गङ्गायाः सुरनद्या वै स्वादुभूतं यथोदकम् । महोदधिसमभ्याशे लवणत्वं निगच्छति
Just as the sweet water of the divine river Ganga, when it nears the great ocean, becomes salty,
तथा तत्पौरुषं राजंस्तावकानां परंतप । प्राप्य पाण्डुसुतान्वीरान्व्यर्थं भवति संयुगे
So too, O king, the great valor of your men becomes futile in battle when it encounters the heroic sons of Pandu.
घटमानान्यथाशक्ति कुर्वाणान्कर्म दुष्करम् । न दोषेण कुरुश्रेष्ठ कौरवान्गन्तुमर्हसि
Though striving with all their might and performing difficult deeds, you should not, O best of Kurus, blame the Kauravas.
तवापराधात्सुमहान्सपुत्रस्य विशांपते । पृतिव्याः प्रक्षयो घोरो यमराष्ट्रविवर्धनः
Because of your great fault, O lord of the people, and that of your son, there is a terrible destruction of the earth, increasing the realm of Yama.
आत्मदोषात्समुत्पन्नं शोचितुं नार्हसे नृप । न हि रक्षन्ति राजानः सर्वथाऽत्रापि जीवितम्
O King, you should not grieve for what has arisen from your own fault; for kings are not able to preserve their lives in every circumstance here.
युद्धे सुकृतिनां लोकानिच्छन्तो वसुधाधिपाः। चमूं विगाह्य युद्ध्यन्ते नित्यं स्वर्गपरायणाः
Desiring the worlds attained by the virtuous in battle, the lords of the earth, always intent on heaven, enter the army and fight.
पूर्वाह्णे तु महाराज प्रावर्तत जनक्षयः। तं त्वमेकमना भूत्वा शृणु देवासुरोपमम्
In the forenoon, O great king, the destruction of men began; now, with a focused mind, listen to this battle like that of gods and demons.
आवन्त्यौ तु महेष्वासौ महासेनौ महाबलौ । युधामन्युमभिप्रेक्ष्य समेयता रणोत्कटौ
The two mighty archers from Avanti, great warriors with vast armies, seeing Yudhāmanyu, fierce in battle, advanced together.
तेषां प्रववृते युद्धं समुहद्रोणहर्षणम् । युधामन्युः सुसंक्रुद्धो भ्रातरौ देवरूपिणौ
A tumultuous and thrilling battle arose among them; Yudhāmanyu, greatly enraged, attacked the two brothers who appeared like gods.
विव्याध निशितैस्तूर्णं शरैः सन्नतपर्वभिः। तावेनं प्रत्यविध्येतां समरे चित्रयोधिनौ
He swiftly struck them with sharp arrows having well-rounded joints; in turn, those skilled warriors struck him back in the battle.
युध्यतां हि तथा राजन्विशेषो न व्यदृश्यत । यततां शत्रुनाशाय कृतप्रतिकृतैषिणाम्
O King, as they fought thus, no distinction could be seen between them, each striving to destroy the enemy and countering every move.
युधामन्युस्ततो राजन्ननुविन्दस्य सायकैः । चतुर्भिश्चतुरो वाहाननयद्यमसादनम्
Then, O King, Yudhāmanyu with four arrows sent the four horses of Anuvinda to the abode of Yama.
भल्लाभ्यां च सुतीक्ष्णाभ्यां धनुः केतुं च मारिष । चिच्छेद समरे राजंस्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्
And with two very sharp broad-headed arrows, O great one, he cut down the bow and standard in battle; it was a wondrous sight.
त्यक्त्वाऽनुविन्दोऽथ रथं विन्दस्य रथमास्थितः। धनुर्गृहीत्वा परमं भारसाधनमुत्तमम्
Abandoning his chariot, Anuvinda then mounted the chariot of Vinda, taking up an excellent and heavy bow.
तावेकस्थौ रणे वीरावावन्त्यौ रथिनां वरौ। शरान्मुमुचतुस्तूर्णं युधामन्यौ महात्मनि
Those two heroic brothers from Avanti, best among chariot-warriors, stood together in battle and swiftly released arrows at Yudhāmanyu, the great-souled.
ताभ्यां मुक्ता महावेगाः शराः काञ्चनभूषणाः । दिवाकरपथं प्राप्य च्छादयामासुरम्बरम्
The arrows released by them, adorned with gold, sped with great force and, reaching the path of the sun, covered the sky.
युधामन्यू रणे क्रुद्धो भ्रातरौ तौ महारथौ । ववर्ष शरवर्षेण सारथिं चाप्यपातयत्
Enraged in battle, Yudhāmanyu showered those two great chariot-warriors with a rain of arrows and struck down their charioteer.
तस्मिंस्तु पतिते भूमौ गतसत्वे तु सारथौ । रथः प्रदुद्राव दिशः समुद्धान्तहयस्ततः
When the charioteer fell lifeless to the ground, the chariot, its horses unrestrained, fled in all directions.
तौ स जित्वा महाराज यज्ञसेनसुतः प्रभुः। पौरुषं ख्यापयंस्तूर्णं व्यधमत्तव वाहिनीम्
Having conquered those two, O great king, the powerful son of Yajñasena, swiftly displaying his valor, scattered your army.
सा वध्यमाना समरे धार्तराष्ट्री महाचमूः । वेगान्बहुविधांश्चक्रे विषं पीत्वेन मानवः
That great Kaurava army, being slaughtered in battle, moved with various kinds of speed, as if a man had drunk poison.
हैडिम्बो राक्षसेन्द्रस्तु भगदत्तं समाद्रवत्। रथेनादित्यवर्णेन सध्वजेन महाबलः
Then the mighty Rākṣasa lord Hidimba's son rushed at Bhagadatta with his chariot, shining like the sun and bearing a banner.
ततः प्राग्ज्योतिषो राजा नागराजं समास्थितःक । यथा वज्रधरः पूर्वं संग्रामे तारकामये
Then the king of Prāgjyotiṣa mounted his serpent-king, just as the wielder of the thunderbolt once did in the battle against Tāraka.
तत्र देवाः सगन्धर्वा ऋषयश्च समागताः । विशेषं न स्म विविदुर्हैडिम्बभगदत्तयोः
There, the gods with the Gandharvas and sages assembled, yet they could not distinguish between Hidimba and Bhagadatta.
यथा सुरपतिः शक्रस्त्रासयामास दानवान्। तथैव समरे राजा द्रावयामास पाण्डवान्
Just as Indra, lord of the gods, once routed the Dānavas, so did the king drive the Pāṇḍavas to flight in battle.
तेन विद्राव्यमाणास्ते पाण्डवाः सर्वतो दिशम्। त्रातारं नाभ्यगच्छन्तः स्वेष्वनीकेषु भारत
Driven back on all sides by him, O Bhārata, the Pāṇḍavas found no protector among their own ranks.
भैमसेनिं रथस्थं तु तत्रापश्याम भारत । शेषा विमनसो भूत्वा प्राद्रवन्त महारथाः
But there we saw Bhīmasena’s son standing on his chariot, O Bhārata, while the other great chariot-warriors, disheartened, fled.
निवृत्तेषु तु पाण्डूनां पुनः सैन्येषु भारत । आसीन्निष्ठानको घोरस्तव सैन्यस्य संयुगे
When the Pāṇḍava troops had retreated, O Bhārata, a dreadful tumult arose again in your army during the battle.
घटोत्कचस्ततो राजन्भगदत्तं महारणे। शरैः प्रच्छादयामास मेरुं गिरिमिवाम्बुदः
Then, O king, Ghaṭotkaca covered Bhagadatta in the great battle with arrows, as a cloud covers Mount Meru.
निहत्य ताञ्शरान्राजा राक्षसस्य धनुश्र्युतान्। भैमसेनिं रणे तूर्णं सर्वमर्मस्वताडयत्
The king, striking down those arrows loosed from the Rākṣasa’s bow, swiftly wounded Bhīmasena’s son at all his vital points in battle.
स ताड्यमानो बहुभिः शरैः सन्नतपर्वभिः । न विव्यथे राक्षसन्द्रो भिद्यमान इवाचलः
Though struck by many arrows with sharp heads, the Rākṣasa did not waver, like a mountain being battered.