Adhyaya 25

Verse 1

अफ्-#-रात पञ्चविशो< ध्याय: अर्जुन और भीमसेनद्वारा कौरवोंकी रथसेना एवं गजसेनाका संहार, अश्चवृत्थामा आदिके द्वारा दुर्योधनकी खोज, कौरवसेनाका पलायन तथा सात्यकिद्वारा संजयका पकड़ा जाना संजय उवाच पश्यतां यतमानानां शूराणामनिवर्तिनाम्‌ । संकल्पमकरोन्मोघं गाण्डीवेन धनंजय:,संजय कहते हैं--महाराज! यद्यपि कौरवयोद्धा युद्धसे पीछे न हटनेवाले शूरवीर थे और विजयके लिये पूरा प्रयत्न कर रहे थे तो भी उनके देखते-देखते अर्जुनने गाण्डीव धनुषसे उनके संकल्पको व्यर्थ कर दिया

Sañjaya said: O King, even as those heroes—striving with all their might and refusing to turn back—looked on, Dhanañjaya (Arjuna) made their resolve come to nothing with the Gāṇḍīva bow. The verse underscores how mere determination in war, when yoked to an unrighteous cause, can be rendered futile by superior skill aligned with a juster purpose.

Verse 2

इन्द्राशनिसमस्पर्शानविषह्मान्‌ू महौजस: । विसृजन्‌ दृश्यते बाणान्‌ धारा मुज्चन्निवाम्बुद:,जैसे बादल पानीकी धारा गिराता है, उसी प्रकार वे बाणोंकी वर्षा करते दिखायी देते थे। उन बाणोंका स्पर्श इन्द्रके वज्ोकी भाँति कठोर था। वे बाण असहा एवं महान्‌ शक्तिशाली थे

Verse 3

तत्‌ सैन्यं भरतश्रेष्ठ वध्यमानं किरीटिना । सम्प्रदुद्राव संग्रामात्‌ तव पुत्रस्य पश्यत:,भरतश्रेष्ठ! किरीटधारी अर्जुनकी मार खाकर वह बची हुई सेना आपके पुत्रके देखते- देखते रणभूमिसे भाग चली

Sañjaya said: O best of the Bharatas, that army—being cut down by the diademed warrior (Arjuna)—broke and fled from the battlefield, even as your son looked on. The scene underscores how, when leadership falters and fear overtakes discipline, a force collapses despite its numbers, and the moral weight of the war is felt in the helpless witnessing of defeat.

Verse 4

पितृन्‌ भ्रातृन्‌ परित्यज्य वयस्यानपि चापरे । हतधुर्या रथा: केचिद्धतसूतास्तथा परे,कुछ लोग अपने पिता और भाइयोंको छोड़कर भागे तो दूसरे लोग मित्रोंको। कितने ही रथोंके घोड़े मारे गये थे और कितनोंके सारथि

Sañjaya said: Some, abandoning their fathers and brothers, fled; others even left their companions. Of the chariots, some had their yokes and teams struck down, and others had their charioteers slain—so the battle-field was filled with panic, disarray, and the collapse of martial order.

Verse 5

भग्नाक्षयुगचक्रेषा: केचिदासन्‌ विशाम्पते | अन्येषां सायका: क्षीणास्तथान्ये बाणपीडिता:

Sañjaya said: O lord of the people, some warriors found their chariots crippled—axles, yokes, and wheels shattered. Others had exhausted their missiles, and still others were wracked with pain from arrow-wounds. The scene shows the war’s grinding attrition, where prowess is tested not only by valor but by endurance amid mounting loss and suffering.

Verse 6

प्रजानाथ! किन्‍्हींके रथोंके जूए, धुरे, पहिये और हरसे भी टूट गये थे, दूसरे योद्धाओंके बाण नष्ट हो गये और अन्य योद्धा अर्जुनके बाणोंसे पीड़ित हो गये थे ।। अक्षता युगपत्‌ केचित्‌ प्राद्रवनू भयपीडिता: । केचित्‌ पुत्रानुपादाय हतभूयिष्ठबान्धवा:,कुछ लोग घायल न होनेपर भी भयसे पीड़ित हो एक साथ ही भागने लगे और कुछ लोग अधिकांश बन्धु-बान्धवोंके मारे जानेपर पुत्रोंकोी साथ लेकर भागे

Sañjaya said: O lord of men, in that turmoil some warriors found the yokes, axles, wheels, and other fittings of their chariots shattered; others had their arrows spent or destroyed; and still others were wracked by Arjuna’s shafts. Though unhurt, some fled all at once, driven by fear; and some—having lost most of their kinsmen—ran off taking their sons with them. The scene shows how, when the supports of war (weapons, vehicles, comrades, and courage) collapse, even the able abandon the field, and the instinct to protect one’s lineage overrides the warrior’s resolve.

Verse 7

विचुक्रुशुः पितृंस्त्वन्ये सहायानपरे पुनः । बान्धवांश्व नरव्याप्र भ्रातृन्‌ सम्बन्धिनस्तथा,नरव्याप्र! कोई पिताको पुकारते थे, कोई सहायकोंको। प्रजानाथ! कुछ लोग अपने भाई-बन्धुओं और सगे-सम्बन्धियोंको जहाँ-के-तहाँ छोड़कर भाग गये। बहुत-से महारथी पार्थके बाणोंसे अत्यन्त घायल हो मूर्च्छित हो रहे थे

Sañjaya said: Some cried out for their fathers, while others called for their comrades. O tiger among men, they also called for their kinsmen—brothers and other relations. In the chaos of battle, many, abandoning their own people where they lay, fled; and many great chariot-warriors, grievously wounded by Pārtha’s arrows, were falling into swoons. The scene lays bare how war shatters ordinary bonds of duty and affection, as fear and confusion overwhelm even the mighty.

Verse 8

दुद्रुवु: केचिदुत्सृज्य तत्र तत्र विशाम्पते । बहवोऊत्र भृशं विद्धा मुहामाना महारथा:,नरव्याप्र! कोई पिताको पुकारते थे, कोई सहायकोंको। प्रजानाथ! कुछ लोग अपने भाई-बन्धुओं और सगे-सम्बन्धियोंको जहाँ-के-तहाँ छोड़कर भाग गये। बहुत-से महारथी पार्थके बाणोंसे अत्यन्त घायल हो मूर्च्छित हो रहे थे

Sañjaya said: O lord of the people, some fled in panic, abandoning their posts here and there. Many great chariot-warriors, grievously pierced, were losing consciousness—overwhelmed by the shock of Arjuna’s arrows. The scene exposes how, when fear and pain overtake the mind, even the mighty can forget duty and scatter, leaving comrades behind.

Verse 9

निःश्वसन्ति सम दृश्यन्ते पार्थबाणहता नरा: । तानन्ये रथमारोप्य ह्वाश्वास्य च मुहूर्तकम्‌

Sañjaya said: The men struck down by Arjuna’s arrows were seen lying there, breathing hard and faintly. Others lifted those wounded warriors onto chariots and, after giving them water and a brief moment to recover, tried to revive them for a short while—an image of war’s relentless churn, where compassion appears only in hurried intervals amid continuing violence.

Verse 10

तानपास्य गता: केचित्‌ पुनरेव युयुत्सव:

Sañjaya said: Casting them aside, some withdrew; yet others, still eager to fight, returned again. The line underscores the wavering of resolve in war—some abandon the field when overwhelmed, while others, driven by duty, pride, or desperation, re-enter the struggle.

Verse 11

कुर्वन्तस्तव पुत्रस्य शासन युद्धदुर्मदा: । रणभूमिमें उन्‍्मत्त होकर लड़नेवाले कितने ही युद्धाभिलाषी योद्धा उन घायलोंको वैसे ही छोड़कर आपके पुत्रकी आज्ञाका पालन करते हुए पुनः युद्धके लिये चल देते थे || १०६ || पानीयमपरे पीत्वा पर्याश्वास्य च वाहनम्‌,पुत्रानन्ये पितृनन्ये पुनर्युद्धभरोचयन्‌ । भरतश्रेष्ठ! दूसरे लोग स्वयं पानी पीकर घोड़ोंकी भी थकावट दूर करते। उसके बाद कवच धारण करके लड़नेके लिये जाते थे। अन्य बहुत-से सैनिक अपने घायल बन्धुओं, पुत्रों और पिताओंको आश्वासन दे उन्हें शिविरमें रख आते। उसके बाद युद्धमें मन लगाते थे

Sañjaya said: “Intoxicated by the frenzy of battle, your son’s men carried out his command. Many warriors, eager for combat, fought on the field as if mad; leaving the wounded just as they were, they obeyed your son’s order and moved again toward battle. Others drank water and let their mounts recover; then, taking up their gear, they returned to fight. Many soldiers reassured their injured kinsmen—sons and fathers—left them in the camp, and then set their minds once more on the burden of war.”

Verse 12

वर्माणि च समारोप्य केचिद्‌ भरतसत्तम | समाश्चास्यापरे भ्रातृन्‌ निक्षिप्य शिबिरेडपि च

Sañjaya said: “O best of the Bharatas, some of them put on their armor; others, having gathered up their brothers, laid them down even within the camp.”

Verse 13

सज्जयित्वा रथान्‌ केचिद्‌ यथामुख्यं विशाम्पते

Sañjaya said: “O lord of the people, some, after duly making the chariots ready, arranged them according to rank and precedence.”

Verse 14

आप्लुत्य पाण्डवानीकं पुनर्युद्धमरोचयन्‌ । प्रजानाथ! कुछ लोग अपने रथकी रणसामग्रीसे सुसज्जित करके पाण्डव-सेनापर चढ़ आते और अपनी प्रधानताके अनुसार किसी श्रेष्ठ वीरके साथ जूझना पसंद करते थे ।। ते शूरा: किड्किणीजालै: समाच्छज्ना बभासिरे

Sañjaya said: Having surged upon the Pāṇḍava host, they again chose battle. Those heroes, their chariots outfitted with martial equipment and adorned with nets of tinkling bells, shone forth—each seeking, according to his rank and prowess, to engage a foremost warrior. The passage underscores the renewed resolve for combat and the warrior-code impulse to seek worthy opponents, even as the war’s momentum drives men back into violence.

Verse 15

त्रैलोक्यविजये युक्ता यथा दैतेयदानवा: । वे शूरवीर कौरव-सैनिक रथमें लगे हुए किंकिणी-समूहसे आच्छादित हो तीनों लोकोंपर विजय पानेके लिये उद्यत हुए दैत्यों और दानवोंके समान सुशोभित होते थे ।। आगम्य सहसा केचिद्‌ रथै: स्वर्णविभूषितै:

Sañjaya said: The heroic Kaurava soldiers, their chariots covered with clusters of tinkling bells, looked splendid—like Daityas and Dānavas poised to conquer the three worlds. And suddenly, some of them came forward in chariots adorned with gold.

Verse 16

पाण्डवानामनीकेषु धृष्टद्युम्मनमयो धयन्‌ । कुछ लोग अपने सुवर्णभूषित रथोंके द्वारा सहसा आकर पाण्डवसेनाओंमें धृष्टद्युम्नके साथ युद्ध करने लगे ।। धृष्टद्युम्नोडपि पाञज्चाल्य: शिखण्डी च महारथ:

Sañjaya said: In the battle-formations of the Pāṇḍavas, some warriors, suddenly rushing in with their chariots adorned in gold, began to fight alongside (and against) Dhṛṣṭadyumna amid the Pāṇḍava ranks. Dhṛṣṭadyumna of the Pāñcālas, and Śikhaṇḍin too—both great chariot-warriors—were engaged in that fierce clash. The scene underscores how, in war, valor and strategy surge forward at once, and leaders are tested by sudden assaults within the press of armies.

Verse 17

पाज्चाल्यस्तु ततः क्रुद्ध: सैन्येन महता55वृत:

Sañjaya said: Then the Pāñcālya, enraged, stood surrounded by a great host of troops—his anger and the massing of forces signaling how wrath in war quickly gathers support and escalates into wider violence.

Verse 18

ततस्त्वापततस्तस्य तव पुत्रो जनाधिप

Sañjaya said: “Then, as he rushed upon him in attack, your son, O lord of men, …” (The line sets the battlefield scene: the prince’s impetuous charge is framed as a decisive moment in the unfolding moral and strategic consequences of war.)

Verse 19

बाणसंघाननेकान्‌ वै प्रेषयामास भारत । नरेश्वर! भरतनन्दन! उस समय आपके पुत्रने आक्रमण करनेवाले धृष्टद्युम्मपर बहुत-से बाणसमूहोंका प्रहार किया ।। धृष्टद्युम्नस्ततो राजंस्तव पुत्रेण धन्विना,अश्वांश्व चतुरो हत्वा बाह्दोरुरसि चार्पित: । राजन्‌! आपके धनुर्धर पुत्रने बहुत-से नाराच, अर्ध-नाराच, शीघ्रकारी वत्सदन्‍त और कारीगरद्वारा साफ किये हुए बाणोंसे धृष्टद्युम्नके चारों घोड़ोंको मारकर उनकी दोनों भुजाओं और छातीमें भी चोट पहुँचायी

Sañjaya said: O Bhārata, O lord of men, O delight of the Bharatas—at that time your son launched many volleys of arrows, striking at the advancing Dhṛṣṭadyumna. Then, O king, your bowman son slew Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s four horses and also drove arrows into his arms and chest. The scene underscores the grim ethic of battlefield duty: prowess is measured by precision and resolve, yet every gain is purchased through injury and loss, tightening the moral weight of the war upon both sides.

Verse 20

नाराचैरर्धनाराचैर्बहुभि: क्षिप्रकारिभि: । वत्सदन्तैश्न बाणैश्ल कर्मारपरिमार्जिति:

Sañjaya said: “With many swift-acting arrows—nārācas and half-nārācas—and with ‘calf-tooth’ shafts, all carefully polished by the smith, the warriors pressed the fight forward.”

Verse 21

दुर्योधनके प्रहारसे अत्यन्त घायल हुए महाथधनुर्धर धृष्टद्युम्न अंकुशसे पीड़ित हुए हाथीके समान कुपित हो उठे और उन्होंने अपने बाणोंद्वारा उसके चारों घोड़ोंको मौतके हवाले कर दिया तथा एक भल्लसे उसके सारथिका भी सिर धड़से काट लिया

Sanjaya said: Struck hard by Duryodhana, the great archer Dhrishtadyumna—though grievously wounded—flared up in wrath like an elephant tormented by the goad. With his arrows he sent Duryodhana’s four horses to their death, and with a single broad-headed shaft he severed the charioteer’s head from the body. The passage underscores how, in the moral chaos of war, injury and anger can swiftly escalate violence, drawing even renowned warriors into ruthless retaliation.

Verse 22

तस्याश्चांश्वतुरो बाणै: प्रेषयामास मृत्यवे । सारथेश्षास्यथ भल्‍लेन शिर: कायादपाहरत्‌,दुर्योधनके प्रहारसे अत्यन्त घायल हुए महाथधनुर्धर धृष्टद्युम्न अंकुशसे पीड़ित हुए हाथीके समान कुपित हो उठे और उन्होंने अपने बाणोंद्वारा उसके चारों घोड़ोंको मौतके हवाले कर दिया तथा एक भल्लसे उसके सारथिका भी सिर धड़से काट लिया

Sanjaya said: Enraged like an elephant tormented by the goad, the mighty bowman Dhrishtadyumna—grievously wounded by Duryodhana’s assault—sent his opponent’s four horses to death with his arrows, and with a broad-headed shaft he also severed the charioteer’s head from the body. The episode underscores how, in the fury of battle, skill and retaliation escalate violence, shifting the focus from restraint to the immediate demands of survival and victory.

Verse 23

ततो दुर्योधनो राजा पृष्ठमारुह्म वाजिन: । अपाक्रामद्धतरथो नातिदूरमरिंदम:,इस प्रकार रथके नष्ट हो जानेपर शत्रुदमन राजा दुर्योधन एक घोड़ेकी पीठपर सवार हो वहाँसे कुछ दूर हट गया

Sañjaya said: Then King Duryodhana—his chariot destroyed—mounted the back of a horse and withdrew from that spot, not going very far. The moment marks a tactical retreat amid the chaos of battle, showing how even a proud ruler must yield to circumstance when his means of fighting are lost.

Verse 24

दृष्टवा तु हतविक्रान्तं स्‍्वमनीक॑ महाबल: । तव पुत्रो महाराज प्रययौ यत्र सौबल:,महाराज! अपनी सेनाका पराक्रम नष्ट हुआ देख आपका महाबली पुत्र दुर्योधन वहीं चला गया, जहाँ सुबलपुत्र शकुनि खड़ा था

Sañjaya said: Seeing his own battle-array robbed of its former prowess, your mighty son, O King, went to the place where Saubala (Śakuni) was standing. The verse underscores a moment of strategic retreat and counsel-seeking: when force falters, the leader turns toward the architect of policy and intrigue, revealing the Kaurava dependence on calculated advice rather than steadfast dharmic resolve.

Verse 25

ततो रथेषु भग्नेषु त्रिसाहस््रा महाद्विपा: । पाण्डवान्‌ रथिन: सर्वान्‌ समन्तात्‌ पर्यवारयन्‌,वे धृष्टद्यम्मका सामना करना छोड़कर जहाँ शकुनि था, वहाँ चले गये। वर्तमान नरसंहारमें राजा दुर्योधनको न देखनेके कारण वे उद्विग्न हो उठे थे ।। इति श्रीमहा भारते शल्यपर्वणि दुर्योधनापयाने पठचरविंशो5ध्याय:

Sanjaya said: Then, when the chariots had been shattered, three thousand great war-elephants surrounded all the Pandava chariot-warriors on every side. The scene underscores the brutal mechanics of battle: when mobility and protection (the chariot) fail, massed force closes in to isolate and overwhelm even the foremost fighters, turning the field into a tightening ring of violence rather than a contest of single champions.

Verse 26

रथसेनाके भंग हो जानेपर तीन हजार विशालकाय गजराजोंने समस्त पाण्डवरथियोंको चारों ओरसे घेर लिया ।। ते वृताः समरे पजच गजानीकेन भारत । अशोभनत महाराज ग्रहा व्याप्ता घनैरिव,भरतनन्दन! महाराज! समरांगणमें गजसेनासे घिरे हुए पाँचों पाण्डव मेघोंसे आवृत हुए पाँच ग्रहोंके समान शोभा पाते थे

Sanjaya said: When the chariot-host had been broken, three thousand massive lordly elephants surrounded all the Pandava chariot-warriors on every side. Thus enclosed in battle by an elephant-corps, O Bharata, the five Pandavas appeared, O King, like five planets veiled by dense clouds. The image underscores the grim pressure of war: even the righteous are not spared encirclement, yet their steadfastness shines through the obscuring storm of violence and fate.

Verse 27

ततोडर्जुनो महाराज लब्धलक्ष्यो महाभुज: । विनिर्ययौ रथेनैव श्वेताश्वः कृष्णसारथि:,राजेन्द्र! तब भगवान्‌ श्रीकृष्ण जिनके सारथि हैं, वे श्वेतवाहन महाबाहु अर्जुन अपने बाणोंका लक्ष्य पाकर रथके द्वारा आगे बढ़े

Sañjaya said: Then, O king, mighty-armed Arjuna—his aim now secured—drove forward in his chariot. His horses were white, and Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa himself served as his charioteer, underscoring that Arjuna’s martial resolve moved in concert with divine guidance amid the demands of war.

Verse 28

तैः समन्तात्‌ परिवृत: कुज्जरै: पर्वतोपमै: । नाराचैविंमलैस्तीक्ष्ग्णजानीकमयोधयत्‌,उन्हें चारों ओरसे पर्वताकार हाथियोंने घेर रखा था। वे तीखी धारवाले निर्मल नाराचोंद्वारा उस गजसेनाके साथ युद्ध करने लगे

Sañjaya said: Surrounded on every side by elephant-warriors towering like mountains, he fought back against that elephant corps, striking with spotless, razor-sharp nārāca arrows. The scene underscores the relentless pressure of battle and the warrior’s resolve to meet overwhelming force with disciplined skill rather than panic.

Verse 29

तत्रैकबाणनिहतानपश्याम महागजान्‌ । पतितान्‌ पात्यमानांश्व निर्भिनज्नान्‌ सव्यसाचिना,वहाँ हमने देखा कि सव्यसाची अर्जुके एक ही बाणकी चोट खाकर बड़े-बड़े हाथियोंके शरीर विदीर्ण होकर गिर गये हैं और लगातार गिराये जा रहे हैं

Sañjaya said: “There we saw mighty elephants struck down by a single arrow—some already fallen, others being continually brought down—while their bodies were torn open by Savyasācin (Arjuna).” The verse underscores the terrifying efficiency of martial skill on the battlefield, where power and life are undone in an instant, reminding the listener of war’s grave moral weight even when fought in the name of duty.

Verse 30

भीमसेनस्तु तान्‌ दृष्टवा नागान्‌ मत्तगजोपम: । करेणादाय महतीं गदाम भ्यपतद्‌ बली

Sañjaya said: Seeing those mighty warriors—likened to elephants in their force—Bhīmasena, himself like an intoxicated elephant in battle-fury, seized a massive mace in his hand and charged forward with irresistible strength. The verse highlights the surge of martial resolve in the midst of war, where personal valor and disciplined aggression are turned toward the immediate demands of duty on the battlefield.

Verse 31

अथाप्लुत्य रथात्‌ तूर्ण दण्डपाणिरिवान्तक: । मतवाले हाथीके समान पराक्रमी बलवान्‌ भीमसेन उन गजराजोंको आते देख तुरंत ही रथसे कूदकर हाथमें विशाल गदा लिये दण्डधारी यमराजके समान उनपर टूट पड़े ।। ३०३ || तमुद्यतगदं दृष्टवा पाण्डवानां महारथम्‌

Sañjaya said: Then Bhīmasena—mighty in strength and prowess, like a rut-maddened elephant—leapt swiftly down from his chariot. Grasping a huge mace in his hand, he rushed upon those lordly elephants like Death himself bearing the rod of punishment. Seeing that great chariot-warrior of the Pāṇḍavas with mace upraised…

Verse 32

आविग्नं च बल॑ सर्व गदाहस्ते वृकोदरे,भीमसेनके गदा हाथमें लेते ही सारी कौरवसेना उद्दविग्न हो उठी। हमने देखा, भीमसेनकी गदासे उन धूलिधूसर पर्वताकार हाथियोंके कुम्भस्थल फट गये हैं और वे इधर- उधर भाग रहे हैं

Sanjaya said: When Vṛkodara took the mace in his hand, the entire Kaurava host became alarmed. We saw that, struck by Bhīmasena’s mace, the frontal globes of those dust-covered, mountain-like elephants were split open, and the beasts fled in all directions. The scene underscores how a single warrior’s resolute force can shatter even the mightiest instruments of war, turning pride and massed power into panic.

Verse 33

गदया भीमसेनेन भिन्नकुम्भान्‌ रजस्वलान्‌ । धावमानानपश्याम कुग्जरान्‌ पर्वतोपमान्‌,भीमसेनके गदा हाथमें लेते ही सारी कौरवसेना उद्दविग्न हो उठी। हमने देखा, भीमसेनकी गदासे उन धूलिधूसर पर्वताकार हाथियोंके कुम्भस्थल फट गये हैं और वे इधर- उधर भाग रहे हैं

Sanjaya said: We saw elephant-warriors, huge as mountains, their temples split open by Bhimasena’s mace—dust-smeared and bleeding—fleeing in panic as they ran. The scene shows how overwhelming force on the battlefield shatters even the mightiest mounts, spreading fear through the ranks and turning proud strength into desperate flight.

Verse 34

प्राद्रवन्‌ कुज्जरास्ते तु भीमसेनगदाहता: । पेतुरार्तस्वरं कृत्वा छिन्नपक्षा इवाद्रय:,भीमसेनकी गदासे घायल हो वे हाथी भाग चले और आर्तनाद करके पंख कटे हुए पर्वतोंके समान पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़े

Sañjaya said: Those elephants, struck by Bhīmasena’s mace, fled in panic; then, crying out in distress, they collapsed upon the earth like mountains whose wings have been cut off. The verse underscores the terrible momentum of war, where even the mightiest creatures are reduced to helplessness by overwhelming force.

Verse 35

प्रभिन्नकुम्भांस्तु बहून्‌ द्रवरमाणानितस्तत: । पतमानांश्व सम्प्रेक्ष्य वित्रेसुस्तव सैनिका:,कुम्भस्थल फट जानेके कारण इधर-उधर भागते और गिरते हुए बहुत-से हाथियोंको देखकर आपके सैनिक संत्रस्त हो उठे

Sañjaya said: Seeing many elephants with their temples split open, fleeing in all directions and collapsing as they ran, your soldiers were seized with terror. The sight of maddened war-elephants breaking formation and falling became a moral shock to the ranks, signaling how violence rebounds upon its own side and how fear spreads through an army when control is lost.

Verse 36

युधिष्ठिरो5पि संक्रुद्धो माद्रीपुत्रौ च पाण्डवौ । गार्ध्रपत्रै:शितैर्बाणैरनिन्युवैं यमसादनम्‌,युधिष्ठिर तथा माद्रीकुमार पाण्डुपुत्र नकुल-सहदेव भी अत्यन्त कुपित हो गीधकी पाँखोंसे युक्त पैने बाणोंद्वारा उन हाथियोंको यमलोक भेजने लगे

Sañjaya said: Yudhiṣṭhira too, inflamed with anger, and the two Pāṇḍava sons of Mādrī (Nakula and Sahadeva), with sharp arrows fletched with vulture-feathers, began sending their foes to the abode of Yama. The verse underscores how even the ordinarily dharma-minded are swept into the fierce necessities of battle, where righteous intent coexists with lethal action.

Verse 37

धृष्टद्युम्नस्तु समरे पराजित्य नराधिपम्‌ | अपक्रान्ते तव सुते हयपृष्ठं समाश्रिते,पुत्र: पाउ्चालराजस्य जिधघांसु: कुञज्जरान्‌ ययौ | उधर धृष्टद्युम्नने समरांगणमें राजा दुर्योधनको पराजित कर दिया था। महाराज! जब आपका पुत्र घोड़ेकी पीठपर सवार हो वहाँसे भाग गया, तब समस्त पाण्डवोंको हाथियोंसे घिरा हुआ देखकर धृष्टद्युम्नने सहसा उस गजसेनापर धावा किया। पांचालराजके पुत्र धृष्टद्यम्न उन हाथियोंको मार डालनेके लिये वहाँसे चल दिये

Sañjaya said: In the battle, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, having defeated the king (Duryodhana), saw your son retreating, taking refuge upon the back of a horse. Then the son of the king of Pāñcāla, intent on slaying the elephants, swiftly advanced against that elephant-force. The episode underscores the relentless momentum of war: once a commander breaks and withdraws, the opposing leader presses the advantage, directing his fury toward the most threatening arm of the enemy—here, the elephant corps—without pause or hesitation.

Verse 38

दृष्टवा च पाण्डवान्‌ सर्वान्‌ कुछ्जरै: परिवारितान्‌ | धृष्टद्युम्नो महाराज सहसा समुपाद्रवत्‌

Sañjaya said: Seeing all the Pāṇḍavas surrounded by elephants, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, O King, at once rushed forward—impelled by urgency in battle and the duty to protect his side amid the press of war.

Verse 39

अदृष्टवा तु रथानीके दुर्योधनमरिंदमम्‌

Sañjaya said: But when they did not see Duryodhana—the tamer of foes—within the battle-array of chariots, a grave unease arose, for in war the absence of the leader signals disorder, shaken morale, and the ethical peril of an army driven more by fear and impulse than by disciplined duty.

Verse 40

अश्वत्थामा कृपश्चैव कृतवर्मा च सात्वत: । अपृच्छन क्षत्रियांस्तत्र क्व नु दुर्योधनो गत:

Sañjaya said: Aśvatthāmā, Kṛpa, and Kṛtavarmā of the Sātvata line questioned the kṣatriya warriors there, asking, “Where indeed has Duryodhana gone?” In the confusion after the day’s violence, their inquiry reflects the urgent search for their leader and the dependence of a war-band on its chief—an ethical reminder of how attachment to power and faction can drive men to seek a commander even when righteousness has already been gravely compromised.

Verse 41

इधर रथसेनामें शत्रुदमन दुर्योधनको न देखकर अश्व॒त्थामा, कृपाचार्य और सात्वतवंशी कृतवर्माने समस्त क्षत्रियोंसे पूछा--“राजा दुर्योधन कहाँ चले गये? ।। तेड5पश्यमाना राजानं वर्तमाने जनक्षये । मन्वाना निहतं तत्र तव पुत्र महारथा:

Sañjaya said: Not seeing Duryodhana—subduer of foes—there in the chariot-host, Aśvatthāmā, Kr̥pa the preceptor, and Kr̥tavarmā of the Sātvata line questioned all the kṣatriyas: “Where has King Duryodhana gone?” As they could not find the king amid the ongoing slaughter of men, those great chariot-warriors began to suspect that your son had been slain there.

Verse 42

आहुः केचिद्धते सूते प्रयातो यत्र सौबल:

Sañjaya said: Some reported that, once the charioteer had been slain, the son of Subala (Śakuni) departed for the place where he had gone—signaling the confusion of reports and the shifting loyalties and movements that follow a leader’s fall in war.

Verse 43

अपरे त्वब्रुव॑स्तत्र क्षत्रिया भृशविक्षता:,दूसरे अत्यन्त घायल हुए क्षत्रिय वहाँ इस प्रकार कहने लगे--“अरे! दुर्योधनसे यहाँ क्या काम है? यदि वे जीवित होंगे तो तुम सब लोग उन्हें देख ही लोगे। इस समय तो सब लोग एक साथ होकर केवल युद्ध करो। राजा तुम्हारी क्या (सहायता) करेंगे”

Verse 44

दुर्योधनेन कि कार्य द्रक्ष्यध्वं यदि जीवति । युद्धयध्वं सहिता: सर्वे कि वो राजा करिष्यति,दूसरे अत्यन्त घायल हुए क्षत्रिय वहाँ इस प्रकार कहने लगे--“अरे! दुर्योधनसे यहाँ क्या काम है? यदि वे जीवित होंगे तो तुम सब लोग उन्हें देख ही लोगे। इस समय तो सब लोग एक साथ होकर केवल युद्ध करो। राजा तुम्हारी क्या (सहायता) करेंगे”

Sañjaya said: “What use is Duryodhana here? If he is still alive, you will see him soon enough. For now, all of you—united—fight on. What help can your king render you (in this moment)?”

Verse 45

ते क्षत्रिया: क्षतैगत्रिहत भूयिष्ठवाहना: । शरै: सम्पीड्यमानास्तु नातिव्यक्तमथाब्रुवन्‌,वहाँ जो क्षत्रिय युद्ध कर रहे थे, उनके अधिकांश वाहन नष्ट हो गये थे। शरीर क्षत- विक्षत हो रहे थे। वे बाणोंसे पीड़ित होकर कुछ अस्पष्ट वाणीमें बोले--“हमलोग जिससे घिरे हैं, इस सारी सेनाको मार डालें। ये सारे पाण्डव गजसेनाका संहार करके हमारे समीप चले आ रहे हैं'

Sañjaya said: Those kṣatriyas— their limbs torn and wounded, and with most of their mounts and vehicles destroyed—were being hard-pressed by arrows. In voices not clearly articulated, they spoke: “Let us cut down this entire force that has surrounded us. All the Pāṇḍavas, having slaughtered the elephant-corps, are now advancing close upon us.”

Verse 46

इदं सर्व बल॑ हन्मो येन सम परिवारिता: । एते सर्वे गजान्‌ हत्वा उपयान्ति सम पाण्डवा:,वहाँ जो क्षत्रिय युद्ध कर रहे थे, उनके अधिकांश वाहन नष्ट हो गये थे। शरीर क्षत- विक्षत हो रहे थे। वे बाणोंसे पीड़ित होकर कुछ अस्पष्ट वाणीमें बोले--“हमलोग जिससे घिरे हैं, इस सारी सेनाको मार डालें। ये सारे पाण्डव गजसेनाका संहार करके हमारे समीप चले आ रहे हैं'

Sañjaya said: “Let us strike down this entire host by which we are surrounded. For the Pāṇḍavas, having slaughtered all the elephants, are now advancing toward us.” In the press of battle, the cry reflects both panic and resolve: the warriors, hemmed in and seeing their elephant-corps destroyed, urge a desperate counterattack to break encirclement and preserve their side’s remaining strength.

Verse 47

श्रुत्वा तु वचन तेषामश्चत्थामा महाबल: । भित्त्वा पाउ्चालराजस्य तदनीकं दुरुत्सहम्‌,उनकी बात सुनकर महाबली अअश्वत्थामा, कृपाचार्य और कृतवर्मा-ये सभी दृढ़ धनुर्धर शूरवीर पांचालराजकी उस दु:सह सेनाका व्यूह तोड़कर, रथसेनाका परित्याग करके जहाँ शकुनि था, वहीं जा पहुँचे

Verse 48

कृपश्च कृतवर्मा च प्रययौ यत्र सौबल: । रथानीकं परित्यज्य शूरा: सुदृढ्धन्विन:,उनकी बात सुनकर महाबली अअश्वत्थामा, कृपाचार्य और कृतवर्मा-ये सभी दृढ़ धनुर्धर शूरवीर पांचालराजकी उस दु:सह सेनाका व्यूह तोड़कर, रथसेनाका परित्याग करके जहाँ शकुनि था, वहीं जा पहुँचे

Sañjaya said: Kṛpa and Kṛtavarmā, those heroic warriors of unbending bows, abandoned the chariot-division and went to the place where Saubala (Śakuni) was. In the flow of battle, this movement signals a tactical withdrawal from one formation to regroup with a key leader—an act driven by war-necessity rather than personal glory, reflecting the grim pragmatism that increasingly governs conduct in the late stages of the war.

Verse 49

ततस्तेषु प्रयातेषु धृष्टद्युम्नपुरस्कृता: । आययु: पाण्डवा राजन्‌ विनिध्नन्त: सम तावकम्‌

Sañjaya said: When those warriors had moved off, the Pāṇḍavas—led in the van by Dhṛṣṭadyumna—advanced, O King, striking down your forces. The verse underscores the relentless momentum of battle: leadership at the front inspires coordinated action, and the ethical tension of war remains implicit as victory is pursued through necessary violence within the accepted code of the battlefield.

Verse 50

राजन्‌! उन सबके आगे बढ़ जानेपर धृष्टद्युम्म आदि पाण्डव आपकी सेनाका संहार करते हुए वहाँ आ पहुँचे ।। दृष्टवा तु तानापततः सम्प्रहृष्टानू महारथान्‌ । पराक्रान्तास्ततो वीरा निराशा जीविते तदा,हर्ष और उत्साहमें भरे हुए उन महारथियोंको आक्रमण करते देख आपके पराक्रमी वीर उस समय जीवनसे निराश हो गये

Sañjaya said: “O King, after those warriors had surged ahead, Dhṛṣṭadyumna and the other Pāṇḍavas arrived there, cutting down your army. Seeing those great chariot-fighters rushing in—exultant and aflame with zeal—your valiant men, despite their prowess, at that moment lost hope of life.”

Verse 51

विवर्णमुख भूयिष्ठम भवत्‌ तावकं बलम्‌ । परिक्षीणायुधान्‌ दृष्टवा तानहं परिवारितान्‌,आपकी सेनाके अधिकांश योद्धाओंका मुख उदास हो गया। उन सबके आयुध नष्ट हो गये थे और वे चारों ओरसे घिर गये थे। राजन! उन सबकी वैसी अवस्था देख मैं जीवनका मोह छोड़कर अन्य चार महारथियोंको साथ ले हाथी और घोड़े दो अंगोंवाली सेनासे मिलकर धृष्टद्युम्नकी सेनाके साथ युद्ध करने लगा

Sañjaya said: Most of your army became downcast, their faces drained of color. Seeing them with their weapons spent and hemmed in on every side, I—casting off attachment to life—joined with four other great chariot-warriors and, together with the elephant-and-horse divisions, engaged in battle against the forces led by Dhṛṣṭadyumna. The scene underscores how despair and encirclement can break an army’s morale, yet also how warriors, bound by their chosen allegiance and duty, press on even when survival seems unlikely.

Verse 52

राजन्‌ बलेन द्वयड्रेन त्यक्त्वा जीवितमात्मन: । आत्मना पज्चमो<्युद्धयं पाउ्चालस्य बलेन ह,आपकी सेनाके अधिकांश योद्धाओंका मुख उदास हो गया। उन सबके आयुध नष्ट हो गये थे और वे चारों ओरसे घिर गये थे। राजन! उन सबकी वैसी अवस्था देख मैं जीवनका मोह छोड़कर अन्य चार महारथियोंको साथ ले हाथी और घोड़े दो अंगोंवाली सेनासे मिलकर धृष्टद्युम्नकी सेनाके साथ युद्ध करने लगा

Sañjaya said: O King, having cast aside concern for my own life, I—together with four other great chariot-warriors as the fifth—joined battle against the Pāñcāla host, even though our force was only two-limbed (elephants and horses). Seeing most of your warriors downcast, their weapons destroyed and themselves surrounded on all sides, I entered the fight with a resolve that placed duty and loyalty above self-preservation.

Verse 53

तस्मिन्‌ देशे व्यवस्थाय यत्र शारद्वतः स्थित: । सम्प्रद्रुता वयं पजच किरीटिशरपीडिता:,मैं उसी स्थानमें स्थित होकर युद्ध कर रहा था, जहाँ कृपाचार्य मौजूद थे; परंतु किरीटधारी अर्जुनके बाणोंसे पीड़ित होकर हम पाँचों वहाँसे भागकर महाभयंकर धष्टद्युम्नके पास जा पहुँचे। वहाँ उनके साथ हमलोगोंका बड़ा भारी युद्ध हुआ। उन्होंने हम सबको परास्त कर दिया। तब हम वहाँसे भी भाग निकले

Sañjaya said: Stationed in that very sector of the field where Śāradvata (Kṛpa) was posted, we five fought on; but, tormented by the arrows of the diademed Arjuna, we fled from there. Driven by fear, we reached the exceedingly formidable Dhṛṣṭadyumna; and there a fierce engagement took place. He overcame us all, and we were forced to withdraw again. The passage underscores how prowess and righteous resolve on the battlefield can break even seasoned warriors, and how fear and retreat become moral and strategic realities amid the pressures of war.

Verse 54

धृष्टय्युम्नं महारौद्रं तत्र नो5 भूदू रणो महान्‌ । जितास्तेन वयं सर्वे व्यपयाम रणात्‌ तत:,मैं उसी स्थानमें स्थित होकर युद्ध कर रहा था, जहाँ कृपाचार्य मौजूद थे; परंतु किरीटधारी अर्जुनके बाणोंसे पीड़ित होकर हम पाँचों वहाँसे भागकर महाभयंकर धष्टद्युम्नके पास जा पहुँचे। वहाँ उनके साथ हमलोगोंका बड़ा भारी युद्ध हुआ। उन्होंने हम सबको परास्त कर दिया। तब हम वहाँसे भी भाग निकले

Sañjaya said: “With the fiercely formidable Dhṛṣṭadyumna, a great battle then arose for us. He overcame all of us, and thereafter we withdrew from that fight.”

Verse 55

अथापश्यं॑ सात्यकिं तमुपायान्तं महारथम्‌ । रथैश्नतुःशतैर्वीरों मामभ्यद्रवदाहवे,इतनेमें ही मैंने महारथी सात्यकिको अपने पास आते देखा। वीर सात्यकिने युद्धस्थलमें चार सौ रथियोंके साथ मुझपर धावा किया

Sañjaya said: “Just then I saw that great chariot-warrior Sātyaki approaching. That heroic fighter, accompanied by four hundred chariot-warriors, charged straight at me on the battlefield.”

Verse 56

धृष्टद्युम्नादहं मुक्त: कथंचिच्छान्तवाहनात्‌ । पतितो माधवानीकं दुष्कृती नरकं॑ यथा,थके हुए वाहनोंवाले धृष्टद्युम्नसे किसी प्रकार छूटा तो मैं सात्यकिकी सेनामें आ फँसा; जैसे कोई पापी नरकमें गिर गया हो

Sañjaya said: Somehow I slipped free from Dhṛṣṭadyumna, whose mounts were spent and weary; but then I fell into the army of Mādhava—like a sinner plunging into hell. The line underscores the moral terror of battle: escape from one peril only to be seized by a greater, inescapable consequence, as though one’s own misdeeds had ripened into punishment.

Verse 57

तत्र युद्धम भूद्‌ घोरं मुहूर्तमतिदारुणम्‌ । सात्यकिस्तु महाबाहुर्मम हत्वा परिच्छदम्‌

Sañjaya said: “There, the battle became terrifying—exceedingly dreadful for a brief while. Then Sātyaki, the mighty-armed warrior, having struck down my protective covering (my armour and accoutrements), pressed the attack.”

Verse 58

ततो मुहूर्तादिव तद्‌ गजानीकमवध्यत

Sañjaya said: Then, as though within a mere moment, that elephant-corps was struck down and rendered ineffective—an image of how swiftly massed power collapses when met by decisive force in the chaos of war.

Verse 59

गदया भीमसेनेन नाराचैरर्जुनेन च । तदनन्तर दो ही घड़ीमें भीमसेनने गदासे और अर्जुनने नाराचोंसे उस गज-सेनाका संहार कर डाला ।। अभिपिष्टमहानागै: समन्तात्‌ पर्वतोपमै:

Sañjaya said: With his mace Bhīmasena, and with his iron arrows Arjuna, in the very next short while, utterly destroyed that elephant-corps. All around, huge elephants—mountain-like in bulk—were crushed and trampled, as the battle’s violence surged without restraint.

Verse 60

नातिप्रसिद्धेव गति: पाण्डवानामजायत । चारों ओर पर्वताकार विशालकाय हाथी पड़े थे, जो भीमसेन और अर्जुनके आघातोंसे पिस गये थे। उनके कारण पाण्डवोंका आगे बढ़ना अत्यन्त दुष्कर हो गया था ।। रथमार्ग ततश्षुक्रे भीमसेनो महाबल:

Sañjaya said: The Pāṇḍavas’ advance became as though uncertain and obstructed. All around lay huge, mountain-like elephants, crushed under the blows of Bhīmasena and Arjuna; because of them, moving forward became exceedingly difficult. Then the mighty Bhīmasena cleared a path for the chariots.

Verse 61

पाण्डवानां महाराज व्यपाकर्षन्महागजान्‌ । महाराज! तब महाबली भीमसेनने बड़े-बड़े हाथियोंको खींचकर हटाया और पाण्डवोंके लिये रथ जानेका मार्ग बनाया ।। ६० ह || अश्वत्थामा कृपश्चैव कृतवर्मा च सात्वत:,इधर अअश्वत्थामा, कृपाचार्य और सात्वतवंशी कृतवर्मा--ये रथ-सेनामें आपके महारथी पुत्र शत्रुदमन राजा दुर्योधनको न देखकर उसकी खोज करने लगे

Sañjaya said: “O King, the mighty Bhīmasena dragged away the great elephants that were obstructing the Pāṇḍavas, clearing a passage so their chariots could move forward. Meanwhile, Aśvatthāmā, Kṛpa, and Kṛtavarmā of the Sātvata line, not seeing your great chariot-warrior son—King Duryodhana, the subduer of foes—among the chariot forces, began searching for him.”

Verse 62

अपश्यन्तो रथानीके दुर्योधनमरिंदमम्‌ । राजानं मृगयामासुस्तव पुत्र महारथम्‌,इधर अअश्वत्थामा, कृपाचार्य और सात्वतवंशी कृतवर्मा--ये रथ-सेनामें आपके महारथी पुत्र शत्रुदमन राजा दुर्योधनको न देखकर उसकी खोज करने लगे

Sañjaya said: Not seeing Duryodhana—the king, the mighty subduer of foes—within the massed chariot-formations, your great chariot-warriors began to search for your son. In the moral haze of war, the verse underscores how the army’s cohesion and purpose hinge upon the visible presence of its leader, and how anxiety and disorder arise when that leadership is suddenly absent.

Verse 63

परित्यज्य च पाज्चाल्यं प्रयाता यत्र सौबल: । राज्ञो5दर्शनसंविग्ना वर्तमाने जनक्षये

Sañjaya said: Leaving behind the Pāñcāla prince, she went to where Saubala was. Distressed at the king’s disappearance, and with the slaughter of men continuing all around, she moved in anxious haste.

Verse 96

विश्रान्ताश्व वितृष्णाश्ष पुनर्युद्धाय जम्मिरे । अर्जुनके बाणोंसे आहत हो कितने ही मनुष्य रणभूमिमें ही पड़े-पड़े उच्छवास लेते दिखायी देते थे। उन्हें दूसरे लोग अपने रथपर बिठाकर घड़ी-दो-बड़ी आश्वासन दे स्वयं भी विश्राम करके प्यास बुझाकर पुनः युद्धके लिये जाते थे

Verse 163

नाकुलिस्तु शतानीको रथानीकमयोधयन्‌ । पांचालराजपुत्र धृष्टद्युम्न, महारथी शिखण्डी और नकुलपुत्र शतानीक--ये आपकी रथसेनाके साथ युद्ध कर रहे थे

Sanjaya said: Nakula’s son Śatānīka was engaging the chariot-division in battle. Along with him, Dhṛṣṭadyumna—the son of the king of the Pāñcālas—and the great chariot-warrior Śikhaṇḍī were fighting against your chariot forces. The narration underscores the organized, duty-bound clash of named champions and divisions, where each side presses its appointed role in the war’s grim order.

Verse 173

अभ्यद्रवत्‌ सुसंक्रुद्धस्तावकान्‌ हन्तुमुद्यतः | तदनन्तर आपके सैनिकोंका वध करनेके लिये उद्यत हो विशाल सेनासे घिरे हुए धृष्टद्युम्नने अत्यन्त क्रोधपूर्वक आक्रमण किया

Sañjaya said: Burning with fierce anger and intent on slaying your warriors, he charged forward. Thereafter, Dhṛṣṭadyumna—surrounded by a vast host—launched an assault with extreme wrath, driving the battle onward in the grim momentum of war where resolve and retribution eclipse restraint.

Verse 203

अश्वांश्व चतुरो हत्वा बाह्दोरुरसि चार्पित: । राजन्‌! आपके धनुर्धर पुत्रने बहुत-से नाराच, अर्ध-नाराच, शीघ्रकारी वत्सदन्‍त और कारीगरद्वारा साफ किये हुए बाणोंसे धृष्टद्युम्नके चारों घोड़ोंको मारकर उनकी दोनों भुजाओं और छातीमें भी चोट पहुँचायी

Sanjaya said: O King, your bowman son, loosing many iron-headed arrows—full-length and half-length shafts, swift-flying ‘calf-tooth’ points, and expertly polished missiles—slew the four horses of Dhrishtadyumna and also struck his arms and chest. The scene underscores the ruthless precision of battlefield skill, where tactical advantage is pursued even as the moral weight of violence accumulates.

Verse 231

सो5तिविद्धो महेष्वासस्तोत्रार्दित इव द्विप:

Sañjaya said: Though a mighty archer, he was struck through and through, reeling like an elephant tormented by the goad—an image that underscores how, in war, even the strongest are brought low when violence pierces body and resolve alike.

Verse 316

वित्रेसुस्तावका: सैन्या: शकृन्मूत्रे च सुखु॒वुः पाण्डव-महारथी भीमसेनको गदा उठाये देख आपके सैनिक भयसे थर्रा उठे और मल- मूत्र करने लगे

Sanjaya said: Seeing Bhimasena—the great chariot-warrior of the Pandavas—raise his mace, your troops were struck with panic. Overwhelmed by fear, they trembled and even lost control of themselves, voiding excrement and urine. The scene underscores how terror can collapse discipline and dignity in war when confronted by overwhelming force.

Verse 386

पुत्र: पाउ्चालराजस्य जिधघांसु: कुञज्जरान्‌ ययौ | उधर धृष्टद्युम्नने समरांगणमें राजा दुर्योधनको पराजित कर दिया था। महाराज! जब आपका पुत्र घोड़ेकी पीठपर सवार हो वहाँसे भाग गया, तब समस्त पाण्डवोंको हाथियोंसे घिरा हुआ देखकर धृष्टद्युम्नने सहसा उस गजसेनापर धावा किया। पांचालराजके पुत्र धृष्टद्यम्न उन हाथियोंको मार डालनेके लिये वहाँसे चल दिये

Sanjaya said: The son of the king of the Pāñcālas, intent on slaying the elephants, advanced against them. In the unfolding of the battle, seeing the Pāṇḍavas hemmed in by an elephant-corps after Duryodhana had fled on horseback, Dhṛṣṭadyumna swiftly charged that elephant formation—an act driven by the warrior’s duty to protect allies and break an oppressive encirclement.

Verse 413

विवर्णवदना भूत्वा पर्यपृच्छन्त ते सुतम्‌ वर्तमान जनसंहारमें राजाको न देखकर वे महारथी आपके पुत्रको मारा गया मान बैठे और मुँह उदास करके सबसे आपके पुत्रका पता पूछने लगे

Sañjaya said: Their faces grew pale and downcast. In the midst of the ongoing slaughter of men, not seeing the king, those great chariot-warriors assumed that your son had been slain. With sorrowful expressions, they began asking everywhere for news of your son. The verse underscores how, in war’s confusion, fear and inference quickly harden into belief, and grief spreads even before certainty is known.

Verse 423

हित्वा पाड्चालराजस्य तदनीकं दुरुत्सहम्‌ | कुछ लोगोंने कहा--'सारथिके मारे जानेपर पांचालराजकी उस दुःसह सेनाको त्यागकर राजा दुर्योधन वहीं गये हैं, जहाँ शकुनि हैं”

Sañjaya said: Abandoning the formidable battle-array of the King of the Pāñcālas, some reported that King Duryodhana—after his charioteer had been slain—withdrew from that hard-pressed front and went to where Śakuni was. The line underscores how, amid the moral chaos of war, leadership decisions are shaped by fear, counsel, and shifting alliances rather than steadfast adherence to duty.

Verse 573

जीवग्राहमगृलह्नान्मां मूर्च्छितं पतितं भुवि । वहाँ दो घड़ीतक बड़ा भयंकर एवं घोर युद्ध हुआ। महाबाहु सात्यकिने मेरी सारी युद्धसामग्री नष्ट कर दी और जब मैं मूर्च्छित होकर पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़ा, तब मुझे जीवित ही पकड़ लिया

Sañjaya said: “They seized me alive—taking me as a living captive—when I had fainted and fallen upon the earth. For a while a dreadful and fierce battle raged there; the mighty-armed Sātyaki destroyed all my implements of war, and when I collapsed senseless to the ground, he captured me without killing me.”

Verse 1263

पुत्रानन्ये पितृनन्ये पुनर्युद्धभरोचयन्‌ । भरतश्रेष्ठ! दूसरे लोग स्वयं पानी पीकर घोड़ोंकी भी थकावट दूर करते। उसके बाद कवच धारण करके लड़नेके लिये जाते थे। अन्य बहुत-से सैनिक अपने घायल बन्धुओं, पुत्रों और पिताओंको आश्वासन दे उन्हें शिविरमें रख आते। उसके बाद युद्धमें मन लगाते थे

Sanjaya said: “O best of the Bharatas, some men turned their attention again to the burden of battle—some thinking of their sons, others of their fathers. Others, after drinking water themselves, also relieved the weariness of their horses; then, donning their armor, they went forth to fight. Many soldiers, having comforted their wounded kinsmen—brothers, sons, and fathers—left them safely in the camp, and only then fixed their minds upon the battle.”