानपश्याम कुञ्जरान्पर्वतोपमान्
M. N. Dutt: The whole army were agitated upon seeing Bhimasena armed with mace. We then saw those elephants, huge as hills, running hither and thither, with their frontal globes cut open by Bhima with his mace and all their limbs covered with blood.
Supplementary Passages:
9.24.30 After the first occur- rence of 30b, D4 ins.: *143 पात्यमानान्प्रपश्याम लीनकुम्भान्क्षरद्व्रणान्
प्रधाव्य कुञ्जरास्ते तु भीमसेनगदाहताः पेतुरार्तस्वरं कृत्वा छिन्नपक्षा इवाद्रयः
M. N. Dutt: Struck with Bhima's mace, those elephants, running off from him, dropped down crying like mountains with their wings cut off.
तान्भिन्नकुम्भान्सुबहून्द्रवमाणानितस्ततः पतमानांश्च संप्रेक्ष्य वित्रेसुस्तव सैनिकाः
M. N. Dutt: Beholding those numberless elephants, with their frontal globes cut open, running hither and thither or falling down your soidiers were possessed by fear.
युधिष्ठिरोऽपि संक्रुद्धो माद्रीपुत्रौ च पाण्डवौ गृध्रपक्षैः शितैर्बाणैर्जघ्नुर्वै गजयोधिनः
M. N. Dutt: Then Yudhishthira also, worked up with anger and the two sons of Madri, began to kill those elephant-warriors with arrows having wings like those of vultures.
धृष्टद्युम्नस्तु समरे पराजित्य नराधिपम् अपक्रान्ते तव सुते हयपृष्ठं समाश्रिते
M. N. Dutt: Dhrishtadyumna, after the defeat of the Kuru king in battle and after the fight of the latter from that spot of horse-back, saw that the Pandavas had all been encircled by the Kaurava elephants.
दृष्ट्वा च पाण्डवान्सर्वान्कुञ्जरैः परिवारितान् धृष्टद्युम्नो महाराज सह सर्वैः प्रभद्रकैः पुत्रः पाञ्चालराजस्य जिघांसुः कुञ्जरान्ययौ
AI Translation: Having seen all the Pandavas surrounded by elephants, Dhristadyumna, O great king, along with all the Prabhadrakas, the son of the king of Panchala,
अदृष्ट्वा तु रथानीके दुर्योधनमरिंदमम् अश्वत्थामा कृपश्चैव कृतवर्मा च सात्वतः अपृच्छन्क्षत्रियांस्तत्र क्व नु दुर्योधनो गतः
M. N. Dutt: In the meantime not seeing Duryodhana in the midst of the car-force, Ashvathaman and Kripa, the Kritavarman of the Satwata race, asked all the Kshatriyas, saying-"Where had Duryodhana gone.'
अपश्यमाना राजानं वर्तमाने जनक्षये मन्वाना निहतं तत्र तव पुत्रं महारथाः विषण्णवदना भूत्वा पर्यपृच्छन्त ते सुतम्
M. N. Dutt: Not seeing the king in the midst of that onslaught all those great car-warriors took him for dead and therefore with sorrowful faces, they enquired after him.
आहुः केचिद्धते सूते प्रयातो यत्र सौबलः अपरे त्वब्रुवंस्तत्र क्षत्रिया भृशविक्षताः
AI Translation: Some said that the Suta had gone where Sūbala's son had gone. But others said that the Kshatriyas were severely wounded there.
दुर्योधनेन किं कार्यं द्रक्ष्यध्वं यदि जीवति युध्यध्वं सहिताः सर्वे किं वो राजा करिष्यति
M. N. Dutt: Others, who had been greatly wounded said-"What necessity is there with Duryodhana. See, if he is yet alive. Do you all fight in a body, what will the king do to you."
Supplementary Passages:
9.24.39 After 39, G2 ins.: *144 ततस्ते क्षत्रियाः सर्वे स्वधर्मेषु व्यवस्थिताः
ते क्षत्रियाः क्षतैर्गात्रैर्हतभूयिष्ठवाहनाः शरैः संपीड्यमानाश्च नातिव्यक्तमिवाब्रुवन्
M. N. Dutt: Other Kshatriyas, who were greatly wounded and who had lost many of their relatives and who were still being struck with the arrows of the enemy, said these words indistinctly.
इदं सर्वं बलं हन्मो येन स्म परिवारिताः एते सर्वे गजान्हत्वा उपयान्ति स्म पाण्डवाः
M. N. Dutt: "Let us kill these forces by whom we are encircled. See the Pandavas are coming here after having killed the elephants.
श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तेषामश्वत्थामा महाबलः हित्वा पाञ्चालराजस्य तदनीकं दुरुत्सहम्
AI Translation: Hearing the words of those, the very powerful Ashvatthama abandoned the army of the king of Panchala, which was difficult to withstand.
कृपश्च कृतवर्मा च प्रययुर्यत्र सौबलः रथानीकं परित्यज्य शूराः सुदृढधन्विनः
AI Translation: Kripa and Kritavarma went to where Soubala was. The heroes, who were very strong archers, abandoned their chariot division.
ततस्तेषु प्रयातेषु धृष्टद्युम्नपुरोगमाः आययुः पाण्डवा राजन्विनिघ्नन्तः स्म तावकान्
M. N. Dutt: After their departure, the Pandavas, headed by Dhrishtadyumna, advanced, O king and began to kill their enemies.
दृष्ट्वा तु तानापततः संप्रहृष्टान्महारथान् पराक्रान्तांस्ततो वीरान्निराशाञ्जीविते तदा विवर्णमुखभूयिष्ठमभवत्तावकं बलम्
M. N. Dutt: Beholding those brave, heroic and powerful car-warriors rushing joyously towards them, your soldiers, whose faces grew pale, became despondent of their lives.
परिक्षीणायुधान्दृष्ट्वा तानहं परिवारितान् राजन्बलेन द्व्यङ्गेन त्यक्त्वा जीवितमात्मनः
AI Translation: Seeing them surrounded, their weapons exhausted, O king, with two parts of the army, abandoning your life,
आत्मनापञ्चमोऽयुध्यं पाञ्चालस्य बलेन ह तस्मिन्देशे व्यवस्थाप्य यत्र शारद्वतः स्थितः
AI Translation: I fought with five of them with the strength of the Panchālas. Having established myself in that place where Sharadva was stationed,
संप्रयुद्धा वयं पञ्च किरीटिशरपीडिताः धृष्टद्युम्नं महानीकं तत्र नोऽभूद्रणो महान् जितास्तेन वयं सर्वे व्यपयाम रणात्ततः
M. N. Dutt: We had been cut with the arrows of Arjuna and still a fierce encounter took place between us and the army of Dhrishtadyumna. At last, defeated by the latter, all of us retreated from that battle.
अथापश्यं सात्यकिं तमुपायान्तं महारथम् रथैश्चतुःशतैर्वीरो मां चाभ्यद्रवदाहवे
M. N. Dutt: I then beheld the great car-warrior Satyaki rushing against us. With four hundred cars that hero pursued me in battle.
धृष्टद्युम्नादहं मुक्तः कथंचिच्छ्रान्तवाहनः पतितो माधवानीकं दुष्कृती नरकं यथा तत्र युद्धमभूद्घोरं मुहूर्तमतिदारुणम्
M. N. Dutt: Having escaped with difficulty from Dhrishtadyumna whose horses had been exhausted, I feel among the soldiers of Madhava even as a sinner falleth into hell. There a fierce and terrible encounter took place for a short time.
सात्यकिस्तु महाबाहुर्मम हत्वा परिच्छदम् जीवग्राहमगृह्णान्मां मूर्छितं पतितं भुवि
M. N. Dutt: The mighty-armed Satyaki, having cut off my armour, thought of taking me alive. He caught me while I lay down on the ground insensible.
Supplementary Passages:
9.24.51 After 51, D1 ins.: *145 सर्वे जयाय धावन्ति मया लब्धोऽद्य संजयः इति ब्रुवाणः शैनेयो राजन्मामग्रहीत्तदा
ततो मुहूर्तादिव तद्गजानीकमवध्यत गदया भीमसेनेन नाराचैरर्जुनेन च
M. N. Dutt: Then within a short time that elephant force was killed by Bhimasena with his mace and Arjuna with his arrows.
प्रतिपिष्टैर्महानागैः समन्तात्पर्वतोपमैः नातिप्रसिद्धेव गतिः पाण्डवानामजायत
M. N. Dutt: On account of those mighty elephants, huge as hills, falling down on every side with wounded limbs, the Pandava warriors found their way entirely blocked up.
Supplementary Passages:
9.24.53 After 53, M2.4 ins.: *146 विनिर्ययौ रथेनैव श्वेताश्वः कृष्णसारथिः
रथमार्गांस्ततश्चक्रे भीमसेनो महाबलः पाण्डवानां महाराज व्यपकर्षन्महागजान्
M. N. Dutt: Then the powerful Bhimasena, O king, dragging away those huge elephants, made a way for the Pandavas.
अश्वत्थामा कृपश्चैव कृतवर्मा च सात्वतः अपश्यन्तो रथानीके दुर्योधनमरिंदमम् राजानं मृगयामासुस्तव पुत्रं महारथम्
M. N. Dutt: Meanwhile not seeing that chastiser of foes Duryodhana amid the car-division, Ashvatthaman and Kripa and Kritavarman of the Satwata race, tried to find out your royal son.
परित्यज्य च पाञ्चालं प्रयाता यत्र सौबलः राज्ञोऽदर्शनसंविग्ना वर्तमाने जनक्षये
M. N. Dutt: Leaving the prince of the Panchalas they proceeded where Subala's son was, anxious to see the king during that terrible onslaught.