तावुभौ कुरुशार्दूलौ परस्परवधैषिणौ। गाङ्गेयस्तु रणे पार्थं विद्ध्वा नाकम्पयद्बली
Those two tigers among the Kurus, intent on each other's destruction, Bhishma struck Partha in battle but did not shake him.
तथैव पाण्डवो राजन्भीष्मं नाकम्पयद्युधि। सात्यकिस्तु महेष्वासः कृतवर्माणमभ्यात्
Likewise, O King, Pandava did not shake Bhishma in battle; and Satyaki, the great archer, advanced against Kritavarma.
तयोः समभयवद्युद्धं तुमुलं रोमहर्षणम् । सात्यकिः कृतवर्माणं कृतवार्मा च सात्यकिम्
Between those two, a fierce and hair-raising battle took place—Satyaki against Kritavarma, and Kritavarma against Satyaki.
आनर्च्छतुः शरैर्घोरैस्तक्षमाणौ परस्परम्। तौ शराचितसर्वाङ्गौ शुशुभाते महाबलौ
They assailed each other with terrible arrows, enduring one another; both mighty warriors, their bodies covered in shafts, shone brilliantly.
वसन्ते पुष्पशबलौ पुष्पिताविव किंशुकौ । अभिमन्युर्महेष्वासं बृहद्बलमयोधयत्
Like two blossoming kimshuka trees in spring, adorned with flowers, so did those heroes appear; meanwhile, Abhimanyu challenged the great archer Brihadbala.
ततः कोसलराजाऽसावभिमन्योर्विशांपते । ध्वजं चिच्छेद समरे सारथिं च व्यपातयत्
Then, O lord of the people, the king of Kosala, in that battle, cut down Abhimanyu’s banner and struck down his charioteer.
सौभद्रस्तु ततः क्रुद्धः पातिते रथसारथौ। बृहद्बलं महाराज विव्याध नवभिः शरैः
But then Subhadra’s son, enraged at the fall of his charioteer, pierced Brihadbala, O great king, with nine arrows.
अथापराभ्यां भल्लाभ्यां शिताभ्यामरिमर्दनः । ध्वजमेकेन चिच्छेद पार्ष्णिमेकेन सारथिम्
Then, with two sharp broad-headed arrows, the crusher of foes cut down the banner with one and the charioteer with the other.
अन्योन्यं च शरैः क्रुद्धौ ततक्षाते परस्परम् । मानिनं समरे दृप्तं कृतवैरं महारथम्
Both, enraged, wounded each other with arrows, each attacking the other—proud, fierce, and bearing old enmity, those great chariot-warriors.
भीमसेनस्तव सुतं दुर्योधनमयोधयत् । तावुभौ नरशार्दूलौ कुरुमुख्यौ महाबलौ
Bhimasena fought your son Duryodhana; those two foremost among men, chiefs of the Kurus, both of great might.
अन्योन्यं शरवर्षाभ्यां ववृषाते रणाजिरे। तौ वीक्ष्य तु महात्मानौ कृतिनौ चित्रयोधिनौ
They showered each other with volleys of arrows on the battlefield; seeing those two high-souled, skilled, and remarkable warriors—
विस्मयः सर्वभूतानां समपद्यत भारत। दुःशासनस्तु नकुलं प्रत्युद्याय महाबलम्
A sense of wonder arose among all beings, O Bharata; meanwhile, Duhshasana advanced against the mighty Nakula.
अविध्यन्निशितैर्बाणैर्बहुभिर्मर्मभेदिभिः । तस्य माद्रीसुतः केतुं सशरं च शरासनम्
He struck him with many sharp, marrow-piercing arrows; but the son of Madri cut down his banner, bow, and arrows.
चिच्छेद निशितैर्बाणैः प्रहसन्निव भारत । अथैनं पञ्चविंशत्या क्षुद्रकाणां समार्पयत्
With sharp arrows, as if laughing, he cut them down, O Bharata; then he struck him with twenty-five small shafts.
पुत्रस्तु तव दुर्धर्षो नकुलस्य महाहवे । तुरङ्गांश्चिच्छिदे बाणैर्ध्वजं चैवाभ्यपातयत्
But your indomitable son, in that great battle, cut down Nakula’s horses with arrows and brought down his banner as well.
दुर्मुखः सहदेवं च प्रत्युद्याय महाबलम् । विव्याध शरवर्षेण यतमानं महाहवे
Durmukha advanced against the mighty Sahadeva and struck him, as he strove in the great battle, with a shower of arrows.
सहदेवस्ततो वीरो दुर्मुखस्य महारणे। शरेण भृतशीक्ष्णेन पातयामास सारथिम्
Then Sahadeva, the hero, in that great fight, with a keen and heavy arrow, brought down Durmukha’s charioteer.
तावन्योन्यं समासाद्य समरे युद्धदुर्मदौ । त्रासयेतां शरैर्घोरैः कृतप्रतिकृतैषिणौ
Those two, meeting each other in battle, maddened by the fight, terrified each other with dreadful arrows, each seeking to counter the other’s attack.
युधिष्टिरः स्वयं राजा मद्रराजानमभ्ययात्। तस्य मद्राधिपश्चापं द्विधा चिच्छेद मारिष
King Yudhishthira himself advanced against the king of Madra; and the ruler of Madra, O best of men, cut Yudhishthira’s bow in two.
तदपास्य धनुश्छिन्नं कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः । अन्यत्कार्मुकमादाय वेगवद्बलवत्तरम्
Then, discarding his broken bow, Kunti’s son Yudhishthira took up another, swifter and stronger.
ततो मद्रेश्वरं राजा शरैः सन्नतपर्वभिः । छादयामास संक्रुद्धस्तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति चाब्रवीत्
Then the king, enraged, covered the lord of the Madras with arrows having well-feathered shafts, and cried out, 'Stand, stand!'
धृष्टद्युम्नस्ततो द्रोणमभ्यद्रवत भारत। तस्य द्रोणः सुसंक्रुद्धः परासुकरणं दृढम्
Thereafter, O descendant of Bharata, Dhṛṣṭadyumna rushed at Droṇa, and Droṇa, greatly enraged, firmly resolved to defeat him.
त्रिधा चिच्छेद समरे पाञ्चाल्यस्य तु कार्मुकम् । शरं चैव महाघोरं कालदण्डमिवापरम्
In the battle, Droṇa cut the bow of the son of Pāñcālī into three pieces, and also sent forth a terrible arrow, like another rod of Time.
प्रेषयामास समरे सोऽस्य काये न्यमञ्जत। अथान्यद्धनुरादाय सायकांश्च चतुर्दश
He dispatched it in battle, and it struck his body; then, taking up another bow and fourteen arrows,
द्रोणं द्रुपदपुत्रस्तु प्रतिविव्याध संयुगे । तावन्योन्यं सुसंक्रुद्धौ चक्रतुः शुभृशं रणम्
The son of Drupada struck Droṇa in the fight; both, greatly enraged, engaged in a fierce battle with each other.
सौमदत्तिं रणे शङ्खो रभसं रभसो युधि । प्रत्युद्ययौ महाराज तिष्ठतिष्ठेति चाब्रवीत्
In battle, O great king, Śaṅkha, impetuous in combat, advanced against Saumadatti, and called out, 'Stand, stand!'
तस्य वै दक्षिणं वीरो निर्बिभेद रणे भुजम् । समदत्तिस्तथा शङ्खं जत्रुदेशे समाहनत्
In that fight, the hero struck his right arm, and Saumadatti likewise struck Śaṅkha on the region of the collarbone.
तयोस्तदभवद्युद्धं घोररूपं विशांपते । दृप्तयोः समरे पूर्वं वृत्रवासवयोरिव
There arose between the two a dreadful battle, O lord of men, like that which once occurred between Vṛtra and Indra, both proud in combat.
बाह्लीकं तु रणे क्रुद्ध क्रुद्धरूपो विशांपते। अभ्यद्रवदमेयात्मा धृष्टकेतुर्महारथः
Then, O lord of men, the mighty car-warrior Dhṛṣṭaketu, of unfathomable spirit, rushed in wrath at Bāhlīka, who appeared furious in battle.
बाह्लीकस्तु रणे राजन्धृष्टकेतुममर्षणः । शरैर्बहुभिरानर्च्छत्सिंहनादमथानदत्
But Bāhlīka, O king, enraged in battle, assailed Dhṛṣṭaketu with many arrows, and then roared like a lion.