Drona and Dhrishtadyumna Duel

Verse 1 (6.53.1)

कथं द्रोणो महेष्वासः पाञ्चाल्यश्चापि पार्षतः । उभौ समीयतुर्यत्तौ तन्ममाचक्ष्व सञ्जय ॥

kathaṃ droṇo maheṣvāsaḥ pāñcālyaścāpi pārṣataḥ | ubhau samīyaturyattau tanmamācakṣva sañjaya

How did the great archer Drona and Parshata, the Panchala prince, both bent on battle, meet each other? Tell me that, Sanjaya.

Note on the text: Line 2 opens उभौ where the critical edition reads raṇe; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 2 (6.53.2)

दिष्टमेव परं मन्ये पौरुषादिति मे मतिः । यत्र शान्तनवो भीष्मो नातरद्युधि पाण्डवम् ॥

diṣṭameva paraṃ manye pauruṣāditi me matiḥ | yatra śāntanavo bhīṣmo nātaradyudhi pāṇḍavam

I hold that fate alone is stronger than human effort; that is my belief, since Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, could not overcome the Pandava in battle.

Note on the text: Line 1 ends पौरुषादिति मे मतिः where the critical edition reads pauruṣād api saṃjaya; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 3 (6.53.3)

भीष्मो हि समरे क्रुद्धो हन्याल्लोकांश्चराचरान् । स कथं पाण्डवं युद्धे नातरत्सञ्जयौजसा ॥

bhīṣmo hi samare kruddho hanyāllokāṃścarācarān | sa kathaṃ pāṇḍavaṃ yuddhe nātaratsañjayaujasā

For Bhishma, when he is roused to anger in battle, could destroy the worlds with all that moves and all that is still. How then, Sanjaya, could he not overcome the Pandava in battle by his might?

Verse 4 (6.53.4)

शृणु राजन्स्थिरो भूत्वा युद्धमेतत्सुदारुणम् । न शक्याः पाण्डवा जेतुं देवैरपि सवासवैः ॥

śṛṇu rājansthiro bhūtvā yuddhametatsudāruṇam | na śakyāḥ pāṇḍavā jetuṃ devairapi savāsavaiḥ

Steady yourself, O king, and listen to this most terrible battle. The Pandavas cannot be conquered even by the gods with Indra among them.

Note on the text: Corrected श्रृणु → शृणु (misprint in Wikisource; श्रृ is a broken spelling of शृ, as in the critical edition's śṛṇu). न शक्याः पाण्डवा (plural; CE na śakyaḥ pāṇḍavo) kept as a recension variant.

Verse 5 (6.53.5)

द्रोणस्तु निशितैर्बाणैर्धृष्टद्युम्नमविध्यत । सारथिं चास्य भल्लेन रथनीडादपातयत् ॥

droṇastu niśitairbāṇairdhṛṣṭadyumnamavidhyata | sārathiṃ cāsya bhallena rathanīḍādapātayat

Drona pierced Dhrishtadyumna with sharp arrows, and with a broad-headed arrow he struck his charioteer down from the chariot's seat.

Verse 6 (6.53.6)

तथाऽस्य चतुरो वाहांश्चतुर्भिः सायकोत्तमैः । पीडयामास संक्रुद्धो धृष्टद्युम्नस्य मारिष ॥

tathā'sya caturo vāhāṃścaturbhiḥ sāyakottamaiḥ | pīḍayāmāsa saṃkruddho dhṛṣṭadyumnasya māriṣa

Then, in his fury, sir, he tormented Dhrishtadyumna's four horses with four excellent arrows.

Verse 7 (6.53.7)

धृष्टद्युम्नस्ततो द्रोणं नवत्या निशितैः शरैः । विव्याध प्रहसन्वीरस्तिष्ठतिष्ठेति चाब्रवीत् ॥

dhṛṣṭadyumnastato droṇaṃ navatyā niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ | vivyādha prahasanvīrastiṣṭhatiṣṭheti cābravīt

Then the heroic Dhrishtadyumna, laughing, pierced Drona with ninety sharp arrows and cried, "Stand! Stand!"

Verse 8 (6.53.8)

ततः पुनरमेयात्मा भारद्वाजः प्रतापवान् । शरैः प्रच्छादयामास धृष्टद्युम्नममर्षणम् ॥

tataḥ punarameyātmā bhāradvājaḥ pratāpavān | śaraiḥ pracchādayāmāsa dhṛṣṭadyumnamamarṣaṇam

Then the mighty son of Bharadvaja, of boundless spirit, covered the unyielding Dhrishtadyumna with arrows.

Verse 9 (6.53.9)

आददे च शरं घोरं पार्षतान्तचिकीर्षया । शक्राशनिसमस्पर्शं कालदण्डमिवापरम् ॥

ādade ca śaraṃ ghoraṃ pārṣatāntacikīrṣayā | śakrāśanisamasparśaṃ kāladaṇḍamivāparam

And, wishing to make an end of Parshata, he took up a terrible arrow whose touch was like Indra's thunderbolt, like a second rod of Death.

Note on the text: Corrected पार्षतान्तचिकीर्षकया → पार्षतान्तचिकीर्षया (misprint in Wikisource; a stray क makes a non-word and a nine-syllable quarter; चिकीर्षया 'wishing to make'). The critical edition's line 1 ends pārṣatasya vadhaṃ prati and line 2 has mṛtyudaṇḍam for कालदण्डम्; both kept as recension variants.

Verse 10 (6.53.10)

हाहाकारो महानासीत्सर्वसैन्येषु भारत । तमिषुं संधितं दृष्ट्वा भारद्वाजेन संयुगे ॥

hāhākāro mahānāsītsarvasainyeṣu bhārata | tamiṣuṃ saṃdhitaṃ dṛṣṭvā bhāradvājena saṃyuge

A great cry of dismay went up among all the troops, O Bharata, when they saw that arrow fitted to the bow by Bharadvaja's son in the battle.

Verse 11 (6.53.11)

तत्राद्भुतमपश्याम धृष्टद्युम्नस्य पौरुषम् । यदेकः समरे वीरस्तस्थौ गिरिरिवाचलः ॥

tatrādbhutamapaśyāma dhṛṣṭadyumnasya pauruṣam | yadekaḥ samare vīrastasthau giririvācalaḥ

There we saw Dhrishtadyumna's wondrous courage: alone in the battle, the hero stood unmoved like a mountain.

Verse 12 (6.53.12)

तं च दीप्तं शरं घोरमायान्तं मृत्युमात्मनः । चिच्छेद शरवृष्टिं च भारद्वाजे मुमोच ह ॥

taṃ ca dīptaṃ śaraṃ ghoramāyāntaṃ mṛtyumātmanaḥ | ciccheda śaravṛṣṭiṃ ca bhāradvāje mumoca ha

He cut down that blazing, terrible arrow as it came at him like his own death, and loosed a rain of arrows on Bharadvaja's son.

Verse 13 (6.53.13)

तत उच्चुक्रुशुः सर्वे पाञ्चालाः पाण्डवैः सह । धृष्टद्युम्नेन तत्कर्म कृतं दृष्ट्वा सुदुष्करम् ॥

tata uccukruśuḥ sarve pāñcālāḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ saha | dhṛṣṭadyumnena tatkarma kṛtaṃ dṛṣṭvā suduṣkaram

Then all the Panchalas, together with the Pandavas, shouted aloud, seeing that very difficult feat accomplished by Dhrishtadyumna.

Verse 14 (6.53.14)

ततः शक्तिं महावेगां स्वर्णवैडूर्यभूषिताम् । द्रोणस्य निधनाकाङ्क्षी चिक्षेप स पराक्रमी ॥

tataḥ śaktiṃ mahāvegāṃ svarṇavaiḍūryabhūṣitām | droṇasya nidhanākāṅkṣī cikṣepa sa parākramī

Then, longing for Drona's death, that valiant warrior hurled a spear of great speed, adorned with gold and beryl.

Verse 15 (6.53.15)

तामापतन्तीं सहसा शक्तिं कनकभूषिताम् । त्रिधा चिच्छेद समरे भारद्वाजो हसन्निव ॥

tāmāpatantīṃ sahasā śaktiṃ kanakabhūṣitām | tridhā ciccheda samare bhāradvājo hasanniva

As that gold-adorned spear came suddenly flying at him, Bharadvaja's son, as if laughing, cut it into three pieces in the battle.

Verse 16 (6.53.16)

शक्तिं विनिहतां दृष्ट्वा धृष्टद्युम्नः प्रतापवान् । ववर्ष शरवर्षाणि द्रोणं प्रति जनेश्वरः ॥

śaktiṃ vinihatāṃ dṛṣṭvā dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ pratāpavān | vavarṣa śaravarṣāṇi droṇaṃ prati janeśvaraḥ

Seeing his spear destroyed, the mighty Dhrishtadyumna, lord of men, poured showers of arrows on Drona.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रतपवान् → प्रतापवान् (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign, critical edition pratāpavān). जनेश्वरः (nominative, of Dhrishtadyumna; CE vocative janeśvara) kept.

Verse 17 (6.53.17)

शरवर्षं ततस्तत्तु सन्निवार्य महायशाः । द्रोणो द्रुपदपुत्रस्य मध्ये चिच्छेद कार्मुकम् ॥

śaravarṣaṃ tatastattu sannivārya mahāyaśāḥ | droṇo drupadaputrasya madhye ciccheda kārmukam

Then the illustrious Drona, warding off that shower of arrows, cut the bow of Drupada's son through the middle.

Verse 18 (6.53.18)

स च्छिन्नधन्वा समरे गदां गुर्वीं महायशाः । द्रोणाय प्रेषयामास गिरिसारमयीं बली ॥

sa cchinnadhanvā samare gadāṃ gurvīṃ mahāyaśāḥ | droṇāya preṣayāmāsa girisāramayīṃ balī

His bow cut, the illustrious and powerful prince hurled at Drona in the battle a heavy mace made of iron.

Note on the text: Corrected गुर्वी → गुर्वीं (misprint in Wikisource; the accusative agreeing with गदां needs the anusvara, as in the critical edition's gurvīṃ).

Verse 19 (6.53.19)

सा गदा वेगवन्मुक्ता प्रायाद्द्रोणजिघांसया । तत्राद्भुतमपश्याम भारद्वाजस्य पौरुषम् ॥

sā gadā vegavanmuktā prāyāddroṇajighāṃsayā | tatrādbhutamapaśyāma bhāradvājasya pauruṣam

Flung with force, the mace flew toward Drona, bent on killing him. There we saw the wondrous skill of Bharadvaja's son:

Note on the text: Line 2 ends पौरुषम् where the critical edition reads vikramam; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 20 (6.53.20)

लाघवाद्व्यंसयामास गदां हेमविभूषिताम् । व्यंसयित्वा गदां तां च प्रेषयामास पार्षतम् ॥

lāghavādvyaṃsayāmāsa gadāṃ hemavibhūṣitām | vyaṃsayitvā gadāṃ tāṃ ca preṣayāmāsa pārṣatam

with his quickness he made the gold-adorned mace miss its mark, and, having evaded it, he sent against Parshata

Verse 21 (6.53.21)

भल्लान्सुनिशितान्पीतान्रुक्मपुङ्खान्सुदारुणान् । ते तस्य कवचं भित्त्वा पपुः शोणितमाहवे ॥

bhallānsuniśitānpītānrukmapuṅkhānsudāruṇān | te tasya kavacaṃ bhittvā papuḥ śoṇitamāhave

broad-headed arrows, keenly sharpened and well tempered, gold-feathered and dreadful. They pierced his armour and drank his blood in the fight.

Note on the text: Corrected पीतातान् → पीतान् (misprint in Wikisource; a doubled syllable makes a non-word and a nine-syllable quarter; the critical edition reads pītān, and the page's own gloss reads पीतान् पायितजलान्). रुक्मपुङ्खान्सुदारुणान् (CE svarṇapuṅkhāñ śilāśitān) kept as a recension variant.

Verse 22 (6.53.22)

अथान्यद्धनुरादाय धृष्टद्युम्नो महारथः । द्रोणं युधि पराक्रम्य शरैर्विव्याध पञ्चभिः ॥

athānyaddhanurādāya dhṛṣṭadyumno mahārathaḥ | droṇaṃ yudhi parākramya śarairvivyādha pañcabhiḥ

Then the great chariot-warrior Dhrishtadyumna took up another bow and, attacking Drona in battle, pierced him with five arrows.

Verse 23 (6.53.23)

रुधिराक्तौ ततस्तौ तु शुशुभाते नरर्षभौ । वसन्तसमये राजन्पुष्पिताविव किंशुकौ ॥

rudhirāktau tatastau tu śuśubhāte nararṣabhau | vasantasamaye rājanpuṣpitāviva kiṃśukau

Smeared with blood, those two bulls among men shone, O king, like two kimshuka trees in flower in springtime.

Verse 24 (6.53.24)

अमर्षितस्ततो राजन्पराक्रम्य चमूमुखे । द्रोणो द्रुपदपुत्रस्य पुनश्चिच्छेद कार्मुकम् ॥

amarṣitastato rājanparākramya camūmukhe | droṇo drupadaputrasya punaściccheda kārmukam

Then, O king, Drona, enraged, pressed forward at the head of the army and again cut the bow of Drupada's son.

Verse 25 (6.53.25)

अथैनं छिन्नधन्वानं शरैः सन्नतपर्वभिः । अभ्यवर्षदमेयात्मा वृष्ट्या मेघ इवाचलम् ॥

athainaṃ chinnadhanvānaṃ śaraiḥ sannataparvabhiḥ | abhyavarṣadameyātmā vṛṣṭyā megha ivācalam

Then he of boundless spirit rained arrows with smooth joints on him, whose bow was now cut, as a cloud rains on a mountain.

Verse 26 (6.53.26)

सारथिं चास्य भल्लेन रथनीडादपातयत् । अथास्य चतुरो वाहांश्चतुर्भिर्निशितैः शरैः ॥

sārathiṃ cāsya bhallena rathanīḍādapātayat | athāsya caturo vāhāṃścaturbhirniśitaiḥ śaraiḥ

With a broad-headed arrow he struck his charioteer down from the chariot's seat; then with four sharp arrows his four horses

Note on the text: Corrected रथनीजादपातयत् → रथनीडादपातयत् (misprint in Wikisource; ज for ड, cf. verse 5 and the critical edition's rathanīḍād).

Verse 27 (6.53.27)

पातयामास समरे सिंहनादं ननाद च । ततोऽपरेण भल्लेन हस्ताच्चापमथाच्छिनत् ॥

pātayāmāsa samare siṃhanādaṃ nanāda ca | tato'pareṇa bhallena hastāccāpamathācchinat

he brought down in the battle, and roared a lion's roar. Then with another broad-headed arrow he cut the bow from his hand.

Verse 28 (6.53.28)

स च्छिन्नधन्वा विरथो हताश्वो हतसारथिः । गदापाणिरवारोहत्ख्यापयन्पौरुषं महत् ॥

sa cchinnadhanvā viratho hatāśvo hatasārathiḥ | gadāpāṇiravārohatkhyāpayanpauruṣaṃ mahat

His bow cut, his chariot lost, his horses slain and his charioteer killed, he stepped down, mace in hand, displaying great courage.

Note on the text: Corrected स्व्यापयन् → ख्यापयन् (misprint in Wikisource; स्व misread for ख, critical edition khyāpayan).

Verse 29 (6.53.29)

तामस्य विशिखैस्तूर्णं पातयामास भारत । रथादनवरूढस्य तदद्भुतमिवाभवत् ॥

tāmasya viśikhaistūrṇaṃ pātayāmāsa bhārata | rathādanavarūḍhasya tadadbhutamivābhavat

But Drona swiftly struck down that mace of his with arrows, O Bharata, before he had even got down from the chariot. It seemed a marvel.

Note on the text: Corrected विशिस्वैस्तूर्णं → विशिखैस्तूर्णं (misprint in Wikisource; स्व misread for ख, critical edition viśikhaiḥ).

Verse 30 (6.53.30)

ततः स विपुलं चर्म शतचन्द्रं च भानुमत् । खड्गं च विपुलं दिव्यं प्रगृह्य सुभुजो बली ॥

tataḥ sa vipulaṃ carma śatacandraṃ ca bhānumat | khaḍgaṃ ca vipulaṃ divyaṃ pragṛhya subhujo balī

Then the strong, long-armed prince seized a broad, shining shield marked with a hundred moons and a large, splendid sword,

Note on the text: Corrected खङ्गं → खड्गं (misprint in Wikisource; critical edition khaḍgaṃ).

Verse 31 (6.53.31)

अभिदुद्राव वेगेन द्रोणस्य वधाकाङ्क्षया । आमिषार्थी यथा सिंहो वने मत्तमिव द्विपम् ॥

abhidudrāva vegena droṇasya vadhākāṅkṣayā | āmiṣārthī yathā siṃho vane mattamiva dvipam

and rushed at Drona with speed, eager to kill him, as a lion hungry for flesh rushes at a rutting elephant in the forest.

Note on the text: वधाकाङ्क्षया (CE vadhakāṅkṣayā) kept: a valid compound, though it gives the quarter nine syllables.

Verse 32 (6.53.32)

तत्राद्भुतमपश्याम भारद्वाजस्य पौरुषम् । लाघवं चास्त्रयोगं च बलं बाह्वोश्च भारत ॥

tatrādbhutamapaśyāma bhāradvājasya pauruṣam | lāghavaṃ cāstrayogaṃ ca balaṃ bāhvośca bhārata

There we saw the wondrous prowess of Bharadvaja's son, his quickness, his skill with weapons and the strength of his arms, O Bharata:

Verse 33 (6.53.33)

यदेनं शरवर्षेण वारयामास पार्षतम् । न शशाक ततो गन्तुं बलवानपि संयुगे ॥

yadenaṃ śaravarṣeṇa vārayāmāsa pārṣatam | na śaśāka tato gantuṃ balavānapi saṃyuge

for he held Parshata back with a shower of arrows, and strong though he was, Parshata could not advance from there in the battle.

Verse 34 (6.53.34)

निवारितस्तु द्रोणेन धृष्टद्युम्नो महारथः । न्यावारयच्छरौघांस्तांश्चर्मणा कृतहस्तवत् ॥

nivāritastu droṇena dhṛṣṭadyumno mahārathaḥ | nyāvārayaccharaughāṃstāṃścarmaṇā kṛtahastavat

Held back by Drona, the great chariot-warrior Dhrishtadyumna fended off those floods of arrows with his shield, like a practised hand.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match above its threshold; this is the critical edition's 6.49.34 (left in critical_edition_unmatched), whose first line reads tatra sthitam apaśyāma dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ mahāratham and whose second line has vārayāṇaṃ śaraughāṃś ca for न्यावारयच्छरौघांस्तान्. Kept as a recension variant.

Verse 35 (6.53.35)

ततो भीमो महाबाहुः सहसाऽभ्यपतद्बली । साहाय्यकारी समरे पार्षतस्य महात्मनः ॥

tato bhīmo mahābāhuḥ sahasā'bhyapatadbalī | sāhāyyakārī samare pārṣatasya mahātmanaḥ

Then the mighty, long-armed Bhima rushed in at once, to help the great-souled Parshata in the battle.

Verse 36 (6.53.36)

स द्रोणं निशितैर्बाणै राजन्विव्याध सप्तभिः । पार्षतं च रथं तूर्णं स्वकमारोहयत्तदा ॥

sa droṇaṃ niśitairbāṇai rājanvivyādha saptabhiḥ | pārṣataṃ ca rathaṃ tūrṇaṃ svakamārohayattadā

He pierced Drona with seven sharp arrows, O king, and quickly took Parshata up onto his own chariot.

Note on the text: Corrected द्रोमं → द्रोणं (misprint in Wikisource; म for ण, critical edition droṇaṃ). Line 2 has Bhima take Parshata onto his own chariot (रथं ... स्वकमारोहयत्) where the critical edition reads anyam āropayad ratham ('onto another chariot'); kept as a recension variant.

Verse 37 (6.53.37)

ततो दुर्योधनो राजन्कलिङ्गं समचोदयत् । सैन्येन महता युक्तं भारद्वाजस्य रक्षणे ॥

tato duryodhano rājankaliṅgaṃ samacodayat | sainyena mahatā yuktaṃ bhāradvājasya rakṣaṇe

Then, O king, Duryodhana urged the king of Kalinga, with a great army, to the protection of Bharadvaja's son.

Note on the text: राजन् (vocative) where the critical edition reads rājā; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 38 (6.53.38)

ततः सा महती सेना कलिङ्गानां जनेश्वर । भीममभ्युद्ययौ तूर्णं तव पुत्रस्य शासनात् ॥

tataḥ sā mahatī senā kaliṅgānāṃ janeśvara | bhīmamabhyudyayau tūrṇaṃ tava putrasya śāsanāt

Then that great army of the Kalingas, O lord of men, swiftly advanced against Bhima at your son's command.

Note on the text: Corrected सेन → सेना (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign, the nominative agreeing with सा महती; critical edition senā).

Verse 39 (6.53.39)

पाञ्चाल्यमथ संत्यज्य द्रोणोऽपि रथिनां वरः । विराटद्रुपदौ वृद्धौ वारयामास संयुगे ॥

pāñcālyamatha saṃtyajya droṇo'pi rathināṃ varaḥ | virāṭadrupadau vṛddhau vārayāmāsa saṃyuge

Drona too, best of chariot-warriors, leaving the Panchala prince, held back the aged Virata and Drupada in the battle.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match; this is the first two lines (ab–cd) of the critical edition's six-line verse 6.49.39, which reads pāñcālyam abhisaṃtyajya and yodhayām āsa saṃgatau where Wikisource has पाञ्चाल्यमथ संत्यज्य and वारयामास संयुगे; kept as recension variants.

Verse 40 (6.53.40)

धृष्टद्युम्नोऽपि समरे धर्मराजानमभ्ययात् । ततः प्रववृते युद्धं तुमुलं रोमहर्षणम् ॥

dhṛṣṭadyumno'pi samare dharmarājānamabhyayāt | tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṃ tumulaṃ romaharṣaṇam

Dhrishtadyumna too went to Yudhishthira, the King of Dharma, in the battle. Then a tumultuous, hair-raising battle began

Note on the text: The alignment found no match; line 1 is the critical edition's 6.49.39ef (dharmarājaṃ samabhyayāt, where Wikisource has धर्मराजानमभ्ययात्, kept as a variant) and line 2 is 6.49.40ab. Wikisource divides the critical edition's two six-line verses 39–40 into three two-line verses (39–41); its own verse-end marks are followed.

Verse 41 (6.53.41)

कलिङ्गानां च समरे भीमस्य च महात्मनः । जगतः प्रक्षयकरं घोररूपं भयावहम् ॥

kaliṅgānāṃ ca samare bhīmasya ca mahātmanaḥ | jagataḥ prakṣayakaraṃ ghorarūpaṃ bhayāvaham

on the field between the Kalingas and the great-souled Bhima, a terrible and fearsome battle that brought ruin on the world.

Note on the text: Corrected भीष्मस्य → भीमस्य (misprint in Wikisource; the Kalinga army was sent against Bhima in verse 38, Bhishma is their own commander, and the critical edition reads bhīmasya). This is the critical edition's 6.49.40cd–ef, which ends bhayānakam where Wikisource has भयावहम्; kept as a variant.