[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Epic, Poetry, Drama & Narrative](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit) › [The Mahābhārata and its versions](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata) › [The Great Epic of the Bhārata dynasty](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa) › 9.3 # The Great Epic of the Bhārata dynasty 9.3: tṛtīyo'dhyāyaḥ Mahābhārata 9.3 - **Language:** Sanskrit ### tṛtīyo'dhyāyaḥ ### [9.3.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.1) saṃjaya uvāca | śṛṇu rājannavahito yathā vṛtto mahānkṣayaḥ | kurūṇāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ ca samāsādya parasparam || 1 || > "Sanjaya said, 'Hear, O king, with attention, how that great carnage of the Kurus and the Pandavas occurred when they encountered each other. After the Suta's son had been slain by the illustrious son of Pandu, and after thy troops had been repeatedly rallied and had repeatedly fled away, and after a terrible carnage had taken place, O foremost of men, of human beings in battle subsequent to Karna's death, Partha began to utter leonine roars. At that time a great fear entered the hearts of thy sons. Indeed, after Karna's death, there was no warrior in thy army who could set his heart upon rallying the troops or displaying his prowess. They then looked like ship-wrecked merchants on the fathomless ocean without a raft to save themselves. When their protector was slain by the diadem-decked Arjuna, they were like persons on the wide sea desirous of reaching some shore of safety. Indeed, O king, after the slaughter of the Suta's son, thy troops, struck with panic and mangled with arrows, were like unprotected men desirous of a protector or like a herd of deer afflicted by a lion. Vanquished by Savyasaci, they retired in the evening like bulls with broken horns or snakes shorn of their fangs. Their foremost of heroes slain, themselves thrown into confusion and mangled with keen arrows, thy sons, O king, upon the slaughter of the Suta's son, fled away in fear. Deprived of weapons and coats of mail, all of them lost their senses and knew not in which direction to fly. > — Kisari Mohan Ganguli 1883, The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa > 3 > > "Sanjaya said, 'Hear, O king, with attention, how that great carnage of the Kurus and the Pandavas occurred when they encountered each other. After the Suta's son had been slain by the illustrious son of Pandu, and after thy troops had been repeatedly rallied and had repeatedly fled away, and after a terrible carnage had taken place, O foremost of men, of human beings in battle subsequent to Karna's death, Partha began to utter leonine roars. At that time a great fear entered the hearts of thy sons. Indeed, after Karna's death, there was no warrior in thy army who could set his heart upon rallying the troops or displaying his prowess. They then looked like ship-wrecked merchants on the fathomless ocean without a raft to save themselves. When their protector was slain by the diadem-decked Arjuna, they were like persons on the wide sea desirous of reaching some shore of safety. Indeed, O king, after the slaughter of the Suta's son, thy troops, struck with panic and mangled with arrows, were like unprotected men desirous of a protector or like a herd of deer afflicted by a lion. Vanquished by Savyasaci, they retired in the evening like bulls with broken horns or snakes shorn of their fangs. Their foremost of heroes slain, themselves thrown into confusion and mangled with keen arrows, thy sons, O king, upon the slaughter of the Suta's son, fled away in fear. Deprived of weapons and coats of mail, all of them lost their senses and knew not in which direction to fly. > > Casting their eyes on all sides in fear, many of them began to slaughter one another. Many fell down or became pale, thinking, "It is me whom Vibhatsu is pursuing!" "It is me whom Vrikodara is pursuing!" Some riding on fleet steeds, some on fleet cars, and some on fleet elephants, many great car-warriors fled away from fear, abandoning the foot-soldiers. Cars were broken by elephants, horsemen were crushed by great car-warriors, and bands of foot-soldiers were smashed and slain by bodies of horses as these fled away from the field. After the fall of the Suta's son, thy troops became like stragglers from a caravan in a forest abounding with robbers and beasts of prey. Some elephants whose riders had been slain, and others whose trunks had been cut off, afflicted with fear, beheld the whole world to be full of Partha. Beholding his troops flying away afflicted with the fear of Bhimasena Duryodhana then, with cries of "Oh!" and "Alas!" addressed his driver, saying, "If I take up my post at the rear of the army, armed with my bow, Partha then will never be able to transgress me. Urge the steeds, therefore, with speed. When I will put forth my valour in battle, Dhananjaya the son of Kunti will not venture to transgress me like the ocean never venturing to transgress its continents. > > Today, slaying Arjuna with Govinda, and the proud Vrikodara, and the rest of my foes, I will free myself from the debt I owe to Karna." Hearing these words of the Kuru king, so becoming a hero and an honourable man, his driver slowly urged those steeds adorned with trappings of gold. At that time many brave warriors deprived of elephants and steeds and cars, and 25,000 foot-soldiers, O sire, proceeded slowly (for battle). Then Bhimasena, filled with wrath, and Dhrishtadyumna the son of Prishata, encompassing those troops with the assistance of four kinds of forces, destroyed them with shafts. All of them fought vigorously with Bhima and Prishata's son. Many amongst them challenged the two Pandava heroes, mentioning their names. Surrounded by them in battle, Bhima became enraged with them. Quickly descending from his car, he began to fight, armed with his mace. Relying on the might of his own arms, Vrikodara the son of Kunti, who was on his car, observant of the rules of fair fight, did not fight with those foes who were on the ground. Armed then with that heavy mace of his that was made entirely of iron and adorned with gold and equipped with a sling, and that resembled the Destroyer himself as he becomes at the end of Yuga, Bhima slew them all like Yama slaughtering creatures with his club. > > Those foot-soldiers, excited with great rage, having lost their friends and kinsmen, were prepared to throw away their lives, and rushed in that battle towards Bhima like insects towards a blazing fire. Indeed, those warriors, filled with rage and invincible in battle, approaching Bhimasena, suddenly perished like living creatures at the glance of the Destroyer. Armed with sword and mace, Bhima careered like a hawk and slaughtered those 25,000 warriors of thine. Having slain that brave division, the mighty Bhima, of prowess incapable of being baffled, once more stood, with Dhrishtadyumna before him. Meanwhile, Dhananjaya of great energy proceeded towards the car-division (of the Kurus). The twin sons of Madri and the mighty car-warrior Satyaki, all endued with great strength, cheerfully rushed against Shakuni with great speed from desire of slaying him. Having slain with keen shafts the numerous cavalry of Shakuni, those Pandava heroes quickly rushed against Shakuni himself, whereupon a fierce battle was fought there. Then Dhananjaya, O king, penetrated into the midst of the car-division of the Kauravas, stretching his bow Gandiva celebrated over the three worlds. Beholding that car having white steeds yoked unto it and owning Krishna for its driver coming towards them, with Arjuna as the warrior on it, thy troops fled away in fear. Deprived of cars and steeds and pierced with shafts from every side, 25,000 foot-soldiers proceeded towards Partha and surrounded him. > > Then that mighty car-warrior amongst the Pancalas (Dhrishtadyumna) with Bhimasena at his head, speedily slew that brave division and stood triumphant. The son of the Pancala king, the celebrated Dhrishtadyumna, was a mighty bowman possessed of great beauty and a crusher of large bands of foes. At sight of Dhrishtadyumna unto whose car were yoked steeds white as pigeons and whose standard was made of a lofty Kovidara, the troops fled away in fear. The celebrated sons of Madri, with Satyaki among them, engaged in the pursuit of the Gandhara king who was quick in the use of weapons, speedily appeared to our view. Chekitana and the (five) sons of Draupadi, O sire, having slain a large number of thy troops, blew their conchs. Beholding all the troops flying away with their faces from the field, those (Pandava) heroes pursued and smote them like bulls pursuing vanquished bulls. Then the mighty Savyasaci, the son of Pandu, beholding a remnant of thy army still keeping their ground, became filled with rage, O king. Suddenly, O monarch, he shrouded that remnant of thy forces with arrows. The dust, however, that was then raised enveloped the scene, in consequence of which we could not see anything. Darkness also spread over the scene, and the field of battle was covered with arrows. Thy troops, O monarch, then fled away in fear on all sides. When his army was thus broken, the Kuru king, O monarch, rushed against both friends and foes. > > Then Duryodhana challenged all the Pandavas to battle, O chief of Bharata's race, like the Asura Vali in days of yore challenging all the celestials. The Pandavas then, uniting together and filled with rage, upbraiding him repeatedly and shooting diverse weapons, rushed against the roaring Duryodhana. The latter, however, fearlessly smote his foes with shafts. The prowess that we then saw of thy son was exceedingly wonderful, since all the Pandavas together were unable to transgress him. At this time Duryodhana beheld, staying at a little distance from him, his troops, exceedingly mangled with shafts, and prepared to fly away. Rallying them then, O monarch, thy son, resolved on battle and desirous of gladdening them, addressed those warriors, saying, "I do not see that spot on plain or mountain whither, if you fly, the Pandavas will not slay you. What is the use then in flight? The Pandava army hath now been reduced to a small remnant. The two Krishnas have been exceedingly mangled. If all of us make a stand here, we are certain to have victory. If, however, you fly away, breaking your array, the Pandavas, pursuing your sinful selves, will slay all of you. Death in battle, therefore, is for our good. Death in the field of battle while engaged in fight according to Kshatriya practices is pleasant. Such death produces no kind of grief. By encountering such a death, a person enjoys eternal happiness in the other world. Let all the Kshatriyas assembled here listen to me. > > It were better that they should even submit to the power of the angry Bhimasena than that they should abandon the duties practised by them from the days of their ancestors. There is no act more sinful for a Kshatriya than flight from battle. You Kauravas, there is not a better path to heaven than the duty of battle. The warrior acquires in a day regions of bliss (in the other world) that take many long years for others to acquire." Fulfilling those words of the king, the great Kshatriya car-warriors once more rushed against the Pandavas, unable to endure their defeat and firmly resolved to put forth their prowess. Then commenced a battle once more, that was exceedingly fierce, between thy troops and the enemy, and that resembled the one between the gods and the Asuras. Thy son Duryodhana then, O monarch, with all his troops, rushed against the Pandavas headed by Yudhishthira.'" > — Kisari Mohan Ganguli 1883, The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa ### [9.3.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.2) nihate sūtaputre tu pāṇḍavena mahātmanā | vidruteṣu ca sainyeṣu samānīteṣu cāsakṛt || 2 || ### [9.3.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.3) vimukhe tava putre tu śokopahatacetasi | bhṛśodvigneṣu sainyeṣu dṛṣṭvā pārthasya vikramam || 3 || ### [9.3.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.4) dhyāyamāneṣu sainyeṣu duḥkhaṃ prāpteṣu bhārata | balānāṃ mathyamānānāṃ śrutvā ninadamuttamam || 4 || ### [9.3.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.5) abhijñānaṃ narendrāṇāṃ vikṛtaṃ prekṣya saṃyuge | patitānrathanīḍāṃśca rathāṃścāpi mahātmanām || 5 || > "Sanjaya said, 'Beholding the fallen boxes of cars, as also the cars of high-souled warriors, and the elephants and foot-soldiers, O sire, slain in battle, seeing the field of battle assume an aspect as awful as that of the sporting ground of Rudra, observing the inglorious end obtained by hundreds and thousands of kings, witnessing also the prowess of Partha after the retreat of thy son with grief-stricken heart and when thy troops, filled with anxiety and fallen into great distress, O Bharata, were deliberating as to what they should next do, hearing also the loud wails of the Kaurava warriors that were being crushed, and marking the displayed and disordered tokens of great kings, the Kuru leader Kripa of great energy, possessed of years and good conduct and filled with compassion, and endued with eloquence, approached king Duryodhana, and angrily said these words unto him, "O Duryodhana, listen, O Bharata, to these words that I will say unto thee. Having heard them, O monarch, do thou act according to them, O sinless one, if it pleases thee. There is no path, O monarch, that is better than the duty of battle. Having recourse to that path, Kshatriyas, O bull of the Kshatriya order, engage in battle. He who lives in the observance of Kshatriya practices fights with son, sire, brother, sister's son, and maternal uncle, and relatives, and kinsmen. If he is slaughtered in battle, there is great merit in it. Similarly, there is great sin in it if he flies from the field. > — Kisari Mohan Ganguli 1883, The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa > 4 > > "Sanjaya said, 'Beholding the fallen boxes of cars, as also the cars of high-souled warriors, and the elephants and foot-soldiers, O sire, slain in battle, seeing the field of battle assume an aspect as awful as that of the sporting ground of Rudra, observing the inglorious end obtained by hundreds and thousands of kings, witnessing also the prowess of Partha after the retreat of thy son with grief-stricken heart and when thy troops, filled with anxiety and fallen into great distress, O Bharata, were deliberating as to what they should next do, hearing also the loud wails of the Kaurava warriors that were being crushed, and marking the displayed and disordered tokens of great kings, the Kuru leader Kripa of great energy, possessed of years and good conduct and filled with compassion, and endued with eloquence, approached king Duryodhana, and angrily said these words unto him, "O Duryodhana, listen, O Bharata, to these words that I will say unto thee. Having heard them, O monarch, do thou act according to them, O sinless one, if it pleases thee. There is no path, O monarch, that is better than the duty of battle. Having recourse to that path, Kshatriyas, O bull of the Kshatriya order, engage in battle. He who lives in the observance of Kshatriya practices fights with son, sire, brother, sister's son, and maternal uncle, and relatives, and kinsmen. If he is slaughtered in battle, there is great merit in it. Similarly, there is great sin in it if he flies from the field. > > It is for this that the life of a person desirous of living by the adoption of Kshatriya duties is exceedingly terrible. Unto thee, as regards this, I will say a few beneficial words. After the fall of Bhishma and Drona and the mighty car-warrior Karna, after the slaughter of Jayadratha and thy brothers, O sinless one, and thy son Lakshmana, what is there now for us to do? They upon whom we had rested all burdens of sovereignty we had been enjoying, have all gone to regions of blessedness attainable by persons conversant with Brahma, casting off their bodies. As regards ourselves, deprived of those great car-warriors possessed of numerous accomplishments, we shall have to pass our time in grief, having caused numerous kings to perish. When all those heroes were alive, even then Vibhatsu could not be vanquished. Having Krishna, for his eyes, that mighty-armed hero is incapable of being defeated by the very gods. The vast (Kaurava) host, approaching his Ape-bearing standard that is lofty as an Indra's pole (set up in the season of spring) and that is effulgent as Indra's bow, hath always trembled in fear. At the leonine roars of Bhimasena and the blare of Panchajanya and the twang of Gandiva, our heart will die away within us. Moving like flashes of lightning, and blinding our eyes, Arjuna's Gandiva is seen to resemble a circle of fire. Decked with pure gold, that formidable bow as it is shaken, looks lightning's flash moving about on every side. > > Steeds white in hue and possessed of great speed and endued with the splendour of the Moon or the Kasa grass, and that run devouring the skies, are yoked unto his car. Urged on by Krishna, like the masses of clouds driven by the wind, and their limbs decked with gold, they bear Arjuna to battle. That foremost of all persons conversant with arms, Arjuna, burned that great force of thine like a swelling conflagration consuming dry grass in the forest in the season of winter. Possessed of the splendour of Indra himself, while penetrating into our ranks, we have seen Dhananjaya to look like an elephant with four tusks. While agitating thy army and inspiring the kings with fear, we have seen Dhananjaya to resemble an elephant agitating a lake overgrown with lotuses. While terrifying all the warriors with the twang of his bow, we have again seen the son of Pandu to resemble a lion inspiring smaller animals with dread. Those two foremost of bowmen in all the worlds, those two bulls among all persons armed with the bow, the two Krishnas, clad in mail, are looking exceedingly beautiful. Today is the seventeenth day of this awful battle, O Bharata, of those that are being slaughtered in the midst of this fight. The diverse divisions of thy army are broken and dispersed like autumnal clouds dispersed by the wind. Savyasaci, O monarch, caused thy army to tremble and reel like a tempest-tossed boat exposed on the bosom of the ocean. > > Where was the Suta's son, where was Drona with all his followers, where was I, where wert thou, where was Hridika's son, where thy brother Duhshasana accompanied by his brothers (when Jayadratha was slain)? Upon beholding Jayadratha and finding him within the range of his arrows, Arjuna, putting forth his process upon all thy kinsmen and brothers and allies and maternal uncles, and placing his feet upon their heads, slew king Jayadratha in the very sight of all. What then is there for us to do now? Who is there among thy troops now that would vanquish the son of Pandu? That high-souled warrior possesses diverse kinds of celestial weapons. The twang, again, of Gandiva robbeth us of our energies. This army of thine that is now without a leader is like a night without the Moon, or like a river that is dried up with all the trees on its banks broken by elephants. The mighty-armed Arjuna of white steeds will, at his pleasure, career amid this thy masterless host, like a blazing conflagration amid a heap of grass. The impetuosity of those two, Satyaki and Bhimasena, would split all the mountains or dry up all the oceans. The words that Bhima spoke in the midst of the assembly have all been nearly accomplished by him, O monarch. That which remains unaccomplished will again be accomplished by him. While Karna was battling before it, the army of the Pandavas, difficult to be defeated, was vigorously protected by the wielder of Gandiva. > > You have done many foul wrongs, without any cause, unto the righteous Pandavas. The fruits of those acts have now come. For the sake of thy own objects thou hadst, with great care, mustered together a large force. That vast force, as also thyself, O bull of Bharata's race, have fallen into great danger. Preserve thy own self now, for self is the refuge of everything. If the refuge is broken, O sire, everything inhering thereto is scattered on every side. He that is being weakened should seek peace by conciliation. He that is growing should make war. This is the policy taught by Brihaspati. We are now inferior to the sons of Pandu as regards the strength of our army. Therefore, O lord, I think, peace with the Pandavas is for our good. He that does not know what is for his good, or (knowing) disregards what is for his good, is soon divested of his kingdom and never obtains any good. If, by bowing unto king Yudhishthira sovereignty may still remain to us, even that would be for our good, and not, O king, to sustain through folly defeat (at the hands of the Pandavas). Yudhishthira is compassionate. At the request of Vichitravirya's son and of Govinda, he will allow you to continue as king. Whatever Hrishikesa will say unto the victorious king Yudhishthira and Arjuna and Bhimasena, all of them will, without doubt, obey. Krishna will not, I think, be able to transgress the words of Dhritarashtra of Kuru's race, nor will the son of Pandu be able to transgress those of Krishna. > > A cessation of hostilities with the sons of Pritha is what I consider to be for thy good. I do not say this unto thee from any mean motives nor for protecting my life. I say, O king, that which I regard to be beneficial. Thou wilt recollect these words when thou wilt be on the point of death (if thou neglectest them now)." Advanced in years, Kripa the son of Saradwat said these words weepingly. Breathing long and hot breaths, he then gave way to sorrow and almost lost his senses.'" > — Kisari Mohan Ganguli 1883, The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa ### [9.3.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.6) raṇe vinihatānnāgāndṛṣṭvā pattīṃśca māriṣa | āyodhanaṃ cātighoraṃ rudrasyākrīḍasaṃnibham || 6 || ### [9.3.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.7) aprakhyātiṃ gatānāṃ tu rājñāṃ śatasahasraśaḥ | kṛpāviṣṭaḥ kṛpo rājanvayaḥśīlasamanvitaḥ || 7 || ### [9.3.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.8) abravīttatra tejasvī so'bhisṛtya janādhipam | duryodhanaṃ manyuvaśādvacanaṃ vacanakṣamaḥ || 8 || ### [9.3.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.9) duryodhana nibodhedaṃ yattvā vakṣyāmi kaurava | śrutvā kuru mahārāja yadi te rocate'nagha || 9 || ### [9.3.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.10) na yuddhadharmācchreyānvai panthā rājendra vidyate | yaṃ samāśritya yudhyante kṣatriyāḥ kṣatriyarṣabha || 10 || ### [9.3.11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.11) putro bhrātā pitā caiva svasreyo mātulastathā | saṃbandhibāndhavāścaiva yodhyā vai kṣatrajīvinā || 11 || ### [9.3.12](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.12) vadhe caiva paro dharmastathādharmaḥ palāyane | te sma ghorāṃ samāpannā jīvikāṃ jīvitārthinaḥ || 12 || > It is for this that the life of a person desirous of living by the adoption of Kshatriya duties is exceedingly terrible. Unto thee, as regards this, I will say a few beneficial words. After the fall of Bhishma and Drona and the mighty car-warrior Karna, after the slaughter of Jayadratha and thy brothers, O sinless one, and thy son Lakshmana, what is there now for us to do? They upon whom we had rested all burdens of sovereignty we had been enjoying, have all gone to regions of blessedness attainable by persons conversant with Brahma, casting off their bodies. As regards ourselves, deprived of those great car-warriors possessed of numerous accomplishments, we shall have to pass our time in grief, having caused numerous kings to perish. When all those heroes were alive, even then Vibhatsu could not be vanquished. Having Krishna, for his eyes, that mighty-armed hero is incapable of being defeated by the very gods. The vast (Kaurava) host, approaching his Ape-bearing standard that is lofty as an Indra's pole (set up in the season of spring) and that is effulgent as Indra's bow, hath always trembled in fear. At the leonine roars of Bhimasena and the blare of Panchajanya and the twang of Gandiva, our heart will die away within us. Moving like flashes of lightning, and blinding our eyes, Arjuna's Gandiva is seen to resemble a circle of fire. Decked with pure gold, that formidable bow as it is shaken, looks lightning's flash moving about on every side. > — Kisari Mohan Ganguli 1883, The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa ### [9.3.13](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.13) tatra tvāṃ prativakṣyāmi kiṃcideva hitaṃ vacaḥ | hate bhīṣme ca droṇe ca karṇe caiva mahārathe || 13 || ### [9.3.14](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.14) jayadrathe ca nihate tava bhrātṛṣu cānagha | lakṣmaṇe tava putre ca kiṃ śeṣaṃ paryupāsmahe || 14 || ### [9.3.15](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.15) yeṣu bhāraṃ samāsajya rājye matimakurmahi | te saṃtyajya tanūryātāḥ śūrā brahmavidāṃ gatim || 15 || ### [9.3.16](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.16) vayaṃ tviha vinābhūtā guṇavadbhirmahārathaiḥ | kṛpaṇaṃ vartayiṣyāma pātayitvā nṛpānbahūn || 16 || ### [9.3.17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.17) sarvairapi ca jīvadbhirbībhatsuraparājitaḥ | kṛṣṇanetro mahābāhurdevairapi durāsadaḥ || 17 || ### [9.3.18](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.18) indrakārmukavajrābhamindraketumivocchritam | vānaraṃ ketumāsādya saṃcacāla mahācamūḥ || 18 || ### [9.3.19](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.19) siṃhanādena bhīmasya pāñcajanyasvanena ca | gāṇḍīvasya ca nirghoṣātsaṃhṛṣyanti manāṃsi naḥ || 19 || ### [9.3.20](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.20) carantīva mahāvidyunmuṣṇantī nayanaprabhām | alātamiva cāviddhaṃ gāṇḍīvaṃ samadṛśyata || 20 || ### [9.3.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.21) jāmbūnadavicitraṃ ca dhūyamānaṃ mahaddhanuḥ | dṛśyate dikṣu sarvāsu vidyudabhraghaneṣviva || 21 || ### [9.3.22](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.22) uhyamānaśca kṛṣṇena vāyuneva balāhakaḥ | tāvakaṃ tadbalaṃ rājannarjuno'stravidāṃ varaḥ | gahanaṃ śiśire kakṣaṃ dadāhāgnirivotthitaḥ || 22 || > Steeds white in hue and possessed of great speed and endued with the splendour of the Moon or the Kasa grass, and that run devouring the skies, are yoked unto his car. Urged on by Krishna, like the masses of clouds driven by the wind, and their limbs decked with gold, they bear Arjuna to battle. That foremost of all persons conversant with arms, Arjuna, burned that great force of thine like a swelling conflagration consuming dry grass in the forest in the season of winter. Possessed of the splendour of Indra himself, while penetrating into our ranks, we have seen Dhananjaya to look like an elephant with four tusks. While agitating thy army and inspiring the kings with fear, we have seen Dhananjaya to resemble an elephant agitating a lake overgrown with lotuses. While terrifying all the warriors with the twang of his bow, we have again seen the son of Pandu to resemble a lion inspiring smaller animals with dread. Those two foremost of bowmen in all the worlds, those two bulls among all persons armed with the bow, the two Krishnas, clad in mail, are looking exceedingly beautiful. Today is the seventeenth day of this awful battle, O Bharata, of those that are being slaughtered in the midst of this fight. The diverse divisions of thy army are broken and dispersed like autumnal clouds dispersed by the wind. Savyasaci, O monarch, caused thy army to tremble and reel like a tempest-tossed boat exposed on the bosom of the ocean. > — Kisari Mohan Ganguli 1883, The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa ### [9.3.23](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.23) gāhamānamanīkāni mahendrasadṛśaprabham | dhanaṃjayamapaśyāma caturdantamiva dvipam || 23 || ### [9.3.24](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.24) vikṣobhayantaṃ senāṃ te trāsayantaṃ ca pārthivān | dhanaṃjayamapaśyāma nalinīmiva kuñjaram || 24 || ### [9.3.25](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.25) trāsayantaṃ tathā yodhāndhanurghoṣeṇa pāṇḍavam | bhūya enamapaśyāma siṃhaṃ mṛgagaṇā iva || 25 || ### [9.3.26](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.26) sarvalokamaheṣvāsau vṛṣabhau sarvadhanvinām | āmuktakavacau kṛṣṇau lokamadhye virejatuḥ || 26 || ### [9.3.27](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.27) adya saptadaśāhāni vartamānasya bhārata | saṃgrāmasyātighorasya vadhyatāṃ cābhito yudhi || 27 || ### [9.3.28](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.28) vāyuneva vidhūtāni tavānīkāni sarvaśaḥ | śaradambhodajālāni vyaśīryanta samantataḥ || 28 || ### [9.3.29](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.29) tāṃ nāvamiva paryastāṃ bhrāntavātāṃ mahārṇave | tava senāṃ mahārāja savyasācī vyakampayat || 29 || ### [9.3.30](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.30) kva nu te sūtaputro'bhūtkva nu droṇaḥ sahānugaḥ | ahaṃ kva ca kva cātmā te hārdikyaśca tathā kva nu | duḥśāsanaśca bhrātā te bhrātṛbhiḥ sahitaḥ kva nu || 30 || > Where was the Suta's son, where was Drona with all his followers, where was I, where wert thou, where was Hridika's son, where thy brother Duhshasana accompanied by his brothers (when Jayadratha was slain)? Upon beholding Jayadratha and finding him within the range of his arrows, Arjuna, putting forth his process upon all thy kinsmen and brothers and allies and maternal uncles, and placing his feet upon their heads, slew king Jayadratha in the very sight of all. What then is there for us to do now? Who is there among thy troops now that would vanquish the son of Pandu? That high-souled warrior possesses diverse kinds of celestial weapons. The twang, again, of Gandiva robbeth us of our energies. This army of thine that is now without a leader is like a night without the Moon, or like a river that is dried up with all the trees on its banks broken by elephants. The mighty-armed Arjuna of white steeds will, at his pleasure, career amid this thy masterless host, like a blazing conflagration amid a heap of grass. The impetuosity of those two, Satyaki and Bhimasena, would split all the mountains or dry up all the oceans. The words that Bhima spoke in the midst of the assembly have all been nearly accomplished by him, O monarch. That which remains unaccomplished will again be accomplished by him. While Karna was battling before it, the army of the Pandavas, difficult to be defeated, was vigorously protected by the wielder of Gandiva. > — Kisari Mohan Ganguli 1883, The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa ### [9.3.31](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.31) bāṇagocarasaṃprāptaṃ prekṣya caiva jayadratham | saṃbandhinaste bhrātṝṃśca sahāyānmātulāṃstathā || 31 || ### [9.3.32](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.32) sarvānvikramya miṣato lokāṃścākramya mūrdhani | jayadratho hato rājankiṃ nu śeṣamupāsmahe || 32 || ### [9.3.33](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.33) ko veha sa pumānasti yo vijeṣyati pāṇḍavam | tasya cāstrāṇi divyāni vividhāni mahātmanaḥ | gāṇḍīvasya ca nirghoṣo vīryāṇi harate hi naḥ || 33 || ### [9.3.34](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.34) naṣṭacandrā yathā rātriḥ seneyaṃ hatanāyakā | nāgabhagnadrumā śuṣkā nadīvākulatāṃ gatā || 34 || ### [9.3.35](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.35) dhvajinyāṃ hatanetrāyāṃ yatheṣṭaṃ śvetavāhanaḥ | cariṣyati mahābāhuḥ kakṣe'gniriva saṃjvalan || 35 || ### [9.3.36](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.36) sātyakeścaiva yo vego bhīmasenasya cobhayoḥ | dārayeta girīnsarvāñśoṣayeta ca sāgarān || 36 || ### [9.3.37](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.37) uvāca vākyaṃ yadbhīmaḥ sabhāmadhye viśāṃ pate | kṛtaṃ tatsakalaṃ tena bhūyaścaiva kariṣyati || 37 || ### [9.3.38](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.38) pramukhasthe tadā karṇe balaṃ pāṇḍavarakṣitam | durāsadaṃ tathā guptaṃ gūḍhaṃ gāṇḍīvadhanvanā || 38 || ### [9.3.39](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.39) yuṣmābhistāni cīrṇāni yānyasādhūni sādhuṣu | akāraṇakṛtānyeva teṣāṃ vaḥ phalamāgatam || 39 || > You have done many foul wrongs, without any cause, unto the righteous Pandavas. The fruits of those acts have now come. For the sake of thy own objects thou hadst, with great care, mustered together a large force. That vast force, as also thyself, O bull of Bharata's race, have fallen into great danger. Preserve thy own self now, for self is the refuge of everything. If the refuge is broken, O sire, everything inhering thereto is scattered on every side. He that is being weakened should seek peace by conciliation. He that is growing should make war. This is the policy taught by Brihaspati. We are now inferior to the sons of Pandu as regards the strength of our army. Therefore, O lord, I think, peace with the Pandavas is for our good. He that does not know what is for his good, or (knowing) disregards what is for his good, is soon divested of his kingdom and never obtains any good. If, by bowing unto king Yudhishthira sovereignty may still remain to us, even that would be for our good, and not, O king, to sustain through folly defeat (at the hands of the Pandavas). Yudhishthira is compassionate. At the request of Vichitravirya's son and of Govinda, he will allow you to continue as king. Whatever Hrishikesa will say unto the victorious king Yudhishthira and Arjuna and Bhimasena, all of them will, without doubt, obey. Krishna will not, I think, be able to transgress the words of Dhritarashtra of Kuru's race, nor will the son of Pandu be able to transgress those of Krishna. > — Kisari Mohan Ganguli 1883, The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa ### [9.3.40](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.40) ātmano'rthe tvayā loko yatnataḥ sarva āhṛtaḥ | sa te saṃśayitastāta ātmā ca bharatarṣabha || 40 || ### [9.3.41](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.41) rakṣa duryodhanātmānamātmā sarvasya bhājanam | bhinne hi bhājane tāta diśo gacchati tadgatam || 41 || ### [9.3.42](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.42) hīyamānena vai saṃdhiḥ paryeṣṭavyaḥ samena ca | vigraho vardhamānena nītireṣā bṛhaspateḥ || 42 || ### [9.3.43](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.43) te vayaṃ pāṇḍuputrebhyo hīnāḥ svabalaśaktitaḥ | atra te pāṇḍavaiḥ sārdhaṃ saṃdhiṃ manye kṣamaṃ prabho || 43 || ### [9.3.44](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.44) na jānīte hi yaḥ śreyaḥ śreyasaścāvamanyate | sa kṣipraṃ bhraśyate rājyānna ca śreyo'nuvindati || 44 || ### [9.3.45](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.45) praṇipatya hi rājānaṃ rājyaṃ yadi labhemahi | śreyaḥ syānna tu mauḍhyena rājangantuṃ parābhavam || 45 || ### [9.3.46](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.46) vaicitravīryavacanātkṛpāśīlo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | viniyuñjīta rājye tvāṃ govindavacanena ca || 46 || ### [9.3.47](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.47) yadbrūyāddhi hṛṣīkeśo rājānamaparājitam | arjunaṃ bhīmasenaṃ ca sarvaṃ kuryurasaṃśayam || 47 || ### [9.3.48](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.48) nātikramiṣyate kṛṣṇo vacanaṃ kauravasya ha | dhṛtarāṣṭrasya manye'haṃ nāpi kṛṣṇasya pāṇḍavaḥ || 48 || ### [9.3.49](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.49) etatkṣamamahaṃ manye tava pārthairavigraham | na tvā bravīmi kārpaṇyānna prāṇaparirakṣaṇāt | pathyaṃ rājanbravīmi tvāṃ tatparāsuḥ smariṣyasi || 49 || > A cessation of hostilities with the sons of Pritha is what I consider to be for thy good. I do not say this unto thee from any mean motives nor for protecting my life. I say, O king, that which I regard to be beneficial. Thou wilt recollect these words when thou wilt be on the point of death (if thou neglectest them now)." Advanced in years, Kripa the son of Saradwat said these words weepingly. Breathing long and hot breaths, he then gave way to sorrow and almost lost his senses.'" > — Kisari Mohan Ganguli 1883, The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa ### [9.3.50](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3.50) iti vṛddho vilapyaitatkṛpaḥ śāradvato vacaḥ | dīrghamuṣṇaṃ ca niḥśvasya śuśoca ca mumoha ca || 50 || ## Translations (1) - [The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa~en-ganguli.9.3.2.1) — Kisari Mohan Ganguli 1883, English ## Commentaries (1) - [Bhāratabhāvadīpa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa!nilakantha.9.3.1) — Nīlakaṇṭha Caturdhara 1650, Sanskrit ## Other recensions (2) - [Vulgate (Nīlakaṇṭha's text)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa*vulgate.9.3.1) — Sanskrit - [Southern recension](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa*southern.9.2.70_6) — Sanskrit ## Linked texts (1) - [Kulārṇavatantra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.sampradaya.saiva.trika.kaula.kularnava.1.20) — Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa.9.3) · Pramāṇa