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.
अदृश्यन्त ससूताश्च साश्वाः सरथयोधिनः । एकेन बलिना राजन्वारणेन विमर्दिताः
Charioteers, horses, and chariot warriors were seen crushed by a single powerful elephant, O King.
गन्धहस्तिमदस्रावमाघ्राय बहवो रणे। सन्निपाते बलौघानां गजैर्ममृदिरे गजाः
Many elephants, smelling the flow of rut from other elephants in battle, fought fiercely in the clash of armies.
सतोमरैर्महामात्रैर्निपतद्भिर्गतासुभिः । बभूवायोधनं छन्नं नाराचाभिहतैर्गजैः
With spears and mighty elephant drivers falling lifeless, the battlefield was covered by elephants struck by sharp arrows.
सन्निपाते बलौघानां प्रेषितैर्वरवारणैः । निपेतुर्युधि संभग्नाः सयोधाः सध्वजा गजाः
In the clash of armies, noble elephants sent forth into battle fell, broken in combat, along with their warriors and banners.
नागराजोपमैर्हस्तैर्नागैराक्षिप्य संयुगे । व्यदृश्यन्त महाराज संभग्ना रथकूबराः
Chariot boxes were seen shattered in battle by elephants, whose trunks resembled those of kingly elephants, O great king.
विशीर्णरथसङ्घाश्च केशेष्वाक्षिप्य दन्तिभिः । द्रुमशाखा इवाविध्य निष्पिष्टा रथिनो रणे
Groups of chariots were scattered, their warriors crushed in battle by elephants tossing them by the hair, like tree branches broken and smashed.
रथेषु च रथान्युद्धे संसक्तान्वरवारणाः । विकर्षन्तो दिशः सर्वाः संपेतुः सर्वशब्दगाः
In battle, noble elephants dragged chariots entangled with other chariots, pulling them in all directions, making a tumultuous sound.
तेषां तथा कर्षतां तु गजानां रूपमाबभौ । सरःसु नलिनीजालं विषक्तमिव कर्षताम्
As those elephants dragged, their appearance resembled a mass of lotuses pulled from a lake.
एवं संछादितं तत्र बभूवायोधनं महत्। सादिभिश्च पदातैश्च सध्वजैश्च महारथैः
Thus, the great battlefield was covered there with foot soldiers, warriors with banners, and mighty charioteers.
शिखण्डी सह मत्स्येन विराटेन विशांपते। भीष्ममाशु महेष्वासमाससाद सुदुर्जयम्
Śikhaṇḍī, together with the king of the Matsyas, Virāṭa, quickly approached Bhīṣma, the mighty archer and nearly unconquerable.
द्रोणं कृपं विकर्णं च महेष्वासं महाबलम् । राज्ञश्चान्यान्रणे शूरान्बहूनार्च्छद्धनंजयः
Dhanañjaya challenged Droṇa, Kṛpa, Vikarṇa—the mighty archers and great warriors—and many other heroic kings in battle.
सैन्धवं च महेष्वासं सामात्यं सह बन्धुभिः । प्राच्यांश्च दाक्षिणात्यांश्च भूमिपान्भूमिपर्षभ
O best of kings, Dhanañjaya also confronted the mighty archer Saindhava, along with his ministers and kinsmen, as well as the eastern and southern rulers.
पुत्रं च ते महेष्वासं दुर्योधनममर्षणम् । दुःसहं चैव समरे भीमसेनोऽभ्यवर्तत
Bhīmasena advanced against your son, the mighty archer Duryodhana, who was unyielding in battle, and also against Duḥsaha.
सहदेवस्तु शकुनिमुलूकं च महारथम् । पितापुत्रौ महेष्वासावभ्यवर्तत दुर्जयौ
Sahadeva confronted Śakuni and Ulūka, the mighty charioteers, father and son, who were difficult to defeat.
युधिष्ठिरो महाराज गजानीकं महारथः । समवर्तत संग्रामे पुत्रेण निकृतस्तव
King Yudhishthira, the mighty car-warrior, engaged in battle with your son Nikita, who was an elephant-division leader.
माद्रीपुत्रस्तु नकुलः शूरसंक्रन्दनो युधि । त्रिगर्तानां बलैः सार्धं समसञ्जत पाण्डवः
Nakula, the son of Madri, that roaring hero in battle, confronted the forces of the Trigartas, O Pandava.
अभ्यवर्तन्त संक्रुद्धाः समरे साल्वकेकयान्। सात्यकिश्चेकितानश्च सौभद्रश्च महारथः
Satyaki, Chekitana, and the great car-warrior Abhimanyu, fiercely enraged, advanced in battle against the Salvas and the Kekayas.
धृष्टकेतुश्च समरे राक्षसश्च घटोत्कचः । नाकुलिश्च शतानीकः समरे रथपुङ्गवः । पुत्राणां ते रथानीकं प्रत्युद्याताः सुदुर्जयाः
Dhṛṣṭaketu and the Rakshasa Ghaṭotkaca, along with the heroic charioteer Shatanika, son of Nakula, all difficult to vanquish, advanced against your sons’ chariot division in battle.
सेनापतिरमेयात्मा धृष्टद्युम्नो महाबलः । द्रोणेन समरे राजन्समियायोग्रकर्मणा
The commander, Dhṛṣṭadyumna of immeasurable soul and great might, approached Drona in battle, O King, for a fierce encounter.
एवमेते महेष्वासास्तावकाः पाण्डवैः सह । समेत्य समरे शूराः संप्राहारं प्रचक्रिरे
Thus, these mighty archers of your side and the Pandavas, having come together in battle, engaged in fierce combat.