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.
मध्यंदिनगते सूर्ये नभस्याकुलतां गते । कुरवः पाण्डवेयाश्च निजघ्नुरितरेतरम्
When the sun had reached midday and the sky was filled with turmoil, the Kurus and the sons of Pandu struck each other relentlessly.
ध्वजिनो हेमचित्राङ्गा विचरन्तो रणाजिरे । सपताका रथा रेजुर्वैयाघ्रपरिवारणाः
Chariots adorned with golden standards, moving about the field of battle, shone brightly, surrounded by tiger-bannered warriors.
समेतानां च समरे जिगीषूणां परस्परम् । बभूव तुमुलः शब्दः सिंहानामिव नर्दताम्
As those eager for victory met each other in battle, a tumultuous noise arose, like the roaring of lions.
तत्राद्भुतमपश्यास संप्रहारं सुदारुणम्। यदकुर्वन्रणे शूराः सृञ्जयाः कुरुभिः सह
There, O King, I beheld a wondrous and terrible conflict, as the heroic Srinjayas fought with the Kurus.
नैव खं न दिशो राजन्न सूर्यं शत्रुतापन। विदिशो वापि पश्यामः शरैर्मुक्तैः समन्ततः
Neither the sky, nor the directions, nor the sun, nor even the intermediate quarters could be seen, O scorcher of foes, due to the arrows released on all sides.
शक्तीनां विमलाग्राणां तोमराणां तथास्यताम् । निस्त्रिंशानां च पीतानां नीलोत्पलनिभाः प्रभाः
The radiant tips of spears, the flights of javelins, and the golden swords shone with a blue-lotus hue.
कवचानां विचित्राणां भूषणानां प्रभास्तथा । खं दिशः प्रदिशश्चैव भासयामासुरोजसा
The brilliance of the variegated armor and ornaments illuminated the sky, the quarters, and the intermediate directions with their splendor.
वपुर्भिश्च नरेन्द्राणां चन्द्रसूर्यसमप्रभैः । विरराज तदा राजंस्तत्रतत्र रणाङ्गणम्
And with the forms of the kings, radiant as the moon and sun, the field of battle shone resplendently in many places, O King.
रथसङ्घा नरव्याघ्राः समायान्तश्च संयुगे। विरेजुः समरे राजन्ग्रहा इव नभस्तले
The tiger-like warriors, advancing in their chariot divisions, shone in battle, O King, like planets moving across the sky.
भीष्मस्तु रथिनां श्रेष्ठो भीमसेनं महाबलम् । अवारयत संक्रुद्धः सर्वसैन्यस्य पश्यतः
Then Bhishma, the foremost of charioteers, in the sight of all the troops, angrily checked the mighty Bhimasena.