गजाश् च रथसंघाश् च बहुधा रथिभिर् हताः ॥
रथाश् च निहता नागैर् नागा हयपदातिभिः ॥
अन्तरा छिध्यमानानि शरीराणि शिरांसि च ॥
निपेतुर् दिक्षु सर्वासु गजाश्वरथयोधिनाम् ॥
छन्नम् आयोधनं रेजे कुण्डलाङ्गदधारिभिः ॥
पतितैः पात्यमानैश् च राजपुत्रैर् महारथैः ॥
रथनेमिनिकृत्ताश् च गजैश् चैवावपोथिताः ॥
पादाताश् चाप्य् अदृश्यन्त साश्वाः सहयसादिनः ॥
गजाश्वरथसंघाश् च परिपेतुः समन्ततः ॥
विशीर्णाश् च रथा भूमौ भग्नचक्रयुगध्वजाः ॥
तद् गजाश्वरथौघानां रुधिरेण समुक्षितम् ॥
छन्नम् आयोधनं रेजे रक्ताभ्रम् इव शारदम् ॥
श्वानः काकाश् च गृध्राश् च वृका गोमायुभिः सह ॥
प्रणेदुर् भक्ष्यम् आसाद्य विकृताश् च मृगद्विजाः ॥
ववुर् बहुविधाश् चैव दिक्षु सर्वासु मारुताः ॥
दृश्यमानेषु रक्षःसु भूतेषु विनदत्सु च ॥
काञ्चनानि च दामानि पताकाश् च महाधनाः ॥
धूमायमाना दृश्यन्ते सहसा मारुतेरिताः ॥
श्वेतच्छत्रसहस्राणि सध्वजाश् च महारथाः ॥
विनिकीर्णाः स्म दृश्यन्ते शतशो ऽथ सहस्रशः ॥
सपताकाश् च मातङ्गा दिशो जग्मुः शरातुराः ॥
क्षत्रियाश् च मनुष्येन्द्र गदाशक्तिधनुर्धराः ॥
समन्ततो व्यदृश्यन्त पतिता धरणीतले ॥
ततो भीष्मो महाराज दिव्यम् अस्त्रम् उदीरयन् ॥
अभ्यधावत कौन्तेयं मिषतां सर्वधन्विनाम् ॥
तं शिखण्डी रणे यत्तम् अभ्यधावत दंशितः ॥
संजहार ततो भीष्मस् तद् अस्त्रं पावकोपमम् ॥
एतस्मिन्न् एव काले तु कौन्तेयः श्वेतवाहनः ॥
निजघ्ने तावकं सैन्यं मोहयित्वा पितामहम् ॥
gajāś ca rathasaṃghāś ca bahudhā rathibhir hatāḥ ||
rathāś ca nihatā nāgair nāgā hayapadātibhiḥ ||
antarā chidhyamānāni śarīrāṇi śirāṃsi ca ||
nipetur dikṣu sarvāsu gajāśvarathayodhinām ||
channam āyodhanaṃ reje kuṇḍalāṅgadadhāribhiḥ ||
patitaiḥ pātyamānaiś ca rājaputrair mahārathaiḥ ||
rathaneminikṛttāś ca gajaiś caivāvapothitāḥ ||
pādātāś cāpy adṛśyanta sāśvāḥ sahayasādinaḥ ||
gajāśvarathasaṃghāś ca paripetuḥ samantataḥ ||
viśīrṇāś ca rathā bhūmau bhagnacakrayugadhvajāḥ ||
tad gajāśvarathaughānāṃ rudhireṇa samukṣitam ||
channam āyodhanaṃ reje raktābhram iva śāradam ||
śvānaḥ kākāś ca gṛdhrāś ca vṛkā gomāyubhiḥ saha ||
praṇedur bhakṣyam āsādya vikṛtāś ca mṛgadvijāḥ ||
vavur bahuvidhāś caiva dikṣu sarvāsu mārutāḥ ||
dṛśyamāneṣu rakṣaḥsu bhūteṣu vinadatsu ca ||
kāñcanāni ca dāmāni patākāś ca mahādhanāḥ ||
dhūmāyamānā dṛśyante sahasā māruteritāḥ ||
śvetacchatrasahasrāṇi sadhvajāś ca mahārathāḥ ||
vinikīrṇāḥ sma dṛśyante śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ ||
sapatākāś ca mātaṅgā diśo jagmuḥ śarāturāḥ ||
kṣatriyāś ca manuṣyendra gadāśaktidhanurdharāḥ ||
samantato vyadṛśyanta patitā dharaṇītale ||
tato bhīṣmo mahārāja divyam astram udīrayan ||
abhyadhāvata kaunteyaṃ miṣatāṃ sarvadhanvinām ||
taṃ śikhaṇḍī raṇe yattam abhyadhāvata daṃśitaḥ ||
saṃjahāra tato bhīṣmas tad astraṃ pāvakopamam ||
etasminn eva kāle tu kaunteyaḥ śvetavāhanaḥ ||
nijaghne tāvakaṃ sainyaṃ mohayitvā pitāmaham ||
Elephants and chariot squadrons were struck down in many ways by charioteers; chariots were destroyed by elephants, and elephants by cavalry and foot-soldiers. The bodies and heads of warriors mounted on elephants, horses, and chariots, cut asunder in the midst of the fighting, fell in every direction. The battlefield, covered with fallen and falling princes, great chariot-warriors adorned with earrings and armlets, shone with a terrible splendor. Foot-soldiers were seen together with horses and riders, some sliced by the rims of chariot wheels, others crushed beneath elephants. Hosts of elephants, horses, and chariots fell on every side; shattered chariots with broken wheels, yokes, and banners lay upon the ground. The battlefield, covered with the streams of elephants, horses, and chariots and drenched in blood, looked like a crimson autumn cloud. Dogs, crows, vultures, wolves, and jackals howled as they found their prey; misshapen beasts and birds cried out as well. Winds of many kinds blew from every direction as rakshasas appeared and spirits shrieked. Golden garlands and costly banners, suddenly caught up by the wind, seemed to be smoking. Thousands of white parasols and great chariot-warriors with their standards were seen scattered by the hundreds and thousands; elephants with banners, tormented by arrows, moved off in every direction. Kshatriyas, O lord of men, bearing maces, spears, and bows, lay everywhere upon the ground. Then Bhishma, O great king, unleashing a divine weapon, charged at the son of Kunti before the eyes of all the archers. But Shikhandin, clad in armor, rushed at him as he stood ready for battle, and Bhishma then withdrew that fire-like weapon. At this very moment, the white-horsed son of Kunti, having distracted the grandsire, began destroying your army."
36ccd3e3d4a4 · प्रकाशित 17 जुल॰ 2026, 10:03:50 pm UTC
उपलब्ध भाषाएँRUENश्लोक बदलें इन कुंजियों से
The chapter's close shows the day's reckoning: the field is strewn with the marks of royal glory, with bodies and blood, and the decisive move comes precisely through Shikhandin. Bhishma withdraws his fiery astra, and Arjuna gains the room to cut down the Kaurava host.