The Ninth Day: The Midday Melee and the River of Blood

Verse 1 (6.103.1)

मध्यंदिनो महाराज संग्रामः समपद्यत । लोकक्षयकरो रौद्रो भीष्मस्य सह सोमकैः ॥

madhyaṃdino mahārāja saṃgrāmaḥ samapadyata | lokakṣayakaro raudro bhīṣmasya saha somakaiḥ

At midday, great king, the battle between Bhishma and the Somakas began, terrible and ruinous to the world.

Note on the text: Adhyaya note: checked against the raw Wikisource page (a table, one row per verse, 6-103-1 to 6-103-47, headed सञ्जय उवाच, ending with its colophon naming this the 103rd adhyaya, on the ninth day of battle). Page and input agree on all 47 verses; together they correspond to the critical edition 6.99.1–47 plus its star passages 6.99.32d*0395, 35d*0396 and 43d*0397, which the page marks off with backticks and quote marks. The critical edition's star passages *0393, *0394 and *0398 are not on the page and were not added. मध्यंदिनो (CE madhyāhne tu) kept as a variant.

Verse 2 (6.103.2)

गाङ्गेयो रथिनां श्रेष्ठः पाण्डवानामनीकिनीम् । व्यधमन्निशितैर्बाणैः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः ॥

gāṅgeyo rathināṃ śreṣṭhaḥ pāṇḍavānāmanīkinīm | vyadhamanniśitairbāṇaiḥ śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ

Ganga's son, best of chariot-warriors, tore apart the Pandava host with sharpened arrows by hundreds and by thousands.

Verse 3 (6.103.3)

संममर्द च तत्सैन्यं पिता देवव्रतस्तव । मर्दयेच्च यथा राजन्सिंहः प्राप्य मृगव्रजम् ॥

saṃmamarda ca tatsainyaṃ pitā devavratastava | mardayecca yathā rājansiṃhaḥ prāpya mṛgavrajam

Your father Devavrata crushed that army, O king, as a lion crushes a herd of deer when he comes upon it.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 6.99.3ab; line 2 differs entirely (a lion falling on a herd of deer, for the critical edition's cattle trampling a heap of cut grain) and is kept as the vulgate reading. The automatic alignment missed this verse.

Verse 4 (6.103.4)

धृष्टद्युम्नः शिखण्डी च विराटो द्रुपदस्तथा । भीष्ममासाद्य समरे शरैर्जघ्नुर्महारथम् ॥

dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca virāṭo drupadastathā | bhīṣmamāsādya samare śarairjaghnurmahāratham

Dhrishtadyumna, Shikhandi, Virata and Drupada closed with Bhishma in battle and struck the great chariot-warrior with arrows.

Verse 5 (6.103.5)

धृष्टद्युम्नं ततो विद्ध्वा विराटं च शरैस्त्रिभिः । द्रुपदस्य च नाराचं प्रेषयामास भारत ॥

dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ tato viddhvā virāṭaṃ ca śaraistribhiḥ | drupadasya ca nārācaṃ preṣayāmāsa bhārata

Then he pierced Dhrishtadyumna, and Virata with three arrows, and sent an iron shaft at Drupada, O Bharata.

Verse 6 (6.103.6)

तेन विद्धा महेष्वासा भीष्मेणामित्रकर्शिना । चुक्रुधुः समरे राजन्पादस्पृष्टा इवोरगाः ॥

tena viddhā maheṣvāsā bhīṣmeṇāmitrakarśinā | cukrudhuḥ samare rājanpādaspṛṣṭā ivoragāḥ

Wounded by Bhishma, tormentor of his foes, those great archers flared up in anger in the battle, O king, like snakes trodden underfoot.

Verse 7 (6.103.7)

शिखण्डी तं च विव्याध भरतानां पितामहम् । स्त्रीमयं मनसा ध्यात्वा नास्मै प्राहरदच्युतः ॥

śikhaṇḍī taṃ ca vivyādha bharatānāṃ pitāmaham | strīmayaṃ manasā dhyātvā nāsmai prāharadacyutaḥ

Shikhandi pierced the grandsire of the Bharatas, but the unswerving Bhishma, thinking of him in his mind as a woman, did not strike back at him.

Verse 8 (6.103.8)

धृष्टद्युम्नस्तु समरे क्रोधेनाग्निरिव ज्वलन् । पितामहं त्रिभिर्बाणैर्बाह्वोरुरसि चार्पयत् ॥

dhṛṣṭadyumnastu samare krodhenāgniriva jvalan | pitāmahaṃ tribhirbāṇairbāhvorurasi cārpayat

Dhrishtadyumna, blazing with anger in the battle like fire, drove three arrows into the grandsire's arms and chest.

Verse 9 (6.103.9)

द्रुपदः पञ्चविंशत्या विराटो दशभिः शरैः । शिखण्डी पञ्चविंशत्या भीष्मं विव्याध सायकैः ॥

drupadaḥ pañcaviṃśatyā virāṭo daśabhiḥ śaraiḥ | śikhaṇḍī pañcaviṃśatyā bhīṣmaṃ vivyādha sāyakaiḥ

Drupada pierced Bhishma with twenty-five arrows, Virata with ten, and Shikhandi with twenty-five.

Note on the text: Corrected दशमिः → दशभिः (misprint in Wikisource; म for भ in the instrumental of दश; the critical edition reads daśabhiḥ).

Verse 10 (6.103.10)

सोऽतिविद्धो महाराज शोणितौघपरिप्लुतः । वसन्ते पुष्पशबलो रक्ताशोक इवाबभौ ॥

so'tividdho mahārāja śoṇitaughapariplutaḥ | vasante puṣpaśabalo raktāśoka ivābabhau

Deeply pierced, great king, and drenched in streams of blood, he shone like a red ashoka tree dappled with blossom in spring.

Note on the text: Line 1 (शोणितौघपरिप्लुतः for bhīṣmaḥ saṃkhye mahātmabhiḥ) kept as a variant.

Verse 11 (6.103.11)

तान्प्रत्यविध्यद्गाङ्गेयस्त्रिभिस्त्रिभिरजिह्मगैः । द्रुपदस्य च भल्लेन धनुश्चिच्छेद मारिष ॥

tānpratyavidhyadgāṅgeyastribhistribhirajihmagaiḥ | drupadasya ca bhallena dhanuściccheda māriṣa

Ganga's son pierced each of them in return with three straight-flying arrows, and with a broad-headed arrow he cut Drupada's bow, sir.

Verse 12 (6.103.12)

सोऽन्यत्कार्मुकमादाय भीष्मं विव्याध पञ्चभिः । सारथिं च त्रिभिर्बाणैः सुशितै रणमूर्धनि ॥

so'nyatkārmukamādāya bhīṣmaṃ vivyādha pañcabhiḥ | sārathiṃ ca tribhirbāṇaiḥ suśitai raṇamūrdhani

Drupada took up another bow and pierced Bhishma with five arrows, and his charioteer with three well-sharpened arrows, at the forefront of the battle.

Verse 13 (6.103.13)

तथा भीमो महाराज द्रौपद्याः पञ्च चात्मजाः । केकया भ्रातरः पञ्च सात्यकिश्चैव सात्वतः ॥

tathā bhīmo mahārāja draupadyāḥ pañca cātmajāḥ | kekayā bhrātaraḥ pañca sātyakiścaiva sātvataḥ

Then, great king, Bhima, the five sons of Draupadi, the five Kekaya brothers and Satyaki of the Satvatas

Verse 14 (6.103.14)

अभ्यद्रवन्त गाङ्गेयं युधिष्ठिरसमाज्ञया । प्रति रक्षणकार्यार्थं धृष्टद्युम्नमुखान्रणे ॥

abhyadravanta gāṅgeyaṃ yudhiṣṭhirasamājñayā | prati rakṣaṇakāryārthaṃ dhṛṣṭadyumnamukhānraṇe

rushed at Ganga's son at Yudhishthira's command, to guard Dhrishtadyumna and those with him in the battle.

Note on the text: युधिष्ठिरसमाज्ञया and line 2, प्रति रक्षणकार्यार्थं (CE yudhiṣṭhirahitepsayā, rirakṣiṣantaḥ pāñcālyaṃ), kept as variants.

Verse 15 (6.103.15)

तथैव तावकाः सर्वे भीष्मरक्षार्थमुद्यताः । प्रत्युद्ययुः पाण्डुसेनां सहसैन्या नराधिप ॥

tathaiva tāvakāḥ sarve bhīṣmarakṣārthamudyatāḥ | pratyudyayuḥ pāṇḍusenāṃ sahasainyā narādhipa

Likewise all your men, ready to guard Bhishma, advanced with their troops against the Pandava army, lord of men.

Verse 16 (6.103.16)

तत्रासीत्सुमहद्युद्धं तव तेषां च संकुलम् । नराश्वरथनागानां यमराष्ट्रविवर्धनम् ॥

tatrāsītsumahadyuddhaṃ tava teṣāṃ ca saṃkulam | narāśvarathanāgānāṃ yamarāṣṭravivardhanam

There a great and tangled battle took place between your men and theirs, of men, horses, chariots and elephants, swelling the realm of Yama.

Verse 17 (6.103.17)

रथी रथिनमासाद्य प्राहिणोद्यमसादनम् । तथेतरान्समासाद्य नरनागाश्वसादिनः ॥

rathī rathinamāsādya prāhiṇodyamasādanam | tathetarānsamāsādya naranāgāśvasādinaḥ

Chariot-warrior closing with chariot-warrior sent him to Yama's abode; and others, closing with foot-soldiers, elephant-riders and horsemen,

Verse 18 (6.103.18)

अनयन्परलोकाय शरैः सन्नतपर्वभिः । शरैश्च विविधैर्घोरैस्तत्रतत्र विशांपते ॥

anayanparalokāya śaraiḥ sannataparvabhiḥ | śaraiśca vividhairghoraistatratatra viśāṃpate

sent them to the other world with straight-jointed arrows and with arrows of many terrible kinds, here and there, lord of the people.

Note on the text: शरैश्च (CE astraiś ca) kept as a variant.

Verse 19 (6.103.19)

रथास्तु रथिभिर्हीना हतसारथयस्तथा । विप्रद्रुताश्वाः समरे दिशो जग्मुः समन्ततः ॥

rathāstu rathibhirhīnā hatasārathayastathā | vipradrutāśvāḥ samare diśo jagmuḥ samantataḥ

Chariots stripped of their warriors, their drivers slain and their horses bolting, ran off across the field in every direction.

Verse 20 (6.103.20)

मृद्नन्तस्ते नरान्राजन्हयांश्च सुबहून्रणे । वातायमाना दृश्यन्ते गन्धर्वनगरोपमाः ॥

mṛdnantaste narānrājanhayāṃśca subahūnraṇe | vātāyamānā dṛśyante gandharvanagaropamāḥ

Crushing men and a great many horses in the battle, O king, they were seen racing like the wind, like phantom cities of the Gandharvas.

Note on the text: Corrected मृद्गन्तस्ते → मृद्नन्तस्ते (misprint in Wikisource; द्ग for द्न, the present stem of मृद् is मृद्ना-/मृद्न-; the critical edition has the same sense with mardamānā).

Verse 21 (6.103.21)

रथिनश्च रथैर्हीना वर्मिणस्तेजसा युताः । कुण्डलोष्णीषिणः सर्वे निष्काङ्गदविभूषणाः ॥

rathinaśca rathairhīnā varmiṇastejasā yutāḥ | kuṇḍaloṣṇīṣiṇaḥ sarve niṣkāṅgadavibhūṣaṇāḥ

Chariot-warriors, too, deprived of their chariots, armoured and full of fire, all wearing earrings and turbans and adorned with gold collars and armlets,

Note on the text: विभूषणाः (CE vibhūṣitāḥ) kept as a variant.

Verse 22 (6.103.22)

देवपुत्रसमाः सर्वे शौर्ये शक्रसमा युधि । ऋद्ध्या वैश्रवणं चाति नयेन च बृहस्पतिम् ॥

devaputrasamāḥ sarve śaurye śakrasamā yudhi | ṛddhyā vaiśravaṇaṃ cāti nayena ca bṛhaspatim

all like sons of the gods, like Shakra in valour in battle, surpassing Vaishravana in wealth and Brihaspati in statecraft,

Note on the text: Corrected वैश्रवणां → वैश्रवणं (misprint in Wikisource; Vaishravana is masculine, as the page's own gloss वैश्रवणं कुबेरं has it; the critical edition reads vaiśravaṇaṃ). सर्वे (CE rūpe) kept as a variant.

Verse 23 (6.103.23)

सर्वलोकेश्वराः शूरास्तत्रतत्र विशांपते । विप्रद्रुता व्यदृश्यन्त प्राकृता इव मानवाः ॥

sarvalokeśvarāḥ śūrāstatratatra viśāṃpate | vipradrutā vyadṛśyanta prākṛtā iva mānavāḥ

heroes, lords of all the world, were seen running away here and there, lord of the people, like common men.

Verse 24 (6.103.24)

दन्तिनश्च नरश्रेष्ठ हीनाः परमसादिभिः । मृद्नन्तः स्वान्यनीकानि निपेतुः सर्वशब्दगाः ॥

dantinaśca naraśreṣṭha hīnāḥ paramasādibhiḥ | mṛdnantaḥ svānyanīkāni nipetuḥ sarvaśabdagāḥ

Elephants, best of men, robbed of their fine riders, trampled their own ranks and fell, crying out in every kind of voice.

Note on the text: Corrected मृद्गन्तः → मृद्नन्तः (misprint in Wikisource; द्ग for द्न, as in verse 20; the critical edition reads mṛdnantaḥ). परमसादिभिः and निपेतुः (CE vihīnā varasādibhiḥ, saṃpetuḥ) kept as variants.

Verse 25 (6.103.25)

चर्मभिश्चामरैश्चित्रैः पताकाभिश्च मारिष । छत्रैः सितैर्हेमदण्डैश्चामरैश्च समन्ततः ॥

carmabhiścāmaraiścitraiḥ patākābhiśca māriṣa | chatraiḥ sitairhemadaṇḍaiścāmaraiśca samantataḥ

With their shields and bright yak-tail plumes and banners, sir, with white parasols on golden staffs and whisks all about them

Note on the text: Line 1 corresponds to the critical edition's 6.99.25ab (चर्मभिश्चामरैश्चित्रैः for varmabhiś cāmaraiś chatraiḥ); line 2 differs (white parasols on golden staffs and whisks, for the critical edition's girths, goads, bells and lances) and is kept as the vulgate reading. The automatic alignment missed this verse.

Verse 26 (6.103.26)

विशीर्णैर्विप्रधावन्तो दृश्यन्ते स्म दिशो दश । नवमेघप्रतीकाशा जलदोपमनिःस्वनाः ॥

viśīrṇairvipradhāvanto dṛśyante sma diśo daśa | navameghapratīkāśā jaladopamaniḥsvanāḥ

torn and scattered, they were seen running off in all ten directions, looking like fresh clouds and thundering like rain-clouds.

Note on the text: Line 2 (नवमेघप्रतीकाशा जलदोपमनिःस्वनाः for nagameghapratīkāśair jaladodayanisvanaiḥ) kept as a variant.

Verse 27 (6.103.27)

तथैव दन्तिभिर्हीना गजारोहा विशांपते । प्रधावन्तोऽन्वदृश्यन्त तव तेषां च संकुले ॥

tathaiva dantibhirhīnā gajārohā viśāṃpate | pradhāvanto'nvadṛśyanta tava teṣāṃ ca saṃkule

In the same way elephant-riders who had lost their elephants were seen running about, lord of the people, in the melee of your men and theirs.

Note on the text: हीना गजारोहा ... अन्वदृश्यन्त (CE hīnān gajārohān ... anvapaśyāma) kept as a variant.

Verse 28 (6.103.28)

नानादेशसमुत्थांश्च तुरगान्हेमभूषितान् । वातायमानानद्राक्षं शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः ॥

nānādeśasamutthāṃśca turagānhemabhūṣitān | vātāyamānānadrākṣaṃ śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ

I saw horses bred in many lands, decked with gold, racing like the wind by hundreds and by thousands.

Note on the text: Corrected हेमभीषितान् → हेमभूषितान् (misprint in Wikisource; ी for ू, 'adorned with gold'; the critical edition reads hemabhūṣitān).

Verse 29 (6.103.29)

अश्वारोहान्हतैरश्वैर्गृहीतासीन्समन्ततः । द्रवमाणानपश्याम द्राव्यमाणांश्च संयुगे ॥

aśvārohānhatairaśvairgṛhītāsīnsamantataḥ | dravamāṇānapaśyāma drāvyamāṇāṃśca saṃyuge

We saw horsemen whose horses had been killed, gripping their swords, running and being chased on every side in the battle.

Note on the text: Corrected गृहीतासन् → गृहीतासीन् (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped ी, 'gripping their swords'; the critical edition reads gṛhītāsīn).

Verse 30 (6.103.30)

गजो गजं समासाद्य द्रवमाणं महाहवे । ययौ प्रमृद्य तरसा पादातान्वाजिनस्तथा । तथैव च रथान्राजन्प्रममर्द रणे गजः ॥

gajo gajaṃ samāsādya dravamāṇaṃ mahāhave | yayau pramṛdya tarasā pādātānvājinastathā | tathaiva ca rathānrājanpramamarda raṇe gajaḥ

An elephant, meeting a fleeing elephant in the great battle, went on, crushing foot-soldiers and horses with its speed; and in the same way, O king, an elephant trampled chariots in the battle.

Note on the text: The automatic alignment missed this three-line verse: lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 6.99.30ab–cd (महाहवे, प्रमृद्य, पादातान् for mahāraṇe, vimṛdnaṃs, padātīn); line 3 is 6.99.31ab (प्रममर्द for saṃmamarda). The critical edition's star passage *0394 after line 2 is not on the page.

Verse 31 (6.103.31)

रथाश्चैव समासाद्य पतितांस्तुरगान्भुवि । व्यमृद्नन्समरे राजंस्तुरगांश्च नरान्रणे ॥

rathāścaiva samāsādya patitāṃsturagānbhuvi | vyamṛdnansamare rājaṃsturagāṃśca narānraṇe

And chariots, coming upon horses that had fallen to the ground, crushed them in the fight, O king — horses and men alike in the battle.

Note on the text: Corrected व्यमृद्गन् → व्यमृद्नन् (misprint in Wikisource; द्ग for द्न, as in verse 20) and नरान्रमे → नरान्रणे (misprint in Wikisource; म for ण, 'in battle'; the critical edition reads narān raṇe). Line 1 is the critical edition's 6.99.31cd (पतितांस्तुरगान्भुवि for padātiṃ turagaṃ tathā); line 2 is 6.99.32ab (CE vyamṛdnāt). The automatic alignment missed this verse.

Verse 32 (6.103.32)

एवं ते बहुधा राजन्प्रत्यमृद्नन्परस्परम् । दृश्यन्ते स्म महाबाहो तत्रतत्र महाबलाः ॥

evaṃ te bahudhā rājanpratyamṛdnanparasparam | dṛśyante sma mahābāho tatratatra mahābalāḥ

Thus, O king, they crushed one another in many ways, and those men of great strength, mighty-armed one, were seen here and there.

Note on the text: Removed a backtick, a quote mark and a stray double danda that the page prints around line 2, and spaced दृश्यन्तेस्म → दृश्यन्ते स्म. Corrected प्रत्यमृद्गन् → प्रत्यमृद्नन् (misprint in Wikisource; द्ग for द्न, as in verse 20; the critical edition reads pramṛdnantaḥ). Line 1 is the critical edition's 6.99.32cd; line 2 is its star passage 6.99.32d*0395, not in the constituted text. The automatic alignment missed this verse.

Verse 33 (6.103.33)

तस्मिन्रौद्रे तथा युद्धे वर्तमाने महाभये । प्रावर्तत नदी घोरा शोणितान्त्रतरङ्गिणी ॥

tasminraudre tathā yuddhe vartamāne mahābhaye | prāvartata nadī ghorā śoṇitāntrataraṅgiṇī

As that fierce and fearful battle went on, a terrible river began to flow, its waves of blood and entrails,

Note on the text: Corrected शोमितान्त्रतरङ्गिणी → शोणितान्त्रतरङ्गिणी (misprint in Wikisource; म for ण, 'of blood and entrails'; the critical edition reads śoṇitāntrataraṅgiṇī).

Verse 34 (6.103.34)

अस्थिसङ्घातसंबाधा केशशैवलशाद्वला । रथह्रदा शरावर्ता हयमीना दुरासदा ॥

asthisaṅghātasaṃbādhā keśaśaivalaśādvalā | rathahradā śarāvartā hayamīnā durāsadā

choked with heaps of bones, with hair for its moss and grass, chariots for its pools, arrows for its whirlpools and horses for its fish, hard to cross;

Note on the text: Corrected केशशैवलाद्वला → केशशैवलशाद्वला (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped श, 'with hair for its moss and grass'; the critical edition reads keśaśaivalaśādvalā). अस्थिसङ्घातसंबाधा (CE asthisaṃcayasaṃghāṭā) kept as a variant.

Verse 35 (6.103.35)

शीर्षोपलसमाकीर्णा हस्तिग्राहसमाकुला । कवचोष्णीषफेनौघा धनुर्वेगासिकच्छपा ॥

śīrṣopalasamākīrṇā hastigrāhasamākulā | kavacoṣṇīṣaphenaughā dhanurvegāsikacchapā

strewn with heads for its stones, teeming with elephants for its crocodiles, with armour and turbans for its masses of foam, bows for its current and swords for its turtles;

Note on the text: फेनौघा and धनुर्वेगासिकच्छपा (CE phenāḍhyā, dhanurdvīpāsikacchapā) kept as variants.

Verse 36 (6.103.36)

शङ्खनक्रौघसंकीर्णा छत्रकूर्मरथोडुपा । पताकाध्वजवृक्षाढ्या मर्त्यकूलापहारिणी । क्रव्यादहंससंकीर्णा यमराष्ट्रविवर्धनी ॥

śaṅkhanakraughasaṃkīrṇā chatrakūrmarathoḍupā | patākādhvajavṛkṣāḍhyā martyakūlāpahāriṇī | kravyādahaṃsasaṃkīrṇā yamarāṣṭravivardhanī

crowded with conches for its crocodiles, with parasols for its tortoises and chariots for its rafts, thick with banners and standards for its trees, sweeping away men as a river sweeps away its banks, thronged with flesh-eaters for its swans — swelling the realm of Yama.

Note on the text: Removed a backtick, a quote mark and a stray danda that the page prints around line 1. Line 1 is the critical edition's star passage 6.99.35d*0396 (शङ्खनक्रौघसंकीर्णा छत्रकूर्मरथोडुपा for śaṅkhacakraughasaṃpūrṇā chatrakūrmā rathoḍupā), not in the constituted text; lines 2–3 are 6.99.36 (क्रव्यादहंस- for kravyādasaṃgha-). The automatic alignment missed this verse.

Verse 37 (6.103.37)

तां नदीं क्षत्रियाः शूरा रथनागहयप्लवैः । प्रतेरुर्बहवो राजन्भयं त्यक्त्वा महारथाः ॥

tāṃ nadīṃ kṣatriyāḥ śūrā rathanāgahayaplavaiḥ | praterurbahavo rājanbhayaṃ tyaktvā mahārathāḥ

Many brave kshatriyas, great chariot-warriors, cast off their fear and crossed that river, O king, on rafts of chariots, elephants and horses.

Note on the text: रथनागहयप्लवैः and महारथाः (CE hayanāgarathaplavaiḥ, mahāhave) kept as variants.

Verse 38 (6.103.38)

अपोवाह रणे भीरून्कश्मलेनाभिसंवृतान् । यथा वैतरणी प्रेतान्प्रेतराजपुरं प्रति ॥

apovāha raṇe bhīrūnkaśmalenābhisaṃvṛtān | yathā vaitaraṇī pretānpretarājapuraṃ prati

The timid, overcome by faintness, it swept away in the battle, as the Vaitarani carries the dead to the city of the king of the dead.

Verse 39 (6.103.39)

प्राक्रोशन्क्षत्रियास्तत्र दृष्ट्वा तद्वैशसं महत् । दुर्योधनापराधेन गच्छन्ति क्षत्रियाः क्षयम् ॥

prākrośankṣatriyāstatra dṛṣṭvā tadvaiśasaṃ mahat | duryodhanāparādhena gacchanti kṣatriyāḥ kṣayam

Seeing that great slaughter, the kshatriyas there cried out: "Through Duryodhana's offence the kshatriyas are going to their destruction!

Note on the text: Line 2 (गच्छन्ति क्षत्रियाः क्षयम् for kṣayaṃ gacchanti kauravāḥ) kept as a variant. The kshatriyas' cry begins mid-verse and stays with the narrator here.

Verse 40 (6.103.40)

गुणवत्सु कथं द्वेषं धृतराष्ट्रो जनेश्वरः । कृतवान्पाण्डुपुत्रेषु पापात्मा लोभमोहितः ॥

guṇavatsu kathaṃ dveṣaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭro janeśvaraḥ | kṛtavānpāṇḍuputreṣu pāpātmā lobhamohitaḥ

"How could King Dhritarashtra, wicked and blinded by greed, have borne such hatred toward the virtuous sons of Pandu?"

Note on the text: The kshatriyas' cry, begun in verse 39, fills this whole verse and has no printed heading, so it is given to them. धृतराष्ट्रो (CE dhārtarāṣṭro, i.e. Duryodhana) kept as the vulgate reading.

Verse 41 (6.103.41)

एवं बहुविधा वाचः श्रूयन्ते स्म परस्परम् । पाण्डवस्तवसंयुक्ताः पुत्राणां ते सुदारुणाः ॥

evaṃ bahuvidhā vācaḥ śrūyante sma parasparam | pāṇḍavastavasaṃyuktāḥ putrāṇāṃ te sudāruṇāḥ

Many such words were heard passing among them, full of praise for the Pandavas and very harsh toward your sons.

Note on the text: परस्परम् (CE smātra bhārata) kept as a variant.

Verse 42 (6.103.42)

ता निशम्य ततो वाचः सर्वयोधैरुदाहृताः । आगस्कृत्सर्वलोकस्य पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव ॥

tā niśamya tato vācaḥ sarvayodhairudāhṛtāḥ | āgaskṛtsarvalokasya putro duryodhanastava

Hearing those words spoken by all the warriors, your son Duryodhana, who had wronged the whole world,

Verse 43 (6.103.43)

भीष्मं द्रोणं कृपं चैव शल्यं चोवाच भारत । युध्यध्वमनहंकाराः किं चिरं कुरुथेति च ॥

bhīṣmaṃ droṇaṃ kṛpaṃ caiva śalyaṃ covāca bhārata | yudhyadhvamanahaṃkārāḥ kiṃ ciraṃ kurutheti ca

said to Bhishma, Drona, Kripa and Shalya, O Bharata: "Fight, and set your pride aside! Why do you delay?"

Note on the text: Corrected अनहंकराः → अनहंकाराः (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped ा, 'without pride'; the critical edition reads anahaṃkārāḥ). Duryodhana's words in line 2 begin mid-verse and stay with the narrator.

Verse 44 (6.103.44)

इति दुर्योधनोत्सृष्टाः सर्वे युयुधिरे नृपाः । ततः प्रववृते युद्धं कुरूणां पाण्डवैः सह । अक्षद्यूतकृतं राजन्सुघोरं वैशसं तदा ॥

iti duryodhanotsṛṣṭāḥ sarve yuyudhire nṛpāḥ | tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṃ kurūṇāṃ pāṇḍavaiḥ saha | akṣadyūtakṛtaṃ rājansughoraṃ vaiśasaṃ tadā

Thus urged on by Duryodhana, all the kings fought. Then the battle of the Kurus with the Pandavas went on, O king — a most terrible slaughter, the work of the game of dice.

Note on the text: Removed a backtick and a quote mark that the page prints around line 1. Line 1 is the critical edition's star passage 6.99.43d*0397, not in the constituted text; lines 2–3 are 6.99.44. The automatic alignment missed this verse.

Verse 45 (6.103.45)

यत्पुरा न निगृह्णासि वार्यमाणो महात्मभिः । वैचित्रवीर्य तस्येदं फलं पश्य सुदारुणम् ॥

yatpurā na nigṛhṇāsi vāryamāṇo mahātmabhiḥ | vaicitravīrya tasyedaṃ phalaṃ paśya sudāruṇam

What you would not check before, though great-souled men tried to restrain you, son of Vichitravirya — see now its most dreadful fruit.

Note on the text: निगृह्णासि and सुदारुणम् (CE nigṛhṇīṣe, tathāvidham) kept as variants.

Verse 46 (6.103.46)

न हि पाण्डुसुता राजन्ससैन्याः सपदानुगाः । रक्षन्ति समरे प्राणान्कौरवा वापि संयुगे ॥

na hi pāṇḍusutā rājansasainyāḥ sapadānugāḥ | rakṣanti samare prāṇānkauravā vāpi saṃyuge

For neither the sons of Pandu, O king, with their armies and followers, nor the Kauravas spare their lives in battle.

Note on the text: Line 2 (कौरवा वापि संयुगे for kauravā vā viśāṃ pate) kept as a variant. The critical edition's star passage *0398 inside this verse is not on the page.

Verse 47 (6.103.47)

एतस्मात्कारणाद्धोरो वर्तते स्वजनक्षयः । दैवाद्वा पुरुषव्याघ्र तव चापनयान्नृप ॥

etasmātkāraṇāddhoro vartate svajanakṣayaḥ | daivādvā puruṣavyāghra tava cāpanayānnṛpa

That is why this terrible destruction of kinsmen goes on, tiger among men — whether by fate or through your own folly, O king.

Note on the text: स्वजनक्षयः (CE sma janakṣayaḥ) kept as a variant.