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.
अक्षयाविषुधी दिव्यौ पाण्डवस्य महात्मनः। तेन पार्थो रणे शूरस्तस्थौ गिरिरिवाचलः
With inexhaustible and divine quivers, the great-souled Pandava stood firm in battle, like an immovable mountain.
अश्वत्थाम्नः पुनर्बाणाः क्षिप्रमभ्यस्यतो रणे। जग्मुः परिक्षयं शीघ्रमभूत्तेनाधिकोऽर्जुनः
But the arrows of Ashvatthaman, though swiftly shot in battle, were quickly exhausted; thus Arjuna gained the advantage.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे तत्र महावीर्यपराक्रमः। आजगाम महाबाहुः कृपः शस्त्रभृतांवरः । अर्जुनं प्रतियोद्धुं वै युद्धकामो महारथः
Meanwhile, there arrived the mighty and valiant Kripa, best among weapon-bearers, eager for battle, to oppose Arjuna.
अथं द्रौणे रथं त्यक्त्वा कृपस्य रथमुत्तमम् । आजगामार्जुनस्तूर्णं सूर्यवैश्वानरप्रभम्
Then Arjuna, swiftly leaving Drona's son's chariot, mounted Kripa's splendid chariot, shining like the sun and fire.
तौ वीर सूर्यसंकाशौ योत्स्यमानौ महारथौ। वाषिकाविव जीमूतौ व्यरोचेतां व्यवस्थितौ
Those two mighty warriors, radiant as the sun, stood ready to fight, like two thunderclouds facing each other.
श्रगृह्य गाण्डिवं लोके विश्रुतं पुनरर्जुनः। अभ्ययाद्भरतश्रेष्ठो विनिघ्नञ्शरमालया
Then Arjuna, renowned in the world, took up his Gandiva bow and advanced, O best of Bharatas, showering a mass of arrows.
कृपश्च धनुरादाय तथैवार्जुनमभ्यगाम्
Kripa too, taking up his bow, advanced toward Arjuna in the same way.
प्रगृह्य बलवच्चापं नाराचान्रक्तभोजनान्। कृपः पार्थाय चिक्षेप शंतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
Grasping his strong bow, Kripa hurled hundreds and thousands of iron arrows with red tips at Partha.
जीमूत इव धर्मान्ते शरवर्पं विमुञ्चति । नन्दयन्सुहृदः सर्वान्प्रत्ययुध्यत फल्गुनम्
Like a cloud at the end of the season releasing a torrent of arrows, he delighted all his friends as he fought Phalguna.
विकृष्य बलवच्चापं पाण्डवोऽमितविक्रमः। चचार समरे पार्थश्चित्रमार्गान्विदर्शयन्
The Pandava, of boundless valor, powerfully drew his bow and, in battle, displayed wondrous paths of arrows.