विरथं तं समासाद्य चित्रसेनं यशस्विनम् । रथमारोपयामास विकर्णस्तनयस्तव
Then Vikarna, your son, seeing the illustrious Citraseṇa deprived of his chariot, swiftly mounted him onto his own.
तस्मिंस्तथा वर्तमाने तुमुले संकुले भृशम्। भीष्मः शान्तनवस्तूर्णं युधिष्ठिरमुपाद्रवत्
While this tumultuous and fierce battle was thus unfolding, Bhishma, son of Shantanu, quickly advanced toward Yudhishthira.
ततः सरथनागाश्वाः समकम्पन्त सृञ्जयाः । मृत्योरास्यमनुप्राप्तं मेनिरे च युधिष्ठिरम्
Thereupon, the Sṛñjayas with their chariots, elephants, and horses trembled, and they thought Yudhishthira had entered the very jaws of death.
युधिष्ठिरोऽपि कौरव्यो यमाभ्यां सहितः प्रभुः । महेष्वासं नरव्याघ्रं भीष्मं शान्तनवं ययौ
Yet Yudhishthira, the Kaurava lord, accompanied by the twins, advanced toward Bhishma, son of Shantanu, that great archer and tiger among men.
ततः शरसहस्राणि प्रमुञ्चन्पाण्डवो युधि । भीष्मं संछादयामास यथा मेघो दिवाकरम्
Then the son of Pandu, releasing thousands of arrows in battle, covered Bhishma as a cloud covers the sun.
तेन सम्यक्प्रणीतानि शरजालानि मारिष । प्रतिजग्राह गाङ्गयः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
O Māriṣa, the son of Ganga received those well-aimed showers of arrows, hundreds and thousands, and withstood them.
तथैव शरजालानि भीष्मोणास्तानि मारिष । आकाशे समदृश्यन्त स्वगमानां व्रजा इव
In the same way, Bhishma's showers of arrows were seen in the sky, O Māriṣa, like flocks of birds returning to their nests.
निमेषार्धेन कौन्तेयं भीष्मः शान्तनवो युधि । अदृश्यं समरे चक्रे शरजालेन भारत
In half a moment, Bhishma, son of Shantanu, rendered the son of Kunti invisible on the battlefield with a dense shower of arrows, O Bhārata.
ततो युधिष्ठिरे राजा कौरव्यस्य महात्मनः । नाराचं प्रेषयामास क्रुद्ध आशीविषोपमम्
Then the king, Yudhishthira, enraged, dispatched a razor-sharp arrow, resembling a venomous serpent, at the great-souled Kaurava.
असंप्राप्तं ततस्तं तु क्षुरप्रेण महारथः । चच्छेद समरे राजन्भीष्मस्तस्य धनुश्च्युतम्
But before it could reach him, Bhishma, the great chariot-warrior, cut it down in battle with a razor-headed arrow, O king, and it fell from Yudhishthira's bow.
तं तु च्छित्वा रणे भीष्मो नाराचं कलसंमितम् । नजघ्ने कौरवेन्द्रस्य हयान्काञ्चनभूषणान्
Having cut that arrow, which was like a vessel, in battle, Bhishma did not strike at the horses of the Kaurava king, though they were adorned with gold.
हताश्वं तु रथं त्यक्त्वा धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। आरुरोह रथं तूर्णं नकुलस्य महात्मनःक
When his horses were slain, Yudhishthira, son of Dharma, abandoned his chariot and swiftly mounted the chariot of the noble Nakula.
यमावपि हि संक्रुद्धः समासाद्य रणे तदा । शरैः संछादयामास भीष्मः परपुरंजयः
Then Bhishma, conqueror of enemy cities, encountering the enraged twins in battle, covered them with arrows.
तौ तु दृष्ट्वा महाराज भीष्मबाणप्रपीडितौ। जगाम परमां चिन्तां भीष्मस्य वधकाङ्क्षया
Seeing the twins afflicted by Bhishma's arrows, O king, Yudhishthira fell into deep anxiety, desiring Bhishma's death.
ततो युधिष्ठिरो वश्यान्राज्ञस्तान्समचोदयत् । भीष्मं शान्तनवं सर्वे निहतेति सुहृद्गणान्
Then Yudhishthira urged all his obedient royal friends, 'Let us all together slay Bhishma, son of Shantanu!'
ततस्ते पार्थिवाः सर्वे श्रुत्वा पार्थस्य भाषितम् । महता रथवंशेन परिवव्रुः पितामहम्
Hearing the words of the son of Pritha, all the kings surrounded the grandsire with a great array of chariots.
स समन्तात्परिवृतः पिता देवव्रतस्तव। चिक्रीड धनुषा राजन्पातयानो महारथान्
Surrounded on all sides, your father Devavrata played with his bow, O King, bringing down great warriors.
तं चरन्तं रणे पार्था ददृशुः कौरवं युधि। मृगमध्यं प्रविश्येव यथा सिंहशिशुं वने
The sons of Pritha saw that Kaurava on the battlefield, moving among the warriors like a lion cub entering the midst of deer in the forest.
तर्जयानं रमे वीरांस्त्रासयानं च सायकैः । दृष्ट्वा त्रेसुर्महाराज सिंहं मृगगणा इव
Seeing him threatening the heroes and terrifying them with his arrows, the warriors trembled, O great king, like herds of deer before a lion.
रणे भारत सिंहस्य ददृशुः क्षत्रिया गतिम्। अग्नेर्वायुसहायस्य यथा कक्षं दिधक्षतः
On the battlefield, the Kshatriyas beheld the advance of that lion-like man, as if he were fire, aided by the wind, seeking to consume the forest.
शिरांसि रथिनां भीष्मः पातयामास संयुगे। तालेभ्यः परिपक्वानि फलानि कुशलो नरः
In the battle, Bhishma struck down the heads of chariot-warriors, as a skilled man brings down ripe fruits from palm trees.
पतद्भिश्च महाराज शिरोभिर्धरणीतले। बभूव तुमुलः शब्दः पततामश्मनामिव
With the heads falling to the ground, O King, there arose a tumultuous sound, like the crashing of stones as they fall.
तस्मिन्सुतुमुले युद्धे वर्तमाने भयानके। सर्वेषामेव सैन्यानामासीद्व्यतिकरो महान्
In that exceedingly tumultuous and terrifying battle, there was great confusion among all the armies.
भिन्नेषु तेषु व्यूहेषु क्षत्रिया इतरेतरम् । एकमेकं समाहूय युद्धायैवावतस्थिरे
With the battle-formations broken, the Kshatriyas challenged one another, each calling out a rival to fight.
शिखण्डी तु समासाद्य भरतानां पितामहम् । अभिदुद्राव वेगेन तिष्ठतिष्ठेति चाब्रवीत्
But Shikhandi, approaching the grandsire of the Bharatas, rushed at him with speed, crying, 'Stand, stand!'
अनादृत्य ततो भीष्मस्तं शिखण्डिनमाहवे । प्रययौ सृञ्जयान्क्रुद्धः स्त्रीत्वं तस्य विचिन्तयन्
Then Bhishma, disregarding Shikhandi in the battle, went in anger against the Srinjayas, considering Shikhandi's womanhood.
सृंजयास्तु ततो दृष्ट्वा हृष्टं भीष्म महारणे । सिंहनादांश्च विविधांश्चक्रुः शङ्खविमिश्रितान्
Then the Srinjayas, seeing Bhishma delighted in the great battle, raised various lion-roars, mingled with the sound of conches.
ततः प्रववृते युद्धं व्यतिषक्तरथद्विपम् । पश्चिमां दिशमासाद्य स्थिते सवितरि प्रभो
Then the battle was joined, with chariots and elephants intermingled, as the sun stood in the western sky, O lord.
धृष्टद्युम्नोऽथ पाञ्चाल्यः सात्यकिश्च महारथः । पीडयन्तौ भृशं सैन्यं शक्तितोमरवृष्टिभिः
Then Dhrishtadyumna of the Panchalas and the mighty car-warrior Satyaki pressed the army hard with showers of spears and javelins.
शस्त्रैश्च बहुभी राजञ्जघ्नतुस्तावकान्रणे । ते हन्यमानाः समरे तावका भरतर्षभ
And with many weapons, O King, they struck down your men in battle; and your warriors, O bull of the Bharatas, were slain in the fight.