ततो जघ्नुर्महाभेरीः शतशश्च सहस्रशः । शङ्खांश्च गोक्षीरनिभान्दध्मुर्हृष्टा मनस्विनः
Then the spirited warriors sounded great drums by the hundreds and thousands, and blew conches white as cow's milk.
एवं व्यूढेष्वनीकेषु मामकेष्वितरेषु च। के पूर्वं प्राहरंस्तत्र कुरवःक पाण्डवा नु किम्
With both my army and the others thus arrayed, who struck first there—was it the Kurus or the Pāṇḍavas?
भ्रातृभिः सहितो राजन्पुत्रो दुःशासनस्तव। भीष्मं प्रमुखतः कृत्वा प्रययौ सह सेनया
Your son Duḥśāsana, together with his brothers, placing Bhīṣma at the front, advanced with his army.
तथैव पाण्डवाः सर्वे भीमसेनपुरोगमाः । भीष्मेण युद्धमिच्छन्तः प्रययुर्हृष्टमानसाः
Likewise, all the Pāṇḍavas, led by Bhīmasena, eager to fight with Bhīṣma, advanced with joyful hearts.
क्ष्वेडाः किलकिलाशब्दाः क्रकचा गोविषाणिकाः । भेरीमृदङ्गमुरजा हयकुञ्जरनिःस्वनाः
There were neighings, clattering sounds, the noise of saws and ox-horn trumpets, drums, mridangas, murajas, and the cries of horses and elephants.
उभयोःक सेनयोर्ह्यासंस्ततस्तेऽस्मान्समाद्रवन्। वयं तान्प्रतिर्दन्तस्तदाऽऽसीत्तुमुलं महत्
From both armies, they rushed upon us; we resisted them in return. Then there arose a great and tumultuous noise.
महान्त्यनीकानि महासमुच्छ्रये समागमे पाण्डवधार्तराष्ट्रयोः। चकम्पिरे शङ्खमृदङ्गनिःस्वनैः प्रकम्पितानीव वनानि वायुना
The great armies, assembled in vast array for the meeting of the Pandavas and Dhritarashtra's sons, trembled with the blaring of conches and drums, as forests seem to shake when stirred by the wind.
नरेन्द्र नागाश्वरताकुलाना- मभ्यागतानामशिवे मुहूर्ते। बभूव घोषस्तुमुलश्चमूनां वातोद्धुतानामिव सागराणाम्
O king, at that inauspicious hour when the troops of elephants, horses, and chariots had gathered, a tumultuous roar arose from the armies, like the sound of oceans whipped up by the wind.
तस्मिन्समुत्थिते शब्दे तुमुले रोमहर्षणे। भीमसेनो महाबाहुः प्राणदद्गोवृषो यथा
Amid that rising, tumultuous, hair-raising sound, Bhimasena of mighty arms roared aloud like a bull.
शङ्खदुन्दुभिनिर्घोषं वारणानां च बृंहितम्। सिंहनादं च सैन्यानां भीससेनरवोऽभ्यभूत्
The blare of conches and drums, the trumpeting of elephants, and the lion-roar of the troops were all overpowered by the shout of Bhimasena.
हयानां हेषमाणानामनीकेषु सहस्रशः । सर्वानभ्यभवच्चब्दान्भीमस्य नदतः स्वनः
Among the thousands of neighing horses in the ranks, the roar of Bhima, as he shouted, drowned out all other sounds.
तं श्रुत्वा निनदं तस्य सैन्यास्तव वितत्रसुः । जीमूतस्येव नदतः शक्राशनिसमस्वनम्
Hearing his roar, your troops were seized with terror, as if hearing the thunderous voice of a cloud, equal to Indra's thunderbolt.
वाहनानि च सर्वाणि शकृन्मूत्रं प्रमुस्रुवुः । शब्देन तस्य वीरस्य सिंहस्येवेतरेक मृगाः
All the animals and mounts released their urine and dung at the sound of that hero, just as other beasts do at the roar of a lion.
दर्शयन्घोरमात्मानं महाभ्रमिव नादयन्। विभीषयंस्तव सुतान्भीमसेनः समभ्ययात्
Displaying his fierce self and roaring like a great storm cloud, Bhimasena advanced, terrifying your sons.
तमायान्तं महेष्वासं सोदर्याः पर्यवारयन् । छादयन्तः शरव्रातैर्मेघा इव दिवाकरम्
As he approached, his brothers surrounded him, covering him with volleys of arrows like clouds covering the sun.
दुर्योधनश्च पुत्रस्ते दुर्मुखो दुःसहः शलः । दुःशासनश्चातिरथस्तथा दुर्मर्षणो नृपः
Your son Duryodhana, along with Durmukha, Duhsaha, Shala, Duhshasana the great charioteer, and King Durmarshana,
विविंशतिश्चित्रसेनो विकर्णश्च महारथः । पुरुमित्रो जयो भोजः सौमदत्तिश्च वीर्यवान्
Vivimsati, Citrasena, Vikarna the great charioteer, Purumitra, Jayatsena, Bhoja, and the valiant Saumadatti,
महाचापानि धुन्वन्तो मेघा इव सविद्युतः । आददानाश्च नाराचान्निर्मुक्ताशीविषोपमान्
Wielding great bows like clouds flashing with lightning, they took up sharp arrows like released venomous snakes.
अथ ते द्रौपदीपुत्राः सौभद्रश्च महारथः । नकुलः सहदेवश्च धृष्टद्युम्नश्च पार्षतः
Then the sons of Draupadi, the great charioteer Abhimanyu, Nakula, Sahadeva, and Dhrishtadyumna the son of Prishata,
धार्तराष्ट्रान्प्रतिययुरर्दयन्तः शितैः शरैः । वज्रैरिव महावेगैः शिखराणि धराभृताम्
Assailed the sons of Dhritarashtra with sharp arrows, as thunderbolts with great force strike the peaks of mountains.
तस्मिन्प्रथमसंग्रामे भीमज्यातलनिःस्वने। तावकानां परेषां च नासीत्कश्चित्पराङ्मुखः
In that first battle, with the sound of Bhima's bowstring resounding, none among your men or the enemy turned their backs.
लाघवं द्रोणशिष्याणामपश्यं भरतर्षभ । निमित्तवेधिनां चैव शरानुत्सृजतां भृशम्
O bull among the Bharatas, I saw the swiftness of Drona's disciples and those skilled in omens, as they fiercely released their arrows.
नोपशाम्यति निर्घोषो धनुषां कूजतां तथा। विनिश्चेरुः शरा दीप्ताज्योतींषीव नभस्तलात्
The clamor of the twanging bows did not subside, and arrows shot forth like blazing meteors from the sky.
सर्वे त्वन्ये महीपालाः प्रेक्षका इव भारत। ददृशुर्दर्शनीयं तं भीमं ज्ञातिसमागमम्
But all the other kings, O Bharata, stood as spectators, watching that wondrous Bhima and the meeting of kinsmen.
ततस्ते जातसंरम्भाः परस्परकृतागसः । अन्योन्यस्पर्धया राजन्व्यायच्छन्त महारथाः
Then, filled with rising anger and mutual offenses, the great warriors, O King, exerted themselves in rivalry with one another.
कुरुपाण्डवसेने ते हस्त्यश्वरथसंकुले । शुशुभाते रणेऽतीव पटे चित्रार्पिते इव
Those armies of Kuru and Pandava, crowded with elephants, horses, and chariots, shone brightly in battle, like a tapestry richly adorned.
ततस्ते पार्थिवाः सर्वे प्रगृहीतशरासनाः । सहसैन्याः समापेतुः पुत्रस्य तव शासनात्
Then all those kings, having taken up their bows and arrows, with their armies, advanced at your son's command.
युधिष्ठिरेण चदिष्टाः पार्थिवास्ते सहस्रशः । विनदन्तः समापेतुः पुत्रस्य तव वाहिनीम्
And thousands of kings, urged on by Yudhishthira, advanced with loud shouts against your son's forces.
उभयोः सेनयोस्तीव्रः सैन्यानां स समागमः । अन्तर्धीयत चादित्यः सैन्येन रजसा वृतः
In that fierce clash of both armies, the dust raised by the troops covered the sun.
प्रयुद्धानां प्रभग्नानां पुनरावर्तिनामपि। नात्र स्वेषां परेषां वा विशेषः समदृश्यत
Among those fighting, broken, and returning again to battle, no distinction could be seen between friend and foe.