तस्मिन् सुघोरे नृपसंप्रहारे; हताः प्रवीराः सरथाः ससूताः ॥
गजाश् च नाराचनिपाततप्ता; महापताकाः शुभरुक्मकक्ष्याः ॥
परीतसत्त्वाः सहसा निपेतुः; किरीटिना भिन्नतनुत्रकायाः ॥
दृढाहताः पत्रिभिर् उग्रवेगैः; पार्थेन भल्लैर् निशितैः शिताग्रैः ॥
निकृत्तयन्त्रा निहतेन्द्रकीला; ध्वजा महान्तो ध्वजिनीमुखेषु ॥
पदातिसंघाश् च रथाश् च संख्ये; हयाश् च नागाश् च धनंजयेन ॥
बाणाहतास् तूर्णम् अपेतसत्त्वा; विष्टभ्य गात्राणि निपेतुर् उर्व्याम् ॥
ऐन्द्रेण तेनास्त्रवरेण राजन्; महाहवे भिन्नतनुत्रदेहाः ॥
ततः शरौघैर् निशितैः किरीटिना; नृदेहशस्त्रक्षतलोहितोदा ॥
नदी सुघोरा नरदेहफेना; प्रवर्तिता तत्र रणाजिरे वै ॥
वेगेन सातीव पृथुप्रवाहा; प्रसुस्रुता भैरवारावरूपा ॥
परेतनागाश्वशरीररोधा; नरान्त्रमज्जाभृतमांसपङ्का ॥
प्रभूतरक्षोगणभूतसेविता; शिरःकपालाकुलकेशशाद्वला ॥
शरीरसंघातसहस्रवाहिनी; विशीर्णनानाकवचोर्मिसंकुला ॥
नराश्वनागास्थिनिकृत्तशर्करा; विनाशपातालवती भयावहा ॥
तां कङ्कमालावृतगृध्रकह्वैः; क्रव्यादसंघैश् च तरक्षुभिश् च ॥
उपेतकूलां ददृशुः समन्तात्; क्रूरां महावैतरणीप्रकाशाम् ॥
प्रवर्तिताम् अर्जुनबाणसंघैर्; मेदोवसासृक्प्रवहां सुभीमाम् ॥
ते चेदिपाञ्चालकरूषमत्स्याः; पार्थाश् च सर्वे सहिताः प्रणेदुः ॥
वित्रास्य सेनां ध्वजिनीपतीनां; सिंहो मृगाणाम् इव यूथसंघान् ॥
विनेदतुस् ताव् अतिहर्षयुक्तौ; गाण्डीवधन्वा च जनार्दनश् च ॥
ततो रविं संहृतरश्मिजालं; दृष्ट्वा भृशं शस्त्रपरिक्षताङ्गाः ॥
तद् ऐन्द्रम् अस्त्रं विततं सुघोरम्; असह्यम् उद्वीक्ष्य युगान्तकल्पम् ॥
अथापयानं कुरवः सभीष्माः; सद्रोणदुर्योधनबाह्लिकाश् च ॥
चक्रुर् निशां संधिगतां समीक्ष्य; विभावसोर् लोहितराजियुक्ताम् ॥
अवाप्य कीर्तिं च यशश् च लोके; विजित्य शत्रूंश् च धनंजयो ऽपि ॥
ययौ नरेन्द्रैः सह सोदरैश् च; समाप्तकर्मा शिबिरं निशायाम् ॥
ततः प्रजज्ञे तुमुलः कुरूणां; निशामुखे घोरतरः प्रणादः ॥
रणे रथानाम् अयुतं निहत्य; हता गजाः सप्तशतार्जुनेन ॥
प्राच्याश् च सौवीरगणाश् च सर्वे; निपातिताः क्षुद्रकमालवाश् च ॥
महत् कृतं कर्म धनंजयेन; कर्तुं यथा नार्हति कश् चिद् अन्यः ॥
श्रुतायुर् अम्बष्ठपतिश् च राजा; तथैव दुर्मर्षणचित्रसेनौ ॥
द्रोणः कृपः सैन्धवबाह्लिकौ च; भूरिश्रवाः शल्यशलौ च राजन् ॥
स्वबाहुवीर्येण जिताः सभीष्माः; किरीटिना लोकमहारथेन ॥
इति ब्रुवन्तः शिबिराणि जग्मुः; सर्वे गणा भारत ये त्वदीयाः ॥
उल्कासहस्रैश् च सुसंप्रदीप्तैर्; विभ्राजमानैश् च तथा प्रदीपैः ॥
किरीटिवित्रासितसर्वयोधा; चक्रे निवेशं ध्वजिनी कुरूणाम् ॥
tasmin sughore nṛpasaṃprahāre; hatāḥ pravīrāḥ sarathāḥ sasūtāḥ ||
gajāś ca nārācanipātataptā; mahāpatākāḥ śubharukmakakṣyāḥ ||
parītasattvāḥ sahasā nipetuḥ; kirīṭinā bhinnatanutrakāyāḥ ||
dṛḍhāhatāḥ patribhir ugravegaiḥ; pārthena bhallair niśitaiḥ śitāgraiḥ ||
nikṛttayantrā nihatendrakīlā; dhvajā mahānto dhvajinīmukheṣu ||
padātisaṃghāś ca rathāś ca saṃkhye; hayāś ca nāgāś ca dhanaṃjayena ||
bāṇāhatās tūrṇam apetasattvā; viṣṭabhya gātrāṇi nipetur urvyām ||
aindreṇa tenāstravareṇa rājan; mahāhave bhinnatanutradehāḥ ||
tataḥ śaraughair niśitaiḥ kirīṭinā; nṛdehaśastrakṣatalohitodā ||
nadī sughorā naradehaphenā; pravartitā tatra raṇājire vai ||
vegena sātīva pṛthupravāhā; prasusrutā bhairavārāvarūpā ||
paretanāgāśvaśarīrarodhā; narāntramajjābhṛtamāṃsapaṅkā ||
prabhūtarakṣogaṇabhūtasevitā; śiraḥkapālākulakeśaśādvalā ||
śarīrasaṃghātasahasravāhinī; viśīrṇanānākavacormisaṃkulā ||
narāśvanāgāsthinikṛttaśarkarā; vināśapātālavatī bhayāvahā ||
tāṃ kaṅkamālāvṛtagṛdhrakahvaiḥ; kravyādasaṃghaiś ca tarakṣubhiś ca ||
upetakūlāṃ dadṛśuḥ samantāt; krūrāṃ mahāvaitaraṇīprakāśām ||
pravartitām arjunabāṇasaṃghair; medovasāsṛkpravahāṃ subhīmām ||
te cedipāñcālakarūṣamatsyāḥ; pārthāś ca sarve sahitāḥ praṇeduḥ ||
vitrāsya senāṃ dhvajinīpatīnāṃ; siṃho mṛgāṇām iva yūthasaṃghān ||
vinedatus tāv atiharṣayuktau; gāṇḍīvadhanvā ca janārdanaś ca ||
tato raviṃ saṃhṛtaraśmijālaṃ; dṛṣṭvā bhṛśaṃ śastraparikṣatāṅgāḥ ||
tad aindram astraṃ vitataṃ sughoram; asahyam udvīkṣya yugāntakalpam ||
athāpayānaṃ kuravaḥ sabhīṣmāḥ; sadroṇaduryodhanabāhlikāś ca ||
cakrur niśāṃ saṃdhigatāṃ samīkṣya; vibhāvasor lohitarājiyuktām ||
avāpya kīrtiṃ ca yaśaś ca loke; vijitya śatrūṃś ca dhanaṃjayo 'pi ||
yayau narendraiḥ saha sodaraiś ca; samāptakarmā śibiraṃ niśāyām ||
tataḥ prajajñe tumulaḥ kurūṇāṃ; niśāmukhe ghorataraḥ praṇādaḥ ||
raṇe rathānām ayutaṃ nihatya; hatā gajāḥ saptaśatārjunena ||
prācyāś ca sauvīragaṇāś ca sarve; nipātitāḥ kṣudrakamālavāś ca ||
mahat kṛtaṃ karma dhanaṃjayena; kartuṃ yathā nārhati kaś cid anyaḥ ||
śrutāyur ambaṣṭhapatiś ca rājā; tathaiva durmarṣaṇacitrasenau ||
droṇaḥ kṛpaḥ saindhavabāhlikau ca; bhūriśravāḥ śalyaśalau ca rājan ||
svabāhuvīryeṇa jitāḥ sabhīṣmāḥ; kirīṭinā lokamahārathena ||
iti bruvantaḥ śibirāṇi jagmuḥ; sarve gaṇā bhārata ye tvadīyāḥ ||
ulkāsahasraiś ca susaṃpradīptair; vibhrājamānaiś ca tathā pradīpaiḥ ||
kirīṭivitrāsitasarvayodhā; cakre niveśaṃ dhvajinī kurūṇām ||
In this dreadful slaughter of kings, great heroes fell together with their chariots and charioteers; elephants adorned with great banners and fine golden ornaments, tormented by the fall of nārācas, suddenly collapsed lifeless, their armor and bodies pierced by Kiritin, struck down by the Partha's powerful, swift-winged, sharp and honed arrows. Great banners with severed cords and shattered pins, hosts of foot soldiers, chariots, horses, and elephants — all these Dhananjaya struck down in battle, and they swiftly fell to the ground with limbs outstretched, their armor pierced through, in that great battle, O king. Then, by the sharp streams of Kiritin's arrows, a dreadful river arose upon the battlefield: its waters were the blood of wounded bodies, its foam the bodies of men. It rushed on mightily and wide, with a terrifying roar; its banks were choked with dead elephants and horses, its mire made of flesh, entrails, and marrow. Throngs of rākṣasas and spirits frequented it; instead of grass it was strewn with hair and skulls; it carried a thousand heaps of bodies, its waves crowded with shattered armor of every kind, its gravel the broken bones of men, horses, and elephants — terrible, holding within it an abyss of destruction. On every side they beheld this cruel river, resembling the great Vaitaraṇī, ringed by kaṅka-herons, vultures, and crows, by packs of flesh-eaters and hyenas, brought into being by the masses of Arjuna's arrows, flowing with fat, marrow-grease, and blood. Then the Cedis, Pañcālas, Karūṣas, and Matsyas, and all the Parthas together, roared aloud. Terrifying the army of the lords of hosts as a lion terrifies herds of beasts, Arjuna the wielder of Gāṇḍīva and Janārdana both cried out together in great joy. Then the Kurus, together with Bhishma, Drona, Duryodhana, and Bahlika, seeing the sun with its net of rays drawn in, and the night drawing near streaked with crimson bands of light, and beholding that unbearable, far-spread and terrible weapon of Indra, resembling the end of an age, made their retreat. Dhananjaya, having won fame and glory in the world, having conquered his enemies, his task accomplished, went by night to the camp together with the kings and his brothers. Then, at the onset of night, an even more terrible uproar arose among the Kurus. They said: "In battle Dhananjaya has destroyed ten thousand chariots; Arjuna has slain seven hundred elephants; the warriors of the east, all the Sauvīras, the Kṣudrakas and the Mālavas have been struck down. A great deed has been done by Dhananjaya, such as no one else could accomplish. Śrutāyus, king and lord of the Ambaṣṭhas, likewise Durmarṣaṇa and Citrasena, Drona, Kripa, the lord of Sindhu and Bahlika, Bhuriśravas, Śalya, and Śala, O king, together with Bhishma, have been overcome by the strength of the arms of Kiritin, the world's greatest chariot-warrior." So speaking, all your hosts, O Bhārata, went to their camps; and the army of the Kurus, all its warriors terrified by Kiritin, settled down for the night amid thousands of brightly blazing torches and shining lamps.
ef4e32f35816 · published Jul 17, 2026, 9:22:45 PM UTC
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The day ends not merely with Arjuna's military victory but with the restoration of direction: after Krishna nearly broke His own vow to protect His devotee, Arjuna fulfilled his. Victory here belongs not to force of arms alone, but to the union of divine guidance and human responsibility.