सोमक

यन्त्रोपारोपितकोशांशः

Monier-Williams

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

सोमक m. N. of a ऋषिVS.

सोमक m. of a king RV. AitBr. MBh. etc.

सोमक m. of a son of कृष्णBhP.

सोमक m. of a partic. भरटकCat.

सोमक m. of a people or country Katha1s.

सोमक m. a king or native of सोमकib.

सोमक m. pl. the descendants of the king सोमक(753190 -त्वn. ) MBh. Hariv. VP.

सोमक m. the family of द्रुपदMW.

Purana index

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

(I)--a son of Sahadeva and father of Janhu and ९९ other sons of whom the youngest was पृषर्ट, in previous birth अजमीढ. भा. IX. २२. 1-2; वा. ९९. २०८; Vi. IV. १९. ७१-2.

(II)--a son of कृष्ण and कालिन्दी. भा. X. ६१. १४.

(III)--one of the seven mountains of प्लक्ष- द्वीप (शाकद्वीप-म्। प्।) which enters the sea; from it गरुड took अमृत for his mother. Br. II. १८. ७७; १९. ११-12; M. १२२. १५; वा. ४७. ७४; ४९. १०; Vi. II. 4. 7.

(IV)--a son of सुदास; अजमीढ was reborn when the line was delayed. M. ५०. १५. [page३-697+ २८]

Purana Encyclopedia

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Somaka  : m. (pl.): Name of a people, a section of Pāñcālas, hence often mentioned along with them as also with Sṛñjayas; the name, however, often stands for both Pāñcālas and Somakas.


A. Description: Versed in the Vedas (vedādhyayanasaṁpanna) 6. 1. 4; heroic (śūra) 7. 102. 67; 7. 135. 20; 7. 143. 28; (vīra) 6. 1. 2; 6. 104. 25; of great strength (mahābala) 6. 1. 3; great chariot-fighters (mahāratha) 6. 103. 4; 6. 112. 75; great archers (maheṣvāsa) 6. 93 38; welcoming wars (yuddhābhinandin) 6. 1. 4; wishing to get victory or die in war (āśaṁsanto jayaṁ yuddhe vadhaṁ vābhimukhā raṇe) 6. 1. 4.


B. Epic events:

(1) Recounting the war events to Saṁjaya, Dhṛtarāṣṭra said that before Bhīṣma's fall he had reduced Somakas to a small number (kṛtvā somakān alpaśeṣān) 1. 1. 127;

(2) At the start of the svayaṁvara of Draupadi, the priest of Somakas (in such contexts they are identified with Pāñcālas) gave offerings in fire, asked Brāhmaṇas to pronounce benediction (brāhmaṇān svasti vācya ca) and then stopped the sound of musical instruments 1. 176. 31-32;

(3) Dhṛtarāṣṭra asked Saṁjaya how strong Somakas were with Dhṛṣṭadyumna as their general (dhṛṣṭadyumnena senānyā somakāḥ kimbalā iva) 5. 49. 9;

(4) Duryodhana and others thought that if Kṛṣṇa was arrested Pāṇḍavas and Somakas would give up all their effort (nirudyamā bhaviṣyanti) 5. 128. 7;

(5) When Pāṇḍavas had settled down at Hiraṇvatī, Duryodhana sent Ulūka as his messenger to them and Somakas 5. 157. 3;

(6) Bhīṣma had assured Duryodhana that he would kill Pāṇḍavas and Somakas 5. 170. 2;

(7) Dhṛtarāṣṭra asked Saṁjaya how did Kurus and Pāṇḍava-Somakas fight with one another at Kurukṣetra; thereupon Saṁjaya described to him how they fought when Somakas, determined to win or die while engaged in fighting, attacked Kauravas (āśaṁsanto jayaṁ yuddhe vadhaṁ vābhimukhā raṇe) 6. 1. 1-4; Kauravas and Pāṇḍava-Somakas sat together before the start of the war and mutually agreed upon certain conventions and rules to be followed in the war (tatas te samayaṁ cakruḥ kurupāṇḍavasomakāḥ/ dharmāṁś ca sthāpayām āsur yuddhānām …//) 6. 1. 26, 33; the conventions and rules detailed in 6. 1. 27-32;

(8) Duryodhana told Duḥśāsana that if Bhīṣma was protected in war he would kill Pāṇḍavas, Somakas and Sṛñjayas 6. 16. 14;

(9) When Arjuna got prepared for the war Somakas and others blew their conches 6. 41. 2;

(10) On the second day of the war, Dhṛṣṭadyumna and Somakas showered arrows on Droṇa 6. 48. 30;

(11) On the third day, Kṛṣṇa noticed Bhīṣma routing Somakas chased by the delighted Kauravas (prabhagnān dṛśya somakān) 6. 55. 68;

(12) On the fifth day, when Bhīṣma started killing Pāñcālas and Somakas, they acted nobly and decided to attack Bhīṣma (āryāṁ yuddhe matiṁ kṛtvā bhīṣmam evābhidudruvuḥ) 6. 68. 31;

(13) On the sixth day, Śikhaṇḍin surrounded by Somakas and Irāvant stood at the ‘tail’ of the Makaravyūha of Pāṇḍavas (pucche makarasya) 6. 71. 4, 11; Somakas were terrified (vitresuḥ) to hear the sound of Droṇa's conch when he blew it after defeating Drupada 6. 73. 46;

(14) On the eighth day, when the Pāṇḍava army attacked Bhīṣma he killed Pāñcālas, Somakas and Sṛñjayas with his arrows; nevertheless, abandoning the fear of death they attacked Bhīṣma (tyaktvā mṛtyukṛtaṁ bhayam) 6. 84. 2-4; battle that ensued, in which Bhīṣma cut off their hands and heads and felled down those riding chariots, horses and elephants (virathān rathinaś cakre; hayebhyo hayasādinām; nirmanuṣyāṁś ca mātaṅgāñ…), described in 6. 84. 5-7; when Droṇa attacked Somakas and Sṛñjayas in order to kill them (abhyadravata… preṣayiṣyam yamakṣayam) a loud cry was raised by Sṛñjayas (by implication also by Somakas) (tatrākrando mahān āsīt sṛñjayānām) 6. 85. 20-21; that night, Karṇa assured Duryodhana that he would kill all Pārthas and Somakas if Bhīṣma laid down his arms and left the battlefield 6. 93. 13; Duryodhana then went to Bhīṣma and reminded him that he had assured him (Duryodhana) to kill Somakas; he asked Bhīṣma to carry out his assurance by killing Somakas 6. 93. 37-38; thereupon Bhīṣma once again assured Duryodhana that next day he would either kill Somakas and Pāñcālas to delight him or they would kill him (tair vāhaṁ nihataḥ saṁkhye gamiṣye yamasādanam/tān vā nihatya saṁgrāme prītim dāsyāmi vai tava//) 6. 94. 14-15;

(15) On the ninth day, in the morning, Duryodhana asked the kings to get ready with their armies since Bhīṣma was going to kill that day Somakas (adya bhīṣmo… nihaniṣyati somakān) 6. 95. 1; at mid-day, Bhīṣma fought a fierce battle with Somakas blowing them away by hundreds and thousands with his sharp arrows (vyadhaman …śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ) 6. 99. 1-2; in the evening when the sun had set (bhāskare 'stam upāgate 6. 103. 1), Yudhiṣṭhira seeing that great chariot-fighters among Somakas had been defeated and had lost enthusiasm (jitān dṛṣtvā…nirutsāhān mahārathān) felt like ordering cessation of hostilities for that day (avahāram arocayat) 6. 103. 4;

(16) Dhṛtarāṣṭra asked Saṁjaya how, on the tenth day, did Bhīṣma face Pāṇḍavas while at the same time killing Somakas 6. 104. 25; Dhṛṣṭadyumna, aided by Somakas, attacked Droṇa 6. 111. 30; Bhīṣma, when attacked by Śikhaṇḍin, killed Somakas who followed Arjuna (pārthapadānugān) 6. 112. 64; none of the great chariot-fighters of Somakas hoped to live after facing Bhīṣma in battle (na…yaḥ saṁprāpya raṇe bhīṣmaṁ jīvite sma mano dadhe) 6. 112. 75; exhorted by Dhṛṣṭadyumna, Somakas and Sṛñjayas rushed at Bhīṣma showering weapons on him from all sides (abhyadravanta…śastravṛṣṭyā samantataḥ) 6. 113. 16-17; Somakas and Pāñcālas were delighted when Bhīṣma fell down 6. 114. 107;

(17) On the fourteenth day, when Droṇa started killing Somakas no one succeeded in facing him, nor was any one able to pierce him (with an arrow) (na cāpyabhiyayuḥ kecid apare naiva vivyadhuḥ) 7. 85. 34; watching the fierce duel between Satyasena and Sātyaki, Kauravas and Somakas praised them 7. 94. 7; in the afternoon of that day, Droṇa again fought with Somakas (aparāhṇe…saṁgrāmaḥ samapadyata/…punar droṇasya somakalḥ) 7. 101. 1; when the different alignments of the Pāṇḍava army were being agitated by Droṇa (vyūheṣv āloḍyamāneṣu), Pāṇḍavas, Pāñcālas and Somakas went deep into the army of Kauravas (sudūram anvayuḥ); the battle fought was so fierce that it looked like the end of the world (yugānta iva bhārata) 7. 102. 1-2; when Bhīma marched to offer assistance to Arjuna, Pāñcālas and Somakas followed him 7. 102. 67; after the death of Jayadratha, in the evening (astaṁ gacchati bhāskare), Droṇa fought a fierce battle with Somakas (somakaiḥ sārdham saṁgrāmo lomaharṣaṇaḥ); at that time great chariot-fighters of Somakas made every attempt to kill Droṇa (te tu sarve prayatnena bhāradvājaṁ jighāṁsavaḥ/…ayudhyanta mahārathāḥ//) 7. 121. 45-46; Droṇa sent a message to Aśvatthāman through Duryodhana not to spare Somakas in order to save his own life (na somakāḥ pramoktavyā jīvitaṁ parirakṣatā) 7. 126. 33;

(18) In the night war (which took place between the fourteenth and the fifteenth day), Duryodhana assured his fleeing army that he would himself kill Pārthas together with Pāñcālas and Somakas 7. 134. 54: Duryodhana requested Aśvatthāman to kill Pāñcālas and Somakas who, agitated, were moving in his army like a confiagration; he should kill them before they killed Kauravas (ete hi somakā…mama sainyeṣu saṁrabdhā vicaranti davāgnivat) 7. 134. 76-78; Aśvatthāman assured Duryodhana that for his sake and to delight him he would fight with Pāñcālas, Somakas and Kekayas (eṣa gacchāmi saṁgrāme tvatkṛte…/…tvatpriyārtham); scorched by his arrows, Somakas and others would run away in all directions; seeing his valour, Yudhiṣṭhira and Somakas would consider the world full of Aśvatthāman (aśvatthāmamayaṁ lokaṁ maṁsyante); Yudhiṣṭhira would be dejected seeing the slain Pāñcālas and Somakas; Aśvatthāman would kill only those who engaged him in battle (ye māṁ yuddhe 'bhiyotsyanti tān haniṣyāmi…); once Somakas were within his reach they would not return alive 7. 135. 10-14; in the battle that followed Pāñcālas and Somakas fled 7. 135. 20; Sṛñjayas, Pāñcālas, Matsyas and Somakas followed Arjuna and Bhīma to attack Droṇa from right and left respectively (bībhatsur dakṣiṇaṁ pārśvam uttaraṁ tu vṛkodaraḥ) 7. 136. 13-14; Duryodhana advised his brothers to offer protection to Droṇa so that he would be able to kill Pārthas, Somakas and Sṛñjayas along with their kings (somakān hanyāt sṛñjayāṁś ca sarājakān) 7. 139. 21, 24; in the midst of the fierce night war (raudre rātriyuddhe), Yudhiṣṭhira exhorted Pāṇḍavas and Somakas to attack Droṇa alone in order to kill him; accordingly, they attacked Droṇa uttering frightening cries (abhyadravata gacchadhvaṁ droṇam eva jighāṁsayā/… droṇam evābhyavartanta nadanto bhairavān ravān) 7. 140. 2-3; when Karṇa's son Vṛṣasena cut off the armours of Drupada's army, Somakas, frightened, fied (somakā vipradudruvuḥ); while they were running away they appeared bright due to the light of the torches (tatas tu drupadānīkaṁ śaraiś chinnatanucchadam/saṁprādravat …/dravamāṇāś ca somakāḥ vyarājanta… pradīpair avabhāsitāḥ); after defeating great Somaka charriot-fighters Vṛṣasena turned towards Yudhiṣṭhira 7. 143. 21, 2425, 28; when Śikhaṇḍin, defeated by Kṛpa turned back, Somakas and others covered him on all sides; then the battle started again 7. 144. 25, 27-28; seeing Droṇa killing the Pāṇḍava army (pāṇḍavīṁ camūm), Somakas quickly pierced him by showering arrows (vivyadhuḥ somakās tūrṇaṁ… śaravṛṣṭibhiḥ); but Droṇa deprived them of their lives 7. 147. 13-14; Kṛṣṇa drew Arjuna's attention to Bhīma who, covered by Somakas and the Pāṇḍava army, attacked Droṇa and Karṇa (vṛtaḥ somakapāṇḍavaiḥ) 7. 147. 28; when only the three parts of the (last quarter of the) night remained and the sun was about to rise, Droṇa divided his army into two parts and attacked Somakas and Pāṇḍavas along with Pāñcālas (tribhāgamātraśeṣāyām rātryāṁ; aruṇo 'bhyudayāṁ cakre) 7. 161. 1-3 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 7. 186. 1; tribhāgamātraśeṣāyāṁ muhūrtatrayāvaśiṣṭāyām);

(19) On the fifteenth day, Droṇa released brāhma missile trying to kill all Somakas (vinighnan sarvasomakān) 7. 164. 80; just before the fall of Droṇa, Kurus and Somakas got mixed up with one another in a battle shouting and felling each other with weapons (tataḥ pravṛtte saṁgrāme vimiśrāḥ kurusomakāḥ/…śastrair dehān apātayan//) 7. 165. 99; when the fleeing Pāñcāla warriors did not return to fight they were made to stand still where they were by Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna (7. 171. 67-69; 7. 172. 1-2); only Arjuna, along with Somakas and the constituents of their armies (?) returned to fight with Aśvatthāman (eka eva tu bībhatsuḥ somakāvayavaiḥ saha) 7. 172. 3 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 7. 201. 3; somakāvayavaiḥ somakānām avayavarūpair māṇḍalikaiḥ);

(20) On the sixteenth day, when Aṅgas attacked Nakula, Pāṇḍavas, Pāñcālas and Somakas attacked them to cover Nakula (nakulaṁ…pari petuḥ… pāṇḍupāñcālasomakāḥ); then chariotfighters fought with elephant-riders (rathināṁ hastibhiḥ saha) 8. 17. 21-22; when Somakas were being killed by the arrows of Karṇa, afflicted by pain and wounded by arrows, they hid themselves (avālīyanta rājendra vedanārtāḥ śarārditāḥ); (the Kaurava army too, being killed by Nakula, dispersed in all directions); the two armies then, standing beyond the range of arrows, chose to act as spectators (te sene… prekṣakavat sthite) 8. 17. 73-75;

(21) Even after the battle of the sixteenth day, Dhṛtarāṣṭra was confident that Karṇa alone was capable of killing Pāṇḍavas and Somakas 8. 22. 16;

(22) On the seventeenth day, Arjuna felt that by killing Karṇa he would give satisfaction to the great chariotfighters of Somakas for having fulfilled their task to help their allies in war (kṛtaṁ kāryaṁ ca manyantāṁ mitrakāryepsavo yudhi) 8. 52. 25; Karṇa in the afternoon (aparāhṇe) of that day killed all Somakas in the presence of Bhīma 8. 56. 7, 53; Arjuna expressed his fear to Kṛṣṇa that if Kṛpa, Kṛtavarman and Aśvatthāman were not killed they would cause the destruction of Somakas (avadhyamānās te 'smābhir ghātayiṣyanti somakān) 8. 57. 5; Karṇa fought a great battle with Somakas in which he crushed them while destroying their chariots and killing horses and elephants (sumahat…cakre yuddhaṁ somakān saṁpramṛdnan) 8. 60. 14; when Karṇa came up to Arjuna to kill him, Somakas urged (abhyakrośan) Arjuna to hasten to pierce Karṇa (with an arrow), cut off his head without delay and shatter the hope of Duryodhana to get kingdom (vidhya karṇam/chinddhy asya mūrdhānam alaṁ cireṇa śraddhāṁ ca rājyād dhṛtarāṣṭrasūnoḥ) 8. 65. 10; when Karṇa covered (samācinot) Arjuna with a hundred Kṣudraka arrows and pierced (bibheda) Kṛṣṇa with sixty arrows, Somakas fied; Arjuna stopped them (tadantaraṁ somakāḥ prādravanta/…pārthaḥ somakān pratyagṛhṇāt) 8. 65. 32-34; seeing Karṇa lying dead on the ground, Somakas, delighted, made loud noise, sounded musical instruments and shook their (upper) garments and hands; others danced and embraced each other saying: “Karṇa is pierced with an arrow as fire is extinguished by a strong wind at the end of a sacrifice or at daybreak in a bedroom; Karṇa's body with arrows all over it and smeared with blood shines like sun with his rays; the sun in the form of Karṇa has been forced to set by Kāla in the form of Arjuna; as the sun while setting takes away his light, so has the arrow taken away Karṇa's life” 8. 67. 28-32; after the death of Karṇa, in the evening, at the foot of the Himavant (haimavate prasthe 9. 5. 1) and near the river Sarasvatī (9. 4. 49), Śalya when requested by Duryodhana to lead the army (9. 5. 26-27), he (Śalya) assured him that he would defeat Pārthas and Somakas in battle 9. 6. 3; after Śalya's election as the general, the great chariot-fighters of Madrakas while praising Śalya said that he was capable of defeating in battle even gods, demons and men, let alone Somakas and Sṛñjayas (kimu somakasṛñjayān) 9. 6. 9; that night, in the camp of Pāṇḍavas, Kṛṣṇa encouraged Yudhiṣṭhira to fight with Śalya; after he left, Yudhiṣṭhira gave leave to Pāñcālas and Somakas to leave his camp (visṛjya pāñcālān atha somakān) 9. 6. 39;

(23) On the eighteenth day when Bhīma attacked Kṛpa, the great chariot-fighters of Somakas too attacked him and others in order to kill their opponents (abhyadravanta…jighāṁsantaḥ parān yudhi) 9. 7. 31; Somakas fell down by thousands due to the arrows of Śalya; after a while, Śalya again struck down Somakas and Pāṇḍava army and caused distress to Yudhiṣṭhira (somakāś ca sahasraśaḥ/patitāḥ; śalyo 'pi…nighnan somakapāṇḍavān/… yudhiṣṭhiram apīḍayat) 9. 10. 21, 41; when Yudhiṣṭhira announced his decision to kill Śalya, the army of Pāṇḍavas, especially the Pāñcālas, Somakas and Matsyas, expressed delight which helped the fulfilment of Yudhiṣṭhira's vow (i. e. encouraged him) (tataḥ praharṣaḥ sainyānāṁ…pāñcālānāṁ somakānāṁ matsyānāṁ ca viśeṣataḥ/ pratijñāṁ tāṁ ca saṅgrāme dharmarājasya pūrayan) 9. 15. 26-27; seeing Śalya, killing his opponents, angered Somakas and others, surrounded him (parivavruḥ) 9. 16. 6; after the death of Śalya, when the Madra army attacked the Pāṇḍava army, Somakas and others covered Yudhiṣṭhira on all sides to protect him (yudhiṣṭhiraṁ parīpsantaḥ samantāt paryavārayan) 9. 17. 8; Somakas and others thought that the elephant of king Śālva (9. 19. 2-3), though one, was moving in thousand forms around them (tam eva nāgaṁ dadṛśuḥ samantāt/ sahasraśo vai vicarantam ekam) 9. 19. 6; Duryodhana alone halted (avārayat) with his sharp missiles the attack of Somakas and others 9. 20. 34; Aśvatthāman assured Duryodhana who had taken shelter in the Dvaipāyana lake that he would kill Somakas and others on that very day (adya nihaniṣyāmi somakān) 9. 29. 19; when Duryodhana's whereabouts became known, delighted Somakas shouted loudly (prākrośan somakās tatra) 9. 29. 48; Somakas and others held Duryodhana in high regard (sarva evābhyapūjayan) when he challenged Bhīma to prove his boasts 9. 55. 40; after the duel began, Somakas and Pāṇḍavas were afraid when they noticed the velocity of the wind produced by Duryodhana's mace (gadā mārutavegaṁ hi dṛṣṭvā) 9. 56. 31; when at one stage Bhīma lost consciousness due to the stroke of Duryodhana's mace on his chest, Somakas and Pāṇḍavas, their hopes dashed to the ground, became dejected (bhṛśopahatasaṁkalpā nahṛṣṭamanaso 'bhavan) 9. 56. 49; Somakas were thrilled to see Duryodhana fall down (dadṛśuḥ hṛṣṭaromāṇaḥ) 9. 58. 2; the chief warriors among Somakas, who were righteous, did not approve of Bhīma's putting his foot on the head of fallen Duryodhana (nābhyanandan dharmātmānaḥ somakānāṁ prabarhāḥ) 9. 58. 13;

(24) Dhṛtarāṣṭra asked Saṁjaya whether Kṛpa and Kṛtavarman took part in destroying the camp of Pāṇḍavas and in killing them and Somakas while fighting, and then go the way Duryodhana did (i. e. die in battle) (kaccit pramathya śibiraṁ hatvā somakapāṇḍavān/duryodhanasya padavīṁ gatau paramikāṁ raṇe//) 10. 8. 3; while moving in the camp, Aśvatthāman happened to see the sons of Draupadī and the surviving Somakas (avaśiṣṭāṁś ca somakān) 10. 8. 44; as far as the destruction of Somakas, who were asleep and not on their guard, was concerned that night proved to be extremely cruel (evaṁvidhā hi sā rātriḥ somakānāṁ janakṣaye/prasuptānāṁ pramattānām āsīt subhṛśadāruṇā//) 10. 8. 142; Aśvatthāman was delighted that Somakas and the Matsyas who had survived were all killed by him; he felt that he and his associates had done their duty; he wanted to give that very delightful news to Duryodhana if he was still alive (somakā matsyaśeṣāś ca sarve vinihatā mayā//idānīṁ kṛtakṛtyāḥ sma…/yadi jīvati no rājā tasmai śaṁsāmahe priyam//) 10. 8. 150-151.


C. Certain persons referred to as the leader or the prominent among the Somakas:


A. somakānāṁ dhuraṁdhara-: Drupada 5. 5. 1;


B. somakānāṁ prabarha-:

(1) Dhṛṣṭadyumna 1. 185. 1; 5. 22. 17; 5. 47. 39;

(2) Some prominent Somakas, not named 9. 58. 13.


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Mahabharata Cultural Index

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Somaka  : m. (pl.): Name of a people, a section of Pāñcālas, hence often mentioned along with them as also with Sṛñjayas; the name, however, often stands for both Pāñcālas and Somakas.


A. Description: Versed in the Vedas (vedādhyayanasaṁpanna) 6. 1. 4; heroic (śūra) 7. 102. 67; 7. 135. 20; 7. 143. 28; (vīra) 6. 1. 2; 6. 104. 25; of great strength (mahābala) 6. 1. 3; great chariot-fighters (mahāratha) 6. 103. 4; 6. 112. 75; great archers (maheṣvāsa) 6. 93 38; welcoming wars (yuddhābhinandin) 6. 1. 4; wishing to get victory or die in war (āśaṁsanto jayaṁ yuddhe vadhaṁ vābhimukhā raṇe) 6. 1. 4.


B. Epic events:

(1) Recounting the war events to Saṁjaya, Dhṛtarāṣṭra said that before Bhīṣma's fall he had reduced Somakas to a small number (kṛtvā somakān alpaśeṣān) 1. 1. 127;

(2) At the start of the svayaṁvara of Draupadi, the priest of Somakas (in such contexts they are identified with Pāñcālas) gave offerings in fire, asked Brāhmaṇas to pronounce benediction (brāhmaṇān svasti vācya ca) and then stopped the sound of musical instruments 1. 176. 31-32;

(3) Dhṛtarāṣṭra asked Saṁjaya how strong Somakas were with Dhṛṣṭadyumna as their general (dhṛṣṭadyumnena senānyā somakāḥ kimbalā iva) 5. 49. 9;

(4) Duryodhana and others thought that if Kṛṣṇa was arrested Pāṇḍavas and Somakas would give up all their effort (nirudyamā bhaviṣyanti) 5. 128. 7;

(5) When Pāṇḍavas had settled down at Hiraṇvatī, Duryodhana sent Ulūka as his messenger to them and Somakas 5. 157. 3;

(6) Bhīṣma had assured Duryodhana that he would kill Pāṇḍavas and Somakas 5. 170. 2;

(7) Dhṛtarāṣṭra asked Saṁjaya how did Kurus and Pāṇḍava-Somakas fight with one another at Kurukṣetra; thereupon Saṁjaya described to him how they fought when Somakas, determined to win or die while engaged in fighting, attacked Kauravas (āśaṁsanto jayaṁ yuddhe vadhaṁ vābhimukhā raṇe) 6. 1. 1-4; Kauravas and Pāṇḍava-Somakas sat together before the start of the war and mutually agreed upon certain conventions and rules to be followed in the war (tatas te samayaṁ cakruḥ kurupāṇḍavasomakāḥ/ dharmāṁś ca sthāpayām āsur yuddhānām …//) 6. 1. 26, 33; the conventions and rules detailed in 6. 1. 27-32;

(8) Duryodhana told Duḥśāsana that if Bhīṣma was protected in war he would kill Pāṇḍavas, Somakas and Sṛñjayas 6. 16. 14;

(9) When Arjuna got prepared for the war Somakas and others blew their conches 6. 41. 2;

(10) On the second day of the war, Dhṛṣṭadyumna and Somakas showered arrows on Droṇa 6. 48. 30;

(11) On the third day, Kṛṣṇa noticed Bhīṣma routing Somakas chased by the delighted Kauravas (prabhagnān dṛśya somakān) 6. 55. 68;

(12) On the fifth day, when Bhīṣma started killing Pāñcālas and Somakas, they acted nobly and decided to attack Bhīṣma (āryāṁ yuddhe matiṁ kṛtvā bhīṣmam evābhidudruvuḥ) 6. 68. 31;

(13) On the sixth day, Śikhaṇḍin surrounded by Somakas and Irāvant stood at the ‘tail’ of the Makaravyūha of Pāṇḍavas (pucche makarasya) 6. 71. 4, 11; Somakas were terrified (vitresuḥ) to hear the sound of Droṇa's conch when he blew it after defeating Drupada 6. 73. 46;

(14) On the eighth day, when the Pāṇḍava army attacked Bhīṣma he killed Pāñcālas, Somakas and Sṛñjayas with his arrows; nevertheless, abandoning the fear of death they attacked Bhīṣma (tyaktvā mṛtyukṛtaṁ bhayam) 6. 84. 2-4; battle that ensued, in which Bhīṣma cut off their hands and heads and felled down those riding chariots, horses and elephants (virathān rathinaś cakre; hayebhyo hayasādinām; nirmanuṣyāṁś ca mātaṅgāñ…), described in 6. 84. 5-7; when Droṇa attacked Somakas and Sṛñjayas in order to kill them (abhyadravata… preṣayiṣyam yamakṣayam) a loud cry was raised by Sṛñjayas (by implication also by Somakas) (tatrākrando mahān āsīt sṛñjayānām) 6. 85. 20-21; that night, Karṇa assured Duryodhana that he would kill all Pārthas and Somakas if Bhīṣma laid down his arms and left the battlefield 6. 93. 13; Duryodhana then went to Bhīṣma and reminded him that he had assured him (Duryodhana) to kill Somakas; he asked Bhīṣma to carry out his assurance by killing Somakas 6. 93. 37-38; thereupon Bhīṣma once again assured Duryodhana that next day he would either kill Somakas and Pāñcālas to delight him or they would kill him (tair vāhaṁ nihataḥ saṁkhye gamiṣye yamasādanam/tān vā nihatya saṁgrāme prītim dāsyāmi vai tava//) 6. 94. 14-15;

(15) On the ninth day, in the morning, Duryodhana asked the kings to get ready with their armies since Bhīṣma was going to kill that day Somakas (adya bhīṣmo… nihaniṣyati somakān) 6. 95. 1; at mid-day, Bhīṣma fought a fierce battle with Somakas blowing them away by hundreds and thousands with his sharp arrows (vyadhaman …śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ) 6. 99. 1-2; in the evening when the sun had set (bhāskare 'stam upāgate 6. 103. 1), Yudhiṣṭhira seeing that great chariot-fighters among Somakas had been defeated and had lost enthusiasm (jitān dṛṣtvā…nirutsāhān mahārathān) felt like ordering cessation of hostilities for that day (avahāram arocayat) 6. 103. 4;

(16) Dhṛtarāṣṭra asked Saṁjaya how, on the tenth day, did Bhīṣma face Pāṇḍavas while at the same time killing Somakas 6. 104. 25; Dhṛṣṭadyumna, aided by Somakas, attacked Droṇa 6. 111. 30; Bhīṣma, when attacked by Śikhaṇḍin, killed Somakas who followed Arjuna (pārthapadānugān) 6. 112. 64; none of the great chariot-fighters of Somakas hoped to live after facing Bhīṣma in battle (na…yaḥ saṁprāpya raṇe bhīṣmaṁ jīvite sma mano dadhe) 6. 112. 75; exhorted by Dhṛṣṭadyumna, Somakas and Sṛñjayas rushed at Bhīṣma showering weapons on him from all sides (abhyadravanta…śastravṛṣṭyā samantataḥ) 6. 113. 16-17; Somakas and Pāñcālas were delighted when Bhīṣma fell down 6. 114. 107;

(17) On the fourteenth day, when Droṇa started killing Somakas no one succeeded in facing him, nor was any one able to pierce him (with an arrow) (na cāpyabhiyayuḥ kecid apare naiva vivyadhuḥ) 7. 85. 34; watching the fierce duel between Satyasena and Sātyaki, Kauravas and Somakas praised them 7. 94. 7; in the afternoon of that day, Droṇa again fought with Somakas (aparāhṇe…saṁgrāmaḥ samapadyata/…punar droṇasya somakalḥ) 7. 101. 1; when the different alignments of the Pāṇḍava army were being agitated by Droṇa (vyūheṣv āloḍyamāneṣu), Pāṇḍavas, Pāñcālas and Somakas went deep into the army of Kauravas (sudūram anvayuḥ); the battle fought was so fierce that it looked like the end of the world (yugānta iva bhārata) 7. 102. 1-2; when Bhīma marched to offer assistance to Arjuna, Pāñcālas and Somakas followed him 7. 102. 67; after the death of Jayadratha, in the evening (astaṁ gacchati bhāskare), Droṇa fought a fierce battle with Somakas (somakaiḥ sārdham saṁgrāmo lomaharṣaṇaḥ); at that time great chariot-fighters of Somakas made every attempt to kill Droṇa (te tu sarve prayatnena bhāradvājaṁ jighāṁsavaḥ/…ayudhyanta mahārathāḥ//) 7. 121. 45-46; Droṇa sent a message to Aśvatthāman through Duryodhana not to spare Somakas in order to save his own life (na somakāḥ pramoktavyā jīvitaṁ parirakṣatā) 7. 126. 33;

(18) In the night war (which took place between the fourteenth and the fifteenth day), Duryodhana assured his fleeing army that he would himself kill Pārthas together with Pāñcālas and Somakas 7. 134. 54: Duryodhana requested Aśvatthāman to kill Pāñcālas and Somakas who, agitated, were moving in his army like a confiagration; he should kill them before they killed Kauravas (ete hi somakā…mama sainyeṣu saṁrabdhā vicaranti davāgnivat) 7. 134. 76-78; Aśvatthāman assured Duryodhana that for his sake and to delight him he would fight with Pāñcālas, Somakas and Kekayas (eṣa gacchāmi saṁgrāme tvatkṛte…/…tvatpriyārtham); scorched by his arrows, Somakas and others would run away in all directions; seeing his valour, Yudhiṣṭhira and Somakas would consider the world full of Aśvatthāman (aśvatthāmamayaṁ lokaṁ maṁsyante); Yudhiṣṭhira would be dejected seeing the slain Pāñcālas and Somakas; Aśvatthāman would kill only those who engaged him in battle (ye māṁ yuddhe 'bhiyotsyanti tān haniṣyāmi…); once Somakas were within his reach they would not return alive 7. 135. 10-14; in the battle that followed Pāñcālas and Somakas fled 7. 135. 20; Sṛñjayas, Pāñcālas, Matsyas and Somakas followed Arjuna and Bhīma to attack Droṇa from right and left respectively (bībhatsur dakṣiṇaṁ pārśvam uttaraṁ tu vṛkodaraḥ) 7. 136. 13-14; Duryodhana advised his brothers to offer protection to Droṇa so that he would be able to kill Pārthas, Somakas and Sṛñjayas along with their kings (somakān hanyāt sṛñjayāṁś ca sarājakān) 7. 139. 21, 24; in the midst of the fierce night war (raudre rātriyuddhe), Yudhiṣṭhira exhorted Pāṇḍavas and Somakas to attack Droṇa alone in order to kill him; accordingly, they attacked Droṇa uttering frightening cries (abhyadravata gacchadhvaṁ droṇam eva jighāṁsayā/… droṇam evābhyavartanta nadanto bhairavān ravān) 7. 140. 2-3; when Karṇa's son Vṛṣasena cut off the armours of Drupada's army, Somakas, frightened, fied (somakā vipradudruvuḥ); while they were running away they appeared bright due to the light of the torches (tatas tu drupadānīkaṁ śaraiś chinnatanucchadam/saṁprādravat …/dravamāṇāś ca somakāḥ vyarājanta… pradīpair avabhāsitāḥ); after defeating great Somaka charriot-fighters Vṛṣasena turned towards Yudhiṣṭhira 7. 143. 21, 2425, 28; when Śikhaṇḍin, defeated by Kṛpa turned back, Somakas and others covered him on all sides; then the battle started again 7. 144. 25, 27-28; seeing Droṇa killing the Pāṇḍava army (pāṇḍavīṁ camūm), Somakas quickly pierced him by showering arrows (vivyadhuḥ somakās tūrṇaṁ… śaravṛṣṭibhiḥ); but Droṇa deprived them of their lives 7. 147. 13-14; Kṛṣṇa drew Arjuna's attention to Bhīma who, covered by Somakas and the Pāṇḍava army, attacked Droṇa and Karṇa (vṛtaḥ somakapāṇḍavaiḥ) 7. 147. 28; when only the three parts of the (last quarter of the) night remained and the sun was about to rise, Droṇa divided his army into two parts and attacked Somakas and Pāṇḍavas along with Pāñcālas (tribhāgamātraśeṣāyām rātryāṁ; aruṇo 'bhyudayāṁ cakre) 7. 161. 1-3 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 7. 186. 1; tribhāgamātraśeṣāyāṁ muhūrtatrayāvaśiṣṭāyām);

(19) On the fifteenth day, Droṇa released brāhma missile trying to kill all Somakas (vinighnan sarvasomakān) 7. 164. 80; just before the fall of Droṇa, Kurus and Somakas got mixed up with one another in a battle shouting and felling each other with weapons (tataḥ pravṛtte saṁgrāme vimiśrāḥ kurusomakāḥ/…śastrair dehān apātayan//) 7. 165. 99; when the fleeing Pāñcāla warriors did not return to fight they were made to stand still where they were by Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna (7. 171. 67-69; 7. 172. 1-2); only Arjuna, along with Somakas and the constituents of their armies (?) returned to fight with Aśvatthāman (eka eva tu bībhatsuḥ somakāvayavaiḥ saha) 7. 172. 3 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 7. 201. 3; somakāvayavaiḥ somakānām avayavarūpair māṇḍalikaiḥ);

(20) On the sixteenth day, when Aṅgas attacked Nakula, Pāṇḍavas, Pāñcālas and Somakas attacked them to cover Nakula (nakulaṁ…pari petuḥ… pāṇḍupāñcālasomakāḥ); then chariotfighters fought with elephant-riders (rathināṁ hastibhiḥ saha) 8. 17. 21-22; when Somakas were being killed by the arrows of Karṇa, afflicted by pain and wounded by arrows, they hid themselves (avālīyanta rājendra vedanārtāḥ śarārditāḥ); (the Kaurava army too, being killed by Nakula, dispersed in all directions); the two armies then, standing beyond the range of arrows, chose to act as spectators (te sene… prekṣakavat sthite) 8. 17. 73-75;

(21) Even after the battle of the sixteenth day, Dhṛtarāṣṭra was confident that Karṇa alone was capable of killing Pāṇḍavas and Somakas 8. 22. 16;

(22) On the seventeenth day, Arjuna felt that by killing Karṇa he would give satisfaction to the great chariotfighters of Somakas for having fulfilled their task to help their allies in war (kṛtaṁ kāryaṁ ca manyantāṁ mitrakāryepsavo yudhi) 8. 52. 25; Karṇa in the afternoon (aparāhṇe) of that day killed all Somakas in the presence of Bhīma 8. 56. 7, 53; Arjuna expressed his fear to Kṛṣṇa that if Kṛpa, Kṛtavarman and Aśvatthāman were not killed they would cause the destruction of Somakas (avadhyamānās te 'smābhir ghātayiṣyanti somakān) 8. 57. 5; Karṇa fought a great battle with Somakas in which he crushed them while destroying their chariots and killing horses and elephants (sumahat…cakre yuddhaṁ somakān saṁpramṛdnan) 8. 60. 14; when Karṇa came up to Arjuna to kill him, Somakas urged (abhyakrośan) Arjuna to hasten to pierce Karṇa (with an arrow), cut off his head without delay and shatter the hope of Duryodhana to get kingdom (vidhya karṇam/chinddhy asya mūrdhānam alaṁ cireṇa śraddhāṁ ca rājyād dhṛtarāṣṭrasūnoḥ) 8. 65. 10; when Karṇa covered (samācinot) Arjuna with a hundred Kṣudraka arrows and pierced (bibheda) Kṛṣṇa with sixty arrows, Somakas fied; Arjuna stopped them (tadantaraṁ somakāḥ prādravanta/…pārthaḥ somakān pratyagṛhṇāt) 8. 65. 32-34; seeing Karṇa lying dead on the ground, Somakas, delighted, made loud noise, sounded musical instruments and shook their (upper) garments and hands; others danced and embraced each other saying: “Karṇa is pierced with an arrow as fire is extinguished by a strong wind at the end of a sacrifice or at daybreak in a bedroom; Karṇa's body with arrows all over it and smeared with blood shines like sun with his rays; the sun in the form of Karṇa has been forced to set by Kāla in the form of Arjuna; as the sun while setting takes away his light, so has the arrow taken away Karṇa's life” 8. 67. 28-32; after the death of Karṇa, in the evening, at the foot of the Himavant (haimavate prasthe 9. 5. 1) and near the river Sarasvatī (9. 4. 49), Śalya when requested by Duryodhana to lead the army (9. 5. 26-27), he (Śalya) assured him that he would defeat Pārthas and Somakas in battle 9. 6. 3; after Śalya's election as the general, the great chariot-fighters of Madrakas while praising Śalya said that he was capable of defeating in battle even gods, demons and men, let alone Somakas and Sṛñjayas (kimu somakasṛñjayān) 9. 6. 9; that night, in the camp of Pāṇḍavas, Kṛṣṇa encouraged Yudhiṣṭhira to fight with Śalya; after he left, Yudhiṣṭhira gave leave to Pāñcālas and Somakas to leave his camp (visṛjya pāñcālān atha somakān) 9. 6. 39;

(23) On the eighteenth day when Bhīma attacked Kṛpa, the great chariot-fighters of Somakas too attacked him and others in order to kill their opponents (abhyadravanta…jighāṁsantaḥ parān yudhi) 9. 7. 31; Somakas fell down by thousands due to the arrows of Śalya; after a while, Śalya again struck down Somakas and Pāṇḍava army and caused distress to Yudhiṣṭhira (somakāś ca sahasraśaḥ/patitāḥ; śalyo 'pi…nighnan somakapāṇḍavān/… yudhiṣṭhiram apīḍayat) 9. 10. 21, 41; when Yudhiṣṭhira announced his decision to kill Śalya, the army of Pāṇḍavas, especially the Pāñcālas, Somakas and Matsyas, expressed delight which helped the fulfilment of Yudhiṣṭhira's vow (i. e. encouraged him) (tataḥ praharṣaḥ sainyānāṁ…pāñcālānāṁ somakānāṁ matsyānāṁ ca viśeṣataḥ/ pratijñāṁ tāṁ ca saṅgrāme dharmarājasya pūrayan) 9. 15. 26-27; seeing Śalya, killing his opponents, angered Somakas and others, surrounded him (parivavruḥ) 9. 16. 6; after the death of Śalya, when the Madra army attacked the Pāṇḍava army, Somakas and others covered Yudhiṣṭhira on all sides to protect him (yudhiṣṭhiraṁ parīpsantaḥ samantāt paryavārayan) 9. 17. 8; Somakas and others thought that the elephant of king Śālva (9. 19. 2-3), though one, was moving in thousand forms around them (tam eva nāgaṁ dadṛśuḥ samantāt/ sahasraśo vai vicarantam ekam) 9. 19. 6; Duryodhana alone halted (avārayat) with his sharp missiles the attack of Somakas and others 9. 20. 34; Aśvatthāman assured Duryodhana who had taken shelter in the Dvaipāyana lake that he would kill Somakas and others on that very day (adya nihaniṣyāmi somakān) 9. 29. 19; when Duryodhana's whereabouts became known, delighted Somakas shouted loudly (prākrośan somakās tatra) 9. 29. 48; Somakas and others held Duryodhana in high regard (sarva evābhyapūjayan) when he challenged Bhīma to prove his boasts 9. 55. 40; after the duel began, Somakas and Pāṇḍavas were afraid when they noticed the velocity of the wind produced by Duryodhana's mace (gadā mārutavegaṁ hi dṛṣṭvā) 9. 56. 31; when at one stage Bhīma lost consciousness due to the stroke of Duryodhana's mace on his chest, Somakas and Pāṇḍavas, their hopes dashed to the ground, became dejected (bhṛśopahatasaṁkalpā nahṛṣṭamanaso 'bhavan) 9. 56. 49; Somakas were thrilled to see Duryodhana fall down (dadṛśuḥ hṛṣṭaromāṇaḥ) 9. 58. 2; the chief warriors among Somakas, who were righteous, did not approve of Bhīma's putting his foot on the head of fallen Duryodhana (nābhyanandan dharmātmānaḥ somakānāṁ prabarhāḥ) 9. 58. 13;

(24) Dhṛtarāṣṭra asked Saṁjaya whether Kṛpa and Kṛtavarman took part in destroying the camp of Pāṇḍavas and in killing them and Somakas while fighting, and then go the way Duryodhana did (i. e. die in battle) (kaccit pramathya śibiraṁ hatvā somakapāṇḍavān/duryodhanasya padavīṁ gatau paramikāṁ raṇe//) 10. 8. 3; while moving in the camp, Aśvatthāman happened to see the sons of Draupadī and the surviving Somakas (avaśiṣṭāṁś ca somakān) 10. 8. 44; as far as the destruction of Somakas, who were asleep and not on their guard, was concerned that night proved to be extremely cruel (evaṁvidhā hi sā rātriḥ somakānāṁ janakṣaye/prasuptānāṁ pramattānām āsīt subhṛśadāruṇā//) 10. 8. 142; Aśvatthāman was delighted that Somakas and the Matsyas who had survived were all killed by him; he felt that he and his associates had done their duty; he wanted to give that very delightful news to Duryodhana if he was still alive (somakā matsyaśeṣāś ca sarve vinihatā mayā//idānīṁ kṛtakṛtyāḥ sma…/yadi jīvati no rājā tasmai śaṁsāmahe priyam//) 10. 8. 150-151.


C. Certain persons referred to as the leader or the prominent among the Somakas:


A. somakānāṁ dhuraṁdhara-: Drupada 5. 5. 1;


B. somakānāṁ prabarha-:

(1) Dhṛṣṭadyumna 1. 185. 1; 5. 22. 17; 5. 47. 39;

(2) Some prominent Somakas, not named 9. 58. 13.


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