तावकाः सैनिकाश् चापि मेनिरे निहतं नृपम् ॥
ततो विचुक्रुशुः सर्वे हा हेति च समन्ततः ॥
तेषां तु निनदं श्रुत्वा त्रस्तानां सर्वयोधिनाम् ॥
भीमसेनस्य नादं च श्रुत्वा राजन् महात्मनः ॥
ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा हतं मत्वा सुयोधनम् ॥
अभ्यवर्तत वेगेन यत्र पार्थो वृकोदरः ॥
पाञ्चालाः केकया मत्स्याः सृञ्जयाश् च विशां पते ॥
सर्वोद्योगेनाभिजग्मुर् द्रोणम् एव युयुत्सया ॥
तत्रासीत् सुमहद् युद्धं द्रोणस्याथ परैः सह ॥
घोरे तमसि मग्नानां निघ्नताम् इतरेतरम् ॥
tāvakāḥ sainikāś cāpi menire nihataṃ nṛpam ||
tato vicukruśuḥ sarve hā heti ca samantataḥ ||
teṣāṃ tu ninadaṃ śrutvā trastānāṃ sarvayodhinām ||
bhīmasenasya nādaṃ ca śrutvā rājan mahātmanaḥ ||
tato yudhiṣṭhiro rājā hataṃ matvā suyodhanam ||
abhyavartata vegena yatra pārtho vṛkodaraḥ ||
pāñcālāḥ kekayā matsyāḥ sṛñjayāś ca viśāṃ pate ||
sarvodyogenābhijagmur droṇam eva yuyutsayā ||
tatrāsīt sumahad yuddhaṃ droṇasyātha paraiḥ saha ||
ghore tamasi magnānāṃ nighnatām itaretaram ||
Your soldiers too thought the king slain; then all cried out "Alas, alas!" from every side. Hearing their clamor, that of all the terrified warriors, and the roar of great-souled Bhimasena, O king, king Yudhishthira, thinking Suyodhana slain, rushed with speed to where Partha Vrikodara [Bhima] was. The Panchalas, Kekayas, Matsyas, and Srinjayas, O lord of peoples, rushed with all their effort straight at Drona himself, eager to fight. There a very great battle took place between Drona and his enemies, sunk in dreadful darkness, striking one another.
20c961557b02 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:49:34 PM UTC
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The chapter closes on a chain of misapprehensions: both sides believe Duryodhana slain, and a false report moves armies — Yudhishthira hastens to Bhima, the host at once falls upon Drona. It is telling that the battle is ruled not by truth but by rumor in the dark. The verse teaches that in darkness — of night and of the heart alike — men are moved by hearsay and guesswork rather than sure knowledge; and how many turns of a war, as of a life, unfold from error born of gloom and haste.