Arjuna Turns on Susharman and Meets Bhagadatta

Verse 1 (7.28.1)

यियासतस्ततः कृष्णः पार्थस्याश्वान्मनोजवान् । सम्प्रैषीद्धेमसञ्छन्नान्द्रोणानीकाय सन्त्वरन् ॥

yiyāsatastataḥ kṛṣṇaḥ pārthasyāśvānmanojavān | sampraiṣīddhemasañchannāndroṇānīkāya santvaran

As Partha wished to go, Krishna sent his mind-swift horses, clad in gold, hastening toward Drona's host.

Note on the text: सम्प्रैषीद्धेमसञ्छन्नान्द्रोणानीकाय सन्त्वरन् kept as a recension variant (critical edition: apraiṣīd dhemasaṃchannān droṇānīkāya pāṇḍurān).

Verse 2 (7.28.2)

तं प्रयान्तं कुरुश्रेष्ठं स्वांस्त्रातुं द्रोणतापितान् । सुशर्मा भ्रातृभिः सार्धं युद्धार्थी पृष्ठतोऽन्वयात् ॥

taṃ prayāntaṃ kuruśreṣṭhaṃ svāṃstrātuṃ droṇatāpitān | suśarmā bhrātṛbhiḥ sārdhaṃ yuddhārthī pṛṣṭhato'nvayāt

As that best of the Kurus went to protect his own men, whom Drona was tormenting, Susharman followed after him with his brothers, wanting to fight.

Verse 3 (7.28.3)

ततः श्वेतहयः कृष्णमब्रवीदजितञ्जयः । एष मां भ्रातृभिः सार्धं सुशर्माऽऽह्वयतेऽच्युत ॥

tataḥ śvetahayaḥ kṛṣṇamabravīdajitañjayaḥ | eṣa māṃ bhrātṛbhiḥ sārdhaṃ suśarmā''hvayate'cyuta

Then the white-horsed, ever-victorious Arjuna said to Krishna, "Susharman, with his brothers, is challenging me, Achyuta."

Verse 4 (7.28.4)

दीर्यते चोत्तरेणैव तत्सैन्यं मधुसूदन । द्वैधीभूतं मनो मेऽद्य कृतं संशप्तकैरिदम् ॥

dīryate cottareṇaiva tatsainyaṃ madhusūdana | dvaidhībhūtaṃ mano me'dya kṛtaṃ saṃśaptakairidam

"And that army over there in the north, Madhusudana, is being torn apart. These Samshaptakas have split my mind in two today."

Note on the text: Verses 4–5 are Arjuna's speech to Krishna, begun in the second line of verse 3 (no heading is printed, so the speaker is taken from the sense).

Verse 5 (7.28.5)

किन्नु संशप्तकान्हन्मि स्वान्रक्षाम्यहितार्दितान् । इति मे त्वं मतं वेत्सि तत्र किं सुकृतं भवेत् ॥

kinnu saṃśaptakānhanmi svānrakṣāmyahitārditān | iti me tvaṃ mataṃ vetsi tatra kiṃ sukṛtaṃ bhavet

"Shall I kill the Samshaptakas, or protect my own men who are tormented by the enemy? You know my mind; in this matter, what would be the right thing to do?"

Verse 6 (7.28.6)

एवमुक्तस्तु दाशार्हः स्यन्दनं प्रत्यवर्तयत् । येन त्रिगर्ताधिपतिः पाण्डवं समुपाह्वयत् ॥

evamuktastu dāśārhaḥ syandanaṃ pratyavartayat | yena trigartādhipatiḥ pāṇḍavaṃ samupāhvayat

Thus addressed, the descendant of Dasharha turned the chariot around to where the lord of the Trigartas was challenging the Pandava.

Verse 7 (7.28.7)

ततोऽर्जुनः सुशर्माणं विद्ध्वा सप्तभिराशुगैः । ध्वजं धनुश्चास्य तथा क्षुराभ्यां समकृन्तत ॥

tato'rjunaḥ suśarmāṇaṃ viddhvā saptabhirāśugaiḥ | dhvajaṃ dhanuścāsya tathā kṣurābhyāṃ samakṛntata

Then Arjuna pierced Susharman with seven swift arrows, and cut down his banner and his bow with two razor-headed arrows.

Verse 8 (7.28.8)

त्रिगर्ताधिपतेश्चापि भ्रातरं षड्भिराशुगैः । साश्वं ससूतं त्वरितः पार्थः प्रैषीद्यमक्षयम् ॥

trigartādhipateścāpi bhrātaraṃ ṣaḍbhirāśugaiḥ | sāśvaṃ sasūtaṃ tvaritaḥ pārthaḥ praiṣīdyamakṣayam

And with six swift arrows Partha quickly sent the brother of the lord of the Trigartas, with his horses and charioteer, to Yama's abode.

Note on the text: Corrected षङ्भिराशुगैः → षड्भिराशुगैः (misprint in Wikisource; the conjunct is ड्भ — the critical edition reads ṣaḍbhir āyasaiḥ).

Verse 9 (7.28.9)

ततो भुजगसङ्काशां सुशर्मा शक्तिमायसीम् । चिक्षेपार्जुनमादिश्य वासुदेवाय तोमरम् ॥

tato bhujagasaṅkāśāṃ suśarmā śaktimāyasīm | cikṣepārjunamādiśya vāsudevāya tomaram

Then Susharman hurled an iron spear like a serpent at Arjuna, and a lance at Vasudeva.

Verse 10 (7.28.10)

शक्तिं त्रिभिः शरैश्छित्त्वा तोमरं त्रिभिरर्जुनः । सुशर्माणं शरव्रातैर्मोहयित्वा न्यवर्तयत् ॥

śaktiṃ tribhiḥ śaraiśchittvā tomaraṃ tribhirarjunaḥ | suśarmāṇaṃ śaravrātairmohayitvā nyavartayat

Arjuna cut the spear with three arrows and the lance with three, and bewildering Susharman with volleys of arrows, turned him back.

Verse 11 (7.28.11)

तं वासवमिवायान्तं भूरिवर्षं शरौघिणम् । राजंस्तावकसैन्यानां नोग्रं कश्चिदवारयत् ॥

taṃ vāsavamivāyāntaṃ bhūrivarṣaṃ śaraughiṇam | rājaṃstāvakasainyānāṃ nograṃ kaścidavārayat

As he came on like Vasava, pouring out showers of arrows, O king, not one of your soldiers could stop that fierce warrior.

Verse 12 (7.28.12)

ततो धनञ्जयो बाणैः सर्वानेव महारथान् । आयाद्विनिघ्नन्कौरव्यान्दहन्कक्षमिवानलः ॥

tato dhanañjayo bāṇaiḥ sarvāneva mahārathān | āyādvinighnankauravyāndahankakṣamivānalaḥ

Then Dhananjaya advanced with his arrows, striking down all the great chariot-warriors, O Kaurava, as a fire burns dry grass.

Verse 13 (7.28.13)

तस्य वेगमसह्यं तं कुन्तीपुत्रस्य धीमतः । नाशक्नुवंस्ते संसोढुं स्पर्शमग्नेरिव प्रजाः ॥

tasya vegamasahyaṃ taṃ kuntīputrasya dhīmataḥ | nāśaknuvaṃste saṃsoḍhuṃ sparśamagneriva prajāḥ

Those men could not bear the irresistible rush of the wise son of Kunti, as creatures cannot bear the touch of fire.

Verse 14 (7.28.14)

संवेष्टयन्ननीकानि शरवर्षेण पाण्डवः । सुपर्ण इव नागेन्द्रं प्रायात्प्राग्ज्योतिषं प्रति ॥

saṃveṣṭayannanīkāni śaravarṣeṇa pāṇḍavaḥ | suparṇa iva nāgendraṃ prāyātprāgjyotiṣaṃ prati

Enveloping the divisions with a shower of arrows, the Pandava advanced on Pragjyotisha like Garuda on a king of serpents.

Verse 15 (7.28.15)

यत्तदानामयज्जिष्णुर्भरतानामपापिनाम् । धनुः क्षेमकरं सङ्ख्ये द्विषतामश्रुवर्धनम् ॥

yattadānāmayajjiṣṇurbharatānāmapāpinām | dhanuḥ kṣemakaraṃ saṅkhye dviṣatāmaśruvardhanam

That bow which Jishnu had bent for the blameless Bharatas, which brought safety in battle and swelled the tears of their foes,

Verse 16 (7.28.16)

तदेव तव पुत्रस्य राजन्दुर्द्यूतदेविनः । कृते क्षत्रविनाशाय धनुरायच्छदर्जुनः ॥

tadeva tava putrasya rājandurdyūtadevinaḥ | kṛte kṣatravināśāya dhanurāyacchadarjunaḥ

that same bow, for the sake of your son, the evil gambler, O king, Arjuna now drew for the destruction of the Kshatriyas.

Verse 17 (7.28.17)

तथा विक्षोभ्यमाणा सा पार्थेन तव वाहिनी । व्यशीर्यत महाराज नौरिवासाद्य पर्वतम् ॥

tathā vikṣobhyamāṇā sā pārthena tava vāhinī | vyaśīryata mahārāja naurivāsādya parvatam

Thus agitated by Partha, your army broke apart, O great king, like a ship that has struck a mountain.

Verse 18 (7.28.18)

ततो दशसहस्राणि न्यवर्तन्त धनुष्मताम् । मतिं कृत्वा रणे क्रूरां वीरा जयपराजये ॥

tato daśasahasrāṇi nyavartanta dhanuṣmatām | matiṃ kṛtvā raṇe krūrāṃ vīrā jayaparājaye

Then ten thousand archers turned back, heroes who had set their minds on a cruel resolve in the fight, whether for victory or defeat.

Verse 19 (7.28.19)

व्यपेतहृदयत्रासा आवव्रुस्तं महारथाः । आर्च्छत्पार्थो गुरुं भारं सर्वभारसहो युधि ॥

vyapetahṛdayatrāsā āvavrustaṃ mahārathāḥ | ārcchatpārtho guruṃ bhāraṃ sarvabhārasaho yudhi

Their hearts rid of fear, those great chariot-warriors closed in on him; but Partha, who can bear every burden in battle, took up that heavy burden.

Note on the text: Line 1 is a recension variant (critical edition: vyapetahṛdayatrāsa āpaddharmātigo rathaḥ).

Verse 20 (7.28.20)

यथा नलवनं क्रुद्धः प्रभिन्नः षष्टिहायनः । मृद्नीयात्तद्वदायस्तः पार्थोऽमृद्नाच्चमूं तव ॥

yathā nalavanaṃ kruddhaḥ prabhinnaḥ ṣaṣṭihāyanaḥ | mṛdnīyāttadvadāyastaḥ pārtho'mṛdnāccamūṃ tava

As a furious tusker in rut, sixty years old, would trample a reed-forest, so did Partha, bent on his task, trample down your army.

Note on the text: Corrected मृद्गीयात् → मृद्नीयात् and अमृद्गात् → अमृद्नात् (misprint in Wikisource; the stem is मृद्न-, as in the critical edition's mṛdnīyāt and 'mṛdnāt; the page prints ग for न).

Verse 21 (7.28.21)

तस्मिन्प्रमथिते सैन्ये भगदत्तो नराधिपः । तेन नागेन सहसा धनञ्जयमुपाद्रवत् ॥

tasminpramathite sainye bhagadatto narādhipaḥ | tena nāgena sahasā dhanañjayamupādravat

When that army had been crushed, King Bhagadatta suddenly charged at Dhananjaya on that elephant.

Verse 22 (7.28.22)

तं रथेन नरव्याघ्रः प्रत्यगृह्णाद्धनञ्जयः । स सन्निपातस्तुमुलो बभूव नरनागयोः ॥

taṃ rathena naravyāghraḥ pratyagṛhṇāddhanañjayaḥ | sa sannipātastumulo babhūva naranāgayoḥ

Dhananjaya, tiger among men, met him with his chariot, and a fierce clash took place between the man and the elephant.

Verse 23 (7.28.23)

कल्पिताभ्यां यथाशास्त्रं रथेन च गजेन च । सङ्ग्रामे चेरतुर्वीरौ भगदत्तधनञ्जयौ ॥

kalpitābhyāṃ yathāśāstraṃ rathena ca gajena ca | saṅgrāme ceraturvīrau bhagadattadhanañjayau

Equipped according to the rules of war, with chariot and with elephant, the two heroes Bhagadatta and Dhananjaya moved about in the battle.

Verse 24 (7.28.24)

ततो जीमूतसङ्काशान्नागादिन्द्र इव प्रभुः । अभ्यवर्षच्छरौघेण भगदत्तो धनञ्जयम् ॥

tato jīmūtasaṅkāśānnāgādindra iva prabhuḥ | abhyavarṣaccharaugheṇa bhagadatto dhanañjayam

Then Bhagadatta, from his cloud-like elephant, rained a flood of arrows on Dhananjaya, like mighty Indra.

Verse 25 (7.28.25)

स चापि शरवर्षं तं शरवर्षेण वासविः । अप्राप्तमेव चिच्छेद भगदत्तस्य वीर्यवान् ॥

sa cāpi śaravarṣaṃ taṃ śaravarṣeṇa vāsaviḥ | aprāptameva ciccheda bhagadattasya vīryavān

And the powerful son of Vasava cut that shower of arrows with a shower of arrows of his own, before it reached him.

Note on the text: Corrected वासिवः → वासविः (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads vāsaviḥ).

Verse 26 (7.28.26)

ततः प्राग्ज्योतिषो राजा शरवर्षे निवारिते । संरक्तनयनो रोषात्पार्थं पुनरवाकिरत् ॥

tataḥ prāgjyotiṣo rājā śaravarṣe nivārite | saṃraktanayano roṣātpārthaṃ punaravākirat

Then King Pragjyotisha, his shower of arrows checked, his eyes red with rage, covered Partha again with arrows.

Note on the text: Corresponds in position and sense to the critical edition's 7.27.26 (tataḥ prāgjyotiṣo rājā śaravarṣaṃ nivārya tat / śarair jaghne mahābāhuṃ pārthaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ ca bhārata), but the wording differs; kept as the page's reading. The alignment listed 7.27.26 as unmatched.

Verse 27 (7.28.27)

स तथा शरवर्षेण पार्थं समभिहत्य वै । चोदयामास तं नागं वधायाच्युतपार्थयोः ॥

sa tathā śaravarṣeṇa pārthaṃ samabhihatya vai | codayāmāsa taṃ nāgaṃ vadhāyācyutapārthayoḥ

Having struck Partha with such a shower of arrows, he urged his elephant on to kill Achyuta and Partha.

Note on the text: Line 2 is the critical edition's 7.27.27cd; line 1 is a recension variant (critical edition: tataḥ sa śarajālena mahatābhyavakīrya tau). The alignment listed 7.27.27 as unmatched.

Verse 28 (7.28.28)

तमापतन्तं द्विरदं दृष्ट्वा क्रुद्धमिवान्तकम् । चक्रेऽपसव्यं त्वरितः स्यन्दनेन जनार्दनः ॥

tamāpatantaṃ dviradaṃ dṛṣṭvā kruddhamivāntakam | cakre'pasavyaṃ tvaritaḥ syandanena janārdanaḥ

Seeing that elephant rushing at them like Death in his wrath, Janardana quickly turned the chariot to the left.

Verse 29 (7.28.29)

सम्प्राप्तमपि नेयेष परावृत्तं महाद्विपम् । सारोहं मृत्युसात्कर्तुं स्मरन्धर्मं धनञ्जयः ॥

samprāptamapi neyeṣa parāvṛttaṃ mahādvipam | sārohaṃ mṛtyusātkartuṃ smarandharmaṃ dhanañjayaḥ

Though the great elephant had come right up and then turned away, Dhananjaya, remembering the law of fair fighting, did not want to deliver it to death together with its rider.

Verse 30 (7.28.30)

स तु नागो द्विपरथान्हयांश्चामृद्य मारिष । प्राहिणोन्मृत्युलोकाय ततः क्रुद्धो धनञ्जयः ॥

sa tu nāgo dviparathānhayāṃścāmṛdya māriṣa | prāhiṇonmṛtyulokāya tataḥ kruddho dhanañjayaḥ

But that elephant, trampling chariots, elephants and horses, O sire, sent them to the world of death; then Dhananjaya grew angry.