विक्रोशमात्रं यात्वा तु पार्थो वैराटिमब्रवीत्। इषुपातमात्रे सेनायाः स्थापयाश्वानरिंदम
Having gone just within shouting distance, Partha said to the prince of Virata: 'O tamer of foes, halt the horses at the range of arrows from the army.'
एतदग्रं गवां दृष्टं मन्दं वाहय सारथे। याह्युत्तरेण सेनाया गाश्चैव प्रविभज्य च
'See, this is the front of the cows; drive slowly, charioteer. Go to the north of the army, dividing the cows as you go.'
परिक्षिप्य गवां यूथमत्र योत्स्ये सुयोधनम् । गच्छन्ति सत्वरा गावः सगोपाः परिमोचय
'Encircle the herd of cows here, and I will fight Suyodhana. The cows, along with their herdsmen, are moving quickly—set them free.'
तत्र गत्वा पशून्वीर सगोपान्परिमोचय। अन्तरेण च सेनायाः प्राङ्मुखो गच्छ चोत्तर
'Go there, hero, and release the cattle with their herdsmen. Then, turning eastward, proceed north, keeping clear of the army.'
इमे त्वतिरथाः सर्वे मम वीर्यपराक्रमम्। पश्यन्तु कुरवो युद्धे महेन्द्रस्येव दानवाः
'Let all these great chariot-warriors of yours witness my strength and valor in battle, just as the Dānavas beheld that of mighty Indra.'
ततः स रथिनां श्रेष्ठो नाम विश्राव्य चात्मनः। निशिताग्राञ्शरांस्तीक्ष्णान्मुमोचांतकसन्निभान्
Then that foremost of chariot-warriors, having proclaimed his name, released sharp, keen arrows, resembling the weapons of Death.
शलभैरिव चाकाशं धाराभिरिव पर्वतम्। निरावकाशमभवच्छरैः क्षिप्तैः किरीटिना
Just as swarms of locusts fill the sky, or rain pours upon a mountain, so did Arjuna's arrows, filling all space, leave no opening.
विकीर्यमाणास्तु शरैस्ते योधा धार्तराष्ट्रिकाः। गाश्चैव न च पश्यन्ति पार्थमुक्तैरजिह्मगैः
Struck by those straight-flying arrows released by Partha, the warriors of Dhritarashtra could see neither the cows nor Partha himself.
सा चापि बहुला सेना पार्थबाणाभिपीडिता। नापश्यद्विवृतां भूमिं नान्तरिक्षं दिशोपि वा
And that vast army, oppressed by Partha's arrows, could see neither the open ground, nor the sky, nor even the directions.
अर्जुनस्तु तदा हृष्टो दर्शयन्वीर्यमात्मनः। पीडयामास सैन्यानि गाण्डीवप्रसृतैः शरैः
Then Arjuna, delighted and displaying his own valor, began to crush the troops with arrows shot from the Gandiva bow.
तेषां नैवापयाने च नाभियाने भवन्मतिः । शीघ्रतामेव पार्थस्य पूजयन्तस्तु विस्मिताः
They had no thought of retreat or advance, but, amazed, honored only Partha's swiftness.
चन्द्रावदातं सामुद्रं कुरुसैन्यभयंकरम्। ततः शङ्खमुपाध्मासीद्द्विषतां रोमहर्षणम्। ज्याघोषं तलघोषं च कृत्वा भूतान्यमोहयत्
Then he blew his conch, white as the moon and sounding like the ocean, terrifying the Kuru army and making the hair of his enemies stand on end; the twang of his bowstring and the slap of his palms bewildered all beings.
तस्य शङ्खस्य शब्देन धनुषो निस्वनेन च। शब्देनामानुषाणां च भूतानां ध्वजवासिनाम् । वियद्गतानां देवानां मानुषाणां रवेण च
By the sound of his conch, the resonance of his bow, and the cries of the beings bearing banners, both celestial and human, in the sky and on earth, all were shaken.
ऊर्ध्वं पुच्छं विधून्वाना हेममाणाः समन्ततः । गावः सवत्साः संत्रस्ता निवृत्ता दक्षिणां दिशं
The cows, golden-hued and with calves, terrified, turned back to the southern direction, their tails raised and waving all around.
ततः स समरे शूरो बीभत्सुः शत्रुपूगहा। गोपालांश्चोदयामास गावश्चोदयतेति च
Then that valiant Arjuna, destroyer of hosts of enemies, urged the cowherds onward, saying, 'Drive the cows forward!'
उत्तरं चाह बीभत्सुर्हर्षयन्पाण्डुनन्दनः । गवामग्रं समीक्षस्व गश्चैवाशु निवर्तय
Arjuna, delighting the son of Pandu, said to Uttara, 'Look to the front of the herd and quickly turn the cows back.'
यावदेते निवर्तन्ते कुरवो जवमास्थिताः । याह्युत्तरेण गाश्चैताः सैन्यानां च नृपात्मज
As long as these Kurus, advancing swiftly, do not turn back, O prince, drive these cows away with Uttara.
पश्यन्तु कुरवः सर्वे मम वीर्यपराक्रमम्
Let all the Kurus witness my strength and valor.
दृष्टवा यान्तमदूरस्थं क्षिप्रमभ्यपतन्रथैः ।। हस्त्यश्वपरिवारेण महताऽभिविराजता
Seeing them approaching from not far away, they quickly advanced with chariots, surrounded by a great retinue of elephants and horses, shining brilliantly.
योधैः प्रासासिहस्तैश्च चापबाणोद्यतायुधैः ।। तान्यनीकान्यशोभन्त कुरूणामाततायिनाम्
Warriors armed with spears and swords, and those ready with bows and arrows, adorned those divisions of the attacking Kurus.
संसर्पन्त इवाकाशे विद्युत्वन्तो वलाहकाः ।। तानि दृष्ट्वाऽप्यनीकानि निवर्तितरथानि च
Those divisions, moving in the sky like clouds flashing with lightning, and seeing those divisions and the turned-back chariots,
पार्थोऽपि वायुवद्धोरं सैन्याग्रं व्यधुनोच्छरैः ।। तां शत्रुसेनां तरसा प्रणुद्य गाश्चापि जित्वा धनुषा परेण
Partha, fierce as the wind, shook the front of the army with arrows; driving away the enemy force with speed, he subdued the cows with his supreme bow.
दुर्योधनायाभिमुखं प्रयान्तं कुरुप्रवीराः सहसाऽभ्यगच्छन् ।। गोषु प्रयातासु जवेन मात्स्यान्किरीटिनं प्रीतियुतं च दृष्ट्वा
The mighty Kurus, heading toward Duryodhana, suddenly approached; seeing the Matsyas rushing among the cows with speed, and the joyful Kiriti.
पशून्समादाय ततो निवृत्ता गोपाः समस्ताः प्रययुश्च राष्ट्रम्
Then, gathering the cattle, all the cowherds turned back and proceeded to their country.
ततस्त्रीणि सहस्राणि रथानां च धनुष्मताम्। घोराणि कुरुवीराणां पर्यकीर्यन्त भारत
Then three thousand chariots, bearing archers, terrifying heroes of the Kurus, were arrayed, O Bharata.
कर्णो रथसहस्रेण प्रत्यगृह्णाद्धनञ्जयम्। भीष्मः शान्तनवो धीमान्सहस्रेण पुरस्कृतः
Karna, with a thousand chariots, confronted Dhananjaya; Bhishma, son of Shantanu, wise and surrounded by a thousand chariots, stood forth.
तथा रथसहस्रेण भ्रातृभिः परिवारितः। पश्चाद्दुर्योधनोऽतिष्ठद्यशसा च श्रिया ज्वलन्
Likewise, Duryodhana, surrounded by his brothers and a thousand chariots, stood behind, blazing with fame and splendor.
अतिष्ठन्निवकाशेषु पादाताः सह वाजिभिः । भीमरूपाश्च मातङ्गास्तोमराङ्कुशचोदिताः
Infantry stood in the spaces, together with horses; mighty elephants, urged by goads and spears, appeared as Bhima incarnate.
तानि दृष्ट्वा ह्यनीकानि विततानि महात्मनाम् । वैराटिमुत्तरं तं तु प्रत्यभाषत पाण्डवः
Seeing those divisions spread out by the great souls, the Pandava addressed Uttara of the Matsyas.
जाम्बूनदमयी वेदी ध्वजाग्रे यस्य दृश्यते। शोणाश्चाश्वा रथे युक्ता द्रोण एष प्रकाशते
The golden altar seen atop the banner, and the red horses yoked to the chariot—that is Drona, shining forth.