अविभ्रमं च शिक्षां च लाघवं दूरपातनम् । पार्थस्य समरे दृष्ट्वा द्रोणस्यासीच्च विस्मयः
Seeing Partha’s composure, skill, swiftness, and long-range shooting in battle, Drona was filled with wonder.
तत्प्रवृत्तं चिरं घोरं तयोर्युद्धं महात्मनोः । अवर्तत महारौद्रं लोकसंक्षोभकरकम्
That fierce and long-protracted battle of those two great souls continued, exceedingly terrible and shaking the worlds.
अथ गाण्डीवमुद्यम्य दिव्यं धनुरमर्षणः । विचकर्ष रणे पार्थो बाहुभ्यां भरतर्षभः
Then, raising his divine bow Gandiva in wrath, Partha, bull among the Bharatas, drew it in battle with both arms.
तस्य बाणमयं वर्षे शलभानामिवाभवत् । न च बाणान्तरे तस्य वायुः शक्नोति सर्पितुम्
His shower of arrows became like a swarm of locusts, and between his arrows even the wind could not pass.
अभीक्ष्णं संदधानस्य बाणानुत्सृजतस्तथा। नान्तरं ददृशे किंचित्पार्थस्यापततोपी च
As Arjuna ceaselessly fitted and released his arrows in that way, not even the slightest gap could be seen, though they rushed upon him.
युद्धे तु कृतशीघ्रास्त्रे वर्तमाने सुदारुणे। शीघ्राच्छीघ्रतरं पार्थः शरानन्यानुदैरयत्
In that fierce battle, as swift missiles were employed, Arjuna sent forth arrows even faster than the swiftest.
ततः शरसहस्राणि शराणां नतपर्वणाम्। युगपत्प्रापतंस्तत्र द्रोणस्य रथमन्तिकात्
Then thousands of arrows with curved tips fell all at once near Drona's chariot.
विकीर्यमाणे द्रोणे तु शरैर्गाण्डीवधन्वना ।। हाहाकारो महानासीत्सैन्यानां भरतर्षभ
As Drona was overwhelmed by the arrows of the wielder of Gandiva, a great outcry arose among the troops, O bull of the Bharatas.
पाण्डवस्य तु शीघ्रास्त्रं मघवा समपूजयत्। गन्धर्वाप्सरसश्चैव ये च तत्र समागताः
The swift archery of the Pandava was honored by Maghavan, and also by the Gandharvas, Apsaras, and all those assembled there.
द्रोणं युद्धार्णवे मग्नं दृष्ट्वा पुत्रः प्रतापवान्। ततो वृन्देन महता रथिनां रथियूथपः । आचार्यपुत्रस्तु शरैः पाण्डवं प्रत्यवारयत्
Seeing Drona submerged in the ocean of battle, his valiant son, chief among chariot-warriors, with a great host of charioteers, checked the Pandava with arrows.
अश्वत्थामा तु तत्कर्म हृदयेन महात्मनः। पूजयामास पार्थस्य कोपं चास्य तदाऽकरोत्
Ashvatthama, witnessing that deed, honored Arjuna in his heart, but at that moment also grew angry with him.
स भन्युवशमापन्नः पार्थमभ्यद्रवद्रणे । किरञ्शरसहस्राणि पर्जन्य इव वृष्टिमान्
Then, seized by wrath, he rushed at Arjuna in battle, showering thousands of arrows like a rain-filled cloud.
आवृत्य च महाबाहुर्यतो द्रोणस्ततोऽभवत्। अन्तरं प्रददौ पार्थो द्रोणस्य व्यपसर्पितुम्
The mighty-armed Arjuna, blocking the way from which Drona came, gave Drona an opening to withdraw.
स तु लब्धान्तरस्तूर्णमपायाञ्जवनैर्हयैः । छिन्नवर्मध्वजरथो निकृत्तः परमेषुभिः
Having found an opening, Drona quickly withdrew with his swift horses, his armor, banner, and chariot all shattered by supreme arrows.
पराजिते तदा द्रोणे द्रोणपुत्रः समागतः। सदण्ड इव रक्ताक्षः कृतान्तः समरे स्थितः
When Drona was thus defeated, his son appeared, eyes red as copper, like Death himself standing in battle.
तं पार्थः प्रतिजग्राह वायुवेगमिवाचलः। शरजालेन महता वर्षमाण इवाम्बुदः
Arjuna received him like a mountain facing the force of the wind, with a great shower of arrows like a raincloud.
तयोर्देवासुरसमः सन्निपातो महानभूत् । किरतोः शरजालानि वृत्रवासवयोरिव
A great encounter, like that of gods and demons, took place between the two as they poured forth torrents of arrows, like Vritra and Indra.
न स्म सूर्यस्तदा भाति न च वाति समीरणः । शरगाढे कृते व्योम्नि छायाभूतमिवाभवत्
Then the sun did not shine, nor did the wind blow; the sky, thick with arrows, appeared as if covered in shadow.
महांश्चटचटाशब्दो योधयोर्युध्यमानयोः । दह्यतामिव वेणूनामासीत्परमदारुणः
A tremendous crackling sound arose as the two warriors fought, as if bamboo was being burned, terrifying in the extreme.
हयांस्तस्यार्जुनः सङ्ख्ये कृतवानल्पतेजसाः । ते राजन्न प्रजानन्ति दिशं कांचन मोहिताः
Arjuna struck the horses of his opponent, who were of little splendor, and, O King, those horses, bewildered, no longer knew any direction.
ततो द्रौणिर्महावीर्यः पार्थस्य विचरिष्यतः । विवरं सूक्ष्ममालोक्य ज्यां नुनोद क्षुरेण सः
Then Drona's mighty son, observing a tiny opening as Arjuna moved about, struck his bowstring with a razor-sharp arrow.
तदस्यापूजयन्देवाः कर्म दृष्ट्वाऽतिमानुषम् । न शक्तोऽन्यः पुमान्स्थातुमृते द्रौणेर्धनंजयम्
Seeing that superhuman feat, the gods themselves honored it; no other man except Drona's son could withstand Dhananjaya.
ततो द्रौणिर्धनुर्व्यस्य व्यपक्रम्य नरर्षभः । पुनरप्यभ्यहन्पार्थं हृदये कङ्कपत्रिभिः
Then Drona's son, O bull among men, stringing his bow and drawing back, struck Partha again in the heart with peacock-feathered arrows.
ततः पार्थो महाबाहुः प्रहसन्स्वनवत्तदा। योजयामास च तदा मौर्व्या गाण्डीवमोजसा
At that time, mighty-armed Partha laughed aloud and, with force, fitted his Gandiva with its string.
तं दृष्ट्वा ऋद्धमायान्तं प्रभिन्नमिव कुञ्जरम् । ऋद्धः समाह्वयामास द्रौणिर्युद्धाय भारत
Seeing him advancing in splendor, like a maddened elephant, Drona's son, full of might, called him to battle, O Bharata.
ततोऽर्धचन्द्रपाहृत्य तेन पार्थः समाहतः । चिच्छेद तस्य चापं च सूतं चाश्वं च तेजसा । विव्याध निशितैश्चापि शरैराशीविपोपमैः
Then Partha, struck by him with a crescent-tipped arrow, cut down his bow, his charioteer, and his horse with his energy, and pierced him with sharp arrows like poisonous snakes.
सोऽन्यं रथं समास्थाय प्रत्यायाद्रथिपुङ्गवः। वारणेनेव मत्तेन मत्तो वारणयूथपः
Mounting another chariot, that foremost of warriors returned, like a maddened elephant-leader facing another in rut.
ततः प्रववृते युद्धं पृथिव्यामेकवीरयोः । रणमध्ये द्वयोरेव सुमहद्रोमहर्षणम्
Then a great and thrilling battle began on earth between those two heroes, alone in the midst of the fight.
तौ वीरौ कुरवः सर्वे ददृशुर्विस्मयान्विताः। युध्यमानौ महात्मानौ द्विरदाविव संगतौ
All the Kurus, filled with wonder, saw those two great-souled warriors fighting, like two elephants meeting in combat.
तौ समाजघ्नतुर्वीरौ परस्परजयैषिणौ । शरै राशीविषाकारैर्ज्वलद्भिरिव पावकैः
Those two heroes, both seeking each other's defeat, struck one another with arrows shaped like venomous snakes, blazing like fire.