Kripa and Kritavarma Defeat Dhrishtadyumna and Shikhandi

Verse 1 (8.17.1)

धृष्टद्युम्नं कृपो राजन्वारयामास संयुगे । यथा दृष्ट्वा वने सिंहं शरभो वारयेद्युधि ॥

dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ kṛpo rājanvārayāmāsa saṃyuge | yathā dṛṣṭvā vane siṃhaṃ śarabho vārayedyudhi

O king, Kripa checked Dhrishtadyumna in the battle, as a sharabha in a fight would hold back a lion seen in the forest.

Verse 2 (8.17.2)

निरुद्वः पार्षतस्तेन गौतमेन बलीयसा । पदात्पदं विचलितुं नाशकत्तत्र भारत ॥

nirudvaḥ pārṣatastena gautamena balīyasā | padātpadaṃ vicalituṃ nāśakattatra bhārata

Checked by the mighty Gautama, Parshata could not move forward a single step there, O Bharata.

Verse 3 (8.17.3)

गौतमस्य रथं दृष्ट्वा धृष्टद्युम्नरथं प्रति । वित्रेसुः सर्वभूतानि क्षयं प्राप्तं च मेनिरे ॥

gautamasya rathaṃ dṛṣṭvā dhṛṣṭadyumnarathaṃ prati | vitresuḥ sarvabhūtāni kṣayaṃ prāptaṃ ca menire

Seeing Gautama's chariot set against the chariot of Dhrishtadyumna, all creatures trembled and thought that ruin had come upon him.

Verse 4 (8.17.4)

तदा जल्पन्ति पाण्डूनां रथिनः सादिनस्तथा । द्रोणस्य निधनान्नूनं सङ्क्रुद्धो द्विपदां वरः ॥

tadā jalpanti pāṇḍūnāṃ rathinaḥ sādinastathā | droṇasya nidhanānnūnaṃ saṅkruddho dvipadāṃ varaḥ

Then the chariot-warriors and horsemen of the Pandavas said: "Surely that best of men is enraged because of the death of Drona."

Note on the text: Corrected सङ्क्रुद्वो → सङ्क्रुद्धो (misprint in Wikisource; द्व for द्ध, a broken conjunct; CE saṃkruddho). Wikisource's wording of the first line differs from CE 8.18.44 (similarity 0.778); a recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 5 (8.17.5)

शारद्वतो महातेजा दिव्यास्त्रविदुदारधीः । अपि स्वस्ति भवेदद्य धृष्टद्युम्नस्य गौतमात् ॥

śāradvato mahātejā divyāstravidudāradhīḥ | api svasti bhavedadya dhṛṣṭadyumnasya gautamāt

"Will the radiant son of Sharadvat, noble of mind and master of divine weapons, let Dhrishtadyumna come to no harm from Gautama today?"

Note on the text: Direct speech of the Pandava warriors, unheaded in the text; given to them as speaker.

Verse 6 (8.17.6)

अपीयं वाहिनी कृत्स्ना मुच्येत महतो भयात् । अप्ययं ब्राह्मणः सर्वान्न नो हन्यात्समागतान् ॥

apīyaṃ vāhinī kṛtsnā mucyeta mahato bhayāt | apyayaṃ brāhmaṇaḥ sarvānna no hanyātsamāgatān

"Will this whole army be freed from its great fear? Will this brahmin not destroy all of us who have gathered here?"

Note on the text: Direct speech of the Pandava warriors, unheaded in the text; given to them as speaker.

Verse 7 (8.17.7)

यादृशं दृश्यते रूपमन्तकप्रतिमं रणे । गमिष्यत्यद्य पदवीं भारद्वाजस्य गौतमः ॥

yādṛśaṃ dṛśyate rūpamantakapratimaṃ raṇe | gamiṣyatyadya padavīṃ bhāradvājasya gautamaḥ

"Such is the look he wears in battle, like that of Death himself. Today Gautama will go the way of Bharadvaja's son."

Note on the text: Direct speech of the Pandava warriors, unheaded in the text; given to them as speaker. Wikisource's wording differs from CE 8.18.47 (similarity 0.861); a recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 8 (8.17.8)

आचार्यः क्षिप्रहस्तश्च विजयी च सदा युधि । अस्त्रवान्वीर्यसम्पन्नः क्रोधेन च समन्वितः ॥

ācāryaḥ kṣiprahastaśca vijayī ca sadā yudhi | astravānvīryasampannaḥ krodhena ca samanvitaḥ

"The teacher is quick of hand and ever victorious in battle, skilled in weapons, full of valour, and filled with wrath."

Note on the text: Direct speech of the Pandava warriors, unheaded in the text; given to them as speaker.

Verse 9 (8.17.9)

पार्षतश्च महायुद्धे विमुखोऽद्याभिलक्ष्यते । इत्येवं विविधा वाचस्तावकानां परैः सह । व्यश्रूयन्त महाराज तयोस्तत्र समागमे ॥

pārṣataśca mahāyuddhe vimukho'dyābhilakṣyate | ityevaṃ vividhā vācastāvakānāṃ paraiḥ saha | vyaśrūyanta mahārāja tayostatra samāgame

"And Parshata is seen turning away today in this great battle." Such were the many things said by your men together with the enemy, great king, when those two met there.

Note on the text: Corrected महायुद्वे → महायुद्धे (misprint in Wikisource; द्व for द्ध, a broken conjunct; CE yuddhe). Lines 1–2 are CE 8.18.49ab and 49cd (Wikisource's महायुद्धे विमुखोऽद्याभिलक्ष्यते differs from CE's भृशं युद्धे विमुखो ऽद्यापि लक्ष्यते, a recension variant); line 3 is the CE star passage 8.18.49d*0144_01 (CE व्यश्रूयन्त महाराज तयोस्तत्र समागमे). The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 10 (8.17.10)

विनिःश्वस्य ततः क्रोधात्कृपः शारद्वतो नृप । पार्षतं चार्दयामास निश्चेष्टं सर्वमर्मसु ॥

viniḥśvasya tataḥ krodhātkṛpaḥ śāradvato nṛpa | pārṣataṃ cārdayāmāsa niśceṣṭaṃ sarvamarmasu

Then, sighing in anger, Kripa the son of Sharadvat, O king, harassed Parshata until he was left helpless in every vital part.

Verse 11 (8.17.11)

स हन्यमानः समरे गौतमेन महात्मना । कर्तव्यं न स्म जानाति मोहेन महता वृतः ॥

sa hanyamānaḥ samare gautamena mahātmanā | kartavyaṃ na sma jānāti mohena mahatā vṛtaḥ

Struck in battle by the great-souled Gautama, he was wrapped in a deep bewilderment and no longer knew what he ought to do.

Verse 12 (8.17.12)

तमब्रवीत्ततो यन्ता कञ्चित्क्षेमं तु पार्षत । ईदृशं व्यसनं युद्धे न ते दृष्टं मया क्वचित् ॥

tamabravīttato yantā kañcitkṣemaṃ tu pārṣata | īdṛśaṃ vyasanaṃ yuddhe na te dṛṣṭaṃ mayā kvacit

Then his charioteer said to him: "Are you well, Parshata? Never before have I seen you in such a calamity in battle.

Note on the text: Wikisource's wording differs from CE 8.18.52 (similarity 0.887); a recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept. Narration in line 1; the charioteer's speech begins in line 2 and carries on through the next two verses, so the verse stays with Sanjaya.

Verse 13 (8.17.13)

दैवयोगात्तु ते बाणा नापतन्मर्मभेदिनः । प्रेषिता द्विजमुख्येन मर्माण्युद्दिश्य सर्वतः ॥

daivayogāttu te bāṇā nāpatanmarmabhedinaḥ | preṣitā dvijamukhyena marmāṇyuddiśya sarvataḥ

By the working of fate, the arrows sent from every side at your vital parts by that foremost of brahmins did not fall and pierce you.

Note on the text: Direct speech of Dhrishtadyumna's charioteer, unheaded in the text; given to him as speaker.

Verse 14 (8.17.14)

व्यावर्तये रथं तूर्णं नदीवेगमिवार्णवात् । अवध्यं ब्राह्मणं मन्ये येन ते विक्रमो हतः ॥

vyāvartaye rathaṃ tūrṇaṃ nadīvegamivārṇavāt | avadhyaṃ brāhmaṇaṃ manye yena te vikramo hataḥ

I will turn the chariot back at once, like a river's current turned back from the sea. I take this brahmin to be unslayable, for your prowess has been broken by him."

Note on the text: Direct speech of Dhrishtadyumna's charioteer, unheaded in the text; given to him as speaker.

Verse 15 (8.17.15)

धृष्टद्युम्नस्ततो राजञ्शनकैरब्रवीद्वचः । मुह्यते मे मनस्तात गात्रस्वेदश्च जायते ॥

dhṛṣṭadyumnastato rājañśanakairabravīdvacaḥ | muhyate me manastāta gātrasvedaśca jāyate

Then, O king, Dhrishtadyumna said slowly: "My mind is reeling, friend, and sweat is breaking out on my limbs.

Verse 16 (8.17.16)

वेपथुश्च शरीरे मे रोमहर्षश्च सारथे । वर्जयन्ब्राह्मणं युद्धे शनैर्याहि यतोऽर्जुनः ॥

vepathuśca śarīre me romaharṣaśca sārathe | varjayanbrāhmaṇaṃ yuddhe śanairyāhi yato'rjunaḥ

My body is trembling and my hair is standing on end, charioteer. Keep clear of the brahmin in battle and go quietly to where Arjuna is.

Note on the text: Direct speech of Dhrishtadyumna, unheaded in the text; given to him as speaker.

Verse 17 (8.17.17)

अर्जुनं भीमसेनं वा समरे प्राप्य सारथे । क्षेममद्य भवेन्मह्यमिति मे नैष्ठिकी मतिः ॥

arjunaṃ bhīmasenaṃ vā samare prāpya sārathe | kṣemamadya bhavenmahyamiti me naiṣṭhikī matiḥ

Once I reach Arjuna or Bhimasena in battle, charioteer, I shall be safe today. That is my firm conviction."

Note on the text: Direct speech of Dhrishtadyumna, unheaded in the text; given to him as speaker.

Verse 18 (8.17.18)

ततः प्रायान्महाराज सारथिस्त्वरयन्हयान् । यतो भीमो महेष्वासो युयुधे तव सैनिकैः ॥

tataḥ prāyānmahārāja sārathistvarayanhayān | yato bhīmo maheṣvāso yuyudhe tava sainikaiḥ

Then, great king, the charioteer urged on the horses and drove to where the mighty archer Bhima was fighting your soldiers.

Verse 19 (8.17.19)

प्रद्रुतं च रथं दृष्ट्वा धृष्टद्युम्नस्य मारिष । किरञ्शरशतान्येव गौतमोऽनुययौ तदा ॥

pradrutaṃ ca rathaṃ dṛṣṭvā dhṛṣṭadyumnasya māriṣa | kirañśaraśatānyeva gautamo'nuyayau tadā

Seeing Dhrishtadyumna's chariot rushing away, good sir, Gautama followed it, showering hundreds of arrows.

Verse 20 (8.17.20)

शङ्खं च पूरयामास मुहुर्मुहुररिन्दमः । पार्षतं त्रासयामास महेन्द्रो नमुचिं यथा ॥

śaṅkhaṃ ca pūrayāmāsa muhurmuhurarindamaḥ | pārṣataṃ trāsayāmāsa mahendro namuciṃ yathā

That tamer of foes blew his conch again and again, and terrified Parshata as Mahendra terrified Namuchi.

Note on the text: Wikisource's wording of line 2 differs from CE 8.18.60 (similarity 0.734); a recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 21 (8.17.21)

शिखण्डिनं तु समरे भीष्ममृत्युं दुरासदम् । हार्दिक्यो वारयामास स्मयन्निव मुहुर्मुहुः ॥

śikhaṇḍinaṃ tu samare bhīṣmamṛtyuṃ durāsadam | hārdikyo vārayāmāsa smayanniva muhurmuhuḥ

Hardikya (Kritavarma), smiling again and again, held back Shikhandi, the hard-to-withstand cause of Bhishma's death, in the battle.

Verse 22 (8.17.22)

शिखण्डी तु समासाद्य हृदिकानां महारथम् । पञ्चभिर्निशितैर्भल्लैर्जत्रुदेशे समाहनत् ॥

śikhaṇḍī tu samāsādya hṛdikānāṃ mahāratham | pañcabhirniśitairbhallairjatrudeśe samāhanat

Shikhandi, meeting the great chariot-warrior of the Hridikas, struck him in the collarbone region with five sharp bhalla arrows.

Verse 23 (8.17.23)

कृतवर्मा तु सङ्क्रुद्धो भित्त्वा षष्ट्या पतत्रिभिः । धनुरेकेन चिच्छेद हसन्राजन्महारथः ॥

kṛtavarmā tu saṅkruddho bhittvā ṣaṣṭyā patatribhiḥ | dhanurekena ciccheda hasanrājanmahārathaḥ

Kritavarma, enraged, pierced him with sixty arrows, and that great chariot-warrior, laughing, cut his bow in two with one, O king.

Note on the text: Corrected सङ्क्रद्धो → सङ्क्रुद्धो (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct; CE saṃkruddho).

Verse 24 (8.17.24)

अथान्यद्धनुरादाय द्रुपदस्यात्मजो बली । तिष्ठतिष्ठेति सङ्क्रुद्धो हार्दिक्यं प्रत्यभाषत ॥

athānyaddhanurādāya drupadasyātmajo balī | tiṣṭhatiṣṭheti saṅkruddho hārdikyaṃ pratyabhāṣata

Then the mighty son of Drupada took up another bow and, in a rage, called to Hardikya: "Stand! Stand!"

Note on the text: Corrected अथान्यद्वनुरादाय → अथान्यद्धनुरादाय (misprint in Wikisource; द्व for द्ध; CE athānyad dhanur ādāya).

Verse 25 (8.17.25)

ततोऽस्य नवतिं बाणान्रुक्मपुङ्खान्सुतेजनान् । प्रेषयामास राजेन्द्र तेऽस्याभ्रश्यन्त वर्मणः ॥

tato'sya navatiṃ bāṇānrukmapuṅkhānsutejanān | preṣayāmāsa rājendra te'syābhraśyanta varmaṇaḥ

Then, O king of kings, Shikhandi sent ninety gold-feathered, keen-edged arrows at him, but they slipped off his armour.

Verse 26 (8.17.26)

वितथांस्तान्समालक्ष्य पतितांश्च महीतले । क्षुरप्रेण सुतीक्ष्णेन कार्मुकं चिच्छिदे भृशम् ॥

vitathāṃstānsamālakṣya patitāṃśca mahītale | kṣurapreṇa sutīkṣṇena kārmukaṃ cicchide bhṛśam

Seeing them fail and lie fallen on the ground, Kritavarma sharply cut through his bow with a very keen kshurapra arrow.

Verse 27 (8.17.27)

अथैनं छिन्नधन्वानं भग्नशृङ्गमिवर्षभम् । अशीत्या मार्गणैः क्रुद्धो बाह्वोरुरसि चार्पयत् ॥

athainaṃ chinnadhanvānaṃ bhagnaśṛṅgamivarṣabham | aśītyā mārgaṇaiḥ kruddho bāhvorurasi cārpayat

Then, enraged, he struck him, now bowless like a bull with a broken horn, in the arms and chest with eighty arrows.

Verse 28 (8.17.28)

कृतवर्मा तु सङ्क्रुद्धो मार्गणैः क्षतविक्षतः । ववाम रुधिरं गात्रैः कुम्भवक्रादिवोदकम् ॥

kṛtavarmā tu saṅkruddho mārgaṇaiḥ kṣatavikṣataḥ | vavāma rudhiraṃ gātraiḥ kumbhavakrādivodakam

Kritavarma, though furious, was wounded and torn by the arrows, and he streamed blood from his limbs like water pouring from the mouth of a jar.

Note on the text: Line 1 corresponds to CE 8.18.68ab (CE: कृतवर्मा तु संक्रुद्धो मार्गणैः कृतविक्षतः); line 2 is the CE star passage 8.18.68b*0146_01.

Verse 29 (8.17.29)

रुधिरेण परिक्लिन्नः कृतवर्मा त्वराजत । वर्षेण क्लेदितो राजन्यथा गैरिकपर्वतः ॥

rudhireṇa pariklinnaḥ kṛtavarmā tvarājata | varṣeṇa kledito rājanyathā gairikaparvataḥ

Drenched in blood, Kritavarma shone, O king, like a mountain of red ochre soaked by rain.

Note on the text: Corresponds to the CE star passage 8.18.68b*0146_02–03.

Verse 30 (8.17.30)

अथान्यद्धनुरादाय समार्गणगुणं प्रभुः । शिखण्डिनं बाणगणैः स्कन्धदेशे व्यताडयत् ॥

athānyaddhanurādāya samārgaṇaguṇaṃ prabhuḥ | śikhaṇḍinaṃ bāṇagaṇaiḥ skandhadeśe vyatāḍayat

Then the mighty lord took up another bow, with arrows and string, and struck Shikhandi on the shoulder with volleys of arrows.

Note on the text: Corrected अथान्यद्वनुरादाय → अथान्यद्धनुरादाय (misprint in Wikisource; द्व for द्ध; CE dhanur). Line 1 corresponds to CE 8.18.68c (dhanur anyat samādāya samārgaṇagaṇaṃ prabho) and line 2 to 68e (śikhaṇḍinaṃ bāṇavaraiḥ skandhadeśe 'bhyatāḍayat); Wikisource's words differ slightly from the CE's.

Verse 31 (8.17.31)

स्कन्धदेशस्थितैर्बाणैः शिखण्डी तु व्यराजत । शाखाप्रशाखाविपुलः सुमहान्पादपो यथा ॥

skandhadeśasthitairbāṇaiḥ śikhaṇḍī tu vyarājata | śākhāpraśākhāvipulaḥ sumahānpādapo yathā

With the arrows lodged in his shoulders, Shikhandi shone like a huge tree spreading with branches and boughs.

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 8.18.69 (skandhadeśe sthitair bāṇaiḥ śikhaṇḍī ca rarāja ha / śākhāpratānair vimalaiḥ sumahān sa yathā drumaḥ); a recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept. The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 32 (8.17.32)

तावन्योन्यं भृशं विद्ध्वा रुधिरेण समुक्षितौ । पोप्लूयमानौ हि यथा महान्तौ शोणितहदे । तद्वद्विरेजतुर्वीरौ शोणितेन परिप्लुतौ ॥

tāvanyonyaṃ bhṛśaṃ viddhvā rudhireṇa samukṣitau | poplūyamānau hi yathā mahāntau śoṇitahade | tadvadvirejaturvīrau śoṇitena pariplutau

Having pierced each other deeply, smeared with blood, those two heroes, bathed in blood, shone like two great beings tossing in a pool of blood.

Note on the text: Corrected विद्व्वा → विद्ध्वा (misprint in Wikisource; व्व for ध्व; the absolutive is विद्ध्वा, CE viddhvā). Corrected पोप्लुयमानौ → पोप्लूयमानौ (misprint in Wikisource; short उ for ऊ; CE poplūyamānau). Removed stray wiki quote marks. Line 1 corresponds to CE 8.18.70ab and lines 2–3 to the star passage 8.18.70b*0147_01–02. The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 33 (8.17.33)

यथा च किंशुकौ फुल्लौ पुष्पमासे समागते । रुधिरोक्षितसर्वाङ्गौ रक्तचन्दनरूषितौ । भुजगाविव सङ्क्रुद्धौ रेजतुस्तौ नरोत्तमौ ॥

yathā ca kiṃśukau phullau puṣpamāse samāgate | rudhirokṣitasarvāṅgau raktacandanarūṣitau | bhujagāviva saṅkruddhau rejatustau narottamau

With all their limbs wet with blood, as if daubed with red sandalwood, those two best of men shone like two flowering kimshuka trees when the month of blossoms has come, and like two enraged serpents.

Note on the text: Corresponds to the CE star passage 8.18.70b*0147_03–05. The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 34 (8.17.34)

तावुभौ शरनुन्नाङ्गौ परस्परशरक्षतौ । अन्योन्यशृङ्गाभिहतौ रेजतुर्वृषभाविव ॥

tāvubhau śaranunnāṅgau parasparaśarakṣatau | anyonyaśṛṅgābhihatau rejaturvṛṣabhāviva

Their limbs driven through with arrows and wounded by each other's arrows, struck by each other's horns, they shone like two bulls.

Note on the text: Corrected शरवनुन्नाङ्गौ → शरनुन्नाङ्गौ (misprint in Wikisource; a stray व; CE śaranunnāṅgau). Removed stray wiki quote marks. Line 1 corresponds to the CE star passage 8.18.70b*0147_06 and line 2 to CE 8.18.70c. The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 35 (8.17.35)

अन्योन्यस्य वधे यत्नं कुर्वाणौ तौ महारथौ । रथाभ्यां चेरतुस्तत्र मण्डलानि सहस्रशः ॥

anyonyasya vadhe yatnaṃ kurvāṇau tau mahārathau | rathābhyāṃ ceratustatra maṇḍalāni sahasraśaḥ

Each striving to kill the other, those two great chariot-warriors wheeled their chariots in thousands of circles there.

Verse 36 (8.17.36)

कृतवर्मा महाराज पार्षतं निशितैः शरैः । रणे विव्याध सप्तत्या स्वर्णपुङ्गैः शिलाशितैः ॥

kṛtavarmā mahārāja pārṣataṃ niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ | raṇe vivyādha saptatyā svarṇapuṅgaiḥ śilāśitaiḥ

Kritavarma, great king, pierced Parshata in the battle with seventy sharp, gold-feathered arrows whetted on stone.

Verse 37 (8.17.37)

ततोऽस्य समरे बाणं भोजः प्रहरतां वरः । जीवितान्तकरं घोरं व्यसृजत्त्वरयाऽन्वितः ॥

tato'sya samare bāṇaṃ bhojaḥ praharatāṃ varaḥ | jīvitāntakaraṃ ghoraṃ vyasṛjattvarayā'nvitaḥ

Then in the battle the Bhoja, best of fighters, hurriedly let fly at him a terrible arrow that could end life.

Verse 38 (8.17.38)

स तेनाभिहतो राजन्मूर्च्छामाशु समाविशत् । ध्वजयष्टिं च सहसा शिश्रिये कश्मलावृतः ॥

sa tenābhihato rājanmūrcchāmāśu samāviśat | dhvajayaṣṭiṃ ca sahasā śiśriye kaśmalāvṛtaḥ

Struck by it, O king, he fell at once into a swoon and, overcome by faintness, suddenly clung to his flagstaff.

Verse 39 (8.17.39)

अपोवाह रणात्तूर्णं सारथी रथिनां वरम् । हार्दिक्यशरसन्तप्तं निःश्वसन्तं पुनःपुनः ॥

apovāha raṇāttūrṇaṃ sārathī rathināṃ varam | hārdikyaśarasantaptaṃ niḥśvasantaṃ punaḥpunaḥ

His charioteer swiftly carried that best of charioteers away from the battle, scorched by Hardikya's arrows and sighing again and again.

Verse 40 (8.17.40)

पराजिते ततः शूरे द्रुपदस्यात्मजे प्रभो । व्यद्रवत्पाण्डवी सेना व्यधमाना समन्ततः ॥

parājite tataḥ śūre drupadasyātmaje prabho | vyadravatpāṇḍavī senā vyadhamānā samantataḥ

When Drupada's valiant son had been defeated, O lord, the Pandava army fled in all directions, being cut down.