Agnipurana 14

English (machine translation) 14

Language: English

14.2 — 2 parts
14.14 — 2 parts
14.27 — 4 parts

14.1

The Blessed One said to Pārtha: 'Bhīṣma and the other chiefs are not to be grieved for. / Bodies perish; the embodied [self] does not perish.

14.2

The Blessed Lord said to Pārtha: “Bhīṣma and the other leaders are not to be grieved for. / Bodies perish; the embodied self does not perish.

14.2.p1

[Variant note on verse 13.42:] 'vidurānvitaḥ' is the reading in the manuscript marked kha. / [Page 35]

14.2.p2

Know this self to be the supreme Brahman: "I am Brahman." / A yogin, impartial in success and failure, protect the duty of kings!'

14.3

Addressed thus by Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna, standing on his chariot accompanied by the blare of musical instruments, fought. / Bhīṣma was the general at first in Duryodhana's force,

14.4

and Śikhaṇḍī for the Pāṇḍavas; and a battle took place between the two. / The sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra together with Bhīṣma struck the Pāṇḍavas in battle,

14.5

and the Pāṇḍavas headed by Śikhaṇḍī struck the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra in the encounter. / The battle between the armies of the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas was like that between gods and asuras,

14.6

increasing the delight of the serene gods who were watching. / In ten days Bhīṣma struck down the Pāṇḍava army with divine weapons.

14.7

On the tenth day Arjuna rained arrows upon the heroic Bhīṣma; / Śikhaṇḍī, urged by Drupada, showered him with weapons like a cloud.

14.8

Elephants, horses, chariots, and foot-soldiers were brought down by one another's weapons. / Bhīṣma, who had death at his own will, having shown the course of combat,

14.9

Elephants, horses, chariots, and foot-soldiers were struck down by one another's weapons. / Bhīṣma, possessing death at his own will, having demonstrated the path of war,

14.10

destined for the realm of the Vasus as spoken by the Vasus, lay resting on a bed of arrows. / Awaiting the northward course of the sun, he remained meditating on Viṣṇu and praising [him].

14.11

When Duryodhana was stricken with grief, Droṇa became commander of the army; / in the Pandava army, filled with joy, Dhṛṣṭadyumna was the general.

14.12

A fierce battle took place between the two, expanding the realm of Yama. / Virāṭa, Drupada, and others sank into the ocean of Droṇa.

14.13

Duryodhana's vast host of elephants, horses, chariots, and foot-soldiers / fell upon Dhṛṣṭadyumna, and Droṇa shone forth like Death.

14.14

When it was said, “Aśvatthāman is killed,” Droṇa laid aside his weapons; / overcome by Dhṛṣṭadyumna's arrows, he fell to the surface of the earth.

14.14.p1

14.14.p2

1 The reading in the two manuscripts marked kha and gha is anyonyāstranipīḍitam.
:p 36

14.15

On the fifth day, the unassailable [Droṇa], having crushed all the kṣatriyas [fell]. / And when Duryodhana was stricken with grief, Karṇa became commander of the army.

14.16

Arjuna [was commander] of the Pāṇḍavas, and a battle took place between the two: / weapon against weapon, exceedingly dreadful, resembling the war between the gods and asuras.

14.17

In the battle known as that of Karṇa and Arjuna, Karṇa slew his enemies with arrows; / but on the second day, Karṇa was felled by Arjuna.

14.18

Śalya fought for half a day, and Yudhiṣṭhira killed him. / His army slain, Suyodhana fought with Bhīmasena.

14.19

Having slain many men and others, he then spoke to Bhīmasena; / but as he struck with his club, Bhīma struck him down.

14.20

[He killed] his other younger brothers with the club on that eighteenth day. / At night, the sleeping army of the Pāṇḍavas was struck down

14.21

to the measure of an akṣauhiṇī by the mighty Aśvatthāman; / he killed the sons of Draupadī, along with the Pāñcālas and Dhṛṣṭadyumna.

14.22

Then Arjuna, [seeing] that Draupadī weeping, bereft of her sons, / seized his crest-jewel with the reed-missile.

14.23

Hari revived the embryo in Uttarā's womb / that had been scorched by Aśvatthāman's weapon; that [child] became King Parīkṣit.

14.24

Kṛtavarman, Kṛpa, and the son of Droṇa—three survived that battle; / the Pāṇḍavas, Sātyaki, and Kṛṣṇa—seven survived, and no others.

14.25

Yudhiṣṭhira, having consoled the grieving women along with Bhīma and the others, / performed the funeral rites for the slain heroes, offering water, wealth, and the like.

14.26

Having heard from Bhīṣma, son of Śāntanu, all the peace-giving duties— / the duties of kings, the duties of liberation, and the duties of giving—he became king.