Bhima's Mace Routs the Kauravas; Satyaki Charges

Verse 1 (6.63.1)

हते तस्मिन्गजानीके पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव । भीमसेनं घ्नतेत्येवं सर्वसैन्यान्यचोदयत् ॥

hate tasmingajānīke putro duryodhanastava | bhīmasenaṃ ghnatetyevaṃ sarvasainyānyacodayat

When that elephant division had been destroyed, your son Duryodhana urged on all his troops, crying, "Kill Bhimasena!"

Note on the text: Corrected ध्नतेत्येवं → घ्नतेत्येवं (misprint in Wikisource; ध for घ, critical edition ghnatety evaṃ). Line 1 opens हते तस्मिन् where the critical edition reads tasmin hate; kept.

Verse 2 (6.63.2)

ततः सर्वाण्यनीकानि तव पुत्रस्य शासनात् । अभ्यद्रवन्भीमसेनं नदन्तं भैरवान्रवान् ॥

tataḥ sarvāṇyanīkāni tava putrasya śāsanāt | abhyadravanbhīmasenaṃ nadantaṃ bhairavānravān

Then, at your son's command, all the divisions rushed at Bhimasena as he roared his terrible roars.

Verse 3 (6.63.3)

तं बलौघमपर्यन्तं देवैरपि सुदुःसहम् । आपतन्तं सुदुष्पारं समुद्रमिव पर्वणि ॥

taṃ balaughamaparyantaṃ devairapi suduḥsaham | āpatantaṃ suduṣpāraṃ samudramiva parvaṇi

That boundless flood of troops, hard for even the gods to withstand, came rushing on, as impassable as the ocean swelling at the change of the moon,

Note on the text: Corrected समुद्रिमिव → समुद्रमिव (misprint in Wikisource; a stray i-sign, critical edition samudram iva). सुदुःसहम् (critical edition durutsaham) kept as a recension variant.

Verse 4 (6.63.4)

रथनागाश्वकलिलं शङ्खदुन्दुभिनादितम् । अनन्तरथपादातं रजसा सर्वतो वृतम् ॥

rathanāgāśvakalilaṃ śaṅkhadundubhināditam | anantarathapādātaṃ rajasā sarvato vṛtam

crowded with chariots, elephants and horses, resounding with conches and drums, with chariots and foot soldiers beyond number, and wrapped in dust on every side.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 6.59.4ab; line 2 (अनन्तरथपादातं रजसा सर्वतो वृतम्) differs from its 6.59.4cd (athānantam apāraṃ ca narendrastimitahradam) and is kept as Wikisource's reading.

Verse 5 (6.63.5)

तं भीमसेनः समरे महोदधिमिवापरम् । सेनासागरमक्षोभ्यं वेलेव समवारयत् ॥

taṃ bhīmasenaḥ samare mahodadhimivāparam | senāsāgaramakṣobhyaṃ veleva samavārayat

Bhimasena held back that unshakable ocean of an army in battle, a second great sea, as the shore holds back the sea.

Verse 6 (6.63.6)

तदाश्चर्यमपश्याम पाण्डवस्य महात्मनः । भीमसेनस्य समरे राजन्कर्मातिमानुषम् ॥

tadāścaryamapaśyāma pāṇḍavasya mahātmanaḥ | bhīmasenasya samare rājankarmātimānuṣam

We saw then a marvel, O king: the more than human feat in battle of the great-souled Pandava Bhimasena.

Verse 7 (6.63.7)

उदीर्णान्पार्थिवान्सर्वान्साश्वान्सरथकुञ्जरान् । असंभ्रमं भीमसेनो गदया समवारयत् ॥

udīrṇānpārthivānsarvānsāśvānsarathakuñjarān | asaṃbhramaṃ bhīmaseno gadayā samavārayat

Without the least alarm, Bhimasena held back with his mace all the kings who surged forward with their horses, chariots and elephants.

Verse 8 (6.63.8)

स संवार्य बलौघांस्तान्गदया रथिनां वरः । अतिष्ठत्तुमुले भीमो गिरिर्मेरुरिवाचलः ॥

sa saṃvārya balaughāṃstāngadayā rathināṃ varaḥ | atiṣṭhattumule bhīmo girirmerurivācalaḥ

Having held back those floods of troops with his mace, Bhima, best of chariot-warriors, stood in the tumult as immovable as Mount Meru.

Note on the text: Corrected बलौघांस्तन्गदया → बलौघांस्तान्गदया (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped ā, critical edition balaughāṃs tān gadayā).

Verse 9 (6.63.9)

तस्मिन्सुतुमुले घोरे काले परमदारुणे । भ्रातरश्चैव पुत्राश्च धृष्टद्युम्नश्च पार्षतः ॥

tasminsutumule ghore kāle paramadāruṇe | bhrātaraścaiva putrāśca dhṛṣṭadyumnaśca pārṣataḥ

In that terrible, tumultuous and most dreadful hour, his brothers and his sons, Dhrishtadyumna the son of Prishata,

Verse 10 (6.63.10)

द्रौपदेयाभिमन्युश्च शिखण्डी चापराजितः । न प्राजहन्भीमसेनं भये जाते महाबलम् ॥

draupadeyābhimanyuśca śikhaṇḍī cāparājitaḥ | na prājahanbhīmasenaṃ bhaye jāte mahābalam

the sons of Draupadi, Abhimanyu and the unconquered Shikhandi did not abandon mighty Bhimasena, though fear had arisen.

Verse 11 (6.63.11)

ततः शैक्यायसीं गुर्वीं प्रगृह्य महतीं गदाम् । अधावत्तावकान्योधान्दण्डपाणिरिवान्तकः ॥

tataḥ śaikyāyasīṃ gurvīṃ pragṛhya mahatīṃ gadām | adhāvattāvakānyodhāndaṇḍapāṇirivāntakaḥ

Then, taking up his huge, heavy mace of Shaikya iron, he ran at your warriors like Death with his staff in hand.

Note on the text: The critical edition's 6.59.11ab–cd (अधावत् where it reads avadhīt, kept); its 6.59.11ef opens the next verse.

Verse 12 (6.63.12)

पोथयन्रथबृन्दानि वाजिबृन्दानि चाभिभूः । कर्षयन्रथवृन्दानि बाहुवेगेन पाण्डवः ॥

pothayanrathabṛndāni vājibṛndāni cābhibhūḥ | karṣayanrathavṛndāni bāhuvegena pāṇḍavaḥ

Mighty and overpowering, the Pandava crushed throngs of chariots and throngs of horses, and dragged throngs of chariots along by the force of his arms.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 6.59.11ef; line 2 (कर्षयन्रथवृन्दानि बाहुवेगेन पाण्डवः) is not in the critical edition (vulgate recension). Corrected पोययन् → पोथयन् and वाजिबृन्दनि → वाजिबृन्दानि (misprints in Wikisource; य for थ and a dropped ā, critical edition pothayan … vājivṛndāni). The spelling बृन्द for वृन्द is kept.

Verse 13 (6.63.13)

विनिघ्नन्व्यचरत्सङ्ख्ये युगान्ते कालवद्विभुः । ऊरुवेगेन संकर्षन्रथजालानि पाण्डवः ॥

vinighnanvyacaratsaṅkhye yugānte kālavadvibhuḥ | ūruvegena saṃkarṣanrathajālāni pāṇḍavaḥ

Slaying as he went, the Pandava ranged over the battlefield like all-powerful Time at the end of an age, dragging whole masses of chariots along with the force of his thighs.

Note on the text: Line 1 corresponds to the critical edition's 6.59.12cd, line 2 to 6.59.13ab; the critical edition's 6.59.12ab (vyacarat samare bhīmo yugānte pāvako yathā) is not on the page. Corrected विनिध्रन्यचतत्सङ्ख्ये → विनिघ्नन्व्यचरत्सङ्ख्ये (misprint in Wikisource; a garbled word, ध्र for घ्न, य for व्य and त for र; the critical edition has vinighnan and vyacarat) and कालविद्विभुः → कालवद्विभुः (misprint; critical edition kālavad vibhuḥ).

Verse 14 (6.63.14)

बलानि संममर्दाशु नड्वलानीव कुञ्जरः । मृद्नन्रथेभ्यो रथिनो गजेभ्यो गजयोधिनः ॥

balāni saṃmamardāśu naḍvalānīva kuñjaraḥ | mṛdnanrathebhyo rathino gajebhyo gajayodhinaḥ

He swiftly crushed the troops as an elephant tramples a reed bed, pounding chariot-warriors down from their chariots and elephant-fighters from their elephants,

Note on the text: Line 1 corresponds to the critical edition's 6.59.13cd (बलानि संममर्दाशु where it reads pramardayan gajān sarvān, kept); line 2 is 6.59.14ab. Corrected मृद्गन् → मृद्नन् (misprint in Wikisource; ग for न, critical edition mṛdnan).

Verse 15 (6.63.15)

सादिनश्चाश्वपृष्ठेभ्यो भूमौ वापि पदातिनः । गदया व्यधमत्सर्वान्वातो वृक्षानिवौजसा ॥

sādinaścāśvapṛṣṭhebhyo bhūmau vāpi padātinaḥ | gadayā vyadhamatsarvānvāto vṛkṣānivaujasā

horsemen from their horses' backs, and foot soldiers on the ground; with his mace he swept them all away by his might, as the wind sweeps away trees.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 6.59.14cd (वापि where it reads caiva, kept); line 2 is its star passage 6.59.14d*0239, line 1. Corrected व्यवमत् → व्यधमत् (misprint in Wikisource; व for ध, the star passage reads vyadhamat).

Verse 16 (6.63.16)

भीमसेनो महाबाहुस्तव पुत्रस्य वै बले । सापि मज्जावसामांसैः प्रदिग्धा रुधिरेण च ॥

bhīmaseno mahābāhustava putrasya vai bale | sāpi majjāvasāmāṃsaiḥ pradigdhā rudhireṇa ca

So did mighty-armed Bhimasena among your son's troops. And his mace, smeared with marrow, fat and flesh and drenched in blood,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as star passage 6.59.14d*0239, lines 2–3. Corrected प्रञ्जानसामासैः → मज्जावसामांसैः (misprint in Wikisource; a garbled compound, the apparatus reads majjāvasāmāṃsaiḥ). सापि (apparatus sā vai) kept.

Verse 17 (6.63.17)

अदृश्यत महारौद्रा गदा नागाश्वपातनी । तत्रतत्र हतैश्चापि मनुष्यगजवाजिभिः ॥

adṛśyata mahāraudrā gadā nāgāśvapātanī | tatratatra hataiścāpi manuṣyagajavājibhiḥ

was seen, most terrible, felling elephants and horses. With men, elephants and horses slain here and there,

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's star passage 6.59.14d*0239, line 4 (नागाश्वपातनी where it reads nāgāśvaghātinī, kept); line 2 is 6.59.15ab.

Verse 18 (6.63.18)

रणाङ्गणं समभवन्मृत्योरावाससन्निभम् । पिनाकमिव रुद्रस्य क्रुद्धस्याभिघ्नतः पशून् ॥

raṇāṅgaṇaṃ samabhavanmṛtyorāvāsasannibham | pinākamiva rudrasya kruddhasyābhighnataḥ paśūn

the field of battle became like the dwelling of Death. Like the Pinaka bow of Rudra when in his wrath he strikes down the creatures,

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 6.59.15cd (समभवन् … आवाससन्निभम् where it reads tad abhavan … āghātasaṃnibham, kept); line 2 is 6.59.16ab.

Verse 19 (6.63.19)

यमदण्डोपमामुग्रामिन्द्राशनिसमस्वनाम् । ददृशुर्भीमसेनस्य रौद्रां विशसनीं गदाम् ॥

yamadaṇḍopamāmugrāmindrāśanisamasvanām | dadṛśurbhīmasenasya raudrāṃ viśasanīṃ gadām

so they saw Bhimasena's fierce, slaughtering mace, like the staff of Yama, with a sound like Indra's thunderbolt.

Note on the text: The critical edition's 6.59.16cd–ef.

Verse 20 (6.63.20)

आविध्यतो गदां तस्य कौन्तेयस्य महात्मनः । बभौ रूपं महाघोरं कालस्येव युगक्षये ॥

āvidhyato gadāṃ tasya kaunteyasya mahātmanaḥ | babhau rūpaṃ mahāghoraṃ kālasyeva yugakṣaye

As the great-souled son of Kunti whirled his mace, his form shone most terrible, like that of Time at the end of the age.

Verse 21 (6.63.21)

तं तथा महतीं सेनां द्रावयन्तं पुनः पुनः । दृष्ट्वा मृत्युमिवायान्तं सर्वे विमनसोऽभवन् ॥

taṃ tathā mahatīṃ senāṃ drāvayantaṃ punaḥ punaḥ | dṛṣṭvā mṛtyumivāyāntaṃ sarve vimanaso'bhavan

Seeing him rout that great army again and again, coming on like Death himself, they all lost heart.

Note on the text: Corrected मृत्युमवायान्तं → मृत्युमिवायान्तं (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped i-sign that loses the simile's इव, critical edition mṛtyum ivāyāntaṃ).

Verse 22 (6.63.22)

यतोयतः प्रेक्षते स्म गदामुद्यम्य पाण्डवः । तेनतेन स्म दीर्यन्ते सर्वसैन्यानि भारत ॥

yatoyataḥ prekṣate sma gadāmudyamya pāṇḍavaḥ | tenatena sma dīryante sarvasainyāni bhārata

Wherever the Pandava looked with his mace raised, there, O Bharata, all the troops broke apart.

Verse 23 (6.63.23)

प्रदारयन्तं सैन्यानि बलेनामितविक्रमम् । ग्रसमानमनीकानि व्यादितास्यमिवान्तकम् ॥

pradārayantaṃ sainyāni balenāmitavikramam | grasamānamanīkāni vyāditāsyamivāntakam

Him of boundless valour, tearing the troops apart by his strength and swallowing whole divisions like Death with jaws gaping wide —

Verse 24 (6.63.24)

तं तथा भीमकर्माणं प्रगृहीतमहागदम् । दृष्ट्वा वृकोदरं भीष्मः सहसैव समभ्ययात् ॥

taṃ tathā bhīmakarmāṇaṃ pragṛhītamahāgadam | dṛṣṭvā vṛkodaraṃ bhīṣmaḥ sahasaiva samabhyayāt

seeing Vrikodara of terrible deeds thus gripping his great mace, Bhishma at once advanced against him,

Verse 25 (6.63.25)

महता रथघोषेण रथेनादित्यवर्चसा । छादयञ्शरवर्षेण पर्जन्य इव वृष्टिमान् ॥

mahatā rathaghoṣeṇa rathenādityavarcasā | chādayañśaravarṣeṇa parjanya iva vṛṣṭimān

on his sun-bright chariot, with a great rumbling of its wheels, covering him with a rain of arrows like a cloud pouring down rain.

Verse 26 (6.63.26)

तमायान्तं तथा दृष्ट्वा व्यात्ताननमिवान्तकम् । भीष्मं भीमो महाबाहुः प्रत्युदीयादमर्षितः ॥

tamāyāntaṃ tathā dṛṣṭvā vyāttānanamivāntakam | bhīṣmaṃ bhīmo mahābāhuḥ pratyudīyādamarṣitaḥ

Seeing Bhishma coming on like Death with open jaws, mighty-armed Bhima, unable to bear it, went out to meet him.

Verse 27 (6.63.27)

तस्मिन्क्षणे सात्यकिः सत्यसन्धः । शिनिप्रवीरोऽभ्यपतत्पितामहम् । निघ्नन्नमित्रान्धनुषा दृढेन । संकम्पयंस्तव पुत्रस्य सैन्यम् ॥

tasminkṣaṇe sātyakiḥ satyasandhaḥ | śinipravīro'bhyapatatpitāmaham | nighnannamitrāndhanuṣā dṛḍhena | saṃkampayaṃstava putrasya sainyam

At that moment Satyaki, true to his word, the hero of the Shini line, fell upon the grandsire, killing his enemies with his strong bow and making your son's army tremble.

Verse 28 (6.63.28)

तं यान्तमश्वै रजतप्रकाशैः । शरान्वपन्तं निशितान्सुपुङ्खान् । नाशक्नुवन्धारयितुं तदानीं । सर्वे गणा भारत ये त्वदीयाः ॥

taṃ yāntamaśvai rajataprakāśaiḥ | śarānvapantaṃ niśitānsupuṅkhān | nāśaknuvandhārayituṃ tadānīṃ | sarve gaṇā bhārata ye tvadīyāḥ

As he drove on with his silver-bright horses, scattering sharp, well-feathered arrows, none of all your companies, O Bharata, could check him then.

Note on the text: Corrected नाशक्नवन् → नाशक्नुवन् (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped u, critical edition nāśaknuvan). शरान्वपन्तं निशितान्सुपुङ्खान् and धारयितुं (critical edition śarān dhamantaṃ dhanuṣā dṛḍhena, vārayituṃ) kept as recension variants.

Verse 29 (6.63.29)

अविध्यदेनं दशभिः पृषत्कै- । रलम्बुसो राक्षसोऽसौ तदानीम् । शरैश्चतुर्भिः प्रतिविध्य तं च । नप्ता शिनेरभ्यपतद्रथेन ॥

avidhyadenaṃ daśabhiḥ pṛṣatkai- | ralambuso rākṣaso'sau tadānīm | śaraiścaturbhiḥ pratividhya taṃ ca | naptā śinerabhyapatadrathena

Then the rakshasa Alambusa pierced him with ten arrows; and the grandson of Shini, piercing him back with four, charged on with his chariot.

Note on the text: Corresponds to the critical edition's 6.59.26 with variants (Wikisource calls Alambusa a rakshasa where the critical edition names him a royal son of Rishyashringa); kept. Corrected पृषत्कैः- → पृषत्कै- (the visarga was printed as well as the sandhi र carried to the next line) and प्रतिविद्ध्य → प्रतिविध्य (misprint in Wikisource; a doubled consonant, critical edition pratividhya).

Verse 30 (6.63.30)

अन्वागतं वृष्णिवरं निशम्य । तं शत्रुमध्ये परिवर्तमानम् । प्रद्रावयन्तं कुरुपुङ्गवांश्च । पुनः पुनश्च प्रणदन्तमाजौ ॥

anvāgataṃ vṛṣṇivaraṃ niśamya | taṃ śatrumadhye parivartamānam | pradrāvayantaṃ kurupuṅgavāṃśca | punaḥ punaśca praṇadantamājau

Seeing that the best of the Vrishnis had come on and was wheeling about in the midst of the enemy, putting the bulls of the Kurus to flight and roaring again and again in battle,

Verse 31 (6.63.31)

योधास्त्वदीयाः शरवर्षैरवर्ष- । न्मेघा यथा भूधरमम्बुवेगैः । तथापि तं धारयितुं न शेकु- । र्मध्यंदिने सूर्यमिवातपन्तम् ॥

yodhāstvadīyāḥ śaravarṣairavarṣa- | nmeghā yathā bhūdharamambuvegaiḥ | tathāpi taṃ dhārayituṃ na śeku- | rmadhyaṃdine sūryamivātapantam

your warriors rained showers of arrows on him, as clouds pour torrents of water on a mountain; yet they could not stop him, blazing like the sun at midday.

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's star passage 6.59.27d*0241; lines 3–4 correspond to its 6.59.28ab (तथापि तं धारयितुं न शेकुः where it reads nāśaknuvan vārayituṃ variṣṭhaṃ, kept).

Verse 32 (6.63.32)

न तत्र कश्चिन्नविषण्ण आसी- । दृते राजन्सोमदत्तस्य पुत्रात् । स वै समादाय धनुर्महात्मा । भूरिश्रवा भारत सौमदत्तिः ॥

na tatra kaścinnaviṣaṇṇa āsī- | dṛte rājansomadattasya putrāt | sa vai samādāya dhanurmahātmā | bhūriśravā bhārata saumadattiḥ

There was no one there, O king, who was not dismayed, save the son of Somadatta. Taking up his bow, the great-souled Bhurishravas, son of Somadatta, O Bharata,

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 6.59.28cd; lines 3–4 correspond to its 6.59.29ab (स वै समादाय धनुर्महात्मा where it reads sa hy ādadāno dhanur ugravegaṃ, kept). Corrected भिरिश्रवा → भूरिश्रवा (misprint in Wikisource; i-sign for ū-sign).

Verse 33 (6.63.33)

दृष्ट्वा रथान्स्वान्व्यपनीयमाना- । न्प्रत्युद्ययौ सात्यकिं योद्धुमिच्छन् ॥

dṛṣṭvā rathānsvānvyapanīyamānā- | npratyudyayau sātyakiṃ yoddhumicchan

seeing his own chariots being driven back, went out against Satyaki, eager to fight him.

Note on the text: The critical edition's 6.59.29cd, printed by Wikisource as a separate half-verse.