तमब्रवीन्महाराज भीष्मः शान्तनवः पुनः । माहात्म्यं ते श्रुतं राजन्केशवस्य महात्कमनः
Then Bhīṣma, son of Śāntanu, spoke again to you, O king: You have heard the greatness of Keśava, whose deeds are wondrous.
नरस्य च यथातत्त्वं यन्मां त्वं पृच्छसे नृप। यदर्थं नृषु संभूतौ नरानारायणावृषी
As for the truth concerning the man, which you ask me, O king, for what purpose Nara and Nārāyaṇa were born among men as sages—
अवध्यौ च यथा वीरौ संयुगेष्वपराजितौ । यथा च पाण्डवा राजन्नवध्या युधि कस्यचित्
How those two heroes are invincible and undefeated in battle, and how, O king, the Pandavas are invincible by anyone in war—
प्रीतिमान्हि दृढं कृष्णः पाण्डवेषु यशस्विषु । तस्माद्ब्रवीमि राजेन्द्र शमो भवतु पाण्डवैः
For Kṛṣṇa holds firm affection for the illustrious Pandavas; therefore, O king of kings, I say: let there be peace with the Pandavas.
पृथिवीं भुङ्क्ष्व सहितो भ्रातृभिर्बलिभिर्वशी । नरानारायणौ देवाववज्ञाय नशिष्यसि
Enjoy the earth together with your powerful brothers, O ruler; if you disregard the divine Nara and Nārāyaṇa, you will perish.
एवमुक्त्वा तव पिता तूष्णीमासीद्विशांपते । व्यसर्जयच्च राजानं शयनं च विवेश ह
Having spoken thus, your father became silent, O lord of peoples; he dismissed the king and entered his bed.
राजा च शिबिरं प्रायात्प्रणिपत्य महात्मने । शिश्ये च शयने शुभ्रे रात्रिं तां भरतर्षभ
And the king went to his tent, having bowed to the great-souled one; he lay down on a pure bed that night, O bull among the Bharatas.
व्युषितायां तु शर्वर्यामुदिते च दिवाकरे। उभे सेने महाराज युद्धायैव समीयतुः
When the night had passed and the sun had risen, both armies, O king, gathered for battle.
अभ्यधावन्त संक्रुद्धाः परस्परजिगीषवः । ते सर्वे सहिता युद्धे समालोक्य परस्परम्
They rushed forward, enraged, each desiring victory over the other; all together, they met in battle, gazing at one another.
पाण्डवा धार्तराष्ट्राश्च राजन्दर्मन्त्रिते तव। व्यूहौ च व्यूह्य संरब्धाः संप्रहृष्टाः प्रहारिणः
The Pandavas and the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, O king, after consulting with their counselors, arrayed their troops, eager and delighted to fight.
अरक्षन्मकरव्यूहं भीष्मो राजन्समन्ततः । तथैव पाण्डवा राजन्नरक्षन्व्यूहमात्मनः
Bhīṣma, O king, protected the Makaravyūha on all sides; likewise, the Pandavas protected their own formation, O king.
अजातशत्रुः शत्रूणां मनांसि समकम्पयत्।' श्येनवद्व्यूह्य तं व्यूहं धौम्यस्य वचनात्स्वयम्
Ajātaśatru caused the minds of his enemies to tremble; he himself arranged that formation like a falcon, following Dhaumya's instructions.
स हि तस्य सुविज्ञात अग्निचित्येषु भारत। मकरस्तु महाव्यूहस्तव पुत्रस्य धीमतः
For he knew well its structure and the placement of fire, O Bhārata; the Makaravyūha was the great formation of your wise son.
स्वयं सर्वेण सैन्येन द्रोणेनानुमतस्तदा । यथाव्यूहं शान्तनवः सोऽन्ववर्तत तत्पुनः
With his entire army, and with Droṇa's approval, Śāntanu's son himself followed the formation as it was arranged.
स निर्ययौ महाराज पिता देवव्रतस्तव । महता रथवंशेन संवृतो रथिनां वरः
Then your father, O king, Devavrata, departed, surrounded by a great line of chariots, foremost among charioteers.
इतरेतरमन्वीयुर्यथाभागमवस्थिताः । रथिनः पत्तयश्चैव दन्तिनः सादिनस्तथा
They followed one another, each in their assigned place: charioteers, infantry, elephants, and cavalry likewise.
तान्दृष्ट्वाऽभ्युद्यतान्सङ्ख्ये पाण्डवा हि यशस्विनः । श्येनव्यूहेन संव्यूह्य समनह्यन्त संयुगे
Seeing those illustrious Pandavas advancing in battle, they arrayed themselves in the Garuda formation and prepared for combat.
अशोभत मुखे तस्य भीमसेनो महाबलः । नेत्रे शिखण्डी दुर्धर्षो धृष्टद्युम्नश्च पार्षतः
At the head of that array stood Bhimasena, mighty in strength; at the two eyes were Shikhandi, difficult to defeat, and Dhrishtadyumna, son of Prishata.
शीर्षे तस्याभवद्वीरः सात्यकिः सत्यविक्रमः । विधुन्वन्गाण्डिवं पार्थो ग्रीवायामभवत्तदा
At its crown was the valiant Satyaki, steadfast in valor, and at the neck was Arjuna, wielding the Gandiva bow.
अक्षौहिण्या समं तत्र वामपक्षोऽभवत्तदा । महात्मा द्रुपदः श्रीमान्सह पुत्रेण संयुगे
On the left wing of that great army stood the noble Drupada, renowned and accompanied by his son in battle.
दक्षिणश्चाभवत्पक्षः कैकेयोऽक्षौहिणीपतिः । पृष्ठतो द्रौपदेयाश्च सौभद्रश्चापि वीर्यवान्
On the right wing was the Kekaya king, lord of an Akshauhini; at the rear were the sons of Draupadi and the valiant son of Subhadra.
पृष्ठे समभवच्छ्रीमान्स्वयं राजा युधिष्ठिरःक । भ्रातृभ्यां सहितो वीरो यमाभ्यां चारुविक्रमः
At the very rear was the illustrious King Yudhishthira himself, the heroic son of Dharma, together with his two brothers, the valiant twins.
प्रविश्य तु रणे भीमो मकरं मुखतस्तदा। भीष्ममासाद्य संग्रामे च्छादयामास सायकैः
Then Bhima entered the battle at the mouth of the formation, and, confronting Bhishma in the fight, covered him with arrows.
ततो भीष्मो महास्राणि पातयामास भारत। मोहयन्पाण्डुपुत्राणां व्यूढं सैन्यं महाहवे
Thereupon Bhishma unleashed great showers of arrows, bewildering the Pandava army's formation in that mighty conflict.
संमुह्यति तदा सैन्ये त्वरमाणो धनंजयः । भीष्मं शरसहस्रेण विव्याध रणमूर्धनि
As the army became confused, Dhananjaya, acting swiftly, struck Bhishma on the battlefield with a thousand arrows.
प्रतिसंवार्य चास्राणि भीष्ममुक्तानि संयुगे। स्वेनानीकेन हृष्टेन युद्धाय समुपस्थितः
Fending off the arrows released by Bhishma in battle, he stood ready for combat with his own delighted division.
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा भारज्वाजमभाषत । पूर्वं दृष्ट्वा वधं घोरं बलस्य बलिनां वरः
Then King Duryodhana spoke to Bharadwaja's son, having first witnessed the dreadful slaughter of his powerful forces.
भ्रातॄणां च वधं युद्धे स्मरमाणो महारथः। आचार्यः सततं हि त्वं हितकामो ममानघ
Recalling the deaths of his brothers in battle, the great chariot-warrior said, 'O teacher, you always seek my welfare, O faultless one.'
वयं हि त्वां समाश्रित्य भीष्मं चैव पितामहम् । देवानपि रणे जेतुं प्रार्थयामो न संशयः
Indeed, relying on you and on Grandsire Bhishma, we hope to conquer even the gods in battle—of this there is no doubt.
किमु पाण्डुसुताकन्युद्धे हीनवीर्यपराक्रमान् । स तथा कुरु भद्रं ते यथा वध्यन्ति पाण्डवाः
What then of the sons of Pandu, weak in strength and valor? Therefore, act in such a way, blessed one, that the Pandavas may be slain.