The Makara and the Krauncha: The Sixth Day Begins

Verse 1 (6.75.1)

विहृत्य तु ततो राजन्सहिताः कुरुपाण्डवाः । व्यतीतायां तु शर्वर्यां पुनर्युद्धाय निर्ययुः ॥

vihṛtya tu tato rājansahitāḥ kurupāṇḍavāḥ | vyatītāyāṃ tu śarvaryāṃ punaryuddhāya niryayuḥ

Then, O king, the Kurus and the Pandavas, having rested together, set out once more for battle when the night had passed.

Verse 2 (6.75.2)

ततः शब्दो महानासीत्तव तेषां च भारत । युज्यतां रथमुख्यानां कल्प्यतां चैव दन्तिनाम् ॥

tataḥ śabdo mahānāsīttava teṣāṃ ca bhārata | yujyatāṃ rathamukhyānāṃ kalpyatāṃ caiva dantinām

Then a great clamour arose among your men and theirs, Bharata: 'Yoke the foremost chariots! Make the elephants ready!'

Verse 3 (6.75.3)

संनह्यतां पदातीनां हयानां चैव भारत । शङ्खदुन्दुभिनादश्च तुमुलः सर्वतोऽभवत् ॥

saṃnahyatāṃ padātīnāṃ hayānāṃ caiva bhārata | śaṅkhadundubhinādaśca tumulaḥ sarvato'bhavat

'Let the foot soldiers and the horses be armoured!' And the tumultuous din of conches and drums rose on every side.

Verse 4 (6.75.4)

ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा धृष्टद्युम्नमभाषत । व्यूहं व्यूहस्व पाञ्चाल मकरं शत्रुनाशनम् ॥

tato yudhiṣṭhiro rājā dhṛṣṭadyumnamabhāṣata | vyūhaṃ vyūhasva pāñcāla makaraṃ śatrunāśanam

Then King Yudhishthira said to Dhrishtadyumna, 'Prince of Panchala, draw up the makara array, the destroyer of enemies.'

Verse 5 (6.75.5)

एवमुक्तस्तु पार्थेन धृष्टद्युम्नो महारथः । व्यादिदेश यथान्यायं रथिनो रथिनां वरः ॥

evamuktastu pārthena dhṛṣṭadyumno mahārathaḥ | vyādideśa yathānyāyaṃ rathino rathināṃ varaḥ

So addressed by Partha, the great chariot-warrior Dhrishtadyumna, best of chariot-fighters, assigned the chariot-warriors their places in due order.

Verse 6 (6.75.6)

शिरोऽभूद्द्रुपदस्तस्य पाण्डवश्च धनञ्जयः । चक्षुषी सहदेवश्च नकुलश्च महारथः ॥

śiro'bhūddrupadastasya pāṇḍavaśca dhanañjayaḥ | cakṣuṣī sahadevaśca nakulaśca mahārathaḥ

Drupada and the Pandava Dhananjaya were the array's head; Sahadeva and the great chariot-warrior Nakula were its eyes.

Note on the text: The automatic alignment missed this verse: it is the critical edition's 6.71.6a–d.

Verse 7 (6.75.7)

तुण्डमासीन्महाराज भीमसेनो महाबलः । सौभद्रो द्रौपदेयाश्च राक्षसश्च घटोत्कचः ॥

tuṇḍamāsīnmahārāja bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ | saubhadro draupadeyāśca rākṣasaśca ghaṭotkacaḥ

Its beak, great king, was the mighty Bhimasena, together with Saubhadra, the sons of Draupadi and the rakshasa Ghatotkacha.

Note on the text: The automatic alignment missed this verse: line 1 is the critical edition's 6.71.6ef and line 2 its 6.71.7ab (Wikisource divides the critical edition's three-line verse into couplets).

Verse 8 (6.75.8)

सात्यकिर्धर्मराजश्च व्यूहग्रीवां समास्थिताः । पृष्ठमासीन्महाराज विराटो वाहिनीपतिः ॥

sātyakirdharmarājaśca vyūhagrīvāṃ samāsthitāḥ | pṛṣṭhamāsīnmahārāja virāṭo vāhinīpatiḥ

Satyaki and the King of Dharma took their stand at the array's neck; its back, great king, was Virata, commander of an army.

Note on the text: Split from Wikisource's row 8, which runs verses 8 and 9 together in one cell; the page closes this couplet with ।। and labels the following lines 9a and 9b. The automatic alignment missed this verse: line 1 is the critical edition's 6.71.7cd and line 2 its 6.71.8ab.

Verse 9 (6.75.9)

धृष्टद्युम्नो महाराज महत्या सेनया वृतः । केकया भ्रातरः पञ्च वामपार्श्वं समाश्रिताः ॥

dhṛṣṭadyumno mahārāja mahatyā senayā vṛtaḥ | kekayā bhrātaraḥ pañca vāmapārśvaṃ samāśritāḥ

Dhrishtadyumna too was there, great king, surrounded by a great host; the five Kekaya brothers held the left flank.

Note on the text: Split from Wikisource's row 8 (see the note on verse 8); the page labels these lines 9a and 9b, and the input had no row 9. Corrected ृष्टद्युम्नो → धृष्टद्युम्नो (misprint in Wikisource; the initial ध has slipped out of the line into the page's verse label "9aध"). Line 1 is a variant of the critical edition's 6.71.8cd (dhṛṣṭadyumnena sahito, making Dhrishtadyumna Virata's companion); line 2 is 6.71.9ab (वामपार्श्वं for vāmaṃ pārśvaṃ). Both kept as recension variants.

Verse 10 (6.75.10)

धृष्टकेतुर्नरव्याघ्रश्चेकितानश्च वीर्यवान् । दक्षिणं पक्षमाश्रित्य स्थितौ व्यूहस्य रक्षणे ॥

dhṛṣṭaketurnaravyāghraścekitānaśca vīryavān | dakṣiṇaṃ pakṣamāśritya sthitau vyūhasya rakṣaṇe

Dhrishtaketu, tiger among men, and the valiant Chekitana held the right wing, stationed to guard the array.

Note on the text: The automatic alignment missed this verse: it is the critical edition's 6.71.9cd–ef, with चेकितान for karakarṣa and the dual स्थितौ for sthitāḥ, kept as recension variants.

Verse 11 (6.75.11)

पादयोस्तु महाराज स्थितः श्रीमान्महारथः । कुन्तिभोजः शतानीको महत्या सेनया वृतः ॥

pādayostu mahārāja sthitaḥ śrīmānmahārathaḥ | kuntibhojaḥ śatānīko mahatyā senayā vṛtaḥ

At its feet, great king, stood the glorious great chariot-warrior Kuntibhoja, and Shatanika, surrounded by a great host.

Verse 12 (6.75.12)

शिखण्डी तु महेष्वासः सोमकैः संवृतो बली । इरावांश्च ततः पुच्छे मकरस्य व्यवस्थितौ ॥

śikhaṇḍī tu maheṣvāsaḥ somakaiḥ saṃvṛto balī | irāvāṃśca tataḥ pucche makarasya vyavasthitau

The mighty archer Shikhandi, strong and surrounded by the Somakas, and Iravat were posted at the makara's tail.

Verse 13 (6.75.13)

एवमेतं महाव्यूहं व्यूह्य भारत पाण्डवाः । सूर्योदये महाराज पुनर्युद्धाय दंशिताः ॥

evametaṃ mahāvyūhaṃ vyūhya bhārata pāṇḍavāḥ | sūryodaye mahārāja punaryuddhāya daṃśitāḥ

Having thus drawn up this great array, Bharata, the Pandavas, armoured once more for battle at sunrise, great king,

Note on the text: Corrected दंशिताःक → दंशिताः (misprint in Wikisource; a stray क after the visarga). Also removed an invisible zero-width joiner inside पाण्डवाः.

Verse 14 (6.75.14)

कौरवानभ्ययुस्तूर्णं हस्त्यश्वरथपत्तिभिः । समुच्छ्रितैर्ध्वजैश्छत्रैः शस्त्रैश्च विमलैः शितैः ॥

kauravānabhyayustūrṇaṃ hastyaśvarathapattibhiḥ | samucchritairdhvajaiśchatraiḥ śastraiśca vimalaiḥ śitaiḥ

advanced swiftly on the Kauravas with elephants, horses, chariots and foot soldiers, with raised banners and parasols and with spotless, sharpened weapons.

Verse 15 (6.75.15)

व्यूढं दृष्ट्वा तु तत्सैन्यं पिता देवव्रतस्तव । क्रौञ्चेन महता राजन्प्रत्यव्यूहत वाहिनीम् ॥

vyūḍhaṃ dṛṣṭvā tu tatsainyaṃ pitā devavratastava | krauñcena mahatā rājanpratyavyūhata vāhinīm

Seeing that army drawn up, your father Devavrata, O king, arrayed his host against it in the great krauncha formation.

Note on the text: Corrected कौञ्चेन → क्रौञ्चेन (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped र; the critical edition reads krauñcena, and the page's own heading names the क्रौञ्च array).

Verse 16 (6.75.16)

तस्य तुण्डे महेष्वासो भारद्वाजो व्यरोचत । अश्वत्थामा कृपश्चैव चक्षुरास्तां जनेश्वर ॥

tasya tuṇḍe maheṣvāso bhāradvājo vyarocata | aśvatthāmā kṛpaścaiva cakṣurāstāṃ janeśvara

At its beak shone Bharadvaja's son, the mighty archer; Ashvatthama and Kripa were its eyes, lord of men.

Verse 17 (6.75.17)

कृतवर्मा तु सहितः काम्भोजैरथ बाह्लिकैः । शिरस्यासीन्नरश्रेष्ठः श्रेष्ठः सर्वधनुष्मताम् ॥

kṛtavarmā tu sahitaḥ kāmbhojairatha bāhlikaiḥ | śirasyāsīnnaraśreṣṭhaḥ śreṣṭhaḥ sarvadhanuṣmatām

Kritavarman, best of men and best of all bowmen, together with the Kambojas and the Bahlikas, was at its head.

Verse 18 (6.75.18)

ग्रीवायां शूरसेनश्च तव पुत्रश्च मारिष । दुर्योधनो महाराज राजभिर्बहुभिर्वृतः ॥

grīvāyāṃ śūrasenaśca tava putraśca māriṣa | duryodhano mahārāja rājabhirbahubhirvṛtaḥ

At its neck, sir, were Shurasena and your son Duryodhana, great king, surrounded by many kings.

Verse 19 (6.75.19)

प्राग्ज्योतिषस्तु सहितो मद्रसौवीरकेकयैः । उरस्यभून्नरश्रेष्ठ महत्या सेनया वृतः ॥

prāgjyotiṣastu sahito madrasauvīrakekayaiḥ | urasyabhūnnaraśreṣṭha mahatyā senayā vṛtaḥ

The king of Pragjyotisha, together with the Madras, Sauviras and Kekayas, was at its breast, best of men, surrounded by a great host.

Note on the text: Corrected प्राग्जोतिषस्तु → प्राग्ज्योतिषस्तु (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped य; the critical edition reads prāgjyotiṣas).

Verse 20 (6.75.20)

पृष्ठे चास्तां महेष्वासावावन्त्यौ सपदानुगौ । स्वसेनया च सहितः सुशर्मा प्रस्थलाधिपः । वामं पक्षं समाश्रित्य दंशितः समवस्थितः ॥

pṛṣṭhe cāstāṃ maheṣvāsāvāvantyau sapadānugau | svasenayā ca sahitaḥ suśarmā prasthalādhipaḥ | vāmaṃ pakṣaṃ samāśritya daṃśitaḥ samavasthitaḥ

At the back stood the two mighty archers of Avanti with their followers; and Susharman, lord of Prasthala, with his own troops, held the left wing, armoured and in position.

Note on the text: Corrected सपदानुगौः → सपदानुगौ (misprint in Wikisource; a dual nominative in -औ takes no visarga; the apparatus reads sapadānugau) and शुशर्मा → सुशर्मा (misprint in Wikisource; श for स; the critical edition reads suśarmā). Line 1 is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); it appears only in its apparatus, as the star passage 6.71.18d*0293_01. Lines 2–3 are the critical edition's 6.71.19, to which the ce_ref points.

Verse 21 (6.75.21)

तुषारा यवनाश्चैव शकाश्च सह चूचुपैः । दक्षिणं पक्षमाश्रित्य स्थिता व्यूहस्य भारत ॥

tuṣārā yavanāścaiva śakāśca saha cūcupaiḥ | dakṣiṇaṃ pakṣamāśritya sthitā vyūhasya bhārata

The Tusharas, Yavanas and Shakas, together with the Chuchupas, held the right wing of the array, Bharata.

Note on the text: Corrected व्यूहस्त → व्यूहस्य (misprint in Wikisource; त for य; the critical edition reads vyūhasya).

Verse 22 (6.75.22)

श्रुतायुश्च शतायुश्च सौमदत्तिश्च मारिष । व्यूहस्य जघने तस्थू रक्षमाणाः परस्परम् ॥

śrutāyuśca śatāyuśca saumadattiśca māriṣa | vyūhasya jaghane tasthū rakṣamāṇāḥ parasparam

Shrutayus, Shatayus and Somadatta's son, sir, stood at the rear of the array, guarding one another.

Note on the text: Corrected शातायुश्च → शतायुश्च (misprint in Wikisource; a stray आ-sign; the name is Shatayus, and the critical edition reads śatāyuś).

Verse 23 (6.75.23)

ततो युद्धाय संजग्मुः पाण्डवाः कौरवैः सह । सूर्योदये महाराज प्रावर्तत जनक्षयः ॥

tato yuddhāya saṃjagmuḥ pāṇḍavāḥ kauravaiḥ saha | sūryodaye mahārāja prāvartata janakṣayaḥ

Then the Pandavas closed with the Kauravas for battle, and at sunrise, great king, the slaughter of men began.

Note on the text: Line 2 differs from the critical edition's 6.71.22cd (sūryodaye mahārāja tato yuddham abhūn mahat); kept as a recension variant.

Verse 24 (6.75.24)

प्रतीयू रथिनो नागान्नागाश्च रथिनो ययुः । हयारोहान्रथारोहा रथिनश्चापि सादिनः ॥

pratīyū rathino nāgānnāgāśca rathino yayuḥ | hayārohānrathārohā rathinaścāpi sādinaḥ

Chariot-warriors went against elephants and elephants against chariot-warriors; chariot-riders fell on horse-riders, and chariot-warriors on cavalrymen.

Note on the text: Corrected नामान्नागाश्च → नागान्नागाश्च (misprint in Wikisource; म for ग; the critical edition reads nāgān nāgāś ca). Line 2 (हयारोहान्रथारोहा for hayārohā hayārohān) kept as a recension variant.

Verse 25 (6.75.25)

सादिनश्च हयान्राजन्रथिनश्च महारणे । हस्त्यारोहान्हयारोहा रथिनः सादिनस्तथा ॥

sādinaśca hayānrājanrathinaśca mahāraṇe | hastyārohānhayārohā rathinaḥ sādinastathā

In that great battle, O king, horsemen and chariot-warriors fell upon horses; horse-riders attacked elephant-riders, and chariot-warriors horsemen likewise.

Note on the text: The automatic alignment missed this verse: it corresponds to the critical edition's 6.71.24, whose wording differs (sārathiṃ ca rathī rājan kuñjarāṃś ca mahāraṇe / hastyārohā rathārohān rathinaś cāpi sādinaḥ); kept as a recension variant.

Verse 26 (6.75.26)

रथिनः पत्तिभिः सार्धं सादिनश्चापि पत्तिभिः । अन्योन्यं समरे राजन्प्रत्यधावन्नमर्षिताः ॥

rathinaḥ pattibhiḥ sārdhaṃ sādinaścāpi pattibhiḥ | anyonyaṃ samare rājanpratyadhāvannamarṣitāḥ

Chariot-warriors with foot soldiers, and horsemen too with foot soldiers, rushed at one another in battle, O king, unable to bear each other.

Verse 27 (6.75.27)

भीमसेनार्जुनयमैर्गुप्ता चान्यैर्महारथैः । शुशुभे पाण्डवी सेना नक्षत्रैरिव शर्वरी ॥

bhīmasenārjunayamairguptā cānyairmahārathaiḥ | śuśubhe pāṇḍavī senā nakṣatrairiva śarvarī

Guarded by Bhimasena, Arjuna and the twins and by other great chariot-warriors, the Pandava army shone like the night with its stars.

Verse 28 (6.75.28)

तथा भीष्मकृपद्रोणशल्यदुर्योधनादिभिः । तवापि च बभौ सेना ग्रहैर्द्यौरिव संवृता ॥

tathā bhīṣmakṛpadroṇaśalyaduryodhanādibhiḥ | tavāpi ca babhau senā grahairdyauriva saṃvṛtā

So too your army, with Bhishma, Kripa, Drona, Shalya, Duryodhana and the rest, shone like the sky thronged with planets.

Note on the text: Corrected संवृताः → संवृता (misprint in Wikisource; the participle agrees with the feminine singular सेना / द्यौः; the critical edition reads saṃvṛtā).

Verse 29 (6.75.29)

भीमसेनस्तु कौन्तेयो द्रोणं दृष्ट्वा पराक्रमी । अभ्ययाञ्जवनैरश्वैर्भारद्वाजस्य वाहिनीम् ॥

bhīmasenastu kaunteyo droṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā parākramī | abhyayāñjavanairaśvairbhāradvājasya vāhinīm

Bhimasena, the valiant son of Kunti, seeing Drona, drove with swift horses against the division of Bharadvaja's son.

Verse 30 (6.75.30)

द्रोणस्तु समरे क्रुद्धो भीमं नवभिरायसैः । विव्याध समरश्लाघी मर्माण्युद्दिष्य वीर्यवान् ॥

droṇastu samare kruddho bhīmaṃ navabhirāyasaiḥ | vivyādha samaraślāghī marmāṇyuddiṣya vīryavān

Drona, enraged in battle, the valiant warrior who gloried in combat, pierced Bhima with nine iron arrows, aiming at his vital points.

Note on the text: Corrected द्रोणास्तु → द्रोणस्तु (misprint in Wikisource; a stray आ-sign; the critical edition reads droṇas tu).

Verse 31 (6.75.31)

दृढाहतस्ततो भीमो भारद्वाजस्य संयुगे । सारथिं प्रेषयामास यमस्य सदनं प्रति ॥

dṛḍhāhatastato bhīmo bhāradvājasya saṃyuge | sārathiṃ preṣayāmāsa yamasya sadanaṃ prati

Hard struck, Bhima then sent the charioteer of Bharadvaja's son to the abode of Yama in that fight.

Note on the text: Corrected दृढाहतस्तो → दृढाहतस्ततो (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped त, leaving the quarter a syllable short; the critical edition reads dṛḍhāhatas tato).

Verse 32 (6.75.32)

स संगृह्य स्वयं वाहान्भारद्वाजः प्रतापवान् । व्यधमत्पाण्डवीं सेनां तूलराशिमिवानलः ॥

sa saṃgṛhya svayaṃ vāhānbhāradvājaḥ pratāpavān | vyadhamatpāṇḍavīṃ senāṃ tūlarāśimivānalaḥ

Taking the reins of the horses himself, the mighty son of Bharadvaja scattered the Pandava army as fire scatters a heap of cotton.

Note on the text: Corrected स्कवयं → स्वयं (misprint in Wikisource; a stray क; the critical edition reads svayaṃ).

Verse 33 (6.75.33)

ते वध्यमाना द्रोणेन भीष्मेण च नरोत्तमाः । सृञ्जयाः केकयैः सार्धं पलायनपराभवन् ॥

te vadhyamānā droṇena bhīṣmeṇa ca narottamāḥ | sṛñjayāḥ kekayaiḥ sārdhaṃ palāyanaparābhavan

Being slain by Drona and Bhishma, those best of men, the Srinjayas, together with the Kekayas, took to flight.

Note on the text: Corrected वद्यमाना → वध्यमाना (misprint in Wikisource; द for ध; the critical edition reads vadhyamānā). Line 2 restored from the critical edition (6.71.32cd sṛñjayāḥ kekayaiḥ sārdhaṃ palāyanaparābhavan): Wikisource keeps only its first word सृञ्जयाः and fills the rest with a repeat of the next verse's first line (तावकं सैन्यं भीमार्जुनपरिक्षतम्), which leaves the sentence without a verb. नरोत्तमाः for the critical edition's narottama kept as a variant.

Verse 34 (6.75.34)

तथैव तावकं सैन्यं भीमार्जुनपरिक्षतम् । मुह्यते तत्रतत्रैव समदेव वराङ्गना ॥

tathaiva tāvakaṃ sainyaṃ bhīmārjunaparikṣatam | muhyate tatratatraiva samadeva varāṅganā

In the same way your army, mangled by Bhima and Arjuna, reeled in bewilderment here and there like a lovely woman overcome by wine.

Verse 35 (6.75.35)

अभिद्येतां ततो व्यूहौ तस्मिन्वीरवरक्षये । आसीद्व्यतिकरो घोरस्तव तेषां च भारत ॥

abhidyetāṃ tato vyūhau tasminvīravarakṣaye | āsīdvyatikaro ghorastava teṣāṃ ca bhārata

Then, in that destruction of the foremost heroes, both arrays were broken, and a terrible confusion arose between your men and theirs, Bharata.

Verse 36 (6.75.36)

तदद्भुतमपश्याम तावकानां परैः सह । एकायनगताः सर्वे यदयुध्यन्त भारत ॥

tadadbhutamapaśyāma tāvakānāṃ paraiḥ saha | ekāyanagatāḥ sarve yadayudhyanta bhārata

We saw a wondrous thing, Bharata, between your men and the enemy: all of them fought as though set upon a single goal.

Verse 37 (6.75.37)

प्रतिसंवार्य चास्त्राणि तेऽन्योन्यस्य विशांपते । युयुधुः पाण्डवाश्चैव कौरवाश्च महाबलाः ॥

pratisaṃvārya cāstrāṇi te'nyonyasya viśāṃpate | yuyudhuḥ pāṇḍavāścaiva kauravāśca mahābalāḥ

Warding off each other's weapons, lord of the people, the mighty Pandavas and Kauravas fought on.