न हया न रथो वीर न ध्वजो न च दारुकः। अदृश्यन्त शरैश्छन्नास्तथाऽहं सैनिकाश्च मे
Neither the horses, nor the chariot, nor the banner, nor Daruka, nor I, nor my soldiers could be seen, so thickly were we covered by arrows.
ततोऽहमपि कौन्तेय शराणामयुतान्बहून्। आमन्त्रितानां धनुषा दिव्येन विधिनाऽक्षिपम्
Then I too, O son of Kunti, using my divine bow according to the proper method, shot many tens of thousands of arrows at those who had challenged me.
न तत्रविषयस्त्वासीन्मम सैन्यस्य भारत। खे विषक्तं हि तत्सौभं क्रोशमात्र इवाभवत्
There was no place there for my army, O Bharata; for that Saubha, suspended in the sky, seemed to be only a shout's distance away.
ततस्ते प्रेक्षकाः सर्वे देवा वै दिवमास्थिताः। हर्षयामासुरुच्चैर्मां सिंहनादतलस्वनैः
Then all the gods, who were watching from heaven, cheered me loudly with lion-roars and the sounds of drums.
मत्कार्मुकविनिर्मुक्ता दानवानां महारणे। अङ्गेषु रुधिराक्तास्ते विविशुः शलभा इव
The arrows released from my bow entered the bodies of the Danavas in that great battle, stained with blood, just like locusts.
ततो हलहलाशब्दः सौभमध्ये व्यवर्धत। वध्यतां विशिखैस्तीक्ष्णैः पततां च महार्णवे
Then, within Saubha, a tumultuous noise arose, as they were being struck down by sharp arrows and falling into the great ocean.
ते निकृत्तभुजस्कन्धाः कबन्धाकृतिदर्शनाः। नदन्तो भैरवान्नादान्निपतन्ति स्म दानवाः। पतितास्तेऽपि भक्ष्यन्ते समुद्रांभोनिवासिभिः
Those Danavas, with arms and shoulders severed, appearing as headless trunks, fell down making terrifying cries, and even as they fell, they were devoured by the dwellers of the ocean.
ततो गोक्षीरकुन्देन्दुमृणालरजतप्रभम्। जलजं पाञ्चजन्यं वै प्राणेनाहमपूरयम्
Then I filled the conch named Pancajanya, which was as bright as cow's milk, jasmine, the moon, lotus-fiber, and silver, with my breath.
तान्दृष्ट्वा पतितांस्तत्र साल्वः सौभपतिस्ततः। मायायुद्धेन महता योधयामास मां युधि
Seeing his followers fallen there, Salva, the lord of Saubha, then fought me in battle using great illusion.
ततो गदा हलाः प्रासाः शूलशक्तिपरश्चथाः। असयः शक्तिकुलिशपाशर्ष्टिकनपाः शराः। पट्टसाश्च भुशुण्ड्यश्च प्रपतन्त्यनिशं मयि
Then, maces, ploughs, spears, tridents, darts, swords, javelins, thunderbolts, nooses, clubs, arrows, broadswords, and slings continuously fell upon me.
तामहं माययैवाशु प्रतिगृह्य व्यनाशयम्। तस्यां हतायां मायायां गिरिशृङ्गैरयोधयत्
I quickly countered that illusion with my own illusion and destroyed it; when that illusion was vanquished, he attacked me with mountain peaks.
ततोऽभवत्तम इव प्रकाश इव चाभवत्। दुर्दिनं सुदिनं चैव शीतमुष्णं च भारत
Then there was darkness and then light, a bad day and a good day, cold and heat, O Bharata.
अङ्गारपांसुवर्षं च शस्त्रवर्षं च भारत। एवं मायां प्रकुर्वाणो योधयामास मां रिपुः
There was a rain of embers and a rain of weapons, O Bharata; thus, employing illusion, the enemy fought me.
विज्ञाय तदहं सर्वं माययैव व्यनाशयम्। यथाकालं तु युद्धेन व्यधमं सर्वतः शरैः
Recognizing all that, I dispelled it with my own illusion; and at the proper time, I struck everywhere with arrows in battle.
ततो हतायां च मया मायायां युधि दानवः। मायामन्यां महाराज चकार मतिमोहिनीम्
Then, O king, when I had destroyed that illusion in battle, the Danava created another illusion, bewildering the mind.
ततो व्योम महाराज शतसूर्यमिवाभवत्। शतचन्द्रं च कौन्तेय सहस्रायुततारकम्
Then, O king, the sky appeared as if it had a hundred suns, a hundred moons, and tens of thousands of stars, O son of Kunti.
ततो नाज्ञायत तदा दिवारात्रं तथा दिशः। ततोऽहं मोहमापन्नः प्रज्ञास्त्रं समयोजयम्
Then, day and night and the directions were no longer discernible; at that moment, I fell into confusion and employed the weapon of knowledge.
तदस्त्रमस्तमस्त्रेण विधूतं शरतूलवत्। तथा तदभवद्युद्धं तुमुलं रोमहर्षणम्। लब्धालोकस्तु राजेन्द्र पुनः शत्रुमयोधयम्
That weapon was dispelled by a counter-weapon, scattered like autumnal cotton; thus, the battle became tumultuous and hair-raising. Regaining my sight, O king, I again fought the enemy.
एवं स पुरुषव्याघ्रः साल्वो राज्ञं महारिपुः। युध्यमानो मया सङ्ख्ये वियदभ्यगमत्पुनः
Thus, that tiger among men, Śālva, the great foe of kings, while fighting with me in battle, once more ascended into the sky.
ततः शतघ्नीश्च महागदाश्च दीप्ताश्च शूलान्मुसलानसींश्च। चिक्षेप रोषान्मयि मन्दबुद्धिः साल्वो महाराज जयाभिकाङ्क्षी
Then, O great king, Śālva, eager for victory and blinded by anger, hurled at me sataghnis, great maces, blazing spears, clubs, and swords.
तानाशुगैरापततोऽहमाशु निवार्य तूर्णं खगमान्ख एव। द्विधा त्रिता चाच्छिनमाशु मुक्तै- स्ततोऽन्तरिक्षे निनदो बभूव
As those swiftly flying weapons rushed toward me, I quickly repelled them in the sky with arrows; some I cut in two, some in three, with arrows released at speed—then a great noise arose in the heavens.
ततः शतसहस्रेण शराणां नतपर्वणाम्। दारुकं वाजिनश्चैव रथं च समवाकिरत्
Then, with a hundred thousand arrows with curved tips, he covered Dāruka, the horses, and the chariot.
ततो मामब्रवीद्वीर दारुको विह्वलन्निव। स्थातव्यमिति तिष्ठामि साल्वबाणप्रपीडितः। अवस्थातुं न शक्नोमि अङ्गं मे व्यवसीदति
Then, O hero, Dāruka said to me, as if bewildered: 'I must stand firm, but I am struck by Śālva's arrows. I cannot remain steady; my limbs are failing.'
इति तस्य निशम्याहं सारथेः करुणं वचः। अवेक्षमाणो यन्तारमपश्यं शरपीडितम्
Hearing these pitiful words of the charioteer, I looked at him and saw him afflicted by arrows.
न तस्योरसि नो मूर्ध्नि न काये न भुजद्वये। अन्तरं पाण्डवश्रेष्ठ पश्याम्यनिचितं शरैः
O best of the Pāṇḍavas, I could see no space on his chest, head, body, or both arms that was not pierced by arrows.
स तु बाणवरोत्पीडाद्विस्रवत्यसृगुल्बणम्। अभिवृष्टो यथा मेघैर्गिरिर्गैरिकधातुमान्
From the pain of the multitude of arrows, blood streamed from him, as from a mountain rich in red ochre, drenched by rainclouds.
अभीशुहस्तं तं दृष्ट्वा सीदन्तं सारथिं रणे। अस्तम्भयं महाबाहो साल्वबाणप्रपीडितम्
Seeing the charioteer, with whip in hand, collapsing in battle, I supported him, O mighty-armed one, though he was tormented by Śālva's arrows.
अथ मां पुरुषः कश्चिद्द्वारकानिलयोऽब्रवीत्। त्वरितो रथमारोप्य सौहृदादिव भारत
Then, a certain man from Dvārakā, in haste and as if out of friendship, quickly mounted my chariot and addressed me, O Bhārata.
आहुकस्य वचो वीर तस्यैव परिचारकः। विषण्णः सन्नकण्ठेन तन्निबोध युधिष्ठिर
O Yudhiṣṭhira, hear what the servant of Āhuka, his voice choked with distress, said to me in battle.
द्वारकाधिपतिर्वीर आह त्वामाहुको वचः। केशवैहि विजानीष्व यत्त्वां पितृसखोऽब्रवीत्
O hero, the lord of Dvārakā, Āhuka, has sent you this message: 'O Keśava, know what your father's friend has said to you.'