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.'
द्रवतश्च महीपालान्पश्य यौधिष्ठिरे बले। दृष्ट्वा हि भीष्मं समरे व्यात्ताननमिवान्तकम्
'Look at the kings fleeing from Yudhishthira's force, for seeing Bhishma in battle, with face wide as Death, they run in fear.'
भयार्ताः प्रपलायन्ते सिंहात्क्षुद्रमृगा इव। एवमुक्तः प्रत्युवाच वासुदेवं धनंजयः
'Terrified, they flee like small animals from a lion.' Thus addressed, Dhananjaya replied to Vasudeva:
नोदयाश्वान्यतो भीष्मो विगाहे तद्वलार्णवम् । पातयिष्यामि दुर्धर्षं वृद्धं कुरुपितामहम्
'Drive the horses forward, for Bhishma is there; I will enter that ocean of troops and bring down the formidable, aged grandsire of the Kurus.'
ततोऽश्वान्रजतप्रकख्यान्नोदयामास माधवः। यतो भीष्मरथो राजन्दुष्प्रेक्ष्यो रश्मिमानिव
Then Madhava urged the horses, shining like silver, toward Bhishma's chariot, which was hard to gaze upon, like the radiant sun.
ततस्तत्पुनरावृत्तं युधिष्ठिरबलं महत्। दृष्ट्वा पार्थं महाबाहुं भीष्मायोद्यतमाहवे
Then, seeing Partha, mighty-armed, advancing against Bhishma in battle, the great army of Yudhishthira rallied once more.
ततो भीष्मःक कुरुश्रेष्ठ सिंहवद्विनदन्मुहुः । धनञ्जयरथं शीघ्रं शरवर्षैरवाकिरत्
Then Bhishma, best of the Kurus, roaring like a lion again and again, covered Dhananjaya's swift chariot with showers of arrows.
क्षणेन स रथस्तस्य सहयः कसहसारथिः । शरवर्षेण महता संछन्नो न प्रकाशते
In a moment, that chariot, with its warriors and charioteer, was hidden by a great shower of arrows and could not be seen.
वासुदेवस्त्वसंभ्रान्तो धैर्यमास्थाय सत्त्ववान् । चोदयामास तानश्वान्विभिन्नान्भीष्मसायकैः
But Vasudeva, undisturbed and steadfast, urged on those horses, though wounded by Bhishma's arrows.
ततः पार्थो धनुर्गृह्य दिव्यं जलदनिःस्वनम् । पातयामास भीष्मस्य धनुश्छित्वा त्रिभिः शरैः
Then Partha, taking up his divine bow, which thundered like a cloud, struck down Bhishma's bow, cutting it with three arrows.
स च्छिन्नधन्वा कौरव्यः पुनरन्यन्महद्धनुः । निमिषान्तरमात्रेण सज्यं चक्रे पिता तव
But the Kaurava, his bow cut, immediately took up another great bow and strung it in the blink of an eye, O king, your father.