विकीर्णैः कवचैश्चित्रैः शिरस्त्रणैश्च मारिष । शुशुभे तद्राणस्थानं शरदीव नभस्तलम्
Strewn with variegated armor and helmets, that battlefield shone like the autumn sky adorned with clouds.
विनिर्भिन्नाः शरैः केचिदन्त्रापीडप्रकर्षिणः । अभीताः समरे शत्रूनभ्यधावन्त दर्पिताः
Some, pierced by arrows and with entrails exposed, fearlessly rushed at their enemies in battle, filled with pride.
तात भ्रातः सखे बन्धो वयस्य मम मातुल । मा मां परित्यजेत्यन्ये चुक्रुशुः पतिता रणे
"Father! Brother! Friend! Kinsman! Companion! Uncle! Do not abandon me!"—so cried others as they fell on the field.
अथाभ्येहि त्वमागच्छ किं भीतोसि क्व यास्यसि। स्थितोऽहं समरे मा भैरिति चान्ये विचुक्रुशुः
"Come here! Approach! Why are you afraid? Where will you go? I am standing firm in battle—do not fear!"—thus others shouted.
तत्र भीष्मः शान्तनवो नित्यं मण्डलकार्मुकः । मुमीच बाणान्दीप्ताग्रानहीनाशीविषानिव
There Bhishma, son of Shantanu, ever wielding his circular bow, released arrows with blazing tips like venomous serpents.
शरैरेकायनीकुर्वन्दिशः सर्वा यतव्रतः । जघान पाण्डवरथानादिश्य भारतर्षभ
Restraining all directions with his arrows, the self-controlled one struck the Pandava chariots, O bull of the Bharatas.
स नृत्यन्वै रथोपस्थे दर्शयन्पाणिलाघवम् । अलातचक्रवद्राजंस्तत्र तत्र स्म दृश्यते
He danced upon his chariot, displaying the dexterity of his hands; here and there, O King, he appeared like a spinning wheel of firebrands.
तमेकं समरे शूरं पाण्डवाः सृञ्जयैः सह। अनेकशतसाहस्रं समपश्यन्त लाघवात्
The Pandavas, together with the Srinjayas, saw that one hero in battle, through his agility, as if he were hundreds of thousands.
मायाकृतात्मानमिव भीष्मं तत्र स्म मेनिरे । पूर्वस्यां दिशि तं दृष्ट्वा प्रतीच्यां ददृशुर्जनाः
There, they thought Bhishma was like one who had assumed a magical form; seeing him in the east, people also saw him in the west.
उदीच्यां चैवमालोक्य दक्षिणस्यां पुनः प्रभो। एवं स समरे शूरो गाङ्गेयः प्रत्यदृश्यत
And seeing him in the north, again in the south, O lord, thus that heroic son of Ganga appeared everywhere in battle.
न चैवं पाण्डवेयानां कश्चिच्छक्नोति वीक्षितुम् । विशिखानेव पश्यन्ति भीष्मचापच्युतान्बहून्
Yet none among the sons of Pandu could look at him; they only saw the many arrows loosed from Bhishma's bow.
कुर्वाणं समरे कर्म सूदयानं च वाहिनीम् । व्याक्रोशन्त रणे तत्र नरा बहुविधा बहु
As he performed his deeds in battle, slaughtering the army, many men cried out in various ways on the field.
अमानुषेण रूपेण चरन्तं पितरं तव। शलभा इव राजानः पतन्ति विधिचोदिताः
Your father moved about in a superhuman form; kings, impelled by fate, fell like moths.
भीष्माग्निमभिसंक्रुद्धं विनाशाय सहस्रशः । न हि मोघः शरः कश्चिदासीद्भीष्मस्य संयुगे
Against Bhishma, blazing like fire, thousands perished; for not a single arrow of Bhishma's in battle was in vain.
नरनागाश्वकायेषु बहुत्वाल्लघुयोधिनः । भिनत्त्येकेन बाणेन सुमुखेन पतत्रिणा
Because of the multitude of men, elephants, and horses, the lightly armed warriors were pierced by a single arrow with a sharp head.
गजं कंकटसन्नद्धं वज्रेणेव शिलोच्चयम् । द्वौ त्रीनपि गजारोहान्पिण्डितान्वर्मितानपि
He struck an armored elephant, as if with a thunderbolt striking a mountain peak, and even two or three armored elephant-riders pressed together.
नाराचेन सुमुक्तेन निजघान पिता तव। यो यो भीष्मं नरव्याघ्रमभ्येति युधि कश्चन
With a sharp, well-feathered arrow, your father struck down anyone who approached Bhishma, the tiger among men, in battle.
मुहूर्तदृष्टः स मया पतितो भुवि दृश्यते। एवं सा धर्मराजस्य वध्यमाना महाचमूः
One whom I saw for a moment would be seen fallen on the ground; thus the great army of the righteous king was being slaughtered.
भीष्मेणातुलवीर्येण व्यशीर्यत संहस्रधा। प्राकम्पत महासेना शरवर्षेण तापिता
By Bhishma, of incomparable might, it was shattered in every direction; the great army trembled, tormented by the shower of arrows.
पश्यतो वासुदेवस्य पार्थस्याथ शिखण्डिनः। यतमानाऽपि ते वीरा द्रवमाणान्महारथान्
Though Vasudeva, Partha, and Shikhandin looked on, those heroes, even striving, could not stop the great chariot-warriors as they fled.
नाशक्नुवन्वारयितुं भीष्मबाणप्रपीडितान्। महेन्द्रसमवीर्येण वध्यमाना महाचमूः
They could not restrain those oppressed by Bhishma's arrows; the great army was being slaughtered by one with the might of Mahendra.
अभज्यत महाराज न च द्वौ सह धावतः। आविद्धरनागाश्वं पतितध्वजकूबरम्
It broke apart, O King, and not even two fled together; with their chariots, elephants, and horses struck, and their banners and standards fallen.
अनीकं पाण्डुपुत्राणां हाहाभूतमचेतनम्। जघानात्र पिता पुत्रं पुत्रश्च पितरं तथा
The Pandava army became bewildered and senseless, crying out in distress; here, a father struck down his son, and a son his father.
प्रियं सखायं चाक्रन्दे सखा दैवबलात्कृतः । विमुच्य कवचान्यन्ये पाण्डुपुत्रस्य सैनिकाः
A dear friend, overcome by fate, killed his companion; and some soldiers of the Pandava army cast off their armor.
विनुक्तकेशा धावन्तः प्रत्यदृश्यन्त भारत। तद्गोकुलमिवोद्धान्तमुद्धान्तरथयूथपम्
With their hair disheveled, they were seen running, O Bharata, like a herd of cattle in panic, with their leaders scattered.
ददृशे पाण्डुपुत्रस्य सैन्यमार्तस्वरं तदा। प्रभज्यमानं सैन्यं तु दृष्ट्वा यादवनन्दनः
At that time, the army of the son of Pandu was seen crying out in distress; seeing his army breaking apart, the son of Yadava,
उवाच पार्थं बीभत्सुं निगृह्य रथमुत्तमम्। असं स कालः संप्राप्तः पार्थ पस्तेऽभिकाङ्क्षितः
restrained the excellent chariot and spoke to Partha, the mighty-armed: 'O Partha, the time you have longed for has now arrived.'
प्रहरस्व नरव्याघ्र न चेन्मोहाद्विमुह्यसे। यत्त्वया कथितं वीर पुरा राज्ञां समागमे
'Strike, O tiger among men, unless you are bewildered by delusion; what you once declared in the assembly of kings, O hero—'
भीष्मद्रोणमुखान्सर्वान्धार्तराष्ट्रस्य सैनिकान्। सानुबन्धान्हनिष्यामि ये मां योत्स्यन्ति संयुगे
'I will slay all the warriors of Dhritarashtra, headed by Bhishma and Drona, along with their followers, whoever opposes me in battle—'
इति तत्कुरु कौन्तेय सत्यं वाक्यमरिन्दम । बीभत्सो पश्य सैन्यं स्वं भज्यमानं ततस्ततः
'Now, O son of Kunti, make that true, O subduer of enemies. See, O Bhībhatsu, your army is being broken on all sides.'