Duhshasana Challenges Abhimanyu

Verse 1 (7.39.1)

द्वैधीभवति मे चित्तं शुचा तुष्ट्या च सञ्जय । मम पुत्रस्य यत्सैन्यं सौभद्रः समवारयत् ॥

dvaidhībhavati me cittaṃ śucā tuṣṭyā ca sañjaya | mama putrasya yatsainyaṃ saubhadraḥ samavārayat

My mind is torn, Sanjaya, between sorrow and delight, because Subhadra's son has held back my son's army.

Note on the text: Corrected यत्नैन्यं → यत्सैन्यं (misprint in Wikisource; न for स, leaving the non-word यत्नैन्यम्; the critical edition reads yat sainyaṃ). Adhyaya note: Wikisource's adhyaya 39 is the critical edition's 7.38 (30 verses). The page divides the critical edition's three-line verses 7.38.22 and 7.38.23 into couplets, which is why it has 31. The critical edition's star passages 7.38.1c*0277, 1d*0278, 16b*0279, 21d*0280 and 26b*0281 are not on the page.

Verse 2 (7.39.2)

विस्तरेणैव मे शंस सर्वं गावल्गणे पुनः । विक्रीडितं कुमारस्य स्कन्दस्येवासुरैः सह ॥

vistareṇaiva me śaṃsa sarvaṃ gāvalgaṇe punaḥ | vikrīḍitaṃ kumārasya skandasyevāsuraiḥ saha

Tell me everything again at length, son of Gavalgana: the sport of that boy, like Skanda's among the asuras.

Verse 3 (7.39.3)

हन्त ते सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि विमर्दमतिदारुणम् । एकस्य च बहूनां च यथासीत्तुमुलो रणः ॥

hanta te sampravakṣyāmi vimardamatidāruṇam | ekasya ca bahūnāṃ ca yathāsīttumulo raṇaḥ

Very well, I shall tell you of that most terrible clash, and how the battle between one man and many grew tumultuous.

Verse 4 (7.39.4)

अभिमन्युः कृतोत्साहः कृतोत्साहानरिन्दमान् । रथस्थो रथिनः सर्वांस्तावकानभ्यवर्षयत् ॥

abhimanyuḥ kṛtotsāhaḥ kṛtotsāhānarindamān | rathastho rathinaḥ sarvāṃstāvakānabhyavarṣayat

Abhimanyu, full of zeal, standing in his chariot, rained arrows upon all your chariot-warriors, themselves zealous tamers of foes.

Verse 5 (7.39.5)

द्रोणं कर्णं कृपं शल्यं द्रौणिं भोजं बृहद्बलम् । दुर्योधनं सौमदत्तिं शकुनिं च महाबलम् ॥

droṇaṃ karṇaṃ kṛpaṃ śalyaṃ drauṇiṃ bhojaṃ bṛhadbalam | duryodhanaṃ saumadattiṃ śakuniṃ ca mahābalam

Drona, Karna, Kripa, Shalya, Drona's son, Bhoja, Brihadbala, Duryodhana, the son of Somadatta and the mighty Shakuni,

Verse 6 (7.39.6)

नानानृपान्नृपसुतान्सैन्यानि विविधानि च । अलातचक्रवत्सर्वांश्चरन्बाणैः समार्पयत् ॥

nānānṛpānnṛpasutānsainyāni vividhāni ca | alātacakravatsarvāṃścaranbāṇaiḥ samārpayat

and the many kings and princes and the various armies: among them all he wheeled like a whirling firebrand, covering them with arrows.

Verse 7 (7.39.7)

निघ्नन्नमित्रान्सौभद्रः परमास्त्रैः प्रतापवान् । अदर्शयत तेजस्वी दिक्षु सर्वासु भारत ॥

nighnannamitrānsaubhadraḥ paramāstraiḥ pratāpavān | adarśayata tejasvī dikṣu sarvāsu bhārata

Striking down his enemies with supreme weapons, the radiant and mighty son of Subhadra showed his power in every quarter, O Bharata.

Verse 8 (7.39.8)

तद्दृष्ट्वा चरितं तस्य सौभद्रस्यामितौजसः । समकम्पन्त सैन्यानि त्वदीयानि सहस्रशः ॥

taddṛṣṭvā caritaṃ tasya saubhadrasyāmitaujasaḥ | samakampanta sainyāni tvadīyāni sahasraśaḥ

Seeing the deeds of that son of Subhadra, whose might was beyond measure, your armies trembled by the thousand.

Verse 9 (7.39.9)

अथाब्रवीन्महाप्राज्ञो भारद्वाजः प्रतापवान् । हर्षेणोत्फुल्लनयनः कृपमाभाष्य सत्वरम् ॥

athābravīnmahāprājño bhāradvājaḥ pratāpavān | harṣeṇotphullanayanaḥ kṛpamābhāṣya satvaram

Then the wise and mighty son of Bharadvaja, his eyes wide with delight, spoke quickly to Kripa,

Verse 10 (7.39.10)

घटयन्निव मर्माणि पुत्रस्य तव भारत । अभिमन्युं रणे दृष्ट्वा तदा रणविशारदम् ॥

ghaṭayanniva marmāṇi putrasya tava bhārata | abhimanyuṃ raṇe dṛṣṭvā tadā raṇaviśāradam

as though pressing on the tender places of your son, O Bharata, when he saw Abhimanyu, so skilled in war, in the battle.

Verse 11 (7.39.11)

एष गच्छति सौभद्रः पार्थानां प्रथितो युवा । नन्दयन्सुहृदः सर्वान्राजानं च युधिष्ठिरम् ॥

eṣa gacchati saubhadraḥ pārthānāṃ prathito yuvā | nandayansuhṛdaḥ sarvānrājānaṃ ca yudhiṣṭhiram

There goes Subhadra's son, the famous young hero of the Parthas, gladdening all his friends and King Yudhishthira,

Verse 12 (7.39.12)

नकुलं सहदेवं च भीमसेनं च पाण्डवम् । बन्धून्सम्बन्धिनश्चान्यान्मध्यस्थान्सुहृदस्तथा ॥

nakulaṃ sahadevaṃ ca bhīmasenaṃ ca pāṇḍavam | bandhūnsambandhinaścānyānmadhyasthānsuhṛdastathā

and Nakula, Sahadeva and Bhimasena the Pandava, and his kinsmen, his relatives, those who stand between, and his friends.

Verse 13 (7.39.13)

नास्य युद्धे समं मन्ये कञ्चिदन्यं धनुर्धरम् । इच्छन्हन्यादिमां सेनां किमर्थमपि नेच्छति ॥

nāsya yuddhe samaṃ manye kañcidanyaṃ dhanurdharam | icchanhanyādimāṃ senāṃ kimarthamapi necchati

I do not think any other archer is his equal in battle. If he wished, he could destroy this whole army; why he does not wish it, I cannot say.

Verse 14 (7.39.14)

द्रोणस्य प्रीतिसंयुक्तं श्रुत्वा वाक्यं तवात्मजः । आर्जुनिं प्रति सङ्क्रुद्धो द्रोणं दृष्ट्वा स्मयन्निव ॥

droṇasya prītisaṃyuktaṃ śrutvā vākyaṃ tavātmajaḥ | ārjuniṃ prati saṅkruddho droṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā smayanniva

Hearing Drona's words, so full of fondness, your son, furious with Arjuna's son, looked at Drona with something like a smile,

Verse 15 (7.39.15)

अथ दुर्योधनः कर्णमब्रवीद्बाह्लिकं नृपः । दुःशासनं मद्रराजं तांस्तथाऽन्यान्महारथान् ॥

atha duryodhanaḥ karṇamabravīdbāhlikaṃ nṛpaḥ | duḥśāsanaṃ madrarājaṃ tāṃstathā'nyānmahārathān

King Duryodhana then spoke to Karna, to Bahlika, to Duhshasana, to the lord of the Madras and to the other great chariot-warriors.

Verse 16 (7.39.16)

सर्वभूर्धाभिषिक्तानामाचार्यो ब्रह्मवित्तमः । अर्जुनस्य सुतं मूढं नायं हन्तुमिहेच्छति ॥

sarvabhūrdhābhiṣiktānāmācāryo brahmavittamaḥ | arjunasya sutaṃ mūḍhaṃ nāyaṃ hantumihecchati

He is the teacher of all the anointed kings and the foremost knower of Brahman, and he does not wish to kill this foolish son of Arjuna.

Note on the text: No speaker heading is printed; the page's सञ्जय heading (verse 14) is still in force, but verses 16–19 are Duryodhana's speech to Karna and the others (introduced by verse 15), so the input's carried-on सञ्जय is corrected.

Verse 17 (7.39.17)

न ह्यस्य समरे युद्ध्येदन्तकोऽप्याततायिनः । किमङ्ग पुनरेवान्यो मर्त्यः सत्यं ब्रवीमि वः ॥

na hyasya samare yuddhyedantako'pyātatāyinaḥ | kimaṅga punarevānyo martyaḥ satyaṃ bravīmi vaḥ

In battle not even Death would face him when he comes on to attack; how much less some other mortal! I tell you the truth.

Note on the text: No speaker heading is printed; Duryodhana's speech continues.

Verse 18 (7.39.18)

अर्जुनस्य सुतं त्वेष शिष्यत्वादभिरक्षति । शिष्याः पुत्राश्च दयितास्तदपत्यं च धर्मिणाम् ॥

arjunasya sutaṃ tveṣa śiṣyatvādabhirakṣati | śiṣyāḥ putrāśca dayitāstadapatyaṃ ca dharmiṇām

He guards Arjuna's son because he was his pupil: to the righteous, pupils and sons are dear, and so is a pupil's child.

Note on the text: No speaker heading is printed; Duryodhana's speech continues.

Verse 19 (7.39.19)

संरक्ष्यमाणो द्रोणेन मन्यते वीर्यमात्मनः । आत्मसम्भावितो मूढस्तं प्रमथ्नीत माचिरम् ॥

saṃrakṣyamāṇo droṇena manyate vīryamātmanaḥ | ātmasambhāvito mūḍhastaṃ pramathnīta māciram

Guarded by Drona, the fool thinks his strength is his own; puffed up with self-esteem, he is a fool. Crush him without delay!

Note on the text: No speaker heading is printed; Duryodhana's speech ends here; the next verse is Sanjaya's narration.

Verse 20 (7.39.20)

एवमुक्तास्तु ते राज्ञा सात्वतीपुत्रमभ्ययुः । संरब्धास्ते जिघांसन्तो भारद्वाजस्य पश्यतः ॥

evamuktāstu te rājñā sātvatīputramabhyayuḥ | saṃrabdhāste jighāṃsanto bhāradvājasya paśyataḥ

So addressed by the king, they charged at the son of the Satvata woman in a fury, eager to kill him, while Bharadvaja's son looked on.

Verse 21 (7.39.21)

दुःशासनस्तु तच्छ्रुत्वा दुर्योधनवचस्तदा । अब्रवीत्कुरुशार्दूल दुर्योधनमिदं वचः ॥

duḥśāsanastu tacchrutvā duryodhanavacastadā | abravītkuruśārdūla duryodhanamidaṃ vacaḥ

Hearing Duryodhana's words, Duhshasana then spoke this speech to Duryodhana, O tiger of the Kurus:

Verse 22 (7.39.22)

अहमेनं हनिष्यामि महाराज ब्रवीमि ते । मिषतां पाण्डुपुत्राणां पाञ्चालानां च पश्यताम् ॥

ahamenaṃ haniṣyāmi mahārāja bravīmi te | miṣatāṃ pāṇḍuputrāṇāṃ pāñcālānāṃ ca paśyatām

I shall slay him, great king, I tell you, while the sons of Pandu and the Panchalas look on.

Note on the text: Corrected पाण्डु पुत्राणां → पाण्डुपुत्राणां (stray space inside the compound पाण्डुपुत्राणाम् removed). No speaker heading is printed; this is Duhshasana's speech to Duryodhana, which runs to verse 26 (the input carried सञ्जय on). Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 7.38.22ac; the critical edition's three-line verse continues in the next verse. The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 23 (7.39.23)

ग्रसिष्याम्यद्य सौभद्रं यथा राहुर्दिवाकरम् । उत्क्रुश्य चाब्रवीद्वाक्यं कुरुराजमिदं पुनः ॥

grasiṣyāmyadya saubhadraṃ yathā rāhurdivākaram | utkruśya cābravīdvākyaṃ kururājamidaṃ punaḥ

“Today I shall swallow Subhadra's son, as Rahu swallows the sun.” And, shouting out, he spoke again to the king of the Kurus, saying:

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 7.38.22e and ends the first part of Duhshasana's speech; line 2 is 7.38.23a, Sanjaya's narration. The page prints no heading inside the verse, so it is kept whole and given to the narrator. The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 24 (7.39.24)

श्रुत्वा कृष्णौ मया ग्रस्तं सौभद्रमतिमानिनौ । गमिष्यतः प्रेतलोकं जीवलोकान्न संशयः ॥

śrutvā kṛṣṇau mayā grastaṃ saubhadramatimāninau | gamiṣyataḥ pretalokaṃ jīvalokānna saṃśayaḥ

“When the two Krishnas, so proud, hear that I have swallowed Subhadra's son, they will surely go from the world of the living to the world of the dead.

Note on the text: No speaker heading is printed; Duhshasana's speech continues (critical edition 7.38.23ce). The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 25 (7.39.25)

तौ च श्रुत्वा मृतौ व्यक्तं पाण्डोः क्षेत्रोद्भवाः सुताः । एकाह्वा ससुहृद्वर्गाः क्लैब्याद्धास्यन्ति जीवितम् ॥

tau ca śrutvā mṛtau vyaktaṃ pāṇḍoḥ kṣetrodbhavāḥ sutāḥ | ekāhvā sasuhṛdvargāḥ klaibyāddhāsyanti jīvitam

And when they hear that those two are dead, the sons born of Pandu's field will surely give up their lives in a single day, out of faintheartedness, along with their friends.

Note on the text: No speaker heading is printed; Duhshasana's speech continues.

Verse 26 (7.39.26)

तस्मादस्मिन्हते शत्रौ हताः सर्वेऽहितास्तव । शिवेन मां ध्याहि राजन्नेष हन्मि रिपूंस्तव ॥

tasmādasminhate śatrau hatāḥ sarve'hitāstava | śivena māṃ dhyāhi rājanneṣa hanmi ripūṃstava

So when this one foe is slain, all your enemies are slain. Think of me with good wishes, O king; I am about to strike down your foes.”

Note on the text: No speaker heading is printed; Duhshasana's speech ends here.

Verse 27 (7.39.27)

एवमुक्त्वाऽनदद्राजन्पुत्रो दुःशासनस्तव । सौभद्रमभ्ययात्क्रुद्धः शरवर्षैरवाकिरन् ॥

evamuktvā'nadadrājanputro duḥśāsanastava | saubhadramabhyayātkruddhaḥ śaravarṣairavākiran

Having spoken thus, your son Duhshasana roared, O king, and attacked Subhadra's son in anger, covering him with showers of arrows.

Verse 28 (7.39.28)

तमतिक्रुद्धमायान्तं तव पुत्रमरिंदमः । अभिमन्युः शरैस्तीक्ष्णैः षड्विंशत्या समार्पयत् ॥

tamatikruddhamāyāntaṃ tava putramariṃdamaḥ | abhimanyuḥ śaraistīkṣṇaiḥ ṣaḍviṃśatyā samārpayat

As that son of yours came on in great fury, Abhimanyu, tamer of foes, struck him with twenty-six sharp arrows.

Verse 29 (7.39.29)

दुःशासनस्तु सङ्क्रुद्धः प्रभिन्न इव कुञ्जरः । अयोधयत सौभद्रमभिमन्युश्च तं रणे ॥

duḥśāsanastu saṅkruddhaḥ prabhinna iva kuñjaraḥ | ayodhayata saubhadramabhimanyuśca taṃ raṇe

Duhshasana, enraged like a rutting elephant, fought Subhadra's son, and Abhimanyu fought him in the battle.

Verse 30 (7.39.30)

तौ मण्डलानि चित्राणि रथाभ्यां सव्यदक्षिणम् । चरमाणावयुध्येतां रथशिक्षाविशारदौ ॥

tau maṇḍalāni citrāṇi rathābhyāṃ savyadakṣiṇam | caramāṇāvayudhyetāṃ rathaśikṣāviśāradau

Those two, masters of chariot-craft, fought, wheeling their chariots in varied circles to the left and to the right.

Verse 31 (7.39.31)

अथ पणवमृदङ्गदुन्दुभीनां । क्रकचमहानकभेरिझर्झराणाम् । निनदमतिभृशं नराः प्रचक्रु- । र्लवणजलोद्भवसिंहनादमिश्रम् ॥

atha paṇavamṛdaṅgadundubhīnāṃ | krakacamahānakabherijharjharāṇām | ninadamatibhṛśaṃ narāḥ pracakru- | rlavaṇajalodbhavasiṃhanādamiśram

Then men raised an exceedingly loud din of paṇavas, mridangas and kettledrums, of krakacas, great ānakas, bheris and jharjharas, mingled with lion-roars and the sea-born conches.

Note on the text: Corrected झर्झराणम् → झर्झराणाम् (misprint in Wikisource; the long ā of the genitive plural is dropped; the critical edition reads jharjharāṇām). Corrected प्रचक्रु-- । → प्रचक्रु- । (the page's double hyphen (“--”) marking the word प्रचक्रुर्लवण… split between lines 3 and 4 is normalised to the single hyphen used for such breaks). The four lines are the critical edition's 7.38.30ac (it prints them as two lines of two pādas each).