Ashvatthama's Vow; Bhima Routs the Elephants

Verse 1 (8.40.1)

दुर्योधनस्ततः कर्णमुपेत्य भरतर्षभ । अब्रवीन्मद्रराजं च तथैवान्यान्महारथान् ॥

duryodhanastataḥ karṇamupetya bharatarṣabha | abravīnmadrarājaṃ ca tathaivānyānmahārathān

Then, O best of the Bharatas, Duryodhana went up to Karna and spoke to the king of Madra and to the other great warriors as well.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 14 (printed after 8.40.130d*0535_04), lines 0001–0002 (8.40.130d@014_0001–0002; the CE heading saṃjayaḥ is @014_0000).

Verse 2 (8.40.2)

यदृच्छयाऽयमव्यग्रो धर्मः परमकः सखा । सुखिनः क्षत्रियाः कर्ण लभन्ते युद्धमीदृशम् ॥

yadṛcchayā'yamavyagro dharmaḥ paramakaḥ sakhā | sukhinaḥ kṣatriyāḥ karṇa labhante yuddhamīdṛśam

This untroubled, supreme duty has come to us by chance, my friend; fortunate kshatriyas, Karna, find such a battle.

Note on the text: Speaker: Duryodhana's speech, unheaded on the page (verse 1 introduces it); the input had Sanjaya. Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 14 (printed after 8.40.130d*0535_04), lines 0003–0004 (8.40.130d@014_0003–0004); line 1 is a variant (CE yadṛcchayopasaṃprāptaṃ svargadvāram apāvṛtam).

Verse 3 (8.40.3)

यादृशं क्षत्रियैः शूरैः शूराणां दीव्यतां युधि । इष्टं भवति राधेय तदिदं समुपस्थितम् ॥

yādṛśaṃ kṣatriyaiḥ śūraiḥ śūrāṇāṃ dīvyatāṃ yudhi | iṣṭaṃ bhavati rādheya tadidaṃ samupasthitam

The kind of battle that brave kshatriyas wish for, when heroes stake their lives in the contest, Radheya — that very battle is now at hand.

Note on the text: Speaker: Duryodhana, still speaking (the input had Sanjaya). Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 14 (printed after 8.40.130d*0535_04), lines 0005–0006 (8.40.130d@014_0005–0006).

Verse 4 (8.40.4)

हत्वा तु पाण्डवान्युद्धे स्थिरामुर्वीं प्रशासथ । निहता वा परैर्युद्धे वीरलोकानवाप्स्यथ ॥

hatvā tu pāṇḍavānyuddhe sthirāmurvīṃ praśāsatha | nihatā vā parairyuddhe vīralokānavāpsyatha

Either you will kill the Pandavas in battle and rule the firm earth, or, slain by the enemy in battle, you will win the worlds of heroes.

Note on the text: Speaker: Duryodhana, still speaking (the input had Sanjaya). Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 14 (printed after 8.40.130d*0535_04), lines 0007–0008 (8.40.130d@014_0007–0008).

Verse 5 (8.40.5)

दुर्योधनस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा तत्क्षत्रियर्षभाः । सिंहनादानुदक्रोशन्वादित्राणि च जघ्निरे ॥

duryodhanasya vacanaṃ śrutvā tatkṣatriyarṣabhāḥ | siṃhanādānudakrośanvāditrāṇi ca jaghnire

Hearing Duryodhana's words, those bulls among kshatriyas roared like lions and beat their instruments.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 14 (printed after 8.40.130d*0535_04), lines 0009–0010 (8.40.130d@014_0009–0010).

Verse 6 (8.40.6)

तस्मिन्प्रमुदिते सैन्ये त्वदीये भरतर्षभ । हर्षयंस्तावकान्योधान्द्रौणिर्वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

tasminpramudite sainye tvadīye bharatarṣabha | harṣayaṃstāvakānyodhāndrauṇirvacanamabravīt

When your army was thus in high spirits, O best of the Bharatas, Drona's son spoke, gladdening your warriors.

Note on the text: Corrected द्रौणिर्विचनमब्रवीत् → द्रौणिर्वचनमब्रवीत् (misprint in Wikisource; a stray ि in वचनम्; CE vacanam abravīt). Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 14 (printed after 8.40.130d*0535_04), lines 0011–0012 (8.40.130d@014_0011–0012).

Verse 7 (8.40.7)

प्रत्यक्षं सर्वसैन्यानां भवतां चापि पश्यताम् । न्यस्तशस्त्रो मम पिता धृष्टद्युम्नेन पातितः ॥

pratyakṣaṃ sarvasainyānāṃ bhavatāṃ cāpi paśyatām | nyastaśastro mama pitā dhṛṣṭadyumnena pātitaḥ

Before the eyes of all the armies, and while you yourselves looked on, my father, who had laid down his weapons, was struck down by Dhrishtadyumna.

Note on the text: Speaker: Ashvatthama's speech, unheaded on the page (verse 6 introduces it); the input had Sanjaya. Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 14 (printed after 8.40.130d*0535_04), lines 0013–0014 (8.40.130d@014_0013–0014).

Verse 8 (8.40.8)

स तेनाहममर्षेण पित्रर्थे चापि भारत । धृष्टद्युम्नमहत्वाऽहं न विमोक्ष्यामि दंशनम् ॥

sa tenāhamamarṣeṇa pitrarthe cāpi bhārata | dhṛṣṭadyumnamahatvā'haṃ na vimokṣyāmi daṃśanam

Because of that anger, and for my father's sake, Bharata, I will not take off my armour until I have killed Dhrishtadyumna.

Note on the text: Speaker: Ashvatthama, still speaking (the input had Sanjaya). Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 14 (printed after 8.40.130d*0535_04), line 1 is a variant of 0015 and line 2 is 0017 (8.40.130d@014_0015, 0017; CE 0016 satyaṃ vaḥ pratijānāmi tad vākyaṃ me nibodhata has no counterpart in the page).

Verse 9 (8.40.9)

कृत्वाऽनृतां प्रतिज्ञां वो नास्मि प्राप्ता महत्फलम् । अर्जुनं भीमसेनं च यश्च मां प्रतियोत्स्यति । सर्वांस्तान्प्रमथिष्यामि इति मे निश्चिता मतिः ॥

kṛtvā'nṛtāṃ pratijñāṃ vo nāsmi prāptā mahatphalam | arjunaṃ bhīmasenaṃ ca yaśca māṃ pratiyotsyati | sarvāṃstānpramathiṣyāmi iti me niścitā matiḥ

If I made a false promise to you, I would win no great reward. Arjuna and Bhimasena, and whoever stands against me — I will crush them all; that is my firm resolve.

Note on the text: Speaker: Ashvatthama, still speaking (the input had Sanjaya). Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 14 (printed after 8.40.130d*0535_04), lines 0018–0020 (8.40.130d@014_0018–0020); line 1 is a variant (CE anṛtāyāṃ pratijñāyāṃ nāhaṃ svargam avāpnuyām).

Verse 10 (8.40.10)

एवमुक्ते ततः सर्वा हर्षिता भारती चमूः । अभ्यवर्तत कौन्तेयांस्तथा तां चापि पाण्डवाः ॥

evamukte tataḥ sarvā harṣitā bhāratī camūḥ | abhyavartata kaunteyāṃstathā tāṃ cāpi pāṇḍavāḥ

When he had spoken, the whole Bharata army, delighted, advanced on the sons of Kunti, and the Pandavas advanced on them.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 14 (printed after 8.40.130d*0535_04), lines 0021–0022 (8.40.130d@014_0021–0022).

Verse 11 (8.40.11)

स सन्निपातो रथयूथपानां । महाहवे भारत लोभनीये । जनक्षयः कालयुगान्तकल्पः । प्रावर्तताग्रे कुरुसृञ्जयानाम् ॥

sa sannipāto rathayūthapānāṃ | mahāhave bhārata lobhanīye | janakṣayaḥ kālayugāntakalpaḥ | prāvartatāgre kurusṛñjayānām

That clash of the chariot-leaders in the alluring great battle, O Bharata, a destruction of men like the end of an age, began at the front of the Kurus and Srinjayas.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 14 (printed after 8.40.130d*0535_04), lines 0023–0026 (8.40.130d@014_0023–0026).

Verse 12 (8.40.12)

ततः प्रवृत्ते युधि सम्प्रहारे । भूतानि सर्वाणि सदैवतानि । आसन्समेतानि सहाप्सरोभि- । निरीक्षतीभिर्युधि वीरसङ्घान् ॥

tataḥ pravṛtte yudhi samprahāre | bhūtāni sarvāṇi sadaivatāni | āsansametāni sahāpsarobhi- | nirīkṣatībhiryudhi vīrasaṅghān

Then, when the battle was joined, all beings together with the gods assembled with the apsarases, watching the hosts of heroes.

Note on the text: Made the page's double hyphen ("--"), which marks a word split between lines, a single hyphen. Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 14 (printed after 8.40.130d*0535_04), lines 0027–0030 (8.40.130d@014_0027–0030).

Verse 13 (8.40.13)

दिव्यैश्च गन्धैः परमैश्च पुष्पै- । रन्यैश्च रत्नैर्विविधैर्नराग्र्यान् । रणेषु कर्मोद्वहतः प्रहृष्टा- । ननन्दयन्नप्सरसः प्रहृष्टाः ॥

divyaiśca gandhaiḥ paramaiśca puṣpai- | ranyaiśca ratnairvividhairnarāgryān | raṇeṣu karmodvahataḥ prahṛṣṭā- | nanandayannapsarasaḥ prahṛṣṭāḥ

With divine perfumes and choice flowers, and with jewels of many kinds, the delighted apsarases pleased the foremost of men, who were rejoicing as they bore their part in the battles.

Note on the text: Corrected नराग्र्याः → नराग्र्यान् (misprint in Wikisource; the verb ननन्दयन् needs an accusative object; CE narāgryān). Corrected कर्मोद्वहताः → कर्मोद्वहतः (misprint in Wikisource; not a valid form; the accusative plural is उद्वहतः, as CE svakarmodvahataḥ). Made the page's double hyphen ("--"), which marks a word split between lines, a single hyphen. Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 14 (printed after 8.40.130d*0535_04), lines 0031–0034 (8.40.130d@014_0031–0034; Wikisource ननन्दयन् for CE avākirann).

Verse 14 (8.40.14)

समीरणस्तांस्तु निषेव्य गन्धा- । न्निषेवते तानपि योधमुख्यान् । निषेव्यमाणास्त्वनिलेन योधाः । परस्परं चुक्रुशुराजिमध्ये ॥

samīraṇastāṃstu niṣevya gandhā- | nniṣevate tānapi yodhamukhyān | niṣevyamāṇāstvanilena yodhāḥ | parasparaṃ cukruśurājimadhye

The wind, taking up those fragrances, also served the chief warriors; and the warriors, so served by the wind, shouted at one another in the midst of the fight.

Note on the text: Made the page's double hyphen ("--"), which marks a word split between lines, a single hyphen. Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 14 (printed after 8.40.130d*0535_04), lines 0035–0038 (8.40.130d@014_0035–0038).

Verse 15 (8.40.15)

तथा तु तस्मिंस्तुमुले प्रवृत्ते । दुर्योधनः क्रोधममृष्यमाणः । अभ्येत्य भीमं बलमध्यसंस्थः । समार्पयत्क्षुद्रकाणां शतेन ॥

tathā tu tasmiṃstumule pravṛtte | duryodhanaḥ krodhamamṛṣyamāṇaḥ | abhyetya bhīmaṃ balamadhyasaṃsthaḥ | samārpayatkṣudrakāṇāṃ śatena

Then, in that tumult, Duryodhana, unable to bear his anger, came up to Bhima in the middle of the host and loosed a hundred small arrows (kshudrakas) at him.

Note on the text: Corrected `अवेभ्य → अभ्येत्य (misprint in Wikisource; a stray backtick, and अवेभ्य is not a word; CE abhyetya). Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 15 (printed after Appendix I No. 14, in the same place after 8.40.130d), lines 0001–0004 (8.40.130d@015_0001–0004; Wikisource बलमध्यसंस्थः for CE balinaṃ baliṣṭhaḥ, a variant). Also removed the stray backtick.

Verse 16 (8.40.16)

दुःशासनश्चित्रसेनश्च वीर- । स्तथोलूकः कितवः सौबलश्च । गजानीकैः सर्वतो भीमसेनं । तथाविषक्तं सहसैवाभ्यगच्छन् ॥

duḥśāsanaścitrasenaśca vīra- | statholūkaḥ kitavaḥ saubalaśca | gajānīkaiḥ sarvato bhīmasenaṃ | tathāviṣaktaṃ sahasaivābhyagacchan

Duhshasana, the hero Chitrasena, Ulūka, the gambler Saubala, with squadrons of elephants, suddenly charged at Bhimasena from every side, as he stood so engaged.

Note on the text: Made the page's double hyphen ("--"), which marks a word split between lines, a single hyphen. Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 15 (printed after Appendix I No. 14, in the same place after 8.40.130d), lines 0005–0008 (8.40.130d@015_0005–0008).

Verse 17 (8.40.17)

तमापतन्तं सम्प्रेक्ष्य गजानीकं वृकोदरः । दुर्योधनं महाबाहुः शरवर्षैरवाकिरत् ॥

tamāpatantaṃ samprekṣya gajānīkaṃ vṛkodaraḥ | duryodhanaṃ mahābāhuḥ śaravarṣairavākirat

Seeing the elephant host rushing at him, the mighty-armed Vrikodara covered Duryodhana with showers of arrows.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 15 (printed after Appendix I No. 14, in the same place after 8.40.130d), lines 0009–0010 (8.40.130d@015_0009–0010).

Verse 18 (8.40.18)

दुर्योधनं ततो भीमः सायकैर्वज्रसन्निभैः । पाण्डवो विमुखीकृत्य गजानभ्यद्रवद्बली ॥

duryodhanaṃ tato bhīmaḥ sāyakairvajrasannibhaiḥ | pāṇḍavo vimukhīkṛtya gajānabhyadravadbalī

Then Bhima, the mighty Pandava, with thunderbolt-like arrows turned Duryodhana back and rushed upon the elephants.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 15 (printed after Appendix I No. 14, in the same place after 8.40.130d), lines 0011–0012 (8.40.130d@015_0011–0012).

Verse 19 (8.40.19)

ततः पावकसङ्काशैर्भीमबाणैरवक्रगैः । शलभैरिव नागांस्तानर्दयामास पाण्डवः ॥

tataḥ pāvakasaṅkāśairbhīmabāṇairavakragaiḥ | śalabhairiva nāgāṃstānardayāmāsa pāṇḍavaḥ

Then Bhima, the Pandava, tormented those elephants with his fiery, straight-flying arrows, which swarmed down like locusts.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 15 (printed after Appendix I No. 14, in the same place after 8.40.130d), lines 0013–0014 (8.40.130d@015_0013–0014).

Verse 20 (8.40.20)

ततः कुञ्जरयूथानि भीमसेनो महाबलः । व्यधमन्निशितैर्बाणैर्महावातो घनानिव ॥

tataḥ kuñjarayūthāni bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ | vyadhamanniśitairbāṇairmahāvāto ghanāniva

Then the mighty Bhimasena scattered the herds of elephants with sharp arrows, as a great wind scatters clouds.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 15 (printed after Appendix I No. 14, in the same place after 8.40.130d), lines 0015–0016 (8.40.130d@015_0015–0016).

Verse 21 (8.40.21)

नित्यमत्ताश्च मातङ्गाः शूरैर्मत्तैरधिष्ठिताः । आरोहकैर्महामात्रैस्तोमराङ्कुशपाणिभिः ॥

nityamattāśca mātaṅgāḥ śūrairmattairadhiṣṭhitāḥ | ārohakairmahāmātraistomarāṅkuśapāṇibhiḥ

The elephants, always in rut, were ridden by drunken heroes, by mahouts and officers with lances and goads in their hands,

Note on the text: Corrected तोमराङ्कुरापाणिभिः → तोमराङ्कुशपाणिभिः (misprint in Wikisource; अङ्कुर, "sprout", for अङ्कुश, "goad"). Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension). Line 1 is a variant of CE 8.31.22c (nityamattāś ca mātaṅgāḥ śūrair mlecchair adhiṣṭhitāḥ; Wikisource मत्तैः for mlecchaiḥ); line 2 has no counterpart in the CE.

Verse 22 (8.40.22)

सुवर्णजालैः प्रच्छन्ना मणिजालैश्च कुञ्जराः । रूप्यजाम्बूनदाभासाः क्षुरमाल्याभ्यलङ्कृताः ॥

suvarṇajālaiḥ pracchannā maṇijālaiśca kuñjarāḥ | rūpyajāmbūnadābhāsāḥ kṣuramālyābhyalaṅkṛtāḥ

covered with nets of gold and jewels, shining like silver and Jambunada gold, and decked with garlands of razor-edged blades.

Note on the text: Corrected रूप्यजाम्बूनदाभासः → रूप्यजाम्बूनदाभासाः (misprint in Wikisource; the nominative plural, agreeing with कुञ्जराः; CE rūpyajāmbūnadābhāsāḥ). Corrected क्षुरमालाभ्यलङ्कृताः → क्षुरमाल्याभ्यलङ्कृताः (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped conjunct (ल्या → ला); CE kṣuramālyābhyalaṃkṛtāḥ). Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 15 (printed after Appendix I No. 14, in the same place after 8.40.130d), lines 0017–0018 (8.40.130d@015_0017–0018): line 1 is a variant of the second half of 0017 (maṇijālaiś ca kuñjarāḥ), line 2 is 0018.

Verse 23 (8.40.23)

वध्यमानाः शरै राजन्भीमसेनेन ते गजाः । विभिन्नहृदयाः केचित्तत्रैवाभ्यपतन्भुवि ॥

vadhyamānāḥ śarai rājanbhīmasenena te gajāḥ | vibhinnahṛdayāḥ kecittatraivābhyapatanbhuvi

Struck by Bhimasena's arrows, O king, those elephants, some with their hearts pierced, fell to the ground on the spot.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 15 (printed after Appendix I No. 14, in the same place after 8.40.130d), lines 0019–0020 (8.40.130d@015_0019–0020).

Verse 24 (8.40.24)

निपतद्भिर्महावेगैर्हेमभाण्डविभूषितैः । अशोभत महाराज धातुचित्रैरिवाचलैः ॥

nipatadbhirmahāvegairhemabhāṇḍavibhūṣitaiḥ | aśobhata mahārāja dhātucitrairivācalaiḥ

As they fell with great force, decked with golden trappings, they looked, O great king, like mountains streaked with minerals.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 15 (printed after Appendix I No. 14, in the same place after 8.40.130d), lines 0021–0022 (8.40.130d@015_0021–0022).

Verse 25 (8.40.25)

दीप्ताभरणवद्भिश्च गजपृष्ठनिपातितैः । सङ्गरः शुशुभे राजन्क्षीणपुण्यैरिवामरैः ॥

dīptābharaṇavadbhiśca gajapṛṣṭhanipātitaiḥ | saṅgaraḥ śuśubhe rājankṣīṇapuṇyairivāmaraiḥ

With those in shining ornaments thrown down from the elephants' backs, the battlefield, O king, shone like gods whose merit is spent.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 15 (printed after Appendix I No. 14, in the same place after 8.40.130d), lines 0023–0024 (8.40.130d@015_0023–0024; Wikisource सङ्गरः for CE sa raṇaḥ).

Verse 26 (8.40.26)

महापरिघसङ्काशौ चन्दनागरुरूषितौ । अपश्यं भीमसेनस्य धनुर्विक्षिपतो भुजौ ॥

mahāparighasaṅkāśau candanāgarurūṣitau | apaśyaṃ bhīmasenasya dhanurvikṣipato bhujau

I saw the arms of Bhimasena as he drew his bow, like great iron bars, smeared with sandal and aloe.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 15 (printed after Appendix I No. 14, in the same place after 8.40.130d), lines 0025–0026 (8.40.130d@015_0025–0026).

Verse 27 (8.40.27)

तस्य ज्यातलनिर्घोषमस्यतः सव्यदक्षिणम् । तं श्रुत्वाऽभ्यद्रवन्नागा भीमसेनभयार्दिताः ॥

tasya jyātalanirghoṣamasyataḥ savyadakṣiṇam | taṃ śrutvā'bhyadravannāgā bhīmasenabhayārditāḥ

Hearing the twang of his bowstring as he shot to left and right, the elephants, tormented by fear of Bhimasena, fled.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 15 (printed after Appendix I No. 14, in the same place after 8.40.130d), lines 0027–0028 (8.40.130d@015_0027–0028).

Verse 28 (8.40.28)

तस्य भीमस्य तत्कर्म राजन्नेकस्य धीमतः । अपश्याम महाराज तदद्भुतमिवाभवत् ॥

tasya bhīmasya tatkarma rājannekasya dhīmataḥ | apaśyāma mahārāja tadadbhutamivābhavat

That deed of Bhima, O king, one man alone, the wise one — we saw it, O great king; it was as if a marvel had come to pass.

Note on the text: Corrected तद्भूतमिवाभवत्' → तदद्भुतमिवाभवत् (misprint in Wikisource; तद्भूतम् is not a word in this sense and the page leaves a stray quote mark after it; CE tad adbhutam ivābhavat). Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it is part of CE Appendix I No. 15 (printed after Appendix I No. 14, in the same place after 8.40.130d), lines 0029–0030 (8.40.130d@015_0029–0030). Also removed the stray quote mark after the final word.