एकप्रहारनिहतान्भीमसेनेन दन्तिनः। अपश्याम रणे तस्मिन्गिरीन्वज्रहतानिव
We saw elephants, struck down in a single blow by Bhimasena, lying on the battlefield like mountains shattered by a thunderbolt.
भग्नदन्तान्भग्नकरान्भग्नसक्थीश्च वारणान्। भग्नपृष्ठत्रिकानन्यान्निहतान्पर्वतोपमान्
We saw elephants with broken tusks, broken limbs, shattered thighs, others with broken backs and hips, all lying dead, massive as mountains.
नदतः सीदतश्चान्यान्विमुखान्समरे गतान्। विद्रुतान्भयसंविग्नांस्तथा विशकृतोऽपरान्
Some were bellowing, some collapsing, others fleeing the battle in panic, and yet others, disfigured, ran away in terror.
भीमसेनस्य मार्गेषु पतितान्पर्वतोपमान् । अपश्यं निहतान्नागान्राजन्निष्ठीवतोपरान्
O King, I saw elephants, slain and fallen along Bhimasena’s path, huge as mountains, lying with their trunks outstretched.
वमन्तो रुधिरं चान्ये भिन्नकुम्भा महागजाः । विह्नलन्तो गता भूमिं शैला इव धरातले
Other great elephants, their foreheads split open, vomited blood and, weakened, fell to the ground like mountains collapsing onto the earth.
मेदोरुधिरदिग्धाङ्गो वसामज्जासमुक्षितः । व्यचरत्समरे भीमो दण्डपाणिरिवान्तकः
Bhima moved about the battlefield, his body smeared with fat and blood, soaked with marrow, like Death himself wielding a staff.
गजानां रुधिरक्लिन्नां गदां बिभ्रद्वृकोदरः । घोरः प्रतिभयश्चासीत्पिनाकीव पिनाकभृत्
Vrikodara, holding his mace drenched in the blood of elephants, appeared terrifying and dreadful, like Shiva bearing the Pinaka bow.
संमथ्यमानाः क्रुद्धेन भीमसेनेन दन्तिनः । सहसा प्राद्रवन्क्लिष्ठा मृद्गन्तस्तव वाहिनीम्
The elephants, crushed by the enraged Bhimasena, suddenly fled in distress, trampling your army as they ran.
तं हि वीरं महेष्वासं सौभद्रप्रमुखा रथाः । पर्यरक्षन्त युध्यन्तं वज्रायुधमिवामराः
Then, O hero, chariots led by Subhadra’s son surrounded and protected Bhimasena as he fought, just as the gods guard Indra armed with the thunderbolt.
शोणिताक्तां गदां बिभ्रदुक्षितां गजशोणितैः । कृतान्त इव रोद्रात्मा भीमसेनो व्यदृश्यत
Bhimasena, his dreadful spirit manifest, appeared like Death himself, bearing a mace stained and dripping with the blood of elephants.
व्यायच्छमानं गदया दिक्षु सर्वासु भारत। अपश्याम रणे भीमं नृत्यन्तमिव शङ्करम्
We saw Bhima on the battlefield, swinging his mace in all directions, appearing to dance like Shiva himself.
यमदण्डोपमां गुर्वीमिन्द्राशनिसमकस्वनाम् । अपश्याम महाराय रौद्रां विशसनीं गदाम्
O great king, we saw that terrible mace, heavy as Yama’s staff and resounding like Indra’s thunderbolt, a weapon of destruction.
विमिश्रां केशमञ्जाभिः प्रदिग्धां रुधिरेण च। पिनाकमिव रुद्रस्य क्रुद्धस्याभिघ्नतः पशून्
Smeared with tufts of hair and blood, it resembled the Pinaka bow of Rudra as he strikes down the beasts in wrath.
यथा पशूनां सङ्घातं यष्ट्या पालः प्रकालयेत्। तथा भीमो गजानीकं गदया समकालयत्
Just as a herdsman drives a cluster of cattle with a staff, so Bhima drove the elephant division with his mace.
गदया वध्यमानास्ते मार्गणैश्च समन्ततः। स्वान्यनीकानि मृद्गन्तः प्राद्रवन्कुञ्जरास्तव
Struck by the mace and pierced from all sides by arrows, your elephants trampled their own ranks and fled.
महावात इवाभ्राणि विधमित्वा स वारणान्। अतिष्ठत्तुमुले भीमः श्मशान इव शूलभृत्
Like a great wind scattering clouds, Bhima routed the elephants and stood firm in the dreadful field, like the bearer of the spear in a cremation ground.
हते तस्मिन्गजानीके पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव। भीमसेनं ध्नतेत्येवं सर्वसैन्यान्यचोदयत्
When that elephant division was destroyed, your son Duryodhana urged all the troops to attack Bhimasena.
ततः सर्वाण्यनीकानि तव पुत्रस्य शासनात्। अभ्यद्रवन्भीमसेनं नदन्तं भैरवान्रवान्
Then, at your son’s command, all the divisions charged at Bhimasena, roaring with fearsome cries.
तं बलौघमपर्यन्तं देवैरपि सुदुःसहम् । आपतन्तं सुदुष्पारं समुद्रिमिव पर्वणि
That mass of troops, boundless and exceedingly difficult to withstand even for the gods, surged forward, impassable like the ocean at its full tide.
रथनागाश्वकलिलं शङ्खदुन्दुभिनादितम् । अनन्तरथपादातं रजसा सर्वतो वृतम्
Crowded with chariots, elephants, and horses, resounding with conches and drums, dense with infantry and chariots on all sides, and enveloped in dust.
तं भीमसेनः समरे महोदधिमिवापरम् । सेनासागरमक्षोभ्यं वेलेव समवारयत्
Bhimasena, in battle, like a shore halting the boundless great ocean, checked that unshakable sea of troops.
तदाश्चर्यमपश्याम पाण्डवस्य महात्मनः । भीमसेनस्य समरे राजन्कर्मातिमानुषम्
Then, O King, we beheld a wondrous deed of the high-souled Pandava, Bhimasena, in battle—an act beyond human power.
उदीर्णान्पार्थिवान्सर्वान्साश्वान्सरथकुञ्जरान् । असंभ्रमं भीमसेनो गदया समवारयत्
Bhimasena, without confusion, checked all the advancing kings, along with their horses, chariots, and elephants, with his mace.
स संवार्य बलौघांस्तन्गदया रथिनां वरः। अतिष्ठत्तुमुले भीमो गिरिर्मेरुरिवाचलः
Having repelled those waves of troops with his mace, Bhima, foremost among charioteers, stood firm in the fierce battle like the immovable Meru mountain.
तस्मिन्सुतुमुले घोरे काले परमदारुणे। भ्रातरश्चैव पुत्राश्च धृष्टद्युम्नश्च पार्षतः
In that exceedingly fierce and dreadful moment, his brothers, his sons, and Dhrishtadyumna, son of Prishata,
द्रौपदेयाभिमन्युश्च शिखण्डी चापराजितः । न प्राजहन्भीमसेनं भये जाते महाबलम्
The sons of Draupadi, Abhimanyu, and the undefeated Shikhandi did not abandon mighty Bhimasena when fear arose.
ततः शैक्यायसीं गुर्वीं प्रगृह्य महतीं गदाम्। अधावत्तावकान्योधान्दण्डपाणिरिवान्तकः
Then, seizing his massive, heavy iron mace, he rushed at your troops like Death himself wielding his staff.
पोययन्रथबृन्दानि वाजिबृन्दनि चाभिभूः । कर्षयन्रथवृन्दानि बाहुवेगेन पाण्डवः
He shattered clusters of chariots and overpowered groups of horses, dragging the chariot divisions with the force of his arms, that Pandava.
विनिध्रन्यचतत्सङ्ख्ये युगान्ते कालविद्विभुः । ऊरुवेगेन संकर्षन्रथजालानि पाण्डवः
He scattered them on the battlefield like Time at the end of an age, dragging the networks of chariots with the strength of his thighs, that Pandava.
बलानि संममर्दाशु नड्वलानीव कुञ्जरः । मृद्गन्रथेभ्यो रथिनो गजेभ्यो गजयोधिनः
He swiftly crushed the troops like an elephant trampling reeds; charioteers from chariots, elephant-warriors from elephants.