The Fifth Day's Melee: Bhishma Against Bhima and Satyaki

Verse 1 (6.72.1)

शिखण्डी सह मत्स्येन विराटेन विशांपते । भीष्ममाशु महेष्वासमाससाद सुदुर्जयम् ॥

śikhaṇḍī saha matsyena virāṭena viśāṃpate | bhīṣmamāśu maheṣvāsamāsasāda sudurjayam

Shikhandi, together with Virata, king of the Matsyas, quickly closed with Bhishma, O lord of the people, that great archer so very hard to conquer.

Verse 2 (6.72.2)

द्रोणं कृपं विकर्णं च महेष्वासं महाबलम् । राज्ञश्चान्यान्रणे शूरान्बहूनार्च्छद्धनंजयः ॥

droṇaṃ kṛpaṃ vikarṇaṃ ca maheṣvāsaṃ mahābalam | rājñaścānyānraṇe śūrānbahūnārcchaddhanaṃjayaḥ

Dhananjaya fell upon Drona, Kripa and Vikarna, that great and mighty archer, and upon many other brave kings in the battle,

Note on the text: महेष्वासं महाबलम् (singular, of Vikarna) for the critical edition's plural maheṣvāsān mahābalān kept as a variant.

Verse 3 (6.72.3)

सैन्धवं च महेष्वासं सामात्यं सह बन्धुभिः । प्राच्यांश्च दाक्षिणात्यांश्च भूमिपान्भूमिपर्षभ ॥

saindhavaṃ ca maheṣvāsaṃ sāmātyaṃ saha bandhubhiḥ | prācyāṃśca dākṣiṇātyāṃśca bhūmipānbhūmiparṣabha

on the great archer, the lord of Sindhu, with his ministers and kinsmen, and on the kings of the east and of the south, O bull among kings.

Verse 4 (6.72.4)

पुत्रं च ते महेष्वासं दुर्योधनममर्षणम् । दुःसहं चैव समरे भीमसेनोऽभ्यवर्तत ॥

putraṃ ca te maheṣvāsaṃ duryodhanamamarṣaṇam | duḥsahaṃ caiva samare bhīmaseno'bhyavartata

Bhimasena advanced against your son, the great archer Duryodhana, who brooks no affront, and against Duhsaha as well in that battle.

Verse 5 (6.72.5)

सहदेवस्तु शकुनिमुलूकं च महारथम् । पितापुत्रौ महेष्वासावभ्यवर्तत दुर्जयौ ॥

sahadevastu śakunimulūkaṃ ca mahāratham | pitāputrau maheṣvāsāvabhyavartata durjayau

Sahadeva advanced against Shakuni and the great chariot-warrior Uluka, father and son, both great archers and hard to conquer.

Verse 6 (6.72.6)

युधिष्ठिरो महाराज गजानीकं महारथः । समवर्तत संग्रामे पुत्रेण निकृतस्तव ॥

yudhiṣṭhiro mahārāja gajānīkaṃ mahārathaḥ | samavartata saṃgrāme putreṇa nikṛtastava

Yudhishthira, the great chariot-warrior whom your son had wronged by deceit, O great king, engaged the elephant division in battle.

Verse 7 (6.72.7)

माद्रीपुत्रस्तु नकुलः शूरसंक्रन्दनो युधि । त्रिगर्तानां बलैः सार्धं समसज्जत पाण्डवः ॥

mādrīputrastu nakulaḥ śūrasaṃkrandano yudhi | trigartānāṃ balaiḥ sārdhaṃ samasajjata pāṇḍavaḥ

Nakula, son of Madri, the Pandava who makes heroes cry out in battle, closed with the forces of the Trigartas.

Note on the text: Corrected समसञ्जत → समसज्जत (misprint in Wikisource; the root सञ्ज् drops its nasal in the present stem; the critical edition reads samasajjata). बलैः सार्धं for the critical edition's rathodāraiḥ kept as a variant.

Verse 8 (6.72.8)

अभ्यवर्तन्त संक्रुद्धाः समरे साल्वकेकयान् । सात्यकिश्चेकितानश्च सौभद्रश्च महारथः ॥

abhyavartanta saṃkruddhāḥ samare sālvakekayān | sātyakiścekitānaśca saubhadraśca mahārathaḥ

Satyaki, Chekitana and the son of Subhadra, a great chariot-warrior, advanced in fury against the Shalvas and the Kekayas in battle.

Note on the text: संक्रुद्धाः for the critical edition's durdharṣāḥ kept as a variant.

Verse 9 (6.72.9)

धृष्टकेतुश्च समरे राक्षसश्च घटोत्कचः । नाकुलिश्च शतानीकः समरे रथपुङ्गवः । पुत्राणां ते रथानीकं प्रत्युद्याताः सुदुर्जयाः ॥

dhṛṣṭaketuśca samare rākṣasaśca ghaṭotkacaḥ | nākuliśca śatānīkaḥ samare rathapuṅgavaḥ | putrāṇāṃ te rathānīkaṃ pratyudyātāḥ sudurjayāḥ

Dhrishtaketu, the rakshasa Ghatotkacha, and Nakula's son Shatanika, a bull among chariot-warriors, all of them very hard to conquer, went out against your sons' chariot division.

Note on the text: The automatic alignment missed this verse: lines 1 and 3 are the critical edition's 6.68.9ab and cd; line 2 is its star passage 6.68.8b*0284, not in the constituted text.

Verse 10 (6.72.10)

सेनापतिरमेयात्मा धृष्टद्युम्नो महाबलः । द्रोणेन समरे राजन्समियायोग्रकर्मणा ॥

senāpatirameyātmā dhṛṣṭadyumno mahābalaḥ | droṇena samare rājansamiyāyograkarmaṇā

The commander, Dhrishtadyumna of boundless spirit and great strength, met Drona, whose deeds were fierce, in battle, O king.

Note on the text: उग्रकर्मणा for the critical edition's indrakarmaṇā kept as a variant.

Verse 11 (6.72.11)

एवमेते महेष्वासास्तावकाः पाण्डवैः सह । समेत्य समरे शूराः संप्राहारं प्रचक्रिरे ॥

evamete maheṣvāsāstāvakāḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ saha | sametya samare śūrāḥ saṃprāhāraṃ pracakrire

So these great archers of yours, meeting the Pandavas, joined in fierce combat on the field, the brave men of both sides.

Verse 12 (6.72.12)

मध्यंदिनगते सूर्ये नभस्याकुलतां गते । कुरवः पाण्डवेयाश्च निजघ्नुरितरेतरम् ॥

madhyaṃdinagate sūrye nabhasyākulatāṃ gate | kuravaḥ pāṇḍaveyāśca nijaghnuritaretaram

When the sun stood at midday and the sky was in turmoil, the Kurus and the Pandavas struck one another down.

Verse 13 (6.72.13)

ध्वजिनो हेमचित्राङ्गा विचरन्तो रणाजिरे । सपताका रथा रेजुर्वैयाघ्रपरिवारणाः ॥

dhvajino hemacitrāṅgā vicaranto raṇājire | sapatākā rathā rejurvaiyāghraparivāraṇāḥ

The chariots, bearing standards and pennants, their bodies painted with gold and their covers of tiger-skin, shone as they moved over the battlefield.

Verse 14 (6.72.14)

समेतानां च समरे जिगीषूणां परस्परम् । बभूव तुमुलः शब्दः सिंहानामिव नर्दताम् ॥

sametānāṃ ca samare jigīṣūṇāṃ parasparam | babhūva tumulaḥ śabdaḥ siṃhānāmiva nardatām

As they met in battle, each side bent on conquering the other, a tumultuous din arose, like that of roaring lions.

Verse 15 (6.72.15)

तत्राद्भुतमपश्याम संप्रहारं सुदारुणम् । यदकुर्वन्रणे शूराः सृञ्जयाः कुरुभिः सह ॥

tatrādbhutamapaśyāma saṃprahāraṃ sudāruṇam | yadakurvanraṇe śūrāḥ sṛñjayāḥ kurubhiḥ saha

There we saw a wondrous and most dreadful clash, which the brave Srinjayas fought with the Kurus on the field.

Note on the text: Corrected अपश्यास → अपश्याम (misprint in Wikisource; स for म; the critical edition reads apaśyāma).

Verse 16 (6.72.16)

नैव खं न दिशो राजन्न सूर्यं शत्रुतापन । विदिशो वापि पश्यामः शरैर्मुक्तैः समन्ततः ॥

naiva khaṃ na diśo rājanna sūryaṃ śatrutāpana | vidiśo vāpi paśyāmaḥ śarairmuktaiḥ samantataḥ

We could see neither the sky nor the quarters, O king, scorcher of foes, nor the sun nor the intermediate points, for the arrows loosed on every side.

Verse 17 (6.72.17)

शक्तीनां विमलाग्राणां तोमराणां तथास्यताम् । निस्त्रिंशानां च पीतानां नीलोत्पलनिभाः प्रभाः ॥

śaktīnāṃ vimalāgrāṇāṃ tomarāṇāṃ tathāsyatām | nistriṃśānāṃ ca pītānāṃ nīlotpalanibhāḥ prabhāḥ

The gleam of spears with spotless points, of javelins being hurled and of tempered swords was like the hue of blue lotuses.

Verse 18 (6.72.18)

कवचानां विचित्राणां भूषणानां प्रभास्तथा । खं दिशः प्रदिशश्चैव भासयामासुरोजसा ॥

kavacānāṃ vicitrāṇāṃ bhūṣaṇānāṃ prabhāstathā | khaṃ diśaḥ pradiśaścaiva bhāsayāmāsurojasā

The radiance of many-coloured armour and of ornaments lit up the sky, the quarters and the intermediate quarters with its brilliance.

Note on the text: The automatic alignment missed this verse: it is the critical edition's 6.68.18a–d.

Verse 19 (6.72.19)

वपुर्भिश्च नरेन्द्राणां चन्द्रसूर्यसमप्रभैः । विरराज तदा राजंस्तत्रतत्र रणाङ्गणम् ॥

vapurbhiśca narendrāṇāṃ candrasūryasamaprabhaiḥ | virarāja tadā rājaṃstatratatra raṇāṅgaṇam

And with the bodies of kings, bright as the moon and the sun, the field of battle shone here and there, O king.

Note on the text: The automatic alignment missed this verse: line 1 is the critical edition's star passage 6.68.18d*0285, not in its constituted text; line 2 is 6.68.18e.

Verse 20 (6.72.20)

रथसङ्घा नरव्याघ्राः समायान्तश्च संयुगे । विरेजुः समरे राजन्ग्रहा इव नभस्तले ॥

rathasaṅghā naravyāghrāḥ samāyāntaśca saṃyuge | virejuḥ samare rājangrahā iva nabhastale

The hosts of chariots and the tigers among men, coming together in combat, shone in battle, O king, like planets in the sky.

Note on the text: रथसङ्घा नरव्याघ्राः for the critical edition's rathasiṃhāsanavyāghrāḥ kept as a variant.

Verse 21 (6.72.21)

भीष्मस्तु रथिनां श्रेष्ठो भीमसेनं महाबलम् । अवारयत संक्रुद्धः सर्वसैन्यस्य पश्यतः ॥

bhīṣmastu rathināṃ śreṣṭho bhīmasenaṃ mahābalam | avārayata saṃkruddhaḥ sarvasainyasya paśyataḥ

Bhishma, best of chariot-warriors, in fury held back the mighty Bhimasena while the whole army looked on.

Verse 22 (6.72.22)

ततो भीष्मविनिर्मुक्ता रुक्मपुङ्खाः शिलाशिताः । अभ्यघ्नन्समरे भीमं तैलधौताः सुतेजनाः ॥

tato bhīṣmavinirmuktā rukmapuṅkhāḥ śilāśitāḥ | abhyaghnansamare bhīmaṃ tailadhautāḥ sutejanāḥ

Then the gold-feathered arrows loosed by Bhishma, whetted on stone, washed in oil and keen-edged, struck Bhima in the battle.

Note on the text: Corrected अभ्यङ्गन्तमरे → अभ्यघ्नन्समरे (misprint in Wikisource; garbled aksharas; the critical edition reads abhyaghnan samare) and तैलघौताः → तैलधौताः (misprint in Wikisource; घ for ध; the critical edition reads tailadhautāḥ).

Verse 23 (6.72.23)

तस्य शक्तिं महावेगां भीमसेनो महाबलः । क्रुद्धाशीविषसंकाशां प्रेषयामास भारत ॥

tasya śaktiṃ mahāvegāṃ bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ | kruddhāśīviṣasaṃkāśāṃ preṣayāmāsa bhārata

Mighty Bhimasena hurled at him a spear of great speed, like an angry venomous serpent, O Bharata.

Note on the text: Corrected महावेगं → महावेगां and क्रुद्धाशीविषसंकाशं → क्रुद्धाशीविषसंकाशां (misprints in Wikisource; both must agree with the feminine शक्तिं; the critical edition reads mahāvegāṃ … saṃkāśāṃ).

Verse 24 (6.72.24)

तामापतन्तीं सहसा रुक्मदण्डां दुरासदाम् । चिच्छेद समरे भीष्मः शरैः सन्नतपर्वभिः ॥

tāmāpatantīṃ sahasā rukmadaṇḍāṃ durāsadām | ciccheda samare bhīṣmaḥ śaraiḥ sannataparvabhiḥ

As that gold-shafted spear, so hard to withstand, came suddenly flying at him, Bhishma cut it down in the battle with arrows of smooth joints.

Note on the text: Corrected रुक्मदण्डं → रुक्मदण्डां (misprint in Wikisource; it must agree with the feminine ताम् … दुरासदाम्; the critical edition reads rukmadaṇḍāṃ).

Verse 25 (6.72.25)

ततोऽपरेण भल्लेन पीतेन निशितेन च । कार्मुकं भीमसेनस्य द्विधा चिच्छेद भारत ॥

tato'pareṇa bhallena pītena niśitena ca | kārmukaṃ bhīmasenasya dvidhā ciccheda bhārata

Then with another broad-headed arrow, yellow and well sharpened, he cut Bhimasena's bow in two, O Bharata.

Verse 26 (6.72.26)

अपास्य तु धनुश्छिन्नं भीमसेनो महाबलः । शरैर्बहुभिरानर्च्छद्भीष्मं शान्तनवं युधि ॥

apāsya tu dhanuśchinnaṃ bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ | śarairbahubhirānarcchadbhīṣmaṃ śāntanavaṃ yudhi

Casting aside the broken bow, mighty Bhimasena struck Bhishma, son of Shantanu, with many arrows in the fight.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives it only in its apparatus, as the star passage 6.68.24d*0286.

Verse 27 (6.72.27)

सात्यकिस्तु ततस्तूर्णं भीष्ममासाद्य संयुगे । आकर्णप्रहितैस्तीक्ष्णैर्निशितैस्तिग्मतेजनैः ॥

sātyakistu tatastūrṇaṃ bhīṣmamāsādya saṃyuge | ākarṇaprahitaistīkṣṇairniśitaistigmatejanaiḥ

Then Satyaki, swiftly closing with Bhishma in the battle, with keen, whetted arrows of fierce points drawn back to the ear,

Note on the text: Corrected आकर्णप्रहितैस्त्रीक्ष्णैर् → आकर्णप्रहितैस्तीक्ष्णैर् (misprint in Wikisource; a stray repha; the apparatus reads tīkṣṇair). The automatic alignment missed this verse: line 1 is the critical edition's 6.68.25ab; line 2 is its star passage 6.68.25b*0287, not in the constituted text.

Verse 28 (6.72.28)

शरैर्बहुभिरानर्च्छत्पितरं ते जनेश्वर । ततः संधाय वै तीक्ष्णं शरं परमदारुणम् ॥

śarairbahubhirānarcchatpitaraṃ te janeśvara | tataḥ saṃdhāya vai tīkṣṇaṃ śaraṃ paramadāruṇam

struck your father with many arrows, O lord of men. Then, fitting to his bow a sharp and most dreadful arrow,

Note on the text: The automatic alignment missed this verse: line 1 is the critical edition's 6.68.25cd and line 2 its 6.68.26ab (the star line in the verse before shifts Wikisource's couplets by a line against the critical edition).

Verse 29 (6.72.29)

वार्ष्णेयस्य रथाद्भीष्मः पातयामास सारथिम् । तस्याश्वाः प्रद्रुता राजन्निहते रथसारथौ ॥

vārṣṇeyasya rathādbhīṣmaḥ pātayāmāsa sārathim | tasyāśvāḥ pradrutā rājannihate rathasārathau

Bhishma struck down the charioteer from the Vrishni hero's chariot. With the charioteer of his chariot slain, O king, his horses bolted

Note on the text: The automatic alignment missed this verse: line 1 is the critical edition's 6.68.26cd and line 2 its 6.68.27ab.

Verse 30 (6.72.30)

तेन तेनैव धावन्ति मनोमारुतरंहसः । ततः सर्वस्य सैन्यस्य निःस्वनस्तुमुलोऽभवत् ॥

tena tenaiva dhāvanti manomārutaraṃhasaḥ | tataḥ sarvasya sainyasya niḥsvanastumulo'bhavat

and ran hither and thither, swift as the mind or the wind. Then a tumultuous uproar rose from the whole army,

Note on the text: The automatic alignment missed this verse: line 1 is the critical edition's 6.68.27cd and line 2 its 6.68.28ab.

Verse 31 (6.72.31)

हाहाकारश्च संजज्ञे पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम् । अभिद्रवत गृह्णीत हयान्यच्छत धावत ॥

hāhākāraśca saṃjajñe pāṇḍavānāṃ mahātmanām | abhidravata gṛhṇīta hayānyacchata dhāvata

and cries of alarm went up from the high-souled Pandavas: "Run to him! Seize them! Rein in the horses! Hurry!"

Note on the text: Corrected अभ्यद्रवत → अभिद्रवत (misprint in Wikisource; the cry needs the imperative, like गृह्णीत, यच्छत and धावत beside it, not the imperfect; the critical edition reads abhidravata). The automatic alignment missed this verse: line 1 is the critical edition's 6.68.28cd and line 2 its 6.68.29ab.

Verse 32 (6.72.32)

इत्यासीत्तुमुलः शब्दो युयुधानरथं प्रति । एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु भीष्मः शान्तनवस्तदा ॥

ityāsīttumulaḥ śabdo yuyudhānarathaṃ prati | etasminneva kāle tu bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavastadā

Such was the uproar around Yuyudhana's chariot. At that very time Bhishma, son of Shantanu,

Note on the text: The automatic alignment missed this verse: line 1 is the critical edition's 6.68.29cd and line 2 its 6.68.30ab (तदा for punaḥ kept as a variant).

Verse 33 (6.72.33)

न्यहनत्पाण्डवीं सेनामासुरीमिव वृत्राहा । ते वध्यमाना भीष्मेण पाञ्चालाः सोमकैः सह । स्थिरां युद्धे मतिं कृत्वा भीष्ममेवाभिदुद्रुवुः ॥

nyahanatpāṇḍavīṃ senāmāsurīmiva vṛtrāhā | te vadhyamānā bhīṣmeṇa pāñcālāḥ somakaiḥ saha | sthirāṃ yuddhe matiṃ kṛtvā bhīṣmamevābhidudruvuḥ

slew the Pandava army as the slayer of Vritra slew the host of the asuras. Being slaughtered by Bhishma, the Panchalas and the Somakas set their minds firmly on battle and rushed at Bhishma himself.

Note on the text: The automatic alignment missed this verse: line 1 is the critical edition's 6.68.30cd (न्यहनत् for vyahanat kept as a variant) and lines 2–3 its 6.68.31ab and cd (स्थिरां for āryāṃ kept as a variant).

Verse 34 (6.72.34)

धृष्टद्युम्नमुखाश्चापि पार्थाः शान्तनवं रणे । अभ्यधावञ्जिगीषन्तस्तव पुत्रस्य वाहिनीम् ॥

dhṛṣṭadyumnamukhāścāpi pārthāḥ śāntanavaṃ raṇe | abhyadhāvañjigīṣantastava putrasya vāhinīm

The Parthas too, led by Dhrishtadyumna, charged at Shantanu's son in the battle, seeking to conquer your son's army.

Verse 35 (6.72.35)

तथैव कौरवा राजन्भीष्मद्रोणपुरोगमाः । अभ्यधावन्त वेगेन ततो युद्धमवर्तत ॥

tathaiva kauravā rājanbhīṣmadroṇapurogamāḥ | abhyadhāvanta vegena tato yuddhamavartata

Likewise the Kauravas, O king, led by Bhishma and Drona, charged with speed, and then the battle raged on.

Note on the text: कौरवा … पुरोगमाः for the critical edition's tāvakā … mukhāḥ parān kept as a variant.