संनियम्य हयानेतान्मन्दं वाहय सारथे । आचार्यपुत्रं समरे योधयिष्येऽपराजितम्
Restrain these horses and drive slowly, charioteer; I will fight the teacher’s son, undefeated in battle.
पुरा ह्येष मया युक्तः स मे भवति पृष्ठतः ।। एवमुक्तेऽर्जुनेनासावश्वत्थामरथं प्रति
For before, he was yoked with me, and now he stands behind me; so, when Arjuna had spoken thus, Aśvatthāman advanced towards his chariot.
एषोपयाति बीभत्सुर्व्यथितो गाढवेदनः
Behold, Bibhatsu approaches, afflicted and in great pain.
तं तु तत्रैव यास्यामि नासौ मुच्येत जीवितात्
I shall go to him right there; he shall not escape with his life.
नासौ भयेन निर्यातो महात्मा पाकशासनिः। नैवं भीता निवर्तन्ते न पुनर्गाढवेदनाः
That great-souled son of Pakashaasana has not fled out of fear; those who are truly terrified do not return, nor do those suffering intense pain.
यद्येनमभिसंरब्धं पुनरेवाभियास्यसि। बहून्यस्त्राणि जानीते न पुनर्मोक्ष्यते भवान्
If you confront him again, enraged, he knows many weapons; you will not escape again.
दिष्ट्या दुर्योधनो मुक्तो दिष्ट्या गावः पलायिताः। मुक्तो दिष्ट्या च संग्रामे किं रणेन करिष्यसि
By fortune, Duryodhana is freed; by fortune, the cows have fled; by fortune, you are released in battle—what will you accomplish by fighting?
क्रोशमात्रमपाक्रम्य बलमन्वानयामहे। अन्वागतबलाः पार्थं पुनरेवाभियास्यथ
Having withdrawn a krosha's distance, we shall gather our forces; with our assembled strength, you will again confront Partha.
कर्णं पराजितं दृष्ट्वा पार्थो वैराटिमब्रवीत्। एतं मां प्रापयेदानीं रथवृन्दं प्रहारिणाम्
Seeing Karna defeated, Partha spoke to the king of Virata: 'Bring me now to the array of striking chariots.'
यत्र शान्तनवो भीष्मः सर्वेषां नः पितामहः । सुयुद्धं काङ्क्षमाणो वै रथे तिष्ठति दंशितः
Where Bhishma, son of Shantanu, our grandsire, stands on his chariot, eager for noble battle, armed and ready.
तालो वै काञ्चनो यत्र वज्रवैडूर्यभूषितः । अतीव समरे भाति मातरिश्वप्रकम्पितः
Where the golden palm tree, adorned with diamond and beryl, shines greatly in the battle, trembling in the wind.
दारुणं प्रहरिष्यामि रथबृन्दानि धन्विनाम्। आदास्याम्यहमेतेषां धनुर्ज्यावेष्टनानि च
I shall fiercely strike the ranks of archers' chariots, and I will seize their bows and bowstrings.
अस्यन्तं दिव्यमस्त्राणि चित्रमुत्तर पश्यसि
Behold, Uttara, the wondrous divine weapons being hurled.
शतह्रदां जृम्भमाणां मेघस्थां प्रावृषीव च। सुवर्णपृष्ठं गाण्डीवं पश्यन्तु कुरवो मम
Let the Kurus see my Gandiva, with its golden back, swelling like a cloud in the rainy season with a hundred streams.
दक्षिणेनाथ वामेन कतमेन स्विदस्यति। इति मां शत्रवः सर्वे न विज्ञास्यन्ति सारथे
Whether I shoot from the right or the left, which side will it be? Thus, all my enemies and charioteer will not discern me.
अस्त्रोदकां हयावर्तां नागनक्रां रथह्रदाम्। नदीं प्रस्कन्दयिष्यामि परलोकापहारिणीम्
I shall flood the chariot-lake with weapons, with horse-whirlpools, serpent-crocodiles, and waters, creating a river that carries foes to the next world.
पाणिपादशिरःपृष्ठबाहुशङ्खचराचरम्। वनं कुरूणां छेत्स्यामि भल्लैः सन्नतपर्वभिः
With arrows tipped and curved, I shall cut down the forest of the Kurus—hands, feet, heads, backs, arms, conches, and all moving things.
तूणीशयाः सुपुङ्खाग्रा विशिखा दुन्दुभिस्वनाः। मया प्रमुक्ताः संग्रामे कुरून्धक्ष्यन्ति सायकाः
Arrows with fine feathers, sounding like drums, released by me in battle, will destroy the Kurus.
ध्वजवृक्षं शरतृणं नागाश्वश्वापदाकुलम् । रथसिंहगणैर्युक्तं धनुर्वल्लिसमाकुलम्। वनमादीपयिष्यामि कुरूणामस्त्रतेजसा
I shall set ablaze the forest of the Kurus with the power of weapons—banner-trees, grass, elephants, horses, beasts, chariots yoked with lions, and bows entwined.
जयतो भारतीं सेनामेकस्य मम संयुगे। शतं मार्गा भविष्यन्ति पावकस्येव कानने
As I triumph over the Bharata army alone in battle, a hundred paths will open, as in a forest for fire.
मया चक्रमिवाविद्धं सैन्यं द्रक्ष्यसि केवलम् । तानहं रथनीडेभ्यः परलोकाय शात्रवान्। एकः प्रद्रावयिष्यामि चक्रपाणिरिवासुरान्
You will see the army pierced by me as if by a discus alone; from the seats of the chariots I shall drive the enemies to the next world, just as the wielder of the discus routed the asuras.
असंभ्रान्तो रथे तिष्ठन्समेषु विषमेषु च। मार्गमावृत्य तिष्ठन्तमपि भेत्स्यामि पर्वतम्
Standing unshaken on my chariot, whether on level ground or uneven, I shall shatter even a mountain that stands blocking my path.
अहमिन्द्रस्य संग्रामे द्विषतो बलदर्पितान्। मातलिं सारथिं कृत्वा निवातकवचान्रणे । हतवान्सर्वतः सर्वान्धावतो युध्यतस्तदा
In battle, with Mātali as my charioteer, I defeated the proud enemies of Indra—the Nivātakavacas—striking them down everywhere as they fled and fought.
निवातकवचान्हत्वा गाण्डीवास्त्रैः सहस्रशः । परं पारे समुद्रस्य हिरण्यपुरमारुजम्
Having slain the Nivātakavacas by the thousands with the weapons of the Gandiva, I crossed to the far shore of the ocean and destroyed the golden city.
हत्वा षष्टिसहस्राणि रथानामुग्रधन्विनाम्। पौलोमान्कालकेयांश्च समरे भृशदारुणान् । असुरानहनं घोरान्रौद्रेणास्त्रेण सारथे
I slew sixty thousand chariots of fierce archers—the Paulomas and Kālakeyas, terrible asuras in battle—using a dreadful weapon, O charioteer.
अहमिन्द्राद्दृढां मुष्टिं ब्रह्मणः क्षिप्रहस्तताम् । प्रगाढनिपुणं चित्रमतिवृद्धं प्रजापतेः
From Indra I received the firm fist-weapon, from Brahmā the swift-handed missile, and from Prajāpati the profound, skillful, wondrous, and ancient weapon.
रौद्रं रुद्रादहं वेद्मि वारुणं वरुणादपि । सौर्यं सूर्यादहं वेद्मि याम्यं दण्डधरादपि
I know the fierce weapon from Rudra, the Varuṇa weapon from Varuṇa, the solar weapon from the Sun, and the Yama weapon from the wielder of the rod.
अस्त्रमाग्नेयमग्नेश्च वायव्यं मातरिश्वनः। अन्यैर्देवैरहं प्राप्तः को मां विषहते पुमान्
I have obtained the fire weapon from Agni, the wind weapon from Vāyu, and others from various gods—who among men can withstand me?
अद्य गाण्डीवनिर्मुक्तैःशरौघै रोमहर्षणैः । कुरूणां पातयिष्यामि रथवृन्दानि धन्विनाम्
Today, with showers of arrows released from the Gandiva that make the hair stand on end, I shall bring down the ranks of chariot-warriors among the Kurus.
एवमाश्वासितस्तेन वैराटिः सव्यसाचिना। व्यगाहत रथानीकं भीमं भीष्मस्य वाजिभिः
Thus encouraged by Savyasācin, King Virāṭa plunged his horses into the formidable array of Bhīṣma's chariots.