अश्वत्थामा महाबाहुर्धनुर्वेदपरायणः। इषूंश्च सम्यगस्यन्तो जीमूता इव वार्षिकाः
Ashvatthama, strong-armed and devoted to the science of archery, also loosed arrows in volleys, like rainclouds in the monsoon.
ते लाभमिव मन्वानाः प्रत्यगृह्णन्धनंजयम्। शरौघानभिवर्षन्तो नादयन्तो दिशो दश
Thinking him a prize to be won, they confronted Dhananjaya, showering torrents of arrows and filling all ten directions with sound.
ततः प्रहस्य बीभत्सुः कौन्तेयः श्वेतवाहनः। दिव्यमस्त्रं प्रकुर्वाणः प्रत्ययाद्रथिसत्तमान्
Then Bhīmasena, son of Kunti, with white steeds, laughed aloud and, invoking a divine weapon, advanced against those foremost of chariot-warriors.
यथा रश्मिभिरादित्यः प्रच्छादयति मेदिनीम्। तथा गाण्डीवनिर्मुक्तैः शरैराच्छादयद्दिशः
Just as the sun covers the earth with its rays, so did he cover the quarters with arrows released from the Gandiva.
न रथानां न चाश्वानां न ध्वजानां न वर्मिणाम्। अतिविद्धैः शितैर्बाणैरासीदद्व्यङ्गुलिरन्तरम्
There was not even a two-finger space on the chariots, horses, banners, or armored warriors that was not pierced by his sharp arrows.
दैवयोगाद्धि पार्थस्य हयानामुत्तरस्य च। शिक्षाबलोपपन्नत्वादस्त्राणां वै परिक्रमात्। ध्वजगाण्डीवयोश्चापि दैव्या शक्त्या च मायया
By the conjunction of destiny, the skill and strength of Partha’s horses and of Uttara, the power of his weapons, and the divine force and illusion of his banner and Gandiva—
इतस्ततश्च संयाने दूरे वाऽप्यथवाऽन्तिके। दुर्गे विषमजाते वा स्थले निम्ने तथा क्षितौ। न च रुध्येद्गतिस्तस्य रथस्य मनसो यथा
In the movement of his chariot, whether far or near, in difficult, uneven, or sloping ground, his progress was never impeded, just as his mind willed.
समरेषु तु विद्वांसस्तस्य तांस्तान्परिक्रमान्। वीर्यमत्यद्भुतं दृष्ट्वा तथा पार्थस्य तद्बलम् । त्रेसुरेवं परे भीताः पराङ्मुखरथा अपि
But in battle, seeing his wondrous strength and the extraordinary maneuvers of Partha, the wise among the enemy trembled in fear, even those whose chariots faced away.
कालाग्निमिव बीभत्सुं निर्दहन्तमिव प्रजाः । नारयः प्रेक्षितुं शेकुर्ज्वलन्तमिव पावकम्
None among the warriors could bear to look at Bhīmasena, blazing like the fire of destruction, burning up the hosts like the fire at the end of time.
तानि भिन्नान्यनीकानि रेजुरर्जुनमार्गणैः। तिग्मांशोश्च घनाभ्राणि व्याप्तानीव गभस्तिभिः
Those shattered divisions trembled under Arjuna’s arrows, like clouds lit up by the fierce rays of the sun.
अशोकाना वनानीव सञ्चितैः कुसुमैः शुभैः । पार्थः संरञ्जयामास रुधिरेणाकुलं बलम्
Like groves of Ashoka trees adorned with gathered, beautiful blossoms, Partha stained the tumultuous army with blood.
सहस्रशोऽर्जुनशरैश्छिन्नान्युच्चावचानि च। छत्राणि च पताकाश्च खेऽभ्युवाह सदागतिः
Thousands of umbrellas and banners, both high and low, severed by Arjuna’s arrows, were carried away into the sky by the ever-moving wind.
ये ह्यर्जुनबलत्रस्ताः परिपेतुर्दिशो दश। रथात्तं देशमुत्सृज्य पार्थच्छिन्नयुगा हयाः
Those who were terrified by Arjuna’s force fled in all ten directions, and the horses, their yokes cut by Partha, abandoned their chariots and that place.
निकृत्तपूर्वचरणास्ते निपेतुः शितैः शरैः। शिरोभिः प्रथमं जग्मुर्मेदिनीं जघनैर्हयाः
Their forelegs severed by sharp arrows, the horses fell; first their heads struck the earth, then their hindquarters.
चक्षुर्नासाविषाणेषु दन्तवेष्टेषु च द्विपान्। मर्मस्वन्येषु चाहत्य तथा निघ्नन्गजोत्तमाः
Striking the eyes, noses, trunks, and tusks of the elephants, and hitting their vital points with arrows, he slew those foremost elephants.
कौरवाणां गजानां च शरीरैर्गतचेतसाम् । क्षणेन संवृता भूमिर्मेघैरिव नभस्थलम्
In a moment, the earth was covered with the bodies of the Kaurava elephants, their senses departed, as the sky is covered with clouds.
अस्त्रैर्दिव्यैर्महाबाहुरर्जुनः प्रहसन्निव । बडबामुखसंभूतः कालाग्निरिव संवृतः
Arjuna, mighty-armed, with celestial weapons, laughed as if veiled by the submarine fire, like the fire of destruction at the end of time.
यथा युगान्तसमये सर्वं स्थावरजङ्गमम् । कालपक्वमशेषेण धक्ष्येदुग्रशिखः शिखी
Just as, at the time of the world's end, the fierce-tipped flame consumes all that is movable and immovable, ripened by time, without remainder—
तद्वत्पार्थोऽस्रतेजोभिर्धनुषो निस्वनेन च। दैवाद्वीर्याच्च बीभत्सुस्तस्मिन्दौर्योधने बले
So did Partha, with the brilliance of his weapons, the sound of his bow, and his divine valor, terrify the army of Duryodhana.
रणे शक्तिममित्राणां प्रणीयोपनिनाय सः। चेष्टां प्रायेण भूतानां रात्रिः प्राणभृतामिव
In battle, he brought the powerful enemies to a state like the night for living beings, leading them to their last movements.
सोऽतीयात्सहसा शत्रून्सहसा तेऽभिपेदिरे । शीघ्रादूरं दृढामोघमस्त्रमस्यातिमानुषम् । दृष्ट्वा ते कौरवा भीता अतिमानुषविक्रमम्
He rushed upon the foes, and they attacked him in turn; seeing his swift, distant, firm, unfailing, superhuman weapon, the Kauravas were frightened by his extraordinary prowess.
खगपत्राभिसंवीतैः खाविष्टैः खगमैरिव। अर्जुनस्य खमावव्रे लोहितप्राणपैः खगैः
The sky was covered by Arjuna's arrows, feathered like birds, flying through the air, as if filled with red-blooded birds.
अर्जुनेन विनिर्मुक्ताः शरा गाण्डीवधन्वना । तार्क्ष्यवेगा इवाकाशे ससञ्जुः परमर्मसु
The arrows released by Arjuna from the Gandiva bow moved in the sky with the speed of Garuda, striking at vital points.
वर्माणि सारथिश्चैव हेमजालानि वाजिनाम् । किरीटं सूर्यसंकाशं वैयाघ्रमथ चर्म च
Armor, charioteers, golden nets on the horses, the crown shining like the sun, the tiger-skin and the shield—
ततः सर्वाणि गात्राणि रथस्य द्विषतां शरैः । नीहारेणेव भूतानि छन्नानीह चकाशिरे
Then all the limbs of the enemy chariots, struck by arrows, appeared as if shrouded in mist, yet shone forth.
सकृदेव न तं शेकुः कथमभ्यसितुं परे । अनभ्यस्तः पुनस्तैर्हि रथः सोभिपपात तान्
The others could not approach him even once; unaccustomed, their chariots fell upon him and were struck down.
तच्छरा द्विट्शरीरेषु यथा च न ससञ्जिरे । द्विधाऽनीकेषु बीभत्सोर्न ससञ्ज रथस्तथा
Just as the arrows did not remain in the bodies of the enemies, so too the chariot of Bhībhatsu did not remain among the divided ranks.
स तद्धि क्षोभयामास विगाह्यारिबलं रथी। अनन्तवेगो भुजगः क्रीडन्निव महार्णवे
He stirred up the enemy force, penetrating it with his chariot, like a serpent of endless speed playing in the great ocean.
अस्यतो नित्यमत्यर्थं सर्वघोषाधिकस्तथा । संनादः श्रूयते भूतैर्धनुषश्च किरीटिनः
As he continually shot, the sound of his bow, louder than all others, was heard among the warriors, and from the crowned one.
संच्छिन्नास्तत्र मातङ्गा बाणैरल्पान्तरान्तरैः। संस्यूतास्तत्र दृश्यन्ते मेघा इव गभस्तिभिः
There, elephants were cut down by arrows at close range; they appeared stitched together, like clouds with rays.