Bhīṣmaparva Chapter -7 (Fourth day war)

 

भीष्मपर्व - Bhīṣmaparva (चतुर्थ दिवसीय युद्धम्)

अध्यायः – 7  ::Chapter-7 (Fourth day war)

Shlokas	No. of Shlokas
सञ्जय उवाच॥ व्युष्टां निशां भारत भारताना;मनीकिनीनां प्रमुखे महात्मा । ययौ सपत्नान्प्रति जातकोपो; वृतः समग्रेण बलेन भीष्मः ॥ 1॥ ततः स तूर्णं रुधिरोदफेनां; कृत्वा नदीं वैशसने रिपूणाम् । जगाम सौभद्रमतीत्य भीष्मो; महारथं पार्थमदीनसत्त्वः ॥ 2॥ ततः प्रहस्याद्भुतदर्शनेन; गाण्डीवनिर्ह्वादमहास्वनेन । विपाठजालेन महास्त्रजालं; विनाशयामास किरीटमाली ॥ 3॥ तमुत्तमं सर्वधनुर्धराणा;मसक्तकर्मा कपिराजकेतुः । भीष्मं महात्माभिववर्ष तूर्णं; शरौघजालैर्विमलैश्च भल्लैः ॥ 4॥ एवंविधं कार्मुकभीमनाद;मदीनवत्सत्पुरुषोत्तमाभ्याम् । ददर्श लोकः कुरुसृञ्जयाश्च; तद्द्वैरथं भीष्मधनञ्जयाभ्याम् ॥ 5। ततस्त्रिगर्ता राजेन्द्र मद्राश्च सह केकयैः । पञ्चत्रिंशतिसाहस्रास्तव पुत्रेण चोदिताः ॥ 6॥ धनुर्वेदविदो मुख्या अजेयाः शत्रुभिर्युधि । सहपुत्रं जिघांसन्तं परिवव्रुः किरीटिनम् ॥ 7॥ तौ तु तत्र पितापुत्रौ परिक्षिप्तौ रथर्षभौ । ददर्श राजन्पाञ्चाल्यः सेनापतिरमित्रजित् ॥ 8॥ स वारणरथौघानां सहस्रैर्बहुभिर्वृतः । वाजिभिः पत्तिभिश्चैव वृतः शतसहस्रशः ॥ 9॥ धनुर्विस्फार्य सङ्क्रुद्धश्चोदयित्वा वरूथिनीम् । ययौ तन्मद्रकानीकं केकयांश्च परन्तपः ॥ 10॥ दमनं चापि दायादं पौरवस्य महात्मनः । जघान विपुलाग्रेण नाराचेन परन्तपः ॥ 11॥ ततः सांयमनेः पुत्रः पाञ्चाल्यं युद्धदुर्मदम् । अविध्यत्त्रिंशता बाणैर्दशभिश्चास्य सारथिम् ॥ 12॥ सोऽतिविद्धो महेष्वासः सृक्किणी परिसंलिहन् । भल्लेन भृशतीक्ष्णेन निचकर्तास्य कार्मुकम् ॥ 13॥ अथैनं पञ्चविंशत्या क्षिप्रमेव समर्पयत् । अश्वांश्चास्यावधीद्राजन्नुभौ तौ पार्ष्णिसारथी ॥ 14॥ स सङ्गृह्य महाघोरं निस्त्रिंशवरमायसम् । पदातिस्तूर्णमभ्यर्छद्रथस्थं द्रुपदात्मजम् ॥ 15 तस्य पाञ्चालपुत्रस्तु प्रतीपमभिधावतः । शितनिस्त्रिंशहस्तस्य शरावरणधारिणः ॥ 16॥ बाणवेगमतीतस्य रथाभ्याशमुपेयुषः । त्वरन्सेनापतिः क्रुद्धो बिभेद गदया शिरः ॥ 17॥ धृतराष्ट्र उवाच॥ दैवमेव परं मन्ये पौरुषादपि सञ्जय । यत्सैन्यं मम पुत्रस्य पाण्डुसैन्येन वध्यते ॥ 18॥ नित्यं हि मामकांस्तात हतानेव हि शंससि । अव्यग्रांश्च प्रहृष्टांश्च नित्यं शंससि पाण्डवान् ॥ 19 युध्यमानान्यथाशक्ति घटमानाञ्जयं प्रति । पाण्डवा विजयन्त्येव जीयन्ते चैव मामकाः ॥ 20॥ सञ्जय उवाच॥ क्षयं मनुष्यदेहानां गजवाजिरथक्षयम् । शृणु राजन्स्थिरो भूत्वा तवैवापनयो महान् ॥ 21॥ अथैनं शरवर्षेण छादयामास भारत । गिरिं जलागमे यद्वज्जलदा जलधारिणः ॥ 22॥ अभिमन्युस्तु सङ्क्रुद्धो धृष्टद्युम्ने निपीडिते । अभिदुद्राव वेगेन मद्रराजरथं प्रति ॥ 23॥ ततो मद्राधिपरथं कार्ष्णिः प्राप्यातिकोपनः । आर्तायनिममेयात्मा विव्याध विशिखैस्त्रिभिः ॥ 24॥ अथ दुर्योधनं दृष्ट्वा भीमसेनो महाबलः । विधित्सुः कलहस्यान्तं गदां जग्राह पाण्डवः ॥ 25॥ दुर्योधनस्तु सङ्क्रुद्धो मागधं समचोदयत् । अनीकं दशसाहस्रं कुञ्जराणां तरस्विनाम् ॥ 26॥ अद्रिसारमयीं गुर्वीं प्रगृह्य महतीं गदाम् । अभ्यधावद्गजानीकं व्यादितास्य इवान्तकः ॥ 27॥ स गजान्गदया निघ्नन्व्यचरत्समरे बली । भीमसेनो महाबाहुः सवज्र इव वासवः ॥ 28॥ तस्य नादेन महता मनोहृदयकम्पिना । व्यत्यचेष्टन्त संहत्य गजा भीमस्य नर्दतः ॥ 29॥ ततस्तु द्रौपदीपुत्राः सौभद्रश्च महारथः । नकुलः सहदेवश्च धृष्टद्युम्नश्च पार्षतः ॥ 30॥ पृष्ठं भीमस्य रक्षन्तः शरवर्षेण वारणान् । अभ्यधावन्त वर्षन्तो मेघा इव गिरीन्यथा ॥ 31॥ क्षुरैः क्षुरप्रैर्भल्लैश्च पीतैरञ्जलिकैरपि । पातयन्तोत्तमाङ्गानि पाण्डवा गजयोधिनाम् ॥ 32॥ विगाह्य तद्गजानीकं भीमसेनोऽपि पाण्डवः । व्यचरत्समरे मृद्नन्गजानिन्द्रो गिरीनिव ॥ 33॥ एकप्रहाराभिहतान्भीमसेनेन कुञ्जरान् । अपश्याम रणे तस्मिन्गिरीन्वज्रहतानिव ॥ 34॥ गदया वध्यमानास्ते मार्गणैश्च समन्ततः । स्वान्यनीकानि मृद्नन्तः प्राद्रवन्कुञ्जरास्तव ॥ 35॥	35 (444)
Sanjaya said, "As night faded away, O Bharata, the noble Bhishma, filled with anger and supported by a great army, advanced against the enemy. Bhishma, a mighty warrior, turned the battlefield into a river of blood from fallen foes, quickly avoiding Subhadra's son and confronting Partha himself. Arjuna, adorned with a crown and garlands, and wielding his remarkable bow Gandiva, unleashed a flurry of arrows that roared like thunder, countering Bhishma's fierce onslaught. The heroic warrior, marked by the insignia of the monkey king, retaliated against Bhishma, the finest archer, with his own barrage of razor-sharp arrows and finely crafted shafts. Meanwhile, your troops watched as this clash of formidable weapons took place, with Bhishma opposing and breaking through Arjuna's assault like daylight chasing away the darkness of night."  "Drona's son, Bhurisravas, Chitrasena, and Samyamani's son all confronted Subhadra's son in battle. As he fought bravely against five fierce warriors, onlookers witnessed his extraordinary strength, resembling a young lion battling five elephants. No one matched Krishna's son in accuracy, courage, skill, agility, or mastery of weapons. Then, O great king, the Trigartas, Madras, and Kekayas, numbering twenty-five thousand and led by your son, who were all elite warriors skilled in combat and impossible to defeat, surrounded Kiritin and his son with the intent to kill them. Observing this encirclement, the commander of the Pandava army, the prince of the Panchalas, saw the father and son cornered. Fueled by thousands of elephants and chariots, and countless cavalry and infantry, he, the vanquisher of foes, drew his bow in great fury and charged against the Madras and Kekayas, rallying his forces in the fray.  Then Samyamani's son struck the unbeatable Panchala prince with ten arrows, also wounding his charioteer with the same. The powerful archer, pierced and in pain, licked his lips and severed his enemy's bow with a sharp, broad-headed arrow. Soon, the Panchala prince responded, hitting his foe with twenty-five arrows, then killing his horses and the protectors of his chariot. Picking up a fierce, high-quality steel scimitar, Samyamani's son approached Drupada's son, who remained in his chariot. As he swung his sword, he resembled the sun and advanced with the force of a raging elephant. Enraged, the Panchala prince quickly grabbed a mace and smashed the head of Samyamani's son as he charged forward.  Dhritarashtra said, "I believe that fate is greater than effort, Sanjaya, since my son's army is constantly being destroyed by the Pandavas. You always tell me how my troops are being killed, while the Pandavas remain unharmed and full of cheer. You describe their victories while my forces grow weaker day by day. Oh boy, I'm constantly hearing about the countless sources of deep sorrow caused by Duryodhana's actions. Sanjaya replied, "This great disaster has come from you, O king. Now, listen patiently to the great loss of men, elephants, horses, and charioteers. Shalya rained down arrows on Dhrishtadyumna like drops from storm clouds pouring over a mountain during the rainy season. As Dhrishtadyumna suffered under this assault, Abhimanyu, filled with rage, charged fiercely towards the chariot of the Madra king. Then the furious son of Krishna, possessing boundless spirit, aimed three sharp arrows at Artayani as he reached the Madra king's chariot."  The powerful Bhimasena, son of Pandu, saw Duryodhana and aimed to end the conflict, raising his mace. Duryodhana, filled with rage, called forth the Magadha army, which included ten thousand swift elephants. With his heavy, adamantine mace, Bhima charged at the elephants like a fierce destroyer. Strong and relentless, he moved across the battlefield, taking down elephants as if he were the one who defeated Vritra among the Danavas. Bhima's thunderous roars struck terror into the hearts of the mighty elephants, causing them to cower and lose their will to fight.  The sons of Draupadi, the valiant son of Subhadra, as well as Nakula, Sahadeva, and Dhrishtadyumna of Prishata's lineage, shielded Bhima's back, firing arrows that rained down like clouds over mountains. The Pandava warriors cut down their enemies riding elephants with precise and sharp arrows of various designs. Bhimasena advanced deeper into the herd, crushing the elephants as if he were Indra shattering mountains. We witnessed Bhima slay elephants with a single blow of his mace, like hills struck by lightning. As Bhima unleashed his fury with his mace and his allies launched arrows from behind, the elephants scattered, trampling the war chariots of their own army.
सञ्जय उवाच॥ प्रदारयन्तं सैन्यानि बलौघेनापराजितम् । ग्रसमानमनीकानि व्यादितास्यमिवान्तकम् ॥ 1॥ तं तथा भीमकर्माणं प्रगृहीतमहागदम् । दृष्ट्वा वृकोदरं भीष्मः सहसैव समभ्ययात् ॥ 2॥ तमायान्तं तथा दृष्ट्वा व्यात्ताननमिवान्तकम् । भीष्मं भीमो महाबाहुः प्रत्युदीयादमर्षणः ॥ 3॥ तस्मिन्क्षणे सात्यकिः सत्यसन्धः; शिनिप्रवीरोऽभ्यपतत्पितामहम् । निघ्नन्नमित्रान्धनुषा दृढेन; स कम्पयंस्तव पुत्रस्य सेनाम् ॥ 4॥ तं यान्तमश्वै रजतप्रकाशैः; शरान्धमन्तं धनुषा दृढेन । नाशक्नुवन्वारयितुं तदानीं; सर्वे गणा भारत ये त्वदीयाः ॥ 5॥ अविध्यदेनं निशितैः शराग्रै;रलम्बुसो राजवरार्श्यशृङ्गिः । तं वै चतुर्भिः प्रतिविध्य वीरो; नप्ता शिनेरभ्यपतद्रथेन ॥ 6॥ प्रत्युद्ययुस्ततो भीमं तव पुत्राश्चतुर्दश । सेनापतिः सुषेणश्च जलसन्धः सुलोचनः ॥ 7॥ उग्रो भीमरथो भीमो भीमबाहुरलोलुपः । दुर्मुखो दुष्प्रधर्षश्च विवित्सुर्विकटः समः ॥ 8॥ विसृजन्तो बहून्बाणान्क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनाः । भीमसेनमभिद्रुत्य विव्यधुः सहिता भृशम् ॥ 9॥ पुत्रांस्तु तव सम्प्रेक्ष्य भीमसेनो महाबलः । सृक्किणी विलिहन्वीरः पशुमध्ये वृको यथा ॥ सेनापतेः क्षुरप्रेण शिरश्चिच्छेद पाण्डवः ॥ 10॥ जलसन्धं विनिर्भिद्य सोऽनयद्यमसादनम् । सुषेणं च ततो हत्वा प्रेषयामास मृत्यवे ॥ 11॥ उग्रस्य सशिरस्त्राणं शिरश्चन्द्रोपमं भुवि । पातयामास भल्लेन कुण्डलाभ्यां विभूषितम् ॥ 12॥ भीमबाहुं च सप्तत्या साश्वकेतुं ससारथिम् । निनाय समरे भीमः परलोकाय मारिष ॥ 13॥ भीमं भीमरथं चोभौ भीमसेनो हसन्निव । भ्रातरौ रभसौ राजन्ननयद्यमसादनम् ॥ 14॥ ततः सुलोचनं भीमः क्षुरप्रेण महामृधे । मिषतां सर्वसैन्यानामनयद्यमसादनम् ॥ 15॥ पुत्रास्तु तव तं दृष्ट्वा भीमसेनपराक्रमम् । शेषा येऽन्येऽभवंस्तत्र ते भीमस्य भयार्दिताः ॥ विप्रद्रुता दिशो राजन्वध्यमाना महात्मना ॥ 16॥ भगदत्तः प्रभिन्नेन कुञ्जरेण विशां पते । अपतत्सहसा तत्र यत्र भीमो व्यवस्थितः ॥ 17॥ आपतन्नेव च रणे भीमसेनं शिलाशितैः । अदृश्यं समरे चक्रे जीमूत इव भास्करम् ॥ 18॥ अभिमन्युमुखास्तत्र नामृष्यन्त महारथाः । भीमस्याच्छादनं सङ्ख्ये स्वबाहुबलमाश्रिताः ॥ 19॥ त एनं शरवर्षेण समन्तात्पर्यवारयन् । गजं च शरवृष्ट्या तं बिभिदुस्ते समन्ततः ॥ 20॥ ततस्तु नृपतिः क्रुद्धो भीमसेनं स्तनान्तरे । आजघान नरव्याघ्र शरेण नतपर्वणा ॥ 21 सोऽतिविद्धो महेष्वासस्तेन राज्ञा महारथः । मूर्छयाभिपरीताङ्गो ध्वजयष्टिमुपाश्रितः ॥ 22॥ तांस्तु भीतान्समालक्ष्य भीमसेनं च मूर्छितम् । ननाद बलवन्नादं भगदत्तः प्रतापवान् ॥ 23॥ ततो घटोत्कचो राजन्प्रेक्ष्य भीमं तथागतम् । सङ्क्रुद्धो राक्षसो घोरस्तत्रैवान्तरधीयत ॥ 24॥ स कृत्वा दारुणां मायां भीरूणां भयवर्धिनीम् । अदृश्यत निमेषार्धाद्घोररूपं समाश्रितः ॥ 25॥ ऐरावतं समारुह्य स्वयं मायामयं कृतम् । तस्य चान्येऽपि दिङ्नागा बभूवुरनुयायिनः ॥ 26॥ भगदत्तस्य तं नागं विषाणैस्तेऽभ्यपीडयन् ॥ 27॥ सम्पीड्यमानस्तैर्नागैर्वेदनार्तः शरातुरः । सोऽनदत्सुमहानादमिन्द्राशनिसमस्वनम् ॥ 28॥ तस्य तं नदतो नादं सुघोरं भीमनिस्वनम् । श्रुत्वा भीष्मोऽब्रवीद्द्रोणं राजानं च सुयोधनम् ॥ 29॥ एष युध्यति सङ्ग्रामे हैडिम्बेन दुरात्मना । भगदत्तो महेष्वासः कृच्छ्रेण परिवर्तते ॥ 30॥ राक्षसश्च महामायः स च राजातिकोपनः । तौ समेतौ महावीर्यौ कालमृत्युसमावुभौ ॥ 31॥ भीष्मस्य तद्वचः श्रुत्वा भारद्वाजपुरोगमाः । सहिताः सर्वराजानो भगदत्तपरीप्सया ॥ उत्तमं जवमास्थाय प्रययुर्यत्र सोऽभवत् ॥ 32॥ तान्यनीकान्यथालोक्य राक्षसेन्द्रः प्रतापवान् । ननाद सुमहानादं विस्फोटमशनेरिव ॥ 33॥ तस्य तं निनदं श्रुत्वा दृष्ट्वा नागांश्च युध्यतः । भीष्मः शान्तनवो भूयो भारद्वाजमभाषत ॥ 34॥ न रोचते मे सङ्ग्रामो हैडिम्बेन दुरात्मना । बलवीर्यसमाविष्टः ससहायश्च साम्प्रतम् ॥ 35॥ नैष शक्यो युधा जेतुमपि वज्रभृता स्वयम् । लब्धलक्ष्यः प्रहारी च वयं च श्रान्तवाहनाः ॥ पाञ्चालैः पाण्डवेयैश्च दिवसं क्षतविक्षताः ॥ 36॥ तन्न मे रोचते युद्धं पाण्डवैर्जितकाशिभिः । घुष्यतामवहारोऽद्य श्वो योत्स्यामः परैः सह ॥ 37॥ पितामहवचः श्रुत्वा तथा चक्रुः स्म कौरवाः । उपायेनापयानं ते घटोत्कचभयार्दिताः ॥ 38॥ शरविक्षतगात्राश्च पाण्डुपुत्रा महारथाः । युद्धे सुमनसो भूत्वा शिबिरायैव जग्मिरे ॥ 39॥	39 (483)
Sanjaya continued, 'Seeing Vrikodara wreaking havoc, effortlessly dominating the opposing army and consuming their forces like a fierce Destroyer, Bhimasena swiftly approached him in his radiant chariot that thundered like an approaching storm, raining arrows that fell like a dense curtain of rain. The powerful Bhimasena, spotting Bhishma advancing like a furious Destroyer, charged at him in a rage. At that very moment, Satyaki, a skilled warrior from Sini's lineage, rushed towards Bhishma, taking down enemies with his sturdy bow and causing fear within your army. None of your warriors could stop this hero, who was advancing with his gleaming steeds and releasing precise arrows with elegant feathers. Meanwhile, the Rakshasa Alambusha managed to wound him with ten arrows, but in retaliation, Satyaki struck Alambusha with four arrows and continued forward in his chariot.  Then your fourteen sons—Senapati, Sushena, Jalasandha, Sulochana, Ugra, Bhimaratha, Bhima, Viravahu, Aolupa, Durmukha, Dushpradarsha, Vivitsu, Vikata, and Sama—confronted Bhimasena in battle. Together, they charged at him with fury in their eyes, showering countless arrows that struck him deeply. But the mighty Bhimasena, strong and heroic, saw your sons, licking his lips like a wolf among weaker prey, and engaged them with the ferocity of Garuda. He swiftly cut off Senapati's head with a fierce arrow. With joy, he laughed as he pierced Jalasandha with three arrows, sending him to the realm of the dead. Next, he struck down Sushena, sending him to Death's presence.  With another powerful arrow, he severed the handsome, moon-like head of Ugra, adorned with a turban and earrings. In that great battle, Bhima, the son of Pandu, sent Viravahu to the afterlife, along with his chariot and horses. Smiling, he quickly dispatched both brothers, Bhima and Bhimaratha, to Yama's realm as well. Then, in full view of the troops, with a horse-shoe headed arrow, he sent Sulochana to Death's domain. Witnessing Bhimasena's might, the rest of your sons, struck with fear, fled from the battle.  King Bhagadatta, in his majestic elephant adorned with beautiful decorations, charged towards where Bhimasena stood. He unleashed a barrage of arrows, obscuring Bhima from sight like clouds hiding the sun. However, the mighty warriors of the Pandava army, trusting in their own strength, could not tolerate this shroud of arrows around Bhima. They surrounded Bhagadatta and unleashed a storm of arrows upon him, piercing even his elephant with their relentless assault. Enraged, King Bhagadatta struck Bhimasena fiercely between his breasts with a straight arrow. Deeply wounded, Bhima, the great archer and brave warrior, slumped on his chariot, gripped his flagstaff tightly, and lost consciousness. Seeing the fear in the faces of the other warriors and Bhima unconscious, the formidable Bhagadatta let out a fearsome roar.  Meanwhile, the terrifying Rakshasa Ghatotkacha, enraged by Bhima's plight, vanished from sight. Moments later, he returned, creating a frightful illusion to instil fear in his enemies, appearing as a fierce entity. Riding on a majestic elephant conjured from his magic, he was followed by the other powerful elephants—Anjana, Vamana, and the radiant Mahapadma. The other fierce elephants, each with four tusks, driven by powerful Rakshasas, attacked Bhagadatta's elephant from all sides, wounding him with their tusks. Bhagadatta's elephant, already hit by arrows and in severe pain, trumpeted loudly like the thunder of Indra.  Hearing the agonizing roars of that elephant, Bhishma turned to Drona, Suyodhana, and the other kings and said, 'The skilled archer Bhagadatta is struggling against the evil son of Hidimba and is in great danger. That Rakshasa is huge, and the king is furious. Upon hearing Bhishma's words, all the kings, led by Bharadwaja's son, rushed quickly to aid Bhagadatta. As they advanced, the Panchalas and Pandavas, led by Yudhishthira, pursued them. The Rakshasa prince, noticing the enemy approaching, let out a thunderous roar. Hearing that roar and seeing the battling elephants, Bhishma addressed Bharadwaja's son again, saying, 'I do not wish to fight today against the wicked son of Hidimba. He is strong and well-supported right now, unable to be defeated even by the wielder of the thunderbolt. He is a precise warrior. Our forces are exhausted today, heavily battered by the Panchalas and Pandavas. I do not want to engage with the victorious Pandavas again. Let’s declare a retreat for our army today. Tomorrow we will confront the enemy.'  Upon hearing the old man's words, the Kauravas, gripped by the fear of Ghatotkacha and using the night as an excuse, willingly followed his advice. Those powerful warriors of the Pandu family, their bodies bruised by arrows and weary from battle, made their way, O king, back to their camp.

 

इति श्रीजयसंहिते  भीष्मपर्वणि सप्तमोऽध्यायः॥

 

Bhīṣmaparva Chapter- 6

Bhīṣmaparva Chapter- 8