Mahabharata · Book 7 · Drona Parva
Mahabharata, Book 7, Section XXXIIIद्रोणपर्व
Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 7.33.
Sanskrit
पूर्वमस्मासु भग्नेषु फल्गुगेनामितौजसा।
द्रोणे च मोघसङ्कल्पे रक्षिते च युधिष्ठिरे।।
सर्वे विध्वस्तकवचास्तावका युधि निर्जिताः।
रजस्वला भृशोद्विग्ना वीक्षमाणा दिशो दश।।
अवहारं ततः कृत्वा भारद्वाजस्य सम्मते।
लब्धलक्षैः शरैर्भिन्ना भृशावहसिता रणे।।
श्लाघमानेषु भूतेषु फल्गुनस्यामितान्गुणान्।
केशवस्य च सौहार्दे कीर्त्यमानेऽर्जुनं प्रति।।
अभिशस्ता इवाभूवन्ध्यानमूकत्वमास्थिताः।
ततः प्रभातसमये द्रोणं द्रुयोधनोऽब्रवीत्।।
प्रणयादभिमानाच्च द्विषद्वृद्ध्या च दुर्मनाः।
शृण्वतां सर्वयोधानां संरब्धो वाक्यकोविदः।।
नूनं वयं वध्यपक्षे भवतो द्विजसत्तम।
तथाहि नाग्रहीः प्राप्तं समीपेऽद्य युधिष्ठिरम्।।
इच्छतस्ते न मुच्येत चक्षुःप्राप्तो रणे रिपुः।
जिघृक्षतो रक्ष्यमाणः सामरैरपि पाण्डवैः।।
वरं दत्त्वा मम प्रीतः पश्चाद्विकृतवानसि।
आशाभङ्गं न कुर्वन्ति भक्तस्यार्याः कथञ्चन।।
सञ्जय उवाच।
ततोऽप्रीतस्तथोक्तः सन्भारद्वाजोऽब्रवीन्नृपम्।
नार्हसे मां तथा ज्ञातुं घटमानं तव प्रिये।।
ससुरासुरगन्धर्वाः सयक्षोरगराक्षसाः।
नालं लोका रणे जेतुं पाल्यमानं किरीटिना।।
विश्वसृग्यत्र गोविन्दः पृतनानीस्तथाऽर्जुनः।
तत्र कस्य बलं क्रामेदन्यत्र त्र्यम्बकात्प्रभोः।।
सत्यं तात ब्रवीम्यद्य नैतज्जात्वन्यथा भवेत्।
अद्यैकं प्रवरं कञ्चित्पातयिष्ये महारथम्।।
चक्रब्यूहं विधास्यामि योऽभेद्यस्त्रिदशैरपि।
योगेन केनचिद्राजन्नर्जुनस्त्वपनीयताम्।।
न ह्यज्ञातमसाध्यं वा तस्य सङ्ख्येऽस्ति किञ्चन।
तेन ह्युपात्तं सकलं सर्वज्ञानमितस्ततः।।
द्रोणेन व्याहृते त्वेवं संशप्तकगणाः पुनः।
आह्वयन्नर्जुनं सङ्ख्ये दक्षिणामभितो दिशम्।।
ततोऽर्जुनस्याथ परैः सार्धं समभवद्रणः।
तादृशो यादृशो नान्यः श्रुतो दृष्टोपि वा क्वचित्।
तत्र द्रोणेन विहितो व्यूहो राजन्व्यरोचत।
चरन्मध्यन्दिने सूर्यः प्रतपन्निव दुर्दृशः।।
तं चाभिमन्युर्वचनात्पितुर्ज्येष्ठस्य भारत।
बिभेद दुर्भिदं सङ्ख्ये चक्रव्यूहमनेकधा।।
स कृत्वा दुष्करं कर्म हत्वा वीरान्सहस्रशः।
राजपुत्रशतं हत्वा कौसल्यं च बृहद्बलम्।।
महारथं शल्यपुत्रं पौत्रं ते लक्ष्मणं तथा।
षट्सु वीरेषु संसक्तो दौःशासनिवशं गतः।
सौभद्रः पृथिवीपाल जहौ प्राणान्परन्तप।।
वयं परमसंहृष्टाः पाण्डवाः शोककर्शिताः।
सौभद्रे निहते राजन्नवहारमकुर्महि।।
`जनमेजय उवाच।
समरोद्युक्तकर्माणः कर्मभिर्व्यञ्जितश्रमाः।
सकृष्णाः पाण्डवाः पञ्च देवैरपि दुरासदाः।।
शश्वत्कर्मान्वयैर्बुद्ध्या प्रकृत्या यशसा श्रिया।
न भूतो भविता वापि कृष्णस्य सदृशः पुमान्।।
सत्यधर्मतपोदानैर्द्विजपूजादिभिर्गुणैः।
सदेहस्त्रिदिवं प्राप्तो राजा किल युधिष्ठिरः।।
युगान्ते चान्तकश्चैव जामदग्न्यश्च कीर्तिमान्।
रणस्थो भीमसेनश्च कथ्यन्ते सदृशास्त्रयः।।
प्रतिज्ञाकर्मदक्षस्य रणे गाण्डीवधन्वनः।
उपमां नाधिगच्छामि पार्थस्य सदृशीं क्षितौ।।
गुरुवात्सल्यमत्यन्तं नैभृत्यं विनयो दमः।
नकुले त्वाभिरूप्यं च शौर्यं च नियतानि षट्।।
श्रुतमाधुर्यगाम्भीर्यसत्त्वरूपपराक्रमैः।
सदृशो देवयोर्वीरः सहदेवः किलाश्विनोः।।
ये च कृष्णे गुणाः स्फीताः पाण्डवेषु च ये गुणाः।
अभिमन्यौ किलैकस्था दृश्यन्ते ते गुणाः शुभाः।।
युधिष्ठिरस्य शौर्येण कृष्णस्य चरितेन च।
कर्मणा भीमसेनस्य सदृशं भीमकर्मणः।।
धनञ्जयस्य रूपेण विक्रमेण शुभेन च।
विनये सहदेवस्य सदृशं नकुलस्य च।।
अभिमन्युं द्विजश्रेष्ठ सौभद्रमपराजितम्।
श्रोतुमिच्छामि कार्त्स्न्येन कथमायोधने हतः।।
वैशंपायन उवाच।
अभिमन्युं हतं श्रुत्वा धृतराष्ट्रो जनाधिपः।
विस्तरेण महाराज पर्यपृच्छत्स सञ्जयम्'।।
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच।
पुत्रं पुरुषसिंहस्य सञ्जयाप्राप्तयौवनम्।
रणे विनिहतं श्रुत्वा भृशं मे दीर्यते मनः।।
दारुणः क्षत्रधर्मोऽयं विहितो धर्मकर्तृभिः।
यत्र राज्येप्सवः शूरा बाले शस्त्रमपातयन्।।
बालमत्यन्तसुखिनं विचरन्तमभीतवत्।
कृतास्त्रा बहवो जघ्नुर्ब्रूहि गावल्गणे कथम्।।
बिबित्सता रथानीकं सौभद्रेणामितौजसा।
विक्रीडितं यथा सङ्ख्ये तन्ममाचक्ष्व सञ्जय।।
सञ्जय उवाच।
यन्मां पृच्छसि राजेन्द्र सौभद्रस्य निपातनम्।
तत्ते कार्त्स्न्येन वक्ष्यामि शृणु राजन्समाहितः।।
विक्रीडितं कुमारेण यथानीकं बिभित्सता।
आरुग्णाश्च यथा वीरा दुःसाध्याश्चापि विप्लुवे।।
दावाग्न्यभिपरीतानां भूरिगुल्मतृणद्रुमे।
वनौकसामिवारण्ये त्वदीयानामभूद्भयम्।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते द्रोणपर्वणि
अभिमन्युवधपर्वणि त्रयस्त्रिंशोऽध्यायः।। 33 ।।
English Ganguli
“Sanjaya said, ‘The Parthas then, headed by Bhimasena, approached that invincible array protected by Bharadwaja’s son. And Satyaki, and Chekitana, and Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Prishata, and Kuntibhoja of great prowess, and the mighty car-warrior Drupada, and Arjuna’s son (Abhimanyu), and Kshatradharman, and the valiant Vrihatkshatra, and Dhrishtaketu, the ruler of the Chedis, and the twin sons of Madri, (viz., Nakula and Sahadeva), and Ghatotkacha, and the powerful Yudhamanyu and the unvanquished Sikhandin, and the irresistible Uttamaujas and the mighty car-warrior Virata, and the five sons of Draupadi,—these all excited with wrath, and the valiant son of Sisupala, and the Kaikeyas of mighty energy, and the Srinjayas by thousands,—these and others, accomplished in weapons and difficult of being resisted in battle, suddenly rushed, at the head of their respective followers, against Bharadwaja’s son, from a desire of battle. The valiant son of Bharadwaja, however, fearlessly checked all those warriors, as soon as they came near, with a thick shower of arrows. Like a mighty wave of waters coming against an impenetrable hill, or the surging sea itself approaching its bank, those warriors were pushed back by Drona. And the Pandavas, O king, afflicted by the shafts shot from Drona’s bow, were unable to stay before him. And the strength of Drona’s arms that we saw was wonderful in the extreme, inasmuch as the Panchalas and the Srinjayas failed to approach him. Beholding Drona advancing in rage. Yudhishthira thought of diverse means for checking his progress. At last, regarding Drona incapable of being resisted by any one else, Yudhishthira placed that heavy and unbearable burden on the son of Subhadra. Addressing Abhimanyu, that slayer of hostile heroes, who was not inferior to Vasudeva himself and whose energy was superior to that of Arjuna, the king said, “O child, act in such a way that Arjuna, returning (from the Samsaptakas), may not reprove us. We do not know how to break the circular array. Thyself, or Arjuna or Krishna, or Pradyumna, can pierce that array. O mighty-armed one, no fifth person can be found (to achieve that feat). O child, it behoveth thee, O Abhimanyu, to grant the boon that thy sires, thy maternal uncles, and all these troops ask of thee. Taking up thy arms quickly, destroy this array of Drona, else Arjuna, returning from the fight, will reprove us all."
“‘Abhimanyu said, “Desiring victory to my sires, soon shall I in battle penetrate into that firm, fierce and foremost of arrays formed by Drona. I have been taught by my father the method of (penetrating and) smiting this kind of array. I shall not be able, however, to come out if any kind of danger overtakes me."
“‘Yudhishthira said, “Break this array once, O foremost of warriors, and make a passage for us. All of us will follow thee in the track by which thou wilt go. In battle, thou art equal to Dhananjaya himself. Seeing thee enter, we shall follow thee, protecting thee on all sides."
“‘Bhima said, “I myself will follow thee, and Dhrishtadyumna and Satyaki, and the Panchalas, and the Prabhadrakas. After the array once is broken by thee, we will enter it repeatedly and slay the foremost warriors within it."
“‘Abhimanyu said, “I will penetrate into this invincible array of Drona, like an insect filled with rage entering a blazing fire. Today, I will do that which will be beneficial to both races (viz., my sire’s and my mother’s). I will do that which will please my maternal uncle as also my mother. Today all creatures will behold large bodies of hostile soldiers continually slaughtered by myself, an unaided child. If anybody, encountering me, escapes today with life, I shall not then regard myself begotten by Partha and born of Subhadra. If on a single car I cannot in battle cut off the whole Kshatriya race into eight fragments, I will not regard myself the son of Arjuna."63
“‘Yudhishthira said, “Since protected by these tigers among men, these great bowmen endued with fierce might, these warriors that resemble the Sadhyas, the Rudras, or the Maruts, or are like the Vasus, or Agni or Aditya himself in prowess, thou venturest to pierce the invincible array of Drona, and since thou speakest so, let thy strength, O son of Subhadra be increased.”’
“Sanjaya continued, ‘Hearing these words of Yudhishthira, Abhimanyu ordered his charioteer, Sumitra, saying, “Quickly urge the steeds towards Drona’s army.”’"