चेकितानस्ततः क्रुद्धः पुनश्चिक्षेप तां गदाम् । गौतमस्य वधाकाङ्क्षी वृत्रस्येव पुरन्दरः
Then Cekitāna, enraged, hurled his mace again, desiring Gautama’s death, like Indra against Vṛtra.
तामापतन्तीं विमलामश्यमगर्भां महागदाम्। शरैरनेकसाहस्त्रैर्वारयामास गौतमः
Gautama repelled that great, spotless, iron-cored mace as it rushed toward him, with many thousands of arrows.
चेकितानस्ततः खङ्गं क्रोधादुद्धृत्य भारत। लाघवं परमास्थाय गौतमं समुपाद्रवत्
Then Cekitāna, seizing his sword in anger, O Bhārata, relying on supreme agility, rushed at Gautama.
गौतमोऽपि धनुस्त्यक्त्वा प्रगृह्यासिं सुसंयतः । वेगेन महता राजंश्चेकितानमुपाद्रवत्
Gautama too, discarding his bow and firmly grasping his sword, advanced swiftly upon Cekitāna, O King.
तावुभौ बलसंपन्नौ निस्त्रिंशवरधारिणौ । निस्त्रिंशाभ्यां सुतीक्ष्णाभ्यामन्योन्यं संततक्षतुः
Both powerful and armed with excellent swords, they struck each other repeatedly with their very sharp blades.
निस्त्रिंशवेगाभिहतौ ततस्तौ पुरुषर्षभौ । धरणीं समनुप्राप्तौ सर्वभूतनिषेविताम्
Struck by the force of each other's swords, those two best of men fell to the earth, honored by all beings.
मूर्छयाऽभिपरीताङ्गौ व्यायामेन तु मोहितौ । ततोऽभ्यधावद्वेगेन भीमसेनः सुहृत्तया
Their bodies overcome by faintness, exhausted by exertion and bewildered, Bhīmasena, with friendly intent, rushed swiftly toward them.
चेकितानं तथाभूतं दृष्ट्वा समरदुर्मदः । रथमारोपयच्चैनं सर्वसैकन्यस्य पश्यतः
Seeing Cekitāna in such a state, the battle-frenzied Bhīmasena lifted him onto his chariot as all the troops looked on.
तथैव शकुनि शूरः स्यालस्तव विशांपतेक । आरोपयद्रथं तूर्णं गौतमं रथिनां वरम्
Likewise, the valiant Śakuni, O lord of men, quickly lifted Gautama, the foremost of chariot-warriors, onto his chariot.
सौमदत्तिं ततः क्रुद्धो धृष्टकेतुर्महाबलः । नवत्या सायकैः क्षिप्रं राजन्विव्याध वक्षसि
Then the mighty Dhṛṣṭaketu, enraged, swiftly pierced Saumadatti in the chest with ninety arrows, O King.
सौमदत्तिरुरस्थैस्तैर्भृशं बाणैरशोभत । मध्यंदिने महाराज रश्मिभिस्तपनो यथा
Saumadatti, his chest adorned with those sharp arrows, shone greatly, O King, like the sun at midday with its rays.
भूरिश्रवास्तु समरे धृष्टकेतुं महारथम् । हतसूतहयं चक्रे विरथं सायकोत्तमैः
In battle, Bhūriśravā made the great chariot-warrior Dhṛṣṭaketu, with his charioteer and horses slain, chariotless by means of excellent arrows.
विरथं तं समालोक्य हताश्वं हतसारथिम् । महता शरवर्षेण च्छादयामास संयुगे
Seeing him chariotless, his horses and charioteer slain, he covered him in battle with a great shower of arrows.
स तु तं रथमुत्सृज्य धृष्टकेतुर्महामनाः । आरुरोह ततो यानं शतानीकस्य मारिष
But Dhṛṣṭaketu, of great spirit, abandoning that chariot, then mounted the vehicle of Śatānīka, O great one.
चित्रसेनो विकर्णश्च राजन्दुर्मर्षणस्तथा। रथिनो हेमसन्नाहाः सौभद्रमभिदुद्रुवुः
O King, Citraseṇa, Vikarna, and Durmarṣaṇa, all chariot-warriors clad in golden armor, rushed toward Saubhadra.
अभिमन्योस्ततस्तैस्तु घोरं युद्धमवर्तत। शरीरस्य यथा राजन्वातपित्तकफैस्त्रिभिः
Then, a fierce battle arose between those warriors and Abhimanyu, just as, O King, the body is afflicted by wind, bile, and phlegm.
विरथांस्तव पुत्रांस्तु कृत्वा राजन्महाहवे । न जघान नरव्याघ्रः स्मरन्भीमवचस्तदा
Having unhorsed your sons in the great battle, O King, the tiger among men did not slay them, remembering Bhima’s words at that moment.
ततो राज्ञां बहुशतैर्गजाश्वरथयायिभिः । संवृतं समरे भीष्मं देवैरपि दुरासदम्
Then Bhishma, surrounded in battle by many hundreds of kings with elephants, horses, and chariots, became a force difficult even for the gods to approach.
प्रयान्तं शीघ्रमुद्वीक्ष्य परित्रातुं सुतांस्तव । अभिमन्युं समुद्दिश्य बालमेकं महारथम्
Seeing Bhishma swiftly advancing to protect your sons, aiming at the young and lone great chariot-warrior Abhimanyu,
वासुदेवमुवाचेदं कौन्तेयः श्वेतवाहनः । चोदयाश्वान्हृषीकेश यत्रैते बहुला रथाः
White-bannered Arjuna, son of Kunti, said to Vāsudeva: 'Urge the horses on, Hrishikesha, to where these many chariots are gathered.'
एते हि बहवः शूराः कृतास्त्रा युद्धदुर्मदाः। यथा हन्युर्न नः सेनां तथा माधव चोदय
'For these many valiant warriors, skilled in weapons and arrogant in battle, are here. O Mādhava, drive so that they do not destroy our army.'
एवमुक्तः स वार्ष्णेयः कौन्तेयेनामितौजसा । रथं श्वेतहयैर्युक्तं प्रेषयामास संयुगे
Thus addressed by the mighty son of Kunti, the Vṛṣṇi hero sent forth the chariot yoked with white horses into the battle.
निष्ठानको महानासीत्तव सैन्यस्य मारिष । यदर्जुनो रणे क्रुद्धः संयातस्तावकान्प्रति
A great tumult arose in your army, O Māriṣa, when Arjuna, enraged in battle, advanced against your forces.
समासाद्य तु कौन्तेयो राज्ञस्तान्भीष्मरक्षिणः । सुशर्माणमथो राजन्निदं वचनमब्रवीत्
Having approached those kings who were Bhishma’s protectors, the son of Kunti then spoke these words to Suśarmā, O King.
जानामि त्वां युधां श्रेष्ठमत्यन्तं पूर्ववैरिणम् । अनयस्याद्य संप्राप्तं फलं पश्य सुदारुणम्
'I know you as the foremost among warriors and an ancient enemy. Now see the dreadful fruit of your misdeeds that has come upon you today.'
अद्य ते दर्शयिष्यामि पूर्वप्रेतान्पितामहान् । एवं संजल्पतस्तस्य बीभत्सोः शत्रुघातिनः
'Today I shall show you your ancestors who have passed away before, O slayer of foes,' so spoke Bhībhatsu, the destroyer of enemies.
श्रुत्वापि परुषं वाक्यं सुशर्मा रथयूथपः । न चैनमब्रवीत्किंचिच्छुभं वा यदि वाऽशुभम्
Hearing even such harsh words from Bhībhatsu, Suśarmā, the leader of chariot-warriors, did not reply with anything, good or bad.
अभिगम्यार्जुनं वीरं राजभिर्बहुभिर्वृतः। पुरस्तात्पृष्ठतश्चैव पार्श्वतश्चैव सर्वतः
Then, surrounded by many kings, Suśarmā approached the heroic Arjuna from the front, from behind, and from all sides.
परिवार्यार्जुनं सङ्ख्ये तव पुत्रैर्महारथः । शरैः संछादयामास मेघैरिव दिवाकरम्
That great chariot-warrior, with your sons, encircled Arjuna in battle and covered him with arrows, as clouds cover the sun.
ततः प्रवृत्तः सुमहान्संग्रामः शोणितोदकः। तावकानां च समरे पाण्डवानां च भारत
Then a great battle began, its waters blood, between your forces and the Pāṇḍavas, O Bhārata, on the field.