Drona Parwa 8

Dronabhisheka Parva

 

Mahabharata 7.8 - Drona Parwa 8

 

1 [धृ]           

किं कुर्वाणं रणे दरॊणं जघ्नुः पाण्डव सृञ्जयाः           

तथा निपुणम अस्त्रेषु सर्वशस्त्रभृताम अपि       

2 रथभङ्गॊ बभूवास्य धनुर वाशीर्यतास्यतः           

परमत्तॊ वाभवद दरॊणस ततॊ मृत्युम उपेयिवान      

 3 कथं नु पार्षतस तात शत्रुभिर दुष्प्रधर्षणम           

किरन्तम इषुसंघातान रुक्मपुङ्खान अनेकशः       

4 कषिप्रहस्तं दविजश्रेष्ठं कृतिनं चित्रयॊधिनम           

दूरेषु पातिनं दान्तम अस्त्रयुद्धे च पारगम       

5 पाञ्चाल पुत्रॊ नयवधीद दिष्ट्या स वरम अच्युतम          

 कुर्वाणं दारुणं कर्म रणे यत्तं महारथम       

6 वयक्तं दिष्टं हि बलवत पौरुषाद इति मे मतिः           

यद दरुणॊ निहतः शूरः पार्षतेन महात्मना       

7 अस्त्रं चतुर्विधं वीरे यस्मिन्न आसीत परतिष्ठितम           

तम इष्वस्त्रवराचार्यं दरॊणं शंससि मे हत      

 8 शरुत्वा हतं रुक्मरथं वैयाघ्रपरिवारणम           

जातरूपपरिष्कारं नाद्य शॊकम अपानुदे      

 9 न नूनं परदुःखेन कश चिन मरियति संजय           

यत्र दरॊणम अहं शरुत्वा हतं जीवामि न मरिये       

10 अश्मसारमयं नूनं हृदयं सुदृढं मम          

यच छरुत्वा निहतं दरॊणं शतधा न विदीर्यते      

11 बराह्मे वेदे तथेष्व अस्त्रे यम उपासन गुणार्थिनः          

बराह्मणा राजपुत्राश च स कथं मृत्युना हतः      

12 शॊषणं सागरस्येव मेरॊर इव विसर्पणम          

पतनं भास्करस्येव न मृष्ये दरॊण पातनम      

13 दृप्तानां परतिषेद्धासीद धार्मिकानां च रक्षिता          

यॊ ऽतयाक्षीत कृपणस्यार्थे पराणान अपि परंतपः      

14 मन्दानां मम पुत्राणां जयाशा यस्य विक्रमे          

बृहस्पत्युशनस तुल्यॊ बुद्ध्या स निहतः कथम      

15 ते च शॊणा बृहन्तॊ ऽशवाः सैन्धवा हेममालिनः          

रथे वातजया युक्ताः सर्वशब्दातिगा रणे      

16 बलिनॊ घॊषिणॊ दान्ताः सैन्धवाः साधु वाहिनः          

दृढाः संग्राममध्येषु कच चिद आसन न विह्वलाः      

17 करिणां बृंहतां युद्धे शङ्खदुन्दुभिनिस्वनम          

जया कषेप शरवर्षाणां शस्त्राणां च सहिष्णवः      

18 आशंसन्तः पराञ जेतुं जितश्वासा जितव्यथाः          

हयाः परजविताः शीघ्रा भारद्वाज रथॊद्वहाः      

19 ते सम रुक्मरथे युक्ता नरवीर समाहिताः          

कथं नाभ्यतरंस तात पाण्डवानाम अनीकिनीम      

20 जातरूपपरिष्कारम आस्थाय रथम उत्तमम          

भारद्वाजः किम अकरॊच छूरः संक्रन्दनॊ युधि      

21 विद्यां यस्यॊपजीवन्ति सर्वलॊकधनुर्भृतः          

स सत्यसंधॊ बलवान दरॊणः किम अकरॊद युधि      

22 दिवि शक्रम इव शरेष्ठं महामात्रं धनुर्भृताम         

 के नु तं रौद्रकर्माणं युद्धे परत्युद्ययू रथाः      

23 ननु रुक्मरथं दृष्ट्वा परद्रवन्ति सम पाण्डवाः          

दिव्यम अस्त्रं विकुर्वाणं सेनां कषिण्वन्तम अव्ययम      

24 उताहॊ सर्वसैन्येन धर्मराजः सहानुजः          

पाञ्चाल्य परग्रहॊ दरॊणं सर्वतः समवारयत      

25 नूनम आवरयत पार्थॊ रथिनॊ ऽनयान अजिह्मगैः          

ततॊ दरॊणं समारॊहत पार्षतः पापकर्मकृत      

26 न हय अन्यं परिपश्यामि वधे कं चन शुष्मिणः          

धृष्टद्युम्नाद ऋते रौद्रात पाल्यमानात किरीटिना      

27 तैर वृतः सर्वतः शूरैः पाञ्चाल्यापसदस ततः          

केकयैर्श चेदिकारूषैर मत्स्यैर अन्यैश च भूमिपैः      

28 वयाकुलीकृतम आचार्यं पिपीलैर उरगं यथा          

कर्मण्य सुकरे सक्तं जघानेति मतिर मम      

29 यॊ ऽधीत्य चतुरॊ वेदान सर्वान आख्यान पञ्चमान         

 बराह्मणानां परतिष्ठासीत सरॊतसाम इव सागरः          

स कथं बराह्मणॊ वृद्धः शस्त्रेण वधम आप्तवान      

30 अमर्षणॊ मर्षितवान कलिश्यमानः सदा मया          

अनर्हमाणः कौन्तेयः कर्मणस तस्य तत फलम     

 31 यस्य कर्मानुजीवन्ति लॊके सर्वधनुर्भृतः          

स सत्यसंधः सुकृती शरीकामैर निहतः कथम      

32 दिवि शक्र इव शरेष्ठॊ महासत्त्वॊ महाबलः         

 स कथं निहतः पार्थैः कषुद्रमत्स्यैर यथा तिमिः     

 33 कषिप्रहस्तश च बलवान दृढधन्वारि मर्दनः         

 न यस्य जीविताकाङ्क्षी विषयं पराप्य जीवति      

34 यं दवौ न जहतः शब्दौ जीवमानं कदा चन          

बराह्मश च वेद कामानां जयाघॊषश च धनुर्भृताम     

 35 नाहं मृष्ये हतं दरॊणं सिंहद्विरदविक्रमम          

कथं संजय दुर्धर्षम अनाधृष्य यशॊबलम      

36 के ऽरक्षन दक्षिणं चक्रं सव्यं के च महात्मनः          

पुरस्तात के च वीरस्य युध्यमानस्य संयुगे      

37 के च तत्र तनुं तयक्त्वा परतीपं मृत्युम आव्रजन         

 दरॊणस्य समरे वीराः के ऽकुर्वन्त परां धृतिम      

38 एतद आर्येण कर्तव्यं कृच्छ्रास्व आपत्सु संजय          

पराक्रमेद यथाशक्थ्या तच च तस्मिन परतिष्ठितम      

39 मुह्यते मे मनस तात कथा तावन निवर्त्यताम          

भूयस तु लब्धसंज्ञस तवा परिप्रक्ष्यामि संजय

 

 1 [dhṛ]          

 kiṃ kurvāṇaṃ raṇe droṇaṃ jaghnuḥ pāṇḍava sṛñjayāḥ          

tathā nipuṇam astreṣu sarvaśastrabhṛtām api       

2 rathabhaṅgo babhūvāsya dhanur vāśīryatāsyataḥ          

 pramatto vābhavad droṇas tato mṛtyum upeyivān       

3 kathaṃ nu pārṣatas tāta śatrubhir duṣpradharṣaṇam          

 kirantam iṣusaṃghātān rukmapuṅkhān anekaśaḥ       

4 kṣiprahastaṃ dvijaśreṣṭhaṃ kṛtinaṃ citrayodhinam           

dūreṣu pātinaṃ dāntam astrayuddhe ca pāragam       

5 pāñcāla putro nyavadhīd diṣṭyā sa varam acyutam           

kurvāṇaṃ dāruṇaṃ karma raṇe yattaṃ mahāratham       

6 vyaktaṃ diṣṭaṃ hi balavat pauruṣād iti me matiḥ           

yad druṇo nihataḥ śūraḥ pārṣatena mahātmanā       

7 astraṃ caturvidhaṃ vīre yasminn āsīt pratiṣṭhitam          

tam iṣvastravarācāryaṃ droṇaṃ śaṃsasi me hata       

8 śrutvā hataṃ rukmarathaṃ vaiyāghraparivāraṇam          

 jātarūpapariṣkāraṃ nādya śokam apānude       

9 na nūnaṃ paraduḥkhena kaś cin mriyati saṃjaya           

yatra droṇam ahaṃ śrutvā hataṃ jīvāmi na mriye       

10 aśmasāramayaṃ nūnaṃ hṛdayaṃ sudṛḍhaṃ mama          

yac chrutvā nihataṃ droṇaṃ śatadhā na vidīryate      

11 brāhme vede tatheṣv astre yam upāsan guṇārthinaḥ          

brāhmaṇā rājaputrāś ca sa kathaṃ mṛtyunā hataḥ      

12 śoṣaṇaṃ sāgarasyeva meror iva visarpaṇam          

patanaṃ bhāskarasyeva na mṛṣye droṇa pātanam      

13 dṛptānāṃ pratiṣeddhāsīd dhārmikānāṃ ca rakṣitā          

yo 'tyākṣīt kṛpaṇasyārthe prāṇān api paraṃtapaḥ      

14 mandānāṃ mama putrāṇāṃ jayāśā yasya vikrame          

bṛhaspatyuśanas tulyo buddhyā sa nihataḥ katham      

15 te ca śoṇā bṛhanto 'śvāḥ saindhavā hemamālinaḥ          

rathe vātajayā yuktāḥ sarvaśabdātigā raṇe      

16 balino ghoṣiṇo dāntāḥ saindhavāḥ sādhu vāhinaḥ          

dṛḍhāḥ saṃgrāmamadhyeṣu kac cid āsan na vihvalāḥ      

17 kariṇāṃ bṛṃhatāṃ yuddhe śaṅkhadundubhinisvanam          

jyā kṣepa śaravarṣāṇāṃ śastrāṇāṃ ca sahiṣṇavaḥ      

18 āśaṃsantaḥ parāñ jetuṃ jitaśvāsā jitavyathāḥ          

hayāḥ prajavitāḥ śīghrā bhāradvāja rathodvahāḥ      

19 te sma rukmarathe yuktā naravīra samāhitāḥ          

kathaṃ nābhyataraṃs tāta pāṇḍavānām anīkinīm      

20 jātarūpapariṣkāram āsthāya ratham uttamam          

bhāradvājaḥ kim akaroc chūraḥ saṃkrandano yudhi      

21 vidyāṃ yasyopajīvanti sarvalokadhanurbhṛtaḥ          

sa satyasaṃdho balavān droṇaḥ kim akarod yudhi      

22 divi śakram iva śreṣṭhaṃ mahāmātraṃ dhanurbhṛtām          

ke nu taṃ raudrakarmāṇaṃ yuddhe pratyudyayū rathāḥ      

23 nanu rukmarathaṃ dṛṣṭvā pradravanti sma pāṇḍavāḥ          

divyam astraṃ vikurvāṇaṃ senāṃ kṣiṇvantam avyayam      

24 utāho sarvasainyena dharmarājaḥ sahānujaḥ          

pāñcālya pragraho droṇaṃ sarvataḥ samavārayat      

25 nūnam āvarayat pārtho rathino 'nyān ajihmagaiḥ          

tato droṇaṃ samārohat pārṣataḥ pāpakarmakṛt      

26 na hy anyaṃ paripaśyāmi vadhe kaṃ cana śuṣmiṇaḥ          

dhṛṣṭadyumnād ṛte raudrāt pālyamānāt kirīṭinā      

27 tair vṛtaḥ sarvataḥ śūraiḥ pāñcālyāpasadas tataḥ          

kekayairś cedikārūṣair matsyair anyaiś ca bhūmipaiḥ     

 28 vyākulīkṛtam ācāryaṃ pipīlair uragaṃ yathā         

 karmaṇya sukare saktaṃ jaghāneti matir mama      

29 yo 'dhītya caturo vedān sarvān ākhyāna pañcamān          

brāhmaṇānāṃ pratiṣṭhāsīt srotasām iva sāgaraḥ          

sa kathaṃ brāhmaṇo vṛddhaḥ śastreṇa vadham āptavān      

30 amarṣaṇo marṣitavān kliśyamānaḥ sadā mayā          

anarhamāṇaḥ kaunteyaḥ karmaṇas tasya tat phalam      

31 yasya karmānujīvanti loke sarvadhanurbhṛtaḥ         

 sa satyasaṃdhaḥ sukṛtī śrīkāmair nihataḥ katham      

32 divi śakra iva śreṣṭho mahāsattvo mahābalaḥ          

sa kathaṃ nihataḥ pārthaiḥ kṣudramatsyair yathā timiḥ      

33 kṣiprahastaś ca balavān dṛḍhadhanvāri mardanaḥ          

na yasya jīvitākāṅkṣī viṣayaṃ prāpya jīvati      

34 yaṃ dvau na jahataḥ śabdau jīvamānaṃ kadā cana          

brāhmaś ca veda kāmānāṃ jyāghoṣaś ca dhanurbhṛtām      

35 nāhaṃ mṛṣye hataṃ droṇaṃ siṃhadviradavikramam          

kathaṃ saṃjaya durdharṣam anādhṛṣya yaśobalam      

36 ke 'rakṣan dakṣiṇaṃ cakraṃ savyaṃ ke ca mahātmanaḥ          

purastāt ke ca vīrasya yudhyamānasya saṃyuge      

37 ke ca tatra tanuṃ tyaktvā pratīpaṃ mṛtyum āvrajan          

droṇasya samare vīrāḥ ke 'kurvanta parāṃ dhṛtim      

38 etad āryeṇa kartavyaṃ kṛcchrāsv āpatsu saṃjaya          

parākramed yathāśakthyā tac ca tasmin pratiṣṭhitam      

39 muhyate me manas tāta kathā tāvan nivartyatām          

bhūyas tu labdhasaṃjñas tvā pariprakṣyāmi saṃjaya

 

Dhritarashtra said, 'How did the Pandavas and the Srinjayas slay Drona in battle,--Drona. who was so accomplished in weapons amongst all wielders of arms? Did his car break (in course of the fight)? Did his bow break while he was striking (the foe)? Or, was Drona careless at the time when he met with his death-blow? How, indeed, O child, could Prishata's son, (viz., Dhrishtadyumna) the prince of the Panchalas, slay that hero incapable of being humiliated by enemies, who scattered thick showers of shafts furnished with wings of gold, and who was endued with great lightness of hand, that foremost of Brahmanas, who was accomplished in everything, acquainted with all modes of warfare, capable of shooting his shafts to a great distance, and self-restrained, who was possessed of great skill in the use of weapons and armed with celestial weapons, that mighty warrior, of unfading glory, who was always careful, and who achieved the fiercest feats in battle? It is plain, it seems to me, that destiny is superior to exertion, since even brave Drona hath been slain by the high-souled son of Prishata, that hero in whom were the four kinds of weapons, alas, thou sayest that that Drona, that preceptor in bowmanship, is slain. Hearing of the slaughter of that hero who used to ride his bright car covered with tiger skins and adorned with pure gold. I cannot drive away my grief. Without doubt, O Sanjaya, no one dies of grief caused by another's calamity, since, wretch that I am, I am yet alive although I have heard of Drona's death. Destiny I regard to be all powerful, exertion is fruitless. Surely, my heart, hard as it is, is made of adamant, since it breaketh not into a hundred pieces, although I have heard of Drona's death. He who was waited up-on by Brahmanas and princes desirous of instruction in the Vedas and divination and bowmanship, alas, how could he be taken away by Death? I cannot brook the overthrow of Drona which is even like the drying up of the ocean, or the removal of Meru from its site, or the fall of the Run from the firmament. He was a restrainer of the wicked and a protector of the righteous. That scorcher of foes who hath given up his life for the wretched Duryodhana, upon whose prowess rested that hope of victory which my wicked sons entertained, who was equal to Vrihaspati or Usanas himself in intelligence, alas, how was he slain? His large steeds of red hue, covered with net of gold, fleet as the wind and incapable of being struck with any weapon in battle, endued with great strength, neighing cheerfully, well-trained and of the Sindhu breed, yoked unto his car and drawing the vehicle excellently, always preserving in the midst of battle, did they become weak and faint? Coolly bearing in battle the roar of elephants, while those huge creatures trumpeted at the blare of conchs and the beat of drums, unmoved by the twang of bows and showers of arrows and other weapons, foreboding the defeat of foes by their very appearance, never drawing long breaths (in consequence of toil), above all fatigue and pain, how were those fleet steeds that drew the car of Bharadwaja's son soon over-powered? Even such were the steeds yoked unto his golden car. Even such were the steeds yoked thereto by that foremost of human heroes. Mounted on his own excellent car decked with pure gold, why, O son, could he not cross the sea of the Pandava army? What feat were achieved in battle by Bharadwaja's son, that warrior who always drew tears from other heroes, and upon whose knowledge (of weapons) all the bowmen of the world rely? Firmly adhering to truth, and endued with great might, what, indeed, did Drona do in battle? Who were those car-warriors that encountered that achiever of fierce deeds, that foremost of all wielders of the bow, that first of heroes, who resembled Sakra himself in heaven? Did the Pandava fly away beholding him of the golden car and of mighty strength who invoked into existence celestial weapons? Or, did king Yudhishthira the just, with his younger brothers, and having the prince of Panchala (Dhrishtadyumna) for his binding chord, 1 attack Drona, surrounding him with his troops on all sides? Verily, Partha must have, with his straight shafts, checked all the other car-warriors, and then Prishata's son of sinful deeds must have surrounded Drona. I do not see any other warrior, save the fierce Dhrishtadyumna protected by Arjuna, who could have compassed the death of that mighty hero? It seems that when those heroes, viz., the Kekayas, the Chedis, the Karushas, the Matsyas, and the other kings, surrounding the preceptor, pressed him exceedingly like ants pressing upon a snake, while he was engaged in some difficult feat, the wretched Dhrishtadyumna must have slain him then. This is what, I think. He who, having studied the four Vedas with their branches and the histories forming the fifth (Veda), became the refuge of the Brahmanas, as the ocean is of rivers, that scorcher of foes, who lived both as a Brahmana and as a Kshatriya, alas, how could that Brahmana, reverend in years, meet with his end at the edge of a weapon? Of a proud spirit, he was yet often humiliated and had to suffer, pain on my account. However undeserving of it, he yet attained at the hands of Kunti's son, the fruit of his own conduct. 1 He, upon whose feats depend all wielders of bows in the world, alas, how could that hero, firmly adhering to truth and possessed of great skill, be slain by persons desirous of affluence? Foremost in the world like Sakra himself in heaven, of great might and great energy, alas, how could he be slain by the Parthas, like the whale by the smaller fish? He, from whose presence no warrior desirous of victory could ever escape with life, he whom, while alive, these two sounds never left, viz., the sound of the Vedas by those desirous of Vedic lore, and the twang of bows caused by those desirous of skill in bowmanship, he who was never cheerless, alas, that tiger among men, that hero endued with prosperity and never vanquished in battle, that warrior of prowess equal to that of the lion or the elephant, hath been slain. Verily, I cannot bear the idea of his death. How could Prishata's son, in the sight of the foremost of men, slay in battle that invincible warrior whose might was never humiliated and whose fame was never tarnished? Who were they that fought in Drona's van, protecting him, standing by his side? Who proceeded in his rear and obtained that end which is so difficult of attainment? Who were those high-souled warriors that protected the right and the left wheels of Drona? Who were in the van of that hero while he struggled in battle? Who were they that, reckless of their lives on that occasion, met with death which stood face to face with them? Who were those heroes that went in the last journey in Drona's battle? Did any of those Kshatriyas that were assigned for Drona's protection, proving false, abandon that hero in battle? Was he slain by the foe after such desertion and while alone? Drona would never, from fear, show his back in battle, however great the danger. How then was he slain by the foe? Even in great distress, O Sanjaya, an illustrious person should do this, viz., put forth his prowess according to the measure of his might. All this was in Drona; O child, I am losing my senses. Let this discourse be suspended for a while. After regaining my senses I will once more ask thee, O Sanjaya!'