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.
पार्थेन सृष्टः स तु गृध्रपत्रो ह्यापुङ्खदेशं प्रविवेश नागम्। विदार्य शैलप्रवरप्रकाशं यथाऽशनिः पर्वतमिन्द्रसृष्टः
Shot by Partha, the vulture-feathered arrow entered the elephant’s head, tearing through its shining mountain-like skull like Indra’s thunderbolt splitting a peak.
शरप्रतप्तः स तु नागराजः प्रवेपिताङ्गो व्यथितान्तरात्मा। संसीदमानो निपपात भूमौ वज्राहतं शृङ्गमिवाचलस्य
Scorched by arrows, the elephant king trembled, his body shaken and spirit distressed; faltering, he fell to the ground like a mountain’s peak struck by a thunderbolt.
निपातिते दन्तिवरे पृथिव्यां त्रासाद्विकर्णः सहसाऽवतीर्य । तूर्णं पदान्यष्टशतानि गत्वा विविंशतेः स्यन्दनमारुरोह
When the great elephant was struck down to the ground, Vikarṇa, seized by fear, swiftly dismounted and, after quickly running eight hundred paces, climbed onto Vivimśati’s chariot.
निहत्य नागं तु शरेण तेन वज्रोपमेनाद्रिवरप्रकाशम्। तथाविधेनैव शरेण पार्थो दुर्योधनं वक्षसि निर्बिभेद
Having slain the elephant with that arrow, which shone like a thunderbolt and a best of mountains, Pārtha likewise pierced Duryodhana in the chest with such an arrow.
हते गजे राजनि चैव भिन्ने भग्ने विकर्णे च सपादरक्षे । गाण्डीवमुक्तैर्विशिखैः प्रभिन्नास्ते योधमुख्याः सहसा प्रजग्मुः
With the elephant slain, the king wounded, and Vikarṇa, with his guards, routed, the foremost warriors, struck by arrows released from Gāṇḍīva, suddenly fled.
दृष्ट्वैव बाणेन हतं च नागं योधांश्च सर्वान्नृपतिर्निरीक्ष्य। रथं समावृत्य कुरग्नवीरो रणात्प्रदुद्राव यतो न पार्थः
Seeing the elephant struck down by an arrow and all the warriors routed, the king, surrounded on his chariot, fled the battle, away from Pārtha, that hero of the Kurus.
तं भीतरूपं त्वरितं व्रजन्तं दुर्योधनं शत्रुगणावमर्दी । अन्वाह्वयद्योद्धुमनाः किरीटी बाणाभिविद्धं रुधिरं वमन्तम्
Beholding Duryodhana, terrified and hastening away—he who crushes hosts of enemies—the diademed Arjuna, eager for battle, called out to him, as he, pierced by arrows and bleeding, fled.
तस्मिन्महेष्वासवरेऽतिविद्धे धनञ्जयेनाप्रतिमेन युद्धे। सर्वाणि सैन्यानि भयार्दितानि त्रासं ययुः पार्थमुदीक्ष्य तानि
When that foremost wielder of great bows was grievously wounded in battle by Dhanañjaya, all the armies, struck with fear at the sight of Pārtha, were seized by terror.
ततस्तु ते शान्तिपराश्च सर्वे दृष्ट्वाऽर्जुनं नागमिव प्रभिन्नम्। उच्चैर्नदन्तं बलमत्तमाजौ मध्ये स्थितं सिंहमिवर्षभाणाम्
Then, seeing Arjuna, like a broken elephant, roaring loudly in the midst of battle, standing like a lion among bulls, all those warriors, intent on peace, were filled with fear.
गाण्डीवशब्देन तु पाण्डवस्य योधा निपेतुः सहसा रथेभ्यः। भयार्दिताः पार्थशराभितप्ताः सिंहाभिपन्ना इव वारणेन्द्राः
At the sound of Pāṇḍava’s Gāṇḍīva, the warriors suddenly leapt from their chariots, scorched by Pārtha’s arrows and overwhelmed by fear, like lordly elephants attacked by a lion.