उद्वूतं सहसा भौमं नागाश्वरथपत्तिभिः । दिवाकररथं प्राप्य रजस्तीव्रमदृश्यत
The dust, suddenly raised on the earth by elephants, horses, chariots, and foot soldiers, became dense upon reaching the chariot of the radiant one.
तानि नागसहस्राणि भूमिपालशतानि च। तस्य बाणपथं प्राप्य नाभ्यवर्तन्त सर्वशः
Those thousands of elephants and hundreds of kings, upon entering the path of his arrows, did not advance any further at all.
प्रणेदुः सर्वभूतानि बभूवुस्तिमिरा दिशः। कुरूणां चानयस्तीव्रः समदृश्यत दारुणः
All creatures wailed, the directions became dark, and a fierce calamity appeared among the Kurus, dreadful to behold.
नाप्यन्तरिक्षं न दिशो न भूमिर्न च भास्करः । प्रजज्ञे भरतश्रेष्ठ सस्त्रसङ्घैः किरीटिनः
Neither the sky, nor the directions, nor the earth, nor the sun, O best of Bharatas, could be seen, covered by the multitude of weapons of the diademed one.
सादिता रथनागाश्च हताश्वा रथिनो रणे। विप्रद्रुतरथाः केचिद्दृश्यन्ते रथयूथपाः
Chariots and elephants were struck down, horses slain, and charioteers killed in battle; some chariot leaders were seen fleeing with their chariots broken.
विरथा रथिनश्चान्ये धावमानाः समन्ततः । तत्रतत्रैव दृश्यन्ते सायुधाः साङ्गदैर्भुजैः
Other charioteers, deprived of their chariots, were seen here and there running in all directions, still armed, with their weapons and armlets.
हयारोहा हयांस्त्यक्त्वा गजारोहाश्च दन्तिनः । अर्जुनस्य भयाद्राजन्समन्ताद्विप्रदुद्रुवुः
Horsemen abandoned their horses, and elephant riders their elephants; out of fear of Arjuna, O King, they fled in all directions.
रथेभ्यश्च गजेभ्यश्च हयेभ्यश्च नराधिपाः । पतिताः पात्यमानाश्च दृश्यन्तेऽर्जुनसायकैः
From chariots, elephants, and horses, the kings were seen falling and being struck down by Arjuna's arrows.
सगदानुद्यतान्बाहून्सखङ्गांश्च विशांपते । सप्रासांश्च सतूणीरान्सशरान्सशरासनान्
O lord of men, Arjuna cut down with his fierce arrows the raised arms of warriors wielding maces, swords, spears, quivers, arrows, and bows.
साङ्कुशाकन्सपताकांश्च तत्रतत्रार्जुनो नृणाम् । निचकर्त शरैरुग्रै रौद्रं वपुरधारयत्
There and there, Arjuna severed with his terrible arrows the arms of men holding goads, banners, and other weapons, assuming a fearsome form.
परिघाणां प्रदीप्तानां मुद्गराणां च मारिष । प्रासानां भिन्दिपालानां निस्त्रिशानां च संयुगे
O best of the Bharatas, in that battle, clubs blazing like fire, maces, spears, slings, and swords were seen.
परश्वथानां पीक्ष्णानां तोमराणां च भारत। वर्मणां चापविद्धानां काञ्चनानां च भूमिप
Axes, sharp pikes, lances, and golden armors, cast off in battle, O king, were also seen.
ध्वजानां चर्मणां चैव व्यजनानां च सर्वशः । छत्राणां हेमदण्डानां तोमराणां च भारत
O Bhārata, heaps of standards, hides, fans of every kind, parasols with golden handles, and javelins are seen scattered everywhere.
प्रतोदानां च योक्राणां कशानां चैव मारिष । राशयः स्मात्र दृश्यन्ते विनिकीर्णा रणक्षितौ
O Māriṣa, piles of goads, yokes, and whips are also seen strewn across the battlefield.
नासीत्तत्र पुमान्कश्चित्तव सैन्यस्य भारत । योऽर्जुनं समरे शूरं प्रत्युद्यायात्कथंचन
O Bhārata, there was not a single man in your army who could in any way confront Arjuna, the valiant one, in battle.
यो यो हि समरे पार्थं प्रत्युद्याति विशांपते। स सङ्ख्ये विशिखैस्तीक्ष्णैः परलोकाय नीयते
O lord of men, whoever advances against Pārtha in battle is at once sent to the next world by his sharp arrows.
तेषु विद्रवमाणेषु तव योधेषु सर्वशः। अर्जुनो वासुदेवश्च दध्मतुर्वारिजोत्तमौ
As your warriors everywhere fled, Arjuna and Vāsudeva sounded their excellent conch shells.
तत्पभग्नं बलं दृष्ट्वा पिता देवव्रतस्तव। अब्रवीत्समरे शूरं भारद्वाजं स्मयन्निव
Seeing your force thus broken, your father Devavrata, smiling as if in the midst of battle, spoke to the valiant Bhāradvāja.
एष पाण्डुसुतो वीर कृष्णेन सहितो बली । तथा करोति सैन्यानि यथा कुर्याद्धऩञ्जयः
"Here is the mighty son of Pāṇḍu, together with Kṛṣṇa, acting just as Dhanañjaya would in scattering the armies."
न ह्येष समरे शक्यो विजेतुं हि कथंचन । यथास्य दृश्यते रूप कालान्तकयमोपमम्
"He cannot be conquered in battle by any means, for his form appears like that of Death at the end of time."
न निवर्तयितुं चापि शक्येयं महती चमूः । अन्योन्यप्रेया पश्य द्रवतीयं वरूथिनी
"Nor can this great host be restrained; see, this division flees, each turning away from the other."
एष चास्तं गिरिश्रेष्ठं भानुमान्प्रतिपद्यते। चक्षूंषि सर्वलोकस्य संहरन्निव सर्वथा
"Now the sun is setting behind the highest mountain, as if withdrawing the sight of all the worlds."
तत्रावहारं संप्राप्तं मन्येऽहं पुरुषर्षभ । श्रान्ता भीताश्च नो योधा न योत्स्यन्ति कथंचन
"O best of men, I think the time for withdrawal has come; our warriors are exhausted and afraid, and will not fight any longer."
एवमुक्त्वा ततो भीष्मो द्रोणमाचार्यसत्तमम् । अवहारमथो चक्रे तावकानां महारथः
Having spoken thus, Bhīṣma, the great chariot-warrior, then ordered the withdrawal for your forces, addressing Droṇa, the foremost of teachers.
ततः सरथनागाश्वा जंय प्राप्य समोपकाः। पाञ्चालाः पाण्डवाश्चैव प्रणेदुश्च पुनः पुनः
Then the Pāñcālas and Pāṇḍavas, with their chariots, elephants, and horses, having reached safety, again sounded their conches repeatedly.
प्रययुः शिबिरायैव धनञ्जयपुरस्कृताः। वादित्रघोषैः संहृष्टा प्रणद्यन्तो महारथाः
Led by Dhanañjaya, the great chariot-warriors, rejoicing and shouting, proceeded to their camp to the sound of musical instruments.
ततोऽवहारः सैन्यानां तव तेषां च भारत। अस्तं गच्छति सूर्येऽभूत्सन्ध्याकाले च वर्तति
Then, O Bhārata, as the sun set and evening came, both your army and theirs withdrew from the field.
प्रभातायां च शर्वर्यां भीष्मः शान्तनस्तदा। अनीकान्यनुसंयाने व्यादिदेशाय भारत
When night had passed and morning came, Bhīṣma, son of Śāntanu, ordered the arrangement of the troops, O Bhārata.
गारुडं च महाव्यूहं चक्रे शान्तनवस्तदा। पुत्राणां ते जयाकाङ्क्षी भीष्मः कुरुपितामहः
Then Śāntanu's son Bhīṣma, desiring victory for your sons, formed the great Garuḍa array.
गरुडस्य स्वयं तुण्डे पिता देवव्रतस्तव। चक्षुषी च भरज्वाजः कृतवर्मा च सात्वतः
In the beak of the Garuḍa stood your father Devavrata himself, while Bhāradvāja and Kṛtavarmā the Sātvata formed the eyes.