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.
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा भीष्ममाह जनेश्वरः । पीड्यमानं स्वकं सैन्यं दृष्ट्वा पार्थेन संयुगे
Then King Duryodhana, lord of men, seeing his own army being oppressed by Partha in battle, spoke to Bhishma.
एष पाण्डुसुतस्तात कृष्णेन सहितो बली। यततां सर्वसैन्यानां मूलं नः परिकृन्तति। त्वयि जीवति गाङ्गेय द्रोणे च रथिनां वरे
This powerful son of Pandu, O father, together with Krishna, is cutting at the root of all our striving armies; while you live, O Gangeya, and Drona, the foremost of chariot-warriors.
त्वत्कृते चैव कर्णोऽपि न्यस्तशस्त्रो विशांपते। न युध्यति रणे पार्थान्हितकामः सदा मम। स तथा कुरु गाङ्गेय यथा हन्येत फल्गुनः
And for your sake, even Karna, desiring my welfare, O lord of men, has laid down his weapons and does not fight the Parthas in battle; therefore, O Gangeya, act so that Phalguna may be slain.
एवमुक्तस्ततो राजन्पिता देवव्रतस्तव। धिक् क्षात्रं धर्ममित्युक्त्वा प्रायात्पार्थं रथं प्रति
Thus addressed, your father Devavrata, O King, saying 'Fie upon the Kshatriya duty,' went towards Partha's chariot.
उभौ श्वेतहयौ राजन्संसक्तौ प्रेक्ष्य पार्थिवाः । सिंहनादान्भृशं चक्रुः शङ्खान्दध्मुश्च मारिषत
O King, seeing both the white-horsed ones engaged, the kings made loud lion-roars and vigorously blew their conches.
द्रौणिर्दुर्योधनश्चैव विकर्णश्च तवात्मजः । परिवार्य रणे भीष्मं स्थिता युद्धाय मारिष
Drona's son, Duryodhana, and your son Vikarna, O Marisha, surrounded Bhishma in battle, standing ready for combat.
तथैव पाण्डवाः सर्वे परिवार्य धनञ्जयम् । स्थिता युद्धाय महते ततो युद्धमवर्तत
Likewise, all the Pandavas surrounded Dhananjaya, standing ready for great battle; then the fight commenced.
गाङ्गेयस्तु रणे पार्थमानर्च्छन्नवभिः शरैः । तमर्जुनः प्रत्यविध्यद्दशभिर्मर्मभेदिभिः
In battle, Gangeya assailed Partha with numerous arrows; Arjuna struck him back with ten arrows that pierced the vital points.
ततः शरसहस्रेण सुप्रयुक्तेन पाण्डवः । अर्जुनः समरश्लाघी भीष्मस्यावारयद्दिशः
Then Arjuna, the glory of battle, with a thousand well-aimed arrows, blocked all directions against Bhishma.
शरजालं ततस्तत्तु शरजालेन मारिष। वारयामास पार्थस्य भीष्मः शान्तनवस्तदा
Then, O Marisha, Bhishma, son of Shantanu, warded off that mass of arrows from Partha with his own mass of arrows.