Krishna Tells Vasudeva of the War

Verse 1 (14.60.1)

श्रुतवानस्मि वार्ष्णेय सङ्ग्रामं परमाद्भुतम् । नराणां वदतां पुत्र कथोद्धातेषु नित्यशः ॥

śrutavānasmi vārṣṇeya saṅgrāmaṃ paramādbhutam | narāṇāṃ vadatāṃ putra kathoddhāteṣu nityaśaḥ

"Son of Vrishni's line, I have heard of that most wondrous battle, as men constantly describe it at the opening of their talk.

Verse 2 (14.60.2)

त्वं तु प्रत्यक्षदर्शी च कार्यज्ञश्च महाभुजः । तस्मात्प्रब्रूहि सङ्ग्रामं याथातथ्येन मेऽनघ ॥

tvaṃ tu pratyakṣadarśī ca kāryajñaśca mahābhujaḥ | tasmātprabrūhi saṅgrāmaṃ yāthātathyena me'nagha

But you were an eyewitness, mighty-armed one, and you know what was to be done. So tell me the battle exactly as it happened, sinless one —

Verse 3 (14.60.3)

यथा तदभवद्युद्धं पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम् । भीष्मकर्णकृपद्रोणशल्यादिभिरनुत्तमम् ॥

yathā tadabhavadyuddhaṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahātmanām | bhīṣmakarṇakṛpadroṇaśalyādibhiranuttamam

how that war of the great-souled Pandavas came about, a battle beyond compare, with Bhishma, Karna, Kripa, Drona, Shalya and others,

Verse 4 (14.60.4)

अन्येषां क्षत्रियाणां च कृतास्त्राणामनेकशः । नानावेषाकृतिमतां नानादेशनिवासिनाम् ॥

anyeṣāṃ kṣatriyāṇāṃ ca kṛtāstrāṇāmanekaśaḥ | nānāveṣākṛtimatāṃ nānādeśanivāsinām

and with many other Kshatriyas skilled in weapons, of every kind of dress and appearance, who dwelt in many different lands."

Verse 5 (14.60.5)

इत्युक्तः पुण्डरीकाक्षः पित्रा मातुस्तदाऽन्तिके । शशंस कुरुवीराणां सङ्ग्रामे निधनं यथा ॥

ityuktaḥ puṇḍarīkākṣaḥ pitrā mātustadā'ntike | śaśaṃsa kuruvīrāṇāṃ saṅgrāme nidhanaṃ yathā

Thus addressed by his father in his mother's presence, the lotus-eyed one told how the Kuru heroes had met their end in the battle.

Verse 6 (14.60.6)

अत्यद्भुतानि कर्माणि क्षत्रियाणां महात्मनाम् । बहुलत्वान्न सङ्ख्यातुं शक्यान्यब्दशतैरपि ॥

atyadbhutāni karmāṇi kṣatriyāṇāṃ mahātmanām | bahulatvānna saṅkhyātuṃ śakyānyabdaśatairapi

"The deeds of the great-souled Kshatriyas were exceedingly wondrous; they are too many to be counted even in hundreds of years.

Verse 7 (14.60.7)

प्राधान्यतस्तु गदतः समासेनैव मे शृणु । कर्माणि पृथिवीशानां यथावदमरद्युते ॥

prādhānyatastu gadataḥ samāsenaiva me śṛṇu | karmāṇi pṛthivīśānāṃ yathāvadamaradyute

Hear from me, radiant as a god, in brief, as I tell only the chief of the deeds of those lords of the earth, just as they were.

Verse 8 (14.60.8)

भीष्मः सेनापतिरभूदेकादशचमूपतिः । कौरव्यः कौरवेन्द्राणां देवानामिव पावकिः ॥

bhīṣmaḥ senāpatirabhūdekādaśacamūpatiḥ | kauravyaḥ kauravendrāṇāṃ devānāmiva pāvakiḥ

Bhishma was the commander, lord of eleven divisions — the Kaurava among the Kaurava lords, as Pavaki is among the gods.

Verse 9 (14.60.9)

शिखण्डी पाण्डुपुत्राणां नेता सप्तचमूपतिः । बभूव रक्षितो धीमाञ्श्रीमता सव्यसाचिना ॥

śikhaṇḍī pāṇḍuputrāṇāṃ netā saptacamūpatiḥ | babhūva rakṣito dhīmāñśrīmatā savyasācinā

Shikhandi became the leader of the Pandavas, lord of seven divisions; the wise one was guarded by the glorious Savyasachin.

Verse 10 (14.60.10)

तेषां तदभवद्युद्धं दशाहानि महात्मनाम् । कुरूणां पाण्डवानां च सुमहद्रोमहर्षणम् ॥

teṣāṃ tadabhavadyuddhaṃ daśāhāni mahātmanām | kurūṇāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ ca sumahadromaharṣaṇam

The war of those great souls, the Kurus and the Pandavas, lasted ten days, and it was immense and hair-raising.

Verse 11 (14.60.11)

अयुध्यमानं गाङ्गेयं शिखण्डी तं महाद्युतिम् । जघान बहुभिर्बाणैः सह गाण्डीवधन्वना ॥

ayudhyamānaṃ gāṅgeyaṃ śikhaṇḍī taṃ mahādyutim | jaghāna bahubhirbāṇaiḥ saha gāṇḍīvadhanvanā

Shikhandi, together with the wielder of the Gandiva, struck down with many arrows the radiant son of Ganga, who was not fighting.

Note on the text: No automatic match. First line = CE star passage 14,059.011b*0124_01 (attached to 14.59.11; it stands in place of 011a, whose reading the page's footnote gives as a manuscript variant); second line = CE 14,059.011c.

Verse 12 (14.60.12)

अकरोत्स ततः कालं शरतल्पगतो मुनिः । अयनं दक्षिणं हित्वा सम्प्राप्ते चोत्तरायणे ॥

akarotsa tataḥ kālaṃ śaratalpagato muniḥ | ayanaṃ dakṣiṇaṃ hitvā samprāpte cottarāyaṇe

Then, lying on his bed of arrows, the sage met his end, once the sun had left its southward course and entered the northward one.

Verse 13 (14.60.13)

ततः सेनापतिरभूद्द्रोणोऽस्त्रविदुषांवरः । प्रवीरः कौरवेन्द्रस्य काव्यो दैत्यपतेरिव ॥

tataḥ senāpatirabhūddroṇo'straviduṣāṃvaraḥ | pravīraḥ kauravendrasya kāvyo daityapateriva

Then Drona, best of those who know weapons, became commander, the champion of the Kuru king, like Kavya of the lord of the daityas.

Verse 14 (14.60.14)

अक्षौहिणीभिः शिष्टाभिर्नवभिर्द्विजसत्तमः । संवृतः समरश्लाघी गुप्तः कृपसुतादिभिः ॥

akṣauhiṇībhiḥ śiṣṭābhirnavabhirdvijasattamaḥ | saṃvṛtaḥ samaraślāghī guptaḥ kṛpasutādibhiḥ

That best of Brahmins, eager for battle, surrounded by nine remaining divisions and guarded by Kripa's son and others,

Note on the text: Wikisource reads कृपसुतादिभिः where the critical edition has kṛpavṛṣādibhiḥ (recension variant, kept).

Verse 15 (14.60.15)

धृष्टद्युम्नस्त्वभून्नेता पाण्डवानां महास्त्रवित् । गुप्तो भीमेन मेधावी मित्रेण वरुणो यथा ॥

dhṛṣṭadyumnastvabhūnnetā pāṇḍavānāṃ mahāstravit | gupto bhīmena medhāvī mitreṇa varuṇo yathā

while Dhrishtadyumna, master of great weapons, became the leader of the Pandavas, guarded by Bhima, the wise one, as Varuna is by Mitra.

Verse 16 (14.60.16)

स च सेनापरिवृतो द्रोणप्रेप्सुर्महामनाः । पितुर्निकारान्संस्मृत्य रणे कर्माकरोन्महत् ॥

sa ca senāparivṛto droṇaprepsurmahāmanāḥ | piturnikārānsaṃsmṛtya raṇe karmākaronmahat

Surrounded by his army, that high-minded man, eager to get at Drona and remembering the wrongs done to his father, performed mighty deeds in the battle.

Verse 17 (14.60.17)

तस्मिंस्ते पृथिवीपाला द्रोणपार्षतसङ्गरे । नानादिगागता वीराः प्रायशो निधनं गताः ॥

tasmiṃste pṛthivīpālā droṇapārṣatasaṅgare | nānādigāgatā vīrāḥ prāyaśo nidhanaṃ gatāḥ

In that clash between Drona and the son of Prishata, the kings who had come from every quarter, heroes, were for the most part killed.

Verse 18 (14.60.18)

दिनानि पञ्च तद्युद्धमभूत्परमदारुणम् । ततो द्रोणः परिश्रान्तो धृष्टद्युम्नवशं गतः ॥

dināni pañca tadyuddhamabhūtparamadāruṇam | tato droṇaḥ pariśrānto dhṛṣṭadyumnavaśaṃ gataḥ

That terrible battle lasted five days; then Drona, exhausted, fell into Dhrishtadyumna's power.

Verse 19 (14.60.19)

ततः सेनापतिरभूत्कर्णो दौर्योधने बले । अक्षौहिणीभिः शिष्टाभिर्वृतः पञ्चभिराहवे ॥

tataḥ senāpatirabhūtkarṇo dauryodhane bale | akṣauhiṇībhiḥ śiṣṭābhirvṛtaḥ pañcabhirāhave

Then Karna became commander of Duryodhana's army, surrounded in the battle by five remaining divisions.

Verse 20 (14.60.20)

तिस्रस्तु पाण्डुपुत्राणां चम्वो बीभत्सुपालिताः । हतप्रवीरभूयिष्ठा बभूवुः समवस्थिताः ॥

tisrastu pāṇḍuputrāṇāṃ camvo bībhatsupālitāḥ | hatapravīrabhūyiṣṭhā babhūvuḥ samavasthitāḥ

The three divisions of the Pandavas, guarded by Bibhatsu, stood their ground, though most of their heroes had been slain.

Verse 21 (14.60.21)

ततः पार्थं समासाद्य पतङ्ग इव पावकम् । पञ्चत्वमगमत्सौतिर्द्वितीयेऽहनि दारुणः ॥

tataḥ pārthaṃ samāsādya pataṅga iva pāvakam | pañcatvamagamatsautirdvitīye'hani dāruṇaḥ

Then, coming upon Partha like a moth upon a fire, the charioteer's son met his death on the second day, cruel as he was.

Verse 22 (14.60.22)

हते कर्णे तु कौरव्या निरुत्साहा हतौजसः । अक्षौहिणीभिस्तिसृभिर्मद्रेशं पर्यवारयन् ॥

hate karṇe tu kauravyā nirutsāhā hataujasaḥ | akṣauhiṇībhistisṛbhirmadreśaṃ paryavārayan

When Karna was slain, the Kauravas, dispirited and drained of vigour, surrounded the king of Madra with three divisions.

Verse 23 (14.60.23)

हतवाहनभूयिष्ठाः पाण्डवास्तु युधिष्ठिरम् । अक्षौहिण्या निरुत्साहाः शिष्टया पर्यवारयन् ॥

hatavāhanabhūyiṣṭhāḥ pāṇḍavāstu yudhiṣṭhiram | akṣauhiṇyā nirutsāhāḥ śiṣṭayā paryavārayan

The Pandavas, with most of their mounts slain and their spirits low, surrounded Yudhishthira with the one division that remained.

Note on the text: Corrected हतिवाहन → हतवाहन and पाण्डिवास्तु → पाण्डवास्तु (misprints in Wikisource; stray ि; the critical edition reads hatavāhanabhūyiṣṭhāḥ pāṇḍavās tu).

Verse 24 (14.60.24)

अवधीन्मद्रराजानं कुरुराजो युधिष्ठिरः । तस्मिंस्तदाऽर्धदिवसे कृत्वा कर्म सुदुष्करम् ॥

avadhīnmadrarājānaṃ kururājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | tasmiṃstadā'rdhadivase kṛtvā karma suduṣkaram

Yudhishthira, king of the Kurus, slew the king of Madra, having done that very hard deed within half a day.

Verse 25 (14.60.25)

हते शल्ये तु शकुनिं सहदेवो महामनाः । आहर्तारं कलेस्तस्य जघानामितविक्रमः ॥

hate śalye tu śakuniṃ sahadevo mahāmanāḥ | āhartāraṃ kalestasya jaghānāmitavikramaḥ

When Shalya was killed, the high-minded Sahadeva, of immeasurable valour, killed Shakuni, the one who had brought on the quarrel.

Note on the text: Corrected जगानामित → जघानामित (misprint in Wikisource; ग for घ; the critical edition reads jaghānāmita).

Verse 26 (14.60.26)

निहते शकुनौ राजा धार्तराष्ट्रः सुदुर्मनाः । अपाक्रामद्गदापाणिर्हतभूयिष्ठसैनिकः ॥

nihate śakunau rājā dhārtarāṣṭraḥ sudurmanāḥ | apākrāmadgadāpāṇirhatabhūyiṣṭhasainikaḥ

When Shakuni was killed, King Dhritarashtra's son, sick at heart, mace in hand, withdrew from the field with most of his soldiers slain.

Verse 27 (14.60.27)

तमन्वधावत्संक्रुद्धो भीमसेनः प्रतापवान् । ह्रदे द्वैपायने चापि सलिलस्थं ददर्श तम् ॥

tamanvadhāvatsaṃkruddho bhīmasenaḥ pratāpavān | hrade dvaipāyane cāpi salilasthaṃ dadarśa tam

The mighty Bhimasena, furious, ran after him, and saw him standing in the waters of Lake Dvaipayana.

Verse 28 (14.60.28)

ततः शिष्टेन सैन्येन समन्तात्परिवार्य तम् । अथोपविविशुर्हृष्टा ह्रदस्थं पञ्च पाण्डवाः ॥

tataḥ śiṣṭena sainyena samantātparivārya tam | athopaviviśurhṛṣṭā hradasthaṃ pañca pāṇḍavāḥ

Then the five Pandavas, glad, surrounded him on every side with their remaining army and sat down around him as he stayed in the lake.

Note on the text: Corrected इतशिष्टेन → ततः शिष्टेन and पर्यवार्य → परिवार्य (misprints in Wikisource; the critical edition reads tataḥ śiṣṭena sainyena samantāt parivārya tam).

Verse 29 (14.60.29)

विगाह्य सलिलं त्वाशु वाग्बाणैर्भृशविक्षतः । उत्थाय स गदापाणिर्युद्धाय समुपस्थितः ॥

vigāhya salilaṃ tvāśu vāgbāṇairbhṛśavikṣataḥ | utthāya sa gadāpāṇiryuddhāya samupasthitaḥ

Plunging quickly into the water, he rose, badly wounded by the arrows of their words, and stood ready to fight, mace in hand.

Verse 30 (14.60.30)

ततः स निहतो राजा धार्तराष्ट्रो महारणे । भीमसेनेन विक्रम्य पश्यतां पृथिवीक्षिताम् ॥

tataḥ sa nihato rājā dhārtarāṣṭro mahāraṇe | bhīmasenena vikramya paśyatāṃ pṛthivīkṣitām

Then King Dhritarashtra's son was killed in the great battle by Bhimasena, who fought mightily as the kings of the earth looked on.

Verse 31 (14.60.31)

ततस्तत्पाण्डवं सैन्यं प्रसुप्तं शिबिरे निशि । निहतं द्रोणपुत्रेण पितुर्वधममृष्यता ॥

tatastatpāṇḍavaṃ sainyaṃ prasuptaṃ śibire niśi | nihataṃ droṇaputreṇa piturvadhamamṛṣyatā

Then the Pandava army, asleep in the camp at night, was slaughtered by Drona's son, who could not bear the killing of his father.

Verse 32 (14.60.32)

हतपुत्रा हतबला हतमित्रा मया सह । युयुधानसहायेन पञ्च शिष्टास्तु पाण्डवाः ॥

hataputrā hatabalā hatamitrā mayā saha | yuyudhānasahāyena pañca śiṣṭāstu pāṇḍavāḥ

Only the five Pandavas remained, their sons, forces and friends slain, together with me and with Yuyudhana's help.

Verse 33 (14.60.33)

सहैव कृपभोजाभ्यां द्रौणिर्युद्धादमुच्यत । युयुत्सुश्चापि कौरव्यो मुक्तः पाण्डवसंश्रयात् ॥

sahaiva kṛpabhojābhyāṃ drauṇiryuddhādamucyata | yuyutsuścāpi kauravyo muktaḥ pāṇḍavasaṃśrayāt

Drona's son escaped from the fighting together with Kripa and Bhoja; and the Kaurava Yuyutsu was also spared, having taken refuge with the Pandavas.

Verse 34 (14.60.34)

निहते कौरवेन्द्रे तु सानुबन्धे सुयोधने । विदुरः संजयश्चैव धर्मराजमुपस्थितौ ॥

nihate kauravendre tu sānubandhe suyodhane | viduraḥ saṃjayaścaiva dharmarājamupasthitau

When Suyodhana, lord of the Kauravas, had been killed along with his followers, Vidura and Sanjaya came into the presence of the king of dharma.

Verse 35 (14.60.35)

एवं तदभवद्युद्धमहान्यष्टादश प्रभो । यत्र ते पृथिवीपाला निहताः स्वर्गमावसन् ॥

evaṃ tadabhavadyuddhamahānyaṣṭādaśa prabho | yatra te pṛthivīpālā nihatāḥ svargamāvasan

Thus, O lord, the battle lasted eighteen days, in which those kings of the earth were slain and went to dwell in heaven."

Note on the text: Corrected युद्दमहान्यष्टादश → युद्धमहान्यष्टादश (misprint in Wikisource; द्द for द्ध; the critical edition reads yuddham ahāny aṣṭādaśa).

Verse 36 (14.60.36)

शृण्वतां तु महाराज कथां तां रोमहर्षणीम् । दुःखशोकपरिक्लेशा वृष्णीनामभवंस्तदा ॥

śṛṇvatāṃ tu mahārāja kathāṃ tāṃ romaharṣaṇīm | duḥkhaśokaparikleśā vṛṣṇīnāmabhavaṃstadā

As they listened, O great king, to that hair-raising tale, grief, sorrow and distress came upon the Vrishnis.