दृश्यन्ते तत्र गात्राणि वीरैश्छिन्नानि सर्वशः । सालस्कन्धनिकाशानि क्षत्रियाणा महामृधे ।। 14
There, the bodies of warriors, cut down in every way, were seen on that great battlefield, resembling logs with branches.
नागभोगनिकाशैश्च बाहुभिश्चन्दनोक्षितैः। आकीर्णा वसुधा तत्र शिरोभिश्च सकुण्डलैः ।। 15
The earth was strewn with arms smeared with sandalwood, resembling coils of serpents, and with heads adorned with earrings.
यथा वा वाससी श्लक्ष्णे महारजतरञ्जिते। बिभ्रती युवती श्यामा तद्वद्भाति वसुन्धरा ।। 16
Just as a dark-skinned maiden, wearing smooth garments adorned with silver, shines, so too did the earth appear.
उपाशाम्यद्रजो भौमं रुधिरेण प्रवर्षता। कश्मलं प्राविशद्धोरं निर्मर्यादमवर्तत ।। 17
The dust on the ground was subdued by the pouring blood; dreadful confusion arose, and the battle became lawless.
युधिष्ठिरोऽपि धर्मात्मा भ्रातृभिः सहितस्तदा। व्यूहं कृत्वा विराटस्य अन्वयुध्यत पाण्डवः ।। 18
Then Yudhishthira, righteous-souled, together with his brothers, formed the battle array of Virata and fought on.
आत्मानं श्येनवत्कृत्वा तुण्डमासीद्युधिष्ठिरः। पक्षौं यमौ च भवतः पुच्छमासीद्वृकोदरः ।। 19
Yudhishthira made himself the head like a hawk, the twins became the wings, and Bhimasena was the tail.
सहस्रं न्यहनत्तत्र कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। भीमसेनस्तु संक्रुद्धः सर्वशस्त्रभृतांवरः । द्विसहस्रं रथान्वीरः परलोकं प्रवेशयत् ।। 20
There, Kunti's son Yudhishthira struck down a thousand; Bhimasena, furious and foremost among warriors, sent two thousand charioteers to the next world.
नकुलस्त्रिशतं जघ्ने सहदेवश्चतुःशतम् । शतानीकः शतं जघ्ने मदिराश्वश्चतुःशतम् ।। 21
Nakula slew three hundred, Sahadeva four hundred; Shatanika killed a hundred, and Madirasva four hundred.
प्रहृष्टां महतीं सेनां त्रिगर्तानां महाबलौ । आर्च्छतां बहुसंरब्धौ केशाकेशि रथारथि ।। 22
The two mighty warriors, Keshaka and Keshiratha, joyfully attacked the great, enthusiastic army of the Trigartas.
लक्षयित्वा त्रिगर्तानां तौ प्रविष्टौ महाचमूम्। जग्मतुः सूर्यदत्तश्च वललश्चापि पृष्ठतः ।। 23
Having marked the Trigartas, those two entered the great host; Suryadatta and Valala followed behind.
शङ्खो विराटपुत्रश्च महेष्वासो महाबलः। विनिघ्नन्समरे शूरान्प्रविवेश महाचमूम् ।। 24
Shankha, the son of Virata, a great archer and mighty warrior, entered the great host, striking down heroes in battle.
विराटस्तत्र संग्रामे हत्वा पञ्चशतं रथान्। कुञ्जराणां शतं चैव सहस्रं वाजिनां तथा ।। 25
There in that battle, Virata slew five hundred charioteers, a hundred elephants, and a thousand horses.
चरन्स विविधान्मार्गान्रथेन रथिनांवरः। त्रिगर्तानां सुशर्माणमार्च्छद्रुक्मरथं रणे ।। 26
Moving along various paths with his chariot, that foremost of charioteers confronted Susharman of the Trigartas, who rode a golden chariot, in battle.
तौ तु प्राहरतां तत्र महेष्वासौ महाबलौ । अन्योन्यमभिनिघ्नन्तौ गोषु गोवृषभाविव ।। 27
There, those two great archers and mighty warriors struck each other, like two bullocks fighting among cows.
राजसिंहौ सुसंरब्धौ विरेजतुरमर्षणौ। कृतास्रौ निशितैर्बाणैरसिशक्तिपरश्वथैः ।। 28
The two lion-like kings, fiercely enraged and unyielding, shone forth, their bodies stained with blood from sharp arrows, swords, spears, and axes.
ततो रथाभ्यां रथिनौ व्यतीयातां समन्ततः । शरान्ससृजतुः शीघ्रं तोयधारा घनाविव ।। 29
Then, the two warriors on their chariots circled each other on all sides, swiftly releasing arrows like rainclouds pouring down streams of water.
अन्योन्यमभिसंरब्धौ दन्ताभ्यामिव कुञ्जरौ। कृतास्त्रौ निशितैर्बाणैर्दारयामासतू रणे ।। 30
Both, inflamed against each other like elephants clashing with their tusks, armed with weapons, tore at each other in battle with sharp arrows.
मात्स्यो राजा सुशर्माणं विव्याध निशितैः शरैः । पञ्चभिः पञ्चभिर्बाणैर्विव्याध चतुरो हयान् ।। 31
King Matsya struck Susharma with five sharp arrows, and with five more, he wounded his four horses.
द्वाभ्यां सूतं च विव्याध केतुं च त्रिभिराशुगैः । तथैव मात्स्यराजं तु सुशर्मा युद्धदुर्मदः । पञ्चाशद्भिः शितैर्बाणैविव्याध परमास्त्रवित् ।। 32
With two arrows he struck the charioteer, and with three swift shafts, the banner; likewise, Susharma, fierce in battle and master of weapons, struck the Matsya king with fifty sharp arrows.
तयोर्बलानि राजेन्द्र समस्तानि महारणे। नाजानन्त तदाऽन्योन्यं प्रदोषे रजसा वृते ।। 33
O king, in that great battle, neither of the two could discern the other's full strength, as the twilight was veiled in dust.
तमसाऽभिप्लुते लोके रजसा चैव भारत। व्यतिष्ठन्त मुहूर्तं ते व्यूढानीकाः प्रहारिणम् ।। 1
As darkness and dust enveloped the world, O Bharata, those warriors with their battle formations stood ready for a time.
ततोऽन्धकारं प्रणुदन्नुदतिष्ठन्निशाकरः। कुर्वाणो विमलां रात्रिं दर्शयन्क्षत्रियान्रणे ।। 2
Then the moon rose, dispelling the darkness, making the night clear, and revealing the warriors to each other on the battlefield.
ततः प्रकाशमासाद्य पुनर्युद्धमवर्तत। घोररूपं तदा तेषामवेक्ष्य तु परस्परम् ।। 3
With the coming of light, the battle resumed once more; beholding each other, they fought again, the conflict taking on a terrifying form.
तथैव तेषां तुमुलानि तानि क्रुद्धानि चान्योन्यमभिद्रवन्ति। गदासिपट्टैश्च परश्वथैश्च प्रासैश्च तीक्ष्णाग्रसुधौतधारैः ।। 4
In the same way, those tumultuous and furious warriors rushed at each other, wielding maces, swords, axes, and spears with sharp, well-polished blades.
बलं तु मात्स्यस्य बलेन राजा सर्वं त्रिगर्ताधिपतिः सुशर्मा। प्रमथ्य जित्वा च निपीड्य मत्स्यान्विराटमोजस्विनमभ्यधावत् ।। 5
Then Susharma, lord of the Trigartas, overpowered the entire Matsya army with his own force, crushing, defeating, and pressing the Matsyas, and advanced upon the mighty Virata.
मत्ताविव वृषौ तौ तु गजाविव मदोद्धतौ । सिंहाविव गजग्राहौ शक्रवृत्राविवोद्धतौ ।। 6
Those two were like maddened bulls, like elephants wild with rut, like lions seizing elephants, like Indra and Vritra in their fury.
उभौ तुल्यबलोत्साहावुभौ तुल्यपराक्रमौ। उभौ तुल्यास्रविक्षेपावुभौ युद्धविशारदौ ।। 7
Both were equal in strength and enthusiasm, both matched in valor, both equally shed blood, and both were skilled in the art of war.
तौ निहत्य पृथग्धुर्यानुभयोः पार्ष्णिसारथी । आस्तां तुल्यधनुर्ग्राहौ कृष्णकंसाविवोद्धतौ ।। 8
Having slain the charioteers and rear-guards of both sides, the two, equally skilled with the bow, stood facing each other like Krishna and Kamsa in their enmity.
ततः सुशर्मा त्रैगर्तः सह भ्रात्रा सुवर्मणा। अभ्यद्रवन्मत्स्यराजं रथव्रातेन सर्वशः ।। 9
Then Susharma of the Trigartas, together with his brother Suvarman, charged at the Matsya king with an entire host of chariots.
ततो रथाभ्यां प्रस्कन्द्य भ्रातरौ क्षत्रियर्षभौ। गदापाणी सुसंरब्धौ समभ्यद्रवतां जवात् ।। 10
Then the two brothers, the foremost of warriors, leapt from their chariots, seized their maces in anger, and rushed swiftly forward.