ततः शल्यः कृपश् चैव चित्रसेनश् च भारत ॥
दुःशासनो विकर्णश् च रथान् आस्थाय सत्वराः ॥
पाण्डवानां रणे शूरा ध्वजिनीं समकम्पयन् ॥
सा वध्यमाना समरे पाण्डुसेना महात्मभिः ॥
त्रातारं नाध्यगच्छद् वै मज्जमानेव नौर् जले ॥
यथा हि शैशिरः कालो गवां मर्माणि कृन्तति ॥
तथा पाण्डुसुतानां वै भीष्मो मर्माण्य् अकृन्तत ॥
अतीव तव सैन्यस्य पार्थेन च महात्मना ॥
नगमेघप्रतीकाशाः पातिता बहुधा गजाः ॥
मृद्यमानाश् च दृश्यन्ते पार्थेन नरयूथपाः ॥
इषुभिस् ताड्यमानाश् च नाराचैश् च सहस्रशः ॥
पेतुर् आर्तस्वरं कृत्वा तत्र तत्र महागजाः ॥
आबद्धाभरणैः कायैर् निहतानां महात्मनाम् ॥
छन्नम् आयोधनं रेजे शिरोभिश् च सकुण्डलैः ॥
तस्मिन्न् अतिमहाभीमे राजन् वीरवरक्षये ॥
भीष्मे च युधि विक्रान्ते पाण्डवे च धनंजये ॥
ते पराक्रान्तम् आलोक्य राजन् युधि पितामहम् ॥
न न्यवर्तन्त कौरव्या ब्रह्मलोकपुरस्कृताः ॥
इच्छन्तो निधनं युद्धे स्वर्गं कृत्वा परायणम् ॥
पाण्डवान् अभ्यवर्तन्त तस्मिन् वीरवरक्षये ॥
पाण्डवापि महाराज स्मरन्तो विविधान् बहून् ॥
क्लेशान् कृतान् सपुत्रेण त्वया पूर्वं नराधिप ॥
भयं त्यक्त्वा रणे शूरा ब्रह्मलोकपुरस्कृताः ॥
तावकांस् तव पुत्रांश् च योधयन्ति स्म हृष्टवत् ॥
tataḥ śalyaḥ kṛpaś caiva citrasenaś ca bhārata ||
duḥśāsano vikarṇaś ca rathān āsthāya satvarāḥ ||
pāṇḍavānāṃ raṇe śūrā dhvajinīṃ samakampayan ||
sā vadhyamānā samare pāṇḍusenā mahātmabhiḥ ||
trātāraṃ nādhyagacchad vai majjamāneva naur jale ||
yathā hi śaiśiraḥ kālo gavāṃ marmāṇi kṛntati ||
tathā pāṇḍusutānāṃ vai bhīṣmo marmāṇy akṛntata ||
atīva tava sainyasya pārthena ca mahātmanā ||
nagameghapratīkāśāḥ pātitā bahudhā gajāḥ ||
mṛdyamānāś ca dṛśyante pārthena narayūthapāḥ ||
iṣubhis tāḍyamānāś ca nārācaiś ca sahasraśaḥ ||
petur ārtasvaraṃ kṛtvā tatra tatra mahāgajāḥ ||
ābaddhābharaṇaiḥ kāyair nihatānāṃ mahātmanām ||
channam āyodhanaṃ reje śirobhiś ca sakuṇḍalaiḥ ||
tasminn atimahābhīme rājan vīravarakṣaye ||
bhīṣme ca yudhi vikrānte pāṇḍave ca dhanaṃjaye ||
te parākrāntam ālokya rājan yudhi pitāmaham ||
na nyavartanta kauravyā brahmalokapuraskṛtāḥ ||
icchanto nidhanaṃ yuddhe svargaṃ kṛtvā parāyaṇam ||
pāṇḍavān abhyavartanta tasmin vīravarakṣaye ||
pāṇḍavāpi mahārāja smaranto vividhān bahūn ||
kleśān kṛtān saputreṇa tvayā pūrvaṃ narādhipa ||
bhayaṃ tyaktvā raṇe śūrā brahmalokapuraskṛtāḥ ||
tāvakāṃs tava putrāṃś ca yodhayanti sma hṛṣṭavat ||
Then Shalya, Kripa, Chitrasena, Duhshasana and Vikarna, swiftly mounting their chariots, heroes all, shook the army of the Pandavas in battle, O Bharata. Struck down by these great warriors, the Pandu army found no protector, like a boat sinking in water. As the cold of winter cuts the vital parts of cattle, so did Bhishma cut the vital parts of the sons of Pandu. Yet the great-souled Partha too repeatedly felled elephants of your army that resembled mountains and clouds. Leaders of men, crushed by Partha, pierced by arrows and by thousands of narachas, were seen everywhere. Great elephants fell here and there, uttering cries of anguish. The battlefield, covered with the bodies of fallen heroes still wearing their ornaments and with heads adorned with earrings, shone with a terrible splendor. In that most dreadful destruction of the finest heroes, when Bhishma and the Pandava Dhananjaya were both showing their might in battle, the Kauravas, beholding the grandfather's valor, did not retreat, having set the world of Brahma before them. Desiring death in battle and taking heaven as their final goal, they advanced upon the Pandavas in that destruction of the noblest warriors. And the Pandavas, O great king, remembering the many sufferings you had once inflicted on them together with your son, cast off fear and, setting their sights on the world of Brahma, fought joyfully against your warriors and your sons."
6b45ce91602e · published Jul 17, 2026, 10:03:50 PM UTC
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Neither side is seeking mere tactical victory any longer: they fight as men who have already accepted death. And the memory of past injustice sustains the Pandavas just as strongly as faith in Bhishma sustains the Kauravas.