तामापतन्तीं सहसा घोररूपां दुरासदाम्। अभिमन्युः शरैस्तीक्ष्णैश्चिच्छेद भुजगोपमाम्
As that terrible, hard-to-withstand spear, resembling a serpent, rushed upon him, Abhimanyu cut it down with sharp arrows.
ततः स्वरथमारोप्य लक्ष्मणं गौतमस्तदा। अपोवाह रथेनाजौ सर्वसैन्यस्य पश्यतः
Then Gautama placed Lakshmana on his own chariot and drove him away from the battle, as all the warriors looked on.
ततः समाकुले तस्मिन्वर्तमाने महाभये । अभ्यद्रवञ्जिघांसन्तः परस्परवधैषिणः
Then, as confusion and great fear prevailed, those intent on slaying each other rushed forward, desiring mutual destruction.
तावकाश्च महेष्वासाः पाण्डवाश्च महारथाः । जुह्वन्तः समरे प्राणान्निजघ्नुरितरेतरम्
Your great bowmen and the mighty chariot-warriors of the Pandavas, offering up their lives in battle, struck one another.
मुक्तकेशा विकवचा विरथाश्छिन्नकार्मुकाः । बाहुभइः समयुध्यन्त सृञ्जयाः कुरुभिः सह
With hair disheveled, armor broken, chariots lost, and bows cut, the Sṛñjayas fought hand to hand with the Kurus.
ततो भीष्मो महाबाहुः पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम् । सेनां जघान संक्रुद्धो दिव्यैरस्त्रैर्महाबलः
Then Bhishma, mighty-armed and furious, struck the army of the great-souled Pandavas with divine weapons, O mighty king.
हतेश्वरैर्गजैस्तत्र नरैरश्वैश्च पातितैः । रथिभिः सादिभिश्चैव समास्तीर्यत मेदिनी
There, the ground was strewn with slain lords of elephants, men, horses, chariot-warriors, and their attendants.
अथ राजन्महाबाहुः सात्यकिर्युद्धदुर्मदः। विकृष्य चापं समरे भारसाहमनुत्तमम्
Then, O King, Satyaki of mighty arms, fierce in battle, drew his excellent, unyielding bow in the fight.
यत्तत्सख्युस्तु पूर्वेण अर्जुनादुपशिक्षितम् । प्रगाढं लघु चित्रं च दर्शयन्हस्तलाघवम्। प्रामुञ्चत्पुङ्खसंयुक्ताञ्शरानाशीविषोपमान्
Displaying the deep, swift, and intricate skill in archery he had earlier learned from Arjuna, showing great dexterity of hand, he released arrows tipped like venomous serpents.
तस्य विक्षिपतस्छापं शरानन्यांश्च मुञ्चतः। आददानस्य भूयश्च संदधानस्य चापरान्
As he drew his bow and released arrows, taking up more and stringing others, his movements were ceaseless.
क्षिपतश्च परांस्तस्य रणे शत्रून्विनिघ्नतः। ददृशे रूपमत्यर्थं मेघस्येव प्रवर्षतः
As he hurled those arrows, striking down enemy warriors in battle, his form appeared like a raincloud pouring down torrents.
तमुदीर्यन्तमालोक्य राजा दुर्योधस्ततः । रथानामयुतं तस्य प्रेषयामास भारत
Seeing him thus, King Duryodhana sent a division of ten thousand chariots against him, O Bharata.
तांस्तु सर्वान्महेष्वासान्सात्यकिः सत्यविक्रमः । जघान परमेष्वासो दिव्येनास्त्रेण वीर्यवान्
Satyaki, the valiant and supreme archer, destroyed all those great bowmen with a divine weapon.
स कृत्कवा दारुणं कर्म प्रगृहीतशरासनः। आससाद ततो वीरो भूरिश्रवसमाहवे
Clad in armor, grasping his formidable bow, that hero then approached Bhurishravas on the battlefield.
स हि संदृश्य सेनां ते युयुधानेन पातिताम् । अभ्यधावत संक्रुद्धः कुरूणां कीर्तिवर्धनः
Beholding his army struck down by Yuyudhana, Bhurishravas, the glory of the Kurus, rushed forward in wrath.
इन्द्रायुधसवर्णं तु विस्फार्य सुमहद्धनुः । सृष्टवान्वज्रसंकाशाञ्शरानाशीविषोपमान्
He drew his great bow, shining like Indra’s weapon, and released arrows blazing like thunderbolts, resembling venomous serpents.
सहस्रशो माहाराज दर्शयन्पाणिलाघवम् । शरांस्तान्मृत्युसंस्पर्शान्सात्यकेश्च पदानुगाः
By the thousands, O King, he displayed his skill of hand, sending forth arrows that bore the touch of death, along with Satyaki’s followers.
न विषेहुस्तदा राजन्दुद्रुवुस्ते समन्ततः । विहाय सात्यकिं राजन्समरे युद्धदुर्मदम्
Unable to withstand him, O King, they fled in all directions, abandoning Satyaki, fierce in battle.
तं दृष्ट्वा युयुधानस्य सुता दश महाबलाः । महारथाःक समाख्याताश्चित्रवर्मायुधध्वजाः
Seeing this, ten mighty sons of Yuyudhana, renowned as great chariot-warriors, adorned with splendid armor, advanced.
समासाद्य महेष्वासं भूरिश्रवसमाहवे। ऊचुः सर्वे सुसंरब्धा यूपकेतुं महारणे
Confronting Bhurishravas, the great archer, on the battlefield, all of them, filled with rage, addressed the standard-bearer in the great war.
भोभो कौरवादायाद सहास्माभिर्महाबल । एहि युध्यस्व संग्रामे समस्तैः पृथगेव वा
O scion of the Kauravas, come and fight with us, mighty one—either together or one by one in battle.
अस्मान्वा त्वं पराजित्य यशः प्राप्नुहि संयुगे। वयं वा त्वां पराजित्य प्रीतिं धास्यामहे पितुः
If you defeat us in combat, win glory for yourself; or if we defeat you, we shall bring joy to our father.
एवमुक्तस्तदा शूरैस्तानुवाच महाबलः । वीर्यश्लाघी नरश्रेष्ठस्तान्दृष्ट्वा समवस्थितान्
Thus addressed by those heroes, the mighty one, proud of his valor and foremost among men, seeing them arrayed before him, replied:
साध्विदं कथ्यते वीरा यंद्येवं मतिरद्य वः। युध्यध्वं सहिता यत्ता निहनिष्यामि वो रणे
Well said, O heroes! If this is your resolve today, then fight together, prepared—I shall slay you all in battle.
एवमुक्ता महेष्वासास्ते वीराः क्षिप्रकारिणः । महता शरवर्षेण अभ्यधावन्नरिन्दमम्
Thus addressed, those great archers, swift in action, rushed upon the best of men with a mighty shower of arrows.
सोऽपराह्णे महाराज संग्रामस्तुमुलोऽभवत्। एकस्य च बहूनां च समेतानां रणाजिरे
Then, O King, in the afternoon, a tumultuous battle took place between one and many who had assembled on the field of war.
तमेकं रथिनां श्रेष्ठं शरैस्ते समवाकिरन् । प्रावृषीव यथा मेरुं सिषिचुर्जलदा नृप
They covered that one, the foremost of chariot-warriors, with arrows, just as clouds pour upon Mount Meru in the rainy season, O King.
तैस्तु मुक्ताञ्शरान्घोरान्यमदण्डाशनिप्रभान् । असंप्राप्तानसंभ्राकन्तिश्चिच्छेदाशु महारथः
But that great chariot-warrior swiftly cut down those terrible arrows, blazing like the rod of Death or thunderbolts, before they could reach him.
तत्राद्भुतमपश्याम सौमदत्तेः पराक्रमम् । यदेको बहुबिर्युद्धे समसञ्जदभीतवत्
There we beheld the wondrous valor of Saumadatti, who alone, in battle against many, stood unshaken and fearless.
विसृज्य शरवृष्टिं तां दश राजन्महारथाः । परिवार्य महाबाहुं निहन्तुमुपचक्रमुः
Then, O King, ten great chariot-warriors, having loosed their shower of arrows, surrounded the mighty-armed one and began to attack him.