त्रस्ताश्च रथिनःक सर्वे चैन्द्रमस्त्रं विकुर्वति। सर्वे शान्तिपरा योधाः स्वचित्तं नाभिजझिरे । सहिता द्रोणभीष्माभ्यां प्रमोहगतचेतनाः
All the chariot-warriors, terrified by the display of the Indra weapon, sought only peace; their minds could not be steadied, even with Drona and Bhishma beside them, their senses bewildered.
तानि सर्वाणि सैन्यानि भग्नानि भरतर्षभ । प्राद्रवन्त दिशः सर्वा भयाद्वै सव्यसाचिनः
All those armies, O bull of the Bharatas, were broken and fled in every direction, seized by fear of Savyasacin.
दक्षिणामेव तु दिशं हयानुत्तर वाहय। पुरा सार्थी भवत्येषामयं शब्दोऽत्र तिष्ठताम्
Drive the horses to the southern direction, charioteer, for the sound of their approach is here—let it remain.
अश्चत्थाम्नः प्रतिरथं प्राचीमुद्याहि सारथे । अचिराद्द्रष्टुमिच्छामि गुरुपुत्रं यशस्विनम्
Turn the chariot eastward to face Ashvatthaman’s counterpart, charioteer; I wish soon to see the illustrious son of my teacher.
मोहयित्वा तु तान्सर्वान्धनुर्घोषेण पाण्डवः। प्रसव्यं चैवमावृत्य क्रोशार्धं प्राद्रवत्तदा
Having bewildered them all with the twang of his bow, Pandava then swiftly circled to the left and fled half a krosha away.
यथा सततगो वायुः सुपर्णश्चापि शीघ्रगः । तथा पार्थरथः शीघ्रमाकाशे पर्यवर्तत
As the wind that always moves, or the swift-flying eagle, so did Partha’s chariot quickly wheel about in the sky.
मुहूर्तोपरते शब्दे प्रतियाते धनञ्जये । हस्त्यश्वरथपादातं पुरस्कृत्य महारथाः
When the sound had ceased for a moment and Dhananjaya had withdrawn, the great chariot-warriors advanced, leading elephants, horses, chariots, and foot soldiers.
द्रोणभीष्ममुखाः सर्वे सैन्यानां जघने ययुः। यत्ताः पार्थमपश्यन्तः सहिताः शरविक्षताः
All the leaders—Drona, Bhishma, and the rest—moved to the rear of the army, wounded by arrows and searching for Partha together.
दिष्ट्या दुर्योधनो मुक्तः सैन्यं भूयिष्ठमागतम्। क्रोशमात्रमतिक्रम्य बलमन्वानयामहे। यात यत्र वनं गुल्मं नदीमन्वश्मकां प्रति
By fortune, Duryodhana escaped and most of the army returned; having crossed only a krosha, we are regrouping the troops. Go where the forest, thicket, or river leads toward our people.
अथ दुर्योधनो दृष्ट्वा भग्नं स्वं बलमाहवे। अमृष्यमाणः क्रोधेन प्रतिमार्गन्धनञ्जयम्
Then Duryodhana, seeing his own army broken in battle, could not endure it and, enraged, began to pursue Dhananjaya.
न्यवर्तत कुरुश्रेष्ठ स्वेनानीकेन संवृतः । वार्यमाणो दुराधर्षैर्भीष्मद्रोणकृपैर्भृशम्
But the best of the Kurus turned back, surrounded by his own division, though Bhishma, Drona, and Kripa, hard to withstand, tried hard to restrain him.
ततोऽर्जुनश्चित्रमुदारवेगं समीक्ष्य गाण्डीवमुवाच वाक्यम्। भोगीन्द्रकल्पं भुवनेषु रूढमभेद्यमच्छेद्यमदाह्यमाजौ
Then Arjuna, seeing the wondrous, mighty Gandiva—like the king of serpents, renowned in the worlds, unbreakable, uncuttable, unburnable in battle—spoke these words:
इदं त्विदानीमनयं कुरूणां शिवं धनुः शत्रुनिबर्हणं च। अत्याशुगं वेगवदाशुकर्तृ अवारणीयं महते रणाय
Now, this bow brings welfare to the Kurus and destruction to their enemies; swift, forceful, and quick to act, unstoppable in great battle.
प्रदारणं शत्रुवरूथिनीनामनीकजित्संयति वज्रकल्पम्। वैधव्यदं शत्रुनितम्बिनीनां मुखप्रदं कौरववंशजानाम्
It shatters the enemy’s ranks, conquers armies in combat, is like a thunderbolt; it brings widowhood to the enemy’s women and glory to the sons of the Kaurava line.
प्रयाहि यत्रैष सुयोधनो हि तं पातयिष्यामि शरैः सुतीक्ष्णैः । आचार्यपुत्रं च सुयोधनं च पितामहं सूतसुतं च सङ्ख्ये । द्रोणं कृपं चैव निवार्य सर्वाञ्शिरो हरिष्यामि सुयोधनस्य
Go where Suyodhana is; I will strike him down with sharp arrows. In battle, I will overcome the son of the teacher, Suyodhana, the grandsire, the son of the charioteer, Drona, Kripa, and all others, and I will take Suyodhana’s head.
तदुत्तरश्चित्रमुदारवेगं धनुश्च दृष्ट्वा निशिताञ्शरांश्च। भीतोऽब्रवीदर्जुनमाजिमध्ये नाहं तवाश्वान्विषहे नियन्तुम्
Then Uttara, seeing the splendidly swift bow and the sharp arrows, grew fearful and said to Arjuna in the midst of battle, 'I cannot control your horses.'
तमब्रवीन्मात्स्यसुतं प्रहस्य गाण्डीवधन्वा द्विषतां निहन्ता । मया सहायेन कुतो भयं ते प्रेह्युत्तराश्वानुपमन्त्रयस्व
Arjuna, wielder of Gandiva and destroyer of enemies, laughed and said to the Matsya prince, 'With me as your ally, why are you afraid? Go, Uttara, and direct the horses.'
आश्वासितस्तेन धनञ्जयेन वैराटिरश्वानतुदञ्जवेन। विष्फारयंस्तद्धनुरुग्रवेगं युयुत्समानः पुनरेव जिष्णुः
Encouraged by Dhananjaya, the son of Virata, whip in hand, drove the horses. Arjuna, eager for battle, drew his mighty bow once more.
गाण्डीवशब्देन तु तत्रतत्र भूमौ निषेदुर्बहवोऽतिवेलम्। शङ्खस्य शब्देन तु वानरस्य शब्देन ते योधवराः समन्तात्
At the sound of Gandiva, many warriors sat down on the ground in fear. At the sound of the conch and the cry of the monkey, the best of fighters gathered all around.
एषोऽतिमानी धृतराष्ट्रपुत्रः सेनामुखे सर्वसमृद्धतेजाः। पराजयं नित्यममृष्यमाणो निवर्तते युद्धमनाः पुरस्तात्
Here is the proud son of Dhritarashtra, radiant in the front of the army, unable to tolerate defeat, always eager for battle, advancing ahead.
तमेव याहि प्रसमीक्ष्य युक्तः सुयोधनं तत्र सहानुजं च
Go straight toward Suyodhana, carefully prepared, and face him there along with his brothers.
तमापतन्तं प्रसमीक्ष्य सर्वे कुरुप्रवीराः सहसाऽभ्यगच्छन्। प्रहस्य वीरः स तु तानतीत्य दुर्योधने द्वौ निचखान बाणौ
Seeing him rushing forward, all the mighty Kurus suddenly approached. Smiling, the hero passed through them and struck Duryodhana with two arrows.
तेनार्दितो नाग इव प्रभिन्नः पार्थेन विद्धो धृतराष्ट्रपुत्रः । युयुत्समानोऽतिरथेन सङ्ख्ये स्वयं विगृह्यार्जुनमाससाद
Afflicted like a wounded elephant, pierced by Partha, the son of Dhritarashtra, eager for battle, confronted Arjuna himself in the fight.
स भीमधन्वानमुदग्रवेगो धनञ्जयं शत्रुशतैरजेयम्। आकर्णपूर्णायतचोदितेन भल्लेन विव्याध ललाटमध्ये
That mighty bowman, Dhananjaya, unconquerable by hundreds of enemies, was struck in the middle of his forehead by a broad-headed arrow drawn to its full length.
स तेन बाणेन समर्पितेन जाम्बूनदाभेन सुसंहितेन । रराज पार्थो रुधिरं क्षरन्वै यथैकरश्मिर्भगवान्दिवार्कः
Pierced by that well-aimed, gold-tipped arrow, Partha shone as blood flowed, like the sun with a single ray streaming in the sky.
अथास्य बाणेन विदारितस्य प्रादुर्वभूवास्रमजस्रमुष्णम्। सा तस्य जाम्बूनदपुष्पचित्रा मालेव धाराऽभिविराजते स्म
Then, from the wound made by the arrow, a constant stream of warm blood appeared. That flow, adorned with gold and flower-like drops, shone like a garland.
स तेन बाणाभिहतस्तरस्वी दुयोधनेनोद्धतमन्युवेगः । शरानुपादाय विषाग्निकल्पान्विव्याध राजानमदीनसत्वः
Struck by Duryodhana’s arrow, Arjuna, swift and fierce in spirit, took up arrows like deadly poison and pierced the king, undaunted in strength.
दुर्योधनश्चापि तमुग्रतेजाः पार्थश्च दुर्योधनमेकवीरः । अन्योन्यमाजौ पुरुषप्रवीरौ सम समाजघ्नतुराजमीढौ
Duryodhana, fierce in energy, and Partha, the lone hero, both foremost among men, struck each other equally in battle, each seeking victory.
ततः प्रभिन्नेन महागजेन महीधराभेन पुनर्विकर्णः । रथैश्चतुर्भिर्गजपादरक्षैः कुन्तीसुतं पाण्डवमभ्यधावत्
Then Vikarṇa, with a great elephant resembling a mountain, and four chariots guarded by elephants and foot soldiers, rushed toward the son of Kunti, the Pandava.
तमापतन्तं त्वरितं गजेन्द्रं धनञ्जयः कुम्भललाटमध्ये। आकर्णपूर्णेन दृढायसेन बाणेन विव्याध भृशं तु वीरः
As the rushing elephant approached swiftly, Dhananjaya struck its forehead with a strong arrow drawn to its full length.