Adhyaya 186

Verse 1

अरी-क्रा (ट्रोणवधपर्व) चतुरशीत्यधिकशततमो<ध्याय: निद्रासे तल है सैनिकोंका अर्जुनके कहनेसे सो जाना और चन्द्रोदयके बाद पुन: उठकर युद्धमें लग जाना संजय उवाच व्यासेनैवमथोक्तस्तु धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिर: । स्वयं कर्णवधादू वीरो निवृत्तो भरतर्षभ,संजय कहते हैं--भरतश्रेष्ठ] व्यासजीके ऐसा कहनेपर वीर धर्मराज युधिष्ठिर स्वयं कर्णका वध करनेके विचारसे हट गये

Sanjaya said: Thus addressed by Vyasa, King Yudhishthira—steadfast in dharma—personally desisted from the resolve to slay Karna. O bull among the Bharatas, he withdrew from that intention, heeding the higher counsel that restrains even righteous anger amid war.

Verse 2

घटोत्कचे तु निहते सूतपुत्रेण तां निशाम्‌ । दुःखामर्षवशं प्राप्तो धर्मराजो युधिछिर:,सूतपुत्रके द्वारा घटोत्कचके मारे जानेपर उस रातमें धर्मराज युधिष्ठिर दुःख और अमर्षके वशीभूत हो गये

Sañjaya said: When Ghaṭotkaca had been slain by the charioteer’s son, Karṇa, that night King Yudhiṣṭhira—steadfast in dharma—was overcome by grief and burning indignation. The event deepened the moral weight of the war: a mighty ally has fallen, and the righteous king’s composure is shaken by sorrow and wounded honor.

Verse 3

दृष्टवा भीमेन महतीं वार्यमाणां चमूं तव । धृष्टद्युम्नमुवाचेदं कुम्भयोनिं निवारय,भीमसेनके द्वारा आपकी विशाल सेनाका निवारण होता देख उन्होंने धृष्टद्युम्नसे इस प्रकार कहा--'वीर! तुम द्रोणाचार्यको आगे बढ़नेसे रोको

Sañjaya said: Seeing your vast army being held back by Bhīma, he spoke to Dhṛṣṭadyumna: “Hero, restrain Kumbhayoni (Droṇa) from advancing.” The line underscores the urgency of command in battle and the moral tension of confronting a revered teacher who has become a principal instrument of war.

Verse 4

त्वं हि द्रोणविनाशाय समुत्पन्नो हुताशनात्‌ । सशर: कवची खड््‌गी धन्वी च परतापन:,“तुम तो शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाले हो और द्रोणका विनाश करनेके लिये ही बाण, कवच, खड्ग और धनुषसहित अग्निकुण्डसे उत्पन्न हुए हो

Sañjaya said: “You have indeed arisen from the sacrificial fire for the very destruction of Droṇa. Armed with arrows, clad in armor, bearing a sword and a bow, you are a scorcher of foes—one whose very birth and equipment are framed by destiny for this grim task within the war.”

Verse 5

अभिद्रव रणे हृष्टो मा च ते भी: कथंचन । जनमेजय: शिखण्डी च दौर्मुखिश्व॒ यशोधर:

Sañjaya said: “Charge forward into the battle with joy; do not be afraid in any way. Janamejaya, Śikhaṇḍī, and also Daurmukhi and Yaśodhara (are there).”

Verse 6

नकुल: सहदेवश्न द्रौपदेया: प्रभद्रका:,अभिद्रवन्तु वेगेन कुम्भयोनिवधेप्सया । “नकुल, सहदेव, द्रौपदीके पाँचों पुत्र, प्रभद्रकगण, पुत्रों और भाइयोंसहित द्रुपद और विराट, सात्यकि, केकय तथा पाण्डुपुत्र अर्जुन-ये द्रोणाचार्यके वधकी इच्छासे वेगपूर्वक उनपर धावा बोल दें

Verse 7

द्रुपदश्न विराटश्न पुत्रभ्रात्समन्वितौ । सात्यकि: केकयाश्रैव पाण्डवक्ष धनंजय:

Sañjaya said: Drupada and Virāṭa, accompanied by their sons and brothers, and Sātyaki, and the Kekayas as well, together with the Pāṇḍavas and Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)—all were present as the forces gathered in the midst of the war. The verse underscores the solidarity of allied kings and kinsmen who, bound by duty and loyalty, stand together in a conflict where righteousness and obligation are continually tested.

Verse 8

तथैव रथिन: सर्वे हस्त्यश्वचं यच्च किउचन

Sañjaya said: “Likewise, all the chariot-warriors, and whatever there was of elephants and horses—indeed, everything present—[were affected in the same manner].”

Verse 9

पदाताश्च रणे द्रोणं पातयन्तु महारथम्‌ । “इसी प्रकार हमारे समस्त रथी, हाथी-घोड़ोंकी जो कुछ भी सेना अवशिष्ट है वह और पैदल सैनिक--ये सभी रणभूमिमें महारथी द्रोणाचार्यको मार गिरावें” ।। तथा>ऊज्ञप्तास्तु ते सर्वे पाण्डवेन महात्मना

Sañjaya said: “Let the foot-soldiers in the battle bring down Droṇa, that great chariot-warrior.” Thus commanded by the high-souled son of Pāṇḍu, all of them set themselves to the task—what remained of the army, from chariot-fighters to infantry—seeking to fell Droṇācārya on the field. The verse underscores the grim wartime ethic of concentrating force against a pivotal commander, even when the target is a revered teacher, revealing the tension between strategic necessity and moral restraint.

Verse 10

आगच्छतस्तान्‌ सहसा सर्वोद्योगेन पाण्डवान्‌

Sañjaya said: “Those Pāṇḍavas, advancing suddenly and with full exertion and readiness, pressed forward in the heat of battle.”

Verse 11

ततो दुर्योधनो राजा सर्वोद्योगेन पाण्डवान्‌

Sañjaya said: Then King Duryodhana, exerting himself with every possible effort, set himself against the Pāṇḍavas—driven by the urgency of war and the determination to overcome them.

Verse 12

ततः प्रववृते युद्धे श्रान्‍्नवाहनसैनिकम्‌

Sañjaya said: Then, as the battle surged forward, the fighting spread through the ranks of weary soldiers and their mounts, drawing men and vehicles alike into the grinding press of war—an image of conflict that consumes not only warriors but also the very means that carry them.

Verse 13

निद्रान्धास्ते महाराज परिश्रान्ताश्न संयुगे

Sañjaya said: O great king, they were as though blinded by sleep, utterly exhausted amid the battle—overcome by fatigue in the very press of war.

Verse 14

त्रियामा रजनी चैषा घोररूपा भयानका

Sañjaya said: “This night, marked by three watches, has become dreadful in form—truly terrifying.”

Verse 15

वध्यतां च तथा तेषां क्षतानां च विशेषत:ः

Sañjaya said: “Let them be slain—and in particular, those among them who are already wounded.” The line conveys the hardening of resolve in battle, where compassion is eclipsed by tactical urgency and the ruthless logic of war.

Verse 16

सर्वे ह्यासन्‌ निरुत्साहा: क्षत्रिया दीनचेतस:

Sañjaya said: All those kṣatriya warriors had become dispirited, their hearts sunk in dejection—an ethical turning-point in the war where inner resolve collapses under the weight of fear, grief, and the perceived loss of righteous direction.

Verse 17

ते तदापारयन्तश्न हीमन्तश्ष विशेषत:

Sañjaya said: At that time they strove to carry it through to completion—especially with the onset of the cold season—pressing on with heightened effort amid the harsh conditions that attend the campaign of war.

Verse 18

अस्त्राण्यन्ये समुत्सृज्य निद्रान्धा: शेरते जना:

Sañjaya said: Others, casting aside their weapons, lie down like men blinded by sleep—overcome by exhaustion and heedless of the peril that still surrounds them. The line underscores how, in war, fatigue can eclipse vigilance and duty, leaving people vulnerable at the very moment when discernment is most needed.

Verse 19

निद्रान्धा नो बुबुधिरे काज्चिच्चेष्टां नराधिप

Sañjaya said: Blinded by sleep, our men did not awaken to any movement at all, O king—so the danger went unnoticed and no timely response arose.

Verse 20

स्वप्लायमानांस्त्वपरे परानतिविचेतस:,दूसरे सैनिक शत्रुओंको स्वप्नमें पड़कर अत्यन्त वेसुध हुए देख उन्हें मार बैठते थे। कुछ लोग उस महासमरमें निद्रान्ध होकर नाना प्रकारकी बातें कहते हुए कभी अपने-आपपर ही प्रहार कर बैठते थे, कभी अपने पक्षके ही लोगोंको मार डालते थे और कभी शत्रुओंका भी वध करते थे

Sañjaya said: Others, their minds utterly unsteady, saw enemies as if fallen into a dreamlike stupor and struck them down. In that vast battle some, blinded by sleep, babbled incoherently—at times wounding themselves, at times killing men of their own side, and at times slaying the foe. The scene reveals how war’s chaos and exhaustion erode discernment, turning violence indiscriminate and morally perilous.

Verse 21

आत्मानं समरे जघ्नु: स्वानेव च परानपि | नानावाचो विमुञ्चन्तो निद्रान्धास्ते महारणे,दूसरे सैनिक शत्रुओंको स्वप्नमें पड़कर अत्यन्त वेसुध हुए देख उन्हें मार बैठते थे। कुछ लोग उस महासमरमें निद्रान्ध होकर नाना प्रकारकी बातें कहते हुए कभी अपने-आपपर ही प्रहार कर बैठते थे, कभी अपने पक्षके ही लोगोंको मार डालते थे और कभी शत्रुओंका भी वध करते थे

Sañjaya said: In that great battle, blinded by sleep, they struck down even themselves—killing their own men as well as enemies. Babbling incoherently in many ways, they moved about in a stupor, dealing blows without discernment, so that self-harm and the slaying of friend and foe alike occurred amid the chaos.

Verse 22

अस्माकं च महाराज परेभ्यो बहवो जना: । योद्धव्यमिति तिष्ठन्तो निद्रासंरक्तलोचना:,महाराज! हमारे पक्षके भी बहुत-से सैनिक शत्रुओंके साथ युद्ध करना है, ऐसा समझकर खड़े थे, परंतु नींदसे उनकी आँखें लाल हो गयी थीं

Sañjaya said: “O King, many of our men too stood ready, convinced that they must fight the enemy; yet their eyes had turned red from lack of sleep.”

Verse 23

संसर्पन्तो रणे केचिचन्निद्रान्धास्ते तथा परान्‌ । जघ्नु: शूरा रणे शूरांस्तस्मिंस्तमसि दारुणे,कुछ शूरवीर निद्रान्ध होकर भी रणभूमिमें विचरते थे और उस दारुण अन्धकारमें शत्रुपक्षके शूरवीरोंका वध कर डालते थे

Sañjaya said: In that dreadful darkness, some warriors—blinded as though by sleep—still moved about the battlefield, and there they struck down the enemy’s heroes; thus, in the very press of war, heroes slew heroes. The scene underscores how, when discernment is eclipsed, violence can proceed almost mechanically, driven by momentum rather than clear moral sight.

Verse 24

हन्यमानमथात्मानं परेभ्यो बहवो जना: । नाभ्यजानन्त समरे निद्रया मोहिता भृूशम्‌,बहुत-से मनुष्य निद्रासे अत्यन्त मोहित हो जानेके कारण शत्रुओंकी ओरसे समरभूमिमें अपनेको जो मारनेकी चेष्टा होती थी, उसे समझ ही नहीं पाते थे

Sañjaya said: Many men, their senses heavily clouded by sleep, failed to recognize on the battlefield that the enemy was attempting to strike them down; thus, even as they were being attacked, they did not properly perceive the danger. The verse underscores how negligence and delusion in war can make one oblivious to immediate moral and physical peril.

Verse 25

तेषामेतादृशीं चेष्टां विज्ञाय पुरुषर्षभ: । उवाच वाक्यं बीभत्सुरुच्चै: संनादयन्‌ दिश:,उनकी ऐसी अवस्था जानकर पुरुषप्रवर अर्जुनने सम्पूर्ण दिशाओंको प्रतिध्वनित करते हुए उच्चस्वरसे इस प्रकार कहा--

Sañjaya said: Realizing the condition and movements of those warriors, Arjuna—the foremost among men—raised his voice so that it resounded through all directions, and spoke these words aloud. The moment frames Arjuna’s response as both strategic and morally charged: he does not speak casually, but with a deliberate proclamation meant to steady allies, confront adversaries, and assert resolve amid the turmoil of war.

Verse 26

श्रान्ता भवन्तो निद्रान्धा: सर्व एव सवाहना: । तमसा च वृते सैन्ये रजसा बहुलेन च,'सैनिको! तुम सब लोग अपने वाहनोंसहित थक गये हो और नींदसे अन्धे हो रहे हो। इधर यह सारी सेना घोर अन्धकार और बहुत-सी धूलसे ढक गयी है। अतः यदि तुम ठीक समझो तो युद्ध बंद कर दो और दो घड़ीतक इस रणभूमिमें ही सो लो

Sañjaya said: “All of you, together with your mounts and vehicles, are exhausted and blinded by sleep. And this entire host is shrouded in darkness and thick dust. In such a condition, if you judge it proper, cease the fighting and rest here on the battlefield for a short while.”

Verse 27

ते यूयं यदि मन्यध्वमुपारमत सैनिका: । निमीलयत चात्रैव रणभूमौ मुहूर्तकम्‌,'सैनिको! तुम सब लोग अपने वाहनोंसहित थक गये हो और नींदसे अन्धे हो रहे हो। इधर यह सारी सेना घोर अन्धकार और बहुत-सी धूलसे ढक गयी है। अतः यदि तुम ठीक समझो तो युद्ध बंद कर दो और दो घड़ीतक इस रणभूमिमें ही सो लो

Sañjaya said: “If you deem it proper, O soldiers, then cease the fighting. Close your eyes right here on the battlefield for a short while.” In the press of war—when fatigue, darkness, and dust overwhelm the senses—this counsel frames a brief pause not as cowardice but as a practical, humane restraint amid chaos.

Verse 28

ततो विनिद्रा विश्रान्ताश्रन्द्रमस्युदिते पुन: । संसाधयिष्यथान्योन्यं संग्रामं कुरुपाण्डवा:,“तत्पश्चात्‌ चन्द्रोदय होनेपर विश्राम करनेके अनन्तर निद्रारहित हो तुम समस्त कौरव- पाण्डव योद्धा परस्पर पूर्ववत्‌ संग्राम आरम्भ कर देना'

Sañjaya said: “Then, after resting—yet remaining wakeful—when the moon rises again, you Kurus and Pāṇḍavas will resume the battle against one another as before.” The verse underscores the grim normalisation of warfare: even rest is only an interval, and the conflict is treated as a duty-bound routine rather than a moment for reconciliation.

Verse 29

तद्‌ वच: सर्वधर्मज्ञा धार्मिकस्य विशाम्पते । अरोचयन्त सैन्यानि तथा चान्योन्यमब्रुवन्‌,प्रजानाथ! धर्मात्मा अर्जुनका यह वचन समस्त धर्मज्ञोंकोी ठीक लगा। सारी सेनाओंने उसे पसंद किया और सब लोग परस्पर यही बात कहने लगे

Sañjaya said: “O lord of the people, that statement of the righteous one was approved by those who understood dharma in all its aspects. The armies found it agreeable, and people began to say the same thing to one another.”

Verse 30

चुक्ुशु: कर्ण कर्णेति तथा दुर्योधनेति च । उपारमत पाण्डूनां विरता हि वरूथिनी,कौरव सैनिक 'हे कर्ण! हे कर्ण! हे राजा दुर्योधन!” इस प्रकार पुकारते हुए उच्चस्वरसे बोले--“आपलोग युद्ध बंद कर दें; क्योंकि पाण्डव-सेना युद्धसे विरत हो गयी है”

Sañjaya said: They cried aloud, “Karṇa! Karṇa!” and also, “O King Duryodhana!” Then they called out in a loud voice, “Cease the fighting, for the Pāṇḍava host has withdrawn from battle.” In the midst of slaughter, the call to halt reveals how quickly the tide of war can turn on perception—when one side seems to pause, the other seeks advantage or respite, and the moral weight of continuing violence becomes momentarily visible.

Verse 31

तथा विक्रोशमानस्य फाल्गुनस्य ततस्तत: । उपारमत पाण्डूनां सेना तव च भारत,भारत! जब अर्जुनने सब ओर इधर-उधर उच्चस्वरसे पूर्वोक्त प्रस्ताव उपस्थित किया, तब पाण्डवोंकी तथा आपकी सेना भी युद्धसे निवृत्त हो गयी

Sañjaya said: As Phālguna (Arjuna) kept crying out loudly in all directions, repeatedly pressing the matter he had just proclaimed, the armies of the Pāṇḍavas and yours, O Bhārata, also ceased from fighting. The moment underscores how a single warrior’s public challenge or declaration can impose a temporary restraint on collective violence, suspending battle through attention, fear, and moral pressure rather than through weapons alone.

Verse 32

तामस्य वाचं देवाशक्ष ऋषयश्नल महात्मन: । सर्वसैन्यानि चाक्षुद्रां प्रह्ृष्टा: प्रत्यपूजयन्‌,महात्मा अर्जुनके इस श्रेष्ठ वचनका सम्पूर्ण देवताओं, ऋषियों और समस्त सैनिकों ने बड़े हर्षके साथ स्वागत किया

Sañjaya said: The gods and the seers, and indeed all the armies, joyfully welcomed and honored that noble utterance of the great-souled man. In the midst of war, his words were received as a righteous and elevating resolve—one that strengthened morale and affirmed the ethical ground on which the struggle was being waged.

Verse 33

तत्‌ सम्पूज्य वचो5क्रूरं सर्वसैन्यानि भारत | मुहूर्तमस्वपन्‌ राजउश्रान्तानि भरतर्षभ,भरतवंशी नरेश! भरतकुलभूषण! अर्जुनके उस क्रूरताशून्य वचनका आदर करके थकी हुई सारी सेनाएँ दो घड़ीतक सोती रहीं

Sañjaya said: “O Bhārata, having duly honored that gentle, non-cruel utterance, all the armies—wearied by the strain—slept for a short while, O King, O bull among the Bharatas.”

Verse 34

सातु सम्प्राप्य विश्रामं ध्वजिनी तव भारत । सुखमाप्तवती वीरमर्जुनं प्रत्यपूजयत्‌,भारत! आपकी सेना विश्रामका अवसर पाकर सुखका अनुभव करने लगी। उसने वीर अर्जुनकी भूरि-भूरि प्रशंसा करते हुए कहा--

Sañjaya said: O Bhārata, when your army at last obtained a respite, it felt a measure of relief. In that pause, it spoke in praise of the heroic Arjuna and paid him honor—revealing how, even amid war, courage and excellence are publicly acknowledged and become a source of morale.

Verse 35

त्वयि वेदास्तथास्त्राणि त्वयि बुद्धिपराक्रमौ । धर्मस्त्वयि महाबाहो दया भूतेषु चानध,“महाबाहु निष्पाप अर्जुन! तुममें वेद तथा अस्त्रोंका ज्ञान है। तुममें बुद्धि और पराक्रम है तथा तुममें धर्म एवं सम्पूर्ण भूतोंके प्रति दया है

Sañjaya said: “In you reside the Vedas and the sciences of weapons; in you dwell both clear intelligence and heroic prowess. In you, O mighty-armed one, abides dharma, and also compassion toward all living beings, O sinless one.”

Verse 36

यच्चाश्वस्तास्तवेच्छाम: शर्म पार्थ तदस्तु ते । मनसश्ष प्रियानर्थान्‌ वीर क्षिप्रमवाप्रुहि,“कुन्तीनन्दन! हमलोग तुम्हारी प्रेरणासे सुस्ताकर सुखी हुए हैं; इसलिये तुम्हारा कल्याण चाहते हैं। तुम्हें सुख प्राप्त हो। वीर! तुम शीघ्र ही अपने मनको प्रिय लगनेवाले पदार्थ प्राप्त करो”

Sañjaya said: “Since we have been reassured and heartened by your resolve, O Pārtha, we desire your welfare. May peace and well-being be yours. O hero, quickly attain those aims and possessions that are dear to your heart.”

Verse 37

इति ते त॑ं नरव्याघ्र॑ प्रशंसन्‍्तो महारथा: । निद्रया समवाक्षिप्तास्तृष्णीमासन्‌ विशाम्पते,प्रजानाथ! इस प्रकार आपके महारथी नरश्रेष्ठ अर्जुनकी भूरि-भूरि प्रशंसा करते हुए निद्राके वशीभूत हो मौन हो गये

Sañjaya said: “Thus, O tiger among men, those great chariot-warriors, praising that foremost hero again and again, were overcome by sleep; and, O lord of the people, they fell silent.”

Verse 38

अश्वपृष्लेषु चाप्यन्ये रथनीडेषु चापरे । गजस्कन्धगताश्षान्ये शेरते चापरे क्षितौ,कुछ लोग घोड़ोंकी पीठोंपर, दूसरे रथोंकी बैठकोंमें, कुछ अन्य योद्धा हाथियोंपर तथा दूसरे बहुत-से सैनिक पृथ्वीपर ही सो रहे। कुछ लोग सभी प्रकारके आयुध लिये हुए थे। किन्हींके हाथोंमें गदाएँ थीं। कुछ लोग तलवार और फरसे लिये हुए थे तथा दूसरे बहुत-से मनुष्य प्रास और कवचसे सुशोभित थे। वे सभी अलग-अलग सो रहे थे

Sañjaya said: Some lay asleep upon the backs of horses, others in the chariot-seats; some had taken rest upon the shoulders of elephants, while many others slept directly on the earth. Thus, amid the machinery of war and its living mounts, the warriors—each in his own place—sank into sleep, a brief human pause within the relentless moral pressure of battle.

Verse 39

सायुधा: सगदाश्रैव सखड््‌गा: सपरकश्वधा: । सप्रासकवचाश्नान्ये नरा: सुप्ता: पृथक्‌ पृथक्‌,कुछ लोग घोड़ोंकी पीठोंपर, दूसरे रथोंकी बैठकोंमें, कुछ अन्य योद्धा हाथियोंपर तथा दूसरे बहुत-से सैनिक पृथ्वीपर ही सो रहे। कुछ लोग सभी प्रकारके आयुध लिये हुए थे। किन्हींके हाथोंमें गदाएँ थीं। कुछ लोग तलवार और फरसे लिये हुए थे तथा दूसरे बहुत-से मनुष्य प्रास और कवचसे सुशोभित थे। वे सभी अलग-अलग सो रहे थे

Sañjaya said: Some men lay asleep with their weapons at hand—some with maces, others with swords and battle-axes; and still others, adorned with spears and armor. Thus, in that war-camp, the warriors slept scattered apart, each in his own place—an image of an army outwardly prepared for violence, yet inwardly vulnerable in the unguarded state of sleep.

Verse 40

गजास्ते पन्नगा भोगैह्हस्तैर्भूरिणुगुण्ठितै: । निद्रान्धा वसुधां चक्रुर्प्राणनि:श्वासशीतलाम्‌,नींदसे अंधे हुए हाथी सर्पोंके समान धूलमें सनी हुई सूँड़ोंसे लंबी-लंबी साँसें छोड़कर इस वसुधाको शीतल करने लगे

Sañjaya said: Those elephants, their trunks coiled like the folds of serpents and thickly smeared with dust, were blinded by sleep; breathing out long, heavy breaths, they seemed to cool the very earth. The verse underscores the war’s exhaustion—life-force reduced to mere breath—hinting at the ethical cost of battle where even mighty creatures are driven into helpless fatigue.

Verse 41

सुप्ता: शुशुभिरे तत्र नि:श्वसनन्‍्तो महीतले । विकीर्णा गिरयो यद्वन्नि:श्वसद्धिर्महोरगै:,धरतीपर सोकर निःश्वास खींचते हुए गजराज ऐसे सुशोभित हो रहे थे, मानो पर्वत विखरे पड़े हों और उनमें रहनेवाले बड़े-बड़े सर्प लंबी साँसें छोड़ रहे हों

Sañjaya said: There, the elephants lay asleep upon the ground, their heavy breathing making them appear splendid—like scattered mountains, as though great serpents dwelling within them were exhaling long breaths. The image underscores the war’s aftermath: even mighty creatures are reduced to exhausted stillness, and the battlefield becomes a landscape of suffering rather than glory.

Verse 42

समां च विषमां चक्ु: खुराग्रैरविकृतां महीम्‌ । हया: काञ्चनयोक्त्रास्ते केसरालम्बिभियुगै:,सोनेकी बागडोरमें बँधे हुए घोड़े अपने गर्दनके बालोंपर रथके जूए लिये टापोंसे खोद- खोदकर समतल भूमिको भी विषम बना रहे थे

Sañjaya said: Those horses, harnessed with golden reins and bearing the yoke that hung upon their manes, kept striking and gouging the ground with the tips of their hooves—so that even level earth was churned into unevenness. The scene underscores the war’s relentless momentum: the very landscape is disturbed by the rush of armed power, hinting at how conflict deforms what is naturally stable.

Verse 43

सुषुपुस्तत्र राजेन्द्र युक्ता वाहेषु सर्वश: । एवं हयाश्ष नागाश्न योधाश्ष भरतर्षभ । युद्धाद्‌ विरम्य सुषुपु: श्रमेण महतान्विता

Sañjaya said: O king, there they slept—everywhere—still harnessed to their teams. Thus the horses, the elephants, and the warriors too, O bull of the Bharatas, having withdrawn from the fighting, fell asleep, overcome by great exhaustion. The verse underscores the human and animal cost of war: even without moral reflection, the body’s limits impose a forced pause, revealing how relentless conflict reduces all—fighters and beasts alike—to fatigue and vulnerability.

Verse 44

राजेन्द्र! वे रथोंमें जुते हुए ही चारों ओर सो गये। भरतश्रेष्ठ! इस प्रकार घोड़े, हाथी और सैनिक भारी थकावटसे युक्त होनेके कारण युद्धसे विरत हो सो गये ।। तत्‌ तथा निद्रया भग्नमबोध॑ प्रास्वपद्‌ भृशम्‌ । कुशलै: शिल्पिभिरन्न्यस्तं पटे चित्रमिवाद्भुतम्‌,इस प्रकार निद्रासे वेसुध हुआ वह सैन्यसमूह गहरी नींदमें सो रहा था। वह देखनेमें ऐसा जान पड़ता था, मानो किन्हीं कुशल कलाकारोंने पटपर अद्भुत चित्र अंकित कर दिया हो

Sañjaya said: O lord of kings, they lay down and slept on every side, even with their chariots still yoked. O best of the Bharatas, thus the horses, elephants, and soldiers—overcome by crushing fatigue—ceased from battle and fell asleep. In that way the host, broken by sleep and sunk in unawareness, slept profoundly; it looked like a wondrous picture painted on a cloth by skilled artists—an image that quietly exposes the human limits within the machinery of war.

Verse 45

ते क्षत्रिया: कुण्डलिनो युवान: परस्परं सायकविक्षताड्रा: । कुम्भेषु लीना: सुषुपुर्गजानां कुचेषु लग्ना इव कामिनीनाम्‌,वे कुण्डलधारी तरुण क्षत्रिय परस्पर सायकोंकी मारसे सम्पूर्ण अंगोंमें क्षत-विक्षत हो हाथियोंके कुम्भस्थलोंसे सटकर ऐसे सो रहे थे, मानो कामिनियोंके कुचोंका आलिंगन करके सोये हों

Sañjaya said: Those young kṣatriyas, wearing earrings, their bodies drenched and torn by one another’s arrows, lay asleep pressed against the temples of the elephants—clinging to them as though lovers resting in the embrace of women’s breasts. The verse paints the war’s grim intimacy: martial pride and youthful adornment end in helpless exhaustion, and the poet’s simile exposes how desire and violence can mirror each other in their clinging, bodily immediacy.

Verse 46

ततः कुमुदनाथेन कामिनीगण्डपाण्डुना । नेत्रानन्देन चन्द्रेण माहेन्द्री दिगलड्कृता,तत्पश्चात्‌ कामिनियोंके कपोलोंके समान श्वेत-पीतवर्णवाले नयनानन्ददायी कुमुदनाथ चन्द्रमाने पूर्व दिशाको सुशोभित किया

Sañjaya said: Then the eastern quarter—Indra’s own direction—was adorned by the moon, the lord of the kumuda-lotuses, whose pale radiance resembled the fair-yellow glow of a beloved woman’s cheek and whose light delighted the eyes. In the midst of war, the poet’s gaze briefly turns to the ordered beauty of the cosmos, suggesting that even amid human violence, nature continues its steady rhythm and offers a momentary, ethically charged contrast between serenity and slaughter.

Verse 47

दशशताक्षककुब्दरिनि:सृतः किरणकेसरभासुरपिज्जर: । तिमिरवारणयूथविदारण: समुदियादुदयाचलकेसरी,उदयाचलके शिखरपर चन्द्रमारूपी सिंहका उदय हुआ, जो पूर्व दिशारूपी कन्दरासे निकला था। वह किरणरूपी केसरोंसे प्रकाशित एवं पिंगलवर्णका था और अन्धकाररूपी गजराजोंके यूथको विदीर्ण कर रहा था

Sañjaya said: From the cave of the eastern quarter there rose the lion of the Udaya mountain—the moon—tawny and radiant with rays like a mane, tearing apart the herds of elephant-like darkness. In the midst of war’s dread, this image signals the return of clarity and hope, as light breaks the grip of confusion and fear.

Verse 48

हरवृषोत्तमगात्रसमद्युति: स्मरशरासनपूर्णसमप्रभ: । नववधूस्मितचारुमनोहर: प्रविसृत: कुमुदाकरबान्धव:,भगवान्‌ शंकरके वृषभ नन्दिकेश्वरके उत्तम अंगोंके समान जिसकी श्वेत कान्ति है, जो कामदेवके श्वेत पुष्पमय धनुषके समान पूर्णतः उज्ज्वल प्रभासे प्रकाशित होता है और नववधूकी मन्द मुसकानके सदृश सुन्दर एवं मनोहर जान पड़ता है; वह कुमुदकुल-बान्धव चन्द्रमा क्रमश: ऊपर उठकर आकाशमें अपनी चाँदनी छिटकाने लगा

Sañjaya said: The moon—white in radiance like the excellent limbs of Śiva’s bull, Nandikeśvara; blazing with a full, flawless splendor like Kāma’s bow of white flowers; and charming as the gentle smile of a newly-wed bride—rose gradually and began to spread its moonlight across the sky. In the midst of the war’s harshness, this serene image heightens the contrast between nature’s calm order and the human violence unfolding below.

Verse 49

ततो मुहूर्ताद्‌ भगवान्‌ पुरस्ताच्छशलक्षण: । अरुणं दर्शयामास ग्रसन्‌ ज्योति:प्रभा: प्रभु:,उस समय दो घड़ीके बाद शशचिह्नसे सुशोभित प्रभावशाली भगवान्‌ चन्द्रमाने अपनी ज्योत्स्नासे नक्षत्रोंकी प्रभाको क्षीण करते हुए पहले अरुण कान्तिका दर्शन कराया

Sañjaya said: Then, after a short while, the mighty Moon—marked with the hare emblem—rose in the eastern sky. As he spread his pale radiance, he seemed to swallow up the brilliance of the stars, and he revealed ahead the reddish glow of dawn. In the midst of war’s turmoil, the verse marks the turning of time itself, reminding that even violence is bounded by cosmic order and the inevitable passage from night to day.

Verse 50

अरुणस्य तु तस्यानु जातरूपसमप्रभम्‌ | रश्मिजालं महच्चन्द्रो मन्‍्दं मन्दमवासृजत्‌,अरुण कान्तिके पश्चात्‌ चन्द्रदेवने धीरे-धीरे सुवर्णके समान प्रभावाले विशाल किरण- जालका प्रसार आरम्भ किया

Sanjaya said: Following that Aruṇa, the great Moon began to release—slowly, little by little—a vast net of rays, shining with the splendor of molten gold. In the midst of war’s darkness, the gradual spreading of moonlight signals a measured return of visibility and steadiness, as if nature itself resumes its ordered course after turmoil.

Verse 51

उत्सारयन्तः प्रभया तमस्ते चन्द्ररश्मय: । पर्यगच्छन्‌ शनै: सर्वा दिश: खं च क्षितिं तथा,फिर वे चन्द्रमाकी किरणें अपनी प्रभासे अन्धकारका निवारण करती हुई शनैः-शनै:ः सम्पूर्ण दिशाओं, आकाश और भूमण्डलमें फैलने लगीं

Sañjaya said: The moonbeams, driving away the darkness with their radiance, slowly spread everywhere—through all directions, across the sky, and over the earth. In the midst of war, the return of light signals a renewed visibility of deeds and their consequences, as nature’s order continues even when human conduct is shaken by violence.

Verse 52

ततो मुहूर्ताद्‌ भुवनं ज्योतिर्भूतमिवाभवत्‌ । अप्रख्यमप्रकाशं च जगामाशु तमस्तथा,तदनन्तर एक ही मुहूर्तमें समस्त संसार ज्योतिर्मय-सा हो गया। अन्धकारका कहीं नाम भी नहीं रह गया। वह अदृश्यभावसे तत्काल कहीं चला गया

Sañjaya said: Then, within a single moment, the whole world seemed to turn into light itself. Darkness—no longer perceptible anywhere—vanished at once, as though it had slipped away into invisibility. In the midst of war, the verse underscores how swiftly the conditions of perception can change, reminding the listener that even overwhelming gloom can be dispelled in an instant by a higher, unaccountable turning of events.

Verse 53

अभिद्रवन्तु संहृष्टा: कुम्भयोनिं समन्ततः । “अतः हर्षमें भरकर रणभूमिमें द्रोणाचार्यपर धावा करो। तुम्हें किसी प्रकार भय नहीं होना चाहिये। जनमेजय, शिखण्डी तथा दुर्मुखपुत्र यशोधर--ये हर्ष और उत्साहमें भरकर चारों ओरसे द्रोणाचार्यपर धावा करें,प्रतिप्रकाशिते लोके दिवाभूते निशाकरे । विचेरुर्न विचेरुश्न॒ राजन्‌ नक्तज्चरास्तत: चन्द्रदेवके पूर्णतः प्रकाशित होनेपर जगत्में दिनका-सा उजाला हो गया। राजन्‌! उस समय रात्रिमें विचरनेवाले कुछ प्राणी विचरण करने लगे और कुछ जहाँ-के-तहाँ पड़े रहे

Sañjaya said: “Let them, filled with exhilaration, rush upon Kumbhayoni (Droṇa) from every side.” And when the moon lit up the world so brightly that the night seemed like day, O King, some nocturnal creatures began to move about, while others remained still where they were—an ominous sign amid the tumult of war.

Verse 54

बोध्यमान तु तत्‌ सैन्यं राजंश्रन्द्रस्य रश्मिभि: । बुबुधे शतपत्राणां वन॑ सूर्याशुभिर्यथा,नरेश्वर! चन्द्रमाकी किरणोंके स्पर्शसे सारी सेना उसी प्रकार जाग उठी, जैसे सूर्यरश्मियोंका स्पर्श पाकर कमलोंका समूह खिल उठता है

Sanjaya said: O king, as that army was being roused by the moons rays, it awakenedjust as a grove of lotuses opens when touched by the suns beams, O lord of men. The image suggests a natural, inevitable stirring: even amid war, the forces of time and circumstance awaken men to action, whether for righteous duty or for ruin.

Verse 55

यथा चन्द्रोदयोद्धूत: क्षुभितः सागरो5भवत्‌ | तथा चन्द्रोदयोद्धूत: स बभूव बलार्णव:,जैसे पूर्णिमाके चन्द्रमाका उदय होनेपर उससे प्रभावित होनेवाले महासागरमें ज्वार उठने लगता है, उसी प्रकार उस समय चन्द्रोदय होनेसे उस सारे सैन्य-समुद्रमें खलबली मच गयी

Sanjaya said: “Just as the ocean, stirred by the rising of the moon, swells into agitation, so too, at that moment, the vast ocean of armies—roused as though by moonrise—was thrown into tumult.”

Verse 56

ततः: प्रववृते युद्ध पुनरेव विशाम्पते । लोके लोकविनाशाय परं लोकमभीप्सताम्‌,प्रजानाथ! तदनन्तर इस जगतमें महान्‌ जनसंहारके लिये परलोककी इच्छा रखनेवाले योद्धाओंका वह युद्ध पुन: आरम्भ हो गया

Sañjaya said: Then, O lord of the people, the battle began once again—here in this world, bringing vast destruction upon the world, as those warriors who longed for the higher world pressed on, intent on winning the next life even at the cost of slaughter in this one.

Verse 73

अभिद्रवन्तु वेगेन कुम्भयोनिवधेप्सया । “नकुल, सहदेव, द्रौपदीके पाँचों पुत्र, प्रभद्रकगण, पुत्रों और भाइयोंसहित द्रुपद और विराट, सात्यकि, केकय तथा पाण्डुपुत्र अर्जुन-ये द्रोणाचार्यके वधकी इच्छासे वेगपूर्वक उनपर धावा बोल दें

Sañjaya said: “Let them charge forward with speed, driven by the desire to slay Kumbhayoni (Droṇa).” In the ethical tension of the war, the verse frames a coordinated assault not as mere fury but as a targeted resolve to remove a formidable teacher-warrior whose presence sustains the opposing army’s strength.

Verse 96

अभ्यद्रवन्त वेगेन कुम्भयोनिवधेप्सया । पाण्डुनन्दन महात्मा युधिष्ठिरके इस प्रकार आदेश देनेपर वे सब वीर द्रोणाचार्यके वधकी इच्छासे वेगपूर्वक उनपर टूट पड़े

Sañjaya said: Spurred on by Yudhiṣṭhira’s directive, the sons of Pāṇḍu—great-souled warriors—charged forward at speed, driven by the resolve to slay Droṇācārya (Kumbhayoni). The verse underscores how, in the heat of war, obedience to command and the pursuit of a strategic end can harden into a single-minded intent, raising the ethical tension between duty in battle and the gravity of targeting a revered teacher.

Verse 106

प्रतिजग्राह समरे द्रोण: शस्त्रभृतां वर: । उन समस्त पाण्डव-सैनिकोंको पूरे उद्योगके साथ सहसा आक्रमण करते देख शस्त्रधारियोंमें श्रेष्ठ द्रोणाचार्यने समरभूमिमें आगे बढ़कर उनका सामना किया

Sañjaya said: In the thick of battle, Droṇa—foremost among weapon-bearers—advanced and firmly met the onrush of the Pāṇḍava forces, who were attacking all at once with full exertion. The moment underscores the grim ethic of kṣatriya warfare: even amid overwhelming assault, a commander is bound to stand his ground and answer force with disciplined resistance.

Verse 116

अभ्यद्रवत्‌ सुसंक्रुद्ध इच्छन्‌ द्रोणस्प जीवितम्‌ । उस समय द्रोणाचार्यके जीवनकी रक्षा चाहते हुए राजा दुर्योधनने अत्यन्त कुपित हो पूरे प्रयत्नके साथ पाण्डवोंपर धावा किया

Sañjaya said: Burning with fierce anger, and intent on preserving Droṇa’s life, King Duryodhana charged at the Pāṇḍavas with all his might. The moment highlights how, amid the moral chaos of war, loyalty to one’s commander and factional duty can harden into wrathful aggression, eclipsing broader ethical restraint.

Verse 126

पाण्डवानां कुरूणां च गर्जतामितरेतरम्‌ । तदनन्तर एक-दूसरेको लक्ष्य करके गर्जते हुए पाण्डव तथा कौरव योद्धाओंमें पुन: युद्ध आरम्भ हो गया। वहाँ जितने वाहन और सैनिक थे, वे सभी थक गये थे

Sañjaya said: As the Pāṇḍavas and the Kurus roared at one another, fixing their aim upon each other, the battle began again. Yet on that field, all the mounts and all the soldiers present had grown weary—showing how relentless violence exhausts both men and means, even when pride and fury keep driving the conflict forward.

Verse 133

नाभ्यपद्यन्त समरे काज्चिच्चेष्टां महारथा: । महाराज! युद्धमें अत्यन्त थके हुए महारथी योद्धा निद्रासे अंधे हो रहे थे; अतः संग्राममें कोई चेष्टा नहीं कर पाते थे

Sañjaya said: In the thick of battle, the great chariot-warriors could not even attempt any action. Exhausted by prolonged fighting and overcome by drowsiness, their strength and alertness failed, and the combat momentarily lost its driving force. The scene underscores a moral truth of war: beyond strategy and valor, human limits—fatigue, confusion, and the dulling of discernment—can suspend even the mightiest from purposeful conduct.

Verse 146

सहस््रयामप्रतिमा बभूव प्राणहारिणी । यह तीन पहरकी रात उनके लिये सहसौरों प्रहरोंकी रात्रिके समान घोर, भयानक एवं प्राणहारिणी प्रतीत होती थी

Sañjaya said: That night, though only three watches long, felt to them like a night of thousands of watches—grim, terrifying, and as if it were stealing away life itself. In the moral atmosphere of the war, fear and exhaustion magnified time, and the mind’s torment became as deadly as weapons.

Verse 156

अर्धरात्रि: समाजज्ञे निद्रान्धानां विशेषत: । वहाँ बाणोंकी चोट सहते और विशेषत: क्षत-विक्षत होते हुए निद्रान्ध सैनिकोंकी आधी रात बीत गयी

Sañjaya said: In the deep of midnight—when men are least alert—time passed for those soldiers who, blinded by sleep, endured the blows of arrows and were grievously wounded. The scene underscores the harshness of war, where even the defenseless are not spared, and vigilance and restraint are tested amid chaos.

Verse 163

तव चैव परेषां च गतास्त्रा विगतेषव: । उस समय आपकी और शत्रुओंकी सेनाके समस्त क्षत्रिय उत्साहहीन एवं दीनचित्त हो गये थे; उनके हाथोंसे अस्त्र और बाण गिर गये थे

Sañjaya said: Both your warriors and those of the enemy, having lost their weapons and with their arrows spent, became dispirited and downcast—so that arms slipped from their hands. The verse underscores how, in war, morale and inner resolve can collapse as surely as physical resources, revealing the ethical tragedy of combat where human courage is exhausted and men are reduced to helplessness.

Verse 183

इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत द्रोणपर्वके अन्तर्गत घटोत्कचवधपर्वमें रात्रियुद्धके प्रसंगमें व्यासवाक्यविषयक एक सौ तिरासीवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ

Thus, in the Śrī Mahābhārata, within the Droṇa Parva—specifically in the section concerning the slaying of Ghaṭotkaca—during the episode of the night-battle, the one-hundred-and-eighty-third chapter, dealing with Vyāsa’s words, is concluded. This closing colophon frames the narrative as a morally charged wartime episode, emphasizing the gravity of nocturnal combat and the authoritative perspective attributed to Vyāsa.

Verse 184

इति श्रीमहाभारते द्रोणपर्वणि द्रोणवधपर्वणि रात्रियुद्धे सैन्यनिद्रायां चतुरशीत्यधिकशततमो<ध्याय:

Thus, in the Śrī Mahābhārata, within the Droṇa Parva—specifically in the section on the slaying of Droṇa—this concludes the one-hundred-and-eighty-fourth chapter, concerning the night-battle and the army’s sleep. The colophon signals a transition in the narrative: after the intensity of nocturnal warfare, the text marks the moment when exhaustion and vulnerability overtake the forces, foreshadowing the ethical and strategic consequences that arise when vigilance fails amid war.

Verse 186

रथेष्वन्ये गजेष्वन्ये हयेष्वन्ये च भारत । भारत! दूसरे बहुत-से सैनिक अपने अस्त्र-शस्त्र छोड़कर नींदसे अन्धे होकर सो रहे थे। कुछ लोग रथोंपर, कुछ हाथियोंपर और कुछ लोग घोड़ोंपर ही सो गये थे

Sañjaya said: “O Bhārata, some were on chariots, some on elephants, and some on horses.” In context, the scene conveys an army overcome by fatigue and heedlessness—warriors, having set aside vigilance and even their weapons, fall into sleep, exposing how exhaustion and negligence in battle can become an ethical and strategic vulnerability.

Verse 193

तानन्ये समरे योधा: प्रेषयन्तो यमक्षयम्‌ | नरेश्वर! नींदसे बेसुध होनेके कारण वे किसी भी चेष्टाको समझ नहीं पाते थे और उन्हें दूसरे योद्धा समरांगणमें यमलोक भेज देते थे

Sañjaya said: In that battle, other warriors, striking them down, were sending those men to Yama’s imperishable realm. O king, because they were overcome by sleep and had become senseless, they could not comprehend any movement or countermeasure; thus they were dispatched from the field by opposing fighters. The passage underscores the grim ethics of war: negligence and loss of awareness in combat swiftly become the cause of death, and the battlefield shows little mercy to the unprepared.

Verse 1736

स्वधर्ममनुपश्यन्तो न जहु: स्वामनीकिनीम्‌ । वे उस समय अच्छी तरह युद्ध नहीं कर पा रहे थे, तो भी विशेषत: लज्जाशील होनेके कारण अपने धर्मपर दृष्टि रखते हुए अपनी सेना छोड़कर जा न सके

Sanjaya said: Keeping their own duty in view, they did not abandon their own army. Though at that time they were not able to fight effectively, yet—being especially restrained by a sense of shame and honor—they could not bring themselves to leave their ranks.