श्वेतः क्रोधात्प्रजज्वाल हविषा हव्यवाडिव । स विस्फार्य महच्चापं शक्रचापोपमं बली
White with rage, Śveta blazed like the sacrificial fire fed with offerings; he drew his great bow, powerful as Indra's.
अभ्यधाव?ञ्जिघांसन्वै शल्यं मद्राधिपं बली। महता रथवंशेन समन्तात्परिवारितः
Intent on slaying Shalya, the mighty king advanced, surrounded on all sides by a great line of chariots.
मुञ्चन्बाणमयं वर्षं प्रायाच्छल्यरथं प्रति। तमापतन्तं संप्रेक्ष्य मत्तवारणविक्रमम्
He released a shower of arrows toward Shalya's chariot, charging with the force of a maddened elephant.
तावकानां रथाः सप्त समन्तात्पर्यवारयन् । मद्रराजमभीप्सन्तो मृत्योर्दंष्ट्रान्तरं गतम्
Seven of your chariots surrounded the king of Madra, seeking to save him, though he had entered the jaws of death.
बृहद्बलश्च कौसल्यो जयत्सेनश्च मागधः । तथा रुक्मरथो राजञ्शल्यपुत्रः प्रतापवान्
Brihadbala of Kosala, Jayatsena of Magadha, Rukmaratha, the valiant son of Shalya, and others rallied together.
विन्दानुविन्दावावान्त्यौ काम्भोजश्च सुदक्षिणः । बृहत्क्षत्रस्य दायादः सैन्धवश्च जयद्रथः
Vindya and Anuvindya of Avanti, Sudakshina of Kamboja, Brihatkshatra's heir, and Jayadratha of Sindhu joined them.
नानावर्णविचित्राणि धनूंषि च महात्मनाम् । विस्फारितानि दृश्यन्ते तोयदेष्विव विद्युतः
The bows of those great souls, of various colors and adorned, were drawn and shone like lightning in the clouds.
ते तु बाणमयं वर्षं श्वेतमूर्धन्यपातयन्। निदाघान्तेऽनिलोद्धूता मेघा इव नगे जलम्
They showered arrows upon Śveta's head, like rain driven by wind from clouds over a mountain at the end of summer.
ततः क्रुद्धो महेष्वासः सप्तभल्लैः सुतेजनैः । धनूंषि तेषामाच्छिद्य ममर्द पृतनापतिः
Then, enraged, the mighty archer broke their bows with seven sharp arrows and crushed the leaders of the army.
निकृत्तान्येव तानि स्म समदृश्यन्त भारत । ततस्ते तु निमेषार्धात्प्रत्यपद्यन्धनूंषि च
Those bows, cut down, were seen lying there, but in half a moment they took up new bows.
सप्त चैव पृषत्कांश्च श्वेतस्योपर्यपातयन्। ततः पुनरमेयात्मा भल्लैः सप्तभिराशुगैः । निचकर्त महाबाहुस्तेषां चापानि धन्विनाम्
They shot seven arrows at Śveta, but again, the immeasurable Śveta, with seven swift shafts, cut down the bows of those archers.
ते निकृत्तमहाचापास्त्वरमाणा महारथाः । रथशक्तीः परामृश्य विनेदुर्भैरवान्रवान्
Those great chariot-warriors, their mighty bows severed, hastily grasped their chariot spears and uttered dreadful cries.
अन्वयुर्भरतश्रेष्ठ सप्त श्वेतरथं प्रति। ततस्ता ज्वलिताः सप्त महेन्द्राशनिनिःस्वनाः
O best of the Bharatas, seven blazing arrows, roaring like the thunder of Indra, were directed at Shveta's chariot.
अप्राप्ताः सप्तभिर्भल्लैश्चिच्छेद परमास्त्रवित्। ततः समादाय शरं सर्वकायविदारणम्
But before they could reach their mark, the master of supreme weapons cut them down with seven arrows; then, taking up a shaft capable of piercing all bodies—
प्राहिणोद्भरतश्रेष्ठ श्वेतो रुक्मरथं प्रति। तस्य देहे निपतितो बाणो वज्रातिगो महान्
He, O best of the Bharatas, sent that arrow at Rukmaratha; the mighty arrow, swifter than a thunderbolt, struck his body.
ततो रुक्मरथो राजन्सायकेन दृढाहतः । निषसाद रथोपस्थे कश्मलं चाविशन्महत्
Then, O king, Rukmaratha, struck hard by the arrow, sank down upon the floor of his chariot, overcome by a great swoon.
तं विसंज्ञं विमनसं त्वरमाणस्तु सारथिः । अपोवाह नसंभ्रान्तः सर्वलोकस्य पश्यतः
His charioteer, acting swiftly and without confusion, drove him away as he lay unconscious and dispirited, in full view of all the warriors.
ततोऽन्यान्षट् समादाय श्वेतो हेमविभूषितान् । तेषां षण्मां महाबाहुर्ध्वजशीर्षण्यपातयत्
Then Shveta seized six other chariots adorned with gold, and with his mighty arms struck down the banners atop those six chariots.
हयांश्च तेषां निर्भिद्य सारथींश्च परंतप । शरैश्चैतान्समाकीर्य प्रायाच्छल्यरथं प्रति
He pierced their horses and charioteers, O scorcher of foes, and showered those warriors with arrows before advancing toward Shalya's chariot.
ततो हलहलाशब्दस्तव सैन्येषु भारत। दृष्ट्वा सेनापतिं तूर्णं यान्तं शल्यरथं प्रति
Then, O Bharata, a tumultuous uproar arose among your troops, seeing the commander swiftly advancing toward Shalya's chariot.
ततो भीष्मं पुरस्कृत्य तव पुत्रो महाबलः । वृतस्तु सर्वसैन्येन प्रायाच्छ्वेतरथं प्रति
Thereupon, your mighty son, surrounded by the entire army and led by Bhishma, advanced toward Shveta's chariot.
मृत्योरास्यमनुप्राप्तं मद्रराजममोचयत् । ततो युद्धं समभवत्तुमुलं रोमहर्षणम्
He rescued the king of Madra, who had come to the very mouth of death; then a fierce and hair-raising battle ensued.
तावकानां परेषां च व्यतिषक्तरथद्विपम् । सौभद्रे भीमसेन च सात्यकौ च महारथे
Chariots and elephants of your forces and the enemy's became entangled, as did the great warriors Subhadra's son, Bhimasena, and Satyaki.
कैकेये च विराटे च धृष्टद्युम्ने च पार्षते । एतेषु नरसिंहेषु चेदिमत्स्येषु चैव ह । ववर्ष शरवर्षाणि कुरुवृद्धः पितामहः
Against the lion-like warriors—the Kaikeyas, Virata, Dhrishtadyumna the son of Prishata, and the princes of Chedi and Matsya—the grandsire Bhishma rained down showers of arrows.
एवं श्वेते महेष्वासे प्राप्ते शल्यरथं प्रति। कुरवः पाण्डवेयाश्च किमकुर्वत सञ्जय
When Shveta, the great archer, reached Shalya's chariot, what did the Kurus and the Pandavas do, O Sanjaya?
भीष्मः शान्तनवः किं वा तन्ममाचक्ष्व पृच्छतः
Tell me, what did Bhishma, son of Shantanu, do then? I ask you this.
श्वेतं सेनापतिं शूरं पुरस्कृत्य महारथाः । राज्ञो बलं दर्शयन्तस्तव पुत्रस्य भारत
With Shveta, the valiant commander, at their head, the great chariot-warriors displayed the might of your son's army, O Bharata.
शिखण्डिनं पुरस्कृत्य त्रातुमैच्छन्महारथाः । अभ्यवर्तन्त भीष्मस्य रथं हेमपरिष्कृतम्
Desiring to protect Shikhandin, the great chariot-warriors advanced against Bhishma's chariot, which was adorned with gold.
जिघांसन्तं युधांश्रेष्ठं तदासीत्तुमुलं महत् । तत्तेऽहं संप्रवक्ष्यामि महावैशसमच्युत
Intent on slaying the foremost of warriors, a great and tumultuous battle took place; I shall now describe to you that dreadful carnage, O faultless one.
तावकानां परेषां च यथा युद्धमवर्तत । तत्राकरोद्रथोपस्थाञ्शून्याञ्शान्तनवो बहून्
I will tell you how the battle unfolded between your forces and the enemy; there, Shantanu's son made many chariot platforms empty.