The Elephant Charge on Dhrishtadyumna

Verse 1 (8.60.1)

हस्तिभिस्तु महामात्रास्तव पुत्रेण चोदिताः । धृष्टद्युम्नं घ्नतेत्याशु क्रुद्धाः पार्षतमभ्ययुः ॥

hastibhistu mahāmātrāstava putreṇa coditāḥ | dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ ghnatetyāśu kruddhāḥ pārṣatamabhyayuḥ

Urged on by your son, the chief mahouts rode their elephants furiously at Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Prishata, crying, "Kill Dhrishtadyumna!"

Note on the text: CE 8.17.1: second line reads dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ jighāṃsantaḥ for Wikisource's धृष्टद्युम्नं घ्नतेत्याशु. Recension variant, kept.

Verse 2 (8.60.2)

प्राच्याश्च दाक्षिणात्याश्च प्रवरा गजयोधिनः । अङ्गा वङ्गाश्च पुण्ड्राश्च मागधास्ताम्रलिप्तकाः ॥

prācyāśca dākṣiṇātyāśca pravarā gajayodhinaḥ | aṅgā vaṅgāśca puṇḍrāśca māgadhāstāmraliptakāḥ

They were the best of the elephant-fighters, easterners and southerners alike: the Angas, Vangas, Pundras, Magadhas and Tamraliptakas,

Verse 3 (8.60.3)

मेकलाः कोशला मद्रा दशार्णा निषधास्तथा । गजयुद्धेषु कुशलाः कलिङ्गैः सह भारत ॥

mekalāḥ kośalā madrā daśārṇā niṣadhāstathā | gajayuddheṣu kuśalāḥ kaliṅgaiḥ saha bhārata

the Mekalas, Koshalas, Madras, Dasharnas and Nishadhas, together with the Kalingas, O Bharata, all skilled in fighting from elephants.

Verse 4 (8.60.4)

शरतोमरनाराचैर्वृष्टिमन्त इवाम्बुदाः । सिषिचुस्ते ततः सर्वे पाञ्चालबलमाहवे ॥

śaratomaranārācairvṛṣṭimanta ivāmbudāḥ | siṣicuste tataḥ sarve pāñcālabalamāhave

Like clouds heavy with rain, they all then drenched the Panchala host in that battle with showers of arrows, lances and iron shafts.

Verse 5 (8.60.5)

तानभिद्रवतो नागान्मदवेगसमुद्धतान् । विपाठक्षुरनाराचैर्धृष्टद्युम्नो ह्यवीवृषत् ॥

tānabhidravato nāgānmadavegasamuddhatān | vipāṭhakṣuranārācairdhṛṣṭadyumno hyavīvṛṣat

As those elephants rushed on, swollen with the speed of their rut, Dhrishtadyumna showered them with vipatha, kshura and narācha arrows.

Note on the text: Not matched by the alignment; corresponds to CE 8.17.5 (tān saṃmimardiṣur nāgān pārṣṇyaṅguṣṭhāṅkuśair bhṛśam / pothitān pārṣato bāṇair nārācaiś cābhyavīvṛṣat). Wikisource's wording is a recension variant that shares only the ending, kept.

Verse 6 (8.60.6)

एकैकं दशभिः षड्भिरष्टाभिरपि पार्षतः । द्विरदानभिविव्याध क्षिप्रं गिरिनिभाञ्शरैः ॥

ekaikaṃ daśabhiḥ ṣaḍbhiraṣṭābhirapi pārṣataḥ | dviradānabhivivyādha kṣipraṃ girinibhāñśaraiḥ

The son of Prishata quickly pierced each of those mountain-like elephants with ten arrows, or six, or eight.

Note on the text: Not matched by the alignment; corresponds to CE 8.17.6ab (ekaikaṃ daśabhiḥ ṣaḍbhir aṣṭābhir api bhārata / dviradān abhivivyādha kṣiptair girinibhāñ śaraiḥ). Wikisource's wording is a recension variant, kept. Corrected षड्भिः: the nukta in ष़ड्भिः was a stray mark (misprint in Wikisource).

Verse 7 (8.60.7)

प्रच्छाद्यमानं द्विरदैर्मेघैरिव दिवाकरम् । पर्ययुः पाण्डुपाञ्चाला नदन्तो ह्यात्तकार्मुकाः ॥

pracchādyamānaṃ dviradairmeghairiva divākaram | paryayuḥ pāṇḍupāñcālā nadanto hyāttakārmukāḥ

While Dhrishtadyumna was being veiled by the elephants as the sun is by clouds, the Pandavas and Panchalas, roaring, bows in hand, closed in around him.

Note on the text: Not matched by the alignment; the first line is CE 8.17.6e (pracchādyamāno dviradair meghair iva divākaraḥ), a variant that Wikisource turns into an accusative (Dhrishtadyumna, per the page's gloss, is the one being covered), and the second line is a variant of CE 8.17.7a (paryāsuḥ pāṇḍupāñcālā nadanto niśitāyudhāḥ). Kept as printed.

Verse 8 (8.60.8)

तान्नागानभिवर्षन्तो ज्यातलत्रविनादिनः । वीरनृत्यं प्रनृत्यन्तः शूरतालप्रचोदितैः । नकुलः सहदेवश्च द्रौपदेयाः प्रभद्रकाः ॥

tānnāgānabhivarṣanto jyātalatravinādinaḥ | vīranṛtyaṃ pranṛtyantaḥ śūratālapracoditaiḥ | nakulaḥ sahadevaśca draupadeyāḥ prabhadrakāḥ

Raining arrows on those elephants, their bowstrings twanging against their palm-guards, dancing the dance of heroes to the clapping of the warriors, came Nakula, Sahadeva, the sons of Draupadi and the Prabhadrakas,

Note on the text: Not matched by the alignment. Line 1 is a variant of CE 8.17.7c (tān nāgān abhivarṣanto jyātantrīśaranāditaiḥ); line 2 is CE 8.17.7d*0125_01 (vīranṛtyaṃ pranṛtyantaḥ śūratālapracoditaiḥ); line 3 is CE 8.17.8a (nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca draupadeyāḥ prabhadrakāḥ). Kept as printed.

Verse 9 (8.60.9)

सात्यकिश्च शिखण्डी च चेकितानश्च वीर्यवान् । समन्तात्सिषिचुर्वीरा मेघास्तोयैरिवाचलान् ॥

sātyakiśca śikhaṇḍī ca cekitānaśca vīryavān | samantātsiṣicurvīrā meghāstoyairivācalān

and Satyaki, Shikhandi and the valiant Chekitana. The heroes drenched them on every side, as clouds drench mountains with water.

Note on the text: Not matched by the alignment; line 1 is CE 8.17.8c (sātyakiś ca śikhaṇḍī ca cekitānaś ca vīryavān) and line 2 is CE 8.17.8d*0126_01 (samantāt siṣicur vīrā meghās toyair ivācalān).

Verse 10 (8.60.10)

ते म्लेच्छैः प्रेषिता नागा नरानश्वान्रथानपि । हस्तैराक्षिप्य ममृदुः पद्भिश्चाप्यतिमन्यवः ॥

te mlecchaiḥ preṣitā nāgā narānaśvānrathānapi | hastairākṣipya mamṛduḥ padbhiścāpyatimanyavaḥ

Driven on by the mlecchas, those furious elephants seized men, horses and chariots in their trunks, flung them about and trampled them underfoot.

Verse 11 (8.60.11)

बिभिदुश्च विषाणाग्रैः समाक्षिप्य च चिक्षिपुः । विषाणलग्नाश्चाप्यन्ये परिपेतुर्विभीषणाः ॥

bibhiduśca viṣāṇāgraiḥ samākṣipya ca cikṣipuḥ | viṣāṇalagnāścāpyanye paripeturvibhīṣaṇāḥ

They ripped men open with the tips of their tusks, or lifted them up and hurled them away; and others, caught on the tusks, dropped down in dreadful sights.

Verse 12 (8.60.12)

प्रमुखे वर्तमानं तु द्विपमङ्गस्य सात्यकिः । नाराचेनोग्रवेगेन भित्त्वा मर्माण्यताडयत् ॥

pramukhe vartamānaṃ tu dvipamaṅgasya sātyakiḥ | nārācenogravegena bhittvā marmāṇyatāḍayat

As the Anga king's elephant came on at the front of the line, Satyaki struck through its vitals with a fierce, swift naracha arrow.

Note on the text: Wikisource reads द्विपमङ्गस्य … मर्माण्यताडयत्; the critical edition reads dvipaṃ vaṅgasya … marmaṇy apātayat (vaṅgasya, 'of the Vanga'; 'brought down'). Recension variant, kept.

Verse 13 (8.60.13)

तस्यावर्जितकायस्य द्विरदादुत्पतिष्यतः । नाराचेनाहनद्वक्षः सात्यकिः सोऽपतद्भुवि ॥

tasyāvarjitakāyasya dviradādutpatiṣyataḥ | nārācenāhanadvakṣaḥ sātyakiḥ so'patadbhuvi

As its rider, bending his body aside, was about to leap down from the elephant, Satyaki struck him in the chest with a naracha, and he fell to the ground.

Note on the text: Wikisource reads तस्यावर्जितकायस्य … नाराचेनाहनद्वक्षः सात्यकिः; the critical edition reads tasyāvarjitanāgasya … nārācenābhinad vakṣaḥ so 'patad bhuvi sātyakeḥ. Recension variant, kept.

Verse 14 (8.60.14)

पुण्ड्रस्यापततो नागं चलन्तमिव पर्वतम् । सहदेवः प्रसन्नाग्रैर्नाराचैरहनत्त्रिभिः ॥

puṇḍrasyāpatato nāgaṃ calantamiva parvatam | sahadevaḥ prasannāgrairnārācairahanattribhiḥ

As the Pundra king's elephant came charging like a moving mountain, Sahadeva struck it down with three clear-pointed narachas.

Note on the text: Wikisource reads प्रसन्नाग्रैर्नाराचैरहनत्त्रिभिः; the critical edition reads prayatnāt tair nārācair vyahanat tribhiḥ. Recension variant, kept.

Verse 15 (8.60.15)

विपताकं वियन्तारं विवर्मध्वजजीवितम् । तं कृत्वा द्विरदं भूयः सहदेवोऽङ्गमभ्ययात् ॥

vipatākaṃ viyantāraṃ vivarmadhvajajīvitam | taṃ kṛtvā dviradaṃ bhūyaḥ sahadevo'ṅgamabhyayāt

Having left that elephant without banner or driver, and stripped of its armour, standard and life, Sahadeva went on again toward the Anga king.

Verse 16 (8.60.16)

सहदेवं तु नकुलो वारयित्वाङ्गमार्दयत् । नाराचैर्यमदण्डाभैस्त्रिभिर्नागं शतेन तम् ॥

sahadevaṃ tu nakulo vārayitvāṅgamārdayat | nārācairyamadaṇḍābhaistribhirnāgaṃ śatena tam

But Nakula held Sahadeva back and himself assailed the Anga king, striking the elephant with three narachas like Yama's rod, and the king with a hundred.

Verse 17 (8.60.17)

दिवाकरकरप्रख्यानङ्गश्चिक्षेप तोमरान् । नकुलाय शतान्यष्टौ त्रिधैकैकं तु सोऽच्छिनत् ॥

divākarakaraprakhyānaṅgaścikṣepa tomarān | nakulāya śatānyaṣṭau tridhaikaikaṃ tu so'cchinat

The Anga king hurled eight hundred lances at Nakula that shone like the rays of the sun, and Nakula cut each one of them into three pieces.

Note on the text: Corrected दिवाकरकप्रख्यान् → दिवाकरकरप्रख्यान् (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped र; CE divākarakaraprakhyān, 'resembling the sun's rays').

Verse 18 (8.60.18)

तथाऽर्धचन्द्रेण शिरस्तस्य चिच्छेद पाण्डवः । स पपात हतो म्लेच्छस्तेनैव सह दन्तिना ॥

tathā'rdhacandreṇa śirastasya ciccheda pāṇḍavaḥ | sa papāta hato mlecchastenaiva saha dantinā

Then the Pandava cut off the king's head with a crescent-headed arrow, and that mleccha fell dead together with his elephant.

Verse 19 (8.60.19)

अथाङ्गपुत्रे निहते हस्तिशिक्षाविशारदे । अङ्गाः क्रुद्धा महामात्रा नागैर्नकुलमभ्ययुः ॥

athāṅgaputre nihate hastiśikṣāviśārade | aṅgāḥ kruddhā mahāmātrā nāgairnakulamabhyayuḥ

When the son of the Anga king, an expert in the handling of elephants, was slain, the enraged Anga mahouts rode their elephants at Nakula,

Note on the text: Wikisource reads अथाङ्गपुत्रे; the critical edition reads ācāryaputre ('son of the teacher'). Recension variant, kept.

Verse 20 (8.60.20)

चलत्पताकैः सुमुखैर्हेमकक्ष्यातनुच्छदैः । मिमर्दिषन्तस्त्वरिताः प्रदीप्तैरिव पर्वतैः ॥

calatpatākaiḥ sumukhairhemakakṣyātanucchadaiḥ | mimardiṣantastvaritāḥ pradīptairiva parvataiḥ

on elephants with fluttering banners and handsome faces, covered with golden girths and armour, eager to crush him, hurrying like blazing mountains.

Note on the text: Wikisource reads सुमुखैः; the critical edition reads pramukhaiḥ (and mimardiśantaḥ for मिमर्दिषन्तः). Recension variants, kept.

Verse 21 (8.60.21)

मेकलोत्कलकालिङ्गा निषधास्ताम्रलिप्तकाः । शरतोमरवर्षाणि विमुञ्चन्तो जिघांसवः ॥

mekalotkalakāliṅgā niṣadhāstāmraliptakāḥ | śaratomaravarṣāṇi vimuñcanto jighāṃsavaḥ

The Mekalas, Utkalas, Kalingas, Nishadhas and Tamraliptakas, eager to kill, let fly showers of arrows and lances.

Note on the text: Wikisource reads निषधाः; the critical edition reads niṣādāḥ. Recension variant, kept.

Verse 22 (8.60.22)

तैश्छाद्यमानं नकुलं निशाकरमिवाम्बुदैः । परिपेतुः सुसंरब्धाः पाण्डुपाञ्चालसात्यकाः ॥

taiśchādyamānaṃ nakulaṃ niśākaramivāmbudaiḥ | paripetuḥ susaṃrabdhāḥ pāṇḍupāñcālasātyakāḥ

As Nakula was being veiled by them, like the moon by clouds, the Pandavas, the Panchalas and the Satyakas fell on them in a rage.

Note on the text: Wikisource reads निशाकरमिवाम्बुदैः and पाण्डुपाञ्चालसात्यकाः; the critical edition reads divākaram ivāmbudaiḥ and pāṇḍupāñcālasomakāḥ. Recension variants, kept.

Verse 23 (8.60.23)

ततस्तदभवद्युद्धं रथिनां हस्तिभिः सह । सृजतां शरवर्षाणि तोमरांश्च सहस्रशः ॥

tatastadabhavadyuddhaṃ rathināṃ hastibhiḥ saha | sṛjatāṃ śaravarṣāṇi tomarāṃśca sahasraśaḥ

Then followed a battle between chariot-warriors and elephants, as they let loose showers of arrows and lances by the thousand.

Verse 24 (8.60.24)

नागानां प्रास्फुटन्कुम्भा मर्माणि च नखानि च । दन्ताश्चैवातिविद्धानां नाराचैर्हेमभूषणैः ॥

nāgānāṃ prāsphuṭankumbhā marmāṇi ca nakhāni ca | dantāścaivātividdhānāṃ nārācairhemabhūṣaṇaiḥ

The frontal bosses of the elephants burst, and their vital parts and nails, and the tusks of those deeply pierced by gold-adorned narachas.

Note on the text: Wikisource reads प्रास्फुटन्कुम्भा मर्माणि च नखानि च … हेमभूषणैः; the critical edition reads prasphuṭuḥ kumbhā marmāṇi vividhāni ca … nārācair bhūṣaṇāni ca. Recension variant, kept.

Verse 25 (8.60.25)

तेषामष्टौ महानागांश्चतुःषष्ट्या सुतेजनैः । नाराचैः सहदेवस्तान्पातयामास सादिभिः ॥

teṣāmaṣṭau mahānāgāṃścatuḥṣaṣṭyā sutejanaiḥ | nārācaiḥ sahadevastānpātayāmāsa sādibhiḥ

Of these, Sahadeva brought down eight great elephants with sixty-four sharp narachas, together with their riders.

Note on the text: Wikisource reads नाराचैः सहदेवस्तान्पातयामास सादिभिः; the critical edition reads sahadevo jaghānāśu te petuḥ saha sādibhiḥ. Recension variant, kept.

Verse 26 (8.60.26)

अञ्जोगतिभिरायम्य प्रयत्नाद्धनुरुत्तमम् । नाराचैरहनन्नागान्नकुलः कुलनन्दनः ॥

añjogatibhirāyamya prayatnāddhanuruttamam | nārācairahanannāgānnakulaḥ kulanandanaḥ

Drawing his excellent bow with care along the straight line of the arrows' flight, Nakula, delight of the Kurus, struck down the elephants with narachas.

Verse 27 (8.60.27)

ततः पाञ्चालशैनेयौ द्रौपदेयाः प्रभद्रकाः । शिखण्डी च महानागान्सिषिचुः शरवृष्टिभिः ॥

tataḥ pāñcālaśaineyau draupadeyāḥ prabhadrakāḥ | śikhaṇḍī ca mahānāgānsiṣicuḥ śaravṛṣṭibhiḥ

Then the Panchala and Shaineya, the sons of Draupadi, the Prabhadrakas and Shikhandi drenched the great elephants with showers of arrows.

Note on the text: Wikisource reads ततः पाञ्चालशैनेयौ; the critical edition reads tataḥ śaineyapāñcālyau. Recension variant, kept.

Verse 28 (8.60.28)

ते पाण्डुयोधाम्बुधरैः शत्रुद्विरदपर्वताः । बाणवर्षैर्हताः पेतुर्वज्रवर्षैरिवाचलाः ॥

te pāṇḍuyodhāmbudharaiḥ śatrudviradaparvatāḥ | bāṇavarṣairhatāḥ peturvajravarṣairivācalāḥ

Struck down by the showers of arrows from the Pandava warriors, who were like rain-clouds, those enemy elephants, like mountains, fell as mountains do under showers of thunderbolts.

Verse 29 (8.60.29)

एवं हत्वा तव गजांस्ते पाण्डुरथकुञ्जराः । द्रुतं सेनां च वर्षन्तो भिन्नकूलामिवापगाम् ॥

evaṃ hatvā tava gajāṃste pāṇḍurathakuñjarāḥ | drutaṃ senāṃ ca varṣanto bhinnakūlāmivāpagām

Having thus slain your elephants, those bull-elephants among the Pandava chariot-warriors swiftly rained arrows on your army as well, which now was like a river with its banks broken.

Note on the text: Wikisource reads द्रुतं सेनां च वर्षन्तो; the critical edition reads drutaṃ senām avaikṣanta ('swiftly they looked upon the army'). Recension variant, kept.

Verse 30 (8.60.30)

तां ते सेनां समालोड्य पाण्डुपुत्रस्य सैनिकाः । विक्षोभयित्वा च पुनः कर्णं समभिदुद्रुवुः ॥

tāṃ te senāṃ samāloḍya pāṇḍuputrasya sainikāḥ | vikṣobhayitvā ca punaḥ karṇaṃ samabhidudruvuḥ

Having churned up that army and thrown it into disorder, the Pandava soldiers rushed once more at Karna.

Note on the text: Wikisource reads तां ते सेनां समालोड्य; the critical edition reads te tāṃ senām avālokya. Recension variant, kept.