वेगेन साऽतीव पृथुप्रवाहा परेतनागाश्वशरीररोधाः। नरेन्द्रमञ्जोच्छ्रितमांसपङ्काः प्रभूतरक्षोगणभूतसेविता
With swift, broad currents, blocked by the bodies of slain elephants and horses, its banks raised with heaps of royal flesh, frequented by many hosts of demons.
शिरःकपालाकुलकेशशाद्वला शरीरसङ्घातसहस्रवाहिनी । विशीर्णनानाकवचोर्मिसंकुला नराश्वनागास्थिनिकृत्तशर्करा
Its banks were covered with skulls, hair, and grassy locks, its waters formed by thousands of bodies, its waves crowded with shattered armor, and its gravel made of severed bones of men, horses, and elephants.
श्वकङ्कशालावृकगृध्रकाकैः क्रव्यादसङ्घैश्च तरक्षुभिश्च। उपेतकूलां ददृशुर्मनुष्याः क्रूरां महावैतरणीप्रकाशाम्
Men saw its shores infested with jackals, wolves, hyenas, vultures, crows, and packs of flesh-eaters and tigers, appearing as the cruel, great river Vaitarani.
प्रवर्तितामर्जुनबाणसङ्घै- र्मेदोवसासृकप्रवहां सुभीमाम्। हतप्रवीरां च तथैव दृष्ट्वा सेनां कुरूणामथ फल्गुनेन
Set in motion by Arjuna's streams of arrows, that terrifying river of fat, flesh, and blood flowed; seeing the army of the Kurus thus destroyed by Phalguna, they were struck with fear.
ते चेदिपाञ्चालकरूषमत्स्याः पार्थाश्च सर्वे सहिताः प्रणेदुः । जयप्रगल्भाःक पुरुषप्रवीराः संत्रासयन्तः कुरुवीरयोधान्
Then the Cedis, Panchalas, Karushas, Matsyas, and all the sons of Pritha together shouted aloud—heroes confident in victory, best among men, terrifying the Kuru warriors.
हतप्रवीराणि बलानि दृष्ट्वा किरीटिना शत्रुभयावहेन । वित्रास्य सेनां ध्वजिनीपतीनां सिंहो मृगाणामिव यूथसङ्घान्
Seeing their forces with their foremost warriors slain by the diademed one, who brought terror to his foes, the leaders of the army were struck with fear, like herds of deer frightened by a lion.
विनेदतुस्तावतिहर्षयुक्तौ गाण्डीवधन्वा च जनार्दनश्च। ततो रविं संवृतरश्मिजालं दृष्ट्वा भृशं शस्त्रपरिक्षताङ्गाः
Then, filled with joy, the wielder of Gandiva and Janardana let out a mighty roar; and seeing the sun veiled by a dense mass of rays, their bodies greatly wounded by weapons—
तदैन्द्रमस्त्रं विततं च घोर- मसह्यमुद्वीक्ष्य युगान्तकल्पम् । अथापयानं कुरवः सभीष्माः सद्रोणदुर्योधनबाह्लिकाश्च
Beholding the fierce, unbearable Indra weapon, spread out and resembling the end of the world, the Kurus, with Bhishma, Drona, Duryodhana, and Bhālika, began to withdraw.
चक्रुर्निशां सन्धिगतां समीक्ष्य विभावसोर्लोहितरागयुक्ताम्। अवापय कीर्ति च यशश्च लोके विजित्य शत्रूंश्च धनंजयोऽपि
Observing the night approaching, tinged red by the fire-god, they retreated; and Dhananjaya, having conquered his enemies, gained fame and renown in the world.
ययौ नरेन्द्रैः सहसोदरैश्च समाप्तकर्मा शिबिरं निशायाम्। ततः प्रजज्ञे तुमुलः कुरूणां निशामुखे घोरतमः प्रणादः
With the kings and his brothers, his task accomplished, he went to his camp at night; then, at the onset of night, a terrible tumult arose among the Kurus.
रणे रथानामयुतं निहत्य हता गजाः सप्तशतार्जुनेन । प्राज्याश्च सौवीरगणाश्च सर्वे निपातिताः क्षुद्रकमालवाश्च
Having slain ten thousand chariots in battle, and seven hundred elephants by Arjuna, all the powerful Sauvira hosts and the Kshudrakas and Malavas were struck down.
महत्कृतं कर्म धनञ्जयेन कर्तुं यथा नार्हति कश्चिदन्यः। श्रुतायुरम्बष्ठपतिश्च राजा तथैव दुर्मर्षणचित्रसेनौ
A great deed was accomplished by Dhananjaya, such as no other could perform; Shrutayus, the king of the Ambashtas, and likewise Durmarshana and Citrasena—
द्रोणः कृपः सैन्धवबाह्लिकौ च भूरिश्रवाः शल्यशलौ च राजन्। अन्ये च योधाः शतशः समेताः क्रुद्धेन पार्थेन रणस्य मध्ये
Drona, Kripa, the Sindhu king, Bhālika, Bhurishravas, Shalya, and Shala, O king, and many other warriors assembled, were all defeated in the midst of battle by the enraged Partha.
स्वबाहुवीर्येण जिताः सभीष्माः किरीटिना लोकमहारथेन। इति ब्रुवन्तः शिबिराणि जग्मुः सर्वे गणा भारत ये त्वदीयाः
Conquered by the might of his own arms, with Bhishma among them, by the diademed one, the great chariot-warrior of the world—so saying, all your troops, O Bharata, returned to their camps.
उल्कासहस्रैश्च सुसंप्रदीप्तै- र्विभ्राजमानैश्च तथा प्रदीप्रैः। किरीटिवित्रासितसर्वयोधा चक्रे निवेशं ध्वजिनी कुरूणाम्
With thousands of blazing meteors and shining lamps, the Kuru army, terrified by the diademed one, set up their encampment.
व्युष्टां निशां भारत भारताना- मनीकिनीनां प्रमुखे महात्मा। ययौ सपत्नान्प्रति जातकोपो वृतः समग्रेण बलेन भीष्मः
When night had passed, O Bharata, the noble Bhishma, at the head of the Bharata troops, set out in anger against his rivals, surrounded by his entire force.
तं द्रोणदुर्योधनबाह्लिकाश्च तथैव दुर्मर्षणचित्रसेनौ। जयद्रथश्चातिबलो बलौघै- र्नृपास्तथान्ये प्रययुः समन्तात्
Drona, Duryodhana, Bhālika, Durmarshana, Citrasena, Jayadratha of great strength, and other kings with their hosts, advanced all around with him.
स तैर्महद्भिश्च महारथैश्च तेजस्विभिर्वीर्यवद्भिश्च राजन्। रराज राजा स तु राजमुख्यै- र्वृतः सदेवैरिव वज्रपाणिः
Surrounded by those great and mighty chariot-warriors, radiant and valiant, the king shone among the foremost of kings, like the wielder of the thunderbolt among the gods.
तस्मिन्ननीकप्रमुखे विषक्ता दोधूयमानाश्च महापताकाः । सुरक्तपीतासितपाण्डुराभा महागजस्कन्धगता विरेजुः
At the head of that army, great banners, crimson, yellow, black, and white, mounted on huge elephants, fluttered and shone as they waved.
सा वाहिनी शान्तनवेन गुप्ता महारथैर्वारणवाजिभिश्च। बभौ सविद्युत्स्तनयित्नुकल्पा जलागमे द्यौरिव जातमेघा
That army, protected by the son of Shantanu, with great chariot-warriors, elephants, and horses, shone like the sky at the onset of the rains, filled with clouds, lightning, and thunder.
ततो रणायाभिमुखी प्रयाता प्रत्यर्जुनं शान्तनवाभिगुप्ता। सेनामहोग्ना सहसा कुरूणां वेगो यथा भीम इवापगायाः
Then, advancing to battle against Arjuna, the Kuru army, protected by the son of Shantanu, rushed forward like a mighty, tumultuous river.
तं व्यालनानाविधगूढसारं गजाश्वपादातरथौघपक्षम्। व्यूहं महामेघसमं महात्मा ददर्श दूरात्कपिराजकेतुः
That great-souled one, the monkey-bannered king, saw from afar that formation, its core hidden by many kinds of serpents—its wings made of elephants, horses, foot-soldiers, and chariots, vast as a great cloud.
विनिर्ययौ केतुमता रथेन नरर्षभः श्वेतहयेन काले। ` जये धृतः शत्रुवरूथिनीनां यथा सुरेन्द्रोऽसुरवाहिनीनाम्
The bull among men departed in his bannered chariot, drawn by white horses at the appointed time, resolved upon victory over the enemy hosts, as Indra among the gods leads against the armies of the demons.
नारायणेनेन्द्र इवाभिगुप्तः शशीव सूर्येण समेयिवान्यथा । तथा महात्मा सह केशवेन वरीथिनीनां प्रमुखे रराज
Protected by Narayana like Indra by the gods, or the moon by the sun, the great-souled one, together with Kesava, shone forth at the forefront of the mighty armies.
सोपस्करं सोत्तरबन्धुरेषं यत्तं यदूनामृषभेण सङ्ख्ये। कपिध्वजं प्रेक्ष्य रथं विषेदुः सहैव पुत्रैस्तव कौरवेयाः
Seeing the chariot of the Yadu bull, equipped and adorned, with its banner of the monkey, your sons, O Kaurava, along with their own sons, were struck with fear.
प्रकल्पितं गुप्तमुदायुधेन किरीटिना लोकमहारथेन । तं व्यूहराजं ददृशुस्त्वदीया- श्चतुश्चतुर्व्यालसहस्रकीर्णम्
Prepared and guarded by the crowned one, the great chariot-warrior of the world, your men saw that battle formation, filled with four thousand fierce serpents.
यथैव पूर्वेऽहनि धर्मराज्ञा व्यूहः कृतः कौरवसत्तमेन। यथा न भूतो भुवि मानुषेषु न दृष्टपूर्वो न च संश्रुतश्च
Just as on previous days the righteous king, foremost among the Kauravas, arranged the battle formation, such as had never existed among men on earth, nor seen nor heard before.
ततो यथादेशमुपेत्य तस्थुः पाञ्चालमुख्याः सह चेदिमुख्यैः। ततः समादेशसमाहतानि भेरीसहस्राणि विनेदुराजौ
Then, according to command, the foremost Panchalas, together with the chiefs of the Cedis, took their positions; and thousands of drums resounded in the king's army, summoned by command.
शङ्खस्वनास्तूर्यरवाः प्रणेदुः सर्वेष्वनीकेषु ससिंहनादाः। ततः सबाणानि महास्वनानि विस्फार्यमाणानि धनूंषि वीरैः
The sounds of conches and the roar of trumpets echoed, with lion-like shouts in all the divisions; then, the great-sounding bows, strung by the heroes, resounded with arrows.
क्षणेन भेरीपणवप्रणादा- नन्तर्दधुः शङ्खमहास्वनांश्च। तच्छङ्खशब्दावृतमन्तरिक्ष- मुद्धूतभौमद्रुतरेणुजालम्
In a moment, the sounds of drums and cymbals, and the loud blasts of conches, were drowned out; the sky was filled with the sound of conches, and clouds of dust stirred up from the earth.