Ashvatthama Driven from the Field

Verse 1 (8.53.1)

ततः समभवद्युद्धं शुक्राङ्गिरसवर्चसोः । नक्षत्रमभितो व्योम्नि शुक्राङ्गिरसयोरिव ॥

tataḥ samabhavadyuddhaṃ śukrāṅgirasavarcasoḥ | nakṣatramabhito vyomni śukrāṅgirasayoriva

Then a battle began between the two, whose splendour matched that of Shukra and Angirasa, like the battle of Venus and Jupiter in the sky around a star.

Verse 2 (8.53.2)

सन्तापयन्तावन्योन्यं दीप्तैः शरगभस्तिभिः । लोकत्रासकरावास्तां विमार्गस्थौ ग्रहाविव ॥

santāpayantāvanyonyaṃ dīptaiḥ śaragabhastibhiḥ | lokatrāsakarāvāstāṃ vimārgasthau grahāviva

Scorching each other with the blazing rays of their arrows, the two became a terror to the world, like two planets strayed from their course.

Verse 3 (8.53.3)

ततोऽविध्यद्भ्रुवोर्मध्ये नाराचैरर्जुनो भृशम् । स तेन विबभौ द्रौणिरूर्ध्वरश्मिर्यथा रविः ॥

tato'vidhyadbhruvormadhye nārācairarjuno bhṛśam | sa tena vibabhau drauṇirūrdhvaraśmiryathā raviḥ

Then Arjuna struck him hard with iron arrows between the brows, and by that Drona's son shone like the sun with rays rising upward.

Note on the text: Corrected ततोऽविध्यद्धुवोर्मध्ये → ततोऽविध्यद्भ्रुवोर्मध्ये (misprint in Wikisource; ध for भ्र; the critical edition reads bhruvor madhye).

Verse 4 (8.53.4)

अथ कृष्णौ शरशतैरश्वत्थाम्नाऽर्दितौ भृशम् । स्वरश्मिजालविकचौ युगान्तार्काविवासुतः ॥

atha kṛṣṇau śaraśatairaśvatthāmnā'rditau bhṛśam | svaraśmijālavikacau yugāntārkāvivāsutaḥ

Then the two Krishnas, sorely pierced by Ashvatthama's hundreds of arrows, blazed with the nets of their own rays like the two suns of the world's end.

Verse 5 (8.53.5)

ततोऽर्जुनः सर्वतोधारमस्त्रम् । अवासृजद्वासुदेवेऽभिभूते । द्रौणायनिश्चाभ्यहनत्पृषत्कैः । वज्राग्निवैवस्वतदण्डकल्पैः ॥

tato'rjunaḥ sarvatodhāramastram | avāsṛjadvāsudeve'bhibhūte | drauṇāyaniścābhyahanatpṛṣatkaiḥ | vajrāgnivaivasvatadaṇḍakalpaiḥ

Then, with Vasudeva hard pressed, Arjuna let fly a weapon that showered from every side, and struck Drona's son with arrows like the thunderbolt, fire and Yama's rod.

Note on the text: The page splits a sandhi across the line break (सर्वतोधारमस्त्र-- । / मवासृजद्); written here with the word-ends resolved (सर्वतोधारमस्त्रम् । / अवासृजद्), the line division kept. The page splits a sandhi across the line break (पृषत्कै-- । / र्वज्राग्नि); written here with the word-ends resolved (पृषत्कैः । / वज्राग्नि), the line division kept. Variant of the critical edition's 8.12.52 (vāsudevābhiguptaḥ, there).

Verse 6 (8.53.6)

स केशवं चार्जुनं चातितेजा । विव्याध मर्मस्वतिरौद्रकर्मा । बाणैः सुमुक्तैरतितीव्रवेगैः । यैराहतो मृत्युरपि व्यथेत ॥

sa keśavaṃ cārjunaṃ cātitejā | vivyādha marmasvatiraudrakarmā | bāṇaiḥ sumuktairatitīvravegaiḥ | yairāhato mṛtyurapi vyatheta

The exceedingly mighty Drona's son, terrible in his deeds, pierced Keshava and Arjuna in their vitals with well-loosed arrows of the most violent speed, which would have made even Death tremble if struck by them.

Note on the text: The page splits a sandhi across the line break (सुमुक्तैरतितीव्रवेगै-- । / र्यैराहतो); written here with the word-ends resolved (सुमुक्तैरतितीव्रवेगैः । / यैराहतो), the line division kept.

Verse 7 (8.53.7)

द्रौणेरिषूनिषुभिः सन्निवार्य । व्यायच्छतस्तद्द्विगुणैः सुपुङ्खैः । तं साश्वसूतध्वजमेकवीरम् । आवृत्य संशप्तकसैन्यमार्च्छत् ॥

drauṇeriṣūniṣubhiḥ sannivārya | vyāyacchatastaddviguṇaiḥ supuṅkhaiḥ | taṃ sāśvasūtadhvajamekavīram | āvṛtya saṃśaptakasainyamārcchat

Arjuna, warding off the arrows of Drona's son with arrows, and straining with fine-feathered ones twice as many as his, covered that lone hero with his horses, charioteer and banner, and then fell upon the army of the Samshaptakas.

Note on the text: The page splits a sandhi across the line break (ध्वजमेकवीर-- । / मावृत्य); written here with the word-ends resolved (ध्वजमेकवीरम् । / आवृत्य), the line division kept.

Verse 8 (8.53.8)

धनूंषि बाणानिषुधीर्धनुर्ज्याः । पाणीन्भुजान्पाणिगतं च शस्त्रम् । छत्राणि केतूंस्तुरगान्अथैषां । वस्त्राणि माल्यान्यथा भूषणानि ॥

dhanūṃṣi bāṇāniṣudhīrdhanurjyāḥ | pāṇīnbhujānpāṇigataṃ ca śastram | chatrāṇi ketūṃsturagānathaiṣāṃ | vastrāṇi mālyānyathā bhūṣaṇāni

Bows, arrows, quivers and bowstrings; hands, arms, and the weapons held in the hands; parasols, banners, horses, and then their garments, garlands and ornaments;

Note on the text: Corrected रथेषां → अथैषां (misprint in Wikisource; garbled; the critical edition reads athaiṣāṃ). The sentence runs on into the next verse.

Verse 9 (8.53.9)

चर्माणि वर्माणि मनोरमाणि । प्रसह्य चैषां स शिरांसि चैव । चिच्छेद पार्थो द्विषतां सुमुक्तैः । बाणैः स्थितानामपराङ्मुखानाम् ॥

carmāṇi varmāṇi manoramāṇi | prasahya caiṣāṃ sa śirāṃsi caiva | ciccheda pārtho dviṣatāṃ sumuktaiḥ | bāṇaiḥ sthitānāmaparāṅmukhānām

their shields and handsome armour, and by force their heads as well, Partha cut away from his enemies with well-loosed arrows, as they stood unflinching.

Note on the text: The page splits a sandhi across the line break (सुमुक्तै-- । / र्बाणैः); written here with the word-ends resolved (सुमुक्तैः । / बाणैः), the line division kept. Corrected स्रिच्छेद → चिच्छेद (misprint in Wikisource; garbled; the critical edition reads ciccheda).

Verse 10 (8.53.10)

सुकल्पिताः स्यन्दनवाजिनागाः । समास्थिताः कृतयत्नैर्नृवीरैः । पार्थेरितैर्बाणशतैर्निरस्ताः । तैरेव सार्धं नृवरैर्विनेशुः ॥

sukalpitāḥ syandanavājināgāḥ | samāsthitāḥ kṛtayatnairnṛvīraiḥ | pārtheritairbāṇaśatairnirastāḥ | taireva sārdhaṃ nṛvarairvineśuḥ

Well-appointed chariots, horses and elephants, mounted by men of valour who had made every effort, were cast down by the hundreds of arrows Partha sent, and perished together with those very best of men.

Note on the text: Corrected स्मन्दन → स्यन्दन (misprint in Wikisource; म for य; the critical edition reads syandana). The page splits a sandhi across the line break (निरस्ता-- । / स्तैरेव); written here with the word-ends resolved (निरस्ताः । / तैरेव), the line division kept.

Verse 11 (8.53.11)

पद्मार्कपूर्णेन्दुनिभाननानि । किरीटमाल्याभरणोज्ज्वलानि । भल्लार्धचन्द्रक्षुरसन्निकृत्तानि । अपातयच्छत्रुशिरांस्यजस्रम् ॥

padmārkapūrṇendunibhānanāni | kirīṭamālyābharaṇojjvalāni | bhallārdhacandrakṣurasannikṛttāni | apātayacchatruśirāṃsyajasram

He felled without pause the heads of his enemies, faces like lotuses, suns and full moons, bright with diadems, garlands and ornaments, cut away by broad-headed, crescent-headed and razor-headed arrows.

Note on the text: The page splits a sandhi across the line break (सन्निकृत्ता-- । / न्यपातयच्छत्रु); written here with the word-ends resolved (सन्निकृत्तानि । / अपातयच्छत्रु), the line division kept. Corresponds to the critical edition's 8.12.58, with variant wording (bhallārdhacandrakṣurahiṃsitāni …).

Verse 12 (8.53.12)

अथ द्विपैर्दैत्यरिपुद्विपाभैः । देवारिकल्पा बलमन्युकल्पैः । कलिङ्गवङ्गाङ्गनिषादवीरा । जिघांसवः पाण्डवमभ्यधावन् ॥

atha dvipairdaityaripudvipābhaiḥ | devārikalpā balamanyukalpaiḥ | kaliṅgavaṅgāṅganiṣādavīrā | jighāṃsavaḥ pāṇḍavamabhyadhāvan

Then the heroes of Kalinga, Vanga, Anga and the Nishadas, eager to kill the Pandava, rushed at him with elephants like Indra's own elephant, themselves like the enemies of the gods, and like might and fury embodied.

Note on the text: The page splits a sandhi across the line break (द्विपाभै-- । / र्देवारि); written here with the word-ends resolved (द्विपाभैः । / देवारि), the line division kept.

Verse 13 (8.53.13)

तेषां द्विपानां निचकर्त पार्थो । वर्माणि चर्माणि करान्नियन्तॄन् । ध्वजाः पताकाश्च ततः प्रपेतुः । वज्राहतानीव गिरेः शिरांसि ॥

teṣāṃ dvipānāṃ nicakarta pārtho | varmāṇi carmāṇi karānniyantṝn | dhvajāḥ patākāśca tataḥ prapetuḥ | vajrāhatānīva gireḥ śirāṃsi

Partha cut away the armour, the hides, the trunks and the drivers of those elephants, and then their banners and flags fell, like peaks of a mountain struck by lightning.

Note on the text: The page splits a sandhi across the line break (प्रपेतु-- । / र्वज्राहत); written here with the word-ends resolved (प्रपेतुः । / वज्राहत), the line division kept.

Verse 14 (8.53.14)

तेषु प्रभग्नेषु गुरोस्तनूजं । बाणैः किरीटी नवसूर्यवर्णैः । प्रच्छादयामास महाभ्रजालैः । वायुः समुद्यन्तमिवांशुमन्तम् ॥

teṣu prabhagneṣu gurostanūjaṃ | bāṇaiḥ kirīṭī navasūryavarṇaiḥ | pracchādayāmāsa mahābhrajālaiḥ | vāyuḥ samudyantamivāṃśumantam

When they were broken, the diademed Arjuna covered Drona's son with arrows the colour of the newly risen sun, in great clouds of them, as the wind covers the rising sun with masses of cloud.

Note on the text: The page splits a sandhi across the line break (महाभ्रजालै-- । / र्वायुः); written here with the word-ends resolved (महाभ्रजालैः । / वायुः), the line division kept. Corrected किरीटि → किरीटी (misprint in Wikisource; short इ; the critical edition reads kirīṭī).

Verse 15 (8.53.15)

ततोऽर्जुनेषूनिषुभिर्निरस्य । द्रौणिः शितैरर्जुनवासुदेवौ । प्रच्छादयित्वा दिवि चन्द्रसूर्यौ । ननाद सोऽम्भोद इवातपान्ते ॥

tato'rjuneṣūniṣubhirnirasya | drauṇiḥ śitairarjunavāsudevau | pracchādayitvā divi candrasūryau | nanāda so'mbhoda ivātapānte

Then Drona's son, brushing Arjuna's arrows aside with his own, covered Arjuna and Vasudeva with sharp arrows, as though covering the sun and moon in the sky, and roared like a cloud at the end of the hot season.

Verse 16 (8.53.16)

तमर्जुनस्तांश्च पुनस्त्वदीयान् । अभ्यर्दितस्तैरभिसृत्य शस्त्रैः । बाणान्धकारं सहसैव कृत्त्वा । विव्याध पार्थो वरहेमपुङ्खैः ॥

tamarjunastāṃśca punastvadīyān | abhyarditastairabhisṛtya śastraiḥ | bāṇāndhakāraṃ sahasaiva kṛttvā | vivyādha pārtho varahemapuṅkhaiḥ

Again assailed by him and by those men of yours with their weapons, Arjuna advanced against them and, suddenly cutting through the darkness of arrows they had made, struck him with arrows of fine golden feathers.

Note on the text: The page splits a sandhi across the line break (पुनस्त्वदीया-- । / नभ्यर्दितस्तैरभि); written here with the word-ends resolved (पुनस्त्वदीयान् । / अभ्यर्दितस्तैरभि), the line division kept. Corrected वाणान्धकारं → बाणान्धकारं (misprint in Wikisource; व for ब; the critical edition reads bāṇāndhakāraṃ). Lines 1-2 differ from the critical edition 8.12.63a (abhyarditas tair avikṛttaśastraiḥ): a recension variant, kept as in Wikisource. कृत्त्वा is kept (from कृत्, "to cut", as the page's footnote reads it).

Verse 17 (8.53.17)

नाप्याददत्सन्दधन्नैव मुञ्चन् । बाणान्रथेऽदृश्यत सव्यसाची । रथांश्च नागांस्तुरगान्पदातीन् । संस्यूतदेहान्ददृशुर्हतांश्च ॥

nāpyādadatsandadhannaiva muñcan | bāṇānrathe'dṛśyata savyasācī | rathāṃśca nāgāṃsturagānpadātīn | saṃsyūtadehāndadṛśurhatāṃśca

Savyasachin was not seen on his chariot taking up, fitting or loosing arrows; yet men saw chariots, elephants, horses and foot-soldiers lying slain, their bodies pierced through and bound together by arrows.

Note on the text: The page splits a sandhi across the line break (मुञ्च-- । / न्बाणान्); written here with the word-ends resolved (मुञ्चन् । / बाणान्), the line division kept.

Verse 18 (8.53.18)

सन्धाय नाराचवरान्दशाशु । द्रौणिस्त्वरन्नेकमिवोत्ससर्ज । तेषां च पञ्चार्जुनमभ्यविध्यन् । पञ्चाच्युतं निर्बिभिदुः सुपुङ्खाः ॥

sandhāya nārācavarāndaśāśu | drauṇistvarannekamivotsasarja | teṣāṃ ca pañcārjunamabhyavidhyan | pañcācyutaṃ nirbibhiduḥ supuṅkhāḥ

Fitting ten fine iron arrows, Drona's son quickly loosed them as though they were one; of them five struck Arjuna and five, fine-feathered, pierced Achyuta.

Note on the text: The page splits a sandhi across the line break (पञ्चार्जुनमभ्यविध्य-- । / न्पञ्चाच्युतं); written here with the word-ends resolved (पञ्चार्जुनमभ्यविध्यन् । / पञ्चाच्युतं), the line division kept. Corrected निर्बिभुदुः → निर्बिभिदुः (misprint in Wikisource; उ for इ; the critical edition reads nirbibhiduḥ).

Verse 19 (8.53.19)

तैराहतौ सर्वमनुष्यमुख्यौ । असृक्स्रवन्तौ धनदेन्द्रकल्पौ । समाप्तविद्येन तथाऽभिभूतौ । हतौ रणे ताविति मेनिरेऽन्ये ॥

tairāhatau sarvamanuṣyamukhyau | asṛksravantau dhanadendrakalpau | samāptavidyena tathā'bhibhūtau | hatau raṇe tāviti menire'nye

Struck by them, those two foremost of all men, streaming blood, like Kubera and Indra, overpowered by one whose knowledge of arms was complete, were thought by others to have been slain in the battle.

Note on the text: The page splits a sandhi across the line break (सर्वमनुष्यमुख्या-- । / वसृक्स्रवन्तौ); written here with the word-ends resolved (सर्वमनुष्यमुख्यौ । / असृक्स्रवन्तौ), the line division kept.

Verse 20 (8.53.20)

अथार्जुनं प्राह दशार्हनाथः । प्रमाद्यसे किं जहि योधमेतम् । कुर्याद्धि दोषं समुपेक्षितोऽयं । कष्टो भवेद्व्याधिरिवाक्रियावान् ॥

athārjunaṃ prāha daśārhanāthaḥ | pramādyase kiṃ jahi yodhametam | kuryāddhi doṣaṃ samupekṣito'yaṃ | kaṣṭo bhavedvyādhirivākriyāvān

Then the Lord of the Dasharhas said to Arjuna: "Why do you slacken? Kill this warrior. If ignored he will do harm, like a disease left untreated, which turns grievous."

Note on the text: Speaker: the verse opens with narration and continues in Krishna's speech (lines 2-4); it stays with the narrator.

Verse 21 (8.53.21)

तथेति चोक्त्वाऽच्युतमप्रमादी । द्रौणेः प्रहस्याशु किरीटमाली । भुजौ वरौ चन्दनसारदिग्धौ । वक्षः शिरोऽथाप्रतिमौ तथोरू ॥

tatheti coktvā'cyutamapramādī | drauṇeḥ prahasyāśu kirīṭamālī | bhujau varau candanasāradigdhau | vakṣaḥ śiro'thāpratimau tathorū

Saying "So be it" to Achyuta, the vigilant Arjuna, wearer of the diadem, laughed, and struck Drona's son in his two fine arms smeared with sandal paste, in his chest, his head and his matchless thighs,

Note on the text: Line 1 corresponds to the critical edition's 8.12.68a (tatheti coktvācyutam apramādī …), reworded; lines 3-4 are its star passage 8.12.68b*0097_01-02. The sentence runs on into the next verse.

Verse 22 (8.53.22)

गाण्डीवमुक्तैः कुपिताहिकल्पैः । द्रौणिं शरैः संयति निर्बिभेद । छित्त्वा तु रश्मींस्तुरगानविध्यत् । ते तं रणादूहुरतीव दूरम् ॥

gāṇḍīvamuktaiḥ kupitāhikalpaiḥ | drauṇiṃ śaraiḥ saṃyati nirbibheda | chittvā tu raśmīṃsturagānavidhyat | te taṃ raṇādūhuratīva dūram

with arrows loosed from the Gandiva, like angry serpents, he pierced him in the battle. Then he cut the reins and struck the horses, and they bore him far away from the field.

Note on the text: The page splits a sandhi across the line break (कुपिताहिकल्पै-- । / द्रौणिं); written here with the word-ends resolved (कुपिताहिकल्पैः । / द्रौणिं), the line division kept. The page splits a sandhi across the line break (तुरगानविध्य-- । / त्ते तं); written here with the word-ends resolved (तुरगानविध्यत् । / ते तं), the line division kept. Lines 1-2 are the critical edition's star passage 8.12.68b*0097_03-04; lines 3-4 correspond to 8.12.68c.

Verse 23 (8.53.23)

स तैर्हृतो वातजवैस्तुरङ्गैः । द्रौणिर्दृढं पार्थशराभिभूतः । आवृत्य नैव व्यषहत्स योद्धुं । पार्थेन सार्धं मतिमान्विमृश्य ॥

sa tairhṛto vātajavaisturaṅgaiḥ | drauṇirdṛḍhaṃ pārthaśarābhibhūtaḥ | āvṛtya naiva vyaṣahatsa yoddhuṃ | pārthena sārdhaṃ matimānvimṛśya

Carried off by those wind-swift horses and sorely beaten by Partha's arrows, Drona's son did not turn back to stand up to Partha in battle, but, being wise, took thought:

Note on the text: The page splits a sandhi across the line break (तुरङ्गै- । / र्द्रौणिर्दृढं); written here with the word-ends resolved (तुरङ्गैः । / द्रौणिर्दृढं), the line division kept. Lines 1-2 are the critical edition's star passage 8.12.68d*0098_01-02; lines 3-4 correspond to 8.12.69a (āvṛtya neyeṣa punas tu yuddhaṃ …, with variant wording). The page ends the verse with a single stroke; written here with ॥ like the others.

Verse 24 (8.53.24)

जानञ्जयं नियतं वृष्णिवीरे । धनञ्जये चाङ्गिरसां वरिष्ठः । विवेश कर्णस्य बलं तरस्वी । भग्नोत्साहः क्षीणवाणास्त्रयोगः ॥

jānañjayaṃ niyataṃ vṛṣṇivīre | dhanañjaye cāṅgirasāṃ variṣṭhaḥ | viveśa karṇasya balaṃ tarasvī | bhagnotsāhaḥ kṣīṇavāṇāstrayogaḥ

knowing that victory was assured for the Vrishni hero and for Dhananjaya, that swift best of the Angirasas, his strength of heart gone and his store of arrows and missiles run low, entered Karna's army.

Note on the text: Lines 1-2 correspond to the critical edition's 8.12.69c; lines 3-4 are its star passage 8.12.69d*0099_01-02. The page prints a stray double stroke after line 2.

Verse 25 (8.53.25)

प्रतीपकामे तु रणादश्वत्थाम्नि हृते हयैः । मन्त्रौषधिक्रियायोगैर्व्याधौ देहादिवाहृते ॥

pratīpakāme tu raṇādaśvatthāmni hṛte hayaiḥ | mantrauṣadhikriyāyogairvyādhau dehādivāhṛte

While Ashvatthama, against his will, was being carried out of the battle by his horses, like a disease driven from the body by charms, herbs and rites,

Verse 26 (8.53.26)

संशप्तकानभिमुखौ प्रयातौ केशवार्जुनौ । वातोद्धूतपताकेन स्यन्दनेनौघनादिना ॥

saṃśaptakānabhimukhau prayātau keśavārjunau | vātoddhūtapatākena syandanenaughanādinā

Keshava and Arjuna drove toward the Samshaptakas, on a chariot whose banners streamed in the wind and which rumbled like a flood of waters.

Note on the text: Corrected वातोद्वूत → वातोद्धूत (misprint in Wikisource; द्व for द्ध; the critical edition reads vātoddhūta).