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.
महानुभावाश्च ततः प्रकाश- नालोक्य वीराः सहसाऽभिपेतुः । रथी रथेनाभिहतः ससूतः पपात साश्वः सरथः सकेतुः
Then, the mighty warriors, seeing clearly, suddenly rushed forward; a chariot-warrior struck by another chariot fell, together with his charioteer, horses, chariot, and banner.
गजो गजेनाभिहताः पपात पदातिना चाभिहतः पदातिः। आवर्तमानान्यभिवर्तमानै- र्घोरीकृतान्यद्भुतदर्शनानि
An elephant struck by another elephant fell, and a foot-soldier struck by another foot-soldier fell; whirling and advancing, they made the battlefield dreadful and wondrous to behold.
प्रासैश्च खङ्गैश्च समाहतानि सदश्वबृन्दानि सदश्वबृन्दैः। सुवर्णतारागणभूषितानि सूर्यप्रभाभानि शरावराणि
Groups of horses, struck by spears and swords, adorned with golden stars, shone like the sun; and showers of arrows fell upon them.
विदार्यमाणानि परश्वथैश्च प्रासैश्च स्वङ्गैश्च निपेतुरुर्व्याम्। गजैर्विषणापरगात्ररुग्णाः केचित्ससूता रथिनः प्रपेतुः
Pierced by axes, spears, and their own limbs, they fell to the earth; some chariot-warriors, wounded by elephant tusks, fell together with their charioteers.
गजर्षभाश्चापि जगर्षभेण निपातिता बाणहताः पृथिव्याम्। गजौघवेगोद्धतसादितानां श्रुत्वा विषेदुः सहसा मनुष्याः
The foremost elephants, struck down by the foremost elephant and felled by arrows, lay on the earth; hearing the crash of elephants felled by the rush of elephant troops, men were suddenly terrified.
आर्तस्वनं सादिपदातियूनां विषाणगात्रावरताडितानाम् । संभ्रान्तनागाश्वरथे मुहूर्ते महाक्षये सादिपदातियूनाम्
The cries of wounded horsemen and foot-soldiers, struck by tusks and limbs, echoed; for a moment, the elephants, horses, and chariots were thrown into confusion in the great destruction of horsemen and foot-soldiers.
महारथैः संपरिवार्यमाणं संदृश्य दूरात्कपिराजकेतुम् । तं पञ्चतालोच्छ्रिततालकेतुः सदश्ववेगाद्भुतवीर्ययानः
Seeing from afar the banner of the monkey king surrounded by great chariot-warriors, the one with the five palm banners, riding with wondrous speed on his swift horses, approached.
महास्त्रबाणाशनिदीप्तमन्तं किरीटिनं शान्तनवोऽभ्यधावत्। तथैव शक्रप्रतिमप्रभाव- मिन्द्रात्मजं द्रोणमुखा विसस्नुः
The crowned one, blazing with weapons and arrows like thunderbolts, was attacked by the son of Santanu; likewise, the son of Indra, equal in power to Indra, was assailed by Drona and his followers.
कृपश्च शल्यश्च विविंशतिश्च दुर्योधनः सौमदत्तिश्च राजन्। ततो रथानां प्रमुखादुपेत्य सर्वास्त्रिवित्काञ्चनचित्रवर्मा
Kripa, Shalya, Vivimshati, Duryodhana, and Saumadatti, O king, then advanced at the head of their chariots, all skilled in weapons and clad in armor adorned with gold.
जवेन शूरोऽभिससार सर्वां- स्तानर्जुनस्यात्मभवोऽभिमन्युः। तेषां महास्त्राणि महारथाना- मसह्यकर्मा विनिहत्य कार्ष्णिः
With speed, the valiant Abhimanyu, son of Arjuna, rushed against them all; and the Kaurshni, unable to be resisted, destroyed the mighty weapons of those great chariot-warriors.
बभौ महामन्त्रहुतार्चिमाली सदोगतः सन्भगवानिवाग्निः । ततः स तूर्णं रुधिरोदफेनां कृत्वा नदीमाशु रणे रिपूणाम्
He shone, adorned with blazing flames of great mantras, like the divine Agni himself, ever present; then, swiftly in battle, he created a river of blood and foam from his enemies.
जगाम सौभद्रमतीत्य भीष्मो महारथं पार्थमदीनसत्वः । ततः प्रहस्याद्भुतविक्रमेण गाण्डीवमुक्तेन शिलाशितेन
Then Bhishma, the mighty chariot-warrior of undaunted spirit, passed by Saubhadra and advanced toward Partha; thereupon, with wondrous prowess, he smiled and, with a sharp stone-tipped arrow loosed from Gandiva—
विपाठजालेन महास्त्रजालं विनाशयामास किरीटमाली। तमुत्तमं सर्वधनुर्धराणा- मसक्तकर्मा कपिराजकेतुः
With a net of arrows, he destroyed the great array of weapons, wearing his diadem; and the foremost among all bowmen, the bearer of the monkey-banner, ever tireless in action—
भीष्मं महात्माऽभिववर्ष तूर्णं शरौघजालैर्विमलैश्च भल्लैः। तथैव भीष्माहतमन्तरिक्षे महास्त्रजालं कपिराजकेतोः
That great-souled one swiftly showered Bhishma with torrents of arrows and flawless broadheads; likewise, the mighty weapon-array of the monkey-bannered one was struck down by Bhishma in the sky.
तद्द्वैरथं भीष्मधनञ्जयाभ्याम्
Thus was the duel between Bhishma and Dhananjaya.
द्रौणिर्भूरिश्रवाः शत्यश्चित्रसेनश्च मारिषः। पुत्रः सांयमनेश्चैव सौभद्रं पर्यवारयन्
Drona's son, Bhurishravas, Shalya, and Citrasena, O king, along with the son of Saumya and others, surrounded Saubhadra.
संसक्तमतितेजोभिस्तमेकं ददृशुर्जनाः। पञ्चभिर्मनुजव्याघ्रैर्गजैः सिंहशिशुं यथा
People saw that single, exceedingly radiant man, engaged with five tiger-like men, like a lion cub among elephants.
नातिलक्ष्यतया कश्चिन्न शौर्ये न पराक्रमे । बभूव सदृशः कार्ष्णेर्नास्त्रे नापि च लाघवे
In neither marksmanship nor courage nor prowess was anyone equal to the son of Krishna, nor in weapons or swiftness.
तथा तमात्मजं युद्धे विक्रमन्तमरिन्दमम्। दृष्ट्वा पार्थः सुसंयत्तं सिंहनादमथानदत्
Thus, seeing his own son fighting valiantly in battle, unconquerable by foes and well-prepared, Partha let out a lion's roar.
पीडयानं तु तत्सैन्यं पौत्रं तव विशांपते। दृष्ट्वा त्वदीया राजेन्द्र समन्तात्पर्यवारयन्
When your grandson was pressing that army hard, O king of kings, your men surrounded him on all sides.