Adhyaya 168

Verse 1

अत-#-रा- षट्षष्ट्याॉधिेकशततमो< ध्याय: सात्यकिके द्वारा भूरिका वध, घटोत्कच और अभ्चृत्थामाका घोर युद्ध तथा भीमके साथ दुर्योधनका युद्ध एवं दुर्योधनका पलायन संजय उवाच भूरिस्तु समरे राजन्‌ शैनेयं रथिनां वरम्‌ | आपतन्तमपासेधत्‌ प्रयाणादिव कुज्जरम्‌,संजय कहते हैं--राजन्‌! जैसे कोई हाथीको उसके निकलनेके स्थानसे ही रोक दे, उसी प्रकार भूरिने आक्रमण करते हुए रथियोंमें श्रेष्ठ सात्यकिको समरभूमिमें आगे बढ़नेसे रोक दिया

Sañjaya said: O King, in the thick of battle Bhūri checked Śaineya—Sātyaki, the foremost among chariot-warriors—when he came charging on. He stopped his advance as one might halt an elephant right at the very point of its going forth. The verse underscores how, amid the moral chaos of war, individual prowess and tactical restraint can abruptly redirect even the most formidable momentum.

Verse 2

अथीनं सात्यकि: क्रुद्ध: पञ्चभिन्निशितै: शरै: । विव्याध हृदये तस्य प्रास्रवत्‌ तस्य शोणितम्‌,यह देख सात्यकि कुपित हो उठे और उन्होंने पाँच तीखे बाणोंसे भूरिकी छाती छेद डाली। उससे रक्तकी धारा बहने लगी

Sañjaya said: Then Sātyaki, inflamed with anger, pierced him in the region of the heart with five sharp arrows. From that wound his blood streamed forth—an image of how wrath, once unleashed in war, turns skill into lethal certainty and drives the battle further away from restraint.

Verse 3

तथैव कौरवो युद्धे शैनेयं युद्धदुर्मदम्‌ । दशभिर्निशितैस्तीक्ष्णरविध्यत भुजान्तरे,इसी प्रकार युद्धस्थलमें कुरुवंशी भूरिने भी रणदुर्मद सात्यकिकी छातीमें दस तीखे बाणोंद्वारा गहरी चोट पहुँचायी

Sañjaya said: In the same manner, the Kaurava warrior struck Śaineya—Sātyaki, intoxicated with the fury of battle—piercing him between the arms with ten sharp, well-honed arrows. The exchange shows how, amid the chaos of war, prowess and wrath drive men to relentless retaliation, tightening the spiral of violence on both sides.

Verse 4

तावन्योन्यं महाराज तततक्षाते शरैर्भुशम्‌ । क्रोधसंरक्तनयनौ क्रोधाद्‌ विस्फार्य कार्मुके,महाराज! उन दोनोंके नेत्र क्रोधसे लाल हो रहे थे। वे दोनों ही रोषसे अपने-अपने धनुष खींचकर बाणोंकी वर्षासे एक-दूसरेको अत्यन्त घायल कर रहे थे

Sanjaya said: O King, the two of them fiercely struck and pierced one another with volleys of arrows. Their eyes reddened with wrath; and, driven by anger, they drew their bows wide and grievously wounded each other—an image of how unchecked fury in war turns valor into mutual ruin.

Verse 5

तयोरासीन्महाराज श्त्रवृष्टि: सुदारुणा | क्रुद्धयो: सायकमुचोर्यमान्तकनिकाशयो:,राजेन्द्र! उन दोनोंपर अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंकी अत्यन्त भयंकर वर्षा हो रही थी। ये यम और अन्तकके समान कुपित हो परस्पर बाणोंका प्रहार कर रहे थे

Sañjaya said: O King, between those two there arose a most dreadful shower of weapons. Enraged, and resembling Yama and Antaka in their deadly power, the two archers rained arrows upon one another. The scene underscores how wrath in battle magnifies destruction, turning human warriors into near-personifications of death.

Verse 6

तावन्योन्यं शरै राजन्‌ संछाद्य समवस्थितौ । मुहूर्त चैव तद्‌ युद्धे समरूपमिवाभवत्‌,राजन! वे दोनों ही एक-दूसरेको बाणोंद्वारा आच्छादित करके खड़े थे। दो घड़ीतक उनमें समानरूपसे ही युद्ध चलता रहा

Sañjaya said: O King, the two stood facing one another, each veiling the other with volleys of arrows. For a while in that battle, the fight appeared evenly matched—neither yielding, neither gaining clear advantage, as the contest of arms held both in a tense balance.

Verse 7

ततः क्रुद्धो महाराज शैनेय: प्रहसन्निव । धनुश्चिच्छेद समरे कौरव्यस्य महात्मन:,महाराज! तब क्रोधमें भरे हुए सात्यकिने हँसते हुए-से समरांगणमें महामना कुरुवंशी भूरिके धनुषको काट दिया

Sañjaya said: Then, O King, Śaineya (Sātyaki), inflamed with anger and seeming almost to smile, cut down in the thick of battle the bow of that high-souled Kaurava. The moment underscores a warrior’s resolve and tactical restraint: rather than merely striking the body, he disables the opponent’s capacity to fight, asserting dominance while shaping the course of combat.

Verse 8

अथैनं छिन्नथन्वानं नवभिर्निशितै: शरै: । विव्याध हृदये तूर्ण तिष्ठ तिछेति चाब्रवीत्‌

Sañjaya said: Then, seeing him with his bow cut, he swiftly pierced him in the region of the heart with nine razor-sharp arrows and cried out, “Stand! Stand!”—a fierce challenge meant to halt the foe and assert dominance amid the chaos of battle.

Verse 9

धनुष कट जानेपर उसकी छातीमें सात्यकिने तुरंत ही नौ तीखे बाण मारे और कहा --'खड़ा रह, खड़ा रह ।। सो5तिविद्धो बलवता शत्रुणा शत्रुतापन: । धनुरन्यत्‌ समादाय सात्वतं प्रत्यविध्यत,बलवान शत्रुके आघातसे अत्यन्त घायल हुए शत्रुतापन भूरिने दूसरा धनुष हाथमें लेकर सात्यकिको भी गहरी चोट पहुँचायी

Sanjaya said: Struck severely by a powerful foe, the warrior known as aatrut
01pana, scorched by enmity, took up another bow and in return pierced S
01tyaki. The exchange shows how, in the fury of battle, injury is answered with counter-injury, and resolve hardens into retaliation rather than restraint.

Verse 10

स विद्ध्वा सात्वतं बाणैस्त्रिभिरेव विशाम्पते । धनुश्विच्छेद भल्लेन सुतीक्ष्णेन हसन्निव,प्रजानाथ! तीन बाणोंसे ही सात्यकिको घायल करके भूरिने हँसते हुए-से अत्यन्त तीखे भल्लद्वारा उनके धनुषको भी काट दिया

Sañjaya said: O lord of the people, O ruler of men, having pierced Sātyaki of the Sātvata line with just three arrows, Bhūriśravas—almost as if smiling—then severed his bow with a razor-sharp bhalla. The scene underscores the ruthless precision of battlefield skill, where prowess is displayed not only by wounding an opponent but by disabling his means of resistance, intensifying the moral tension between valor and cruelty in war.

Verse 11

छिन्नधन्वा महाराज सात्यकि: क्रोधमूर्च्छित: । प्रजहार महावेगां शक्ति तस्य महोरसि,महाराज! धनुष कट जानेपर क्रोधातुर हुए सात्यकिने भूरिके विशाल वक्ष:स्थलपर एक अत्यन्त वेगशालिनी शक्तिका प्रहार किया

Sañjaya said: “O King, Sātyaki—his bow cut and his mind overwhelmed by wrath—struck with tremendous force, hurling a swift spear at his opponent’s broad chest.” In the moral atmosphere of the war, the verse highlights how injury and humiliation can inflame anger, driving a warrior from measured combat into a fierce, retaliatory act.

Verse 12

सतु शकक्‍त्या विभिन्नाज़ो निपपात रथोत्तमात्‌ । लोहिताड़ इवाकाशाद्‌ दीप्तरश्मिर्यद्च्छया,उस शक्तिसे भूरिके सारे अंग विदीर्ण हो गये और वह अपने उत्तम रथसे नीचे गिर पड़ा, मानो दैववश प्रदीप्त किरणोंवाला मंगलग्रह आकाशसे नीचे गिर गया हो

Sañjaya said: Struck by the spear, his limbs were torn and he fell down from his excellent chariot. It was as though, by the force of fate, the red-hued planet Mars—radiant with blazing rays—had dropped from the sky. The image underscores the terrible inevitability of war: even the mighty, shining with power and pride, can be brought down in an instant when destiny and violence converge.

Verse 13

तंतु दृष्टवा हतं शूरमश्वत्थामा महारथ: । अभ्यधावत वेगेन शैनेयं प्रति संयुगे,शूरवीर भूरिको युद्धस्थलमें मारा गया देख महारथी अश्व॒त्थामा सात्यकिकी ओर बड़े वेगसे दौड़ा

Sañjaya said: Seeing that valiant warrior slain, Aśvatthāmā—the great chariot-fighter—rushed forward with speed in the thick of battle, charging straight toward Śaineya (Sātyaki). The moment underscores how, in war, the fall of a hero provokes immediate retaliation, intensifying the cycle of violence and vengeance on the battlefield.

Verse 14

तिष्ठ तिषछ्ठेति चाभाष्य शैनेयं स नराधिप । अभ्यवर्षच्छरौचधेण मेरुं वृष्ट्या यथाम्बुद:,नरेश्वर! वह सात्यकिसे “खड़ा रह, खड़ा रह” ऐसा कहकर उनके ऊपर उसी प्रकार बाणसमूहोंकी वर्षा करने लगा, जैसे बादल मेरु पर्वतपर जल बरसा रहा हो

Sañjaya said: Addressing Śaineya (Sātyaki) with the challenge, “Stand! Stand!”, the king then showered him with a dense torrent of arrows—just as a rain-cloud pours down upon Mount Meru. The scene underscores the warrior code of direct confrontation in battle, where intimidation and overwhelming force are used to test resolve and prowess.

Verse 15

तमापततन्तं संरब्धं शैनेयस्य रथं प्रति । घटोत्कचो<ब्रवीद्‌ राजन नादं मुक्त्वा महारथ:,क्रोधमें भरे हुए अश्वत्थामाको सात्यकिके रथपर आक्रमण करते देख महारथी घटोत्कचने सिंहनाद करके कहा

Sañjaya said: O King, seeing the furious assailant rushing toward Śaineya’s chariot, the great warrior Ghaṭotkaca, after letting out a lion-like roar, spoke—signaling both a challenge and a resolve to check the oncoming violence on the battlefield.

Verse 16

तिष्ठ तिष्ठ न मे जीवन द्रोणपुत्र गमिष्यसि । एष त्वां निहनिष्यामि महिषं षण्मुखो यथा,'द्रोणपुत्र! खड़ा रह, खड़ा रह, मेरे हाथसे जीवित छूटकर नहीं जा सकेगा। जैसे कार्तिकेयने महिषासुरका वध किया था, उसी प्रकार मैं भी तुझे मार डालूँगा

Sañjaya said: “Stand fast—stand fast! You will not escape me alive, O son of Droṇa. I shall strike you down, just as the six-faced Skanda slew the buffalo-demon.” In the heat of battle, the speaker frames the coming blow as righteous retribution and invokes a divine precedent to harden resolve and deny the enemy any moral or martial escape.

Verse 17

युद्धश्रद्धामहं तेड्द्य विनेष्यामि रणाजिरे । इत्युक्त्वा क्रोधताम्राक्षो राक्षस: परवीरहा

Sañjaya said: “Today, on the battlefield, I shall destroy your confidence and resolve for war.” Having spoken thus, the rākṣasa—his eyes reddened with anger, a slayer of enemy heroes—advanced with violent intent. The line underscores how wrath seeks not only bodily victory but the breaking of an opponent’s morale, a morally charged tactic amid the chaos of righteous and unrighteous warfare.

Verse 18

रथाक्षमात्रैरिषुभिर भ्यवर्षद्‌ घटोत्कच:

Sañjaya said: Ghaṭotkaca showered arrows—each as thick as a chariot’s axle—upon the foe, intensifying the terror of battle and displaying the ruthless escalation that war provokes when restraint gives way to the demand for victory.

Verse 19

शरवृष्टिं तु तां प्राप्तां शरैराशीविषोपमै:

Sañjaya said: “Then that shower of arrows arrived—arrows likened to venomous serpents—falling with deadly force upon the battlefield.”

Verse 20

तत: शरशतैस्ती&णैर्मर्म भेदिभिराशुगै:

Sañjaya said: Then, with hundreds of sharp, swift arrows—piercing the vital points—he struck, intensifying the violence of the battle and showing how, in war, skill and resolve are turned toward the grim aim of disabling the foe.

Verse 21

स शरैराचितस्तेन राक्षसो रणमूर्थनि

Sañjaya said: On the very forefront of the battlefield, that rākṣasa was covered over with arrows by him—an image of relentless martial pressure, where prowess and resolve manifest through disciplined, targeted force amid the chaos of war.

Verse 22

ततः क्रोधसमाविष्टो भैमसेनि: प्रतापवान्‌,वराहकर्णनलिीकैर्विकर्ण श्षा भ्यवीवृषत्‌ । तत्पश्चात्‌ भीमसेनके प्रतापी पुत्र घटोत्कचने क्रोधमें भरकर वज्र एवं बिजलीके समान चमकनेवाले भयंकर बाणोंद्वारा अश्वत्थामाको क्षत-विक्षत कर दिया तथा उसके ऊपर क्षुगप्र, अर्धचन्द्र, नाराच, शिलीमुख, वराहकर्ण, नालीक और विकर्ण आदि अस्त्रोंकी चारों ओरसे वर्षा आरम्भ कर दी

Sañjaya said: Then Bhīmasena, seized by wrath and blazing with prowess, showered Aśvatthāmā with arrows—varāhakarṇa, nālīka, vikarṇa and the like. After that, the mighty Bhīmasena and his son Ghaṭotkaca, their anger fully roused, tore Aśvatthāmā with dreadful shafts flashing like thunderbolt and lightning, and began a rain of missiles from every side—razor-headed arrows, crescent-headed arrows, nārācas, śilīmukhas, varāhakarṇas, nālīkas, vikarṇas, and others. The scene underscores how rage, once unleashed in war, drives even heroic men toward relentless violence, eclipsing restraint and compassion.

Verse 23

शरैरवचकर्तोंग्रैद्रार्णिं वज्ञाशनिप्रभै: । क्षुरप्रैरर्धचन्द्रैश्ष नाराचै: सशिलीमुखै:

Sañjaya said: With sharp, well-whetted arrows—gleaming like thunderbolts—along with razor-headed shafts, crescent-bladed missiles, heavy nārācas, and reed-like śilīmukhas, he struck down the enemy host. The scene underscores the relentless mechanics of war, where skill and weaponry overwhelm bodies and resolve alike, even as the larger struggle over rightful order (dharma) continues to unfold through violence.

Verse 24

तां शस्त्रवृष्टिमतुलां वज्ञाशनिसमस्वनाम्‌,व्यधमत्‌ सुमहातेजा महाभ्राणीव मारुत: । जैसे वायु बड़े-बड़े बादलोंको छिलन्न-भिन्न कर देती है, उसी प्रकार व्यथारहित इन्द्रियोंवाले महातेजस्वी द्रोणपुत्र अश्वत्थामाने कुपित हो दिव्यास्त्रोंद्वारा अभिमन्त्रित भयंकर बाणोंसे अपने ऊपर पड़ती हुई उस अत्यन्त दुः:सह, अनुपम एवं वज्रपातके समान शब्द करनेवाली अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंकी वर्षाको नष्ट कर दिया

Sañjaya said: The mighty, blazing Aśvatthāman—Drona’s son, his senses unshaken—shattered that incomparable rain of weapons, roaring like a thunderbolt, just as the wind tears great masses of cloud to pieces. The verse highlights not only battlefield prowess but also the perilous escalation of violence when wrath is harnessed to divine missiles.

Verse 25

पतन्‍्तीमुपरि क्ुद्धो द्रौणिरव्यथितेन्द्रिय: । सुदुःसहां शरैघरिदिव्यास्त्रप्रतिमन्त्रिते:

Sañjaya said: Enraged, Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāman), his senses unshaken, rained down from above a dreadful, almost unbearable shower of arrows—arrows empowered by the counter-mantras of divine weapons. The verse underscores how, in the frenzy of war, mastery of sacred weapon-lore can be turned into intensified violence, raising the ethical tension between martial skill and righteous restraint.

Verse 26

ततोडन्‍्तरिक्षे बाणानां संग्रामो5न्य इवाभवत्‌

Then, in the open sky, the arrows themselves seemed to wage a separate battle—as if another war had arisen above the warriors—showing how the conflict had escalated beyond human measure into a relentless exchange of missiles.

Verse 27

ततोअस्त्रसंघर्षकृतैर्विस्फुलिड्रैः समन्तत:

Sañjaya said: Then, on every side, sparks flew out—born from the violent clash of weapons—signaling how the battle’s fury was intensifying and how destruction was being generated by human resolve turned toward war.

Verse 28

स मार्गणगणैद्रौणिर्दिश: प्रच्छाद्य सर्वत:ः

Sañjaya said: Drauṇi (Aśvatthāman), with volleys of arrows in dense swarms, covered the directions on every side—filling the battlefield with a storm of missiles and pressing the combat toward ruthless intensity rather than restraint.

Verse 29

ततः प्रववृते युद्ध द्रौणिराक्षसयोर्मुधे

Sañjaya said: Thereupon, in that battlefield clash, the fight began in earnest between Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāman) and the Rākṣasa. The narrative underscores how personal enmity and warrior pride drive combat forward, tightening the moral pressure of war where valor and wrath contend with restraint and dharma.

Verse 30

ततो घटोत्कचो बाणैर्दशभिद्रौणिमाहवे

Sañjaya said: Then, in the midst of battle, Ghaṭotkaca struck Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāman) with ten arrows—an act that intensifies the night-fight’s ferocity and signals the relentless escalation of violence where prowess and wrath drive the combatants beyond restraint.

Verse 31

जघानोरसि संक्रुद्ध: कालज्वलनसंनिभै: । अत्यन्त क्रोधमें भरे हुए घटोत्कचने युद्धस्थलमें कालाग्निके समान दस तेजस्वी बाणोंद्वारा अश्वत्थामाकी छातीमें गहरी चोट पहुँचायी ।। ३० इ ।। स तैरभ्यायतैर्विद्धो राक्षसेन महाबल:,राक्षसद्वारा चलाये हुए उन विशाल बाणोंसे घायल हो महाबली अभश्वत्थामा समरांगणमें आँधीके हिलाये हुए वृक्षके समान काँपने लगा। वह ध्वजदण्डका सहारा ले मूर्च्छित हो गया

Sañjaya said: Enraged, Ghaṭotkaca struck Aśvatthāmā on the chest with ten blazing arrows, like the fire of Time itself, driving them deep in the press of battle. Pierced by those swiftly rushing shafts loosed by the mighty rākṣasa, the powerful Aśvatthāmā trembled on the field like a tree shaken by a storm; leaning on the staff of his banner, he swooned. The scene underscores how wrath in war magnifies violence and how even famed warriors are subject to sudden vulnerability amid the chaos they help unleash.

Verse 32

चचाल समरे द्रौणिर्वातनुन्न इव ट्रुम: । स मोहमनुसम्प्राप्तो ध्वजयष्टिं समाश्रित:,राक्षसद्वारा चलाये हुए उन विशाल बाणोंसे घायल हो महाबली अभश्वत्थामा समरांगणमें आँधीके हिलाये हुए वृक्षके समान काँपने लगा। वह ध्वजदण्डका सहारा ले मूर्च्छित हो गया

Sañjaya said: In the thick of battle, Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāmā, struck by those mighty arrows driven by the Rākṣasa, reeled like a tree shaken by a gale. Overcome by faintness and confusion, he clung to the flagstaff for support and sank into a swoon—showing how even the most powerful warrior can be brought low by the relentless force of war.

Verse 33

ततो हाहाकृतं सैन्यं तव सर्व जनाधिप । हतं सम मेनिरे सर्वे तावकास्तं विशाम्पते,नरेश्वरर फिर तो आपकी सारी सेनामें हाहाकार मच गया। प्रजानाथ! आपके समस्त योद्धाओंने यह मान लिया कि अभश्वत्थामा मारा गया

Sañjaya said: Then your entire army broke into cries of alarm, O lord of men. All your warriors, O protector of the people, concluded that Aśvatthāmā had been slain. The moment shows how quickly collective judgment in war can be driven by rumor and fear, shaping morale and decisions even before truth is verified.

Verse 34

त॑ तु दृष्टवा तथावस्थमश्चत्थामानमाहवे । पज्चाला: सृञ्जयाश्रैव सिंहनादं प्रचक्रिरे,रणभूमिमें अश्वत्थामाकी वैसी अवस्था देख पांचाल और सूंजय योद्धा सिंहनाद करने लगे

Sañjaya said: Seeing Aśvatthāmā in that condition on the battlefield, the Pāñcālas and the Sṛñjayas raised a lion-like roar. In the moral atmosphere of the war, their shout signals a surge of confidence and a hardening of resolve upon perceiving the enemy’s distress—an outward celebration that also reflects how quickly triumph and cruelty can mingle in the heat of combat.

Verse 35

प्रतिलभ्य तत: संज्ञामश्वत्थामा महाबल: । धनु: प्रपीड्य वामेन करेणामित्रकर्शन:,तदनन्तर सचेत हो महाबली शत्रुसूदन अश्वत्थामाने बायें हाथसे धनुषको दबाकर कानतक खींचे हुए धनुषसे घटोत्कचको लक्ष्य करके यमदण्डके समान एक भयंकर एवं उत्तम बाण शीघ्र छोड़ दिया

Sañjaya said: Regaining consciousness, the mighty Aśvatthāmā—crusher of foes—pressed his bow with his left hand, steadying himself to resume the violent duty of battle. The verse underscores the grim momentum of war: even after a fall into unconsciousness, a warrior returns to action, driven by allegiance and enmity rather than by compassion.

Verse 36

मुमोचाकर्णपूर्णेन धनुषा शरमुत्तमम्‌ | यमदण्डोपमं घोरमुद्दिश्याशु घटोत्कचम्‌,तदनन्तर सचेत हो महाबली शत्रुसूदन अश्वत्थामाने बायें हाथसे धनुषको दबाकर कानतक खींचे हुए धनुषसे घटोत्कचको लक्ष्य करके यमदण्डके समान एक भयंकर एवं उत्तम बाण शीघ्र छोड़ दिया

Sanjaya said: With his bow drawn back to the ear, he swiftly released an excellent arrow—terrifying, like Yama’s rod of punishment—aimed at Ghaṭotkaca. The scene underscores the grim ethics of war: when fear and necessity dominate the battlefield, combatants resort to the most dreadful force to neutralize a formidable threat, even as the act carries the weight of lethal intent and karmic consequence.

Verse 37

स भित्त्वा हृदयं तस्य राक्षसस्य शरोत्तम: | विवेश वसुधामुग्र: सपुड्ख: पृथिवीपते

Sañjaya said: That foremost arrow, having pierced the heart of that rākṣasa, plunged with fierce force—feathered and intact—into the earth, O lord of the land. The scene underscores the grim certainty of martial consequence: in war, violent intent culminates in irreversible results, and the earth itself receives the final imprint of human wrath.

Verse 38

पृथ्वीपते! वह उत्तम एवं भयंकर बाण उस राक्षसकी छाती छेदकर पंखसहित पृथ्वीमें समा गया ।। सो5तिविद्धो महाराज रथोपस्थ उपाविशत्‌ । राक्षसेन्द्र: सुबलवान्‌ द्रौणिना रणशालिना,महाराज! युद्धमें शोभा पानेवाले अअश्रवत्थामाद्वारा अत्यन्त घायल हुआ महाबली राक्षसराज घटोत्कच रथके पिछले भागमें बैठ गया

Sañjaya said: “O lord of the earth! That excellent yet dreadful arrow pierced the demon’s chest and, still bearing its feathers, sank into the ground. Severely wounded, O King, he sat down upon the chariot-seat. The mighty lord of the Rākṣasas—Ghaṭotkaca—struck down by Droṇa’s son, the battle-renowned Aśvatthāmā, and grievously hurt even as he sought glory in war, sat in the rear part of his chariot.”

Verse 39

दृष्टवा विमूढं हैडिम्बं सारथिस्तु रणाजिरात्‌ | द्रौणे: सकाशात्‌ सम्भ्रान्तस्त्वपनिन्ये त्वरान्वितः,हिडिम्बाकुमारको मूर्च्छित देख उसका सारथि घबरा गया और तुरंत ही उसे समरांगणसे, विशेषत: अश्वत्थामाके निकटसे दूर हटा ले गया

Sañjaya said: Seeing Haiḍimba’s son lying senseless, his charioteer—panic-stricken—quickly drove him away from the battlefield, pulling him back in haste, especially from the vicinity of Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāmā). The scene underscores how, amid the moral chaos of war, fear and the instinct to preserve life can override pride and aggression, forcing even combatants to retreat when confronted with overwhelming danger.

Verse 40

तथा तु समरे विद्ृध्वा राक्षसेन्द्रं घटोत्कचम्‌ । ननाद सुमहानादं द्रोणपुत्रो महारथ:

Sañjaya said: Then, in the midst of battle, having struck Ghaṭotkaca—the lord of the Rākṣasas—Droṇa’s son, the great chariot-warrior, let out a thunderous roar. The cry signals both martial resolve and the hardening of the conflict, where prowess and fury surge while the moral weight of violence continues to accumulate on the field.

Verse 41

इस प्रकार समरभूमिमें राक्षसराज घटोत्कचको घायल करके महारथी द्रोणपुत्रने बड़े जोरसे गर्जना की ।। पूजितस्तव पुत्रैश्न सर्वयोधैश्व भारत । वपुषातिप्रजज्वाल मध्याह्न इव भास्कर:,भरतनन्दन! उस समय सम्पूर्ण योद्धाओं तथा आपके पुत्रोंद्वारा पूजित हुआ अश्वत्थामा अपने शरीरसे मध्याह्न-कालके सूर्यकी भाँति अत्यन्त प्रकाशित हो रहा था

Sanjaya said: Thus, on the battlefield, after grievously wounding Ghaṭotkaca, the rākṣasa-king, Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāmā—himself a great chariot-warrior—roared with tremendous force. Honoured by your sons and by all the warriors, O Bhārata, he blazed in his very person like the sun at midday. O delight of the Bharatas, at that moment Aśvatthāmā, celebrated by the whole host and by your sons, shone with an overpowering radiance—an image of martial pride and the intoxicating acclaim that war bestows.

Verse 42

भीमसेन तु युध्यन्तं भारद्वाजरथं प्रति । स्वयं दुर्योधनो राजा प्रत्यविध्यच्छितै: शरै:

Sañjaya said: As Bhīmasena fought against the chariot-warrior of Bhāradvāja (Droṇa), King Duryodhana himself countered him, striking back with keen, well-aimed arrows. The scene underscores how, amid the moral collapse of war, even the king personally enters the fray to protect his side and check a formidable opponent.

Verse 43

द्रोणाचार्यके रथकी ओर आते हुए युद्धपरायण भीमसेनको स्वयं राजा दुर्योधनने पैने बाणोंसे बींध डाला ।। त॑ भीमसेनो दशक: शरैरविव्याध मारिष | दुर्योधनो5पि विंशत्या शराणां प्रत्यविध्यत,माननीय नरेश! तब भीमसेनने भी दुर्योधनको दस बाणोंसे घायल किया। फिर दुर्योधनने भी उन्हें बीस बाण मारे

Sañjaya said: O venerable king, Bhīmasena struck Duryodhana with ten sharp arrows. Duryodhana, intent on meeting force with force, retaliated by piercing Bhīma with twenty arrows. Thus, in the heat of battle, each answered the other’s assault with a measured yet escalating counterstroke, revealing both martial resolve and the hardening cycle of violence that war sustains.

Verse 44

तौ सायकैरवच्छिन्नावदृश्येतां रणाजिरे । मेघजालसमाच्छन्नौ नभसीवेन्दुभास्करौ,जैसे कभी-कभी चन्द्रमा और सूर्य आकाशमें मेघोंके समूहसे आच्छादित हुए देखे जाते हैं, उसी प्रकार समरांगणमें वे दोनों वीर सायकसमूहोंसे आच्छन्न दिखायी देते थे

Sañjaya said: On the battlefield those two warriors could scarcely be seen, cut off and covered over by volleys of arrows—like the moon and the sun in the sky when they are veiled by a mass of clouds. The image underscores how the fury of war can obscure even the most radiant heroes, as if nature itself were momentarily eclipsed by violence.

Verse 45

अथ दुर्योधनो राजा भीम विव्याध पत्रिभि: | पज्चभिर्भरतश्रेष्ठ तिष्ठ तिछेति चाब्रवीत्‌,भरतश्रेष्ठ! राजा दुर्योधनने भीमसेनको पाँच बाणोंसे घायल कर दिया और कहा --खड़ा रह, खड़ा रह”

Sañjaya said: Then King Duryodhana struck Bhīma with five arrows and, addressing him as ‘best of the Bharatas,’ cried, “Stand your ground—stand!” In the heat of battle, the taunt underscores the warriors’ code of facing one’s foe without retreat, even as it reveals the pride and rivalry driving the combatants beyond mere strategy.

Verse 46

तस्य भीमो धनुश्छित्त्वा ध्वजं च दशभि: शरै: । विव्याध कौरवश्रेष्ठ नवत्या नतपर्वणाम्‌,तब भीमसेनने दस बाण मारकर उसके धनुष और ध्वज काट डाले और झुकी हुई गाँठवाले नब्बे बाणोंसे कौरवश्रेष्ठ दुर्योधनको गहरी चोट पहुँचायी

Sañjaya said: Bhīma cut down his bow and, with ten arrows, also struck down his banner. Then, with ninety arrows having bent joints, he pierced the foremost of the Kurus—Duryodhana—inflicting a deep wound. The scene underscores the relentless escalation of violence in battle, where prowess and resolve eclipse restraint, even as the ethical cost of such destruction looms over the combatants.

Verse 47

ततो दुर्योधन: क्रुद्धों धनुरन्यन्महत्तरम्‌ गृहीत्वा भरतश्रेष्ठो भीमसेनं शितै: शरै:

Sañjaya said: Then Duryodhana, inflamed with anger, took up another, mightier bow; and that best of the Bharatas assailed Bhīmasena with sharp arrows. The scene underscores how wrath in battle drives escalation—strength and skill become instruments of vengeance rather than restraint.

Verse 48

तान्‌ निहत्य शरान्‌ भीमो दुर्योधनधनुश्च्युतान्‌

Sañjaya said: Having struck down those arrows that had been released from Duryodhana’s bow, Bhīma (stood firm), meeting the assault with resolute force. The moment underscores the warrior’s duty in battle—countering aggression without yielding, while remaining intent on the larger cause of the war.

Verse 49

दुर्योधनस्तु संक्रुद्धो भीमसेनस्य मारिष

Sañjaya said: But Duryodhana, inflamed with anger at Bhīmasena—O venerable one—(spoke/acted accordingly). The line signals how wrath, when unchecked in the midst of war, drives a leader toward rash and ethically fraught decisions, intensifying the cycle of violence rather than restoring order.

Verse 50

अथान्यद्‌ धनुरादाय भीमसेनो महाबल:

Sañjaya said: Then Bhīmasena, the mighty warrior, took up another bow—signaling renewed resolve and readiness to continue the fierce duties of battle.

Verse 51

विव्याध नृपतिं तूर्ण सप्तभिर्निशितै: शरै: । तब महाबली भीमसेनने दूसरा धनुष हाथमें लेकर तुरंत ही कौरवनरेशको सात तीखे बाणोंसे बींध डाला ।। तदप्यस्य धनुः क्षिप्रं चिच्छेद लघुहस्तवत्‌,तव पुत्रो महाराज जितकाशी मदोत्कट: । दुर्योधनने शीघ्रतापूर्वक हाथ चलानेवाले कुशल योद्धाकी भाँति भीमसेनके उस धनुषको भी शीघ्र ही काट दिया। महाराज! भीमसेनके हाथमें लिये हुए दूसरे, तीसरे, चौथे और पाँचवें धनुषको भी विजयसे उल्लसित होनेवाले आपके मदोनन्‍्मत्त पुत्रने काट डाला

Sanjaya said: Bhimasena swiftly pierced the Kaurava king with seven sharp arrows. Yet your son, O King, exultant and fiercely intoxicated with pride, cut down Bhima’s bow at once, like a master of rapid hand. The passage underscores the escalating contest of skill and resolve in battle, where prowess and arrogance alike drive the warriors onward.

Verse 52

द्वितीयं च तृतीयं च चतुर्थ पठचमं तथा । आत्तमात्तं महाराज भीमस्य धनुराच्छिनत्‌

Sañjaya said: “O King, again and again—on the second, the third, the fourth, and the fifth occasion—he cut down Bhīma’s bow each time it was taken up. Thus, in the press of battle, Bhīma’s weapon was repeatedly shattered, showing how relentless and skillful the opposing warrior’s assault had become.”

Verse 53

स तथा भियद्यमानेषु कार्मुकेषु पुन: पुन:,इस प्रकार जब बारंबार धनुष काटे जाने लगे, तब भीमसेनने समरभूमिमें सम्पूर्णतः लोहेकी बनी हुई एक सुन्दर शक्ति चलायी, जो मौतकी सगी बहिनके समान जान पड़ती थी। वह आगकी ज्वालाके समान प्रकाशित हो रही थी

Sañjaya said: Even as the bows were being repeatedly cut down in that manner, Bhīmasena, on the battlefield, hurled a splendid spear made wholly of iron. It seemed like Death’s own sister, and it blazed forth like a tongue of fire—an image of war’s relentless, morally sobering inevitability.

Verse 54

शक्ति चिक्षेप समरे सर्वपारशवीं शुभाम्‌ | मृत्योरिव स्वसारं हि दीप्तां वह्नमिशिखामिव,इस प्रकार जब बारंबार धनुष काटे जाने लगे, तब भीमसेनने समरभूमिमें सम्पूर्णतः लोहेकी बनी हुई एक सुन्दर शक्ति चलायी, जो मौतकी सगी बहिनके समान जान पड़ती थी। वह आगकी ज्वालाके समान प्रकाशित हो रही थी

Sanjaya said: In the thick of battle, Bhimasena hurled a splendid iron spear, wholly forged of metal. It blazed like a tongue of fire, and seemed like Death’s own sister—an omen of inevitable destruction amid the relentless exchange of weapons.

Verse 55

सीमन्तमिव कुर्वन्ती नभसो5ग्निसमप्रभाम्‌ । अप्राप्तामेव तां शक्तिं त्रिधा चिच्छेद कौरव:

Sañjaya said: The blazing spear, radiant like fire and seeming to cleave the very sky as it flew, had not yet reached its mark when the Kaurava cut it into three pieces. The scene underscores how, in the fury of war, even the most fearsome weapons can be checked by alertness, skill, and timely counteraction—reminding that power without right aim and effective execution fails to achieve its intended end.

Verse 56

ततो भीमो महाराज गदां गुर्वी महाप्रभाम्‌

Sañjaya said: Then Bhīma, O King, took up his heavy mace, radiant with great splendor—signaling a decisive turn in the combat where sheer strength is yoked to resolve amid the moral strain of war.

Verse 57

चिक्षेपाविध्य वेगेन दुर्योधनरथं प्रति । महाराज! तब भीमसेनने अपनी अत्यन्त तेजस्विनी गदाको बड़े वेगसे घुमाकर दुर्योधनके रथपर दे मारा ।। ततः सा सहसा वाहांस्तव पुत्रस्य संयुगे

Sanjaya said: Having whirled it with tremendous speed and taking sure aim, Bhimasena hurled his blazing mace straight at Duryodhanas chariot. Then, in the thick of battle, that weapon suddenly struck down the steeds of your son, turning the moment into a grim reminder of how swiftly prowess and fortune can collapse amid the violence of war.

Verse 58

पुत्रस्तु तव राजेन्द्र भीमाद्‌ भीत: प्रणश्य च

Sañjaya said: O king, your son—terrified of Bhīma—fled and disappeared from the scene, his fear overriding resolve amid the moral and physical pressures of war.

Verse 59

ततो भीमो हतं मत्वा तव पुत्र महारथम्‌

Sañjaya said: Then Bhīma, believing your son—the great chariot-warrior—to have been slain, reacted on that assumption amid the turmoil of battle, where perception and report can swiftly shape decisive action.

Verse 60

तावका: सैनिकाश्नापि मेनिरे निहतं नूपम्‌ । ततो&तिचुक्रुशु: सर्वे ते हाहेति समन्‍्ततः,आपके सैनिकोंने भी राजा दुर्योधनको मरा हुआ ही मान लिया था; अतः वे सब ओर जोर-जोरसे हाहाकार करने लगे

Sañjaya said: Even your own soldiers concluded that the king had been slain. Therefore, all of them, on every side, burst into loud cries of lamentation—shouting “Alas! Alas!” In the moral atmosphere of the war, this moment shows how quickly fear and grief spread when a leader is believed fallen, and how the fate of one ruler can shake an entire host, loosening resolve and order amid adharma-driven slaughter.

Verse 61

तेषां तु निनदं श्र॒त्वा त्रस्तानां सर्वयोधिनाम्‌ | भीमसेनस्य नादं च श्रुत्वा राजन्‌ महात्मन:,राजन्‌! उन भयभीत हुए सम्पूर्ण योद्धाओंका आर्तनाद तथा महामनस्वी भीमसेनकी गर्जना सुनकर दुर्योधनको मरा हुआ मान राजा युधिष्ठिर बड़े वेगसे उस स्थानपर आ पहुँचे, जहाँ कुन्तीकुमार भीमसेन दहाड़ रहे थे

Sañjaya said: O King, hearing the tumultuous outcry of all the warriors who had been thrown into panic, and also hearing the thunderous roar of the great-souled Bhīmasena, King Yudhiṣṭhira—taking Duryodhana to be slain—rushed swiftly to the spot where Kuntī’s son Bhīma was bellowing. The verse underscores how sound on the battlefield becomes moral and strategic information: fear spreads through armies, while a hero’s roar signals resolve and a perceived turning of fortune.

Verse 62

ततो युधिषिरो राजा हतं मत्वा सुयोधनम्‌ । अभ्यवर्तत वेगेन यत्र पार्थो वृकोदर:,राजन्‌! उन भयभीत हुए सम्पूर्ण योद्धाओंका आर्तनाद तथा महामनस्वी भीमसेनकी गर्जना सुनकर दुर्योधनको मरा हुआ मान राजा युधिष्ठिर बड़े वेगसे उस स्थानपर आ पहुँचे, जहाँ कुन्तीकुमार भीमसेन दहाड़ रहे थे

Sañjaya said: Then King Yudhiṣṭhira, believing Suyodhana (Duryodhana) to have been slain, rushed swiftly to the place where Pārtha and Vṛkodara were—where Bhīma’s roar and the anguished cries of the frightened warriors were resounding. The moment reflects how, amid the fog of war, even the righteous are driven to urgent action by reports, sounds, and the perceived turning of fate.

Verse 63

पज्चाला: केकया मत्स्या: सृञज्जयाश्न विशाम्पते | सर्वोद्योगेनाभिजम्मुद्रोणमेव युयुत्मया,प्रजानाथ! फिर तो पांचाल, मत्स्य, केकय और सूंजय योद्धा युद्धकी इच्छासे पूर्ण उद्योग करके द्रोणाचार्यपर ही टूट पड़े

Sañjaya said: O lord of men, the Pāñcālas, the Kekayas, the Matsyas, and the Sṛñjayas—fully resolved and exerting themselves with every effort—surged forward with the will to fight, directing their assault upon Droṇa alone. The verse underscores the concentrated, collective resolve of allied forces in war: when a commander becomes the focal point, the struggle turns into a test of strategy, duty, and the moral weight of targeting a single pivotal figure.

Verse 64

तत्रासीत्‌ सुमहद्‌ युद्ध द्रोणस्थाथ परैः सह । घोरे तमसि मग्नानां निघध्नतामितरेतरम्‌,वहाँ शत्रुओंके साथ द्रोणाचार्यका बड़ा भारी संग्राम हुआ। सब लोग घोर अन्धकारमें डूबकर एक-दूसरेपर घातक प्रहार कर रहे थे

Sañjaya said: There, a very great battle took place, with Droṇa engaged against the enemy host. In the dreadful darkness, men, plunged into blindness and confusion, struck one another down with deadly blows—war’s frenzy overwhelming discernment and restraint.

Verse 165

इस प्रकार श्रीमह्ााभारत द्रोणपर्वके अन्तर्गत घटोत्कचवधपर्वमें यात्रियुद्धके अवसरपर युधिष्टिरका पलायनविषयक एक सौ पैंसठवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ

Thus ends the one hundred and sixty-fifth chapter of the Śrī Mahābhārata’s Droṇa Parva, within the section on the slaying of Ghaṭotkaca, describing—on the occasion of the marching battle—the episode concerning Yudhiṣṭhira’s retreat. This colophon marks the close of a narrative unit that frames the ethical strain of war: even the most dharma-minded king is shown confronting fear, responsibility, and the hard choices forced by battlefield crisis.

Verse 166

इति श्रीमहाभारते द्रोणपर्वणि घटोत्कचवधपर्वणि रात्रियुद्धे दुर्योधनापयाने षट्षष्ट्यधिकशततमो<ध्याय:

Thus, in the Śrī Mahābhārata, within the Droṇa Parva—specifically in the sub-episode concerning the slaying of Ghaṭotkaca—during the night-battle, in the section describing Duryodhana’s withdrawal, this concludes the 166th chapter. The colophon marks a turning point in the ethical atmosphere of the war: the descent into nocturnal combat and the consequences of strategic retreat after grievous loss.

Verse 176

द्रौणिमभ्यद्रवत्‌ क्रुद्धो गजेन्द्रमिव केसरी । “आज समरांगणमें मैं तेरी युद्धविषयक श्रद्धा दूर कर दूँगा।! ऐसा कहकर क्रोधसे लाल आँखें किये, शत्रुवीरोंका हनन करनेवाले कुपित राक्षस घटोत्कचने अश्वत्थामापर उसी प्रकार धावा किया, जैसे सिंह किसी गजराजपर आक्रमण करता है

Verse 183

रथिनामृषभं द्रौणिं धाराभिरिव तोयद: । जैसे मेघ पर्वतपर जलकी धारा गिराता है, उसी प्रकार घटोत्कच रथियोंमें श्रेष्ठ अश्वत्थामापर रथके धुरेके समान मोटे-मोटे बाणोंकी वर्षा करने लगा

Sanjaya said: Like a rain-cloud pouring down streams of water, Ghaṭotkaca began to shower Aśvatthāmā—Drona’s son, the foremost of chariot-warriors—with thick, axle-like arrows, turning the battlefield into a tempest of missiles. The image underscores how, in war, prowess is displayed through overwhelming force, even as it deepens the cycle of violence and retaliation.

Verse 193

शातयामास समरे तरसा द्रौणिरुत्स्मयन्‌ । परंतु अश्वत्थामाने मुसकराते हुए समरभूमिमें अपने ऊपर आयी हुई उस बाण-वर्षाको विषधर सर्पोके समान भयंकर बाणोंद्वारा वेगपूर्वक नष्ट कर दिया

Sañjaya said: In the thick of battle, the son of Droṇa (Aśvatthāmā), smiling with fierce confidence, swiftly shattered the arrow-storm that had descended upon him. With dreadful, serpent-like shafts—venomous in their effect—he destroyed that onrushing barrage by sheer speed and martial mastery, showing how war turns skill and resolve into instruments of survival and dominance.

Verse 206

समाचिनोदू राक्षसेन्द्रं घटोत्कचमरिंदमम्‌ । तत्पश्चात्‌ मर्मस्थलको विदीर्ण कर देनेवाले सैकड़ों पैने बाणोंद्वारा उसने शत्रुदमन राक्षसराज घटोत्कचको बींध दिया

Sañjaya said: He struck Ghaṭotkaca, the lord of the Rākṣasas and a formidable crusher of foes. Then, with hundreds of sharp arrows that tore into vital points and shattered the body, he pierced the enemy-subduing Rākṣasa-king Ghaṭotkaca—an image of war’s ruthless precision, where valor is measured by lethal skill rather than mercy.

Verse 213

व्यकाशत महाराज श्वाविच्छललतो यथा । महाराज! अभ्रृत्थामाद्वारा उन बाणोंसे बिंधा हुआ वह राक्षस काँटोंसे भरे हुए साहीके समान सुशोभित हो रहा था

Sañjaya said: O King, he shone forth like a porcupine bristling with quills. Pierced all over by those arrows, that rākṣasa appeared striking—his very wounds becoming a grim ornament of the battlefield, displaying the terrible cost and relentless momentum of war.

Verse 233

वराहकर्णनलिीकैर्विकर्ण श्षा भ्यवीवृषत्‌ । तत्पश्चात्‌ भीमसेनके प्रतापी पुत्र घटोत्कचने क्रोधमें भरकर वज्र एवं बिजलीके समान चमकनेवाले भयंकर बाणोंद्वारा अश्वत्थामाको क्षत-विक्षत कर दिया तथा उसके ऊपर क्षुगप्र, अर्धचन्द्र, नाराच, शिलीमुख, वराहकर्ण, नालीक और विकर्ण आदि अस्त्रोंकी चारों ओरसे वर्षा आरम्भ कर दी

Sañjaya said: He showered him with varāhakarṇa and nālīka arrows, and with vikarṇa shafts. Thereafter the mighty Ghaṭotkaca, son of Bhīmasena, filled with wrath, tore Aśvatthāmā to pieces with dreadful arrows flashing like thunderbolt and lightning; and then he began a rain of weapons on him from every side—kṣurapras, half-moon blades, nārācas, śilīmukhas, varāhakarṇas, nālīkas, vikarṇas, and the like. In the ethical texture of the epic, the verse heightens the tragic momentum of war: anger becomes the immediate driver of action, and martial prowess, though heroic, is shown as escalating violence rather than restoring dharma.

Verse 253

व्यधमत्‌ सुमहातेजा महाभ्राणीव मारुत: । जैसे वायु बड़े-बड़े बादलोंको छिलन्न-भिन्न कर देती है, उसी प्रकार व्यथारहित इन्द्रियोंवाले महातेजस्वी द्रोणपुत्र अश्वत्थामाने कुपित हो दिव्यास्त्रोंद्वारा अभिमन्त्रित भयंकर बाणोंसे अपने ऊपर पड़ती हुई उस अत्यन्त दुः:सह, अनुपम एवं वज्रपातके समान शब्द करनेवाली अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंकी वर्षाको नष्ट कर दिया

Sañjaya said: The exceedingly radiant one shattered it—like the wind tearing apart great masses of cloud. In the same way, Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāmā, his senses steady and unshaken though inflamed with wrath, used divinely empowered missiles to break and disperse the dreadful shower of weapons falling upon him—an unbearable, unparalleled barrage that crashed with a sound like a thunderbolt. The scene underscores how disciplined control of one’s faculties can coexist with fierce resolve in war, even as such power intensifies the moral weight of violence.

Verse 263

घोररूपो महाराज योधानां हर्षवर्धन: । महाराज! तत्पश्चात्‌ अन्तरिक्षमें बाणोंका दूसरा भयंकर संग्राम-सा होने लगा, जो योद्धाओंका हर्ष बढ़ा रहा था

Sañjaya said: “O great king, a dreadful spectacle—yet one that heightened the warriors’ exhilaration—arose.” In the moral atmosphere of the epic’s war, the line underscores how battle can intoxicate fighters with thrill and pride even when the scene is terrifying, revealing the ethical tension between martial valor and the dehumanizing momentum of violence.

Verse 286

प्रियार्थ तव पुत्राणां राक्षसं समवाकिरत्‌ । द्रोणपुत्रने आपके पुत्रोंका प्रिय करनेके लिये अपने बाणोंद्वारा सम्पूर्ण दिशाओंको आच्छादित करते हुए उस राक्षसको भी ढक दिया

Sañjaya said: To win the favor of your sons, Droṇa’s son showered his arrows in every direction, blanketing the quarters—and in that same overwhelming barrage he even covered the rākṣasa as well. The scene underscores how personal loyalty and the desire to please one’s patrons can drive a warrior to indiscriminate, all-encompassing violence on the battlefield.

Verse 293

विगाढे रजनीमध्ये शक्रप्रह्लादयोरिव । तदनन्तर गाढ़ अन्धकारसे भरी हुई आधीरातके समय रणभूमिमें इन्द्र और प्रह्नादके समान अभश्वत्थामा और घटोत्कचका घोर युद्ध आरम्भ हुआ

Sañjaya said: In the deep middle of the night, when darkness had grown dense, a dreadful battle began on the battlefield between Aśvatthāmā and Ghaṭotkaca—like the famed combat of Śakra (Indra) and Prahlāda. The simile underscores the superhuman ferocity of the encounter and the moral weight of night-fighting, where fear and confusion magnify the cruelty of war.

Verse 473

अपीडयद्‌ रणमुखे पश्यतां सर्वधन्विनाम्‌ । तत्पश्चात्‌ भरतश्रेष्ठ दुर्योधनने कुपित हो दूसरा विशाल धनुष हाथमें लेकर युद्धके मुहानेपर सम्पूर्ण धनुर्धरोंके देखते-देखते पैने बाणोंद्वारा भीमसेनको पीड़ा देनी आरम्भ की

Sanjaya said: Then, on the very front of battle, before the eyes of all the bowmen, the enraged Duryodhana took up another great bow and began to harass Bhimasena with sharp arrows. The scene underscores how wrath and rivalry drive warriors to escalate violence publicly, seeking both tactical advantage and the moral theatre of reputation in war.

Verse 486

कौरवं पज्चविंशत्या क्षुद्रकाणां समार्पयत्‌ । दुर्योधनके धनुषसे छूटे हुए उन सभी बाणोंको नष्ट करके भीमसेनने उस कौरव- नरेशको पचीस बाण मारे

Sanjaya said: Bhimasena, having neutralized all the arrows released from Duryodhana’s bow, struck that Kaurava king with twenty-five shafts. The scene underscores the relentless logic of battle: skill answers skill, and the warrior’s resolve is measured by restraint and precision even amid fury.

Verse 496

क्षुरप्रेण धनुश्छित्त्वा दशश्ि: प्रत्यविध्यत । आर्य! इससे दुर्योधन अत्यन्त कुपित हो उठा और उसने एक क्षुरप्रसे भीमसेनका धनुष काटकर उन्हें दस बाणोंसे घायल कर दिया

Sañjaya said: With a razor-edged arrow he cut Bhīmasena’s bow, and then struck him back with ten arrows. Enraged, Duryodhana answered force with force, intensifying the violence of the duel and showing how wrath in battle drives escalation rather than restraint.

Verse 523

तव पुत्रो महाराज जितकाशी मदोत्कट: । दुर्योधनने शीघ्रतापूर्वक हाथ चलानेवाले कुशल योद्धाकी भाँति भीमसेनके उस धनुषको भी शीघ्र ही काट दिया। महाराज! भीमसेनके हाथमें लिये हुए दूसरे, तीसरे, चौथे और पाँचवें धनुषको भी विजयसे उल्लसित होनेवाले आपके मदोनन्‍्मत्त पुत्रने काट डाला

Sanjaya said: O King, your son Duryodhana—exultant, fiercely intoxicated with pride, and confident of victory—swiftly cut down Bhimasena’s bow, moving his hands with the speed and skill of a seasoned warrior. Then, O Majesty, as Bhima took up a second, a third, a fourth, and even a fifth bow, your son, elated by the prospect of triumph, severed each of them as well. The scene underscores how martial prowess, when fueled by arrogance and the hunger for victory, can intensify the violence of war and harden the combatants’ resolve.

Verse 556

पश्यत: सर्वलोकस्य भीमस्य च महात्मन: । आकाशमें सीमन्तकी रेखा-सी बनाती हुई अग्निके समान देदीप्यमान होनेवाली उस शक्तिके अपने पास आनेसे पहले ही कौरवनरेशने तीन टुकड़े कर दिये। सम्पूर्ण योद्धाओं तथा महामना भीमसेनके देखते-देखते यह कार्य हो गया

Sañjaya said: Before the blazing spear—shining like fire and seeming to draw a parting-line across the sky—could even reach him, the king of the Kurus cut it into three pieces. This happened in full view of all the warriors and of the great-souled Bhīmasena, underscoring how, in the frenzy of war, prowess and quick judgment can overturn even a deadly missile in an instant.

Verse 573

सारथिं च गदा गुर्वी ममर्दास्य रथं पुन: । युद्धस्थलमें उस भारी गदाने सहसा आपके पुत्रके चारों घोड़ों, सारथि और रथका भी मर्दन कर दिया

Sañjaya said: With a massive mace he again crushed the charioteer and smashed that chariot. In the fury of battle, the blow did not stop at the warrior alone; it struck the very supports of combat—horses, driver, and vehicle—showing how war’s violence rapidly spreads beyond a single target and destroys the means of life and duty alike.

Verse 583

आरुरोह रथं चान्यं नन्‍न्दकस्य महात्मन: । राजेन्द्र! उस समय आपका पुत्र भीमसेनसे भयभीत हो पहले ही भागकर महामना नन्‍्दकके रथपर जा बैठा था

Sañjaya said: “O best of kings, at that time your son too—terrified of Bhīmasena—fled in advance and mounted the chariot of the noble Nandaka.” The narration underscores how fear in battle can drive even princes to seek immediate refuge, revealing the moral pressure of war where courage, reputation, and survival collide.

Verse 596

सिंहनादं महच्चक्रे तर्जयन्‌ निशि कौरवान्‌ । उस समय भीमसेनने आपके महारथी पुत्रको मारा गया मानकर रातके समय कौरवोंको डाँट बताते हुए बड़े जोर-जोरसे सिंहनाद किया

Sañjaya said: In the night, Bhīmasena let out a mighty lion-roar, taunting the Kauravas—proclaiming, in effect, that your great chariot-warrior son had been slain. The cry functions as psychological warfare: a public shaming meant to break resolve and signal the moral and strategic momentum of the battle.

Verse 2736

बभौ निशामुखे व्योम खद्योतैरिव संवृतम्‌ । अस्त्रोंके परस्पर टकरानेसे जो चारों ओर चिनगारियाँ छूट रही थीं, उनसे आकाश प्रदोषकालमें जुगनुओंसे व्याप्त-सा जान पड़ता था

Sañjaya said: At the onset of night, the sky appeared as though filled with fireflies—so many sparks were flung in every direction as weapons struck and clashed against one another. The image underscores the grim brilliance of battle: even nature’s calm twilight is made to resemble a field of restless lights by human violence.