तम् आयान्तं महेष्वासं सोदर्याः पर्यवारयन् ॥
छादयन्तः शरव्रातैर् मेघा इव दिवाकरम् ॥
दुर्योधनश् च पुत्रस् ते दुर्मुखो दुःसहः शलः ॥
दुःशासनश् चातिरथस् तथा दुर्मर्षणो नृप ॥
विविंशतिश् चित्रसेनो विकर्णश् च महारथः ॥
पुरुमित्रो जयो भोजः सौमदत्तिश् च वीर्यवान् ॥
महाचापानि धुन्वन्तो जलदा इव विद्युतः ॥
आददानाश् च नाराचान् निर्मुक्ताशीविषोपमान् ॥
अथ तान् द्रौपदीपुत्राः सौभद्रश् च महारथः ॥
नकुलः सहदेवश् च धृष्टद्युम्नश् च पार्षतः ॥
धार्तराष्ट्रान् प्रतिययुर् अर्दयन्तः शितैः शरैः ॥
वज्रैर् इव महावेगैः शिखराणि धराभृताम् ॥
tam āyāntaṃ maheṣvāsaṃ sodaryāḥ paryavārayan ||
chādayantaḥ śaravrātair meghā iva divākaram ||
duryodhanaś ca putras te durmukho duḥsahaḥ śalaḥ ||
duḥśāsanaś cātirathas tathā durmarṣaṇo nṛpa ||
viviṃśatiś citraseno vikarṇaś ca mahārathaḥ ||
purumitro jayo bhojaḥ saumadattiś ca vīryavān ||
mahācāpāni dhunvanto jaladā iva vidyutaḥ ||
ādadānāś ca nārācān nirmuktāśīviṣopamān ||
atha tān draupadīputrāḥ saubhadraś ca mahārathaḥ ||
nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca dhṛṣṭadyumnaś ca pārṣataḥ ||
dhārtarāṣṭrān pratiyayur ardayantaḥ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ ||
vajrair iva mahāvegaiḥ śikharāṇi dharābhṛtām ||
As this great archer advanced, his own brothers surrounded him, covering him with showers of arrows as clouds cover the sun: your son Duryodhana, Durmukha, Duhsaha, Shala, the great charioteer Duhshasana, and also Durmarshana, O king, Vivimshati, Chitrasena, the mighty warrior Vikarna, Purumitra, Jaya, Bhoja, and valiant Saumadatti. They brandished their great bows like clouds flashing with lightning, and seized naracas resembling released venomous serpents. Then the sons of Draupadi, the great charioteer Abhimanyu, Nakula, Sahadeva, and Dhrishtadyumna, son of Prishata, advanced against the sons of Dhritarashtra, tormenting them with sharpened arrows, as swift thunderbolts strike the peaks of mountains."
a88c0ad508b3 · published Jul 17, 2026, 9:12:34 PM UTC
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The Kauravas try to cover Bhima with arrows as clouds cover the sun, but the Pandavas answer in concert. Already at the start of the battle the main line is visible: the side of unrighteousness acts through sheer mass, while the side of dharma holds together through mutual protection.