Drona Reads the Omens and Sends Ashvatthama into Battle

Verse 1 (6.112.1)

अथ वीरो महेष्वासो मत्तवारणविक्रमः । समादाय महच्चापं मत्तवारणवारणम् ॥

atha vīro maheṣvāso mattavāraṇavikramaḥ | samādāya mahaccāpaṃ mattavāraṇavāraṇam

Then that heroic, mighty archer, who strode like a rutting elephant, took up his great bow, which could hold back even rutting elephants,

Note on the text: Adhyaya note: checked against the raw Wikisource page (a table, one row per verse, 6-112-1 to 6-112-42, with headings सञ्जय उवाच before verse 1, द्रोण उवाच before verse 4 and सञ्जय उवाच before verse 42). This adhyaya is the critical edition's 6.108 (the tenth day; Drona reads the omens and instructs Ashvatthama). The page's backticked line (verse 24 line 2) is printed as text, with the backtick and quote mark removed.

Verse 2 (6.112.2)

विधुन्वानो नरश्रेष्ठो द्रावयाणो वरूथिनीम् । पृतनां पाण्डवेयानां गाहमानो महाबलः ॥

vidhunvāno naraśreṣṭho drāvayāṇo varūthinīm | pṛtanāṃ pāṇḍaveyānāṃ gāhamāno mahābalaḥ

and, shaking it, that best of men, great in strength, put the enemy host to flight and plunged into the ranks of the Pandavas.

Note on the text: Line 1 (नरश्रेष्ठो … वरूथिनीम्) and line 2 (गाहमानो महाबलः) differ from the critical edition's 6.108.2 (dhanuḥ śreṣṭhaṃ … mahārathān; pātayāno mahārathaḥ); गाहमानो is close to its star passage 6.108.2d*0450 (gāhamāno mahācamūm). Kept as recension variants.

Verse 3 (6.112.3)

निमित्तानि निमित्तज्ञः सर्वतो वीक्ष्य वीर्यवान् । प्रतपन्तमनीकानि द्रोणः पुत्रमभाषत ॥

nimittāni nimittajñaḥ sarvato vīkṣya vīryavān | pratapantamanīkāni droṇaḥ putramabhāṣata

Skilled in reading omens, the valiant Drona looked about him at the signs on every side, and spoke to his son, who was scorching the enemy's ranks.

Verse 4 (6.112.4)

अयं हि दिवसस्तात यत्र पार्थो महाबलः । जिघांसुः समरे भीष्मं परं यत्नं करिष्यति ॥

ayaṃ hi divasastāta yatra pārtho mahābalaḥ | jighāṃsuḥ samare bhīṣmaṃ paraṃ yatnaṃ kariṣyati

"This is the day, my son, on which the mighty Partha, bent on slaying Bhishma in battle, will make his supreme effort.

Verse 5 (6.112.5)

उत्पतन्ति हि मे बाणा धनुः प्रस्फुरतीव च । योगमस्त्राणि नेच्छन्ति क्रूरं मे वर्तते मनः ॥

utpatanti hi me bāṇā dhanuḥ prasphuratīva ca | yogamastrāṇi necchanti krūraṃ me vartate manaḥ

My arrows leap up of themselves, my bow seems to throb, my weapons will not come to my use, and my mind turns to cruel things.

Verse 6 (6.112.6)

दिक्ष्वशान्तानि घोराणि व्याहरन्ति मृगद्विजाः । नीचैर्गृध्रा निलीयन्ते भारतानां चमूं प्रति ॥

dikṣvaśāntāni ghorāṇi vyāharanti mṛgadvijāḥ | nīcairgṛdhrā nilīyante bhāratānāṃ camūṃ prati

In every quarter beasts and birds cry out fearfully and without ceasing; vultures swoop low and settle facing the Bharata army.

Verse 7 (6.112.7)

नष्टप्रभ इवादित्यः सर्वतो लोहिता दिशः । रसते व्यथते भूमिः कम्पतीव च सर्वशः ॥

naṣṭaprabha ivādityaḥ sarvato lohitā diśaḥ | rasate vyathate bhūmiḥ kampatīva ca sarvaśaḥ

The sun looks as if it has lost its light; the quarters are red all around; the earth roars and trembles as if in fear, and quakes on every side.

Note on the text: Line 2 ends कम्पतीव च सर्वशः for the critical edition's anuṣṭanati vāhanam; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 8 (6.112.8)

कङ्कगृध्रा बलाकाश्च व्याहरन्ति मुहुर्मुहुः । शिवाश्चैवाशिवा घोरा वेदयन्त्यो महद्भयम् ॥

kaṅkagṛdhrā balākāśca vyāharanti muhurmuhuḥ | śivāścaivāśivā ghorā vedayantyo mahadbhayam

Herons, vultures and cranes cry out again and again, and jackals, dreadful and ill-omened, foretell great terror.

Verse 9 (6.112.9)

पपात महती चोल्का मध्येनादित्यमण्डलात् । सकबन्धश्च परिघो भानुमावृत्य तिष्ठति ॥

papāta mahatī colkā madhyenādityamaṇḍalāt | sakabandhaśca parigho bhānumāvṛtya tiṣṭhati

A great meteor fell from the middle of the sun's disc, and a bar of cloud with a headless trunk in it stands across the sun, covering it.

Verse 10 (6.112.10)

परिवेषस्तथा घोरश्चन्द्रभास्करयोरभूत् । वेदयानो भयं घोरं राज्ञां देहावकर्तनम् ॥

pariveṣastathā ghoraścandrabhāskarayorabhūt | vedayāno bhayaṃ ghoraṃ rājñāṃ dehāvakartanam

A dreadful halo has formed around the moon and the sun, announcing a terrible danger: the hewing down of the bodies of kings.

Verse 11 (6.112.11)

देवतायतनस्थाश्च कौरवेन्द्रस्य देवताः । कम्पन्ते च हसन्ते च नृत्यन्ति च रुदन्ति च ॥

devatāyatanasthāśca kauravendrasya devatāḥ | kampante ca hasante ca nṛtyanti ca rudanti ca

The images of the gods in the temples of the Kuru king tremble and laugh, dance and weep.

Verse 12 (6.112.12)

अपसव्यं ग्रहाश्चक्रुरलक्ष्माणं दिवाकरम् । अवाक्शिराश्च भगवानुपातिष्ठत चन्द्रमाः ॥

apasavyaṃ grahāścakruralakṣmāṇaṃ divākaram | avākśirāśca bhagavānupātiṣṭhata candramāḥ

The planets have passed in a contrary course around the sun, which bears ill-boding marks, and the blessed moon has risen with its horns turned downward.

Note on the text: Corrected चन्द्रकमाः → चन्द्रमाः (misprint in Wikisource; a stray क, critical edition candramāḥ). दिवाकरम् for niśākaram and उपातिष्ठत for udatiṣṭhata kept as recension variants.

Verse 13 (6.112.13)

वपूंषि च नरेन्द्राणां विगताभानि लक्षये । धार्तराष्ट्रस्य सैन्येषु न च भ्राजन्ति दंशिताः ॥

vapūṃṣi ca narendrāṇāṃ vigatābhāni lakṣaye | dhārtarāṣṭrasya sainyeṣu na ca bhrājanti daṃśitāḥ

I see the bodies of the kings grown lustreless, and in the armies of Dhritarashtra's son the men in armour do not shine.

Note on the text: Corrected दंशिताःक → दंशिताः (misprint in Wikisource; a stray क after the visarga, critical edition daṃśitāḥ).

Verse 14 (6.112.14)

सेनयोरुभयोश्चापि समन्ताच्छ्रूयते महान् । पाञ्चजन्यस्य निर्घोषो गाण्डीवस्य च निःस्वनः ॥

senayorubhayoścāpi samantācchrūyate mahān | pāñcajanyasya nirghoṣo gāṇḍīvasya ca niḥsvanaḥ

And on every side of both armies is heard the great blast of the Panchajanya conch and the twang of the Gandiva bow.

Verse 15 (6.112.15)

ध्रुवमास्थाय बीभत्सुरुत्तमास्त्राणि संयुगे । अपास्यान्यान्रणे योधानभ्येष्यति पितामहम् ॥

dhruvamāsthāya bībhatsuruttamāstrāṇi saṃyuge | apāsyānyānraṇe yodhānabhyeṣyati pitāmaham

Surely Bibhatsu, resorting to his finest weapons in this battle, will brush the other warriors aside and come at the grandsire.

Verse 16 (6.112.16)

हृष्यन्ति रोमकूपाणि सीदतीव च मे मनः । चिन्तयित्वा महाबाहो भीष्मार्जुनसमागमम् ॥

hṛṣyanti romakūpāṇi sīdatīva ca me manaḥ | cintayitvā mahābāho bhīṣmārjunasamāgamam

The hair on my body bristles and my mind sinks, O mighty-armed one, when I think of Bhishma and Arjuna meeting in combat.

Verse 17 (6.112.17)

तं चेह निकृतिप्रज्ञं पाञ्चाल्यं पापचेतसम् । पुरस्कृत्य रणे पार्थो भीष्मस्यायोधनं गतः ॥

taṃ ceha nikṛtiprajñaṃ pāñcālyaṃ pāpacetasam | puraskṛtya raṇe pārtho bhīṣmasyāyodhanaṃ gataḥ

And here Partha has gone to fight Bhishma, placing before him in battle that Panchala of crafty mind and sinful heart.

Verse 18 (6.112.18)

अब्रवीच्च पुरा भीष्मो नाहं हन्यां शिखण्डिनम् । स्त्री ह्येषा विहिता धात्रा दैवाच्च स पुनः पुमान् ॥

abravīcca purā bhīṣmo nāhaṃ hanyāṃ śikhaṇḍinam | strī hyeṣā vihitā dhātrā daivācca sa punaḥ pumān

Long ago Bhishma said, 'I will not slay Shikhandin: the Creator made her a woman, and only by fate did she become a man again.'

Verse 19 (6.112.19)

असंकल्पध्वजश्चैव याज्ञसेनिर्महाबलः । न चामङ्गलिके तस्मिन्प्रहरेदापगासुतः ॥

asaṃkalpadhvajaścaiva yājñasenirmahābalaḥ | na cāmaṅgalike tasminpraharedāpagāsutaḥ

And the mighty son of Yajnasena is a standard of ill omen; the son of the river-goddess will not strike at one so inauspicious.

Note on the text: Line 1 reads असंकल्पध्वजश्चैव … महाबलः for the critical edition's amaṅgalyadhvajaś caiva … mahārathaḥ, and line 2 न चामङ्गलिके तस्मिन् for na cāmaṅgalaketoḥ sa; kept as recension variants and translated in the sense of the passage (Shikhandin as an ill-omened standard).

Verse 20 (6.112.20)

एतद्विचिन्तयानस्य प्रज्ञा सीदति मे भृशम् । अभ्युद्यतो रणे पार्थः कुरुवृद्धमुपाद्रवत् ॥

etadvicintayānasya prajñā sīdati me bhṛśam | abhyudyato raṇe pārthaḥ kuruvṛddhamupādravat

As I ponder this my understanding sinks deep. Partha, ready for battle, has rushed upon the eldest of the Kurus.

Verse 21 (6.112.21)

युधिष्ठिरस्य च क्रोधो भीष्मश्चार्जुनसंगतः । मम चास्त्रसमारम्भः प्रजानामशिवं ध्रुवम् ॥

yudhiṣṭhirasya ca krodho bhīṣmaścārjunasaṃgataḥ | mama cāstrasamārambhaḥ prajānāmaśivaṃ dhruvam

Yudhishthira's wrath, Bhishma locked with Arjuna, and my own taking up of arms: surely these bode ill for the people.

Verse 22 (6.112.22)

मनस्वी बलवाञ्शूरः कृतास्त्रोऽलघुविक्रमः । दूरपाती दृढेषुश्च निमित्तज्ञश्च पाण्डवः ॥

manasvī balavāñśūraḥ kṛtāstro'laghuvikramaḥ | dūrapātī dṛḍheṣuśca nimittajñaśca pāṇḍavaḥ

The Pandava is high-spirited, strong and brave, a master of weapons, of no small prowess, a far-shooter with firm arrows, and a reader of omens.

Verse 23 (6.112.23)

अजेयः समरे चापि देवैरपि सवासवैः । बलवान्बुद्धिमांश्चैव जितक्लेशो युधां वरः ॥

ajeyaḥ samare cāpi devairapi savāsavaiḥ | balavānbuddhimāṃścaiva jitakleśo yudhāṃ varaḥ

He cannot be conquered in battle even by the gods with Vasava at their head; strong and wise, he has mastered hardship and is the best of fighters.

Verse 24 (6.112.24)

विजयी च रणे नित्यं भैरवास्त्रश्च पाण्डवः । अभ्युद्यतं रणे दृष्ट्वा भैरवास्त्रं च पाण्डवम् । तस्य मार्गं परिहरन्द्रुतं गच्छ यतव्रत ॥

vijayī ca raṇe nityaṃ bhairavāstraśca pāṇḍavaḥ | abhyudyataṃ raṇe dṛṣṭvā bhairavāstraṃ ca pāṇḍavam | tasya mārgaṃ pariharandrutaṃ gaccha yatavrata

The Pandava is ever victorious in battle and wields fearful weapons. Seeing the Pandava ready for battle with his fearful weapons, keep out of his path and go quickly, you of steady vows.

Note on the text: The automatic alignment found no match. Line 1 is the critical edition's 6.108.24ab and line 3 is 6.108.24cd (यतव्रत, vocative, for yatavratam); line 2, printed between backticks on the page, is the critical edition's star passage 6.108.20b*0452 (not in the constituted text). Removed the backtick, the quote mark and the doubled danda the page prints around line 2.

Verse 25 (6.112.25)

पश्याद्यैतन्महाघोरे संयुगे वैशसं महत् । हेमचित्राणि शूराणां महान्ति च शुभानि च ॥

paśyādyaitanmahāghore saṃyuge vaiśasaṃ mahat | hemacitrāṇi śūrāṇāṃ mahānti ca śubhāni ca

See today, in this most dreadful battle, the great carnage. The large, fine armour of heroes, bright with gold,

Note on the text: The automatic alignment found no match; this is the critical edition's 6.108.25, with line 1 reading पश्याद्यैतन्महाघोरे संयुगे वैशसं महत् for paśya caitan mahābāho vaiśasaṃ samupasthitam (kept as a recension variant). Corrected शूरणां → शूराणां (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped vowel sign, critical edition śūrāṇāṃ).

Verse 26 (6.112.26)

कवचान्यवदीर्यन्ते शरैः सन्नतपर्वभिः । छिद्यन्ते च ध्वजाग्राणि तोमराश्च धनूंषि च ॥

kavacānyavadīryante śaraiḥ sannataparvabhiḥ | chidyante ca dhvajāgrāṇi tomarāśca dhanūṃṣi ca

is torn apart by smooth-jointed arrows; the tops of standards are cut away, and lances and bows,

Verse 27 (6.112.27)

प्रासाश्च विमलास्तीक्ष्णाः शक्त्यश्च कनकोज्ज्वलाः । वैजयन्त्यश्च नागानां संक्रुद्धेन किरीटिना ॥

prāsāśca vimalāstīkṣṇāḥ śaktyaśca kanakojjvalāḥ | vaijayantyaśca nāgānāṃ saṃkruddhena kirīṭinā

bright, sharp spears and darts gleaming with gold, and the banners on the elephants — all by the enraged Kiritin.

Verse 28 (6.112.28)

नायं संरक्षितुं कालः प्राणान्पुत्रोपजीविभिः । याहि स्वर्गं पुरस्कृत्य यशसे विजयाय च ॥

nāyaṃ saṃrakṣituṃ kālaḥ prāṇānputropajīvibhiḥ | yāhi svargaṃ puraskṛtya yaśase vijayāya ca

My son, this is no time for those who live in another's service to guard their lives. Go forward, setting heaven before you, for glory and for victory.

Verse 29 (6.112.29)

रथनागहयावर्तां महाघोरां सुदुर्गमाम् । रथेन संग्रामनदीं तरत्येष कपिध्वजः ॥

rathanāgahayāvartāṃ mahāghorāṃ sudurgamām | rathena saṃgrāmanadīṃ taratyeṣa kapidhvajaḥ

Here the ape-bannered one is crossing by chariot the river of battle, most dreadful and hard to pass, whose whirlpools are chariots, elephants and horses.

Verse 30 (6.112.30)

ब्रह्मण्यता दमो दानं तपश्च चरितं महत् । इहैव दृश्यते पार्थे भ्राता यस्य धनञ्जयः ॥

brahmaṇyatā damo dānaṃ tapaśca caritaṃ mahat | ihaiva dṛśyate pārthe bhrātā yasya dhanañjayaḥ

Reverence for brahmins, self-restraint, generosity, austerity and noble conduct are all seen here in Partha Yudhishthira, whose brother is Dhananjaya,

Verse 31 (6.112.31)

भीमसेनश्च बलवान्माद्रीपुत्रौ च पाण्डवौ । वासुदेवश्च वार्ष्णेयो यस्य नाथो व्यवस्थितः ॥

bhīmasenaśca balavānmādrīputrau ca pāṇḍavau | vāsudevaśca vārṣṇeyo yasya nātho vyavasthitaḥ

and mighty Bhimasena, and the two Pandavas born of Madri; and Vasudeva of the Vrishnis stands as his protector.

Verse 32 (6.112.32)

तस्यैष मन्युप्रभवो धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्मतेः । तपोभावितदेहस्य कोपो दहति वाहिनीम् ॥

tasyaiṣa manyuprabhavo dhārtarāṣṭrasya durmateḥ | tapobhāvitadehasya kopo dahati vāhinīm

It is the anger of that man, whose body austerity has made pure, born of the grief that evil-minded Dhritarashtra's son caused him, that is burning up this host.

Verse 33 (6.112.33)

एष संदृश्यते पार्थो वासुदेवव्यपाश्रयः । दारयन्सर्वसैन्यानि धार्तराष्ट्राणि सर्वशः ॥

eṣa saṃdṛśyate pārtho vāsudevavyapāśrayaḥ | dārayansarvasainyāni dhārtarāṣṭrāṇi sarvaśaḥ

There Partha can be seen, with Vasudeva as his refuge, tearing apart all the armies of Dhritarashtra's son on every side.

Verse 34 (6.112.34)

एतदालोक्यते सैन्यं क्षोभ्यमाणं किरीटिना । महोर्मिनद्धं सुमहत्तिमिनेव महाजलम् ॥

etadālokyate sainyaṃ kṣobhyamāṇaṃ kirīṭinā | mahorminaddhaṃ sumahattimineva mahājalam

This army is seen churned by Kiritin, like a vast body of water, heaving with great waves, stirred up by a timi fish.

Verse 35 (6.112.35)

हाहाकिलकिलाशब्दाः श्रूयन्ते च चमूमुखे । याहि पाञ्चालदायादमहं यास्ये युधिष्ठिरम् ॥

hāhākilakilāśabdāḥ śrūyante ca camūmukhe | yāhi pāñcāladāyādamahaṃ yāsye yudhiṣṭhiram

Cries of woe and shouts of 'kila-kila' are heard at the army's front. Go against the heir of Panchala; I will go against Yudhishthira.

Verse 36 (6.112.36)

दुर्गमं ह्यन्तरं राज्ञो व्यूहस्यामिततेजसः । समुद्रकुक्षिप्रतिमं सर्वतोऽतिरथैः स्थितैः ॥

durgamaṃ hyantaraṃ rājño vyūhasyāmitatejasaḥ | samudrakukṣipratimaṃ sarvato'tirathaiḥ sthitaiḥ

Hard to penetrate is the heart of the array of that king of boundless might, like the belly of the ocean, with great chariot-warriors posted all around it.

Verse 37 (6.112.37)

सात्यकिश्चाभिमन्युश्च धृष्टद्युम्नवृकोदरौ । पर्यरक्षन्त राजानं यमौ च मनुजेश्वरम् ॥

sātyakiścābhimanyuśca dhṛṣṭadyumnavṛkodarau | paryarakṣanta rājānaṃ yamau ca manujeśvaram

Satyaki and Abhimanyu, Dhrishtadyumna and Vrikodara, and the twins stood guarding the king, that lord of men.

Verse 38 (6.112.38)

उपेन्द्रसदृशश्यामो महाशाल इवोद्गतः । एष गच्छत्यनीकाग्रे द्वितीय इव फल्गुनः ॥

upendrasadṛśaśyāmo mahāśāla ivodgataḥ | eṣa gacchatyanīkāgre dvitīya iva phalgunaḥ

Dark like Upendra, towering like a great shala tree, here he goes at the head of the army like a second Phalguna.

Verse 39 (6.112.39)

उत्तमास्त्राणि चाधत्स्व गृहीत्वा च महद्धनुः । पार्षतं याहि राजानं युध्यस्व च वृकोदरम् ॥

uttamāstrāṇi cādhatsva gṛhītvā ca mahaddhanuḥ | pārṣataṃ yāhi rājānaṃ yudhyasva ca vṛkodaram

Take up your finest weapons and grasp your great bow; go against the prince Parshata, and fight Vrikodara.

Note on the text: Line 2 reads पार्षतं याहि राजानं ('go against the prince Parshata') for pārśvato yāhi rājānaṃ; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 40 (6.112.40)

को हि नेच्छेत्प्रियं पुत्रं जीवन्तं शाश्वतीः समाः । क्षत्रधर्मं तु संप्रेक्ष्य ततस्त्वां नियुनज्म्यहम् ॥

ko hi necchetpriyaṃ putraṃ jīvantaṃ śāśvatīḥ samāḥ | kṣatradharmaṃ tu saṃprekṣya tatastvāṃ niyunajmyaham

Who would not wish his dear son to live for endless years? But looking to the duty of a kshatriya, I set you to this task.

Verse 41 (6.112.41)

एष चातिरणे भीष्मो दहते वै महाचमूम् । युद्धेषु सदृशस्तात यमस्य वरुणस्य च ॥

eṣa cātiraṇe bhīṣmo dahate vai mahācamūm | yuddheṣu sadṛśastāta yamasya varuṇasya ca

And Bhishma here, in this fierce battle, is burning up the great host; in combat, my son, he is the equal of Yama and Varuna."

Note on the text: Line 1 reads एष चातिरणे ('in this fierce battle') for eṣa cāpi raṇe; kept as printed.

Verse 42 (6.112.42)

पुत्रं समनुशास्यैवं भारद्वाजः प्रतापवान् । महारणे महाराज धर्मराजमयोधयत् ॥

putraṃ samanuśāsyaivaṃ bhāradvājaḥ pratāpavān | mahāraṇe mahārāja dharmarājamayodhayat

Having thus instructed his son, the valiant son of Bharadvaja fought Dharmaraja Yudhishthira in that great battle, O great king.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it, with its speaker line, in its apparatus as the star passage 6.108.41d*0454 (महाराज for mahārājaṃ).