Droṇaparva Chapter -6 (Twelfth day war – Part-3)

 

द्रोणपर्व - Droṇaparva (द्वादश दिवसीय युद्धम् - भाग-३)

अध्यायः – 6 ::Chapter-6 (Twelfth day war – Part-3)

Shlokas	No. of Shlokas
सञ्जय उवाच॥ रजो दृष्ट्वा समुद्भूतं श्रुत्वा च गजनिस्वनम् । भज्यतां भगदत्तेन कौन्तेयः कृष्णमब्रवीत् ॥ 1॥ यथा प्राग्ज्योतिषो राजा गजेन मधुसूदन । त्वरमाणोऽभ्यतिक्रान्तो ध्रुवं तस्यैष निस्वनः ॥ 2॥ इन्द्रादनवरः सङ्ख्ये गजयानविशारदः । प्रथमो वा द्वितीयो वा पृथिव्यामिति मे मतिः ॥ 3॥ स चापि द्विरदश्रेष्ठः सदाप्रतिगजो युधि । सर्वशब्दातिगः सङ्ख्ये कृतकर्मा जितक्लमः ॥ 4॥ सहः शस्त्रनिपातानामग्निस्पर्शस्य चानघ । स पाण्डवबलं व्यक्तमद्यैको नाशयिष्यति ॥ 5॥ न चावाभ्यामृतेऽन्योऽस्ति शक्तस्तं प्रतिबाधितुम् । त्वरमाणस्ततो याहि यतः प्राग्ज्योतिषाधिपः ॥ 6॥ यियासतस्ततः कृष्णः पार्थस्याश्वान्मनोजवान् । अप्रैषीद्धेमसञ्छन्नान्द्रोणानीकाय पाण्डुरान् ॥ 7॥ तं प्रयान्तं कुरुश्रेष्ठं स्वांस्त्रातुं द्रोणतापितान् । सुशर्मा भ्रातृभिः सार्धं युद्धार्थी पृष्ठतोऽन्वयात् ॥ 8॥ ततः श्वेतहयः कृष्णमब्रवीदजितं जयः । एष मां भ्रातृभिः सार्धं सुशर्माह्वयतेऽच्युत ॥ 9॥ ततोऽर्जुनः सुशर्माणं विद्ध्वा सप्तभिराशुगैः । ध्वजं धनुश्चास्य तथा क्षुराभ्यां समकृन्तत ॥ 10॥ त्रिगर्ताधिपतेश्चापि भ्रातरं षड्भिरायसैः । साश्वं ससूतं त्वरितः पार्थः प्रैषीद्यमक्षयम् ॥ 11॥ ततो भुजगसङ्काशां सुशर्मा शक्तिमायसीम् । चिक्षेपार्जुनमादिश्य वासुदेवाय तोमरम् ॥ 12॥ शक्तिं त्रिभिः शरैश्छित्त्वा तोमरं त्रिभिरर्जुनः । सुशर्माणं शरव्रातैर्मोहयित्वा न्यवर्तत ॥ 13॥ तं वासवमिवायान्तं भूरिवर्षशरौघिणम् । राजंस्तावकसैन्यानां नोग्रं कश्चिदवारयत् ॥ 14॥ ततो धनञ्जयो बाणैस्तत एव महारथान् । आयाद्विनिघ्नन्कौरव्यान्दहन्कक्षमिवानलः ॥ 15॥ तस्य वेगमसह्यं तु कुन्तीपुत्रस्य धीमतः । नाशक्नुवंस्ते संसोढुं स्पर्शमग्नेरिव प्रजाः ॥ 16॥ संवेष्टयन्ननीकानि शरवर्षेण पाण्डवः । सुपर्णपातवद्राजन्नायात्प्राग्ज्योतिषं प्रति ॥ 17॥ यत्तदानामयज्जिष्णुर्भरतानामपायिनाम् । धनुः क्षेमकरं सङ्ख्ये द्विषतामश्रुवर्धनम् ॥ 18॥ तदेव तव पुत्रस्य राजन्दुर्द्यूतदेविनः । कृते क्षत्रविनाशाय धनुरायच्छदर्जुनः ॥ 19॥ तस्मिन्प्रमथिते सैन्ये भगदत्तो नराधिपः । तेन नागेन सहसा धनञ्जयमुपाद्रवत् ॥ 20॥ तं रथेन नरव्याघ्रः प्रत्यगृह्णादभीतवत् । स संनिपातस्तुमुलो बभूव रथनागयोः ॥ 21॥ कल्पिताभ्यां यथाशास्त्रं रथेन च गजेन च । सङ्ग्रामे चेरतुर्वीरौ भगदत्तधनञ्जयौ ॥ 22॥ ततो जीमूतसङ्काशान्नागादिन्द्र इवाभिभूः । अभ्यवर्षच्छरौघेण भगदत्तो धनञ्जयम् ॥ 23॥ ततः स शरजालेन महताभ्यवकीर्य तौ । चोदयामास तं नागं वधायाच्युतपार्थयोः ॥ 24॥ तमापतन्तं द्विरदं दृष्ट्वा क्रुद्धमिवान्तकम् । चक्रेऽपसव्यं त्वरितः स्यन्दनेन जनार्दनः ॥ 25॥ ततो नागस्य तद्वर्म व्यधमत्पाकशासनिः । शरजालेन स बभौ व्यभ्रः पर्वतराडिव ॥ 26॥ व्यसृजत्तोमरान्मूर्ध्नि श्वेताश्वस्योन्ननाद च । तैरर्जुनस्य समरे किरीटं परिवर्तितम् ॥ 27॥ परिवृत्तं किरीटं तं यमयन्नेव फल्गुनः । सुदृष्टः क्रियतां लोक इति राजानमब्रवीत् ॥ 28। ततः पार्थो महाबाहुरसम्भ्रान्तो महामनाः । कुम्भयोरन्तरे नागं नाराचेन समार्पयत् ॥ 29॥ समासाद्य तु तं नागं बाणो वज्र इवाचलम् । अभ्यगात्सह पुङ्खेन वल्मीकमिव पन्नगः ॥ 30॥ स तु विष्टभ्य गात्राणि दन्ताभ्यामवनिं ययौ । नदन्नार्तस्वरं प्राणानुत्ससर्ज महाद्विपः ॥ 31॥ ततश्चन्द्रार्धबिम्बेन शरेण नतपर्वणा । बिभेद हृदयं राज्ञो भगदत्तस्य पाण्डवः ॥ 32॥ स भिन्नहृदयो राजा भगदत्तः किरीटिना । शरासनं शरांश्चैव गतासुः प्रमुमोच ह ॥ 33॥ शिरसस्तस्य विभ्रष्टः पपात च वराङ्कुशः । नालताडनविभ्रष्टं पलाशं नलिनादिव ॥ 34॥ स हेममाली तपनीयभाण्डा;त्पपात नागाद्गिरिसंनिकाशात् । सुपुष्पितो मारुतवेगरुग्णो; महीधराग्रादिव कर्णिकारः ॥ 35॥ निहत्य तं नरपतिमिन्द्रविक्रमं; सखायमिन्द्रस्य तथैन्द्रिराहवे । ततोऽपरांस्तव जयकाङ्क्षिणो नरा;न्बभञ्ज वायुर्बलवान्द्रुमानिव ॥ 36॥	36 (349)
O strong warrior, look at what Partha has done in the battle. Seeing the rising dust and hearing the cries of the soldiers while Bhagadatta displayed his greatness on the field, Kunti’s son spoke to Krishna, saying, 'O slayer of Madhu, it appears that the king of Pragjyotisha has boldly charged into battle on his elephant. This loud noise we hear must be from him. He is skilled in battling from the back of an elephant and is unmatched, even compared to Indra in combat. He is the greatest of all elephant warriors. His elephant is unrivalled, powerful and tireless, capable of withstanding all attacks, even fire. It alone will defeat the Pandava army today. Besides us two, no one can challenge that beast. So hurry to where the king of Pragjyotisha is.' At Partha's command, Krishna urged his swift, gold-armored horses towards Drona's troops. As he moved towards his brothers, who were suffering greatly under Drona, Susarman and his brothers followed, eager to fight. Then Arjuna struck Susarman with seven arrows, breaking his bow and standard. He quickly sent Susarman's brothers to Yama’s realm with six arrows. Then, Susarman threw an iron dart at Arjuna that resembled a snake and aimed a lance at Krishna. Arjuna skillfully cut the dart and the lance into pieces with six arrows, leaving Susarman dazed on his chariot. Charging forward with great ferocity, shooting arrows like rain from the sky, none of your soldiers dared to stand against you, O king. Dhananjaya advanced, consuming the mighty Kaurava warriors like a fire devouring dry straw, scorching them with his arrows. Your troops, like a creature unable to withstand fire, could not endure the relentless drive of that clever son of Kunti. Indeed, the son of Pandu overwhelmed the enemy ranks with his arrows and confronted the king of Pragjyotishas, O monarch, just as Garuda swoops down on his prey. He wielded the Gandiva, a bow that was a blessing to the noble Pandavas but a curse to their foes, a tool for destruction stemming from your son’s deceitful game of dice to achieve his ambitions. As your division faltered, King Bhagadatta, riding on his elephant, charged fiercely at Arjuna. Dhananjaya, the fearless warrior, stood firm in his chariot to meet Bhagadatta. The clash between Arjuna's chariot and Bhagadatta's elephant was intensely fierce. These two champions, Bhagadatta and Dhananjaya, surged across the battlefield, each equipped according to the techniques of their craft.  Then Indra's son sliced through the armour of the elephant with a relentless barrage of arrows. The severed armour fell to the ground. Wounded deeply by Arjuna's arrows, adorned with beautiful Kanka feathers, Bhagadatta, oh king, became furious at the son of Pandu. He hurled lances at Arjuna's head and shouted loudly. One of those lances knocked Arjuna's crown askew. Steadying his diadem, Arjuna addressed the ruler of Pragjyotisha, saying, 'Behold this world!' Then, the mighty Arjuna boldly shot a long arrow into the forehead of Bhagadatta's elephant. That arrow split the elephant in two, like thunder cleaving a mountain, piercing deep into its body like a snake entering an ant-hill. Despite Bhagadatta's commands, the elephant would not move. Its limbs paralyzed, it fell to the ground, tusks striking the earth. Crying out in agony, the massive elephant breathed its last. Arjuna, with a straight arrow tipped with a crescent blade, struck the heart of king Bhagadatta. With his chest pierced by Arjuna's arrow, Bhagadatta dropped his bow and arrows. The precious cloth from his turban slipped from his head, falling like a petal from a lotus when its stem is violently shaken. Adorned with golden garlands, he toppled from his grand elephant dressed in gold, like a Kinsuka flower broken from the mountaintop by a fierce wind. Having slain that mighty king, who was as powerful as Indra and his ally, Indra's son shattered the spirits of the other warriors in your army, like a strong wind toppling trees.
सञ्जय उवाच॥ प्रियमिन्द्रस्य सततं सखायममितौजसम् । हत्वा प्राग्ज्योतिषं पार्थः प्रदक्षिणमवर्तत ॥ 1॥ ततो गान्धारराजस्य सुतौ परपुरञ्जयौ । आर्छेतामर्जुनं सङ्ख्ये भ्रातरौ वृषकाचलौ ॥ 2॥ तौ समेत्यार्जुनं वीरौ पुरः पश्चाच्च धन्विनौ । अविध्येतां महावेगैर्निशितैराशुगैर्भृशम् ॥ 3॥ वृषकस्य हयान्सूतं धनुश्छत्रं रथं ध्वजम् । तिलशो व्यधमत्पार्थः सौबलस्य शितैः शरैः ॥ 4॥ ततोऽर्जुनः शरव्रातैर्नानाप्रहरणैरपि । गान्धारान्व्याकुलांश्चक्रे सौबलप्रमुखान्पुनः ॥ 5॥ ततः पञ्चशतान्वीरान्गान्धारानुद्यतायुधान् । प्राहिणोन्मृत्युलोकाय क्रुद्धो बाणैर्धनञ्जयः ॥ 6॥ हताश्वात्तु रथात्तूर्णमवतीर्य महाभुजः । आरुरोह रथं भ्रातुरन्यच्च धनुराददे ॥ 7॥ तावेकरथमारूढौ भ्रातरौ वृषकाचलौ । शरवर्षेण बीभत्सुमविध्येतां पुनः पुनः ॥ 8॥ स्यालौ तव महात्मानौ राजानौ वृषकाचलौ । भृशं निजघ्नतुः पार्थमिन्द्रं वृत्रबलाविव ॥ 9॥ लब्धलक्ष्यौ तु गान्धारावहतां पाण्डवं पुनः । निदाघवार्षिकौ मासौ लोकं घर्माम्बुभिर्यथा ॥ 10॥ तौ रथस्थौ नरव्याघ्रौ राजानौ वृषकाचलौ । संश्लिष्टाङ्गौ स्थितौ राजञ्जघानैकेषुणार्जुनः ॥ 11॥ तौ रथात्सिंहसङ्काशौ लोहिताक्षौ महाभुजौ । गतासू पेततुर्वीरौ सोदर्यावेकलक्षणौ ॥ 12॥ दृष्ट्वा विनिहतौ सङ्ख्ये मातुलावपलायिनौ । भृशं मुमुचुरश्रूणि पुत्रास्तव विशां पते ॥ 13॥ निहतौ भ्रातरौ दृष्ट्वा मायाशतविशारदः । कृष्णौ संमोहयन्मायां विदधे शकुनिस्ततः ॥ 14॥ एवं बहुविधा मायाः सौबलस्य कृताः कृताः । जघानास्त्रबलेनाशु प्रहसन्नर्जुनस्तदा ॥ 15॥ तथा हतासु मायासु त्रस्तोऽर्जुनशराहतः । अपायाज्जवनैरश्वैः शकुनिः प्राकृतो यथा ॥ 16॥ ततोऽर्जुनोऽस्त्रविच्छ्रैष्ठ्यं दर्शयन्नात्मनोऽरिषु । अभ्यवर्षच्छरौघेण कौरवाणामनीकिनीम् ॥ 17॥ सा हन्यमाना पार्थेन पुत्रस्य तव वाहिनी । द्वैधीभूता महाराज गङ्गेवासाद्य पर्वतम् ॥ 18॥ ततः पुनर्दक्षिणतः सङ्ग्रामश्चित्रयोधिनाम् । सुयुद्धमर्जुनस्यासीदहं तु द्रोणमन्वगाम् ॥ 19॥ नानाविधान्यनीकानि पुत्राणां तव भारत । अर्जुनो व्यधमत्काले दिवीवाभ्राणि मारुतः ॥ 20॥ समुद्यतेषु शस्त्रेषु सम्प्राप्ते च युधिष्ठिरे । अकुर्वन्नार्यकर्माणि भैरवे सत्यभीतवत् ॥ 21॥ अन्तरं भीमसेनस्य प्रापतन्नमितौजसः । सात्यकेश्चैव शूरस्य धृष्टद्युम्नस्य चाभिभो ॥ 22॥ द्रोणं द्रोणमिति क्रूराः पाञ्चालाः समचोदयन् । मा द्रोणमिति पुत्रास्ते कुरून्सर्वानचोदयन् ॥ 23॥ ततो नीलोऽनलप्रख्यो ददाह कुरुवाहिनीम् । शरस्फुलिङ्गश्चापार्चिर्दहन्कक्षमिवानलः ॥ 24॥ तं पद्मनिकराकारं पद्मपत्रनिभेक्षणम् । व्याकोशपद्माभमुखं नीलो विव्याध सायकैः ॥ 25॥ तेनातिविद्धः सहसा द्रौणिर्भल्लैः शितैस्त्रिभिः । धनुर्ध्वजं च छत्रं च द्विषतः स न्यकृन्तत ॥ 26॥ सोत्प्लुत्य स्यन्दनात्तस्मान्नीलश्चर्मवरासिधृक् । द्रोणायनेः शिरः कायाद्धर्तुमैच्छत्पतत्रिवत् ॥ 27॥ तस्योद्यतासेः सुनसं शिरः कायात्सकुण्डलम् । भल्लेनापाहरद्द्रौणिः स्मयमान इवानघ ॥ 28॥ केचिदार्तस्वरं चक्रुर्विनेदुरपरे पुनः । पार्थबाणहताः केचिन्निपेतुर्विगतासवः ॥ 29॥ तेषामुत्पततां कांश्चित्पतितांश्च पराङ्मुखान् । न जघानार्जुनो योधान्योधव्रतमनुस्मरन् ॥ 30॥ ते विशीर्णरथाश्वेभाः प्रायशश्च पराङ्मुखाः । कुरवः कर्ण कर्णेति हा हेति च विचुक्रुशुः ॥ 31॥ तमाधिरथिराक्रन्दं विज्ञाय शरणैषिणाम् । मा भैष्टेति प्रतिश्रुत्य ययावभिमुखोऽर्जुनम् ॥ 32॥ स भारतरथश्रेष्ठः सर्वभारतहर्षणः । प्रादुश्चक्रे तदाग्नेयमस्त्रमस्त्रविदां वरः ॥ 33॥ तस्य दीप्तशरौघस्य दीप्तचापधरस्य च । शरौघाञ्शरजालेन विदुधाव धनञ्जयः ॥ 34॥ ता निकृत्य शितैर्बाणैस्त्रिभिस्त्रिभिरजिह्मगैः । ननाद बलवान्कर्णः पार्थाय विसृजञ्शरान् ॥ 35॥ अर्जुनश्चापि राधेयं विद्ध्वा सप्तभिराशुगैः । कर्णादवरजं बाणैर्जघान निशितैस्त्रिभिः ॥ 36॥ ततः शत्रुञ्जयं हत्वा पार्थः षड्भिरजिह्मगैः । जहार सद्यो भल्लेन विपाटस्य शिरो रथात् ॥ 37॥ पश्यतां धार्तराष्ट्राणामेकेनैव किरीटिना । प्रमुखे सूतपुत्रस्य सोदर्या निहतास्त्रयः ॥ 38	38 (387)
Sanjaya said, After defeating Bhagadatta, who was a favorite and ally of Indra and known for his great strength, Partha circled around him. Then, the two sons of the king of Gandhara, the brothers Vrishaka and Achala, conquerors of enemy cities, started to attack Arjuna in battle. These two brave archers, working together, began to strike Arjuna fiercely from both the front and the back with their sharp arrows. In response, Arjuna skillfully used his arrows to shatter the horses, driver, bow, umbrella, banner, and chariot of Vrishaka, son of Suvala, into pieces. He then unleashed a storm of arrows and various weapons, severely wounding the Gandhara troops led by Suvala's son. Filled with fury, Dhananjaya sent five hundred valiant Gandharas, armed and ready, to Yama's realm with his arrows. The strong hero then quickly jumped down from his chariot, which had lost its horses, climbed onto his brother's chariot, and took up another bow. The two brothers, Vrishaka and Achala, sitting side by side on the same chariot, rained arrows upon Vibhatsu relentlessly. Ultimately, Arjuna killed the fierce princes, Vrishaka and Achala, as they stood together on their chariot, with a single arrow. Then, those powerful heroes, with fiery eyes and resembling lions, fell from their chariot, resembling brothers sharing similar traits.  These various tricks, repeatedly conjured by Saubala, Arjuna quickly shattered with his deadly weapons, laughing all the while. Once all illusions were vanquished, Shakuni, struck by Arjuna’s arrows and paralyzed with fear, fled like a common coward, aided by his swift horses. Arjuna, skilled in all forms of combat, showcased his extraordinary agility, raining down arrows upon the Kaurava army. The forces of your son, decimated by Partha, split into two streams like the Ganges when blocked by a mountain. Yudhishthira's divisions attacked the enemy from every side on the battlefield. Arjuna struck down your son’s forces, just as strong winds in summer scatter heavy clouds across the sky. In that perilous situation, they charged fearlessly after their leader, accomplishing brave deeds against the Pandava troops with weapons raised, and Yudhishthira nearby. Taking advantage of a mistake by the mighty Bhimasena and the valiant Satyaki and Dhrishtadyumna, O king, the Kuru leaders struck against the Pandava army.  " Then Nila, like a raging fire, with his arrows acting as sparks and his bow as the flame, started to tear through the Kuru ranks like a wildfire devouring dry grass. Nila, whose face shone like a blooming lotus, struck Aswatthaman, whose form was a collection of lotuses and whose eyes resembled lotus petals. Yet, Drona's son, being pure of spirit, used a fierce arrow to sever the head adorned with a lovely nose and beautiful earrings from his opponent’s shoulders. Remembering the code of honorable warriors, Arjuna chose not to attack those enemies who had fallen, were fleeing, or unwilling to fight. The Kauravas, deprived of their chariots and filled with awe, began to turn away from the battlefield, crying out in distress and calling for Karna’s protection. Hearing their cries, Adhiratha's son (Karna), confidently assuring his troops with 'Do not fear,' stepped forward to confront Arjuna. Then Karna, the greatest of the Bharata chariot warriors and a joy to all Bharatas, summoned the Agneya weapon. However, Dhananjaya skillfully countered the barrage of arrows from Radha's son, the fierce bow-wielder, with his own rain of arrows.  Then Arjuna shot Karna with seven arrows and quickly took down Karna's younger brother. With six arrows, he defeated Satrunjaya, and with a broad-headed arrow, he struck off Vipatha's head while the latter stood on his chariot. In full view of the Dhritarashtras and the son of the charioteer, Arjuna, all on his own, eliminated the three brothers of the latter..

 

इति श्री जयसंहिते  द्रोणपर्वणि षष्ठोऽध्यायः॥

 

Droṇaparva Chapter- 5

Droṇaparva Chapter- 7