Adhyaya 170

Verse 1

ऑपनआक्रा बछ। अंक अष्टषष्ट्यधिकशततमो< ध्याय: शतानीकके द्वारा चित्रसेनकी और वृषसेनके द्वारा द्रुपदकी पराजय तथा प्रतिविन्ध्य एवं दुःशासनका युद्ध संजय उवाच शतानीकं शरैस्तूर्ण निर्दहन्तं चमूं तव । चित्रसेनस्तव सुतो वारयामास भारत,संजय कहते हैं--भारत! एक ओरसे नकुलपुत्र शतानीक अपनी शराग्निसे आपकी सेनाको भस्म करता हुआ आ रहा था। उसे आपके पुत्र चित्रसेनने रोका

Sanjaya said: O Bharata (Dhṛtarāṣṭra), as Śatānīka swiftly advanced, scorching your army with his arrows as though with fire, your son Citrasena checked and held him back. The scene underscores how, amid the chaos of battle, individual prowess and duty to one’s side drive warriors to counter violence with violence, each acting according to allegiance and the harsh code of war.

Verse 2

नाकुलिकश्रित्रसेनं तु विदृध्वा पजचभिराशुगै: । सतुतंप्रतिविव्याध दशभिर्निशितै: शरैः,शतानीकने चित्रसेनको पाँच बाण मारे। चित्रसेनने भी दस पैने बाण मारकर बदला चुकाया

Sañjaya said: Having pierced Nakula’s ally Śritrasena with five swift arrows, Citrāsena then struck back at Śatānīka, wounding him with ten razor‑sharp shafts. Thus, in the heat of battle, each warrior answered injury with injury, escalating the cycle of retaliation that drives the war’s violence.

Verse 3

चित्रसेनो महाराज शतानीकं पुनर्युधि । नवभिर्निशितैर्बाणैराजघान स्तनान्तरे,महाराज! चित्रसेनने युद्धस्थलमें पुनः नौ तीखे बाणोंद्वारा शतानीककी छातीमें गहरी चोट पहुँचायी

Sañjaya said: O great king, in the midst of battle Citrāsena again struck Śatānīka—piercing him in the region of the chest with nine sharp arrows. The episode underscores the relentless momentum of war, where valor and skill are displayed through repeated assaults, even as the ethical weight of violence continues to hang over the battlefield.

Verse 4

नाकुलिस्तस्य विशिखैर्वर्म संनतपर्वभि: । गात्रात्‌ संच्यावयामास तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्‌,तब नकुलपुत्रने झुकी हुई गाँठवाले अनेक बाण मारकर चित्रसेनके शरीरसे उसके कवचको काट गिराया। वह अद्धभुत-सा कार्य हुआ

Sañjaya said: Nakuli, with many arrows whose feathers were bent, struck him and dislodged the armour from his body. That feat appeared truly wondrous—an instance of martial skill displayed amid the relentless ethics of war, where prowess and resolve decide the moment’s outcome.

Verse 5

सो<पेतवर्मा पुत्रस्ते विरराज भृशं नृप । उत्सृज्य काले राजेन्द्र निर्मोकमिव पन्नग:,नरेश्वर! राजेन्द्र! कवच कट जानेपर आपका पुत्र चित्रसेन समयपर केंचुल छोड़नेवाले सर्पके समान अत्यन्त सुशोभित हुआ

Sañjaya said: O king, your son (Apetavarmā) shone exceedingly. At the proper moment, O lord of kings, he cast off his armour like a serpent shedding its slough—suggesting a deliberate, timely shift in stance, from mere protection to decisive action amid the pressures of war.

Verse 6

ततोअस्य निशितैर्बाणैर्थ्वजं चिच्छेद नाकुलि: । धनुश्वैव महाराज यतमानस्य संयुगे,महाराज! तदनन्तर नकुलपुत्र शतानीकने युद्धस्थलमें विजयके लिये प्रयत्न करनेवाले चित्रसेनके ध्वज और धनुषको पैने बाणोंद्वारा काट दिया

Sañjaya said: Then, with sharp arrows, Nakuli (the son of Nakula) cut down his banner and also his bow, O King, as he strove in the thick of battle. The act signals not mere slaughter but the tactical disabling of an opponent—stripping him of emblem and weapon, and thereby turning the contest toward decisive advantage.

Verse 7

स च्छिन्नधन्वा समरे विवर्मा च महारथ: । धनुरन्यन्महाराज जग्राहारिविदारणम्‌,राजेन्द्र! समरांगणमें धनुष और कवच कट जानेपर महारथी चित्रसेनने दूसरा धनुष हाथमें लिया, जो शत्रुको विदीर्ण करनेमें समर्थ था

Sañjaya said: In the midst of battle, that great chariot-warrior—his bow cut down and his armour torn away—took up another bow, O great king, O lord of kings, a weapon capable of rending the enemy. The verse underscores the relentless resolve of a warrior in war: even when stripped of protection and disarmed, he re-arms and returns to the fight, reflecting the grim ethic of kṣatriya combat where perseverance and readiness are paramount.

Verse 8

ततस्तूर्ण चित्रसेनो नाकुलिं नवभि: शरै: | विव्याध समरे क्रुद्धो भरतानां महारथ:,उस समय समरभूमिमें कुपित हुए भरतकुलके महारथी वीर चित्रसेनने नकुलपुत्र शतानीकको नौ बाणोंसे घायल कर दिया

Then, in the heat of battle, the great chariot-warrior Citrasena of the Bharata line—angered and swift—pierced Nakula’s son Śatānīka with nine arrows. The verse underscores how wrath in war drives immediate, forceful action, tightening the cycle of retaliation on the battlefield.

Verse 9

शतानीको<थ संक्रुद्धश्चित्रसेनस्थ मारिष । जघान चतुरो वाहान्‌ सारथिं च नरोत्तम:,माननीय नरेश! तब अत्यन्त कुपित हुए नरश्रेष्ठ शतानीकने चित्रसेनके चारों घोड़ों और सारथिको मार डाला

Sañjaya said: Then Śatānīka, inflamed with anger, struck down the four horses of Citrasena and also his charioteer. In the heat of battle, wrath drives the warrior to disable the enemy’s mobility and support, revealing how rage can intensify violence beyond mere contest into ruthless destruction.

Verse 10

अवलप्लुत्य रथात्‌ तस्माच्चित्रसेनो महारथ: । नाकुलिं पञ्चविंशत्या शराणामार्दयद्‌ बली,तब बलवान महारथी चित्रसेनने उस रथसे कूदकर नकुलपुत्र शतानीकको पचीस बाण मारे

Sañjaya said: Then the mighty great chariot-warrior Citrasena leapt down from that chariot and struck Nākuli (Śatānīka, the son of Nakula) with twenty-five arrows—an act that intensifies the ruthless momentum of battle, where prowess is displayed through controlled violence and tactical dominance rather than restraint.

Verse 11

तस्य तत्कुर्वत: कर्म नकुलस्य सुतो रणे । अर्धचन्द्रेण चिच्छेद चापं रत्नविभूषितम्‌,यह देख रणक्षेत्रमें नकुलपुत्रने पूर्वोक्त कर्म करनेवाले चित्रसेनके रत्नविभूषित धनुषको एक अर्धचन्द्राकार बाणसे काट डाला

Sañjaya said: As he was engaged in that very action on the battlefield, Nakula’s son struck and cleanly severed his jewel-adorned bow with a crescent-headed arrow. In the moral texture of the epic’s war, this is a decisive act of martial skill: disabling the opponent’s weapon to check his momentum and curb further harm, rather than merely trading blows without restraint.

Verse 12

सच्छिन्नधन्वा विरथो हताश्वनो हतसारथि: । आरुरोह रथं तूर्ण हार्दिक्यस्य महात्मन:,धनुष कट गया, घोड़े और सारथि मारे गये और वह रथहीन हो गया। उस अवस्थामें चित्रसेन तुरंत भागकर महामना कृतवर्माके रथपर जा चढ़ा

Sañjaya said: Having had his bow cut down, deprived of his chariot, with his horses slain and his charioteer killed, he quickly mounted the chariot of the high-souled Hārdikya (Kṛtavarmā). The scene underscores the relentless contingencies of battle: when one’s own support-system collapses, survival depends on swift recourse to an ally—yet such refuge also signals the fragility of martial pride and the dependence of a warrior upon his retinue.

Verse 13

ट्रुपदं तु सहानीकं द्रोणप्रेप्सुं महारथम्‌ । वृषसेनो<भ्ययात्‌ तूर्ण किर|ञ्शरशतैस्तदा,द्रोणाचार्यका सामना करनेके लिये आते हुए महारथी द्रुपदपर वृषसेनने सैकड़ों बाणोंकी वर्षा करते हुए तत्काल आक्रमण कर दिया

Sañjaya said: Then Vṛṣasena swiftly charged at the great chariot-warrior Drupada, who was advancing with his forces, intent on confronting Droṇa; and at that moment he showered him with hundreds of arrows. The scene underscores how, in the press of war, personal aims—such as checking a formidable teacher-warrior—draw immediate counterattacks, turning resolve into a test of discipline and endurance.

Verse 14

यज्ञसेनस्तु समरे कर्णपुत्रं महारथम्‌ । षष्ट्या शराणां विव्याध बाह्दवोरुगसि चानघ,निष्पाप नरेश! समरांगणमें राजा यज्ञसेन (द्रुपद)-ने महारथी कर्णपुत्र वृषसेनकी छाती और भुजाओंमें साठ बाण मारे

Sañjaya said: In the thick of battle, King Yajñasena (Drupada) struck Karṇa’s son, the great chariot-warrior, with sixty arrows, piercing his arms and chest. O blameless, sinless king, thus the combat intensified with relentless martial resolve.

Verse 15

वृषसेनस्तु संक्रुद्धो यज्ञसेनं रथे स्थितम्‌ । बहुभि: सायकैस्ती3्ष्णराजघान स्तनान्तरे,तब वृषसेन अत्यन्त कुपित होकर रथपर बैठे हुए यज्ञसेनकी छातीमें बहुत-से पैने बाण मारे

Sañjaya said: Enraged, Vṛṣasena struck Yajñasena, who stood upon his chariot, with many sharp arrows, piercing him in the region of the chest. The scene underscores the war’s relentless escalation, where anger drives swift violence and the warrior’s duty is enacted through lethal skill rather than restraint.

Verse 16

तावुभौ शरनुन्नाज़ौ शरकण्टकितौ रणे । व्यभ्राजेतां महाराज श्वाविधौ शललैरिव,महाराज! उन दोनोंके ही शरीर एक-दूसरेके बाणोंसे क्षत-विक्षत हो गये थे। वे दोनों ही बाणरूपी कंटकोंसे युक्त हो काँटोंसे भरे हुए दो साही नामक जन्तुओंके समान शोभित हो रहे थे

Sañjaya said: O King, both of them, driven and pierced by arrows in the battle, their bodies bristling with arrow-thorns, shone on the field like two porcupines covered with quills. The verse underscores the grim symmetry of war: valor and endurance appear radiant, yet that radiance is born from mutual wounding and relentless violence.

Verse 17

रुक्मपुड्खीै: प्रसन्नाग्रै: शरैश्छिन्नतनुच्छदौ । रुधिरीघपरिक्लिन्नौ व्यभ्राजेतां महामृथे,सोनेके पंख और स्वच्छ धारवाले बाणोंसे उस महासमरमें दोनोंके कवच कट गये थे और दोनों ही लहूलुहान होकर अद्भुत शोभा पा रहे थे

Sañjaya said: In that great battle, their coats of mail were cut to pieces by arrows with golden fletching and clear, keen points; drenched in streams of blood, the two warriors nonetheless shone with a strange, formidable splendor—revealing how, amid the violence of war, steadfast resolve and martial duty can still manifest as a grim kind of radiance.

Verse 18

तपनीयनिभौ चित्रौ कल्पवृक्षाविवाद्भुतौ । किंशुकाविव चोत्फुल्लौ व्यकाशेतां रणाजिरे,वे दोनों सुवर्णके समान विचित्र, कल्पवृक्षके समान अद्भुत और खिले हुए दो पलाशवृक्षोंके समान अनूठी शोभासे सम्पन्न हो रणभूमिमें प्रकाशित हो रहे थे

Sañjaya said: On the battlefield, the two shone forth with a singular splendor—variegated like refined gold, wondrous like wish-fulfilling trees, and radiant like two fully blossomed kiṃśuka (flame-of-the-forest) trees. The image underscores how, even amid violence, heroic presence can appear dazzling, heightening both the awe of valor and the tragic beauty of war.

Verse 19

वृषसेनस्ततो राजन ट्रुपदं नवभि: शरै: | विद्ध्वा विव्याध सप्तत्या पुनरन्यैस्त्रिभिस्त्रिभि:,राजन! तदनन्तर वृषसेनने राजा द्रुपदको नौ बाणोंसे घायल करके फिर सत्तर बाणोंसे बींध डाला। तत्पश्चात्‌ उन्हें तीन-तीन बाण और मारे

Sañjaya said: Then, O King, Vṛṣasena struck Drupada with nine arrows; having pierced him, he further wounded him with seventy more, and again with other arrows, three at a time. The scene underscores the relentless escalation of violence on the battlefield, where prowess is displayed through repeated volleys, even as the moral cost of such excess remains implicit.

Verse 20

तत:ः शरसहस्राणि विमुज्चन्‌ विवभौ तदा । कर्णपुत्रो महाराज वर्षमाण इवाम्बुद:,महाराज! तदनन्तर सहस्रों बाणोंका प्रहार करता हुआ कर्णपुत्र वृषसेन जलकी वर्षा करनेवाले मेघके समान सुशोभित होने लगा

Sañjaya said: Then, releasing thousands of arrows, Karṇa’s son shone forth, O King—like a rain-bearing cloud pouring down its shower. The image underscores the overwhelming, impersonal force of martial skill in battle: prowess becomes a deluge that tests endurance, resolve, and the warrior’s duty amid the harsh ethics of war.

Verse 21

इससे क्रोधमें भरे हुए राजा द्रपदने एक पानीदार पैने भल्लसे वृषसेनके धनुषके दो टुकड़े कर डाले

Sanjaya said: Enraged, King Drupada, acting with swift resolve, struck with a sharp, gleaming bhalla-arrow and split Vrishasena’s bow into two. In the heat of battle, anger becomes a driving force that can yield decisive action, yet it also signals the moral peril of letting wrath govern one’s judgment.

Verse 22

सोअन्यत्‌ कार्मुकमादाय रुक्मबद्धं नवं दृढम्‌ । तूणादाकृष्य विमलं भल्लं पीत॑ शितं दृढम्‌,तब उसने सोनेसे मढ़े हुए दूसरे नवीन एवं सुदृढ़ धनुषको हाथमें लेकर तरकशसे एक चमचमाता हुआ पानीदार, तीखा और मजबूत भल्ल निकाला। उसे धनुषपर रखा और कानतक खींचकर समस्त सोमकोंको भयभीत करते हुए वृषसेनने राजा ट्रुपदको लक्ष्य करके वह भल्‍ल्ल छोड़ दिया

Sañjaya said: Taking up another bow—new, firm, and bound with gold—he drew from his quiver a spotless, gleaming bhalla-arrow, yellow-hued, sharp, and strong. Setting it on the bow and drawing it back to his ear, Vṛṣasena, striking fear into the Somakas, released that bhalla at King Drupada as his target. The scene underscores the relentless momentum of battle, where martial prowess and intimidation are used to break the enemy’s resolve, even as the ethical weight of aiming at a king and elder ally of the Pāṇḍavas hangs over the act.

Verse 23

द्रपदस्तु ततः क्रुद्धो वृषसेनस्य कार्मुकम्‌ । द्विधा चिच्छेद भललेन पीतेन निशितेन च,कार्मुके योजयित्वा त॑ द्रुपदं संनिरीक्ष्य च आकर्णपूर्ण मुमुचे त्रासयन्‌ सर्वसोमकान्‌ तब उसने सोनेसे मढ़े हुए दूसरे नवीन एवं सुदृढ़ धनुषको हाथमें लेकर तरकशसे एक चमचमाता हुआ पानीदार, तीखा और मजबूत भल्ल निकाला। उसे धनुषपर रखा और कानतक खींचकर समस्त सोमकोंको भयभीत करते हुए वृषसेनने राजा ट्रुपदको लक्ष्य करके वह भल्‍ल्ल छोड़ दिया

Sanjaya said: Then King Drupada, enraged, split Vṛṣasena’s bow in two with a sharp, gold-adorned bhalla-arrow. Thereupon Vṛṣasena, fixing another bow, took aim at Drupada; drawing the string back to his ear, he released his arrow, terrifying all the Somakas. The passage highlights how anger and retaliation escalate the violence of battle, as each strike immediately provokes a counterstrike that spreads fear through the ranks.

Verse 24

हृदयं तस्य भित्त्वाच जगाम वसुधातलम्‌ । कश्मलं प्राविशद्‌ राजा वृषसेनशराहत:,वह भल्‍ल्ल ट्रपदकी छाती छेदकर धरतीपर जा गिरा। वृषसेनके उस भललसे आहत होकर राजा ट्रुपद मूर्च्छित हो गये

Sañjaya said: The arrow, having pierced his heart, fell down upon the surface of the earth. Struck by Vṛṣasena’s shaft, the king was seized by bewilderment and collapsed—his senses failing amid the violence of battle.

Verse 25

सारथिस्तमपोवाह स्मरन्‌ सारथिचेष्टितम्‌ । तस्मिन्‌ प्रभग्ने राजेन्द्र पजचालानां महारथे

Sañjaya said: The charioteer then drove him away, recalling the proper conduct and duties of a charioteer. O best of kings, when that great chariot-warrior of the Pañcālas had been routed, the charioteer acted with presence of mind—prioritizing the protection of his lord and the discipline of his craft amid the chaos of war.

Verse 26

ततस्तु द्रुपदानीकं शरैश्छिन्नतनुच्छदम्‌ । सम्प्राद्रवत्‌ तदा राजन्‌ निशीथे भैरवे सति

Sañjaya said: Then, O King, Drupada’s battle-division—its bodies and armor-clad frames cut and torn by showers of arrows—broke into a headlong flight, as the dreadful midnight hour prevailed. The verse underscores how fear and confusion can dissolve even organized forces when violence peaks and leadership falters, revealing the moral cost of war’s escalation.

Verse 27

राजेन्द्र! तब सारथि अपने कर्तव्यका स्मरण करके उन्हें रणभूमिसे दूर हटा ले गया। पांचालोंके महारथी द्रपदके हट जानेपर बाणोंसे कटे हुए कवचवाली द्रुपदकी सारी सेना उस भयंकर आधीरातके समय वहाँसे भाग चली ।। प्रदीपैर्हि परित्यक्तैज्वलट्धिस्तै: समन्‍्ततः । व्यराजत मही राजन वीताभ्रा द्यौरिव ग्रहै:,राजन! भागते हुए सैनिकोंने जो मशालें फेंक दी थीं, वे सब ओर जल रही थीं। उनके द्वारा वह रणभूमि ग्रह-नक्षत्रोंसे भरे हुए मेघहीन आकाशके समान सुशोभित हो रही थी

Sañjaya said: O king of kings, then the charioteer, recalling his duty, drew them away from the battlefield. When Drupada—the great chariot-warrior of the Pāñcālas—had withdrawn, all Drupada’s army, their armor cut and torn by arrows, fled from that place in the dreadful hour of midnight. For the torches that the fleeing soldiers cast away were burning on every side; by their blaze the earth shone, O king, like a cloudless sky filled with planets and stars. The passage underscores how, in war, disciplined adherence to one’s role (the charioteer’s dharma) can preserve life amid panic and collapse, even as the night’s terror drives armies into disorder.

Verse 28

तथाडूुदैर्निपतितैव्यराजत वसुंधरा । प्रावृट्काले महाराज विद्युदूभिरिव तोयद:,महाराज! वीरोंके गिरे हुए चमकीले बाजूबन्दोंसे वहाँकी भूमि वैसी ही शोभा पा रही थी, जैसे वर्षाकालमें बिजलियोंसे मेघ प्रकाशित होता है

Sañjaya said: O great king, the earth shone with the fallen, gleaming armlets, just as in the rainy season a cloud is lit up by flashes of lightning. The image underscores the grim splendor of battle: ornaments meant for honor and protection now lie scattered, turning the battlefield into a dazzling yet tragic spectacle.

Verse 29

ततः कर्णसुतात्‌ त्रस्ता: सोमका विद्रदुद्रुव॒ुः । यथेन्द्रभयवित्रस्ता दानवास्तारकामये

Sañjaya said: Then the Somakas, terrified by Karṇa’s son, fled swiftly—just as the Dānavas, shaken by fear of Indra, once scattered in the battle for Tārakā. The verse underscores how fear and the momentum of a powerful warrior can break formations, turning courage into rout on the battlefield.

Verse 30

तदनन्तर कर्णपुत्र वृषसेनके भयसे त्रस्त हो सोमकवंशी क्षत्रिय उसी प्रकार भागने लगे, जैसे तारकामय संग्राममें इन्द्रके भयसे डरे हुए दानव भागे थे ।। तेना्यमाना: समरे द्रवमाणाश्षु सोमका: । व्यराजन्त महाराज प्रदीपैरवभासिता:,महाराज! समरभूमिमें वृषसेनसे पीड़ित होकर भागते हुए सोमक-योद्धा प्रदीपोंसे प्रकाशित हो बड़ी शोभा पा रहे थे

Sanjaya said: Thereafter, the Somaka Kshatriyas, terrified by Karna’s son Vrishasena, began to flee—just as, in the starry battle, the Daityas once fled in fear of Indra. Harried by him on the battlefield and running in disorder, the Somaka warriors, O King, appeared striking as they were lit up by blazing lamps/torches, their flight made conspicuous by the light.

Verse 31

तांस्तु निर्जित्य समरे कर्णपुत्रो5प्यरोचत । मध्यंदिनमनुप्राप्तो घर्माशुरिव भारत,भारत! युद्धस्थलमें उन सबको जीतकर कर्णपुत्र वृषसेन भी दोपहरके प्रचण्ड किरणोंवाले सूर्यके समान उद्धासित हो रहा था

Sañjaya said: Having conquered them in the battle, Karṇa’s son Vṛṣasena shone forth. Reaching the height of midday, he blazed like the sun with scorching rays—an image that underscores how martial success can intoxicate the warrior with radiance and pride even amid the moral darkness of fratricidal war.

Verse 32

तेषु राजसहस्रेषु तावकेषु परेषु च । एक एव ज्वलंस्तस्थौ वृषसेन: प्रतापवान्‌,आपके और शत्रुपक्षेके सहस्नों राजाओंके बीच एकमात्र प्रतापी वृषसेन ही अपने तेजसे प्रकाशित होता हुआ रणभूमिमें खड़ा था

Sanjaya said: Amid those thousands of kings—on both the Kaurava side and the opposing host—Vṛṣasena alone stood blazing, radiant with martial splendor on the battlefield. The verse highlights a moment where individual valor and presence eclipse the surrounding multitude, underscoring how fame in war often gathers around a single conspicuous champion.

Verse 33

स विजित्य रणे शूरान्‌ सोमकानां महारथान्‌ | जगाम त्वरितस्तत्र यत्र राजा युधिष्ठटिर:,वह युद्धके मैदानमें शूरवीर सोमक महारथियोंको परास्त करके तुरंत वहाँ चला गया, जहाँ राजा युधिष्छिर खड़े थे

Sañjaya said: Having defeated in battle the heroic great chariot-warriors of the Somakas, he hurried at once to the spot where King Yudhiṣṭhira was standing. The verse underscores swift, purposeful movement after victory—directing martial success toward the protection and support of the rightful king rather than toward needless slaughter.

Verse 34

प्रतिविन्ध्यमथ क्रुद्ध॑ प्रदहन्तं रणे रिपून्‌ दुःशासनस्तव सुत:ः प्रत्यगच्छन्महारथ:,दूसरी ओर क्रोधमें भरा हुआ प्रतिविन्ध्य रणक्षेत्रमें शत्रुओंकी दग्ध कर रहा था। उसका सामना करनेके लिये आपका महारथी पुत्र दुःशासन आ पहुँचा

Sañjaya said: Then Prativindhya, inflamed with wrath, was scorching the enemy ranks on the battlefield. To confront him, your son Duḥśāsana—the great chariot-warrior—advanced to meet him. The scene underscores how anger drives warriors into direct challenges, intensifying the cycle of retaliation within the war.

Verse 35

तयो: समागमो राजंश्रित्ररूपो बभूव ह । व्यपेतजलद व्योम्नि बुधभास्करयोरिव,राजन! जैसे मेघरहित आकाशमें बुध और सूर्यका समागम हो, उसी प्रकार युद्धस्थलमें उन दोनोंका अद्भुत मिलन हुआ

Sañjaya said: O King, the encounter of those two became wondrous to behold. It was like the meeting of Mercury and the Sun in a sky cleared of clouds—so, on the battlefield, their extraordinary convergence appeared, suggesting a fated clash of great powers beyond ordinary measure.

Verse 36

प्रतिविन्ध्यं तु समरे कुर्वाणं कर्म दुष्करम्‌ । दुःशासनस्त्रिभिर्बाणैर्ललाटे समविध्यत,समरांगणमें दुष्कर कर्म करनेवाले प्रतिविन्ध्यके ललाटमें दुःशासनने तीन बाण मारे

Sañjaya said: In the thick of battle, as Prativindhya was performing a feat difficult to accomplish, Duḥśāsana struck him on the forehead with three arrows—an act that highlights the relentless, personal ferocity of the war, where valor is met not with restraint but with immediate counter-violence.

Verse 37

सो5तिविद्धों बलवता तव पुत्रेण धन्विना । विरराज महाबाहु: सशृज्ञ इव पर्वतः,आपके बलवान धनुर्धर पुत्रद्वारा चलाये हुए उन बाणोंसे अत्यन्त घायल हो महाबाहु प्रतिविन्ध्य तीन शिखरोंवाले पर्वतके समान सुशोभित हुआ

Sañjaya said: Struck again and again and grievously wounded by the powerful arrows shot from your son’s bow, the mighty-armed Prativindhya still shone forth—like a mountain crowned with peaks. Even amid injury, the warrior’s steadfast presence becomes a stark image of endurance within the harsh ethics of battlefield duty.

Verse 38

दुःशासन तु समरे प्रतिविन्ध्यो महारथ: । नवश्ि: सायकैर्विद्ध्वा पुनर्विव्याध सप्तभि:,तत्पश्चात्‌ महारथी प्रतिविन्ध्यने समरभूमिमें दुःशासनको नौ बाणोंसे घायल करके फिर सात बाणोंसे बींध डाला

Sañjaya said: In the thick of battle, the great chariot-warrior Prativindhya struck Duḥśāsana with nine arrows, and then pierced him again with seven more. The narration underscores the relentless escalation of violence on the battlefield, where prowess and vengeance drive repeated wounding rather than restraint.

Verse 39

तत्र भारत पुत्रस्ते कृतवान्‌ कर्म दुष्करम्‌ | प्रतिविन्ध्यहयानुग्रै: पातयामास सायकै:,भारत! उस समय वहाँ आपके पुत्रने एक दुष्कर पराक्रम कर दिखाया। उसने अपने भयंकर बाणोंद्वारा प्रतिविन्ध्यके घोड़ोंको मार गिराया

Sañjaya said: “There, O Bhārata, your son performed a deed of formidable difficulty. With fierce arrows he struck down the horses of Prativindhya.” The line underscores how, in the brutal logic of war, disabling an opponent’s mobility becomes a decisive—though ethically grim—means of gaining advantage.

Verse 40

सारथिं चास्य भल्लेन ध्वजं च समपातयत्‌ | रथं च तिलशो राजन्‌ व्यधमत्‌ तस्य धन्विन:,राजन्‌! फिर एक भल्‍ल्ल मारकर उसने धनुर्थर वीर प्रतिविन्ध्यके सारथि और ध्वजको धराशायी कर दिया तथा रथके भी तिलके समान टुकड़े-टुकड़े कर डाले

Sañjaya said: With a single bhalla-arrow he struck down that warrior’s charioteer and also felled his banner. Then, O King, he shattered the archer’s chariot itself into fragments as small as sesame seeds—an image of ruthless battlefield skill where prowess aims not only at the fighter but at the very supports of his combat.

Verse 41

पताकाश्व सतूणीरा रश्मीन्‌ योक्‍त्राणि च प्रभो । चिच्छेद तिलश: क्रुद्ध: शरै: संनतपर्वभि:,प्रभो! क्रोधमें भरे हुए दुःशासनने झुकी हुई गाँठवाले बाणोंसे प्रतिविन्ध्यकी पताकाओं, तरकसों, उनके घोड़ोंकी बागडोरों और रथके जोतोंको भी तिल-तिल करके काट डाला

Sanjaya said: O lord, Duhshasana, inflamed with anger, sliced to pieces—bit by bit—with arrows having well-bent knots, Prativindhya’s banners, his horses, his quivers, the reins, and even the yoke-straps of the chariot. The scene underscores how wrath in battle drives a warrior not merely to strike the opponent, but to dismantle the very supports of his mobility and honor, turning combat into systematic destruction.

Verse 42

विरथ: स तु धर्मात्मा धनुष्पाणिरवस्थित: । अयोधयत्‌ तव सुतं किरञ्शरशतान्‌ बहून्‌,धर्मात्मा प्रतिविन्ध्य रथहीन हो जानेपर हाथमें धनुष लिये पृथ्वीपर खड़ा हो गया और सैकड़ों बाणोंकी वर्षा करता हुआ आपके पुत्रके साथ युद्ध करने लगा

Sañjaya said: Though left without a chariot, that righteous warrior stood his ground with bow in hand. Showering many hundreds of arrows, he engaged your son in battle—steadfast in dharma even amid the chaos of war.

Verse 43

क्षुरप्रेण धनुस्तस्य चिच्छेद तनयस्तव । अथैनं दशभिर्बाणैश्छिन्नधन्वानमार्दयत्‌,तब आपके पुत्रने एक क्षुरप्रसे प्रतिविन्ध्यका धनुष काट दिया और धनुष कट जानेपर उसे दस बाणोंसे गहरी चोट पहुँचायी

Sañjaya said: With a razor-headed arrow your son cut down his bow. Then, seeing him disarmed, he struck him hard with ten arrows—an episode that highlights the ruthless momentum of battlefield advantage, where the loss of a weapon immediately becomes an opening for intensified assault.

Verse 44

त॑ दृष्टवा विरथं तत्र भ्रातरो5स्य महारथा: । अन्ववर्तन्त वेगेन महत्या सेनया सह,उसे रथहीन हुआ देख उसके अन्य महारथी भाई विशाल सेनाके साथ बड़े वेगसे उसकी सहायताके लिये आ पहुँचे

Sañjaya said: Seeing him there deprived of his chariot, his brothers—great chariot-warriors—rushed forward at speed, accompanied by a vast host, to support and protect him amid the press of battle. The scene underscores the battlefield ethic of standing by one’s own kin and commander when he is suddenly rendered vulnerable.

Verse 45

आप्लुत: स ततो यान॑ सुतसोमस्य भास्वरम्‌ | धनुर्गह्ा महाराज विव्याध तनयं तव,महाराज! तब प्रतिविन्ध्य उछलकर सुतसोमके तेजस्वी रथपर जा बैठा और हाथमें धनुष लेकर आपके पुत्रको घायल करने लगा

Sañjaya said: Then Prativindhya sprang up onto Sutasoma’s radiant chariot. Taking up his bow, O King, he began to wound your son—an episode that shows how, in the press of battle, valor and tactical advantage are pursued even at the cost of kinship bonds and the ordinary restraints of compassion.

Verse 46

ततस्तु तावका: सर्वे परिवार्य सुतं तव । अभ्यवर्तन्त संग्रामे महत्या सेनया वृता:,यह देख आपके सभी योद्धा आपके पुत्र दुःशासनको सब ओरसे घेरकर विशाल सेनाके साथ वहाँ युद्धके लिये डट गये

Sañjaya said: Then all your warriors, surrounding your son, advanced again into the battle, protected and supported by a great host. The scene underscores the Kaurava reliance on collective force and protective formations to preserve a key fighter amid the moral and strategic pressures of the war.

Verse 47

ततः प्रववृते युद्ध तव तेषां च भारत । निशीथे दारुणे काले यमराष्ट्रविवर्धनम्‌,भारत! तदनन्तर उस भयंकर निशीथकालमें आपके पुत्र और द्रौपदीपुत्रोंका घोर युद्ध आरम्भ हुआ, जो यमराजके राज्यकी वृद्धि करनेवाला था

Sañjaya said: Then, O Bhārata, a battle began between your sons and those warriors—at the dreadful hour of midnight—one that would only swell the realm of Yama, the Lord of Death. The narrative underscores how war, when driven by vengeance and rivalry, ripens into a harvest of death rather than a victory aligned with dharma.

Verse 167

इस प्रकार श्रीमह्ााभारत द्रोणपर्वके अन्तर्गत घटोत्कचवधपर्वमें रात्रियुद्धके अवसरपर अलगम्बुषका पराजयविषयक एक सौ सरसठवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ

Sanjaya said: Thus, in the Śrī Mahābhārata, within the Droṇa Parva, in the section concerning the slaying of Ghaṭotkaca, on the occasion of the night-battle, the one hundred and sixty-seventh chapter—dealing with the defeat of Alambusha—comes to its close. The narration frames the moral gravity of nocturnal warfare and the relentless consequences of adharma-driven aggression on the battlefield.

Verse 168

इति श्रीमहाभारते द्रोणपर्वणि घटोत्कचवधपर्वणि रात्रियुद्धे शतानीकादियुद्धे5ष्टषष्ट्यधिकशततमो< ध्याय:,इस प्रकार श्रीमह्ाभारत द्रोणपर्वके अन्तर्गत घटोत्कचवधपर्वमें रात्रियुद्धके समय शतानीक आदिका युद्धविषयक एक सौ अड़सठवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ

Sañjaya said: Thus, in the Śrī Mahābhārata, within the Droṇa Parva, in the sub-section concerning the slaying of Ghaṭotkaca, during the night-battle, in the episode describing the combat involving Śatānīka and others, the one hundred and sixty-eighth chapter is concluded. This colophon marks the close of a narrative unit that frames the night’s warfare and its moral weight—where duty, strategy, and the tragic costs of battle converge.