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.
निरभ्रे विद्युतस्तीव्रा दिशश्च रजसा वृताः । प्रादुरासन्महोत्काश्च सनिर्घाता विशांपते
Intense lightning flashed in a cloudless sky, and the directions were covered with dust; great and terrible omens appeared, O lord of the people, with thunderclaps resounding.
प्रादुर्भूतो महावातः पांसुवर्षं पपात च । नभस्यन्तर्दधे सूर्यः सैन्येन सजसा वृतः
A mighty wind arose, and a shower of dust fell; the sun was hidden in the sky, veiled by the army and the dust.
प्रमोहः सर्वसत्वानामतीव समपद्यत। रजसा चाभिभूतानामस्त्रजालैश्च तुद्यताम्
A great confusion seized all beings, overwhelmed by the dust and struck by showers of weapons.
वीरबाहुविसृष्टानां सर्वावरणभेदिनाम् । संघातः शरजालानां तुमुलः समपद्यत
A tumultuous mass of arrow-showers, released by heroic arms and capable of piercing all defenses, arose.
प्रकाशं चक्रुराकाशमुद्यतानि भुजोत्तमैः । नक्षत्रविमलाभानि शस्त्राणि भरतर्षभ
Weapons, shining like pure stars, raised by mighty arms, made the sky bright, O bull among the Bharatas.
आर्षभाणि विचित्राणि रुक्मजालावृतानि च । संपेतुर्दिक्षु सर्वासु चर्माणि भरतर्षभ
Splendid shields, adorned with gold networks and bearing the mark of the bull, flew in all directions, O bull among the Bharatas.
सूर्यवर्णैश्च निस्त्रिंशैः पात्यमानानि सर्वशः । दिक्षु सर्वास्वदृश्यन्त शरीराणि शिरांसि च
Bodies and heads, struck down everywhere by swords shining like the sun, were seen in all directions.
भग्नचक्राक्षनीडाश्च निपातितमहाध्वजाः । हताश्वाः पृथिवीं जग्मुस्तत्रतत्र महारथाः
Great charioteers, with broken wheels and shattered axles, fallen mighty banners, and slain horses, lay scattered across the earth.
परिपेतुर्हयाश्चात्र केचिच्छस्त्रकृतव्रणाः । रथान्विपरिकर्षन्तो हतेषु रथयोधिषु
Here and there, some horses, wounded by weapons, wandered about, dragging chariots after the chariot warriors had been killed.
शराहता भिन्नदेहा बद्धयोक्रा हयोत्तमाः । युगानि पर्यकर्षन्त तत्रतत्र स्म भारत
Excellent horses, struck by arrows, their bodies broken and yokes still bound, dragged the yokes here and there, O Bharata.