ततो युद्धं समभवत्तुमुलं रोमहर्षणम्। तावकानां परेषां च व्यतिषक्तरथद्विपम्
Then there arose a tumultuous and hair-raising battle between your forces and the enemy, with chariots and elephants intermingled.
मुक्तास्तु रथिभिर्बाणा रुक्मपुङ्खाः सुतेजिताःक । सन्निपेतुरकुण्ठाग्रा नागेषु च हयेषु च
Arrows, released by chariot-warriors, their golden-feathered shafts well-aimed, fell with unblunted points upon elephants and horses.
तथा प्रवृत्ते संग्रामे धनुरुद्यम्य दंशितः । अभिपत्य महाबाहुर्भीष्मो भीमपराक्रमः
As the battle raged, Bhishma, mighty-armed and fierce in intent, raised his bow and charged forward.
सौभद्रे भीमसेने च सात्यकौ च महारथे । कैकेये च विराटे च धृष्टद्युम्ने च पार्षते
Against Subhadra's son, Bhimasena, Satyaki the great chariot-warrior, the Kaikeyas, Virata, and Dhrishtadyumna the son of Prishata,
एतेषु नरवीरेषु चेदिमत्स्येषु चाभिभूः । ववर्ष शरवर्षाणि वृद्धः कुरुपितामहः
Upon these heroic men, among the Chedis and Matsyas, the aged grandsire of the Kurus poured down showers of arrows.
अभिद्यत ततो व्यूहस्तस्मिन्वीरसमागमे। सर्वेषामेव सैन्यानामासीद्व्यतिकरो महान्
Then, as those heroes met in battle, the formations were broken, and among all the armies there was great confusion.
सादिनो ध्वजिनश्चैव हतप्रवरवाजिनः । विप्रद्रुतरथानीकाः समपद्यन्त पाण्डवाः
Mounted warriors and those with banners, their best horses slain, and chariot divisions scattered, thus became the Pandavas.
अर्जुनस्तु नरव्याघ्रो दृष्ट्वा भीष्मं महारथम् । वार्ष्णेयमब्रवीत्क्रुद्धो याहि यत्र पितामहः
But Arjuna, tiger among men, seeing Bhishma the great chariot-warrior, angrily said to the Vrishni, 'Drive to where the grandsire is.'
एष भीष्मः सुसंक्रुद्धो वार्ष्णेय मम वाहिनीम् । नाशयिष्यति सुव्यक्तं दुर्योधनहिते रतः
'This Bhishma, greatly enraged, O Vrishni, will surely destroy my army, devoted as he is to Duryodhana's cause.'
एष द्रोणः कृपः शल्यो विकर्णश्च जनार्दन । धार्तराष्ट्राश्च सहिता दुर्योधनपुरोगमाः
'There are Drona, Kripa, Shalya, and Vikarna, O Janardana, and the sons of Dhritarashtra together, led by Duryodhana.'
पाञ्चालान्निहनिष्यन्ति रक्षिता दृढधन्वना । सोऽहं भीष्मं वधिष्यामि सैन्यहेतोर्जनार्दन
The Panchalas will be slain, protected though they are by the wielder of the firm bow; therefore, O Janardana, I shall kill Bhishma for the sake of the army.
तमब्रवीद्वासुदेवो यत्तो भव धनंजय। एष त्वां प्रापयिष्यामि पितामहरथं प्रति
Vasudeva said to him: 'Be ready, Dhananjaya; I shall bring you to the chariot of the grandsire.'
एवमुक्त्वा ततः शौरी रथं तं लोकविश्रुतम् । प्रापयामास भीष्मस्य रथं प्रति जनेश्वर
Having spoken thus, Shauri then drove that renowned chariot towards the chariot of Bhishma, O lord of the people.
चलद्बहुपातकेन बलाकावर्णवाजिना । समुच्छ्रितमहाभीमनदद्वानरकेतुना
With its many moving bells, drawn by steeds of the color of cranes, and bearing the great, lofty, and fearsome banner of the monkey,
महता मेघनादेन रथेनामिततेजसा । विनिघ्नन्कौरवानीकं शूरसेनांश्च पाण्डवः
With a great, thunderous roar, that chariot of immeasurable energy advanced, as the Pandava struck down the Kaurava ranks and the warriors of the Shurasenas.
प्रायाच्छरणदः शीघ्रं सुहृदां हर्षवर्धनः । तमापतन्तं वेगेन प्रभिन्नमिव वारणम्
He, the giver of refuge, swift and a bringer of joy to his friends, advanced rapidly, like a charging, maddened elephant.
त्रसयनतं रणे शूरान्मर्दयन्तं च सायकैः । सैन्धवप्रमुखैर्गुप्तः प्राच्यसौवीरकेकयैः । सहसा प्रत्युदीयाय भीष्मः शान्तनवोऽर्जुनम्
Terrifying the heroes in battle and crushing them with his arrows, protected by the Sindhu king and the Pracya, Sauvira, and Kekaya warriors, Bhishma, son of Shantanu, suddenly advanced to meet Arjuna.
को हि गाण्डीवधन्वानमन्यः कुरुपितामहात्। द्रोणवैकर्तनाभ्यां वा रथी संयातुमर्हति
For who else but the wielder of Gandiva, or perhaps the chariot-warrior among Kurus' grandsires, or Drona and Kripa's son, is fit to face him in battle?
ततो भीष्मो महाराज सर्वलोकमहारथः । अर्जुनं सप्ततसप्तत्या नाराचानां समाचिनोत्
Then Bhishma, the great chariot-warrior of all the worlds, O King, covered Arjuna with seventy-seven iron arrows.
द्रोणश्च पञ्चविंशत्या कृपः पञ्चाशता शरैः। दुर्योधनश्रतुःषष्ट्या शल्यश्च नवभिः शरैः
Drona struck him with twenty-five arrows, Kripa with fifty, Duryodhana with sixty-six, and Shalya with nine arrows.
सैन्धवो नवभिश्चैव शकुनिश्चापि पञ्चभिः । विकर्णो दशभिर्भल्लै राजन्विव्याध पाण्डवम्
The Sindhu king struck him with nine arrows, Shakuni with five, and Vikarṇa, O King, pierced the Pandava with ten broad-headed shafts.
स तैर्विद्धो महेष्वासः समन्तान्निशितैः शरैः। न विव्यथे महाबाहुर्भिद्यमान इवाचलः
Though pierced all around by those sharp arrows, that mighty-armed, great archer was not shaken, like a mountain being struck.
स भीष्मं पञ्चविंशत्या कृपं च नवभिः शरैः । द्रोणं षष्ट्या नरव्याघ्रो विकर्णं च त्रिभिः शरैः
He struck Bhishma with twenty-five arrows, Kripa with nine, Drona, the tiger among men, with sixty, and Vikarṇa with three arrows.
शल्यं चैव त्रिभिर्बाणै राजानं चैव पञ्चभिः । प्रत्यविध्यदमेयात्मा किरीटी भरतर्षभ
He also struck Shalya with three arrows and the king with five, that indomitable-souled, diademed one, O bull among the Bharatas.
तं सात्यकिर्विराटश्च धृष्टद्युम्नश्च पार्षतः। सौभद्रो द्रौपदेयाश्च परिवव्रुर्धनंजयम्
Then Satyaki, Virata, Dhrishtadyumna the son of Prishata, Abhimanyu, and the sons of Draupadi surrounded Dhananjaya.
ततो द्रोणं महेष्वासं गाङ्गेयस्य प्रिये रतम्। अभ्यवर्तत पाञ्चाल्यः संयुक्तः सह सोमकैः
Then the Panchala, joined by the Somakas, advanced against Drona, the great archer, who was devoted to the son of Ganga.
भीष्मस्तु रथिनां श्रेष्ठो राजन्विव्याध पाण्डवम्। अशीत्या निशितैर्बाणैस्ततोऽक्रोशन्त पाण्डवाः
But Bhishma, the foremost of chariot-warriors, O King, struck the Pandava with eighty sharp arrows; at this, the Pandavas cried out.
तेषां तु निनदं श्रुत्वा सहितानां प्रहृष्टवत्। प्रविवेश ततो मध्यं नरसिंहः प्रतापवान्
Hearing the triumphant roar of their united and delighted allies, the lion-like, mighty Arjuna entered the midst of the foe.
तेषां महारथानां स मध्यं प्राप्य धनंजयः। चिक्रीड धनुषा राजँल्लक्षं कृत्वा महारथान्
Dhananjaya, having reached the midst of those great chariot-warriors, played with his bow, O King, taking them as his target.
क्षत्रियाणां शिरांस्युग्रैः कृन्तञ्शस्त्रैर्महारथः । शून्यान्कृत्वा रथोपस्थान्व्यचरत्फल्गुनस्तदा
That great chariot-warrior Phalguna, with fierce weapons, was cutting off the heads of Kshatriyas, making the platforms of their chariots empty as he moved about.