अभ्यवर्तन्तं संहृष्टाः परस्परवधैषिणः। ते वै समेयुः संग्रामे राजन्दुर्मन्त्रिते तव
Eager for mutual destruction, they advanced joyfully; in that battle, O King, they engaged each other due to your ill-advised counsel.
तस्मिन्दशरथे क्रुद्धे वर्तमाने महाभये। तावकानां परेषां वा प्रेक्षका रथिनोऽभवन्
As that ten-chariot conflict raged in great peril, the chariot-warriors of both your side and the enemy became mere onlookers.
शस्त्राण्यनेकरूपाणि विसृजन्तो महारथाः। अन्योन्यमभिनर्दन्तः संप्रहारं प्रचक्रिरे
The great chariot-warriors, releasing weapons of many forms and roaring at one another, engaged in fierce combat.
ते तदा जातसंरम्भाः सर्वेऽन्योन्यं जिघांसवः । अन्योन्यमभिमर्दन्तः स्पर्धमानाः परस्परम्
Then, all of them, seized by wrath and intent on killing each other, pressed and challenged one another in rivalry.
अन्योन्यस्पर्धया राजञ्ज्ञातयः संगता मिथः । महास्राणि विमुञ्चन्तः समापेतुरमर्षिणः
O King, kinsmen, gathered together in mutual rivalry, unleashed mighty weapons and, filled with anger, clashed with one another.
दुर्योधनस्तु संक्रुद्धो धृष्टद्युम्नं महारणे । विव्याध निशितैर्बाणैश्चतुर्भिः समरे द्रुतम्
But Duryodhana, enraged, swiftly struck Dhṛṣṭadyumna in the great battle with four sharp arrows.
दुर्मर्षणश्च विंशत्या चित्रसेनश्च प?ञ्चभिः । दुर्मुखो नवभिर्बाणैर्दुःसहश्चापि सप्तभिः
Durmarṣaṇa struck with twenty arrows, Citraseṇa with five, Durmukha with nine arrows, and Duḥsaha with seven.
विविंशतिः पञ्चभिश्च त्रिभिर्दुःशासनस्तथा। तान्प्रत्यविध्यद्राजेन्द्र पार्षतः शत्रुतापनः
Viviṃśati struck with five arrows, and Duḥśāsana with three; but the son of Pṛṣata, tormentor of foes, struck them all in return, O king.
एकैकं पञ्चविंशत्या दर्शयन्पाणिलाघवम् । सत्यव्रतं च समरे पुरुमित्रं च भारत
Displaying the skill of his hand, he struck each one with twenty-five arrows, as well as Satyavrata and Purumitra in the battle, O Bhārata.
अभिमन्युरविध्यत्तु दशभिर्दशभिः शरैः। माद्रीपुत्रौ तु समरे मातुलं मातृनन्दनौ
Abhimanyu struck ten arrows at each, and the sons of Mādrī, the delight of their mother, struck their maternal uncle in battle.
अविध्येतां शरैस्तीक्ष्णैस्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्। ततः शल्यो महाराज स्वस्त्रीयौ रथिनां वरौ
They struck him with sharp arrows, and it seemed wondrous; then, O great king, Śalya, the foremost of chariot-warriors,
शरैर्बहुभिरानर्च्छत्कृतप्रतिकृतैषिणौ । छाद्यमानौ ततस्तौ कतु माद्रीपुत्रौ न चेलतुः
Honored them with many arrows, seeking to repay their blows; yet, though being covered, those two sons of Mādrī did not waver.
अथ दुर्योधनं दृष्ट्वा भीमसेनो महाबलः । विधित्सुः कलहस्यान्तं गदां जग्राह पाण्डवः
Then Bhimasena, mighty in strength, seeing Duryodhana, took up his mace, intending to bring the conflict to an end.
तमुद्यतगदं दृष्ट्वा कैलासमिव श्रृङ्गिणम्। भीमसेनं महाबाहुं पुत्रास्ते प्राद्रवन्भयात्
Seeing Bhimasena, with his mace raised like a peak of Mount Kailasa, your sons fled in fear from the long-armed warrior.
दुर्योधनस्तु संक्रुद्धो मागधं समचोदयत्। अनीकं दशसाहस्रं कुञ्जराणां तरस्विनाम्
But Duryodhana, enraged, urged the king of Magadha forward, along with a division of ten thousand swift elephants.
गजानीकेन सहितस्तेन राजा सुयोधनाः । मागधं पुरतः कृत्वा भीमसेनं समभ्ययात्
Accompanied by the elephant division, King Suyodhana advanced, placing the Magadha king at the front, toward Bhimasena.
आपतन्तं च तं दृष्ट्वा गजानीकं वृकोदरः । गदापाणिरवारोहद्रथांत्सिंह इवोन्नदन्
Seeing the elephant division charging, Vrikodara, mace in hand, leapt down from his chariot, roaring like a lion.
अद्रिसारमयीं गुर्वीं प्रगृह्य महतीं गदाम्। अभ्यधावद्गजानीकं व्यादितास्य इवान्तकः
Grasping his great, mountain-forged, heavy mace, he rushed at the elephant division, like Death with jaws agape.
स गजान्गदया निघ्नन्व्यचरत्समरे बली। भीमसेनो महाबाहुः सवज्र इव वासवः
Bhimasena, mighty-armed, moved through the battle, striking elephants with his mace, like Indra wielding the thunderbolt.
तस्य नादेन महता मनोहृदयकम्पिना । व्यत्यचेष्टन्त संहत्य गजा भिमस्य गर्जतः
At the sound of Bhima's mighty, heart-shaking roar, the elephants, gathered together, became agitated.
ततस्तु द्रौपदीपुत्राः सौभद्रश्च महारथः। नकुलः सहदेवश्च धृष्टद्युम्नश्च पार्षतः
Then the sons of Draupadi, the great chariot-warrior Abhimanyu, Nakula, Sahadeva, and Dhrishtadyumna, son of Prishata,
पृष्ठं भीमस्य रक्षन्तः शरवर्षेण वारणान्। अभ्यवर्षन्त धावन्तो मेघा इव गिरिव्रजान्
Protecting Bhima's rear, they showered arrows upon the charging elephants, like clouds pouring rain on mountain slopes.
नाकुलिस्तु शतानीकः समरे शत्रुपूगहा । क्षुरैः क्षुरप्रैर्भल्लैश्च पीतैश्चाञ्जलिकैः शितैः। न्यहनच्चोत्तमाङ्गानि पाण्डवो गजयोधिनाम्
Nakula, destroyer of enemy hosts, cut down the heads of elephant-warriors in battle with razors, broad-headed arrows, barbed shafts, and sharp, yellow-tipped darts.
शिरोभिः प्रपतद्भिश्च बाहुभिश्च विभूषितैः । अश्मवृष्टिरिवाभाति पाणिभिश्च सहाङ्कुशैः
With heads and ornamented arms falling, and hands still clutching goads, it appeared like a shower of stones.
हृतोत्तमाङ्गाः स्कन्धेषु गजानां गजयोधिनः। अदृश्यन्ताचलाग्रेकषु द्रुमा भग्नशिखा इव
The elephant-warriors, deprived of their heads, were seen on the elephants' shoulders, like trees on mountain peaks with their tops broken off.
धृष्टद्युम्नहतानन्यानपश्याम महागजान्। पततः पात्यमानांश्च पार्षतेन महात्मना
We saw other great elephants struck down by Dhrishtadyumna, the high-souled son of Prishata, falling and being felled.
मागधोऽथ महीपालो गजमैरावणोपमम्। प्रेषयामास समरे सौभद्रस्य रथं प्रति
Then the Magadha king, ruler of the land, sent forth an elephant like Airavata against the chariot of Subhadra's son.
तमापतन्तं संप्रेक्ष्य मागधस्य महागजम् । जघानैकेषुणा वीरःत सौभद्रः परवीरहा
Seeing that great elephant of the Magadha king charging, the heroic Abhimanyu, slayer of enemy heroes, struck it down with a single arrow.
तस्यावर्जितनागस्य कार्ष्णिः परपुरंजयः। राज्ञो रजतपुङ्खेन भल्लेनापाहरच्छिरः
As the elephant bowed down, Kārṣṇi, conqueror of enemy cities, cut off the king's head with a silver-feathered broad arrow.
विगाह्य तद्गजानीकं भीमसेनोऽपि पाण्डवः। व्यचरत्समरे मृद्गन्गजानिन्द्रो गिरीनिव
Bhimasena, the Pandava, plunged into that elephant division and moved about the battlefield like the lord of elephants among mountains.