The Fall of Abhimanyu

Verse 1 (7.49.1)

विष्णोः स्वसुर्नन्दकरः स विष्ण्वायुधभूषणः । रराजातिरथः सङ्ख्ये जनार्दन इवापरः ॥

viṣṇoḥ svasurnandakaraḥ sa viṣṇvāyudhabhūṣaṇaḥ | rarājātirathaḥ saṅkhye janārdana ivāparaḥ

The delight of Vishnu's sister, adorned with Vishnu's weapon, shone in the battle as a supreme chariot-warrior, like a second Janardana.

Verse 2 (7.49.2)

मारुतोद्धूतकेशान्तमुद्यतारिवरायुधम् । वपुः समीक्ष्य पृथ्वीशा दुःसमीक्ष्यं सुरैरपि ॥

mārutoddhūtakeśāntamudyatārivarāyudham | vapuḥ samīkṣya pṛthvīśā duḥsamīkṣyaṃ surairapi

The lords of the earth, seeing his form — his hair-ends tossed by the wind, a fine weapon raised against his foes, a sight hard to look upon even for the gods —

Verse 3 (7.49.3)

यदि पाणितलादेतच्चक्रं मुञ्चेत फाल्गुनिः । वरदानान्मातुलस्य विष्णोश्चक्रमिवापतेत् ॥

yadi pāṇitalādetaccakraṃ muñceta phālguniḥ | varadānānmātulasya viṣṇoścakramivāpatet

"If Phalguni's son were to hurl this wheel from the palm of his hand, then, by the boon of his maternal uncle, it would fall like the discus of Vishnu."

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks. Star passage of the critical edition (*0329_01–02, after 7.48.2d); vulgate-only apart from its wording.

Verse 4 (7.49.4)

तच्चक्रं भृशमुद्विग्नाः संचिच्छिदुरनेकधा । महारथस्ततः कार्ष्णिः स जग्राह महागदाम् ॥

taccakraṃ bhṛśamudvignāḥ saṃcicchiduranekadhā | mahārathastataḥ kārṣṇiḥ sa jagrāha mahāgadām

Greatly alarmed, they cut that wheel to pieces in many ways. Then the great chariot-warrior Karshni took up a great mace.

Note on the text: Corrected कार्ष्मिः → कार्ष्णिः (misprint in Wikisource; म for ष्ण; the critical edition reads kārṣṇiḥ).

Verse 5 (7.49.5)

विधनुःस्यन्दनासिस्तैर्विचक्रश्चारिभिः कृतः । अभिमन्युर्गदापाणिरश्वत्थामानमार्दयत् ॥

vidhanuḥsyandanāsistairvicakraścāribhiḥ kṛtaḥ | abhimanyurgadāpāṇiraśvatthāmānamārdayat

Robbed by them of bow, chariot and sword, and made wheelless by his foes, Abhimanyu, mace in hand, attacked Ashvatthama.

Verse 6 (7.49.6)

स गदामुद्यतां दृष्ट्वा ज्वलन्तीमशनीमिव । अपाक्रामद्रथोपस्थाद्विक्रमांस्त्रीन्नरर्षभः ॥

sa gadāmudyatāṃ dṛṣṭvā jvalantīmaśanīmiva | apākrāmadrathopasthādvikramāṃstrīnnararṣabhaḥ

Seeing that raised mace blazing like a thunderbolt, that bull among men stepped back three paces from his chariot's floor.

Verse 7 (7.49.7)

तस्याश्वान्गदया हत्वा तथोभौ पार्ष्णिसारथी । शराचिताङ्गः सौभद्रः श्वाविद्वत्समदृश्यत ॥

tasyāśvāngadayā hatvā tathobhau pārṣṇisārathī | śarācitāṅgaḥ saubhadraḥ śvāvidvatsamadṛśyata

Having killed his horses and both his rear charioteers with the mace, the son of Subhadra, his limbs studded with arrows, looked like a porcupine.

Verse 8 (7.49.8)

ततः सुबलदायादं कालिकेयमपोथयत् । जघान चास्यानुचरान्गान्धारान्सप्तसप्ततिम् ॥

tataḥ subaladāyādaṃ kālikeyamapothayat | jaghāna cāsyānucarāngāndhārānsaptasaptatim

Then he crushed Subala's heir, the Kalikeya, and slew seventy-seven of his Gandhara followers.

Verse 9 (7.49.9)

पुनश्चैव वसातीयाञ्जघान रथिनो दश । केकयानां रथान्सप्त हत्वा च दश कुञ्जरान् । दौःशासनिरथं साश्वं गदया समपोथयत् ॥

punaścaiva vasātīyāñjaghāna rathino daśa | kekayānāṃ rathānsapta hatvā ca daśa kuñjarān | dauḥśāsanirathaṃ sāśvaṃ gadayā samapothayat

Again he slew ten chariot-warriors of the Vasatiyas, and seven chariots of the Kekayas and ten elephants, and with his mace he smashed the chariot of Duhshasana's son, horses and all.

Verse 10 (7.49.10)

ततो दौःशासनिः क्रुद्धो गदामुद्यम्य मारिष । अभिदुद्राव सौभद्रं तिष्ठतिष्ठेति चाब्रवीत् ॥

tato dauḥśāsaniḥ kruddho gadāmudyamya māriṣa | abhidudrāva saubhadraṃ tiṣṭhatiṣṭheti cābravīt

Then Duhshasana's son, furious, raised his mace and rushed at Saubhadra, crying "Stand! Stand!", O lord.

Note on the text: Corrected दौःशसनिः → दौःशासनिः (misprint in Wikisource; the long ā was dropped; the critical edition reads dauḥśāsaniḥ).

Verse 11 (7.49.11)

तावुद्यतगदौ वीरावन्योन्यवधकाङ्क्षिणौ । भ्रातृव्यौ सम्प्रजह्राते पुरेव त्र्यम्बकान्धकौ ॥

tāvudyatagadau vīrāvanyonyavadhakāṅkṣiṇau | bhrātṛvyau samprajahrāte pureva tryambakāndhakau

Those two heroes, maces raised, each longing for the other's death, rival cousins, struck at each other like Tryambaka and Andhaka of old.

Note on the text: Corrected सम्प्रजहाते → सम्प्रजह्राते (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped ra; the critical edition reads saṃprajahrāte).

Verse 12 (7.49.12)

तावन्योन्यं गदाग्राभ्यामाहत्य पतितौ क्षितौ । इन्द्रध्वजाविवोत्सृष्टौ रणमध्ये परंतपौ ॥

tāvanyonyaṃ gadāgrābhyāmāhatya patitau kṣitau | indradhvajāvivotsṛṣṭau raṇamadhye paraṃtapau

Striking each other with the tips of their maces, those two scorchers of foes fell to the ground in the middle of the battle, like two Indra-banners cast down.

Verse 13 (7.49.13)

दौःशासनिरथोत्थाय कुरूणां कीर्तिवर्धनः । उत्तिष्ठमानं सौभद्रं गदया मूर्ध्न्यताडयत् ॥

dauḥśāsanirathotthāya kurūṇāṃ kīrtivardhanaḥ | uttiṣṭhamānaṃ saubhadraṃ gadayā mūrdhnyatāḍayat

Then Duhshasana's son, the increaser of the Kurus' fame, rose up and struck Saubhadra, who was getting to his feet, on the head with his mace.

Verse 14 (7.49.14)

गदावेगेन महता व्यायामेन च मोहितः । विचेता न्यपतद्भूमौ सौभद्रः परवीरहा ॥

gadāvegena mahatā vyāyāmena ca mohitaḥ | vicetā nyapatadbhūmau saubhadraḥ paravīrahā

Stunned by the great force of the mace and by his own exertion, Saubhadra, slayer of hostile heroes, fell senseless to the ground.

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 7.48.13a and 13c. Between them the critical edition's Appendix I passage 7.48.13b@007 (22 lines, Abhimanyu's last words) has no counterpart in this text.

Verse 15 (7.49.15)

एवं विनिहतो राजन्नेको बहुभिराहवे । क्षोभयित्वा चमूं सर्वां नलिनीमिव कुञ्जरः ॥

evaṃ vinihato rājanneko bahubhirāhave | kṣobhayitvā camūṃ sarvāṃ nalinīmiva kuñjaraḥ

Thus was he slain, O king — one against many in the battle — having thrown the whole army into turmoil like an elephant in a lotus pond.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 7.48.13e; line 2 is 7.48.14a.

Verse 16 (7.49.16)

अशोभत हतो वीरो व्याधैर्वनगजो यथा । तं तथा पतितं शूरं तावकाः पर्यवारयन् ॥

aśobhata hato vīro vyādhairvanagajo yathā | taṃ tathā patitaṃ śūraṃ tāvakāḥ paryavārayan

The slain hero shone like a wild elephant killed by hunters; and as he lay thus fallen, your warriors surrounded the hero.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 7.48.14c; line 2 is 7.48.15a.

Verse 17 (7.49.17)

दावं दग्ध्वा यथा शान्तं पावकं शिशिरात्यये । विमृद्य नगशृङ्गाणि सन्निवृत्तमिवानिलम् ॥

dāvaṃ dagdhvā yathā śāntaṃ pāvakaṃ śiśirātyaye | vimṛdya nagaśṛṅgāṇi sannivṛttamivānilam

like a fire that, having burned a forest, has gone quiet at the end of winter; like a wind that, having ground down the mountain crags, has turned back;

Note on the text: Corrected विमृद्व्य → विमृद्य (misprint in Wikisource; an extra व; the critical edition reads vimṛdya). Line 1 is the critical edition's 7.48.15c; line 2 is 7.48.16a.

Verse 18 (7.49.18)

अस्तं गतमिवादित्यं तप्त्वा भारत वाहिनीम् । उपप्लुतं यथा सोमं संशुष्कमिव सागरम् ॥

astaṃ gatamivādityaṃ taptvā bhārata vāhinīm | upaplutaṃ yathā somaṃ saṃśuṣkamiva sāgaram

like the sun gone to its setting after scorching the army, O Bharata; like the moon seized by an eclipse; like an ocean dried up;

Note on the text: Corrected अस्तिं → अस्तं (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads astaṃ). Corrected सागस्म् → सागरम् (misprint in Wikisource; garbled; the critical edition reads sāgaram). Line 1 is the critical edition's 7.48.16c; line 2 is 7.48.17a.

Verse 19 (7.49.19)

पूर्णचन्द्राभवदनं काकपक्षवृतालिकम् । तं भूमौ पतितं दृष्ट्वा तावकास्ते महारथाः । मुदा परमया युक्ताश्चुक्रुशुः सिंहवन्मुहुः ॥

pūrṇacandrābhavadanaṃ kākapakṣavṛtālikam | taṃ bhūmau patitaṃ dṛṣṭvā tāvakāste mahārathāḥ | mudā paramayā yuktāścukruśuḥ siṃhavanmuhuḥ

him whose face shone like the full moon and whose brow was framed by locks like crow's wings. Seeing him fallen to the ground, those great chariot-warriors of yours, filled with exceeding joy, roared again and again like lions.

Note on the text: Lines 1–3 are the critical edition's 7.48.17c, 18a and 18c.

Verse 20 (7.49.20)

आसीत्परमको हर्षस्तावकानां विशाम्पते । इतरेषां तु वीराणां नेत्रेभ्यः प्रापतज्जलम् ॥

āsītparamako harṣastāvakānāṃ viśāmpate | itareṣāṃ tu vīrāṇāṃ netrebhyaḥ prāpatajjalam

A supreme joy arose among your men, O lord of the people, while from the eyes of the other heroes tears fell.

Verse 21 (7.49.21)

अन्तरिक्षे च भूतानि प्राक्रोशन्त विशाम्पते । दृष्ट्वा निपतितं वीरं च्युतं चन्द्रमिवाम्बरात् ॥

antarikṣe ca bhūtāni prākrośanta viśāmpate | dṛṣṭvā nipatitaṃ vīraṃ cyutaṃ candramivāmbarāt

And in the sky, O lord of the people, beings cried out, seeing the hero fallen like the moon dropped from the heavens.

Verse 22 (7.49.22)

द्रोणकर्णमुखैः षड्भिर्धार्तराष्ट्रैर्महारथैः । एकोऽयं निहतः शेते नैष धर्मो मतो हि नः ॥

droṇakarṇamukhaiḥ ṣaḍbhirdhārtarāṣṭrairmahārathaiḥ | eko'yaṃ nihataḥ śete naiṣa dharmo mato hi naḥ

"This one man lies slain by six great chariot-warriors of Dhritarashtra's side, led by Drona and Karna; we do not hold this to be dharma."

Verse 23 (7.49.23)

तस्मिन्विनिहते वीरे बह्वशोभत मेदिनी । द्यौर्यथा पूर्णचन्द्रेण नक्षत्रगणमालिनी ॥

tasminvinihate vīre bahvaśobhata medinī | dyauryathā pūrṇacandreṇa nakṣatragaṇamālinī

With that hero slain, the earth shone, like the sky garlanded with its host of stars when the full moon is there.

Verse 24 (7.49.24)

रुक्मपुङ्खैश्च सम्पूर्णा रुधिरौघपरिप्लुता । उत्तमाङ्गैश्च शूराणां भ्राजमानैः सकुण्डलैः ॥

rukmapuṅkhaiśca sampūrṇā rudhiraughapariplutā | uttamāṅgaiśca śūrāṇāṃ bhrājamānaiḥ sakuṇḍalaiḥ

Strewn with gold-feathered arrows, flooded with torrents of blood, and with the shining, ear-ringed heads of heroes,

Verse 25 (7.49.25)

विचित्रैश्च परिस्तोमैः पताकाभिश्च संवृता । चामरैश्च कुथाभिश्च प्रविद्धैश्चाम्बरोत्तमैः ॥

vicitraiśca paristomaiḥ patākābhiśca saṃvṛtā | cāmaraiśca kuthābhiśca praviddhaiścāmbarottamaiḥ

covered with bright coverlets and banners, chowries, elephant-cloths, and the finest garments flung about,

Verse 26 (7.49.26)

रथाश्वनरनागानामलङ्कारैश्च सुप्रभैः । खड्गैः सुनिशितैः पीतैर्निर्मुक्तैर्भुजगैरिव ॥

rathāśvanaranāgānāmalaṅkāraiśca suprabhaiḥ | khaḍgaiḥ suniśitaiḥ pītairnirmuktairbhujagairiva

with the bright ornaments of chariots, horses, men and elephants, and with keen, well-tempered swords drawn out like serpents that have cast their skins,

Note on the text: Corrected खङ्गैः → खड्गैः (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads khaḍgaiḥ).

Verse 27 (7.49.27)

चापैश्च विविधैश्छिन्नैः शक्त्यृष्टिप्रासकम्पनैः । विविधैश्चायुधैश्चान्यैः संवृता भूरशोभत ॥

cāpaiśca vividhaiśchinnaiḥ śaktyṛṣṭiprāsakampanaiḥ | vividhaiścāyudhaiścānyaiḥ saṃvṛtā bhūraśobhata

with bows of many kinds, snapped, and with shaktis, rishtis, prasas and kampanas, and with many other weapons, the earth lay covered and shone.

Verse 28 (7.49.28)

निष्टनद्भिरतीवान्यैरुद्वहद्रुधिरस्रवैः । नरैः पतद्भिः पतितैरवनी स्वधिकं बभौ ॥

niṣṭanadbhiratīvānyairudvahadrudhirasravaiḥ | naraiḥ patadbhiḥ patitairavanī svadhikaṃ babhau

With other men groaning terribly, gushing streams of blood, and men falling and fallen, the earth shone all the more.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks. Star passage of the critical edition (*0333_01–02, after 7.48.26d); vulgate-only apart from its wording.

Verse 29 (7.49.29)

वाजिभिश्चापि निर्जीवैः श्वसद्भिः शोणितोक्षितैः । सारोहैर्विषमा भूमिः सौभद्रेण निपातितैः ॥

vājibhiścāpi nirjīvaiḥ śvasadbhiḥ śoṇitokṣitaiḥ | sārohairviṣamā bhūmiḥ saubhadreṇa nipātitaiḥ

With horses, lifeless or gasping, drenched in blood, and with their riders, felled by Saubhadra, the ground lay uneven,

Verse 30 (7.49.30)

साङ्कुशैः समहामात्रैः सवर्मायुधकेतुभिः । पर्वतैरिव विध्वस्तैर्विशिखैर्मथितैर्गजैः ॥

sāṅkuśaiḥ samahāmātraiḥ savarmāyudhaketubhiḥ | parvatairiva vidhvastairviśikhairmathitairgajaiḥ

with elephants, with their goads and mahouts, armour, weapons and banners, flattened like shattered mountains and churned up by arrows,

Note on the text: Corrected सर्वमायुध → सवर्मायुध (misprint in Wikisource; letters transposed; the critical edition reads savarmāyudha).

Verse 31 (7.49.31)

पृथिव्यानुकीर्णैश्च अश्वसारथियोधिभिः । ह्रदैरिव प्रक्षुभितैर्हृतनागै रथोत्तमैः ॥

pṛthivyānukīrṇaiśca aśvasārathiyodhibhiḥ | hradairiva prakṣubhitairhṛtanāgai rathottamaiḥ

with horses, charioteers and warriors strewn over the earth, and with the best of chariots, their elephants carried off, like troubled lakes,

Note on the text: Corrected हदैरिव → ह्रदैरिव (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped ra; the critical edition reads hradair iva).

Verse 32 (7.49.32)

पदातिसङ्घैश्च हतैर्विविधायुधभूषणैः । भीरूणां त्रासजननी घोररूपाऽभवन्मही ॥

padātisaṅghaiśca hatairvividhāyudhabhūṣaṇaiḥ | bhīrūṇāṃ trāsajananī ghorarūpā'bhavanmahī

and with hosts of slain foot soldiers adorned with weapons of many kinds, the earth became terrible in form, a bringer of fear to cowards.

Verse 33 (7.49.33)

तं दृष्ट्वा पतितं भूमौ चन्द्रार्कसदृशद्युतिम् । तावकानां परा प्रीतिः पाण्डूनां चाभवद्व्यथा ॥

taṃ dṛṣṭvā patitaṃ bhūmau candrārkasadṛśadyutim | tāvakānāṃ parā prītiḥ pāṇḍūnāṃ cābhavadvyathā

Seeing him lying on the ground, with a splendour like the moon and the sun, your side felt supreme delight and the Pandavas felt anguish.

Verse 34 (7.49.34)

अभिमन्यौ हते राजञ्शिशुकेऽप्राप्तयौवने । सम्प्राद्रवच्चमूः सर्वा धर्मराजस्य पश्यतः ॥

abhimanyau hate rājañśiśuke'prāptayauvane | samprādravaccamūḥ sarvā dharmarājasya paśyataḥ

When Abhimanyu, a mere boy not yet come to youth, was slain, O king, the whole army broke and fled, with Dharmaraja looking on.

Verse 35 (7.49.35)

दीर्यमाणं बलं दृष्ट्वा सौभद्रे विनिपातिते । अजातशत्रुस्तान्वीरानिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

dīryamāṇaṃ balaṃ dṛṣṭvā saubhadre vinipātite | ajātaśatrustānvīrānidaṃ vacanamabravīt

Seeing his force breaking apart with Saubhadra felled, Ajatashatru spoke these words to those heroes:

Verse 36 (7.49.36)

स्वर्गमेष गतः शूरो यो हतो न पराङ्मुखः । संस्तम्भयत माभैष्ट विजेष्यामो रणे रिपून् ॥

svargameṣa gataḥ śūro yo hato na parāṅmukhaḥ | saṃstambhayata mābhaiṣṭa vijeṣyāmo raṇe ripūn

"That hero has gone to heaven, for he was slain without turning his back. Steady yourselves, do not be afraid; we shall conquer our enemies in battle."

Verse 37 (7.49.37)

इत्येवं स महातेजा दुःखितेभ्यो महाद्युतिः । धर्मराजो युधां श्रेष्ठो ब्रुवन्दुःखमपानुदत् ॥

ityevaṃ sa mahātejā duḥkhitebhyo mahādyutiḥ | dharmarājo yudhāṃ śreṣṭho bruvanduḥkhamapānudat

Thus the greatly radiant Dharmaraja, best of warriors, speaking to those in sorrow, dispelled their grief.

Verse 38 (7.49.38)

युद्धे ह्याशीविषाकारान्राजपुत्रान्रणे रिपून् । पूर्वं निहत्य सङ्ग्रामे पश्चादार्जुनिरभ्ययात् ॥

yuddhe hyāśīviṣākārānrājaputrānraṇe ripūn | pūrvaṃ nihatya saṅgrāme paścādārjunirabhyayāt

"For in the battle he first slew many princely foes, who were like venomous snakes in aspect, and only afterwards did Arjuna's son depart.

Verse 39 (7.49.39)

हत्वा दशसहस्राणि कौसल्यं च महारथम् । कृष्णार्जुनसमः कार्ष्णिः शक्रलोकं गतो ध्रुवम् ॥

hatvā daśasahasrāṇi kausalyaṃ ca mahāratham | kṛṣṇārjunasamaḥ kārṣṇiḥ śakralokaṃ gato dhruvam

Having slain ten thousand, and the great chariot-warrior of Kosala, Karshni, the equal of Krishna and Arjuna, has surely gone to the world of Shakra.

Verse 40 (7.49.40)

रथाश्वनरमातङ्गान्विनिहत्य सहस्रशः । अवितृप्तः स सङ्ग्रामादशोच्यः पुण्यकर्मकृत् ॥

rathāśvanaramātaṅgānvinihatya sahasraśaḥ | avitṛptaḥ sa saṅgrāmādaśocyaḥ puṇyakarmakṛt

Having killed chariots, horses, men and elephants by the thousand, he left the battle unsated; he is not to be mourned — a doer of meritorious deeds,

Verse 41 (7.49.41)

गतः पुण्यकृतां लोकाञ्शाश्वतान्पुण्यनिर्जितान् ॥

gataḥ puṇyakṛtāṃ lokāñśāśvatānpuṇyanirjitān

gone to the eternal worlds of the doers of good deeds, won by his merit."

Note on the text: Wikisource prints this single line, which is the critical edition's star passage *0335_01 (after 7.48.38d; the critical edition reads bhāsvarān for śāśvatān), as a verse of its own.