The Pandavas Converge on Drona and the Night Battle Begins

Verse 1 (7.155.1)

यत्तदा प्राविशत्पाण्डूनाचार्यः कुपितो बली । उक्त्वा दुर्योधनं मन्दं मम शास्त्रातिगं सुतम् ॥

yattadā prāviśatpāṇḍūnācāryaḥ kupito balī | uktvā duryodhanaṃ mandaṃ mama śāstrātigaṃ sutam

When the mighty teacher, in anger, having spoken to Duryodhana, my foolish son who defies all instruction, entered the ranks of the Pandavas,

Note on the text: Corrected उक्ता → उक्त्वा (misprint in Wikisource; dropped त्व of the gerund; CE uktvā). Wikisource reads मन्दं where the CE has samyaṅ, and बली for vaśī (recension variants, kept). = CE 7.129.1.

Verse 2 (7.155.2)

प्रविश्य विचरन्तं च रथे शूरमवस्थितम् । कथं द्रोणं महेष्वासं पाण्डवाः पर्यवारयन् ॥

praviśya vicarantaṃ ca rathe śūramavasthitam | kathaṃ droṇaṃ maheṣvāsaṃ pāṇḍavāḥ paryavārayan

how did the Pandavas surround Drona, the great archer and hero, as he stood on his chariot, entering their ranks and ranging about?

Verse 3 (7.155.3)

केऽरक्षन्दक्षिणं चक्रमाचार्यस्य महाहवे । के चोत्तरमरक्षन्त निघ्नतः शात्रवान्बहून् ॥

ke'rakṣandakṣiṇaṃ cakramācāryasya mahāhave | ke cottaramarakṣanta nighnataḥ śātravānbahūn

Who guarded the right wheel of the teacher in that great battle, and who the left, as he struck down so many foes?

Note on the text: Corrected शास्त्रवान् → शात्रवान् (misprint in Wikisource; an extra स्, and शास्त्रवान् is not a valid accusative plural; CE śātravān). The line ends बहून् where the CE has raṇe, and line 1 ends महाहवे where the CE has mahātmanaḥ (recension variants, kept). = CE 7.129.3.

Verse 4 (7.155.4)

के चास्य पृष्ठतोऽन्वासन्वीरा वीरस्य योधिनः । के पुरस्तादवर्तन्त रथिनस्तस्य शत्रवः ॥

ke cāsya pṛṣṭhato'nvāsanvīrā vīrasya yodhinaḥ | ke purastādavartanta rathinastasya śatravaḥ

Who followed behind that fighting hero, and who stood before him, those chariot-warriors who were his enemies?

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text; star lines 7.129.3d*1109_01–02 (placed after 7.129.3). The automatic alignment found no match. Speaker: Dhritarashtra (continued).

Verse 5 (7.155.5)

मन्ये तानस्पृशच्छीतमतिवेलमनार्तवम् । मन्ये ते समवेपन्त गावो वै शिशिरे यथा ॥

manye tānaspṛśacchītamativelamanārtavam | manye te samavepanta gāvo vai śiśire yathā

I think that an out-of-season, excessive chill must have touched them. I think they trembled like cows in winter,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text; star lines 7.129.3d*1109_03–04 (placed after 7.129.3). The automatic alignment found no match. Speaker: Dhritarashtra (continued).

Verse 6 (7.155.6)

यत्प्राविशन्महेष्वासः पाञ्चालानपराजितः । नृत्यन्स रथमार्गेषु सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः ॥

yatprāviśanmaheṣvāsaḥ pāñcālānaparājitaḥ | nṛtyansa rathamārgeṣu sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ varaḥ

when that great archer, unconquered, best of all who bear weapons, entered the Panchalas, dancing along the paths of his chariot,

Note on the text: Line 1 is star line 7.129.3d*1109_05 (placed after 7.129.3); line 2 = CE 7.129.4a. The automatic alignment found no match. Speaker: Dhritarashtra (continued).

Verse 7 (7.155.7)

निर्दहन्सर्वसैन्यानि पाञ्चालानां रथर्षभः । धूमकेतुरिव क्रुद्धः कथं मृत्युमुपेयिवान् ॥

nirdahansarvasainyāni pāñcālānāṃ ratharṣabhaḥ | dhūmaketuriva kruddhaḥ kathaṃ mṛtyumupeyivān

burning up all the armies of the Panchalas, that foremost of chariot-warriors, like the smoke-bannered fire in its rage. How did he come to his death?

Note on the text: Line 1 is star line 7.129.4b*1110_01 (placed within 7.129.4); line 2 = CE 7.129.4c. The input's alignment left CE 7.129.4 unmatched; its lines 4a and 4c are carried by verses 6 and 7 here. Speaker: Dhritarashtra (continued).

Verse 8 (7.155.8)

सायाह्ने सैन्धवं हत्वा राज्ञा पार्थः समेत्य च । सात्यकिश्च महेष्वासो द्रोणमेवाभ्यधावताम् ॥

sāyāhne saindhavaṃ hatvā rājñā pārthaḥ sametya ca | sātyakiśca maheṣvāso droṇamevābhyadhāvatām

At evening, after slaying the king of Sindhu and meeting the king, Partha and the mighty archer Satyaki ran at Drona.

Verse 9 (7.155.9)

तथा युधिष्ठिरस्तूर्णं भीमसेनश्च पाण्डवः । पृथक्चमूभ्यां संयत्तौ द्रोणमेवाभ्यधावताम् ॥

tathā yudhiṣṭhirastūrṇaṃ bhīmasenaśca pāṇḍavaḥ | pṛthakcamūbhyāṃ saṃyattau droṇamevābhyadhāvatām

So too Yudhishthira and Bhimasena the Pandava, each with a separate division, were quick to go against Drona alone.

Verse 10 (7.155.10)

तथैव नकुलो धीमान्सहदेवश्च दुर्जयः । धृष्टद्युम्नः शतानीको विराटश्च सकेकयः । मात्स्याः साल्वाः ससेनाश्च द्रोणमेव ययुर्युधि ॥

tathaiva nakulo dhīmānsahadevaśca durjayaḥ | dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ śatānīko virāṭaśca sakekayaḥ | mātsyāḥ sālvāḥ sasenāśca droṇameva yayuryudhi

Likewise wise Nakula and invincible Sahadeva, Dhrishtadyumna, Shatanika, and Virata with the Kekayas, and the Matsyas and Salvas with their armies, went against Drona alone in the battle.

Verse 11 (7.155.11)

द्रुपदश्च तथा राजा पाञ्चालैरभिरक्षितः । धृष्टद्युम्नपिता राजन्द्रोणमेवाभ्यवर्तत ॥

drupadaśca tathā rājā pāñcālairabhirakṣitaḥ | dhṛṣṭadyumnapitā rājandroṇamevābhyavartata

And King Drupada, father of Dhrishtadyumna, guarded by the Panchalas, also advanced upon Drona alone, O king.

Verse 12 (7.155.12)

द्रौपदेया महेष्वासा राक्षसश्च घटोत्कचः । ससैन्यास्ते न्यवर्तन्त द्रोणमेव महाद्युतिम् ॥

draupadeyā maheṣvāsā rākṣasaśca ghaṭotkacaḥ | sasainyāste nyavartanta droṇameva mahādyutim

The mighty-bowed sons of Draupadi and the rakshasa Ghatotkacha, with their armies, turned upon the radiant Drona alone.

Verse 13 (7.155.13)

प्रभद्रकाश्च पाञ्चालाः षट्सहस्राः प्रहारिणः । द्रोणमेवाभ्यवर्तन्त पुरस्कृत्य शिखण्डिनम् ॥

prabhadrakāśca pāñcālāḥ ṣaṭsahasrāḥ prahāriṇaḥ | droṇamevābhyavartanta puraskṛtya śikhaṇḍinam

The Prabhadrakas and the Panchalas, six thousand strong, all fierce strikers, advanced upon Drona alone, placing Shikhandin at their head.

Note on the text: Removed a stray zero-width non-joiner inside षट्सहस्राः (formatting artefact in Wikisource). = CE 7.129.10.

Verse 14 (7.155.14)

तथेतरे नरव्याघ्राः पाण्डवानां महारथाः । सहिताः सन्न्यवर्तन्त द्रोणमेव द्विजर्षभम् ॥

tathetare naravyāghrāḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathāḥ | sahitāḥ sannyavartanta droṇameva dvijarṣabham

And the other tiger-like great chariot-warriors of the Pandavas, banded together, advanced against Drona, best of Brahmins.

Verse 15 (7.155.15)

तेषु शूरेषु युद्धाय गतेषु भरतर्षभ । बभूव रजनी घोरा भीरूणां भयवर्धिनी ॥

teṣu śūreṣu yuddhāya gateṣu bharatarṣabha | babhūva rajanī ghorā bhīrūṇāṃ bhayavardhinī

When those heroes had gone to the fight, O best of the Bharatas, a terrible night fell, increasing the fear of the fearful.

Verse 16 (7.155.16)

योधानामशिवा रौद्रा राजन्नन्तकगामिनी । कुञ्जराश्वमनुष्याणां प्राणान्तकरणी तदा ॥

yodhānāmaśivā raudrā rājannantakagāminī | kuñjarāśvamanuṣyāṇāṃ prāṇāntakaraṇī tadā

That night was inauspicious and dreadful to the warriors, O king, a night that led to death, ending the lives of elephants, horses and men.

Verse 17 (7.155.17)

तस्यां रजन्यां घोरायां नदन्त्यः सर्वतः शिवाः । न्यवेदयन्भयं घोरं सज्वालकबलैर्मुखैः ॥

tasyāṃ rajanyāṃ ghorāyāṃ nadantyaḥ sarvataḥ śivāḥ | nyavedayanbhayaṃ ghoraṃ sajvālakabalairmukhaiḥ

In that terrible night jackals howled on every side, their mouths full of blazing mouthfuls of flame, announcing a dreadful danger.

Verse 18 (7.155.18)

उलूकाश्चाप्यदृश्यन्त शंसन्तो विपुलं भयम् । विशेषतः कौरवाणां ध्वजिन्यामतिदारुणाः ॥

ulūkāścāpyadṛśyanta śaṃsanto vipulaṃ bhayam | viśeṣataḥ kauravāṇāṃ dhvajinyāmatidāruṇāḥ

Owls too were seen, proclaiming great danger, and they were especially terrifying over the Kaurava army.

Verse 19 (7.155.19)

ततः सैन्येषु राजेन्द्र शब्दः समभवन्महान् । भेरीशब्देन महता मृदङ्गानां स्वनेन च ॥

tataḥ sainyeṣu rājendra śabdaḥ samabhavanmahān | bherīśabdena mahatā mṛdaṅgānāṃ svanena ca

Then, O king of kings, a great din arose in the armies, from the huge sound of kettledrums and the booming of mridangas,

Verse 20 (7.155.20)

गजानां बृंहितैश्चापि तुरङ्गाणां च हेषितैः । खुरशब्दनिपातैश्च तुमुलः सर्वतोऽभवत् ॥

gajānāṃ bṛṃhitaiścāpi turaṅgāṇāṃ ca heṣitaiḥ | khuraśabdanipātaiśca tumulaḥ sarvato'bhavat

from the trumpeting of elephants and the neighing of horses, and from the pounding of hooves. A tumult arose on every side.

Verse 21 (7.155.21)

ततः समभवद्युद्धं सन्ध्यायामतिदारुणम् । द्रोणस्य च महाराज सृञ्जयानां च सर्वशः ॥

tataḥ samabhavadyuddhaṃ sandhyāyāmatidāruṇam | droṇasya ca mahārāja sṛñjayānāṃ ca sarvaśaḥ

Then, at twilight, a most dreadful battle began between Drona and the Srinjayas on every side, O great king.

Verse 22 (7.155.22)

तमसा चावृते लोके न प्राज्ञायत किञ्चन । सैन्येन रजसा चैव समन्तादुत्थितेन ह ॥

tamasā cāvṛte loke na prājñāyata kiñcana | sainyena rajasā caiva samantādutthitena ha

With the world wrapped in darkness, and the dust raised by the armies spreading in every direction, nothing could be made out.

Verse 23 (7.155.23)

नरस्याश्वस्य नागस्य समसज्जत शोणितम् । नापश्याम रजो भौमं कश्मलेनाभिसंवृताः ॥

narasyāśvasya nāgasya samasajjata śoṇitam | nāpaśyāma rajo bhaumaṃ kaśmalenābhisaṃvṛtāḥ

The blood of men, horses and elephants flowed together, and wrapped in gloom we could not see the dust of the earth.

Verse 24 (7.155.24)

रात्रौ वंशवनस्येव दह्यमानस्य पर्वते । घोरश्चटचटाशब्दः शस्त्राणां पततामभूत् ॥

rātrau vaṃśavanasyeva dahyamānasya parvate | ghoraścaṭacaṭāśabdaḥ śastrāṇāṃ patatāmabhūt

In the night, like a bamboo forest burning on a mountain, a dreadful crackling rose from the falling weapons.

Verse 25 (7.155.25)

मृदङ्गानकनिर्ह्रादैर्झर्झरैः पटहैस्तथा । फेत्कारैर्हेषितैः शब्दैः सर्वमैवाकुलं बभौ ॥

mṛdaṅgānakanirhrādairjharjharaiḥ paṭahaistathā | phetkārairheṣitaiḥ śabdaiḥ sarvamaivākulaṃ babhau

With the rumble of mridangas and anakas, with cymbals and drums, with yelps and neighing, everything seemed thrown into confusion.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text; star lines 7.129.21b*1111_01–02 (placed within 7.129.21, between lines 21a and 21c). The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 26 (7.155.26)

नैव स्वे न परे राजन्प्राज्ञायन्त तमोवृते । उन्मत्तमिव तत्सर्वं बभूव रजनीमुखे ॥

naiva sve na pare rājanprājñāyanta tamovṛte | unmattamiva tatsarvaṃ babhūva rajanīmukhe

Neither one's own men nor the enemy could be told apart, O king, in the enveloping darkness; at the fall of night it was all like madness.

Verse 27 (7.155.27)

भौमं रजोऽथ राजेन्द्र शोणितेन प्रणाशितम् । शातकौम्भैश्च कवचैर्भूषणैश्च तमोऽनशत् ॥

bhaumaṃ rajo'tha rājendra śoṇitena praṇāśitam | śātakaumbhaiśca kavacairbhūṣaṇaiśca tamo'naśat

The dust of the earth, O king of kings, was laid by blood, and the darkness was driven off by the golden armour and ornaments.

Verse 28 (7.155.28)

ततः सा भारती सेना मणिहेमविभूषिता । द्यौरिवासीत्सनक्षत्रा रजन्यां भरतर्षभ ॥

tataḥ sā bhāratī senā maṇihemavibhūṣitā | dyaurivāsītsanakṣatrā rajanyāṃ bharatarṣabha

Then that Bharata army, adorned with jewels and gold, looked in the night like the sky full of stars, O best of the Bharatas.

Verse 29 (7.155.29)

गोमायुबलसङ्घुष्टा शक्तिध्वजसमाकुला । वारणाभिरुता घोरा क्ष्वेडितोत्क्रुष्टनादिता ॥

gomāyubalasaṅghuṣṭā śaktidhvajasamākulā | vāraṇābhirutā ghorā kṣveḍitotkruṣṭanāditā

Resounding with the howls of jackal packs, crowded with spear-banners, dreadful with the trumpeting of elephants, it rang with roars and shouts.

Verse 30 (7.155.30)

तत्राभवन्महाशब्दस्तुमुलो रोमहर्षणः । समावृण्वन्दिशः सर्वा महेन्द्राशनिनिःस्वनः ॥

tatrābhavanmahāśabdastumulo romaharṣaṇaḥ | samāvṛṇvandiśaḥ sarvā mahendrāśaniniḥsvanaḥ

A great tumultuous noise arose there, making the hair stand on end, covering all the directions, like the thunderbolt of mighty Indra.

Verse 31 (7.155.31)

सा निशीथे महाराज सेनाऽदृश्यत भारती । अङ्गदैः कुण्डलैर्निष्कैः शस्त्रैश्चैवावभासिता ॥

sā niśīthe mahārāja senā'dṛśyata bhāratī | aṅgadaiḥ kuṇḍalairniṣkaiḥ śastraiścaivāvabhāsitā

In the middle of the night, O great king, the Bharata army was seen shining with armlets, earrings, necklaces and weapons.

Verse 32 (7.155.32)

तत्र नागा रथाश्चैव जाम्बूनदविभूषिताः । निशायां प्रत्यदृश्यन्त मेघा इव सविद्युतः ॥

tatra nāgā rathāścaiva jāmbūnadavibhūṣitāḥ | niśāyāṃ pratyadṛśyanta meghā iva savidyutaḥ

There elephants and chariots, adorned with Jambunada gold, were seen in the night like clouds with lightning.

Verse 33 (7.155.33)

ऋष्टिशक्तिगदाबाणमुसलप्रासपट्टसाः । सम्पतन्तो व्यदृश्यन्त भ्राजमाना इवाग्नयः ॥

ṛṣṭiśaktigadābāṇamusalaprāsapaṭṭasāḥ | sampatanto vyadṛśyanta bhrājamānā ivāgnayaḥ

Swords, spears, maces, arrows, clubs, lances and battle-axes were seen as they fell, blazing like fires.

Verse 34 (7.155.34)

दुर्योधनपुरोवातां रथनागवलाहकाम् । वादित्रघोषस्तनितां चापविद्युद्ध्वजैर्वृताम् ॥

duryodhanapurovātāṃ rathanāgavalāhakām | vāditraghoṣastanitāṃ cāpavidyuddhvajairvṛtām

A river whose forewind was Duryodhana, whose clouds were chariots and elephants, whose thunder was the sound of instruments, and which was wreathed in bows for lightning and banners,

Note on the text: Corrected विद्युद्व्वजैः → विद्युद्ध्वजैः (misprint in Wikisource; व for ध in the conjunct; CE vidyuddhvajair). = CE 7.129.30. Verses 34–36 are one sentence, all describing the river entered in verse 36.

Verse 35 (7.155.35)

द्रोणपाण्डवपर्जन्यां खड्गशक्तिगदाशनिम् । शरधारास्त्रपवनां शस्त्रपातोष्मसङ्कुलाम् ॥

droṇapāṇḍavaparjanyāṃ khaḍgaśaktigadāśanim | śaradhārāstrapavanāṃ śastrapātoṣmasaṅkulām

whose rain-clouds were Drona and the Pandavas, whose thunderbolts were swords, spears and maces, whose wind was the streams of arrows and the missiles, and which was thick with the heat of falling weapons,

Note on the text: Corrected खङ्ग → खड्ग (misprint in Wikisource; CE khaḍga). Line 2 reads शस्त्रपातोष्मसङ्कुलाम् where the CE has bhṛśaṃ śītoṣṇasaṃkulām (recension variant, kept). = CE 7.129.31.

Verse 36 (7.155.36)

घोरां विस्मापनीमुग्रां जीवितच्छिदमप्लुवाम् । तां प्राविशन्नतिभयां नदीं युद्धचिकीर्षवः ॥

ghorāṃ vismāpanīmugrāṃ jīvitacchidamapluvām | tāṃ prāviśannatibhayāṃ nadīṃ yuddhacikīrṣavaḥ

dreadful, astonishing, fierce, cutting off lives, and without a raft to cross it: into that terrifying river the men eager for battle plunged.

Verse 37 (7.155.37)

तस्मिन्रात्रिमुखे घोरे महाशब्दनिनादिते । भीरूणां त्रासजनने शूराणां हर्षवर्धने ॥

tasminrātrimukhe ghore mahāśabdaninādite | bhīrūṇāṃ trāsajanane śūrāṇāṃ harṣavardhane

In that dreadful beginning of the night, resounding with great noise, which brought terror to the timid and joy to the brave,

Verse 38 (7.155.38)

रात्रियुद्धे महाघोरे वर्तमाने सुदारुणे । द्रोणमभ्यद्रुवन्क्रुद्धाः सहिताः पाण्डुसृञ्जयाः ॥

rātriyuddhe mahāghore vartamāne sudāruṇe | droṇamabhyadruvankruddhāḥ sahitāḥ pāṇḍusṛñjayāḥ

while that most dreadful and cruel night battle was going on, the Pandavas and Srinjayas, enraged, joined together and rushed at Drona.

Verse 39 (7.155.39)

ये ये प्रमुखतो राजन्नावर्तन्त महारथाः । तान्सर्वान्विमुखांश्चक्रे कांश्चिन्निन्ये यमक्षयम् ॥

ye ye pramukhato rājannāvartanta mahārathāḥ | tānsarvānvimukhāṃścakre kāṃścinninye yamakṣayam

Whichever great chariot-warriors came round to face him, O king, all of them he turned back, and some he sent to the abode of Yama.

Verse 40 (7.155.40)

तानि नागसहस्राणि रथानामयुतानि च । पदातिहयसङ्घानां प्रयुतान्यर्बुदानि च । द्रोणेनैकेन नाराचैर्निर्भिन्नानि निशामुखे ॥

tāni nāgasahasrāṇi rathānāmayutāni ca | padātihayasaṅghānāṃ prayutānyarbudāni ca | droṇenaikena nārācairnirbhinnāni niśāmukhe

Those thousands of elephants, tens of thousands of chariots, and millions and tens of millions of troops of foot-soldiers and horses were pierced by Drona alone with his iron arrows at the fall of night.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text; star lines 7.129.35d*1112_01–03 (placed after 7.129.35). The automatic alignment found no match.