Dhritarashtra Dreads Arjuna's Might

Verse 1 (3.46.1)

अत्यद्भुतमिदं कर्म पार्थस्यामिततेजसः । धृतराष्ट्रो महातेजाः श्रुत्वा तत्र किमब्रवीत् ॥

atyadbhutamidaṃ karma pārthasyāmitatejasaḥ | dhṛtarāṣṭro mahātejāḥ śrutvā tatra kimabravīt

This deed of Partha, whose energy knows no bounds, is wondrous indeed. When the mighty Dhritarashtra heard of it, what did he say?

Verse 2 (3.46.2)

शक्रलोकगतं पार्थं श्रुत्वा राजाऽम्बिकासुतः । द्वैपायनादृषिश्रेष्ठात्संजयं वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥

śakralokagataṃ pārthaṃ śrutvā rājā'mbikāsutaḥ | dvaipāyanādṛṣiśreṣṭhātsaṃjayaṃ vākyamabravīt

When King Dhritarashtra, Ambika's son, heard from Dvaipayana, best of seers, that Partha had gone to the world of Shakra, he spoke these words to Sanjaya.

Verse 3 (3.46.3)

श्रुतं मे सूत कार्त्स्न्येन कर्म पार्थस्य धीमतः । कच्चित्तवापि विदितं याथातथ्येन सारथे ॥

śrutaṃ me sūta kārtsnyena karma pārthasya dhīmataḥ | kaccittavāpi viditaṃ yāthātathyena sārathe

Charioteer, I have heard in full the deed of wise Partha. Do you too know it, charioteer, just as it happened?

Note on the text: Corrected पार्थस् → पार्थस्य (misprint in Wikisource; the genitive ending had dropped, the critical edition reads pārthasya). Wikisource prints no speaker heading after Vaishampayana's, but verse 2 introduces Dhritarashtra's words to Sanjaya and verses 3–18 are his speech in the first person, so they are given to him.

Verse 4 (3.46.4)

प्रमत्तो ग्राम्यधर्मेषु मन्दात्मा पापनिश्चयः । मम पुत्रः सुदुर्बुद्धिः पृथिवीं घातयिष्यति ॥

pramatto grāmyadharmeṣu mandātmā pāpaniścayaḥ | mama putraḥ sudurbuddhiḥ pṛthivīṃ ghātayiṣyati

My son, sunk in vulgar pleasures, dull of mind, set on evil and utterly foolish, will bring the earth to slaughter.

Verse 5 (3.46.5)

यस्य नित्यमृता वाचः स्वैरेष्वपि महात्मनः । त्रैलोक्यमपि तस्य स्याद्योद्धा यस्य धनंजयः ॥

yasya nityamṛtā vācaḥ svaireṣvapi mahātmanaḥ | trailokyamapi tasya syādyoddhā yasya dhanaṃjayaḥ

That great-souled man whose words are always true, even in jest, and who has Dhananjaya to fight for him, could make even the three worlds his own.

Verse 6 (3.46.6)

अस्यतः कर्णिनाराचांस्तीक्ष्णाग्रांश्च शिलाशितान् । नार्जुनस्याग्रतस्तिष्ठेदपि मृत्युर्जरातिगः ॥

asyataḥ karṇinārācāṃstīkṣṇāgrāṃśca śilāśitān | nārjunasyāgratastiṣṭhedapi mṛtyurjarātigaḥ

When Arjuna looses his barbed arrows and iron shafts, sharp-pointed and whetted on stone, not even Death, who is beyond old age, could stand before him.

Verse 7 (3.46.7)

मम पुत्रा दुरात्मानः सर्वे मृत्युवशंगताः । येषां युद्धं दुराधर्षैः पाण्डवैः समुपस्थितम् ॥

mama putrā durātmānaḥ sarve mṛtyuvaśaṃgatāḥ | yeṣāṃ yuddhaṃ durādharṣaiḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ samupasthitam

My wicked sons have all fallen into the power of death, for war with the invincible Pandavas now stands before them.

Verse 8 (3.46.8)

तस्यैव च न पश्यामि युधि गाण्डीवधन्वनः । अनिशं चिन्तयानोऽपि य एनमुदियाद्युधि ॥

tasyaiva ca na paśyāmi yudhi gāṇḍīvadhanvanaḥ | aniśaṃ cintayāno'pi ya enamudiyādyudhi

Though I think on it day and night, I see no one who could rise against that wielder of the Gandiva bow in battle.

Verse 9 (3.46.9)

द्रोणकर्णौ प्रतीयातां यदि भीष्मोऽपि वा रणे । महान्स्यात्संशयो लोके न तु पश्यामि नो जयम् ॥

droṇakarṇau pratīyātāṃ yadi bhīṣmo'pi vā raṇe | mahānsyātsaṃśayo loke na tu paśyāmi no jayam

Should Drona and Karna go out against him in battle, or even Bhishma, the world would hang in great doubt; but I see no victory for us.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (संशयोलोके → संशयो लोके).

Verse 10 (3.46.10)

घृणी कर्णः प्रमादी च आचार्यः स्थविरो गुरुः । अमर्षी बलवान्पार्थः संरम्भी दृढविक्रमः ॥

ghṛṇī karṇaḥ pramādī ca ācāryaḥ sthaviro guruḥ | amarṣī balavānpārthaḥ saṃrambhī dṛḍhavikramaḥ

Karna is tender-hearted and careless; the Teacher is old, an elder and a guru. But Partha is unforgiving, strong, eager for battle and firm in his valour.

Verse 11 (3.46.11)

भवेत्सुतुमुलं युद्धं सर्वस्याप्यपराजितम् । सर्वे ह्यस्त्रविदः शूराः सर्वे प्राप्ता महद्यशः ॥

bhavetsutumulaṃ yuddhaṃ sarvasyāpyaparājitam | sarve hyastravidaḥ śūrāḥ sarve prāptā mahadyaśaḥ

It would be a tumultuous battle, with none on any side defeated; for all are masters of weapons, all are heroes, all have won great fame.

Verse 12 (3.46.12)

अपि सर्वेश्वरत्वं हि न वाञ्छेरन्पराजिताः । वधे नूनं भवेच्छान्तिरेतेषां फल्गुनस्य वा ॥

api sarveśvaratvaṃ hi na vāñcheranparājitāḥ | vadhe nūnaṃ bhavecchāntireteṣāṃ phalgunasya vā

Rather than be defeated, they would not want even lordship over all. Surely there would be peace only with the death of these men, or of Phalguna.

Verse 13 (3.46.13)

न तु हन्ताऽर्जुनस्यास्ति जेता वाऽस्य न विद्यते । मन्युस्तस्य कथं शाम्येन्मन्दान्प्रति समुत्थितः ॥

na tu hantā'rjunasyāsti jetā vā'sya na vidyate | manyustasya kathaṃ śāmyenmandānprati samutthitaḥ

But there is no one to kill Arjuna, and no one to conquer him. How will his wrath, risen against my foolish sons, ever be calmed?

Verse 14 (3.46.14)

त्रिदशेशसमो वीरः खाण्डवेऽग्निमतर्पयत् । जिगाय पार्थिवान्सर्वान्राजसूये महाक्रतौ ॥

tridaśeśasamo vīraḥ khāṇḍave'gnimatarpayat | jigāya pārthivānsarvānrājasūye mahākratau

That hero, equal to the lord of the gods, gratified Agni at Khandava and conquered all the kings at the great Rajasuya sacrifice.

Note on the text: Corrected जिगा → जिगाय (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara leaves no verb and a short line, the critical edition reads jigāya).

Verse 15 (3.46.15)

शेषं कुर्याद्गिरेर्वज्रो निपतन्मूर्ध्नि संजय । न तु कुर्युः शराः शेषं क्षिप्तास्तात किरीटिना ॥

śeṣaṃ kuryādgirervajro nipatanmūrdhni saṃjaya | na tu kuryuḥ śarāḥ śeṣaṃ kṣiptāstāta kirīṭinā

A thunderbolt falling on the peak of a mountain may leave something behind, Sanjaya; but the arrows shot by the Diademed One, my friend, leave nothing.

Verse 16 (3.46.16)

यथा हि किरणा भानोस्तपन्तीह चराचरम् । तथा पार्थभुजोत्सृष्टाः शरास्तप्स्यन्ति मत्सुतान् ॥

yathā hi kiraṇā bhānostapantīha carācaram | tathā pārthabhujotsṛṣṭāḥ śarāstapsyanti matsutān

As the rays of the sun scorch all things here, moving and unmoving, so will the arrows loosed from Partha's arms scorch my sons.

Verse 17 (3.46.17)

अपि तद्रथघोषेण भयार्ता सव्यसाचिनः । प्रतिभाति विदीर्णेव सर्वतो भारती चमूः ॥

api tadrathaghoṣeṇa bhayārtā savyasācinaḥ | pratibhāti vidīrṇeva sarvato bhāratī camūḥ

Even now, at the thunder of Savyasachin's chariot, the army of the Bharatas seems to me stricken with fear and burst apart on every side.

Note on the text: Corrected भयार्था → भयार्ता (misprint in Wikisource, थ for त; the sense is "stricken with fear", the critical edition reads bhayārtā). अपि तद्रथघोषेण is a recension variant of the critical edition's api vā rathaghoṣeṇa and is kept.

Verse 18 (3.46.18)

समुद्धरन्प्रवपंश्चैव बाणान् । स्थाताऽऽततायी समरे किरीटी । सृष्टोऽन्तकः सर्वहरो विधात्रा । भवेद्यथा तद्वदवारणीयः ॥

samuddharanpravapaṃścaiva bāṇān | sthātā''tatāyī samare kirīṭī | sṛṣṭo'ntakaḥ sarvaharo vidhātrā | bhavedyathā tadvadavāraṇīyaḥ

Drawing out his arrows and loosing them, the Diademed One will stand in battle with his bow drawn, as irresistible as Death the all-destroyer, created by the Ordainer.

Note on the text: Corrected स्ताता → स्थाता (misprint in Wikisource; the commentary on the page glosses स्थाता स्थास्यति, the critical edition reads sthātā) and किरीटि → किरीटी (the nominative is needed; the critical edition reads kirīṭī). समुद्धरन् and अवारणीयः are recension variants of the critical edition's yad udvapan and apāraṇīyaḥ and are kept.

Verse 19 (3.46.19)

यदेतत्कथितं राजंस्त्वया दुर्योधनं प्रति । सर्वमेतद्यथातत्त्वं न तु मिथ्या महीपते ॥

yadetatkathitaṃ rājaṃstvayā duryodhanaṃ prati | sarvametadyathātattvaṃ na tu mithyā mahīpate

All that you have said about Duryodhana, O king, is true to the fact, lord of the earth; none of it is false.

Note on the text: Corrected यदतत् → यदेतत् (misprint in Wikisource; the vowel sign of एतत् had dropped, the critical edition reads yad etat) and restored a missing word space (नतु → न तु).

Verse 20 (3.46.20)

मन्युना हि समाविष्टाः पाण्डवास्त्वमितौजसः । दृष्ट्वा कृष्णां सभां नीतां धर्मपत्नीं यशस्विनीं ॥

manyunā hi samāviṣṭāḥ pāṇḍavāstvamitaujasaḥ | dṛṣṭvā kṛṣṇāṃ sabhāṃ nītāṃ dharmapatnīṃ yaśasvinīṃ

For the Pandavas, of boundless might, are filled with wrath, having seen Krishna, their glorious lawful wife, dragged into the assembly hall.

Verse 21 (3.46.21)

दुःशासनस्य ता वाचः श्रुत्वा वै कटुकोदयाः । कर्णस्य च महाराज न स्वप्स्यन्तीति मे मतिः ॥

duḥśāsanasya tā vācaḥ śrutvā vai kaṭukodayāḥ | karṇasya ca mahārāja na svapsyantīti me matiḥ

Having heard those words of Duhshasana and of Karna, bitter in what they bring, they will not sleep, great king; that is my belief.

Verse 22 (3.46.22)

श्रुतं हि ते महाराज यथा पार्थेन संयुगे । एकादशतनुः स्थाणुर्धनुषा परितोषितः ॥

śrutaṃ hi te mahārāja yathā pārthena saṃyuge | ekādaśatanuḥ sthāṇurdhanuṣā paritoṣitaḥ

You have surely heard, great king, how in combat Partha pleased with his bow Sthanu, the god of eleven forms.

Note on the text: Corrected धेनुषा → धनुषा (misprint in Wikisource; the word is धनुस्, "bow", as in the critical edition's dhanuṣā).

Verse 23 (3.46.23)

कैरातं वेषमास्थाय योधयामास फल्गुनम् । जिज्ञासुः सर्वदेवेशः कपर्दी भगवान्स्वयम् ॥

kairātaṃ veṣamāsthāya yodhayāmāsa phalgunam | jijñāsuḥ sarvadeveśaḥ kapardī bhagavānsvayam

The lord of all the gods, the Blessed Kapardin himself, wishing to test him, put on the guise of a Kirata and fought with Phalguna.

Verse 24 (3.46.24)

लेभे पाशुपतं चापि परमास्त्रं महाद्युतिः । तत्रैनं लोकपालास्ते दर्शयामासुरर्जुनम् । अस्त्रहेतोः पराक्रान्तं तपसा कौरवर्षभम् ॥

lebhe pāśupataṃ cāpi paramāstraṃ mahādyutiḥ | tatrainaṃ lokapālāste darśayāmāsurarjunam | astrahetoḥ parākrāntaṃ tapasā kauravarṣabham

That glorious one also won the Pashupata, the supreme weapon. There the World Guardians showed themselves to Arjuna, bull of the Kurus, who had striven by austerity to gain weapons.

Note on the text: Removed the backtick and quote marks around the first line (editorial marks in Wikisource for an inserted line) and set its punctuation. Three-line verse: the first line is not in the critical edition's constituted text (it appears in its apparatus as 3.46.23d*196); the other two lines are 3.46.24.

Verse 25 (3.46.25)

नैतदुत्सहते चान्यो लब्धुमन्यत्र फल्गुनात् । साक्षाद्दर्शनमेतेषामीश्वराणां नरो भुवि ॥

naitadutsahate cānyo labdhumanyatra phalgunāt | sākṣāddarśanameteṣāmīśvarāṇāṃ naro bhuvi

No other man on earth but Phalguna could hope to gain this: the very sight of these lords before his eyes.

Verse 26 (3.46.26)

महेश्वरेण यो राजन्न जीर्णो ग्रस्तमूर्तिमान् । कस्तमुत्सहते वीरो युद्धे जरयितुं पुमान् ॥

maheśvareṇa yo rājanna jīrṇo grastamūrtimān | kastamutsahate vīro yuddhe jarayituṃ pumān

O king, he whose body Maheshvara seized and who yet was not worn down: what hero among men would dare to wear him down in battle?

Verse 27 (3.46.27)

आसादितमिदं घोरं तुमुलं रोमहर्षणम् । द्रौपदीं परिकर्षद्भिः कोपयद्भिश्च पाण्डवान् ॥

āsāditamidaṃ ghoraṃ tumulaṃ romaharṣaṇam | draupadīṃ parikarṣadbhiḥ kopayadbhiśca pāṇḍavān

This dreadful, tumultuous, hair-raising danger was brought on by those who dragged Draupadi about and enraged the Pandavas.

Verse 28 (3.46.28)

यत्र विस्फुरमाणौष्ठो भीमः प्राह वचोऽर्थवत् । दृष्ट्वा दुर्योधनेनोरू द्रौपद्या दर्शितावुभौ ॥

yatra visphuramāṇauṣṭho bhīmaḥ prāha vaco'rthavat | dṛṣṭvā duryodhanenorū draupadyā darśitāvubhau

It was there that Bhima, his lips trembling, spoke words full of meaning when he saw Duryodhana bare both his thighs to Draupadi:

Verse 29 (3.46.29)

ऊरुं भेत्स्यामि ते पाप गदया वज्रकल्पया । त्रयोदशानां वर्षाणामन्ते दुर्द्यूतदेविनः ॥

ūruṃ bhetsyāmi te pāpa gadayā vajrakalpayā | trayodaśānāṃ varṣāṇāmante durdyūtadevinaḥ

Wicked man, player of the crooked dice, at the end of thirteen years I will break your thigh with my mace, hard as a thunderbolt.

Note on the text: Bhima's vow, introduced by Sanjaya in the previous verse; it fills the whole verse, so it is given to Bhima rather than to Sanjaya.

Verse 30 (3.46.30)

सर्वे प्रहरतां श्रेष्ठाः सर्वे चामिततेजसः । सर्वे सर्वास्त्रविद्वांसो देवैरपि सुदुर्जयाः ॥

sarve praharatāṃ śreṣṭhāḥ sarve cāmitatejasaḥ | sarve sarvāstravidvāṃso devairapi sudurjayāḥ

All of them are the best of fighters, all of boundless energy, all masters of every weapon, hard for even the gods to defeat.

Note on the text: Restored missing word spaces (सर्वेचामिततेजसः → सर्वे चामिततेजसः, सर्वेसर्वास्त्रविद्वांसो → सर्वे सर्वास्त्रविद्वांसो).

Verse 31 (3.46.31)

मन्ये मन्युसमुद्भूताः पुत्राणां तव संयुगे । अन्तं पार्थाः करिष्यन्ति वीर्यामर्षसमन्विताः ॥

manye manyusamudbhūtāḥ putrāṇāṃ tava saṃyuge | antaṃ pārthāḥ kariṣyanti vīryāmarṣasamanvitāḥ

I believe the Parthas, roused by wrath and filled with valour and resentment, will make an end of your sons in battle.

Verse 32 (3.46.32)

किं कृतं सूत कर्णेन वदता परुषं वचः । पर्याप्तं वैरमेतावद्यत्कृष्णा सा सभां गता ॥

kiṃ kṛtaṃ sūta karṇena vadatā paruṣaṃ vacaḥ | paryāptaṃ vairametāvadyatkṛṣṇā sā sabhāṃ gatā

What did Karna gain, charioteer, by speaking harsh words? This much was already enmity enough: that Krishna was brought into the assembly.

Verse 33 (3.46.33)

अपीदानीं मम सुतास्तिष्ठेरन्मन्दचेतसः । येषां भ्राता गुरुर्ज्येष्ठो विनये नावतिष्ठते ॥

apīdānīṃ mama sutāstiṣṭheranmandacetasaḥ | yeṣāṃ bhrātā gururjyeṣṭho vinaye nāvatiṣṭhate

Can my dull-witted sons hold firm now, when their brother, their eldest and their guide, does not keep to the path of good conduct?

Verse 34 (3.46.34)

ममापि वचनं सूत न शुश्रूषति मन्दभाक् । दृष्ट्वा मां चक्षुषा हीनं निर्विचेष्टमचेतसम् ॥

mamāpi vacanaṃ sūta na śuśrūṣati mandabhāk | dṛṣṭvā māṃ cakṣuṣā hīnaṃ nirviceṣṭamacetasam

That ill-starred one will not listen even to my words, charioteer, for he sees me sightless, unable to act and without wits.

Verse 35 (3.46.35)

ये चास्य सचिवा मन्दाः कर्णसौबलकादयः । ते तस्य भूयसो दोषान्वर्धयन्ति विचेतसः ॥

ye cāsya sacivā mandāḥ karṇasaubalakādayaḥ | te tasya bhūyaso doṣānvardhayanti vicetasaḥ

And his foolish counsellors, Karna, Saubala and the rest, senseless as they are, only feed his many faults.

Verse 36 (3.46.36)

स्वैरं मुक्ता ह्यपि शराः पार्थेनामिततेजसा । निर्दहेयुर्मम सुतान्किंपुनर्मन्युनेरिताः ॥

svairaṃ muktā hyapi śarāḥ pārthenāmitatejasā | nirdaheyurmama sutānkiṃpunarmanyuneritāḥ

Even arrows loosed at will by Partha of boundless energy would burn up my sons; how much more when they are driven by wrath!

Verse 37 (3.46.37)

पार्थबाहुबलोत्सृष्टा महाचापविनिःसृताः । दिव्यास्त्रमन्त्रमुदिताः सादयेयुः सुरानपि ॥

pārthabāhubalotsṛṣṭā mahācāpaviniḥsṛtāḥ | divyāstramantramuditāḥ sādayeyuḥ surānapi

Sent forth by the strength of Partha's arms, flying from his great bow, charged with the mantras of celestial weapons, they could lay low even the gods.

Verse 38 (3.46.38)

यस्य मन्त्री च गोप्ता च सुहृच्चैव जनार्दनः । हरिस्त्रैलोक्यनाथः स किंनु तस्य न निर्जितम् ॥

yasya mantrī ca goptā ca suhṛccaiva janārdanaḥ | haristrailokyanāthaḥ sa kiṃnu tasya na nirjitam

He whose counsellor, protector and friend is Janardana, Hari, lord of the three worlds: what is there that he has not conquered?

Note on the text: Corrected हनि → हरि and तस् → तस्य (misprints in Wikisource; हनिः is no word here and the genitive ending had dropped, the critical edition reads haris … tasya).

Verse 39 (3.46.39)

इदं हि सुमहच्चित्रमर्जुनस्येह संजय । महादेवेन बाहुभ्यां यत्समेत इति श्रुतिः ॥

idaṃ hi sumahaccitramarjunasyeha saṃjaya | mahādevena bāhubhyāṃ yatsameta iti śrutiḥ

This, Sanjaya, is Arjuna's great marvel: that he grappled hand to hand with Mahadeva, so the report goes.

Verse 40 (3.46.40)

प्रत्यक्षं सर्वलोकस्य खाण्डवे यत्कृतं पुरा । फल्गुनेन सहायार्थे वह्नेर्दामोदरेण च ॥

pratyakṣaṃ sarvalokasya khāṇḍave yatkṛtaṃ purā | phalgunena sahāyārthe vahnerdāmodareṇa ca

And what Phalguna and Damodara did long ago at Khandava to help the Fire, the whole world saw with its own eyes.

Verse 41 (3.46.41)

सर्वथा न हि मे पुत्राः सहामात्याः सबान्धवाः । क्रुद्धे पार्थे च भीमे च वासुदेवे च सात्वते ॥

sarvathā na hi me putrāḥ sahāmātyāḥ sabāndhavāḥ | kruddhe pārthe ca bhīme ca vāsudeve ca sātvate

Once Partha, Bhima and Vasudeva of the Satvatas are enraged, my sons, with their ministers and their kinsmen, are lost in every way.