जलाशयेषु तप्तेषु क्वाथ्यमानेषु वह्निना। गतसत्वाः स्म दृश्यन्ते कूर्ममत्स्याः समन्ततः
In the water reservoirs, heated and boiling by fire, lifeless turtles and fish were seen everywhere.
शरीरैरपरे दीप्तैर्देहवन्त इवाग्नयः। अदृश्यन्त वने तत्र प्राणिनः प्राणिसंक्षये
Others, with bodies blazing, appeared like living fires; creatures were seen in the forest as life was being destroyed.
कांश्चिदुत्पततः पार्थः शरैः संछिद्य खण्डशः। पातयामास विहगान्प्रदीप्ते वसुरेतसि
Arjuna, with arrows, struck down some who were flying, cutting them to pieces, and made the birds fall into the blazing Khāṇḍava.
ते शराचितसर्वाङ्गा निनदन्तो महारवान्। ऊर्ध्वमुत्पत्य वेगेन निपेतुः खाण्डवे पुनः
Those whose bodies were pierced all over with arrows, crying out loudly, sprang upward with speed and again fell into Khāṇḍava.
शरैरभ्याहतानां च सङ्घशः स्म वनौकसाम्। विरावः शुश्रुवे घोरः समुद्रस्येव मथ्यतः
From the groups of forest-dwellers struck by arrows, a terrible roar was heard, like the churning of the ocean.
वह्नेश्चापि प्रदीप्तस्य खमुत्पेतुर्महार्चिषः। जनयामासुरुद्वेगं सुमहान्तं दिवौकसाम्
From the blazing fire, great flames rose up to the sky, causing immense alarm among the dwellers of heaven.
तेनार्चिषा सुसन्तप्ता देवाः सर्षिपुरोगमाः। ततो जग्मुर्महात्मानः सर्व एव दिवौकसः। शतक्रतुं सहस्राक्षं देवेशमसुरार्दनम्
Tormented by that intense blaze, the gods, led by the sages, all the celestial beings of great soul, went to Śatakratu, the thousand-eyed lord of gods and destroyer of asuras.
किं न्विमे मानवाः सर्वे दह्यन्ते चित्रभानुना। कच्चिन्न संक्षयः प्राप्तो लोकानाममरेश्वर
"Why are all these mortals being burned by the brilliant fire? Has destruction come upon the worlds, O lord of immortals?"
तच्छ्रुत्वा वृत्रहा तेभ्यः स्वयमेवान्ववेक्ष्य च। खाण्डवस्य विमोक्षार्थं प्रययौ हरिवाहनः
Hearing this, the slayer of Vṛtra, after considering himself, went forth with the carrier of Hari to release Khāṇḍava.
महता रथबृन्देन नानारूपेण वासवः। आकाशं समवाकीर्य प्रववर्ष सुरेश्वरः
With a great host of chariots of various forms, Vāsava, the lord of gods, filled the sky and began to pour down rain.
ततोऽक्षमात्रा व्यसृजन्धाराः शतसहस्रशः। चोदिता देवराजेन जलदाः खाण्डवं प्रति
Then, clouds, urged by the king of gods, released streams of water by the hundreds of thousands, each the size of an axle, toward Khāṇḍava.
असंप्राप्तास्तु ता धारास्तेजसा जातवेदसः। ख एव समुशुष्यन्त नकाश्चित्पावकं गताः
But those streams did not reach, dried up in the sky by the brilliance of Jātavedas; none reached the fire.
ततो नमुचिहा क्रुद्धो भृशमर्चिष्मतस्तदा। पुनरेव महामेघैरम्भांसि व्यसृजद्बहु
Then Namuci's slayer, enraged by the blazing flames, again released abundant waters with great clouds.
अर्चिर्धाराभिसंबद्धं धूमविद्युत्समाकुलम्। बभूव तद्वनं घोरं स्तनयित्नुसमाकुलम्
That forest became dreadful, filled with streams of flame, smoke, and lightning, and resounded with thunder.
तथा शैलनिपातेन भीषिताः खाण्डवालयाः। दानवा राक्षसा नागास्तरक्ष्वृक्षवनौकसः
Thus, terrified by the falling of mountains, the inhabitants of Khāṇḍava—Dānavas, Rākṣasas, Nāgas, tigers, bears, and forest-dwellers—
द्विपाः प्रभिन्नाः शार्दूलाः सिंहाः केसरिणस्तथा। मृगाश्च महिषाश्चैव शतशः पक्षिणस्तथा
Elephants, broken apart, tigers, lions, and those with manes, as well as deer, buffaloes, and hundreds of birds.
समुद्विग्ना विससृपुस्तथान्या भूतजातयः। तं दावं समुदैक्षन्त कृष्णौ चाभ्युद्यतायुधौ
The other living beings, greatly disturbed, began to flee; they beheld that forest fire, as well as Krishna and Arjuna, both with weapons raised.
उत्पातनादशब्देन त्रासिता इव चाभवन्। ते वनं प्रसमीक्ष्याथ दह्यमानमनेकधा
Frightened as if by the sound of an ominous uproar, they saw the forest burning in many places.
कृष्णमभ्युद्यतास्त्रं च नादं मुमुचुरुल्बणम्। तेन नादेन रौद्रेण नादेन च विभावसोः
Seeing Krishna with his weapon raised, they let out a terrible cry; with that fierce sound, and the roar of the fire,
ररास गगनं कृत्स्नमुत्पातजलदैरिव। ततः कृष्णो महाबाहुः स्वतेजोभास्वरं महत्
the entire sky resounded, as if with clouds of ill omen; then Krishna, mighty-armed, released his great, radiant discus.
चक्रं व्यसृजदत्युग्रं तेषां नाशाय केशवः। तेनार्ता जातयः क्षुद्राः सदानवनिशाचराः
Kesava hurled his exceedingly fierce discus to destroy them; by it, the wretched races—demons and night-stalkers—
निकृत्ताः शतशः सर्वा निपेतुरनलं क्षणात्। तत्रादृश्यन्त ते दैत्याः कृष्णचक्रविदारिताः
were cut down by the hundreds and fell into the fire in an instant; there, the Daityas were seen, torn apart by Krishna's discus,
वसारुधिरसंपृक्ताः सन्ध्यायामिव तोयदाः। पिशाचान्पक्षिणो नागान्पशूंश्चैव सहस्रशः
soaked in fat and blood, like clouds at dusk; ghosts, birds, serpents, and beasts by the thousands
निघ्नंश्चरति वार्ष्णेयः कालवत्तत्र भारत। क्षिप्तं क्षिप्तं पुनश्चक्रं कृष्णस्यामित्रघातिनः
were struck down by the descendant of Vrishni, moving there like Time itself, O Bharata; again and again, Krishna, the destroyer of foes, hurled his discus,
छित्त्वानेकानि सत्वानि पाणिमेति पुनः पुनः। तथा तु निघ्नतस्तस्य पिशाचोरगराक्षसान्
severing countless beings, and it returned to his hand each time; thus, as he struck down the ghosts, serpents, and demons,
बभूव रूपमत्युग्रं सर्वभूतात्मनस्तदा। समेतानां च सर्वेषां दानवानां च सर्वशः
the form of the Soul of all beings became exceedingly terrible at that time.
विजेता नाभवत्कश्चित्कृष्णपाण्डवयोर्मृधे। तयोर्बलात्परित्रातुं तं च दावं यदा सुराः
Of all the assembled Danavas, not one could prevail in battle against Krishna and Arjuna.
नाशक्नुवञ्शमयितुं तदाऽभूवन्पराङ्मुखाः। शतक्रतुस्तु संप्रेक्ष्य विमुखानमरांस्तथा
When the gods could not save by force or quell that fire, they turned away.
बभूव मुदितो राजन्प्रशंसन्केशवार्जुनौ। निवृत्तेष्वथ देवेषु वागुवाचाशरीरिणी
But Shatakratu, seeing the gods turning away, became delighted, O King, and praised Kesava and Arjuna.
शतक्रतुं समाभाष्य महागम्भीरनिःस्वना। न ते सखा सन्निहितस्तक्षको भुजगोत्तमः
When the gods had withdrawn, a bodiless voice, deep and resonant, addressed Shatakratu: