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.
सादिनश्चाश्वपृष्ठेभ्यो भूमौ वापि पदातिनः । गदया व्यवमत्सर्वान्वातो वृक्षानिवौजसा
And horsemen from horseback, and foot soldiers on the ground—he struck them all with his mace, like the wind felling trees with its force.
भीमसेनो महाबाहुस्तव पुत्रस्य वै बले। सापि प्रञ्जानसामासैः प्रदिग्धा रुधिरेण च
Bhimasena, mighty-armed, in the army of your son, was smeared with the blood of slain warriors and elephants.
अदृश्यत महारौद्रा गदा नागाश्वपातनी। तत्रतत्र हतैश्चापि मनुष्यगजवाजिभिः
His great and terrible mace, felling elephants and horses, appeared everywhere, along with the bodies of slain men, elephants, and steeds.
रणाङ्गणं समभवन्मृत्योरावाससन्निभम् । पिनाकमिव रुद्रस्य क्रुद्धस्याभिघ्नतः पशून्
The battlefield became like the very abode of Death, resembling the bow of Rudra when, enraged, he strikes down the beasts.
यमदण्डोपमामुग्रामिन्द्राशनिसमस्वनाम् । ददृशुर्भीमसेनस्य रौद्रां विशसनीं गदाम्
They saw Bhimasena's fierce mace, dreadful as the rod of Yama, roaring like Indra's thunderbolt, and fit for slaughter.
आविध्यतो गदां तस्य कौन्तेयस्य महात्मनः । बभौ रूपं महाघोरं कालस्येव युगक्षये
As the high-souled son of Kunti brandished his mace, its form appeared most terrible, like Time itself at the end of an age.
तं तथा महतीं सेनां द्रावयन्तं पुनः पुनः । दृष्ट्वा मृत्युमवायान्तं सर्वे विमनसोऽभवन्
Seeing him driving back that great army again and again, and death approaching, all became disheartened.
यतोयतः प्रेक्षते स्म गदामुद्यम्य पाण्डवः। तेनतेन स्म दीर्यन्ते सर्वसैन्यानि भारत
Wherever the son of Pandu looked, raising his mace, there the armies of Bharata were shattered.
प्रदारयन्तं सैन्यानि बलेनामितविक्रमम् । ग्रसमानमनीकानि व्यादितास्यमिवान्तकम्
Tearing through the troops with unmatched might, devouring battalions like Death with gaping mouth.
तं तथा भीमकर्माणं प्रगृहीतमहागदम् । दृष्ट्वा वृकोदरं भीष्मः सहसैव समभ्ययात्
Seeing Vrikodara, the doer of terrible deeds, wielding his great mace thus, Bhishma swiftly advanced.