Arjuna Slays Vrishaka and Achala and Breaks Shakuni's Illusions

Verse 1 (7.30.1)

प्रियमिन्द्रस्य सततं सखायममितौजसम् । हत्वा प्राग्ज्योतिषं पार्थः प्रदक्षिणमवर्तत ॥

priyamindrasya satataṃ sakhāyamamitaujasam | hatvā prāgjyotiṣaṃ pārthaḥ pradakṣiṇamavartata

Having slain Pragjyotisha's king Bhagadatta, Indra's constant and dear friend, a man of boundless might, Partha turned away keeping him on his right.

Note on the text: The critical edition inserts a star passage after this verse (7.29.1d*0228, eleven lines on the death of Bhagadatta and Arjuna's regret); it is not on the page and was not added.

Verse 2 (7.30.2)

ततो गान्धारराजस्य सुतौ परपुरञ्जयौ । अर्देतामर्जुनं सङ्ख्ये भ्रातरौ वृषकाचलौ ॥

tato gāndhārarājasya sutau parapurañjayau | ardetāmarjunaṃ saṅkhye bhrātarau vṛṣakācalau

Then the two sons of the king of Gandhara, the brothers Vrishaka and Achala, destroyers of hostile cities, assailed Arjuna in the battle.

Verse 3 (7.30.3)

तौ समेत्यार्जुनं वीरौ पुरः पश्चाच्च धन्वितौ । अविध्येतां महावेगैर्निशितैराशुगैर्भृशम् ॥

tau sametyārjunaṃ vīrau puraḥ paścācca dhanvitau | avidhyetāṃ mahāvegairniśitairāśugairbhṛśam

Those two heroes, bows in hand, closed in on Arjuna from the front and from behind, and pierced him violently with sharp, swift arrows of great speed.

Verse 4 (7.30.4)

वृषकस्य हयान्सूतं धनुश्छत्रं रथं ध्वजम् । तिलशो व्यधमत्पार्थः सौबलस्य शितैः शरैः ॥

vṛṣakasya hayānsūtaṃ dhanuśchatraṃ rathaṃ dhvajam | tilaśo vyadhamatpārthaḥ saubalasya śitaiḥ śaraiḥ

With his keen arrows Partha cut Subala's son Vrishaka's horses, charioteer, bow, umbrella, chariot and banner into pieces no bigger than sesame seeds.

Verse 5 (7.30.5)

ततोऽर्जुनः शरव्रातैर्नानाप्रहरणैरपि । गान्धारानाकुलांश्चक्रे सौबलप्रमुखान्पुनः ॥

tato'rjunaḥ śaravrātairnānāpraharaṇairapi | gāndhārānākulāṃścakre saubalapramukhānpunaḥ

Then Arjuna, with showers of arrows and weapons of many kinds, threw the Gandharas, with Saubala at their head, into confusion once more.

Note on the text: Corrected जानाप्रहरणैरपि → नानाप्रहरणैरपि (misprint in Wikisource; ज for न, the critical edition reads nānāpraharaṇair).

Verse 6 (7.30.6)

ततः पञ्चशतान्वीरान्गान्धारानुद्यतायुधान् । प्राहिणोन्मृत्युलोकाय क्रुद्धो बाणैर्धनञ्जयः ॥

tataḥ pañcaśatānvīrāngāndhārānudyatāyudhān | prāhiṇonmṛtyulokāya kruddho bāṇairdhanañjayaḥ

Then, in anger, Dhananjaya sent five hundred Gandhara heroes, weapons raised, to the world of death with his arrows.

Verse 7 (7.30.7)

हताश्वात्तु रथात्तूर्णमवतीर्य महाभुजः । आरुरोह रथं भ्रातुरन्यश्च धनुराददे ॥

hatāśvāttu rathāttūrṇamavatīrya mahābhujaḥ | āruroha rathaṃ bhrāturanyaśca dhanurādade

The mighty-armed Vrishaka, his horses slain, quickly stepped down from his chariot, mounted his brother's chariot, and took up another bow.

Verse 8 (7.30.8)

तावेकरथमारूढौ भ्रातरौ वृषकाचलौ । शरवर्षेण बीभत्सुमविध्येतां मुहुर्मुहुः ॥

tāvekarathamārūḍhau bhrātarau vṛṣakācalau | śaravarṣeṇa bībhatsumavidhyetāṃ muhurmuhuḥ

The two brothers Vrishaka and Achala, standing on one chariot, pierced Bibhatsu again and again with showers of arrows.

Verse 9 (7.30.9)

स्यालौ तव महात्मानौ राजानौ वृषकाचलौ । भृशं विजघ्नतुः पार्थमिन्द्रं वृत्रबलाविव ॥

syālau tava mahātmānau rājānau vṛṣakācalau | bhṛśaṃ vijaghnatuḥ pārthamindraṃ vṛtrabalāviva

O king, those two great-souled kings, your brothers-in-law Vrishaka and Achala, struck Partha hard, like Vritra and Bala striking Indra.

Verse 10 (7.30.10)

लब्धलक्षौ तु गान्धारावहतां पाण्डवं पुनः । नैदाघवार्षिकौ मासौ लोकं घर्मांशुभिर्यथा ॥

labdhalakṣau tu gāndhārāvahatāṃ pāṇḍavaṃ punaḥ | naidāghavārṣikau māsau lokaṃ gharmāṃśubhiryathā

Having found their mark, the two Gandharas struck the Pandava again, as the two months of summer and the rains afflict the world with their scorching rays.

Verse 11 (7.30.11)

तौ रथस्थौ नरव्याघ्रौ राजानौ वृषकाचलौ । संश्चिष्टाङ्गौ स्थितौ राजञ्जघानैकेषुणाऽर्जुनः ॥

tau rathasthau naravyāghrau rājānau vṛṣakācalau | saṃściṣṭāṅgau sthitau rājañjaghānaikeṣuṇā'rjunaḥ

O king, as those two tiger-like kings stood on their chariot with their bodies pressed together, Arjuna killed them both with a single arrow.

Verse 12 (7.30.12)

तौ रथात्सिंहसंकाशौ लोहिताक्षौ महाभुजौ । राजन्सम्पेततुर्वीरौ सोदर्यावेकलक्षणौ ॥

tau rathātsiṃhasaṃkāśau lohitākṣau mahābhujau | rājansampetaturvīrau sodaryāvekalakṣaṇau

Those two lion-like, red-eyed, mighty-armed heroes, brothers of one womb and of the same features, fell lifeless from their chariot, O king.

Verse 13 (7.30.13)

तयोर्भूमिं गतौ देहौ रथाद्बन्धुजनप्रियौ । यशो दश दिशः पुण्यं गमयित्वा व्यवस्थितौ ॥

tayorbhūmiṃ gatau dehau rathādbandhujanapriyau | yaśo daśa diśaḥ puṇyaṃ gamayitvā vyavasthitau

Their bodies, dear to their kinsmen, lay fallen from the chariot upon the ground; but they had carried their pure fame to the ten directions and so remained.

Note on the text: Corrected यशो दशः दिशः → यशो दश दिशः (misprint in Wikisource; stray visarga on दश, the critical edition reads yaśo daśa diśaḥ).

Verse 14 (7.30.14)

दृष्ट्वा विनिहतौ सङ्ख्ये मातुलावपलायिनौ । भृशं मुमुचुरश्रूणि पुत्रास्तव विशांपते ॥

dṛṣṭvā vinihatau saṅkhye mātulāvapalāyinau | bhṛśaṃ mumucuraśrūṇi putrāstava viśāṃpate

Seeing their two maternal uncles, who had never fled, slain in the battle, your sons, O lord of the people, shed many tears.

Verse 15 (7.30.15)

निहतौ भ्रातरौ दृष्ट्वा मायाशतविशारदः । कृष्णौ सम्मोहयन्मायां विदधे शकुनिस्ततः ॥

nihatau bhrātarau dṛṣṭvā māyāśataviśāradaḥ | kṛṣṇau sammohayanmāyāṃ vidadhe śakunistataḥ

Seeing his two brothers slain, Shakuni, who was skilled in a hundred illusions, then spun an illusion to bewilder the two Krishnas.

Note on the text: Corrected सम्मोहन्मायां → सम्मोहयन्मायां (misprint in Wikisource; the syllable य dropped, the critical edition reads saṃmohayan māyāṃ).

Verse 16 (7.30.16)

लगुडायोगुडाश्मानः शतघ्न्यश्च सशक्तयः । गदापरिघनिस्त्रिंशशूलमुद्गरपट्टसाः ॥

laguḍāyoguḍāśmānaḥ śataghnyaśca saśaktayaḥ | gadāparighanistriṃśaśūlamudgarapaṭṭasāḥ

Cudgels, iron balls and stones, shataghnis and spears, maces, clubs, swords, tridents, mudgaras and pattasas;

Verse 17 (7.30.17)

सकम्पनर्ष्टिनखरा मुसलानि परश्वथाः । क्षुराः क्षुरप्रनालीका वत्सदन्तास्थिसन्धयः ॥

sakampanarṣṭinakharā musalāni paraśvathāḥ | kṣurāḥ kṣurapranālīkā vatsadantāsthisandhayaḥ

Kampanas, rishtis, claw-weapons, pestles, axes, razor-edged blades, kshurapras, nalikas, calf-tooth darts and bone-jointed missiles;

Verse 18 (7.30.18)

चक्राणि विशिखाः प्रासा विविधान्यायुधानि च । प्रपेतुः शतशो दिग्भ्यः प्रदिग्भ्यश्चार्जुनं प्रति ॥

cakrāṇi viśikhāḥ prāsā vividhānyāyudhāni ca | prapetuḥ śataśo digbhyaḥ pradigbhyaścārjunaṃ prati

discs, vishikhas, javelins, and weapons of many other kinds fell upon Arjuna by hundreds from every quarter and every intermediate quarter.

Verse 19 (7.30.19)

खरोष्ट्रमहिषाः सिंहा व्याघ्राः सृमरचित्रकाः । ऋक्षाः सालावृका गृध्राः कपयश्च सरीसृपाः ॥

kharoṣṭramahiṣāḥ siṃhā vyāghrāḥ sṛmaracitrakāḥ | ṛkṣāḥ sālāvṛkā gṛdhrāḥ kapayaśca sarīsṛpāḥ

Donkeys, camels, buffaloes, lions, tigers, srimaras, leopards, bears, wolves, vultures, monkeys and reptiles;

Verse 20 (7.30.20)

विविधानि च रक्षांसि क्षुधितान्यर्जुनं प्रति । सङ्क्रुद्धान्यभ्यधावन्त विविधानि वयांसि च ॥

vividhāni ca rakṣāṃsi kṣudhitānyarjunaṃ prati | saṅkruddhānyabhyadhāvanta vividhāni vayāṃsi ca

and hungry rakshasas of many kinds, and birds of many kinds, all furious, rushed at Arjuna.

Verse 21 (7.30.21)

ततो दिव्यास्त्रविच्छूरः कुन्तीपुत्रो धनञ्जयः । विसृजन्निषुजालानि सहसा तान्यताडयत् ॥

tato divyāstravicchūraḥ kuntīputro dhanañjayaḥ | visṛjanniṣujālāni sahasā tānyatāḍayat

Then Arjuna, son of Kunti, the hero skilled in divine weapons, loosing masses of arrows, suddenly struck them all down.

Verse 22 (7.30.22)

ते हन्यमानाः शूरेण प्रवरैः सायकैर्दृढैः । विरुवन्तो महारावान्विनेशुः सर्वतो हताः ॥

te hanyamānāḥ śūreṇa pravaraiḥ sāyakairdṛḍhaiḥ | viruvanto mahārāvānvineśuḥ sarvato hatāḥ

Struck by the hero with strong, excellent arrows, they let out mighty roars and perished, slain on every side.

Verse 23 (7.30.23)

ततस्तमः प्रादुरभूदर्जुनस्य रथं प्रति । तस्माच्च तमसो वाचः क्रूराः पार्थमभर्त्सयन् ॥

tatastamaḥ prādurabhūdarjunasya rathaṃ prati | tasmācca tamaso vācaḥ krūrāḥ pārthamabhartsayan

Then a darkness arose against Arjuna's chariot, and from that darkness cruel voices reviled Partha.

Note on the text: Corrected वचाः → वाचः (misprint in Wikisource; the plural of 'voice' is needed, the critical edition reads vācaḥ).

Verse 24 (7.30.24)

तत्तमो भैरवं घोरं भयकर्तृ महाहवे । उत्तमास्त्रेण महता ज्यौतिषेणार्जुनोऽवधीत् ॥

tattamo bhairavaṃ ghoraṃ bhayakartṛ mahāhave | uttamāstreṇa mahatā jyautiṣeṇārjuno'vadhīt

That dreadful, terrifying darkness in the great battle Arjuna destroyed with a mighty supreme weapon, the Jyotisha.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's star passage 7.29.23d*0229_01, not in the constituted text; line 2 is 7.29.24ab.

Verse 25 (7.30.25)

हते तस्मिञ्जलौघास्तु प्रादुरासन्भयानकाः । अम्भसस्तस्य नाशार्थमादित्यास्त्रमथार्जुनः । प्रायुङ्क्ताम्भस्ततस्तेन प्रायशोऽस्त्रेण शोषितम् ॥

hate tasmiñjalaughāstu prādurāsanbhayānakāḥ | ambhasastasya nāśārthamādityāstramathārjunaḥ | prāyuṅktāmbhastatastena prāyaśo'streṇa śoṣitam

When that was destroyed, terrible floods of water appeared. To destroy that water Arjuna then discharged the Aditya weapon, and by it the water was for the most part dried up.

Note on the text: The page prints three lines: line 1 is the critical edition's 7.29.24cd, line 2 is 7.29.25ab, line 3 is 7.29.25cd.

Verse 26 (7.30.26)

एवं बहुविधा मायाः सौबलस्य कृताः कृताः । जघानास्त्रबलेनाशु प्रहसन्नर्जुनोऽब्रवीत् ॥

evaṃ bahuvidhā māyāḥ saubalasya kṛtāḥ kṛtāḥ | jaghānāstrabalenāśu prahasannarjuno'bravīt

Thus Arjuna swiftly destroyed, by the power of his weapons, the many kinds of illusion that Saubala had made one after another, and, laughing, said:

Verse 27 (7.30.27)

दुर्द्यूतदेविन्गान्धारे नाक्षान्क्षिपति गाण्डिवम् । ज्वलितान्निशितांस्तीक्ष्णाञ्शरान्क्षिपति गाण्डिवम् ॥

durdyūtadevingāndhāre nākṣānkṣipati gāṇḍivam | jvalitānniśitāṃstīkṣṇāñśarānkṣipati gāṇḍivam

"O Gandhara, foul gambler! The Gandiva does not cast dice; it casts blazing, whetted, piercing arrows — the Gandiva casts them!"

Note on the text: Arjuna's taunt to Shakuni, given to Arjuna since it fills the verse and follows 'Arjuna said'. Not in the critical edition's constituted text; the critical edition records it as star passage 7.29.26d*0230_01-02. Removed the stray backticks and quote mark printed around it, and corrected क्षिपतिगाण्डिवं → क्षिपति गाण्डिवम् (misprint in Wikisource; word-space and final म् lost, as in line 1).

Verse 28 (7.30.28)

तदा हतासु मायासु त्रस्तोऽर्जुनशराहतः । अपायाञ्जवनैरश्वैः शकुनिः प्राकृतो यथा ॥

tadā hatāsu māyāsu trasto'rjunaśarāhataḥ | apāyāñjavanairaśvaiḥ śakuniḥ prākṛto yathā

When his illusions were destroyed, Shakuni, terrified and struck by Arjuna's arrows, fled on swift horses like a common man.

Verse 29 (7.30.29)

ततोऽर्जुनोऽस्त्रविच्छैघ्र्यं दर्शयन्नात्मनोऽरिषु । अभ्यवर्षच्छरौधेण कौरवाणामनीकिनीम् ॥

tato'rjuno'stravicchaighryaṃ darśayannātmano'riṣu | abhyavarṣaccharaudheṇa kauravāṇāmanīkinīm

Then Arjuna, showing his mastery of weapons against his foes, covered the Kaurava army with a flood of arrows.

Verse 30 (7.30.30)

सा हन्यमाना पार्थेन तव पुत्रस्य वाहिनी । द्वैधीभूता महाराज गङ्गेवासाद्य पर्वतम् ॥

sā hanyamānā pārthena tava putrasya vāhinī | dvaidhībhūtā mahārāja gaṅgevāsādya parvatam

Struck by Partha, that army of your son split in two, O great king, like the Ganga on meeting a mountain.

Verse 31 (7.30.31)

द्रोणमेवान्वपद्यन्त केचित्तत्र नरर्षभाः । केचिद्दुर्योधनं राजन्नर्द्यमानाः किरीटिना ॥

droṇamevānvapadyanta kecittatra nararṣabhāḥ | kecidduryodhanaṃ rājannardyamānāḥ kirīṭinā

Some of the bull-like warriors there went to Drona, and others, O king, pressed hard by the Diadem-wearer, went to Duryodhana.

Verse 32 (7.30.32)

नापश्याम ततस्त्वेनं सैन्ये वै रजसावृते । गाण्डीवस्य च निर्घोषः श्रुतो दक्षिणतो मया ॥

nāpaśyāma tatastvenaṃ sainye vai rajasāvṛte | gāṇḍīvasya ca nirghoṣaḥ śruto dakṣiṇato mayā

Then, in the army covered with dust, we could no longer see him; but I heard the roar of the Gandiva to the south.

Verse 33 (7.30.33)

शङ्खदुन्दुभिनिर्घोषं वादित्राणां च निःस्वनम् । गाण्डीवस्य तु निर्घोषो व्यतिक्रम्यास्पृशद्दिवम् ॥

śaṅkhadundubhinirghoṣaṃ vāditrāṇāṃ ca niḥsvanam | gāṇḍīvasya tu nirghoṣo vyatikramyāspṛśaddivam

The roar of the Gandiva rose above the din of conches and drums and the sound of instruments, and touched the sky.

Verse 34 (7.30.34)

ततः पुनर्दक्षिणतः सङ्ग्रामश्चित्रयोधिनाम् । सुयुद्धं चार्जुनस्यासीदहं द्रोणमन्वियाम् ॥

tataḥ punardakṣiṇataḥ saṅgrāmaścitrayodhinām | suyuddhaṃ cārjunasyāsīdahaṃ droṇamanviyām

Then once again, to the south, there was a battle of strange fighters, and Arjuna fought a splendid fight, while I went to Drona.

Note on the text: Retained अन्वियाम् as printed (an optative form); the critical edition reads anvagām, and the sense is that Sanjaya went to Drona.

Verse 35 (7.30.35)

यौधिष्ठिराण्यनीकानि प्रहरन्ति ततस्ततः । नानाविधान्यनीकानि पुत्राणां तव भारत । अर्जुनो व्यधमत्काले दिवीवाभ्राणि मारुतः ॥

yaudhiṣṭhirāṇyanīkāni praharanti tatastataḥ | nānāvidhānyanīkāni putrāṇāṃ tava bhārata | arjuno vyadhamatkāle divīvābhrāṇi mārutaḥ

The divisions of Yudhishthira strike on every side; and the various divisions of your sons, O Bharata, Arjuna scattered in due time, as the wind scatters clouds in the sky.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's star passage 7.29.33d*0231_01 (reading प्रदहन्ति for प्रहरन्ति on the page); lines 2–3 are 7.29.34ab and cd. Corrected यौधिष्ठिराभ्यनीकानि → यौधिष्ठिराण्यनीकानि (misprint in Wikisource; भ्य for ण्य, the critical edition reads yaudhiṣṭhirāṇy anīkāni).

Verse 36 (7.30.36)

तं वासवमिवायान्तं भूरिवर्षं शरौघिणम् । महेष्वासा नरव्याघ्रा नोग्रं केचिदवारयन् ॥

taṃ vāsavamivāyāntaṃ bhūrivarṣaṃ śaraughiṇam | maheṣvāsā naravyāghrā nograṃ kecidavārayan

None of the great archers, those tigers among men, held back that fierce warrior as he came on like Indra, raining heavily, in floods of arrows.

Verse 37 (7.30.37)

ते हन्यमानाः पार्थेन त्वदीया व्यथिता भृशम् । स्वानेव बहवो जघ्नुर्विद्रवन्तस्ततस्ततः ॥

te hanyamānāḥ pārthena tvadīyā vyathitā bhṛśam | svāneva bahavo jaghnurvidravantastatastataḥ

Struck by Partha, your men, greatly distressed, fled this way and that, and many of them struck down their own comrades.

Verse 38 (7.30.38)

तेऽर्जुनेन शरा मुक्ताः कङ्कपत्रास्तनुच्छिदः । शलभा इव सम्पेतुः संवृण्वाना दिशो दश ॥

te'rjunena śarā muktāḥ kaṅkapatrāstanucchidaḥ | śalabhā iva sampetuḥ saṃvṛṇvānā diśo daśa

The arrows that Arjuna loosed, kanka-feathered and armour-piercing, fell like locusts, covering the ten directions.

Verse 39 (7.30.39)

तुरगं रथिनं नागं पदातिमपि मारिष । विनिर्भिद्य क्षितिं जग्मुर्वल्मीकमिव पन्नगाः ॥

turagaṃ rathinaṃ nāgaṃ padātimapi māriṣa | vinirbhidya kṣitiṃ jagmurvalmīkamiva pannagāḥ

Piercing horse, chariot-warrior, elephant and foot-soldier alike, O honoured one, they went into the earth like snakes into an anthill.

Verse 40 (7.30.40)

न च द्वितीयं व्यसृजत्कुञ्जराश्वनरेषु सः । पृथगेकशरारुग्णा निपेतुस्ते गतासवः ॥

na ca dvitīyaṃ vyasṛjatkuñjarāśvanareṣu saḥ | pṛthagekaśarārugṇā nipetuste gatāsavaḥ

He did not loose a second arrow at any elephant, horse or man; each, wounded by a single arrow, fell lifeless.

Verse 41 (7.30.41)

हतैर्मनुष्यैर्द्विरदैश्च सर्वतः । शराभिसृष्टैश्च हयैर्निपातितैः । तदा श्वगोमायुबलाभिनादितं । विचित्रमायोधशिरो बभूव तत् ॥

hatairmanuṣyairdviradaiśca sarvataḥ | śarābhisṛṣṭaiśca hayairnipātitaiḥ | tadā śvagomāyubalābhināditaṃ | vicitramāyodhaśiro babhūva tat

With men and elephants lying slain on every side, and horses felled by the showered arrows, the battlefield then became a strange sight, echoing with the cries of dogs, jackals and carrion birds.

Note on the text: Corrected मनुष्यौर्द्विरदैश्च → मनुष्यैर्द्विरदैश्च (misprint in Wikisource; औ for ऐ) and तदाऽश्वगोमायु → तदा श्वगोमायु (a stray avagraha made 'horses' of 'dogs'; the critical edition reads tadā śvagomāyubaḍābhināditaṃ). The critical edition's 7.29.40 words lines 1–2 differently (turagaiś ca for the page's द्विरदैश्च, śarābhivṛṣṭair dviradaiś ca pātitaiḥ).

Verse 42 (7.30.42)

पिता सुतं त्यजति सुहृद्वरं सुहृत् । तथैव पुत्रः पितरं शरातुरः । स्वरक्षणे कृतमतयस्तदा जना । सत्यजन्ति वाहानपि पार्थपीडिताः ॥

pitā sutaṃ tyajati suhṛdvaraṃ suhṛt | tathaiva putraḥ pitaraṃ śarāturaḥ | svarakṣaṇe kṛtamatayastadā janā | satyajanti vāhānapi pārthapīḍitāḥ

Father abandoned son, friend abandoned his dearest friend, and likewise son abandoned father, tormented by arrows; men, intent on saving themselves and tormented by Partha, even abandoned their mounts.