Arjuna Enters the Battlefield

Verse 1 (7.88.1)

व्यूढेषु तव सैन्येषु समुत्क्रुष्टेषु मारिष । ताड्यमानासु भेरीषु मृदङ्गेष्वानकेषु च ॥

vyūḍheṣu tava sainyeṣu samutkruṣṭeṣu māriṣa | tāḍyamānāsu bherīṣu mṛdaṅgeṣvānakeṣu ca

When your armies stood drawn up in array, my lord, and shouts rose on every side, while the kettledrums, the mridangas and the anaka drums were being beaten,

Note on the text: Adhyaya note: checked against the raw Wikisource page (a table, one row per verse, printed 5-88-1 to 5-88-31 — the page's "5-" is a typo for 7 — ending with a colophon naming this the 88th adhyaya of the Jayadratha-vadha Parva); page and input agree on all 31 verses. The page prints the single speaker heading सञ्जय (verse 1). The unheaded speech of Durmarshana (verses 12–14) was given to him. Wikisource 88 corresponds to the critical edition 7.64.1–28.

Verse 2 (7.88.2)

अनीकानां च संह्रादे वादित्राणां च निःस्वने । प्रध्मापितेषु शङ्खेषु सन्नादे रोमहर्षणे ॥

anīkānāṃ ca saṃhrāde vāditrāṇāṃ ca niḥsvane | pradhmāpiteṣu śaṅkheṣu sannāde romaharṣaṇe

when the hosts were roaring and the instruments sounding, and conches were being blown with a thrilling noise that made the hair stand on end,

Verse 3 (7.88.3)

प्रगृहीतेषु शस्त्रेषु भारतेषु युयुत्सुषु । रौद्रे मुहूर्ते सम्प्राप्ते सव्यसाची व्यदृश्यत ॥

pragṛhīteṣu śastreṣu bhārateṣu yuyutsuṣu | raudre muhūrte samprāpte savyasācī vyadṛśyata

when the Bharatas, eager to fight, had taken up their weapons and the dread hour had arrived, Savyasachin came into view.

Verse 4 (7.88.4)

बलानां वायसानां च पुरस्तात्सव्यसाचिनः । पिशितासृग्भुजां सङ्घाः प्रलीयन्ते सहस्रशः ॥

balānāṃ vāyasānāṃ ca purastātsavyasācinaḥ | piśitāsṛgbhujāṃ saṅghāḥ pralīyante sahasraśaḥ

Before Savyasachin, crows and other birds that feed on flesh and blood gathered and settled in their thousands.

Note on the text: Line 1 corresponds to CE 7.64.4a (CE: "vaḍānāṃ vāyasānāṃ ca purastāt savyasācinaḥ"); the reading बलानां is not clear in context and is left as Wikisource has it (CE: वडानां). Line 2 = CE star passage 7.64.4d*0459_01. The automatic alignment found no match because CE 7.64.4c is a different line.

Verse 5 (7.88.5)

मृगाश्च घोरसन्नादाः शिवाश्चाशिवदर्शनाः । दक्षिणेन प्रयातानामस्माकं नेदुरध्वनि ॥

mṛgāśca ghorasannādāḥ śivāścāśivadarśanāḥ | dakṣiṇena prayātānāmasmākaṃ neduradhvani

As we advanced, wild beasts of dreadful cry and jackals of evil aspect howled on the path to our right.

Note on the text: Corrected घोरसन्नादः → घोरसन्नादाः (misprint in Wikisource; the visarga form does not agree with the plural मृगाः / शिवाः, and CE 7.64.5a has ghorasaṃnādāḥ). Line 2 differs from CE 7.64.5c in its ending (a recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept).

Verse 6 (7.88.6)

लोकक्षये महाराज यादृशास्तादृशा हि ते । अशिवा धार्तराष्ट्राणां शिवाः पार्थस्य संयुगे ॥

lokakṣaye mahārāja yādṛśāstādṛśā hi te | aśivā dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ śivāḥ pārthasya saṃyuge

Such signs, O great king, as appear at the destruction of the world: these were they, boding ill for Dhritarashtra's sons and good for Partha in the battle.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is the critical edition's star passage 7.64.5d*0460_01–02. Removed the stray wiki opening backtick and closing apostrophe.

Verse 7 (7.88.7)

सनिर्घाता ज्वलन्त्यश्च पेतुरुल्काः सहस्रशः । चचाल च मही कृत्स्ना भये घोरे समुत्थिते ॥

sanirghātā jvalantyaśca peturulkāḥ sahasraśaḥ | cacāla ca mahī kṛtsnā bhaye ghore samutthite

Flaming meteors fell by the thousand with a crash of thunder, and the whole earth shook when that dreadful danger arose.

Verse 8 (7.88.8)

विष्वग्वाताः सनीहारा रूक्षाः शर्करकर्षिणः । ववुरायाति कौन्तेये सङ्ग्रामे समुपस्थिते ॥

viṣvagvātāḥ sanīhārā rūkṣāḥ śarkarakarṣiṇaḥ | vavurāyāti kaunteye saṅgrāme samupasthite

Winds blew from every direction, laden with mist, harsh, and dragging gravel along, as Kaunteya drew near and the battle was at hand.

Verse 9 (7.88.9)

नाकुलिश्च शतानीको धृष्टद्युम्नश्च पार्षतः । पाण्डवानामनीकानि प्राज्ञौ तौ व्यूहतुस्तदा ॥

nākuliśca śatānīko dhṛṣṭadyumnaśca pārṣataḥ | pāṇḍavānāmanīkāni prājñau tau vyūhatustadā

Shatanika, the son of Nakula, and Dhrishtadyumna, son of Prishata, the two wise men, then drew up the divisions of the Pandavas in array.

Verse 10 (7.88.10)

ततो रथसहस्रेण द्विरदानां शतेन च । त्रिभिरश्वसहस्रैश्च पदातीनां शतैः शतैः ॥

tato rathasahasreṇa dviradānāṃ śatena ca | tribhiraśvasahasraiśca padātīnāṃ śataiḥ śataiḥ

Then your son Durmarshana, with a thousand chariots, a hundred elephants, three thousand horses, and foot-soldiers in many hundreds upon hundreds,

Verse 11 (7.88.11)

अध्यर्धमात्रे धनुषां सहस्रे तनयस्तव । अग्रतः सर्वसैन्यानां स्थित्वा दुर्मर्षणोऽब्रवीत् ॥

adhyardhamātre dhanuṣāṃ sahasre tanayastava | agrataḥ sarvasainyānāṃ sthitvā durmarṣaṇo'bravīt

standing at the head of the whole army, at a distance of fifteen hundred bow-lengths, said:

Verse 12 (7.88.12)

अद्य गाण्डीवधन्वानं तपन्तं युद्धदुर्मदम् । अहमावारयिष्यामि वेलेव मकरालयम् ॥

adya gāṇḍīvadhanvānaṃ tapantaṃ yuddhadurmadam | ahamāvārayiṣyāmi veleva makarālayam

"Today I will hold back the wielder of Gandiva, blazing and maddened for battle, as the shore holds back the ocean, the home of sea monsters.

Note on the text: Speech of Durmarshana, unheaded on the page (verses 12–14).

Verse 13 (7.88.13)

अद्य पश्यन्तु सङ्ग्रामे धनञ्जयममर्षणम् । विषक्तं मयि दुर्धर्षं भिन्नं कुम्भमिवाश्मनि ॥

adya paśyantu saṅgrāme dhanañjayamamarṣaṇam | viṣaktaṃ mayi durdharṣaṃ bhinnaṃ kumbhamivāśmani

Today let them see the angry Dhananjaya, so hard to withstand, clinging to me in battle, shattered like a pot against a stone.

Verse 14 (7.88.14)

तिष्ठध्वं रथिनो यूयं सङ्ग्राममभिकाङ्क्षिणः । युध्यामि संहतानेतान्यशो मानं च वर्धयन् ॥

tiṣṭhadhvaṃ rathino yūyaṃ saṅgrāmamabhikāṅkṣiṇaḥ | yudhyāmi saṃhatānetānyaśo mānaṃ ca vardhayan

Stand firm, you chariot-warriors who long for battle. I shall fight these men united against me, adding to my fame and honour."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is the critical edition's star passage 7.64.12d*0461_01–02.

Verse 15 (7.88.15)

एवं ब्रुवन्महाराज महात्मा स महीपतिः । महेष्वासैर्वृतो राजन्महेष्वासो व्यवस्थितः ॥

evaṃ bruvanmahārāja mahātmā sa mahīpatiḥ | maheṣvāsairvṛto rājanmaheṣvāso vyavasthitaḥ

While he spoke thus, O great king, that great-souled lord of the earth stood surrounded by mighty archers, himself a mighty archer, O king.

Verse 16 (7.88.16)

ततोऽर्जुनो महाराज महात्मा महतां पतिः । महारथसमाख्यातो महेष्वासो व्यवस्थितः ॥

tato'rjuno mahārāja mahātmā mahatāṃ patiḥ | mahārathasamākhyāto maheṣvāso vyavasthitaḥ

Then Arjuna, O great king, the great-souled lord among the great, renowned as a maharatha and a mighty archer, took his stand.

Note on the text: Line 1 corresponds loosely to the critical edition's star passage 7.64.13d*0462_01 (CE: "tato 'rjuno mahārāja pratyadṛśyata bhārata"); line 2 is not in the critical edition (vulgate only).

Verse 17 (7.88.17)

कक्षाग्निरिव दुःस्पर्शः सवज्र इव वासवः । दण्डपाणिरिवासह्यो मृत्युः कालेन चोदितः ॥

kakṣāgniriva duḥsparśaḥ savajra iva vāsavaḥ | daṇḍapāṇirivāsahyo mṛtyuḥ kālena coditaḥ

Hard to touch as a fire in dry brush, like Vasava with his thunderbolt, irresistible as Yama with staff in hand, like Death himself driven on by Time,

Verse 18 (7.88.18)

शूलपाणिरिवाक्षोभ्यो वरुणः पाशवानिव । युगान्ताग्निरिवार्चिष्मान्दिधक्षुः स्थास्नुजङ्गमम् ॥

śūlapāṇirivākṣobhyo varuṇaḥ pāśavāniva | yugāntāgnirivārciṣmāndidhakṣuḥ sthāsnujaṅgamam

unshakable as the god who bears the trident, like Varuna with his noose, blazing like the fire at the end of an age, wishing to burn everything that stands or moves,

Verse 19 (7.88.19)

क्रोधामर्षबलोद्धूतो निवातकवचान्तकः । युद्धे जेता स्थितः सत्ये पारयिष्यन्महाव्रतम् ॥

krodhāmarṣabaloddhūto nivātakavacāntakaḥ | yuddhe jetā sthitaḥ satye pārayiṣyanmahāvratam

stirred up by wrath and impatience, the slayer of the Nivatakavachas, victorious in battle, firm in truth, ready to fulfil his great vow,

Verse 20 (7.88.20)

आमुक्तकवचः खड्गी जाम्बूनदकिरीटभृत् । शुभ्रमाल्याम्बरधरः स्वङ्गदश्चारुकुण्डलः ॥

āmuktakavacaḥ khaḍgī jāmbūnadakirīṭabhṛt | śubhramālyāmbaradharaḥ svaṅgadaścārukuṇḍalaḥ

clad in armour, with a sword, wearing a golden crown, in white garlands and garments, with fine armlets and handsome earrings,

Note on the text: Corrected खङ्गी → खड्गी (misprint in Wikisource; खड्ग is the word, as in CE 7.64.17a khaḍgī). Removed a stray zero-width joiner inside कुण्डलः.

Verse 21 (7.88.21)

रथप्रवरमास्थाय नरो नारायणानुगः । विधुन्वन्गाण्डिवं सङ्ख्ये बभौ सूर्य इवोदितः ॥

rathapravaramāsthāya naro nārāyaṇānugaḥ | vidhunvangāṇḍivaṃ saṅkhye babhau sūrya ivoditaḥ

Nara, with Narayana at his side, mounting his excellent chariot and shaking Gandiva in the fight, shone like the risen sun.

Verse 22 (7.88.22)

अग्रानीकस्य सोऽध्यर्ध इषुपाते धनञ्जयः । व्यवस्थाप्य रथं राजञ्शङ्खं दध्मौ प्रतापवान् ॥

agrānīkasya so'dhyardha iṣupāte dhanañjayaḥ | vyavasthāpya rathaṃ rājañśaṅkhaṃ dadhmau pratāpavān

At a distance of one and a half arrow-flights from the front of the army, mighty Dhananjaya halted his chariot and blew his conch, O king.

Verse 23 (7.88.23)

अथ कृष्णोऽप्यसम्भ्रान्तः पार्थेन सह मारिष । प्राध्मापयत्पाञ्चजन्यं शङ्खप्रवरमोजसा ॥

atha kṛṣṇo'pyasambhrāntaḥ pārthena saha māriṣa | prādhmāpayatpāñcajanyaṃ śaṅkhapravaramojasā

Then Krishna too, unflustered, my lord, together with Partha, blew the Panchajanya, the best of conches, with all his might.

Verse 24 (7.88.24)

तयोः शङ्खप्रणादेन तव सैन्ये विशाम्पते । आसन्संहृष्टरोमाणः कम्पिता गतचेतसः ॥

tayoḥ śaṅkhapraṇādena tava sainye viśāmpate | āsansaṃhṛṣṭaromāṇaḥ kampitā gatacetasaḥ

At the blast of those two conches, O lord of the people, the hair of the men in your army stood on end; they trembled and lost their senses.

Verse 25 (7.88.25)

यथा त्रस्यन्ति भूतानि सर्वाण्यशनिनिःस्वनात् । तथा शङ्खप्रणादेन वित्रेसुस्तव सैनिकाः ॥

yathā trasyanti bhūtāni sarvāṇyaśaniniḥsvanāt | tathā śaṅkhapraṇādena vitresustava sainikāḥ

As all creatures tremble at the crash of a thunderbolt, so your soldiers trembled at the blast of the conches.

Verse 26 (7.88.26)

प्रसुस्रुवुः शकृन्मूत्रं वाहनानि च सर्वशः । एवं सवाहनं सर्वमाविग्नमभवद्बलम् ॥

prasusruvuḥ śakṛnmūtraṃ vāhanāni ca sarvaśaḥ | evaṃ savāhanaṃ sarvamāvignamabhavadbalam

Their mounts everywhere let fall dung and urine. In this way the whole army, with all its beasts, was thrown into confusion.

Verse 27 (7.88.27)

सीदन्ति स्म नरा राजञ्शङ्खशब्देन मारिष । विसंज्ञाश्चाभवन्केचित्केचिद्राजन्वितत्रसुः ॥

sīdanti sma narā rājañśaṅkhaśabdena māriṣa | visaṃjñāścābhavankecitkecidrājanvitatrasuḥ

Men sank down at the sound of the conches, O king, my lord; some lost their senses, and some, O king, shook with terror.

Verse 28 (7.88.28)

ततः कपिर्महानादं सहभूतैर्ध्वजालयैः । अकरोद्व्यादितास्यश्च भीषयंस्तव सैनिकान् ॥

tataḥ kapirmahānādaṃ sahabhūtairdhvajālayaiḥ | akarodvyāditāsyaśca bhīṣayaṃstava sainikān

Then the Ape on the banner, together with the spirits that dwell in the standards, raised a mighty roar with gaping mouth, terrifying your soldiers.

Verse 29 (7.88.29)

ततः शङ्खाश्च भेर्यश्च मृदङ्गाश्चानकैः सह । पुनरेवाभ्यहन्यन्त तव सैन्यप्रहर्षणाः ॥

tataḥ śaṅkhāśca bheryaśca mṛdaṅgāścānakaiḥ saha | punarevābhyahanyanta tava sainyapraharṣaṇāḥ

Then the conches, kettledrums, mridangas and anaka drums, which gladden your army, were beaten and sounded once more.

Verse 30 (7.88.30)

नानावादित्रसंह्रादैः क्ष्वेडितास्फोटिताकुलैः । सिंहनादैः समुत्क्रुष्टैः समाधूतैर्महारथैः ॥

nānāvāditrasaṃhrādaiḥ kṣveḍitāsphoṭitākulaiḥ | siṃhanādaiḥ samutkruṣṭaiḥ samādhūtairmahārathaiḥ

With the din of many instruments, with roars and the slapping of arms that filled the air, with lion-shouts, and with the great chariot-warriors stirred up,

Note on the text: Corrected संहादैः → संह्रादैः (misprint in Wikisource; संहाद is not a word, and CE 7.64.27a has saṃhrādaiḥ). Line 2 differs from CE 7.64.27c ("siṃhanādaiḥ savāditraiḥ samāhūtair mahārathaiḥ"), a recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 31 (7.88.31)

तस्मिंस्तु तुमुले शब्दे भीरूणां भयवर्धने । अतीव हृष्टो दाशार्हमब्रवीत्पाकशासनिः ॥

tasmiṃstu tumule śabde bhīrūṇāṃ bhayavardhane | atīva hṛṣṭo dāśārhamabravītpākaśāsaniḥ

in that tumult of sound, which swelled the fear of the timid, the son of Indra, greatly delighted, spoke to the Dasharha.