तत्राद्भुतं महच्चक्रे शरैरार्च्छद्रथोत्तमान् । समावृणोच्छरैरर्कमर्कतुल्यप्रतापवान्
There, a great and wondrous sight was seen: with his arrows, that mighty one, blazing like the sun, covered the finest chariots, veiling even the sun itself with his shafts.
नुदन्समन्तात्समरे रविरुद्यन्यथा तमः । तेनाजौ प्रेषिता राजञ्शराः शतसहस्रशः
Driving back all around in battle, like the rising sun dispelling darkness, O King, he sent forth hundreds of thousands of arrows in the fight.
क्षत्रियान्तकराः सङ्ख्ये महावेगा महाबलाः । शिरांसि पातयामासुर्वीराणां शतशो रणे
Those arrows, swift and powerful, destroyers of Kshatriyas in the contest, struck down the heads of warriors by the hundreds on the battlefield.
गजान्कण्टकसन्नाहान्वज्रेणेव शिलोच्चयान् । रथा रथेषु संसक्ता व्यदृश्यन्त विशांपते
Elephants clad in armor, like rocky peaks struck by thunderbolts, and chariots entangled with other chariots, were seen, O lord of the people.
एके रथं पर्यवहंस्तुरगाः सतुरंगमम् । युवानं निहतं वीरं लम्बमानं सकार्मुकम्
Some horses drew away a chariot with all its fourfold array, bearing a young, fallen hero, his bow still hanging from him.
उदीर्णाश्च हया राजन्वहनक्तस्तत्रतत्र ह। बद्धस्वङ्गनिषङ्गाश्च विध्वस्तशिरसो हताः
And, O King, horses surged up here and there, carrying their harness and quivers, their heads shattered, slain in the tumult.
शतशः पतिता भूमौ वीरशय्यासु शेरते । परस्पेरण धावन्तः पतिताः पुनरुत्थिताः
Hundreds lay fallen on the ground, resting on beds of heroes; some, running at one another, fell and then rose again.
उत्थाय च प्रधावन्तो द्वन्द्वयुद्धमवाप्नुवन् । पीडिताः पुनरन्योन्यं लुठन्तो रणमूर्धनि
Rising up, they rushed again and engaged in single combat, once more grappling with each other, writhing on the battlefield.
सचापाः सनिषङ्गाश्च जातरूपपरिष्कृताः । विस्रब्धहतवीराश्च शतशः परिपीडिताः
With bows and quivers adorned with gold, hundreds of fearless, slain warriors were pressed down all around.
तेनतेनाभ्यधावन्त विसृजन्तश्च भारत । मत्तो गजः पर्यवर्तद्धयांश्च हतसादिनः
Here and there, they charged at one another, O Bharata, releasing their weapons; a maddened elephant turned about, and horses lost their riders.
सरथा रथिनश्चापि विमृद्गन्तः समन्ततः । स्यान्दनादपतत्कश्चिन्निहतोऽन्येन सायकैः
Charioteers and warriors, with their chariots, were crushed on every side; some fell from their vehicles, struck down by others' arrows.
हतसारथिरप्युच्चैः पपात काष्ठवद्रथः । युध्यमानस्य संग्रामे व्यूढे रजसि चोत्थिते
Even a chariot with its charioteer slain fell loudly like a block of wood, as its warrior fought on in the thick of battle and the dust rose high.
धनुःकूजितविज्ञानं तत्रासीत्प्रतियुद्ध्यतः। गात्रस्पर्शेन योधानां व्यज्ञास्त परिपन्थिनम्
There, the twang of bows revealed those who fought back; by the touch of their bodies, the warriors recognized their foes.
युद्ध्यमानं शरै राजन्सिञ्जिनीध्वजिनीरवात्। अन्योन्यं वीरसंशब्दो नाश्रूयत भटैः कृतः
O King, as they fought with arrows, the sound of bowstrings and banners flapping in the wind drowned out the war cries; the shouts of the warriors could not be heard.
शब्दायमाने संग्रामे पटहे कर्णदारिणि। युध्यमानस्य संग्रामे कुर्वतः पौरुषं स्वकम्
As the battle roared and the war drum split the ears, each fought on, displaying his own valor in the midst of the struggle.
नाश्रौषं नामगोत्राणि कीर्तनं च परस्परम् । भीष्मचापच्युतैर्बाणैरार्तानां युध्यतां मृधे
I could not hear names, lineages, or mutual praise among them, as the arrows loosed from Bhishma's bow tormented those fighting in the fray.
परस्परेषां वीराणां मनांसि समकम्पयन् । तस्मिन्नत्याकुले युद्धे दारुणे रोमहर्षणे
The hearts of those heroes trembled at one another in that exceedingly tumultuous, dreadful, and hair-raising battle.
पिता पुत्रं च समरे नाभिजानाति कश्चन । चक्रे भग्ने युगे च्छिन्ने एकधुर्ये हये हतः
In that chaos, with wheels broken, yokes shattered, and single horses slain, no one in battle could recognize father or son.
आक्षिप्तः स्यन्दनाद्वीरः समारथिरजिह्मगैः। एवं च समरे सर्वे वीराश्च विरथीकृताः
The hero, thrown from his chariot, along with his charioteer and swift horses, and thus, in the battle, all the warriors were made chariotless.
तेन तेन स्म दृश्यन्ते धावमानाः समंततः । गजो हतः शिरश्छिन्नं मर्म भिन्नं हयो हतः
Here and there, they were seen running in all directions: an elephant slain, a horse killed with its head severed or vital parts pierced.
अहतः कोपि नैवासीद्भीष्मे नघ्नति शात्रवान् । श्वेतः कुरूणामकरोत्क्षयं तस्मिन्महाहवे
None remained unhurt as Bhishma struck down his enemies; Śveta brought destruction upon the Kurus in that great battle.
राजपुत्रान्रथोदारानवधीच्छतसङ्घशः। चिच्छेद रथिनां बाणैः शिरांसि भरतर्षभ
He slew royal princes and noble charioteers by the hundreds, and, O bull among the Bharatas, with his arrows he cut off the heads of chariot-warriors.
साङ्गदा बाहवश्चैव धनूंषि च समंततः। रथेषां रथचक्राणि तूणीराणि युगानि च
Arms with armlets, bows scattered everywhere, the wheels of chariots, quivers, and yokes of the chariots,
छत्राणि च महार्हाणि पताकाश्च विशांपते। हयैघाश्च रथौघाश्च नरौघाश्चैव भारत
Costly umbrellas, banners, the neighing of horses, the rush of chariots, and the multitude of men, O Bharata,
वारणाः शतशश्चैव हताः श्वेतेन भारत । वयं श्वेतभयाद्भीता विहाय रथसत्तमम्
Hundreds of elephants were also slain by Śveta, O Bharata; out of fear of Śveta, we abandoned our best chariots.
अपयातास्तथा पश्चाद्विभुं पश्याम धृष्णवः । शरपातमतिक्रम्य कुरवः कुरुनन्दन
Thus, retreating behind, we watched the mighty and bold Śveta, as the Kurus, O joy of the Kurus, escaped the shower of arrows.
भीष्मं शान्तनवं युद्धे स्थिताः पश्याम सर्वशः । अदीनो दीनसमये भीष्मोऽस्माकं महाहवे
We saw Bhishma, son of Shantanu, standing firm in battle; in our time of distress, Bhishma did not falter in that great conflict.
एकस्तस्थौ नरव्याघ्रो गिरिर्मेरुरिवाचलः। आददान इव प्राणान्सविता शिशिरात्यये
Alone, that tiger among men stood like the immovable Meru mountain, as if seizing the lives of his foes like the sun at the end of winter.
गभस्तिभिरिवादित्यस्तस्थौ शरमरीचिमान्। स मुमोच महेष्वासः शरसङ्घाननेकशः
He stood, radiant with arrows like the sun with its rays, and that mighty archer released countless volleys of arrows.
निघ्नन्नमित्रान्समरे वज्रपाणिरिवासुरान् । ते वध्यमाना भीष्मेण प्रजहुस्तं महाबलम्
Slaying his enemies in battle like Indra with his thunderbolt striking down the asuras, those being struck by Bhishma abandoned that mighty warrior.