प्रासैरभिहताः केचिद्गजयोधाः समन्ततः । पतमानाः स्म दृश्यन्ते गिरिशृङ्गान्नगा इव
Some elephant-warriors, struck all around by spears, were seen falling like trees from mountain peaks.
पादाताश्चाप्यदृश्यन्त निघ्नन्तोऽथ परस्परम् । चित्ररूपधराः शूरा नखरप्रासयोधिनः
Foot soldiers too were seen slaying each other, heroic and bearing various forms, fighting with nails and spears.
अन्योन्यं ते समासाद्य कुरुपाण्डवसैनिकाः । अस्त्रैर्नानाविधैर्घोरै रणे निन्युर्यमक्षयम्
The soldiers of the Kurus and Pandavas, encountering each other, sent many to the abode of Yama in battle with dreadful weapons of various kinds.
ततः शान्तनवो भीष्मो रथघोषेण नादयन् । अभ्यागमद्रणे पार्थान्धनुःशब्देन मोहयन्
Then Bhishma, son of Shantanu, resounded with the noise of his chariot, advancing in battle and bewildering the Pandavas with the sound of his bow.
पाण्डवानां रथाश्चापि नदन्तो भैरवं स्वनम् । अभ्यद्रवन्त संयत्ता धृष्टद्युम्नपुरोगमाः
The chariots of the Pandavas too, roaring with a terrifying sound, advanced, led by Dhrishtadyumna.
ततः प्रववृते युद्धं तव तेषां च भारत। नराश्वरथनागानां व्यतिषक्तं परस्परम्
Then battle commenced between your side and theirs, O Bharata, with men, horses, chariots, and elephants entangled with one another.
भीष्मं तु समरे क्रुद्धं प्रतपन्तं समन्ततः। न शेकुः पाण्डवा द्रष्टुं तपन्तमिव भास्करम्
But the Pandavas could not bear to look upon Bhishma, angry and blazing on all sides in battle, like the sun burning.
ततः सर्वाणि सैन्यानि धर्मपुत्रस्य शासनात्। अभ्यद्रवन्त गाङ्गेयं मर्दयन्तं शितैः शरैः
Then all the armies, at the command of the son of Dharma, rushed at Ganga's son, who was crushing them with sharp arrows.
स तु भीष्मो रणश्लाघी तोमकान्सहसृज्जयान् । पाञ्चालांश्च महेष्वासान्पातयामास सायकैः
Bhishma, proud in battle, released tomakas and jayans, and struck down the Panchalas, great bowmen, with his arrows.
ते वध्यमाना भीष्मेण पाञ्चालाः पाण्डवैः सह। भीष्ममेवाभ्ययुस्तूर्णं त्यक्त्वा मृत्युकृतं भयम्
Those Panchalas, being slain by Bhishma along with the Pandavas, quickly approached Bhishma, abandoning their fear of death.
स तेषां रथिनां वीरो भीष्मः शान्तनवो युधि । चिच्छेद सहसा राजन्बाहूनथ शिरांसि च
That hero Bhishma, son of Shantanu, in battle, suddenly cut off the arms and heads of those chariot-warriors, O King.
विरथान्रथिनश्चक्रे पिता देवव्रतस्तव। पतितान्युत्तमाङ्गानि हयेभ्यो हयसादिनाम्
Your father Devavrata made chariot-warriors lose their chariots; the fallen heads of horsemen dropped from their horses.
निर्मनुष्यांश्च मातङ्गाञ्शयानान्पर्वतोपमान् । अपश्याम महाराज भीष्मास्त्रेण प्रमाथितान्
We saw elephants, like mountains, lying lifeless and without men, struck down by Bhishma's weapons, O great king.
न तत्रासीत्पुमान्कश्चित्पाण्डवानां विशांपते। अन्यत्र रथिनां श्रेष्ठद्भीमसेनान्महाबलात्
There was no man among the Pandavas, O lord of men, except for the foremost of chariot-warriors, mighty Bhimasena.
स हि भीष्मं समासाद्य छादयामास सायकैः । ततो निष्टानको घोरो भीष्मभीमसमागमे
He, upon encountering Bhishma, covered him with arrows; then a dreadful drum sounded at the meeting of Bhishma and Bhima.
बभूव सर्वसैन्यानां घोररूपो भयानकः । तथैव पाण्डवा हृष्टाः सिंहनादमथानदन्
A terrifying and fearsome scene arose among all the armies; likewise, the Pandavas rejoiced and roared like lions.
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा सोदर्यैः परिवारितः। भीष्मं जुगोप समरे वर्तमाने जनक्षये
Then King Duryodhana, surrounded by his brothers, protected Bhishma as the battle raged and men were being slain.
भीमस्तु सारथिं हत्वा भीष्मस्य रथिनां वरः। प्रद्रुताश्वे रथे तस्मिन्द्रवमाणे समन्ततः
But Bhima, foremost among chariot-warriors, having slain Bhishma’s charioteer, drove that chariot with its horses fleeing in all directions.
सुनाभस्य शरेणाशु शिरश्चिच्छेद भारत । क्षुरप्रेण सुतीक्ष्णेन स हतो न्यपतद्भुवि
O Bharata, with a swift arrow, razor-sharp and keen, he cut off Sunabha’s head, and he fell slain to the ground.
हते तस्मिन्महाराज तव पुत्रे महारथे । नामृष्यन्त रणे शूराः सोदराः सप्त संयुगे
When that great chariot-warrior, your son, was slain, O King, his seven valiant brothers could not endure it in battle.
आदित्यकेतुर्बह्वाशी कुण्डधारो महोदरः । अपराजितः पण्डितको विशालाक्षः सुदुर्जयः
Adityaketu, Bahvashi, Kundadhara, Mahodara, Aparajita, Panditaka, and Vishalaksha—mighty and unconquerable warriors—
पाण्डवं चित्रसन्नाहा विचित्रकवचध्वजाः । अभ्यद्रवन्त संग्रामे योद्धुकामारिमर्दनाः
With splendid armor and banners, eager to fight and crush their foe, they charged against Pandava in the battle.
महोदरस्तु समरे भीमं विव्याध पत्रिभिः । नवभिर्वद्रसंकाशैर्नमुचिं वृत्रहा यथा
Mahodara, in the fight, pierced Bhima with nine arrows, shining like thunderbolts, as Indra once struck Namuchi.
आदित्यकेतुः सप्तत्या बह्वाशी चापि पञ्चभिः । नवत्या कुण्डधारश्च विशालाक्षश्च पञ्चभिः
Adityaketu struck with seventy arrows, Bahvashi with five, Kundadhara with ninety, and Vishalaksha with five more.
अपराजितो महाराज पराजिष्णुर्महारथम् । शरैर्बहुभिरानर्च्छद्भीमसेनं महाबलम्
Aparajita, O King, showered the mighty Bhimasena, destroyer of foes, with many arrows in that battle.
रणे पण्डितकश्चैनं त्रिभिर्बाणैः समार्पयत्। स तं न ममृषे भीमः शत्रुभिर्वधमाहवे
Panditaka also struck him with three arrows in the fight; but Bhima could not endure being wounded by his enemies in battle.
धनुः प्रपीड्य वामेन करेणामित्रकर्सनः । शिरश्चिच्छेद समरे शरेणानतपर्वणा
Gripping his bow with his left hand, the subduer of foes cut off his enemy’s head in battle with a sharp, well-feathered arrow.
अपराजितस्य सुनसं तव पुत्रस्य संयुगे । पराजितस्य भीमेन कृत्तं गामपतच्छिरः
In that fight, Bhima struck off the head of Sunasa, your son, O King, as he was being defeated.
अथापरेण भल्लेन कुण्डधारं महारथम् । प्राहिणोन्मृत्युलोकाय सर्वलोकस्य पश्यतः
Then, with another broad-headed arrow, he sent Kundadhara, the great chariot-warrior, to the realm of death before the eyes of all.
ततः पुनरमेयात्मा प्रसंधाय शिलीमुखम् । प्रेषयामास समरे पण्डितं प्रति भारत
Then, once more, the immeasurable-souled Bhima, having fitted a shaft, sent it at Panditaka in the battle, O Bharata.