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.
ततो भीष्मविनिर्मुक्ता रुक्मपुङ्खाः शिलाशिताः। अभ्यङ्गन्तमरे भीमं तैलघौताः सुतेजनाः
Then, golden-feathered, stone-tipped arrows, released by Bhishma, well-shafted and smeared with oil, rushed at Bhima in battle.
तस्य शक्तिं महावेगं भीमसेनो महाबलः । क्रुद्धाशीविषसंकाशं प्रेषयामास भारत
Bhimasena, of great strength, in his wrath, hurled his mighty spear, resembling an enraged serpent, at Bhishma, O Bharata.
तामापतन्तीं सहसा रुक्मदण्डं दुरासदाम्। चिच्छेद समरे भीष्मः शरैः सन्नतपर्वभिः
Bhishma, in battle, swiftly cut down that formidable golden-staffed weapon as it came flying, with his arrows whose joints were well-bent.
ततोऽपरेण भल्लेन पीतेन निशितेन च। कार्मुकं भीमसेनस्य द्विधा चिच्छेद भारत
Then, O Bharata, with another sharp and shining broad-headed arrow, he split Bhimasena’s bow in two.
अपास्य तु धनुश्छिन्नं भीमसेनो महाबलः । शरैर्बहुभिरानर्च्छद्भीष्मं शान्तनवं युधि
But Bhimasena, mighty in strength, cast aside his broken bow and showered many arrows upon Bhishma, son of Shantanu, in the fight.
सात्यकिस्तु ततस्तूर्णं भीष्ममासाद्य संयुगे । आकर्णप्रहितैस्त्रीक्ष्णैर्निशितैस्तिग्मतेजनैः
Then Satyaki, approaching Bhishma quickly in battle, honored him with sharp, fierce arrows drawn to the ear and tipped with keen points.
शरैर्बहुभिरानर्च्छत्पितरं ते जनेश्वर । ततः संधाय वै तीक्ष्णं शरं परमदारुणम्
He honored your father with many arrows, O lord of men; then, fitting a very sharp and exceedingly dreadful arrow,
वार्ष्णेयस्य रथाद्भीष्मः पातयामास सारथिम्। तस्याश्वाः प्रद्रुता राजन्निहते रथसारथौ
Bhishma struck down the charioteer from the Vrishni’s chariot; O king, when the charioteer was killed, his horses bolted.
तेन तेनैव धावन्ति मनोमारुतरंहसः। ततः सर्वस्य सैन्यस्य निःस्वनस्तुमुलोऽभवत्
Those horses, with the speed of mind and wind, ran here and there; then a tumultuous noise arose from the entire army.
हाहाकारश्च संजज्ञे पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम् । अभ्यद्रवत गृह्णीत हयान्यच्छत धावत
A cry of distress arose among the great-souled Pandavas: ‘Seize the horses! Stop them! Catch them as they run!’