09023001a tasmiJ zabde mRdau jAte pANDavair nihate bale 'When the loud noise of battle had somewhat subsided and the pANDavas had slain large numbers of their foes,
09023001c azvaisH saptazataizH ziSTair upAvartata saubalaH subala's son (once more) came for fight with the remnant of his horsemen numbering seven hundred.
09023002a sa yAtvA vAhinInM tUrNam abravIt tvarayan yudhi Quickly approaching his own soldiers and urging them to battle,
09023002c yudhyadhvam iti saMhRSTAH punaH punar ariMdamaH he repeatedly said, 'You chastisers of foes, fight cheerfully!'
09023002e apRcchat kSatriyAMs tatra kva nu rAjA mahArathaH And he asked the kSatriyas present there, saying, 'Where is the king, that great car-warrior?'
09023003a zakunes tu vacazH zrutvA ta Ucur bharatarSabha Hearing these words of zakuni, O bull of bharata's race, they answered saying,
09023003c asau tiSThati kauravyo raNamadhye mahArathaH 'Yonder stayeth that great car-warrior, the kuru king,
09023004a yatraitat sumahac chatramM pUrNacandrasamaprabham there where that large umbrella of splendour equal to that of the full moon, is visible
09023004c yatraite satalatrANA rathAs tiSThanti daMzitAH --there where those car-warriors, clad in mail, are staying
09023005a yatraiSa zabdas tumulaH parjanyaninadopamaH --there where that loud noise, deep as the roar of clouds, is being heard!
09023005c tatra gaccha drutaM rAjaMs tato drakSyasi kauravam Proceed quickly thither, O king, and thou wilt then see the kuru monarch!'
09023006a evam uktas tu taizH zUraizH zakunisH saubalas tadA Thus addressed by those brave warriors, subala's son zakuni,
09023006c prayayau tatra yatrAsau putras tava narAdhipa O king, proceeded to that spot where thy son was staying,
09023006e sarvatasH saMvRto vIraisH samareSv anivartibhiH surrounded on all sides by unretreating heroes.
09023007a tato duryodhananM dRSTvA rathAnIke vyavasthitam Beholding duryodhana stationed in the midst of that car-force,
09023007c sarathAMs tAvakAn sarvAn harSayaJ zakunis tataH zakuni, gladdening all those car-warriors of thine,
09023008a duryodhanam idaM vAkyaM hRSTarUpo vizAmM pate O king cheerfully said these words unto duryodhana.
09023008c kRtakAryam ivAtmAnamM manyamAno 'bravIn nRpam Indeed, he said the following words in a manner which showed that he regarded all his purposes to have been already achieved.
09023009a jahi rAjan rathAnIkam azvAsH sarve jitA mayA 'Slay, O king, the car-divisions (of the pANDavas)! All their horses have been vanquished by me!
09023009c nAtyaktvA jIvitaM saGMkhye zakyo jetuM yudhiSThiraH yudhiSThira is incapable of being conquered in battle unless one is prepared to lay down his life!
09023010a hate tasmin rathAnIke pANDavenAbhipAlite When that car-force, protected by the son of pANDu, will have been destroyed,
09023010c gajAn etAn haniSyAmaH padAtIMz cetarAMs tathA we shall then slay all those elephants and foot-soldiers and others!'
09023011a zrutvA tu vacananM tasya tAvakA jayagRddhinaH
09023011c javenAbhyapatan hRSTAH pANDavAnAm anIkinIm Hearing these words of his, thy warriors, inspired with desire of victory, cheerfully rushed towards the pANDava army.
09023012a sarve vivRtatUNIrAH pragRhItazarAsanAH With quivers on their backs and bows in their hands, all of them
09023012c zarAsanAni dhunvAnAsH siMhanAdamM pracakrire shook their bows and uttered leonine roars.
09023013a tato jyAtalanirghoSaH punar AsId vizAM pate
09023013c prAdurAsIc charANAJM ca sumuktAnAM sudAruNaH Once more, O king, the fierce twang of bows and the slapping of palms and the whiz of arrows shot with force was heard.
09023014a tAn samIpagatAn dRSTvA javenodyatakArmukAn Beholding those kuru combatants approach the pANDava army with uplifted bows,
09023014c uvAca devakIputraGM kuntIputro dhanaJMjayaH kuntI's son dhanaJjaya said unto the son of Devaki these words,
09023015a codayAzvAn asamMbhrAntaH pravizaitad balArNavam 'Urge the steeds fearlessly and penetrate this sea of troops!
09023015c antam adya gamiSyAmi zatrUNAnM nizitaizH zaraiH With my keen shafts I shall today reach the end of these hostilities!
09023016a aSTAdaza dinAny adya yuddhasyAsya janArdana Today is the eighteenth day, O janArdana, of this great battle
09023016c vartamAnasya mahatasH samAsAdya parasparam that is raging between the two sides!
09023017a anantakalpA dhvajinI bhUtvA hy eSAmM mahAtmanAm
09023017c kSayam adya gatA yuddhe pazya daivaM yathAvidham The army of those high-souled heroes, which was literally numberless, hath been nearly destroyed! Behold the course of Destiny!
09023018a samudrakalpanM tu balanM dhArtarASTrasya mAdhava The army of dhRtarASTra's son, O Madhava, which was vast as the ocean,
09023018c asmAn AsAdya saJMjAtaGM goSpadopamam acyuta hath, O Achyuta, become, after encountering ourselves, even like the indent caused by a cow's hoof!
09023019a hate bhISme ca sanMdadhyAc chivaM syAd iha mAdhava If peace had been made after bhISma's fall, O Madhava, everything would have been well!
09023019c na ca tat kRtavAn mUDho dhArtarASTrasH subAlizaH The foolish duryodhana of weak understanding, however, did not make peace!
09023020a uktamM bhISmeNa yad vAkyaM hitamM pathyaJM ca mAdhava The words that were uttered by bhISma, O Madhava, were beneficial and worthy of adoption.
09023020c tac cApi nAsau kRtavAn vItabuddhisH suyodhanaH suyodhana, however, who had lost his understanding, did not act according to them.
09023021a tasmiMs tu patite bhISme pracyute pRthivItale After bhISma had been struck and thrown down on the Earth,
09023021c na jAne kAraNaGM kinM nu yena yuddham avartata I do not know the reason why the battle proceeded!
09023022a mUDhAMs tu sarvathA manye dhArtarASTrAn subAlizAn
09023022c patite zanMtanoH putre ye 'kArSuH saMyugaM punaH I regard the Dhartarashtras to be foolish and of weak understanding in every way, since they continued the battle even after the fall of zantanu's son!
09023023a anantaraJM ca nihate droNe brahmavidAM vare After that when droNa, that foremost of all utterers of brahmA, fell,
09023023c rAdheye ca vikarNe ca naivAzAmyata vaizasam as also the son of rAdhA, and vikarNa, the carnage did not still cease!
09023024a alpAvaziSTe sainye 'smin sUtaputre ca pAtite
09023024c saputre vai naravyAghre naivAzAmyata vaizasam Alas, when a small remnant only of the (kaurava) army remained after the fall of that tiger among men, karNa, with his sons, the carnage did not still cease!
09023025a zrutAyuSi hate zUre jalasanMdhe ca paurave After the fall of even the heroic Srutayush, of also Jalasandha of Puru's race,
09023025c zrutAyudhe ca nRpatau naivAzAmyata vaizasam and of king Srutayudha, the carnage did not still cease!
09023026a bhUrizravasi zalye ca zAlve caiva janArdana After the fall of Bhurishrava, of zalya, O janArdana,
09023026c AvantyeSu ca vIreSu naivAzAmyata vaizasam and of the Avanti heroes, the carnage did not still cease!
09023027a jayadrathe ca nihate rAkSase cApy alAyudhe After the fall of jayadratha, of the rAkSasa Alayudha,
09023027c bAhlike somadatte ca naivAzAmyata vaizasam of Bahlika, and of somadatta, the carnage did not still cease!
09023028a bhagadatte hate zUre kAmboje ca sudakSiNe After the fall of heroic bhagadatta, of the kAmboja chief Sadakshina,
09023028c duzHzAsane ca nihate naivAzAmyata vaizasam and of duHzAsana, the carnage did not still cease!
09023029a dRSTvA ca nihatAJ zUrAn pRthaGmANDalikAn nRpAn Beholding even diverse heroic and mighty kings, each owning extensive territories, slain in battle,
09023029c balinaz ca raNe kRSNa naivAzAmyata vaizasam the carnage, O kRSNa, did not still cease!
09023030a akSauhiNIpatIn dRSTvA bhImasenena pAtitAn Beholding even a full Akshauhini of troops slain by bhImasena in battle,
09023030c mohAd vA yadi vA lobhAn naivAzAmyata vaizasam the carnage did not still cease, in consequence of either the folly or the covetousness of the Dhartarashtras!
09023031a ko nu rAjakule jAtaH kauraveyo vizeSataH What king born in a noble race, a race especially like that of kuru,
09023031c nirarthakamM mahad vairaGM kuryAd anyasH suyodhanAt save of course the foolish duryodhana, would thus fruitlessly wage such fierce hostilities?
09023032a guNato 'bhyadhikaJM jJAtvA balatazH zauryato 'pi vA
09023032c amUDhaH ko nu yudhyeta jAnan prAjJo hitAhitam Who is there, possessed of reason and wisdom and capable of discriminating good from evil, that would thus wage war, knowing his foes to be superior to him in merit, strength, and courage?
09023033a yan na tasya mano hy AsIt tvayoktasya hitaM vacaH
09023033c prazame pANDavaisH sArdhaM so 'nyasya zRNuyAt katham How could he listen to the counsels of another, when, indeed, he could not make up his mind to make peace with the pANDavas in obedience to the words uttered by thee?
09023034a yena zAnMtanavo bhISmo droNo vidura eva ca
09023034c pratyAkhyAtAzH zamasyArthe kinM nu tasyAdya bheSajam What medicine can be acceptable to that person today who disregarded bhISma the son of zantanu, and droNa, and vidura, while they urged him to make peace?
09023035a maurkhyAd yena pitA vRddhaH pratyAkhyAto janArdana How can he accept good counsels, who from folly, O janArdana, insolently disregarded his own aged sire
09023035c tathA mAtA hitaM vAkyamM bhASamANA hitaiSiNI as also his own well-meaning mother while speaking beneficial words unto him?
09023035e pratyAkhyAtA hy asatkRtya sa kasmai rocayed vacaH
09023036a kulAntakaraNo vyaktaJM jAta eSa janArdana It is evident, O janArdana, that duryodhana took his birth for exterminating his race!
09023036c tathAsya dRzyate ceSTA nItiz caiva vizAmM pate His conduct and his policy, it is seen, point to that line, O lord!
09023036e naiSa dAsyati no rAjyam iti me matir acyuta He will not give us our kingdom yet! This is my opinion, O Achyuta!
09023037a ukto 'hamM bahuzas tAta vidureNa mahAtmanA The high-souled vidura, O sire, told me many a time
09023037c na jIvan dAsyate bhAganM dhArtarASTraH kathaM cana that as long as life remained in dhRtarASTra's son, he would never give us our share of the kingdom!
09023038a yAvat prANA dhamiSyanti dhArtarASTrasya mAnada vidura further told me, 'As long also as dhRtarASTra will live, O giver of honours,
09023038c tAvad yuSmAsv apApeSu pracariSyati pAtakam even that sinful wight will act sinfully towards you!
09023039a na sa yukto 'nyathA jetum Rte yuddhena mAdhava Ye will never succeed in vanquishing duryodhana without battle!'
09023039c ity abravIt sadA mAM hi vidurasH satyadarzanaH Even thus, O Madhava, did vidura of true foresight often speak to me!
09023040a tat sarvam adya jAnAmi vyavasAyanM durAtmanaH
09023040c yad uktaM vacananM tena vidureNa mahAtmanA All the acts of that wicked-souled wight, I now find to be exactly as the high-souled vidura had said!
09023041a yo hi zrutvA vacaH pathyaM jAmadagnyAd yathAtatham That person of wicked understanding who, having listened to the beneficial and proper words of Jamadagni's son,
09023041c avAmanyata durbuddhir dhruvanM nAzamukhe sthitaH disregarded them, should certainly be held as standing in the face of destruction.
09023042a uktaM hi bahubhisH siddhair jAtamAtre suyodhane Many persons crowned with ascetic success said as soon as duryodhana was born,
09023042c enamM prApya durAtmAnaGM kSayaGM kSatraGM gamiSyati that the entire kSatriya order would be exterminated in consequence of that wretch.
09023043a tad idaM vacananM teSAnM niruktaM vai janArdana
09023043c kSayaM yAtA hi rAjAno duryodhanakRte bhRzam Those words of the sages, O janArdana, are now being realised, since the kSatriyas are undergoing almost entire extermination in consequence of duryodhana's acts!
09023044a so 'dya sarvAn raNe yodhAn nihaniSyAmi mAdhava I shall, O Madhava, slay all the warriors today!
09023044c kSatriyeSu hateSv Azu zUnye ca zibire kRte After all the kSatriyas will have been slain and the (kaurava) camp made empty,
09023045a vadhAya cAtmano 'smAbhisH saMyugaM rocayiSyati duryodhana will then desire battle with us for his own destruction.
09023045c tad antaM hi bhaved vairam anumAnena mAdhava That will end these hostilities! Exercising my reason, O Madhava,
09023046c vidurasya ca vAkyena ceSTayA ca durAtmanaH and reflected in my own mind, O thou of vRSNi's race, thinking of vidura's words, and taking into account the acts of the wicked-souled duryodhana himself, I have come to this conclusion!
09023047a saMyAhi bhAratIM vIra yAvad dhanmi zitaizH zaraiH Penetrate the bharata army, O hero, for I shall slay, with keen shafts
09023047c duryodhananM durAtmAnaM vAhinIJM cAsya saMyuge the wicked-souled duryodhana and his army today!
09023048c hatvaitad durbalaM sainyanM dhArtarASTrasya pazyataH Slaying this weak army in the very sight of dhRtarASTra's son, I shall today do what is for yudhiSThira's good!''
09023049 saJMjaya uvAca 'saJjaya continued,
09023049a abhIzuhasto dAzArhas tathoktasH savyasAcinA 'Thus addressed by Savyasaci, he of Dasarha's race, reins in hand,
09023049c tad balaugham amitrANAm abhItaH prAvizad raNe fearlessly penetrated that vast hostile force for battle.
09023050a zarAsanavaraGM ghoraM zaktikaNTakasaMvRtam That was a terrible forest of bows (which the two heroes entered). Darts constituted its prickles.
note: zarAsana-vanaM ??
09023050c gadAparighapanthAnaM rathanAgamahAdrumam Maces and spiked bludgeons were its paths. Cars and elephants were its mighty trees.
09023051a hayapattilatAkIrNaGM gAhamAno mahAyazAH Cavalry and infantry were its creepers.
09023051c vyacarat tatra govindo rathenAtipatAkinA And the illustrious kezava, as he entered that forest on that car decked with many banners and pennons, looked exceedingly resplendent.
09023052a te hayAH pANDurA rAjan vahanto 'rjunam Ahave Those white steeds, O king, bearing arjuna in battle,
09023052c dikSu sarvAsv adRzyanta dAzArheNa pracoditAH were seen careering everywhere, urged by him of Dasarha's race!
09023053a tataH prAyAd rathenAjau savyasAcI paraMtapaH Then that scorcher of foes, Savyasaci, proceeded on his car,
09023053c kiraJ zarazatAMs tIkSNAn vAridhArA ivAmbudaH shooting hundreds of keen shafts like a cloud pouring showers of rain.
09023054a prAdurAsIn mahAJ zabdazH zarANAnM nataparvaNAm Loud was the noise produced by those straight arrows,
09023054c iSubhiz chAdyamAnAnAM samare savyasAcinA as also by those combatants that were covered with them in that battle by Savyasaci.
09023055a asajjantas tanutreSu zaraughAH prApatan bhuvi Showers of shafts, piercing through the armour of the combatants, fell down on the Earth.
09023055c indrAzanisamasparzA gANDIvapreSitAzH zarAH Impelled from gANDIva, arrows, whose touch resembled that of indra's thunder,
09023056a narAn nAgAn samAhatya hayAMz cApi vizAmM pate striking men and elephants and horses, O king,
09023056c apatanta raNe bANAH pataMgA iva ghoSiNaH fell in that battle with a noise like that of winged insects.
09023057a AsIt sarvam avacchannaGM gANDIvapreSitaizH zaraiH Everything was shrouded with those shafts shot from gANDIva.
09023057c na prAjJAyanta samare dizo vA pradizo 'pi vA In that battle, the points of the compass, cardinal and subsidiary, could not be distinguished.
09023058a sarvam AsIj jagat pUrNamM pArthanAmAGkitaizH zaraiH The whole world seemed to be filled
09023058c rukmapuGkhais tailadhautaiH karmAraparimArjitaiH with gold-winged shafts, steeped in oil, polished by the hands of the smith, and marked with pArtha's name.
09023059a te dahyamAnAH pArthena pAvakeneva kuJjarAH Struck with those keen shafts, and burnt therewith by pArtha even as a herd of elephants is burnt with burning brands,
09023059c samAsIdanta kauravyA vadhyamAnAzH zitaizH zaraiH the kauravas became languid and lost their strength.
09023060c dadAha samare yodhAn kakSam agnir iva jvalan Armed with bow and arrows, pArtha, resembling the blazing sun, burnt the hostile combatants in that battle like a blazing fire consuming a heap of dry grass.
09023061a yathA vanAnte vanapair visRSTaH kakSaM dahet kRSNagatiH saghoSaH As a roaring fire of blazing flames and great energy (arising from embers) cast away on the confines of a forest by its denizens,
09023061c bhUridrumaM zuSkalatAvitAnamM bhRzaM samRddho jvalanaH pratApI fire consumes those woods abounding with trees and heaps of dry creepers,
09023062a evaM sa nArAcagaNapratApI zarArcir uccAvacatigmatejAH even so that hero possessed of great activity and fierce energy and endued with prowess of weapons, and having shafts for his flames,
09023062c dadAha sarvAnM tava putrasenAm amRSyamANas tarasA tarasvI quickly burnt all the troops of thy son from wrath.
09023063a tasyeSavaH prANaharAH sumuktA nAsajjan vai varmasu rukmapuGkhAH His gold-winged arrows, endued with fatal force and shot with care, could not be baffled by any armour.
09023063c na ca dvitIyamM pramumoca bANanM nare haye vA paramadvipe vA He had not to shoot a second arrow at man, steed, or elephant of gigantic size.
09023064a anekarUpAkRtibhir hi bANair mahArathAnIkam anupravizya With shafts of diverse forms. entering that division of mighty car-warriors,
09023064c sa eva ekas tava putrasenAJM jaghAna daityAn iva vajrapANiH arjuna, alone, destroyed it, like the thunder-wielding indra striking down the daityas. ''
