Adhyaya 97

Verse 1

ऑपन--माज बक। अकाल चतुर्नवतितमो< ध्याय: 84088 और भीमसेनका एवं अश्वुत्थामा और राजा युद्ध तथा घटोत्कचकी मायासे मोहित होकर कौरव-सेनाका पलायन संजय उवाच स्वसैन्यं निहतं दृष्टवा राजा दुर्योधन: स्वयम्‌ । अभ्यधावत संक्रुद्धो भीमसेनमरिंदमम्‌,संजय कहते हैं--राजन्‌! अपनी अधिकांश सेनाको मारी गयी देख क्रोधमें भरे हुए स्वयं राजा दुर्योधनने शत्रुदमन भीमसेनपर धावा किया

Sañjaya said: Seeing his own army cut down, King Duryodhana—himself inflamed with anger—charged straight at Bhīmasena, the subduer of foes. The moment frames how grief and wounded pride on the battlefield can harden into reckless fury, driving a ruler to seek personal vengeance amid the collapse of his forces.

Verse 2

प्रगृह्य सुमहच्चापमिन्द्राशनिसमस्वनम्‌ । महता शरवर्षेण पाण्डवं समवाकिरत्‌,उसने इन्द्रके वज़की भाँति भयानक टंकार करनेवाले विशाल धनुषको हाथमें लेकर पाण्डुनन्दन भीमसेनपर बाणोंकी भारी वर्षा आरम्भ की

Sañjaya said: Seizing a very great bow whose twang resounded like Indra’s thunderbolt, he showered the Pāṇḍava—Bhīmasena—with a mighty downpour of arrows, intensifying the violence of the battle and testing the warrior’s steadfastness amid chaos.

Verse 3

अर्धचन्द्रं च संधाय सुतीक्षणं लोमवाहिनम्‌ । भीमसेनस्य चिच्छेद चापं क्रोधसमन्वित:,इतना ही नहीं, उसने कुपित होकर पंखयुक्त अत्यन्त तीखे अर्धचन्द्राकार बाणका प्रयोग करके भीमसेनके धनुषको काट दिया

Sañjaya said: Then, fitting to his bow a razor-sharp, feathered arrow shaped like a half-moon, he—seized by anger—sheared through Bhīmasena’s bow. In the ethics of battle, the act signals a shift from mere exchange of missiles to the tactical disabling of an opponent’s means of combat, revealing how wrath can sharpen skill into a decisive, disarming strike.

Verse 4

तदन्तरं च सम्प्रेक्ष्य त्वरमाणो महारथ: । प्रसंदधे शितं बाणं गिरीणामपि दारणम्‌,फिर उसीको उपयुक्त अवसर समझकर महारथी दुर्योधनने बड़ी उतावलीके साथ एक तीखे बाणका संधान किया, जो पर्वतोंको भी विदीर्ण करनेवाला था

Sañjaya said: Seeing that interval and judging it the fitting moment, the great chariot-warrior hastened to set a keen arrow to his bow—an arrow said to be capable of rending even mountains. The verse underscores the war-mindset of seizing a fleeting opening and answering it with overwhelming force, where urgency and destructive capacity eclipse restraint.

Verse 5

तेनोरसि महाराज भीमसेनमताडयत्‌ । स गाढविद्धो व्यथित: सृक्किणी परिसंलिहन्‌

Sañjaya said: With that blow, O King, he struck Bhīmasena upon the chest. Deeply pierced and shaken by pain, Bhīma licked the corners of his mouth—an image of restrained fury and endurance amid the brutal ethics of battlefield duty, where warriors absorb injury without abandoning their role.

Verse 6

तथा विमनसं दृष्टवा भीमसेनं घटोत्कच:

Sañjaya said: Seeing Bhīmasena in such a dejected state, Ghaṭotkaca (took note and responded). The moment underscores how, amid war, a warrior’s morale and inner steadiness are ethically significant—companions are expected to support one another so that duty is not abandoned through despair.

Verse 7

अभिमन्युमुखा श्चापि पाण्डवानां महारथा:

Sañjaya said: “And the great chariot-warriors of the Pāṇḍavas, with Abhimanyu at their forefront…”

Verse 8

सम्प्रेक्ष्यैतान्‌ सम्पतत: संक्रुद्धाउ्जातसम्भ्रमान्‌,संशयं परम॑ प्राप्त मज्जन्तं व्यसनार्णवे । क्रोधमें भरे हुए इन समस्त योद्धाओंको वेगपूर्वक धावा करते देख द्रोणाचार्यने आपके महारथियोंसे कहा--“वीरो! तुम्हारा कल्याण हो। शीघ्र जाओ और संकटके समुद्रमें डूबकर महान्‌ प्राणसंशयमें पड़े हुए राजा दुर्योधनकी रक्षा करो

Sañjaya said: Seeing those warriors rushing forward in fury and tumult, and perceiving King Duryodhana sinking into an ocean of calamity, having fallen into extreme peril of life, Droṇācārya addressed your great chariot-fighters: “Heroes, may you be safe. Go quickly and protect King Duryodhana, who is overwhelmed by crisis and caught in a grave doubt of survival.”

Verse 9

भारद्वाजोडब्रवीद्‌ वाक्‍्यं तावकानां महारथान्‌ | क्षिप्रं गच्छत भद्रं वो राजानं परिरक्षत

Sañjaya said: Bhāradvāja addressed the great chariot-warriors of the Kauravas, saying, “Go quickly—may good befall you. Protect the king.” The call underscores the warrior’s immediate duty in war: to place personal safety aside and uphold loyalty and protection of the sovereign as a matter of kṣatriya-dharma.

Verse 10

एते क्रुद्धा महेष्वासा: पाण्डवानां महारथा:,नदन्तो भैरवान्‌ नादांस्त्रासयन्तश्न भूमिपान्‌ | 'ये महाधनुर्धर पाण्डव महारथी कुपित हो भीमसेनको आगे करके दुर्योधनपर धावा कर रहे हैं और विजयका दृढ़ संकल्प ले नाना प्रकारके अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंकी वर्षा करते हुए भैरव गर्जना करते तथा भूमिपालोंको त्रास पहुँचाते हैं!

Sañjaya said: These great bowmen—the mighty chariot-warriors of the Pāṇḍavas—now enraged, roar with terrifying cries and, as they surge forward, strike fear into the kings. The verse underscores the moral intensity of the battlefield: wrath and resolve drive the warriors, while their display of power becomes a force that unsettles rulers and armies alike.

Verse 11

भीमसेन पुरस्कृत्य दुर्योधनमुपाद्रवन्‌ । नानाविधानि शस्त्राणि विसृजन्तो जये धृता:

Sañjaya said: Placing Bhīmasena at their forefront, they surged to assail Duryodhana, hurling weapons of many kinds—steadfastly resolved upon victory. The verse highlights the war’s fierce momentum, where leadership and collective resolve drive action, even as the ethical weight of violence remains implicit in the battlefield setting.

Verse 12

तदाचार्यवच: श्रुत्वा सौमदत्तिपुरोगमा:

Sañjaya said: Hearing those words spoken by their preceptor, the warriors—led in the forefront by the son of Somadatta—responded in accordance with command and discipline, showing how, in war, obedience to rightful leadership shapes collective action.

Verse 13

तावका: समवर्तन्त पाण्डवानामनीकिनीम्‌ । आचार्यका यह वचन सुनकर भूरिश्रवा आदि आपके प्रमुख योद्धाओंने पाण्डवसेनापर आक्रमण किया ।। कृपो भूरिश्रवा: शल्यो द्रोणपुत्रो विविंशति:

Sanjaya said: Your warriors advanced against the Pandavas’ battle-array. Having heard the commander’s instruction, leading fighters such as Kripa, Bhurishravas, Shalya, Drona’s son, and Vivimshati launched an assault upon the Pandava army—an act that underscores how, in war, obedience to command and loyalty to one’s side can drive men into violent action even when the moral cost is grave.

Verse 14

चित्रसेनो विकर्णश्र॒ सैन्धवो5थ बृहदूबल: । आवलन्त्यौ च महेष्वासौ कौरवं पर्यवारयन्‌

Sañjaya said: Chitrasena, Vikarna, and Jayadratha of Sindhu, along with Bṛhadbala—and the two great bowmen, Āvalantya and Maheshvāsa—closed in around the Kaurava prince, forming a protective ring. In the press of battle, loyalty to one’s side expresses itself as disciplined defense and coordinated support, even as the larger conflict tests the bounds of righteous conduct.

Verse 15

कृपाचार्य, भूरिश्रवा, शल्य, अश्व॒त्थामा, विविंशति, चित्रसेन, विकर्ण, सिंधुराज जयद्रथ, बृहदबल तथा अवन्तीके राजकुमार महाथधनुर्धर विन्द और अनुविन्द--इन सबने दुर्योधनको उसकी रक्षाके लिये सब ओरसे घेर लिया ।। ते विंशतिपदं गत्वा सम्प्रहारं प्रचक्रिरे । पाण्डवा धार्तराष्ट्राश्न परस्परजिघांसव:,वे बीस कदम आगे बढ़कर प्रहार करने लगे, फिर तो पाण्डव तथा कौरव योद्धा एक- दूसरेको मार डालनेकी इच्छासे युद्ध करने लगे

Sañjaya said: Kṛpācārya, Bhūriśravas, Śalya, Aśvatthāmā, Viviṁśati, Citrasena, Vikarṇa, the Sindhu king Jayadratha, Bṛhadbala, and the two Avanti princes—Vinda and Anuvinda, mighty archers—all surrounded Duryodhana on every side to protect him. Advancing about twenty paces, they began the clash of weapons; then the Pāṇḍava and Dhārtarāṣṭra warriors fought with mutual intent to kill, as the battle’s fury tightened around the guarded king.

Verse 16

एवमुक्‍्त्वा महाबाहुर्महद्‌ विस्फार्य कार्मुकम्‌ । भारद्वाजस्ततो भीम॑ षड्विंशत्या समार्पयत्‌,कौरव महारथियोंसे पूर्वोक्त बात कहनेके पश्चात्‌ महाबाहु भरद्वाजनन्दन द्रोणाचार्यने अपने विशाल धनुषको खींचकर भीमसेनको छब्बीस बाण मारे

Sañjaya said: Having spoken thus, the mighty-armed son of Bhāradvāja (Droṇa) drew his great bow to its full stretch and then struck Bhīmasena with twenty-six arrows. The scene underscores the relentless escalation of battle, where prowess and resolve are displayed without pause, even as the moral weight of fratricidal war looms over every act.

Verse 17

भूयश्वैनं महाबाहु: शरै: शीघ्रमवाकिरत्‌ । पर्वतं वारिधाराभि: प्रावषीव बलाहक:ः,साथ ही उन महाबाहुने उनके ऊपर शीघ्रतापूर्वक बाणोंकी वर्षा आरम्भ कर दी, मानो वर्षाऋतुमें मेघ पर्वत-शिखरपर जलकी धारा गिरा रहा हो

Sañjaya said: Then again the mighty-armed warrior swiftly showered him with arrows, just as a rain-cloud in the monsoon pours down streams of water upon a mountain peak. The image underscores the relentless momentum of battle—force meeting force—where prowess is displayed through disciplined martial skill rather than mere rage.

Verse 18

त॑ प्रत्यविध्यद्‌ दशभिर्थीमसेन: शिलीमुखै: । त्वरमाणो महेष्वास: सब्ये पाश्वे महाबल:,तब महाबली महाधनुर्धर भीमसेनने भी बड़ी उतावलीके साथ द्रोणाचार्यकी बायीं पसलीमें दस बाण मारकर उन्हें घायल कर दिया

Sañjaya said: Then Bhīmasena, mighty and swift in action, a great archer of immense strength, struck him in return with ten sharp arrows, piercing him on the left side. In the grim ethics of battle, this is narrated as a forceful counterstroke—valor and urgency driving the warrior’s deed amid the relentless violence of Kurukṣetra.

Verse 19

स गाढविद्धो व्यथितो वयोवृद्धश्च भारत । प्रणष्टसंज्ञ: सहसा रथोपस्थ उपाविशत्‌,भरतनन्दन! उन बाणोंसे उन्हें गहरा आघात लगा। वे वयोवृद्ध तो थे ही, सहसा व्यथित एवं अचेत होकर रथके पिछले भागमें बैठ गये

Sañjaya said: Struck deeply by those arrows, and already advanced in years, he was suddenly overwhelmed with pain and lost consciousness; he sank down and sat upon the rear part of the chariot. The scene underscores how, in war, even the mighty are bound by bodily frailty and the harsh consequences of violence.

Verse 20

गुरुं प्रव्यथितं दृष्टवा राजा दुर्योधन: स्वयम्‌ । द्रौणायनिश्च संक्रुद्धों भीमसेनमभिद्रुतो,आचार्य द्रोणको व्यथासे पीड़ित देख स्वयं राजा दुर्योधन और अभ्व॒त्थामा दोनों अत्यन्त कुपित हो भीमसेनपर टूट पड़े

Sañjaya said: Seeing his teacher grievously shaken, King Duryodhana himself—together with Drauṇāyani (Aśvatthāmā), inflamed with anger—rushed straight at Bhīmasena. The scene underscores how loyalty to one’s preceptor and wounded pride can intensify violence on the battlefield, driving leaders to personal combat rather than restraint.

Verse 21

तावापतन्तौ सम्प्रेक्ष्य कालान्तकयमोपमौ । भीमसेनो महाबाहुर्गदामादाय सत्वरम्‌

Sañjaya said: Seeing those two charging in, resembling Yama and the End-time Destroyer, the mighty-armed Bhīmasena swiftly seized his mace—ready to meet their deadly onrush with equal resolve.

Verse 22

समुद्यम्य गदां गुर्वी यमदण्डोपमां रणे,उन्होंने हाथमें जो भारी गदा उठायी थी, वह रणभूमिमें यमदण्डके समान भयानक जान पड़ती थी। शृंगंधारी कैलास पर्वतके समान ऊपर गदा उठाये हुए भीमसेनको देखकर दुर्योधन और अश्वत्थामाने एक साथ उनपर धावा किया

Sañjaya said: Lifting his massive mace on the battlefield—terrible like Yama’s rod of punishment—Bhīmasena stood with it raised high, like a horned Kailāsa mountain. Seeing him thus, Duryodhana and Aśvatthāmā together charged at him at once.

Verse 23

तमुद्यतगद दृष्टवा कैलासमिव श्‌ज्धिणम्‌ | कौरवो द्रोणपुत्रश्न सहितावभ्यधावताम्‌,उन्होंने हाथमें जो भारी गदा उठायी थी, वह रणभूमिमें यमदण्डके समान भयानक जान पड़ती थी। शृंगंधारी कैलास पर्वतके समान ऊपर गदा उठाये हुए भीमसेनको देखकर दुर्योधन और अश्वत्थामाने एक साथ उनपर धावा किया

Sañjaya said: Seeing Bhīmasena with his mace raised aloft—towering like the horned Mount Kailāsa—Duryodhana of the Kauravas and Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāman together rushed to attack him. The scene underscores the war’s grim momentum: valor and fury surge forward in tandem, while the ethical weight of violence presses upon all who choose to strike.

Verse 24

तावापतन्तौ सहितौ त्वरितौ बलिनां वरौ | अभ्यधावत वेगेन त्वरमाणो वृकोदर:,बलवानोंमें श्रेष्ठ उन दोनों वीरोंको एक साथ शीघ्रतापूर्वक आते देख भीमसेन भी उतावले होकर बड़े वेगसे उनकी ओर बढ़े

Sañjaya said: Seeing those two foremost among the mighty rushing together in swift advance, Vṛkodara (Bhīma) too, eager for combat, surged forward at great speed to meet them—an image of war’s momentum where courage and resolve drive warriors headlong into confrontation.

Verse 25

तमापततन्तं सम्प्रेक्ष्य संक्रुद्धं भीमदर्शनम्‌ । समभ्यधावंस्त्वरिता: कौरवाणां महारथा:,क्रोधमें भरकर भयंकर दिखायी देनेवाले भीमसेनको देखकर कौरव महारथी बड़ी उतावलीके साथ उनकी ओर दौड़े

Sañjaya said: Seeing Bhīmasena rushing forward—wrathful and terrifying to behold—the great chariot-warriors of the Kauravas, in haste, charged toward him. The scene underscores how anger and fear intensify the momentum of battle, drawing warriors into swift, escalating confrontation.

Verse 26

भारद्वाजमुखा: सर्वे भीमसेनजिघांसया । नानाविधानि शस्त्राणि भीमस्योरस्पपातयन्‌,ट्रोणाचार्य आदि सभी योद्धा भीमसेनके वधकी इच्छासे उनकी छातीपर नाना प्रकारके अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंका प्रहार करने लगे

Sañjaya said: Led by Droṇa, all those warriors, intent on killing Bhīmasena, rained down weapons of many kinds upon Bhīma’s chest. The verse underscores the war’s ruthless focus on eliminating key champions, where collective martial skill is driven by lethal resolve rather than restraint.

Verse 27

सहिता: पाण्डवं सर्वे पीडयन्त: समन्तत: । त॑ दृष्टवा संशयं प्राप्त पीड्यमानं महारथम्‌,वे सब एक साथ होकर चारों ओरसे पाण्डुकुमार भीमसेनको पीड़ा देने लगे। महारथी भीमसेनको पीड़ित और उनके प्राणोंको संकटमें पड़ा देख अभिमन्यु आदि पाण्डव महारथी अपने दुस्त्यज प्राणोंका मोह छोड़कर उनकी रक्षाके लिये दौड़े आये

Sañjaya said: United together, they all pressed the Pāṇḍava (Bhīmasena) from every side. Seeing that great chariot-warrior being hard-pressed and brought to a perilous uncertainty, the Pāṇḍava heroes (such as Abhimanyu) cast aside attachment even to their own lives and rushed in to protect him—showing that in battle, loyalty to one’s comrades and the duty of rescue can outweigh self-preservation.

Verse 28

अभिमन्युप्रभृतय: पाण्डवानां महारथा: । अभ्यधावन्‌ परीप्सन्तः प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा सुदुस्त्यजान्‌,वे सब एक साथ होकर चारों ओरसे पाण्डुकुमार भीमसेनको पीड़ा देने लगे। महारथी भीमसेनको पीड़ित और उनके प्राणोंको संकटमें पड़ा देख अभिमन्यु आदि पाण्डव महारथी अपने दुस्त्यज प्राणोंका मोह छोड़कर उनकी रक्षाके लिये दौड़े आये

Sanjaya said: The great chariot-warriors of the Pāṇḍavas—beginning with Abhimanyu—rushed forward, intent on protecting him, casting aside attachment even to their own lives, though life is so hard to relinquish. Seeing Bhīmasena tormented and his life in peril, they ran to defend him, choosing loyalty and duty over self-preservation.

Verse 29

अनूपाधिपति: शूरो भीमस्य दयित: सखा । नीलो नीलाम्बुदप्रख्य: संक्रुद्धो दौणिम भ्ययात्‌,अनूप देशका शूरवीर राजा नील भीमसेनका प्रिय सखा था। उसकी अंगकान्ति श्याम मेघके समान सुन्दर थी। उसने अत्यन्त कुपित होकर अश्वत्थामापर आक्रमण किया

Sanjaya said: The heroic king of An
6bpa, N
2blabBh
2bma's beloved friendbwhose radiance resembled a dark-blue raincloudbadvanced in fierce anger against the son of Dro47a (A
5bvatth
01man). In the moral atmosphere of the war, the verse highlights loyal friendship and righteous indignation: a companion rises to defend his ally and confront perceived wrongdoing on the battlefield.

Verse 30

स्पर्थते हि महेष्वासो नित्यं द्रोणसुतेन सः । स विस्फार्य महच्चापं द्रौणिं विव्याध पत्रिणा

Sañjaya said: That great archer was ever in rivalry with Droṇa’s son. Drawing his mighty bow to its full stretch, he pierced Drauṇi with a feathered arrow—an act that reveals how personal enmity and competitive pride drive warriors to seek decisive advantage amid the moral turbulence of war.

Verse 31

यथा शक्रो महाराज पुरा विव्याध दानवम्‌ । विप्रचित्तिं दुराधर्ष देवतानां भयंकरम्‌

Sañjaya said: “O King, just as Śakra (Indra) once, in former times, struck down the Dānava Vipracitti—hard to assail and a terror to the gods—so too (in this manner) was that blow delivered.”

Verse 32

येन लोकत्रयं क्रोधात्‌ त्रासितं स्वेन तेजसा । वह महाधनुर्धर वीर प्रतिदिन द्रोणपुत्र अश्वत्थामाके साथ स्पर्धा रखता था। महाराज! उसने अपने विशाल धनुषको खींचकर एक पंखयुक्त बाणसे अश्वत्थामाको उसी प्रकार घायल कर दिया, जैसे इन्द्रने पूर्वकालमें देवताओंके लिये भयंकर विप्रचित्ति नामक दुर्धर्ष दानवको घायल किया था, उस दानवने अपने क्रोध एवं तेजसे तीनों लोकोंको भयभीत कर रखा था || ३०-३१ है || तथा नीलेन निर्भिन्न: सुमुक्तेन पतत्त्रिणा

Sanjaya said: The mighty archer—who in his wrath and blazing energy had once terrified the three worlds—was met in daily rivalry by Drona’s son, Ashvatthama. O King, drawing his great bow to the full, he struck Ashvatthama with a winged arrow, just as Indra in ancient times, for the sake of the gods, wounded the dreadful and unconquerable Danava named Vipracitti—who, by his anger and splendor, had thrown the three worlds into fear. Thus Ashvatthama was pierced by that well-released, winged shaft.

Verse 33

स विस्फार्य धनुश्रित्रमिन्द्राशनिसमस्वनम्‌

Sañjaya said: He drew his bow—firm and well-strung—whose sound was like Indra’s thunderbolt, a martial signal that the moment for decisive action in the righteous struggle had arrived.

Verse 34

ततः संधाय विमलान्‌ भल्लान्‌ कर्मारमार्जितान्‌,तत्पश्चात्‌ उसने लोहारके माँजे हुए सात चमकीले भल्लोंको धनुषपर रखकर चलाया। उनमेंसे चारके द्वारा उसने नीलके चारों घोड़ोंको और पाँचवेंसे सारथिको मार डाला। छठेसे ध्वजको काट गिराया और सातवें भल्लसे नीलकी छातीमें प्रहार किया

Sanjaya said: Then, fitting to his bow spotless, razor-edged bhalla arrows—polished by the smith—he released seven gleaming shafts. With four of them he struck down Nila’s four horses; with the fifth he killed the charioteer. With the sixth he cut down the banner, and with the seventh bhalla he pierced Nila in the chest. The passage underscores the grim precision of war: prowess is displayed through targeted blows that dismantle an opponent’s mobility and morale, yet the ethical weight of such lethal skill remains implicit in the battlefield setting.

Verse 35

जघान चतुरो वाहान्‌ साररथिं ध्वजमेव च | सप्तमेन च भल्लेन नीलं विव्याध वक्षसि,तत्पश्चात्‌ उसने लोहारके माँजे हुए सात चमकीले भल्लोंको धनुषपर रखकर चलाया। उनमेंसे चारके द्वारा उसने नीलके चारों घोड़ोंको और पाँचवेंसे सारथिको मार डाला। छठेसे ध्वजको काट गिराया और सातवें भल्लसे नीलकी छातीमें प्रहार किया

Sañjaya said: With keen shafts he struck down four of Nīla’s horses, then the charioteer, and then the banner itself. With a seventh broad-headed arrow he pierced Nīla in the chest. The scene underscores the ruthless precision of battlefield skill: in war, the disabling of mobility (horses), guidance (charioteer), and morale-symbol (banner) precedes the direct wounding of the warrior—an ethically charged reminder of how martial prowess can systematically dismantle an opponent’s capacity to fight.

Verse 36

स गाढविद्धो व्यथितो रथोपस्थ उपाविशत्‌ । मोहितं वीक्ष्य राजानं नीलम भ्रचयोपमम्‌

Sañjaya said: Struck deeply and shaken with pain, he sank down upon the seat of the chariot. Seeing the king bewildered—his complexion darkened, like a mass of storm-clouds—he perceived the crushing force of the wound and the moral weight of the moment amid the battle’s turmoil.

Verse 37

घटोत्कचोभिसंक्रुद्धों ज्ञातिभि: परिवारित: । अभिद॒द्राव वेगेन द्रौणिमाहवशोभिनम्‌

Sañjaya said: Enraged and surrounded by his own kinsmen, Ghaṭotkaca rushed forward with great speed against Drauṇi (Aśvatthāman), who was making the battlefield resplendent. The moment underscores how, amid the moral strain of war, kinship and loyalty intensify resolve, driving warriors to confront formidable opponents in defense of their side.

Verse 38

तथेतरे चाभ्यधावन्‌ राक्षसा युद्धदुर्मदा: । उस बाणसे अधिक घायल हो जानेके कारण वे व्यथित हो रथके पिछले भागमें बैठ गये। नील मेघसमूहके समान श्याम वर्णवाले राजा नीलको अचेत हुआ देख अपने भाई- बन्धुओंसे घिरा हुआ घटोत्कच अत्यन्त कुपित हो युद्धमें शोभा पानेवाले अश्वत्थामाकी ओर बड़े वेगसे दौड़ा। उसके साथ ही दूसरे-दूसरे रणदुर्मद राक्षसोंने भी उसपर धावा किया || ३६-३७ ह || तमापतत्तं सम्प्रेक्ष्य राक्षसं घोरदर्शनम्‌

Sañjaya said: Then the other rākṣasas too—made reckless by the intoxication of battle—rushed forward. Seeing that fearsome, dreadful-looking rākṣasa charging in, the warriors’ attention turned to the sudden surge of violent force on the battlefield, where wrath and loyalty to one’s own drove men beyond restraint.

Verse 39

अभ्यधावत तेजस्वी भारद्वाजात्मजस्त्वरन्‌ । देखनेमें अत्यन्त भयंकर राक्षस घटोत्कचको धावा करते देख तेजस्वी अअश्वत्थामाने बड़ी उतावलीके साथ उसपर आक्रमण किया ।। ३८ ह ।। निजघान च संक्रुद्धो राक्षसान्‌ भीमदर्शनान्‌

Sañjaya said: The radiant son of Bhāradvāja (Aśvatthāman), hurrying forward, charged. Enraged, he struck down the fearsome-looking rākṣasas. In the brutal ethics of battlefield duty, his swift counterattack answers terror with force, aiming to check a destructive onslaught rather than yield to panic.

Verse 40

विमुखांश्रैव तान्‌ दृष्टवा द्रौणिचापच्युतै:शरै:

Sañjaya said: Seeing those warriors turned away—struck by arrows released from the bow of Drauṇi—he notes their retreat as a visible sign of the pressure of battle and the shifting morale on the field, where prowess and fear alike drive men from their chosen stance.

Verse 41

अक्कुद्धबत महाकायो भैमसेनिर्घटोत्कच: । अश्वत्थामाके धनुषसे छूटे हुए बाणोंद्वारा घायल हो उन राक्षसोंको भागते देख विशालकाय भीमसेनकुमार घटोत्कच कुपित हो उठा || ४० है ।। प्रादुश्षक्रे ततो मायां घोररूपां सुदारुणाम्‌

Sañjaya said: Seeing those rākṣasas fleeing after being wounded by the arrows released from Aśvatthāmā’s bow, the विशाल-bodied Ghaṭotkaca—son of Bhīmasena—flared up in anger. Then he manifested a dreadful and exceedingly fierce illusion (māyā).

Verse 42

ततस्ते तावका: सर्वे मायया विमुखीकृता:,तब उस मायासे डरकर आपके सभी सैनिक युद्धसे विमुख हो गये। उन्होंने एक- दूसरेको तथा द्रोण, दुर्योधन, शल्य और अश्वत्थामाको भी इस प्रकार देखा--सब-के-सब छिन्न-भिन्न हो पृथ्वीपर गिरकर छटपटा रहे हैं और खूनसे लथपथ होकर दयनीय दशाको पहुँच गये हैं। कौरवोंमें जो महान्‌ धनुर्धर एवं प्रधान वीर हैं, प्रायः वे सभी रथी विध्वंसको प्राप्त हो गये हैं। सब राजा मार गिराये गये हैं तथा हजारों घोड़े और घुड़सवार टुकड़े-टुकड़े होकर पड़े हैं

Sañjaya said: “Then all your men, thrown into confusion by that illusory power, turned away from the fight. In their terror they seemed to behold one another—and Droṇa, Duryodhana, Śalya, and Aśvatthāmā as well—in that dreadful state: shattered, fallen upon the earth, writhing, drenched in blood, and reduced to pitiable ruin. Among the Kauravas, the foremost great bowmen and leading heroes were, for the most part, brought to destruction as chariot-warriors; the kings were struck down, and thousands of horses and horsemen lay hacked to pieces.”

Verse 43

अन्योन्यं समपश्यन्त निकृत्ता मेदिनीतले । विचेष्टमाना: कृपणा: शोणितेन परिप्लुता:,तब उस मायासे डरकर आपके सभी सैनिक युद्धसे विमुख हो गये। उन्होंने एक- दूसरेको तथा द्रोण, दुर्योधन, शल्य और अश्वत्थामाको भी इस प्रकार देखा--सब-के-सब छिन्न-भिन्न हो पृथ्वीपर गिरकर छटपटा रहे हैं और खूनसे लथपथ होकर दयनीय दशाको पहुँच गये हैं। कौरवोंमें जो महान्‌ धनुर्धर एवं प्रधान वीर हैं, प्रायः वे सभी रथी विध्वंसको प्राप्त हो गये हैं। सब राजा मार गिराये गये हैं तथा हजारों घोड़े और घुड़सवार टुकड़े-टुकड़े होकर पड़े हैं

Sañjaya said: They looked upon one another—hewn down upon the surface of the earth—wretched and writhing, drenched in blood. The scene presents the stark moral cost of battle: warriors reduced to pitiable suffering, a grim reminder that victory in war is inseparable from widespread human ruin.

Verse 44

द्रोणं दुर्योधनं शल्यमश्चत्थामानमेव च । प्रायशश्न महेष्वासा ये प्रधाना: सम कौरवा:,तब उस मायासे डरकर आपके सभी सैनिक युद्धसे विमुख हो गये। उन्होंने एक- दूसरेको तथा द्रोण, दुर्योधन, शल्य और अश्वत्थामाको भी इस प्रकार देखा--सब-के-सब छिन्न-भिन्न हो पृथ्वीपर गिरकर छटपटा रहे हैं और खूनसे लथपथ होकर दयनीय दशाको पहुँच गये हैं। कौरवोंमें जो महान्‌ धनुर्धर एवं प्रधान वीर हैं, प्रायः वे सभी रथी विध्वंसको प्राप्त हो गये हैं। सब राजा मार गिराये गये हैं तथा हजारों घोड़े और घुड़सवार टुकड़े-टुकड़े होकर पड़े हैं

Sañjaya said: “(I saw) Droṇa, Duryodhana, Śalya, and Aśvatthāman as well; and indeed, nearly all those foremost Kauravas who were great bowmen. Struck by fear and confusion born of that illusion, the army turned away from battle, beholding one another and their leaders as if shattered and fallen, writhing on the earth and smeared with blood—reduced to a pitiable state. Thus, the principal Kaurava champions appeared as though brought to ruin, and the field seemed strewn with broken horses and riders.”

Verse 45

विध्वस्ता रथिन: सर्वे राजानश्न निपातिता: । हयाश्वैव हयारोहा: संनिकृत्ता: सहस्रश:,तब उस मायासे डरकर आपके सभी सैनिक युद्धसे विमुख हो गये। उन्होंने एक- दूसरेको तथा द्रोण, दुर्योधन, शल्य और अश्वत्थामाको भी इस प्रकार देखा--सब-के-सब छिन्न-भिन्न हो पृथ्वीपर गिरकर छटपटा रहे हैं और खूनसे लथपथ होकर दयनीय दशाको पहुँच गये हैं। कौरवोंमें जो महान्‌ धनुर्धर एवं प्रधान वीर हैं, प्रायः वे सभी रथी विध्वंसको प्राप्त हो गये हैं। सब राजा मार गिराये गये हैं तथा हजारों घोड़े और घुड़सवार टुकड़े-टुकड़े होकर पड़े हैं

Sañjaya said: All the chariot-warriors have been shattered; the kings too have been struck down. Horses and horsemen, by the thousand, lie hewn apart. Thus, in the terror of that illusory spectacle, your troops turned away from battle, seeing their foremost leaders and companions as if mutilated, fallen, and drenched in blood—an image that breaks courage and exposes the grim moral cost of war.

Verse 46

तद्‌ दृष्टवा तावकं सैन्यं विद्रुतं शिबिरं प्रति । मम प्राक्रोशतो राजंस्तथा देवव्रतस्य च,यह सब देखकर आपकी सेना शिविरकी ओर भाग चली। राजन्‌! उस समय मैं और देवव्रत भीष्म भी पुकार-पुकारकर कह रहे थे--“वीरो! युद्ध करो। भागो मत। रणभूमिमें तुम जो कुछ देख रहे हो, वह घटोत्कचद्वारा छोड़ी हुई राक्षसी माया है।” परंतु वे अचेत होनेके कारण ठहर न सके

Seeing your army fleeing toward the camp, O King, both I and Devavrata (Bhīṣma) kept shouting aloud. We urged the warriors to stand and fight, not to run, declaring that what they were witnessing on the battlefield was a terrifying demonic illusion projected by Ghaṭotkaca. Yet, overwhelmed and senseless with fear, they could not hold their ground.

Verse 47

युध्यध्वं मा पलायध्वं मायैषा राक्षसी रणे | घटोत्कचप्रमुक्तेति नातिष्ठन्त विमोहिता:,यह सब देखकर आपकी सेना शिविरकी ओर भाग चली। राजन्‌! उस समय मैं और देवव्रत भीष्म भी पुकार-पुकारकर कह रहे थे--“वीरो! युद्ध करो। भागो मत। रणभूमिमें तुम जो कुछ देख रहे हो, वह घटोत्कचद्वारा छोड़ी हुई राक्षसी माया है।” परंतु वे अचेत होनेके कारण ठहर न सके

Sanjaya said: “Fight—do not flee! What you see on this battlefield is a rākṣasa-like illusion, released by Ghaṭotkaca.” Yet, bewildered and robbed of clear judgment, they could not stand their ground.

Verse 48

नैव ते श्रद्दधुर्भीता वदतोरावयोर्वच: । तांश्व प्रद्रवतो दृष्टवा जयं प्राप्ताश्न पाण्डवा:

Sañjaya said: Those men, terrified, did not at all place faith in the words spoken by us. But when they saw them fleeing in disorder, the Pāṇḍavas gained the advantage—victory coming within their grasp as the enemy’s morale broke.

Verse 49

शड्खदुन्दुभिनिर्घोषै: समन्तान्नेदिरे भूशम्‌,चारों ओर शंख और दुन्दुभि आदि बाजे जोर-जोरसे बजने लगे। इस प्रकार सूर्यास्तके समय दुरात्मा घटोत्कचसे खदेड़ी गयी आपकी सारी सेना सम्पूर्ण दिशाओंमें भाग गयी

Sañjaya said: With the thunderous blare of conches and kettledrums, the earth resounded on every side. Thus, at sunset, your entire army—driven back by the fierce Ghaṭotkaca—broke and fled in all directions. The scene underscores how, in war, arrogance and unrighteous intent can collapse into panic when confronted by overwhelming force.

Verse 50

एवं तव बल सर्व हैडिम्बेन दुरात्मना । सूर्यास्तमनवेलायां प्रभग्नं विद्रुतं दिश:,चारों ओर शंख और दुन्दुभि आदि बाजे जोर-जोरसे बजने लगे। इस प्रकार सूर्यास्तके समय दुरात्मा घटोत्कचसे खदेड़ी गयी आपकी सारी सेना सम्पूर्ण दिशाओंमें भाग गयी

Sañjaya said: Thus, at the time of sunset, all your forces were shattered and put to flight by the wicked Haiḍimba (Ghaṭotkaca), scattering in every direction. The scene underscores how arrogance and reliance on mere numbers collapse when confronted by a formidable, divinely-favored adversary in the chaos of war.

Verse 53

समाललनम्बे तेजस्वी ध्वजं हेमपरिष्कृतम्‌ । महाराज! उस बाणके द्वारा दुर्योधनने भीमसेनकी छातीपर गहरी चोट पहुँचायी। उससे अत्यन्त घायल होकर तेजस्वी भीमसेन व्यथित हो उठे और मुहके दोनों कोनोंको चाटते हुए उन्होंने अपने सुवर्णभूषित ध्वजका सहारा ले लिया

Sanjaya said: “O King, with that arrow Duryodhana struck Bhimasena hard in the chest, inflicting a deep wound. Severely hurt, the radiant Bhima was shaken with pain; licking the corners of his mouth in fierce resolve, he steadied himself by taking support of his gold-adorned banner.”

Verse 66

क्रोधेनाभिप्रजज्वाल दिधक्षन्निव पावक: | भीमसेनको इस प्रकार व्यथितचित्त देखकर घटोत्कच जलानेकी इच्छावाले अग्निदेवकी भाँति क्रोधसे प्रज्वयलित हो उठा

Sañjaya said: Inflamed with wrath, he blazed forth like fire itself, as though intent on burning (his foe). The verse underscores how anger, once kindled in battle, can turn a warrior’s resolve into a consuming force—powerful, yet ethically perilous when it eclipses restraint.

Verse 76

समभ्यधावन्‌ क्रोशन्तो राजानं जातसम्भ्रमा: | साथ ही अभिमन्यु आदि पाण्डव महारथी भी बड़े वेगसे राजा दुर्योधनको ललकारते हुए उसकी ओर दौड़े

Sanjaya said: Shouting aloud and stirred into sudden excitement, they rushed straight toward the king. At the same time, the Pāṇḍava great chariot-warriors—led by Abhimanyu and others—charged with great speed, challenging King Duryodhana and running at him, as the battle’s moral contest of courage and duty intensified.

Verse 94

इति श्रीमहाभारते भीष्मपर्वणि भीष्मवधपर्वणि अष्टमयुद्धदिवसे घटोत्कचयुद्धे चतुर्नवतितमो<ध्याय:

Thus, in the Śrī Mahābhārata, within the Bhīṣma Parva—specifically in the section concerning the slaying of Bhīṣma—on the eighth day of battle, in the episode of the combat involving Ghaṭotkaca, ends the ninety-fourth chapter. The colophon situates the narrative within the moral gravity of war: the unfolding of fated confrontations and the inexorable movement toward Bhīṣma’s fall, marking a decisive turn in the ethical and strategic landscape of the Kurukṣetra conflict.

Verse 96

संशयं परम॑ प्राप्त मज्जन्तं व्यसनार्णवे । क्रोधमें भरे हुए इन समस्त योद्धाओंको वेगपूर्वक धावा करते देख द्रोणाचार्यने आपके महारथियोंसे कहा--“वीरो! तुम्हारा कल्याण हो। शीघ्र जाओ और संकटके समुद्रमें डूबकर महान्‌ प्राणसंशयमें पड़े हुए राजा दुर्योधनकी रक्षा करो

Verse 116

नदन्तो भैरवान्‌ नादांस्त्रासयन्तश्न भूमिपान्‌ | 'ये महाधनुर्धर पाण्डव महारथी कुपित हो भीमसेनको आगे करके दुर्योधनपर धावा कर रहे हैं और विजयका दृढ़ संकल्प ले नाना प्रकारके अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंकी वर्षा करते हुए भैरव गर्जना करते तथा भूमिपालोंको त्रास पहुँचाते हैं!

Verse 216

अवल्लुत्य रथात्‌ तूर्ण तस्थौ गिरिरिवाचल: । प्रलयकालीन यमराजके समान भयंकर उन दोनों महारथियोंको आक्रमण करते देख महाबाहु भीमसेनने तुरंत ही गदा हाथमें ले ली और वे रथसे कूदकर पर्वतके समान अविचल भावसे खड़े हो गये

Sanjaya said: Leaping down swiftly from his chariot, Bhimasena stood firm and unmoving like a mountain. Seeing those two great chariot-warriors rushing to attack—terrifying like Yama, the Lord of Death, at the time of cosmic dissolution—mighty-armed Bhima at once seized his mace and, springing from the chariot, took his stand with unshaken resolve.

Verse 326

संजातरुधिरोत्पीडो द्रौणि: क्रोधसमन्वित: । नीलके छोड़े हुए उस पंखयुक्त बाणसे विदीर्ण होकर अश्व॒त्थामाके शरीरसे रक्तका प्रवाह बह चला। इससे अश्वत्थामाको बड़ा क्रोध हुआ

Sañjaya said: Struck and torn by the winged arrow released by Nīlaka, Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāman began to bleed profusely. As the stream of blood flowed from his body, his anger flared up greatly—showing how, in the heat of war, pain and injury can swiftly harden the mind into wrath and further violence.

Verse 336

दश्ने नीलविनाशाय मतिं मतिमतां वर: । तदनन्तर बुद्धिमानोंमें श्रेष्ठ अश्वत्थामाने इन्द्रके वज़्की भाँति भयंकर टंकार करनेवाले अपने विचित्र धनुषको खींचकर नीलको मार डालनेका विचार किया

Sanjaya said: Then the best of the intelligent, Ashvatthama—foremost among the wise—resolved upon the destruction of Nila. Drawing his wondrous bow and making a terrifying twang like Indra’s thunderbolt, he formed the intent to strike Nila down. The verse underscores how, in the heat of war, deliberate intention and martial prowess can be directed toward lethal ends, raising the ethical tension between duty in battle and the will to annihilate an opponent.

Verse 396

ये3भवन्नग्रतः क्रुद्धा राक्षसस्य पुर:सरा: । उसने कुपित हो उन भयंकर राक्षसोंको मारना आरम्भ किया, जो घटोत्कचके आगे खड़े होकर क्रोधपूर्वक युद्ध कर रहे थे

Sañjaya said: Those fierce warriors who stood in front, enraged and acting as the vanguard of the Rākṣasa, were attacked in wrath and he began to strike them down—an episode that underscores how, in the press of war, anger turns combat into relentless slaughter and the front line becomes the first to bear the moral and physical cost of violence.

Verse 416

मोहयन्‌ समरे द्रौणिं मायावी राक्षसाधिप: । तत्पश्चात्‌ उस मायावी राक्षसराजने समरांगणमें अश्वत्थामाको मोहित करते हुए अत्यन्त दारुण घोर माया प्रकट की

Sanjaya said: In the thick of battle, the illusion-wielding lord of the Rakshasas bewildered Drona’s son. Thereafter, that crafty Rakshasa-king, continuing to confound Ashvatthama on the battlefield, manifested a most dreadful and terrifying display of magical illusion—showing how, in war, deception and supernatural stratagems can cloud discernment and intensify violence.

Verse 483

घटोत्कचेन सहिता: सिंहनादान्‌ प्रचक्रिरे । वे इतने डर गये थे कि हम दोनोंकी बातोंपर विश्वास नहीं करते थे। उन्हें भागते देख विजयी पाण्डव घटोत्कचके साथ सिंहनाद करने लगे

Sañjaya said: United with Ghaṭotkaca, they raised triumphant lion-roars. The opposing warriors were so terrified that they no longer trusted even what they saw and heard; and seeing them flee, the victorious Pāṇḍavas, together with Ghaṭotkaca, proclaimed their success with resounding cries—an image of morale and psychological force amid the ethics of war.