तत्प्रभग्नं बलं सर्वं विपुलौघस्वनं तथा। भीष्ममासाद्य संतस्थौ वेलामिव महोदधिः
That entire shattered force, resounding with a great tumult, halted upon reaching Bhīṣma, like the ocean at its shore.
तानि सर्वाणि गाङ्गेयः समाश्वास्य परंतपः । ततो व्यूह्य महाबाहुः समरेष्वपराजितः
Then Gāṅgeya, the scorcher of foes, reassured them all, and, undefeated in battle, arrayed them once more.
रथनागाश्वकलिकं युयुजे युद्धकोविदः । अभेद्यं पंरसैन्यानां शूरैरपि समीक्षितम्
The expert in battle yoked the impenetrable vehicle, adorned with chariot, elephant, and horse divisions, which even brave warriors regarded as invincible.
आचार्यदुर्योधनसूतपुत्रैः कृपेण भीष्मेण च पालितानि। अवध्यकल्पानि दुरासदानि रथाश्वमातङ्गसमाकुलानि च
Guarded by the teacher, Duryodhana, the son of the charioteer, Kripa, and Bhishma, these formations, filled with chariots, horses, and elephants, seemed unconquerable and unassailable.
तेषामनीकानि किरीटमाली व्यूढानि दृष्ट्वा विपुलध्वजानि। गाण्डीवधन्वा द्विषतां निहन्ता वैराटिमामन्त्र्य ततोऽभ्युवाच
Seeing those battle arrays, well-formed and bearing great banners, the diademed one, wielder of Gandiva and destroyer of enemies, addressed the prince of the Matsyas and spoke thus.
सुसंगृहीतैरथ रश्मिभिस्त्वं हयान्नियम्य प्रसमीक्ष्य यत्तः। संप्रेषयाशु प्रतिवीरमेनं वैकर्तनं योधयितुं वृणोमि
With reins well gathered, control the white steeds attentively; then swiftly drive me toward that mighty Karna, for I choose to fight him, hero against hero.
यां हस्तिकक्ष्यां बहुधा विचित्रां स्तम्भे रथे पश्यसि दर्शनीयाम् । विवर्तमानां ज्वलनप्रकाशां वैकर्तनस्यैतदनीकमग्र्यम्
That elephant-division, variegated and splendid, which you see stationed at the post and on the chariot, shining like fire and turning in all directions, is the foremost array of Karna.
एतेन शीघ्रं प्रतिपादयेमान् श्वेतान्हयान्काञ्चनजालकक्ष्यान् । सर्वं जवं तत्र विदर्शयिष्ये ह्यासादयैतद्रथवीरवृन्दम्
With these swift white horses, decked with golden harness, I will quickly penetrate that formation; there I shall display all their speed—bring me to that gathering of chariot-warriors.
गजो गजनेव हि योद्धुकामो मया सदा काङ्क्षति सूतपुत्रः । तमेव मां प्रापय सूतपुत्रं दुर्योधनोपाश्रयजातदर्पम् । तं पातयिष्यामि रथस्य मध्ये सहस्रनेत्रोऽशनिनेव वृत्रम्
The son of the charioteer, ever eager to fight me, longs for battle like an elephant for another in rut; bring me straight to him, proud with Duryodhana’s favor—I will cast him down in the midst of his chariot, as Indra with a thunderbolt struck down Vritra.
स तैर्हयैर्जातजवैर्बृहद्भिः पुत्रो विराटस्य हिरण्यकक्ष्यै । विध्वंसयंस्तद्रथिनामनीकं ततोऽवहत्पाण्डवमाजिमध्ये
Then, with those great, swift, golden-harnessed horses, the son of Virata shattered the ranks of those chariot-warriors and brought the Pandava into the midst of the battle.
तमापतन्तं परमेण तेजसा समीक्ष्य वैकर्तनमभ्यरक्षन्। अभ्यद्रवंस्ते रथवीरवृन्दा व्याघ्रेण चाक्रान्तमिवर्षभं रणे
Seeing Karna advancing with supreme energy, the groups of chariot-heroes rushed to protect him, as bulls attacked by a tiger rally together in battle.
चित्राङ्गदश्चित्ररथश्च वीरः संग्रामजिद्दुःसहचित्रसेनौ । विविंशतिर्दुर्मुखदुर्जयौ च विकर्णदुःशासनसौबलाश्च। शोणो निषेधश्च तमन्वयुस्ते वैकर्तनं शीघ्रतरं युवानः
Citrangada, Citraratha the valiant, Sangramajit, Duhsaha, Citrasena, Vivimsati, Durmukha, Durjaya, Vikarna, Duhshasana, Saubala, Shona, and Nishedha—all these youthful warriors swiftly followed Karna.
पुत्रा ययुस्ते सहसोदराश्च वैकर्तनं पार्थगतं समीक्ष्य । प्रगृह्य चापानि महाबला रणे धनंजयं पर्यकिरञ्शरार्चिभिः
Their sons and brothers, seeing Karna approach Arjuna, seized their bows, and those mighty warriors showered Arjuna with blazing arrows in the battle.
तेषां धनुर्ज्याकृतनैकतन्त्रीं प्रासोपवीणां शरसङ्घकोणाम्। कराग्रयन्त्रां स्थिरचापदण्डां वीणामुपावादयदाशु पार्थः
Then Arjuna, with his bowstring stretched taut like a single string, played upon his bow as upon a lute, the arrows forming the notes, the bow the instrument, and his hands the skilled musicians.
तस्मिंस्तु युद्धे तुमुले प्रवृत्ते पार्थं विकर्णोऽतिरथं रथेन । विपाठवर्षेण कुरुप्रवीरो भीमेन भीमानुजमाससाद
In that tumultuous battle, Vikarna, the mighty chariot-warrior and foremost of the Kurus, attacked Bhima’s younger brother, Arjuna, with a shower of arrows from his chariot.
ततो विकर्णस्य धनुर्विकृत्य जाम्बुनदेनोपहितं दृढज्यम्। न्यपातयत्तद्ध्वजमस्य विद्ध्वा छिन्नध्वजः सोऽप्यपयाञ्जवेन
Then, drawing his strong, gold-adorned bow, Arjuna struck down Vikarna’s banner; his banner cut, Vikarna swiftly withdrew from the fight.
तं शात्रवाणां गणवाधितारं कर्माणि कुर्वाणममानुपाणि। शत्रुंतपो वैरममृष्यमाणः समार्पयत्कूर्मनखेन पार्थम्
Then Shatrutapa, the destroyer of enemy hosts, performing great deeds, unable to tolerate his foe, hurled a kurma-nakha (tortoise-claw weapon) at Arjuna.
स तेन राज्ञाऽतिरथेन विद्धो विगाहमानो ध्वजिनीं पेरपाम् । शत्रुंतपं पञ्चभिराशु विद्ध्वा ततोऽस्य सूतं दशभिर्जघान
Struck by that king and mighty chariot-warrior, Arjuna, penetrating the enemy ranks, swiftly pierced Shatrutapa with five arrows and then slew his charioteer with ten.
ततः स विद्धो भरतर्षभेण बाणेन कायावरणातिगेन । गतासुराजौ निपपात राजन्नगो नगाग्रादिव वातरुग्णः
Then, pierced by the Bharata bull with an arrow that broke through his armor, the king fell lifeless, O king, like an elephant struck down by the wind from a mountain peak.
रथर्षभास्ते तु रथर्षभेण वीरा रणे वीरतरेण भग्नाः । चकम्पिरे वातवशेन काले प्रकम्पितानीव महावनानि
But those bull-like chariot-warriors, broken by the mightier bull among charioteers in battle, trembled like great forests shaken by the wind at the appointed time.
हताश्च पार्थेन नरप्रवीरा भूमौ युवानः सुष्रुषुः सुवेषाः । वसुप्रदा वासवतुल्यवीर्याः पराजिता वासवजेन सङ्ख्ये। सुवर्णकार्ष्णायसवर्भनद्धा नागा यथा हैमवते प्रवृद्धाः
The foremost warriors among men, young, well-adorned, generous, and equal in might to Indra, were struck down by Partha and lay upon the earth, defeated in battle by the son of Vasava, their golden and iron armor shining like great serpents in the Himalayan mountains.
तथा स शत्रून्समरे विनिघ्नन् गाण्डीवधन्वा पुरुषप्रवीरः। चचार सङ्ख्ये विदिशो दिशश्च दहन्निवाग्निर्वनमातपान्ते
Thus, the foremost of men, wielder of Gandiva, moved through the battle, striking down his enemies, burning in all directions like a forest fire at the end of summer.
सुजीर्णपर्णानि यथा वसन्ते विशातयित्वा तु रजो नुदन्खे। तथा सपत्नान्विकिरन्किरीटी चचार सङ्ख्येऽतिरथो रथेन
Just as, in spring, the wind scatters old leaves and drives away the dust, so did the diademed atiratha scatter his rivals in battle as he moved about in his chariot.
शोणाश्ववाहस्य हयान्निहत्य वैकर्तनभ्रातुरदीनसत्वः । एकेन संग्रामजितः शरेण शिरो जहाराथ किरीटमाली
Unshaken in spirit, the diademed one struck down the horses of the red-horsed chariot belonging to Karna's brother, and with a single arrow, he severed his head in battle.
तस्मिन्हते भ्रातरि सूतपुत्रो वैकर्तनो वीर्यमदप्रतापी । प्रगृह्य दन्ताविव नागराजो महाबलः सिंहमिवाजगाम
When his brother was slain, the son of a charioteer, Karna, proud of his strength and valor, seized his bow like a great serpent its fangs, and advanced like a lion.
स पाण्डवं द्वादशभिः पृषत्कैर्वैकर्तनः पार्थमुपाजघान् । विव्याध गात्रेषु हयांश्च सर्वान्विराटपुत्रं च शरैर्विजघ्ने
Karna then struck Partha with twelve sharp arrows, wounded all his horses, and pierced the son of Virata with arrows upon his limbs.
तमापतन्तं समरे किरीटी वैकर्तनं सर्वसमृद्धतेजाः। प्रच्छादयामास महाधनुष्मान्न्यषेधयच्छत्रुगणांश्च वीरः
The diademed one, resplendent in all his glory and mighty with his great bow, covered Karna as he charged in battle, and heroically repelled the ranks of enemy warriors.
निहत्य कर्णस्य ततः किरीटी पुरश्चरांश्चापि च पृष्ठगोपान् । समीपमभ्यागमदप्रमेयो वितत्य पक्षौ गरुडो यथोरगम्
Having slain Karna's vanguard and rear-guard, the immeasurable one approached, spreading his wings like Garuda approaching a serpent.
तावुत्तमौ सर्वधनुर्धराणां महाबलौ सर्वसपत्नसाहौ । कर्णं च पार्थं च निशम्य युद्धे दिदृक्षमाणाः कुरवोऽवतस्थुः
Hearing that Karna and Partha, the two greatest and most powerful bowmen, destroyers of all foes, were engaged in battle, the Kurus gathered, eager to witness them.
तं पाण्डवः स्पष्टमुदीर्णकोपं कृतागसं कर्णमुदीक्ष्य कोपात्। क्षणेन साश्वं सरथं ससूतमन्तर्दधे मेघ इवातिवृष्ट्या
Seeing Karna, clearly enraged and guilty, the Pandava, in his wrath, made him, along with his horses, chariot, and charioteer, vanish in an instant, like a cloud disappearing in a heavy downpour.