The Madra Chariots Fall and the Kaurava Host Flees

Verse 1 (9.17.1)

शल्येऽथ निहते राजन्मद्रराजपदानुगाः । रथाः सप्तशता वीरा दुद्रुवुर्महतो बलात् ॥

śalye'tha nihate rājanmadrarājapadānugāḥ | rathāḥ saptaśatā vīrā dudruvurmahato balāt

When Shalya had been slain, O king, seven hundred heroic chariots of the followers of the Madra king rushed forth from the great host.

Note on the text: CE 9.17.1 (the critical edition reads "tu" for "ऽथ" and "niryayur" for "दुद्रुवुः").

Verse 2 (9.17.2)

दुर्योधनस्तु द्विरदमारुह्याचलसन्निभम् । छत्रेण ध्रियमाणेन वीज्यमानश्च चामरैः । न गन्तव्यं न गन्तव्यमिति मद्रानवारयत् ॥

duryodhanastu dviradamāruhyācalasannibham | chatreṇa dhriyamāṇena vījyamānaśca cāmaraiḥ | na gantavyaṃ na gantavyamiti madrānavārayat

But Duryodhana, mounted on an elephant like a mountain, with an umbrella held over him and fanned with yak-tail whisks, tried to stop the Madras, crying, "Do not go! Do not go!"

Verse 3 (9.17.3)

दुर्योधनेन ते वीरा वार्यमाणाः पुनः पुनः । युधिष्ठिरं जिघांसन्तः पाण्डूनां प्राविशन्बलम् ॥

duryodhanena te vīrā vāryamāṇāḥ punaḥ punaḥ | yudhiṣṭhiraṃ jighāṃsantaḥ pāṇḍūnāṃ prāviśanbalam

Though Duryodhana held them back again and again, those heroes, bent on killing Yudhishthira, entered the Pandava host.

Verse 4 (9.17.4)

ते तु शूरा महाराज कृतचित्ताश्च योधने । धनुःशब्दं महत्कृत्वा सहायुध्यन्त पाण्डवैः ॥

te tu śūrā mahārāja kṛtacittāśca yodhane | dhanuḥśabdaṃ mahatkṛtvā sahāyudhyanta pāṇḍavaiḥ

Those heroes, O great king, resolute in battle, raised a mighty twang of their bows and fought against the Pandavas together.

Verse 5 (9.17.5)

श्रुत्वा च निहतं शल्यं धर्मपुत्रं च पीडितम् । मद्रराजप्रिये युक्तैर्मद्रकाणां महारथैः ॥

śrutvā ca nihataṃ śalyaṃ dharmaputraṃ ca pīḍitam | madrarājapriye yuktairmadrakāṇāṃ mahārathaiḥ

Hearing that Shalya was slain and that Yudhishthira was hard pressed by the great chariot-warriors of the Madrakas, who were bent on serving the Madra king's cause,

Verse 6 (9.17.6)

आजगाम ततः पार्थो गाण्डीवं विक्षिपन्धनुः । पूरयन्रथघोषेण दिशः सर्वा महारथः ॥

ājagāma tataḥ pārtho gāṇḍīvaṃ vikṣipandhanuḥ | pūrayanrathaghoṣeṇa diśaḥ sarvā mahārathaḥ

Partha then came up, the great chariot-warrior, brandishing his bow Gandiva and filling all the quarters with the rumble of his chariot.

Verse 7 (9.17.7)

ततोऽर्जुनश्च भीमश्च माद्रीपुत्रौ च पाण्डवौ । सात्यकिश्च नरव्याघ्रो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्वशः ॥

tato'rjunaśca bhīmaśca mādrīputrau ca pāṇḍavau | sātyakiśca naravyāghro draupadeyāśca sarvaśaḥ

Then Arjuna and Bhima, the two Pandava sons of Madri, Satyaki, that tiger among men, and all the sons of Draupadi,

Verse 8 (9.17.8)

धृष्टद्युम्नः शिखण्डी च पाञ्चालाः सह सोमकैः । युधिष्ठिरं परीप्सन्तः समन्तात्पर्यवारयन् ॥

dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca pāñcālāḥ saha somakaiḥ | yudhiṣṭhiraṃ parīpsantaḥ samantātparyavārayan

Dhrishtadyumna and Shikhandi, and the Panchalas with the Somakas, eager to protect Yudhishthira, ringed him round on every side.

Verse 9 (9.17.9)

ते समन्तात्परिवृताः पाण्डवैः पुरुषर्षभैः । क्षोभयन्ति स्म तां सेनां मकराः सागरं यथा । वृक्षानिव महावाताः कम्पयन्ति स्म तावकाः ॥

te samantātparivṛtāḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ puruṣarṣabhaiḥ | kṣobhayanti sma tāṃ senāṃ makarāḥ sāgaraṃ yathā | vṛkṣāniva mahāvātāḥ kampayanti sma tāvakāḥ

Though surrounded on every side by the Pandavas, those bulls among men, they stirred up that army as sea-monsters stir an ocean, and your men shook it as great winds shake trees.

Note on the text: Three lines: lines 1–2 are CE 9.17.9, and line 3 is the second line (11cd) of CE 9.17.11 (the page places it here).

Verse 10 (9.17.10)

पुरोवातेन गङ्गेव क्षोभ्यमाणा महानदी । अक्षोभ्यत तदा राजन्पाण्डूनां ध्वजिनी ततः ॥

purovātena gaṅgeva kṣobhyamāṇā mahānadī | akṣobhyata tadā rājanpāṇḍūnāṃ dhvajinī tataḥ

Then, O king, the Pandava army was thrown into turmoil, like the great river Ganga churned by an east wind.

Note on the text: Removed a stray double hyphen printed inside the verse (गङ्गेव--क्षोभ्यमाणा → गङ्गेव क्षोभ्यमाणा; CE gaṅgeva kṣobhyamānā). CE 9.17.10 (reads "punaḥ" for "ततः" in line 2).

Verse 11 (9.17.11)

प्रस्कन्द्य सेनां महतीं महात्मानो महारथाः । बहवश्चुक्रुशुस्तत्र क्व स राजा युधिष्ठिरः । भ्रातरो वाऽस्य ते शूरा दृश्यन्ते नेह केचन ॥

praskandya senāṃ mahatīṃ mahātmāno mahārathāḥ | bahavaścukruśustatra kva sa rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | bhrātaro vā'sya te śūrā dṛśyante neha kecana

Charging into the great army, many of those great-souled chariot-warriors cried out there: Where is King Yudhishthira? And those heroic brothers of his, not one of them is to be seen here!

Note on the text: Line 1 is CE 9.17.11a (the page reads "महात्मानो" for the CE "tyaktātmāno"); lines 2–3 are CE 9.17.12. The cry begun here continues in the next verse and stays with the narrator.

Verse 12 (9.17.12)

धृष्टद्युम्नोऽथ शैनेयो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्वशः । पाञ्चालाश्च महावीर्याः शिखण्डी च महारथः ॥

dhṛṣṭadyumno'tha śaineyo draupadeyāśca sarvaśaḥ | pāñcālāśca mahāvīryāḥ śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ

Nor Dhrishtadyumna, nor Shaineya, nor all the sons of Draupadi, nor the mighty Panchalas, nor the great chariot-warrior Shikhandi!

Note on the text: CE 9.17.13 (the two half-verses stand in the opposite order there). The sentence continues the cry begun in the previous verse, so it stays with the narrator Sanjaya.

Verse 13 (9.17.13)

एवं तान्वादिनः शूरान्द्रौपदेया महारथाः । अभ्यघ्नन्युयुधानश्च मद्रराजपदानुगान् ॥

evaṃ tānvādinaḥ śūrāndraupadeyā mahārathāḥ | abhyaghnanyuyudhānaśca madrarājapadānugān

As those heroes, the followers of the Madra king, spoke so, the great chariot-warriors, the sons of Draupadi, and Yuyudhana struck them down.

Verse 14 (9.17.14)

चक्रैर्विमथितैः केचित्केचिच्छिन्नैर्महाध्वजैः । सम्प्रदृश्यन्त समरे तावका निहताः परैः ॥

cakrairvimathitaiḥ kecitkecicchinnairmahādhvajaiḥ | sampradṛśyanta samare tāvakā nihatāḥ paraiḥ

Here and there in the battle your men were seen slain by the enemy, some with their wheels crushed, some with their great banners hewn down.

Verse 15 (9.17.15)

आलोक्य पाण्डवान्युद्धे योधा राजन्समन्ततः । वार्यमाणा ययुर्वेगात्पुत्रेण तव भारत ॥

ālokya pāṇḍavānyuddhe yodhā rājansamantataḥ | vāryamāṇā yayurvegātputreṇa tava bhārata

Seeing the Pandavas on every side in the battle, O king, the warriors rushed forward with force, though your son held them back, O Bharata.

Verse 16 (9.17.16)

दुर्योधनश्च तान्वीरान्वारयामास सान्त्वयन् । न चास्य शासनं केचित्तत्र चक्रुर्महारथाः ॥

duryodhanaśca tānvīrānvārayāmāsa sāntvayan | na cāsya śāsanaṃ kecittatra cakrurmahārathāḥ

Duryodhana tried to restrain those heroes, speaking soothingly, but none of those great chariot-warriors there obeyed his command.

Verse 17 (9.17.17)

ततो गान्धारराजस्य पुत्रः शकुनिरब्रवीत् । दुर्योधनं महाराज वचनं वचनक्षमम् ॥

tato gāndhārarājasya putraḥ śakunirabravīt | duryodhanaṃ mahārāja vacanaṃ vacanakṣamam

Then, O great king, Shakuni, the son of the king of Gandhara, spoke to Duryodhana words fitting for the hour.

Verse 18 (9.17.18)

किं नः सम्प्रेक्षमाणानां मद्राणां हन्यते बलम् । न युक्तमेतत्समरे त्वयि तिष्ठति भारत ॥

kiṃ naḥ samprekṣamāṇānāṃ madrāṇāṃ hanyate balam | na yuktametatsamare tvayi tiṣṭhati bhārata

Why is the force of the Madras being cut down while we look on? This is not right in battle, O Bharata, while you stand by.

Note on the text: Speech of Shakuni to Duryodhana, with no heading printed on the page (it stands under Sanjaya's heading); the speaker is given to Shakuni, as the previous verse announces.

Verse 19 (9.17.19)

सहितैर्नाम योद्धव्यमित्येष समयः कृतः । अथ कस्मात्स्मरन्नेव घ्नतो मर्षयसे नृप ॥

sahitairnāma yoddhavyamityeṣa samayaḥ kṛtaḥ | atha kasmātsmaranneva ghnato marṣayase nṛpa

'We must fight together': such was the agreement made. Then why, O king, though you remember it, do you tolerate those who are killing them?

Note on the text: Continues Shakuni's speech to Duryodhana (no heading printed on the page).

Verse 20 (9.17.20)

वार्यमाणा मया पूर्वं नैते चक्रुर्वचो मम । एते विनिहताः सर्वे प्रस्कन्नाः पाण्डुवाहिनीम् ॥

vāryamāṇā mayā pūrvaṃ naite cakrurvaco mama | ete vinihatāḥ sarve praskannāḥ pāṇḍuvāhinīm

"I held them back at first, but they did not do as I said. All of these have been slain, having plunged into the Pandava host."

Verse 21 (9.17.21)

न भर्तुः शासनं वीरा रणे कुर्वन्त्यमर्षिताः । अलं क्रोद्धुमथैतेषां नायं काल उपेक्षितुम् ॥

na bhartuḥ śāsanaṃ vīrā raṇe kurvantyamarṣitāḥ | alaṃ kroddhumathaiteṣāṃ nāyaṃ kāla upekṣitum

Heroes in the grip of anger do not obey their master's command in battle. It is no use being angry with them now; this is no time to look on and do nothing.

Note on the text: Corrected क्रोद्वुमथैतेषां → क्रोद्धुमथैतेषां (misprint in Wikisource; ध written as द्व; CE kroddhuṃ). CE 9.17.22 (reads "tathaiteṣāṃ"; the critical edition also prints the extra line *0100_01 before 22a, which the page lacks).

Verse 22 (9.17.22)

यामः सर्वेऽत्र सम्भूय सवाजिरथकुञ्जराः । परित्रातुं महेष्वासान्मद्रराजपदानुगान् ॥

yāmaḥ sarve'tra sambhūya savājirathakuñjarāḥ | paritrātuṃ maheṣvāsānmadrarājapadānugān

Let us all go there together, with horses, chariots and elephants, to rescue those mighty archers who followed the Madra king.

Verse 23 (9.17.23)

अन्योन्यं परिरक्षामो यत्नेन महता नृप । एवं सर्वेऽनुसञ्चिन्त्य प्रययुर्यत्र सैनिकाः ॥

anyonyaṃ parirakṣāmo yatnena mahatā nṛpa | evaṃ sarve'nusañcintya prayayuryatra sainikāḥ

Let us guard one another with great effort, O king. Having thought it over thus, they all went to where the soldiers were.

Note on the text: The first line is Shakuni's speech; the second line (एवं सर्वेऽनुसञ्चिन्त्य प्रययुर्यत्र सैनिकाः) is Sanjaya's narration, as in the critical edition 9.17.24. The verse is kept whole under the page's heading for Shakuni.

Verse 24 (9.17.24)

एवमुक्तस्तदा राजा बलेन महता वृतः । प्रययौ सिंहनादेन कम्पयन्निव मेदिनीम् ॥

evamuktastadā rājā balena mahatā vṛtaḥ | prayayau siṃhanādena kampayanniva medinīm

Addressed thus, the king, surrounded by a great force, set out with lion-roars that made the earth seem to tremble.

Verse 25 (9.17.25)

हत विध्यत गृह्णीत प्रहरध्वं निकृन्तत । इत्यासीत्तुमुलः शब्दस्तव सैन्यस्य भारत ॥

hata vidhyata gṛhṇīta praharadhvaṃ nikṛntata | ityāsīttumulaḥ śabdastava sainyasya bhārata

"Kill! Pierce! Seize! Strike! Cut them down!" Such was the tumultuous cry of your army, O Bharata.

Verse 26 (9.17.26)

पाण्डवास्तु रणे दृष्ट्वा मद्रराजपदानुगान् । सहितानभ्यवर्तन्त गुल्ममास्थाय मध्यमम् ॥

pāṇḍavāstu raṇe dṛṣṭvā madrarājapadānugān | sahitānabhyavartanta gulmamāsthāya madhyamam

But the Pandavas, seeing the followers of the Madra king gathered in the battle, advanced against them together, taking the central position.

Note on the text: Corrected सहितानभ्यवर्तन्तं → सहितानभ्यवर्तन्त (misprint in Wikisource; a stray anusvara on the verb; CE sahitān abhyavartanta). CE 9.17.27 (the critical edition also prints the extra line *0101_01 after 27a, which the page lacks).

Verse 27 (9.17.27)

ते मुहूर्ताद्रणे वीरा हस्ताहस्ति विशाम्पते । निहताः प्रत्यदृश्यन्त मद्रराजपदानुगाः ॥

te muhūrtādraṇe vīrā hastāhasti viśāmpate | nihatāḥ pratyadṛśyanta madrarājapadānugāḥ

In a moment, O lord of the people, those heroes who had followed the Madra king were seen slain in the fight, hand to hand.

Verse 28 (9.17.28)

ततो नः सम्प्रयातानां हता मद्रास्तरस्विनः । हृष्टाः किलकिलाशब्दमकुर्वन्सहिताः परे ॥

tato naḥ samprayātānāṃ hatā madrāstarasvinaḥ | hṛṣṭāḥ kilakilāśabdamakurvansahitāḥ pare

As we advanced, the mighty Madras having been slain, the enemy together, elated, raised shrill cries of joy.

Verse 29 (9.17.29)

अथोत्थितानि रुण्डानि समदृश्यन्त सर्वशः । पपात महती चोल्का मध्येनादित्यमण्डलम् ॥

athotthitāni ruṇḍāni samadṛśyanta sarvaśaḥ | papāta mahatī colkā madhyenādityamaṇḍalam

Then headless trunks were seen rising up on every side, and a great meteor fell through the middle of the sun's disc.

Verse 30 (9.17.30)

रथैर्भग्नयुगाक्षैश्च निहतैश्च महारथैः । अश्वैर्निपातितैश्चैव सञ्छन्नाऽभूद्वसुन्धरा ॥

rathairbhagnayugākṣaiśca nihataiśca mahārathaiḥ | aśvairnipātitaiścaiva sañchannā'bhūdvasundharā

The earth was covered with chariots with broken yokes and axles, with slain great charioteers, and with fallen horses.

Verse 31 (9.17.31)

वातायमानैस्तुरगैर्युगासक्तैस्ततस्ततः । अकृष्यन्त महाराज योधास्तत्र रणाजिरे ॥

vātāyamānaisturagairyugāsaktaistatastataḥ | akṛṣyanta mahārāja yodhāstatra raṇājire

O great king, there on the battlefield warriors were dragged this way and that by horses that ran like the wind, still fastened to their yokes.

Verse 32 (9.17.32)

भग्नचक्रान्रथान्केचिदहरंस्तुरगा रणे । रथार्धं केचिदादाय दिशो दश विबभ्रमुः । तत्रतत्र व्यदृश्यन्त योक्त्रैः श्लिष्टाः स्म वाजिनः ॥

bhagnacakrānrathānkecidaharaṃsturagā raṇe | rathārdhaṃ kecidādāya diśo daśa vibabhramuḥ | tatratatra vyadṛśyanta yoktraiḥ śliṣṭāḥ sma vājinaḥ

In the battle some horses carried off chariots with broken wheels; some, taking half a chariot, wandered about in all ten directions; and here and there horses were seen entangled in their harness.

Verse 33 (9.17.33)

रथिनः पतमानाश्च दृश्यन्ते स्म नरोत्तमाः । गगनात्प्रच्युताः सिद्धाः पुण्यानामिव सङ्क्षये ॥

rathinaḥ patamānāśca dṛśyante sma narottamāḥ | gaganātpracyutāḥ siddhāḥ puṇyānāmiva saṅkṣaye

Chariot-warriors, the foremost of men, were seen falling, like Siddhas dropping from the sky when their merit is spent.

Verse 34 (9.17.34)

निहतेषु च शूरेषु मद्रराजानुगेषु वै । अस्मानापततश्चापि दृष्ट्वा पार्था महारथाः ॥

nihateṣu ca śūreṣu madrarājānugeṣu vai | asmānāpatataścāpi dṛṣṭvā pārthā mahārathāḥ

When the heroes who followed the Madra king had been slain, and the Parthas, great chariot-warriors, saw us advancing on them as well,

Verse 35 (9.17.35)

अभ्यवर्तन्त वेगेन जयगृद्धाः प्रहारिणः । बाणशब्दरवान्कृत्वा विमिश्राञ्शङ्खनिःस्वनैः ॥

abhyavartanta vegena jayagṛddhāḥ prahāriṇaḥ | bāṇaśabdaravānkṛtvā vimiśrāñśaṅkhaniḥsvanaiḥ

they rushed at us with force, those eager strikers hungry for victory, with the whirr of their arrows mingled with the blare of conches.

Verse 36 (9.17.36)

अस्मांस्तु पुनरासाद्य लब्धलक्षाः प्रहारिणः । शरासनानि धुन्वानाः सिंहनादान्प्रचुक्रुशुः ॥

asmāṃstu punarāsādya labdhalakṣāḥ prahāriṇaḥ | śarāsanāni dhunvānāḥ siṃhanādānpracukruśuḥ

Having reached us again, those strikers, sure of their aim, shook their bows and let out lion-roars.

Verse 37 (9.17.37)

ततो हतमभिप्रेक्ष्य मद्रराजबलं महत् । मद्रराजं च समरे दृष्ट्वा शूरं निपातितम् । दुर्योधनबलं सर्वं पुनरासीत्पराङ्मुखम् ॥

tato hatamabhiprekṣya madrarājabalaṃ mahat | madrarājaṃ ca samare dṛṣṭvā śūraṃ nipātitam | duryodhanabalaṃ sarvaṃ punarāsītparāṅmukham

Then, seeing the great Madra army slain and the heroic king of the Madras laid low in battle, all Duryodhana's force turned away once more.

Verse 38 (9.17.38)

वध्यमानं महाराज पाण्डवैर्जितकाशिभिः । दिशो भेजेऽथ सम्भ्रान्तं त्रासितं दृढधन्विभिः ॥

vadhyamānaṃ mahārāja pāṇḍavairjitakāśibhiḥ | diśo bheje'tha sambhrāntaṃ trāsitaṃ dṛḍhadhanvibhiḥ

Cut down, O great king, by the Pandavas, flushed with victory, and terrified by those strong archers, it broke in confusion and fled in all directions.