मुष्टिभिर्जानुभिश्चैव तलैश्चैव विशांपते । अन्योन्यं जघ्रिरे वीरास्तावकाः पाण्डवैः सह
O lord of men, your warriors and the sons of Pandu struck each other with fists, knees, and palms.
पतितैः पात्यमानैश्च विचेष्टद्भिश्च भूतले। घोरमायोधनं जज्ञे तत्रतत्र जनेश्वर
With those fallen, falling, and writhing on the ground, a terrible battle arose here and there, O king of men.
विरथा रथिनश्चात्र निस्त्रिंशवरधारिणःक । अन्योन्यमभिधावन्तः परस्परवधैषिणः
There, chariot-warriors deprived of their chariots and those wielding swords and shields rushed at each other, intent on mutual destruction.
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा कलिङ्गैर्बहुभिर्वृतः। पुरस्कृत्य रणे भीष्मं पाण्डवानभ्यवर्तत
Then King Duryodhana, surrounded by many Kalingas, advanced against the Pandavas in battle, placing Bhishma at the forefront.
तथैव पाण्डवाः सर्वे परिवार्य वृकोदरम्। भीष्ममभ्यद्रवन्क्रुद्धास्ततो युद्धमवर्तत
Likewise, all the Pandavas, surrounding Bhima, angrily charged at Bhishma; then the battle commenced.
दृष्ट्वा भीष्मेण संसक्तान्भ्रातॄनन्यांश्च पार्थिवान् । समभ्यधावद्गांङ्गेयमुद्यतास्त्रो धनञ्जयः
Seeing his brothers and other kings engaged with Bhishma, Dhananjaya, weapons raised, rushed at the son of Ganga.
पाञ्चजन्यस्य निर्घोषं धनुषो गाण्डिवस्य च। ध्वजं च दृष्ट्वा पार्थस्य सर्वान्नो भयमाविशत्
Hearing the blare of Panchajanya, the twang of Gandiva, and seeing Arjuna’s banner, fear entered all of us.
सिंहलाङ्गूलमाकाशे ज्वलन्तमिव पर्वतम्। असञ्जमानं वृक्षेषु धूमकेतुमिवोत्थितम्
We saw his banner, with a lion’s tail, blazing in the sky like a mountain, swaying among the trees, rising like a smokey comet.
बहुवर्णं विचित्रं च दिव्यं वानरलक्षणम् । अपश्याम महाराज ध्वजं गाण्डीवधन्वनः
O great king, we beheld the banner of the wielder of Gandiva—multicolored, wondrous, divine, marked with the image of a monkey.
सुवर्णपृष्ठं गाण्डीवं रणे द्रक्ष्यामि भारत। विद्युतं मेघमध्यस्थां भ्राजमानामिवाम्बरे । ददृशुर्गाण्डिवं योधा रुक्मपृष्ठं महामृधे
The warriors saw Gandiva, with its golden back, shining in battle like lightning in the midst of clouds, radiant in the sky.
आशुश्रुम भृशं चास्य शक्रस्येवाभिगर्जतः। सुघोरं तलयोः शब्दं निघ्नतस्तव वाहिनीम्
We heard the fierce sound of his palms, like the roaring of Indra, as he struck your army.
चण्डवातो यथा मेघः सविद्युत्स्तनयित्नुमान् । दिशः संप्लावयन्सर्वाः शरवर्षैः समन्ततः
Like a storm-wind driving a thundercloud with lightning and thunder, he flooded all directions with showers of arrows.
समभ्यधावद्गाङ्गेयं भैरवास्त्रो धनञ्जयः । दिशं प्राचीं प्रतीचीं च न जानीमोऽस्त्रमोहिताः
Dhananjaya, with terrifying weapons, rushed at Bhishma; bewildered by his weapons, we could not tell east from west.
कान्दिग्भूता श्रान्तपत्रा हताश्वा हतचेतसः। अन्योन्यमभिसंश्लिष्य योधास्ते भरतर्षभ
Exhausted, with broken arrows, slain horses, and shattered spirits, those warriors embraced each other, O bull of the Bharatas.
भीष्ममेवाभ्यलीयन्त सह सर्वैस्तवात्मजैः । तेषामार्तायनमभूद्भीष्मः शान्तनवो रणे
They all sought refuge with Bhishma, along with your sons; for them, Bhishma, son of Shantanu, became their protector in battle.
समुत्पतन्ति वित्रस्ता रथेभ्यो रथिनस्तथा । सादिनश्चाश्वपृष्ठेभ्यो भूमौ चापि पदातयः
Terrified, chariot-warriors leapt from their chariots, horsemen from their horses, and foot soldiers onto the ground.
श्रुत्वा गाण्डीवनिर्घोषं विस्फूर्जितमिवाशनेः । सर्वसैन्यानि भीतानि व्यवालीयन्त भारत
Hearing the thunderous twang of Gandiva, like the crack of lightning, all the armies, seized by fear, scattered, O Bharata.
अथ काम्भोजैजरश्वैर्महद्भिः शीघ्रगामिभिः । गोपानां बहुसाहस्त्रैर्बालैर्गापायनैर्वृतः
Then, surrounded by many thousands of youthful cowherds from the Gopas, mounted on great, swift horses of the Kambojas—
मद्रसौवीरगान्धारैस्त्रैगर्तैश्च विशांपते । सर्वकालिङ्गमुख्यैश्च कलिङ्गाधिपतिर्वृतः
The lord of the Kaliṅgas was surrounded by the foremost warriors of all the Kaliṅgas, as well as the Madras, Sauviras, Gandhāras, and Trigartas, O lord of the people.
नानानरगणौघैश्च दुःशासनपुरःसरः । जयद्रथश्च नृपतिः सहितः सर्वराजभिः
Accompanied by multitudes of various troops, with Duḥśāsana at their head, King Jayadratha joined together with all the other kings.
हयारोहवराश्चैव तव पुत्रेण चोदिताः । चतुर्दशसहस्राणि सौबलं पर्यवारयन्
Fourteen thousand of the best horsemen, urged on by your son, surrounded Śakuni, O King.
ततस्ते सहिताः सर्वे विभक्तरथवाहनाः । अर्जुनं समरे जघ्नुस्तावका भरतर्षभ
Then all of them together, with their chariots and vehicles arrayed separately, attacked Arjuna in battle, O bull among the Bharatas.
चेदिकाशिपदातैश्च रथैः पाञ्चालसृञ्जयैः । पाण्डवाः सहिताः सर्वे धृष्टद्युम्नपुरोगमाः। तावकान्समरे जघ्नुर्धर्मपुत्रेण चोदिताः
The Pāṇḍavas, all together with the Cedis, Kāśis, foot soldiers, chariots, Pāñcālas, and Sṛñjayas, led by Dhṛṣṭadyumna and urged on by the son of Dharma, attacked your forces in battle.
रथिभिर्वारणैरश्वैः पादातैश्च समीरितम् । घोरमायोधनं चक्रे महाभ्रसदृशं रजः
With chariots, elephants, horses, and foot soldiers engaged, a fierce battle arose, and the dust resembled a great cloud, O lord of the people.
तोमरप्रासनाराचगजाश्वरथयोधिनाम् । बलेन महता भीष्मः समसञ्जत्किरीटिना
Bhīṣma, with a great force of warriors wielding spears, lances, arrows, and fighting on elephants, horses, and chariots, confronted the one with the diadem.
आवन्त्यः काशिराजेन भीमसेनेन सैन्धवः । अजातशत्रुर्मद्राणामृषभेण यशश्विना
The Avanti king faced the king of Kāśi, Bhīmasena faced the Sindhu king, and the undefeated son of Pāṇḍu faced the renowned chief of the Madras.
सहपुत्रः सहामात्यः शल्येन समसञ्जत। विकर्णः सहदेवेन चित्रसेनः शिखण्डिना
With his son and ministers, Śalya confronted Sahadeva and Vikarṇa, while Citraseṇa faced Śikhaṇḍin.
मत्स्या दुर्योधनं जग्मुः शंकुनिं न विशांपते। द्रुपदश्चेकितानश्च सात्यकिश्चक महारथः
The Matsyas advanced against Duryodhana and Śakuni, O lord of the people, while Drupada, Cekitāna, and the great chariot-warrior Sātyaki joined the battle.
द्रोणेन समसञ्जन्त सपुत्रेण महात्मना । कृपश्च कृतवर्मा च धृष्टद्युम्नमभिद्रुतौ
Droṇa, together with his mighty son, as well as Kṛpa and Kṛtavarman, rushed against Dhṛṣṭadyumna.
एवं प्रव्रजिताश्वानि भ्रान्तनागरथानि च। सैन्यानि समसञ्जन्त प्रयुद्धानि समन्ततः
Thus, with horses running wild and chariots moving erratically, the armies engaged one another in battle on all sides.