दृष्ट्वा मे निहतान्पुत्रान्बहूनेकेन सञ्जय । भीष्मो द्रोणः कृपश्चैव किमकुर्वत संयुगे
Seeing so many of my sons slain by one man, O Sanjaya, what did Bhishma, Drona, and Kripa do in battle?
अहन्यहनि मे पुत्राः क्षयं गच्छन्ति सञ्जय । मन्येऽहं सर्वथा पुत्रान्दैवेनोपहतान्भृशम्
Day after day my sons are being destroyed, O Sanjaya; I think, indeed, that my sons are utterly struck down by fate.
यत्र मे तनयाः सर्वे जीयन्ते न जयन्त्युत । यत्र भीष्मस्य द्रोणस्य कृपस्य च महात्मनः
Where all my sons survive, but do not prevail; where Bhishma, Drona, and the great-souled Kripa—
सौमदत्तेश्च वीरस्य भगदत्तस्य चोभयोः । अश्वत्थाम्नस्तथा तात शूराणामनिवर्तिनाम्
And the valiant Saumadatti, both Bhagadatta and Ashvatthama, O father, among the heroes who never turn back—
अन्येषां चैव शूराणां मध्यगास्तनया मम । यदहन्यन्त संग्रामे किमन्यद्भागधेयतः
And among other heroes as well, my sons stood in the midst; when they were slain in battle, what else could fate bring?
न हि दुर्योधनो मन्दः पुरा प्रोक्तमबुध्यत । वार्यमाणो मया तात भीष्मेण विदुरेण च
For Duryodhana, dull-witted, did not understand what was said before, though I, Bhishma, and Vidura tried to restrain him, O father.
गन्धार्या चैव दुर्मेधाः सततं हितकाम्यया । नाबुध्यत पुरा मोहात्तस्य प्राप्तमिदं फलम्
And Gandhari, too, always seeking his welfare, spoke, but the misguided one did not comprehend before, blinded by delusion; now he has received this outcome.
यद्भीमसेनः समरे पुत्रान्मम विचेतसः । अहन्यहनि संक्रुद्धो नयते यमसादनम्
As Bhimasena, enraged in battle, day after day sends my bewildered sons to the abode of Yama—
इदं तत्समनुप्राप्तं क्षत्तुर्वचनमुत्तमम् । न बुद्धवानस्मि विभो प्रोच्यमानमिदं तदा
This, then, has come to pass—the excellent words spoken by the kshatri; I did not understand them, O lord, though they were spoken then.
निवारय सुतं द्यूतात्पाण्डवान्मा द्रुहेति च । सुहृदां हितकामानां ब्रुवतां तत्तदेव च
‘Restrain your son from gambling, do not wrong the Pandavas’—so spoke those desiring the good of friends, and each said the same.
न शृणोमि पुरा वाक्यं मर्त्यः पथ्यमिवौषधम् । तदिदं समनुप्राप्तं वचनं साधु भाषितम्
I did not heed those words before, like a mortal ignoring medicine that is wholesome; now those well-spoken words have come to pass.
विदुरद्रोणभीष्माणां तथाऽन्येषां हितैषिणाम् । अकृत्वा वचनं पथ्यं क्षयं गच्छन्ति कौरवाः
By not following the wholesome advice of Vidura, Drona, Bhishma, and others wishing well, the Kauravas go to destruction.
तदेतत्समतिक्रान्तं पूर्वमेव हि सञ्जय। तस्मान्मे वद तत्त्वेन यथा युद्धमवर्तत
This has already been transgressed, O Sanjaya, long ago; therefore, tell me truly how the battle unfolded.
मध्याह्ने मुमहारौद्रः संग्रामः समुपद्यत। लकक्षयकरो राजंस्तन्मे निगदतः शृणु
At midday, a fierce and terrible battle arose, causing the destruction of troops; O king, listen as I recount it.
ततः सर्वाणि सैन्यानि धर्मपुत्रस्य शासनात्। संरब्धान्यभ्यवर्तन्त भीष्ममेव जिघांसया
Then, by the command of the son of Dharma, all the armies, inflamed, advanced with the intent to slay Bhishma.
धृष्टद्युम्नः शिखण्डी च सात्यकिश्च महारथः । युक्तानीका महाराज भीष्ममेव समभ्ययुः
Dhrishtadyumna, Shikhandi, and the mighty charioteer Satyaki, with their well-formed divisions, O king, moved against Bhishma.
विराटो द्रुपदश्चैव सहिताः सर्वसोमकैः । अभ्यद्रवन्त संग्रामे भीष्ममेव महारथम्
Virata and Drupada, together with all the Somakas, rushed in battle against Bhishma, the great charioteer.
केकया धृष्टकेतुश्च कुन्तिभोजश्च दंशितः । शुक्तानीका महाराज भीष्ममेव समभ्ययुः
The Kekayas, Dhrishtaketu, and the fierce Kuntibhoja, with their well-formed divisions, O king, moved against Bhishma.
अर्जुनो द्रौपदश्चैव कुन्तिभोजश्च दंशितः । दुर्योधनसमादिष्टान्राज्ञः सर्वान्समभ्ययुः
Arjuna, the son of Draupadi, and the fierce Kuntibhoja, all advanced against those whom King Duryodhana had ordered.
अभिमन्युस्तथा शूरो हैडिम्बश्च महारथः । भीमसेनश्च संक्रुद्धस्तेऽभ्यधावन्त कौरवान्
Abhimanyu, the valiant, and Hidimba, the great charioteer, along with the enraged Bhimasena, rushed against the Kauravas.
त्रिधाभूतैरवध्यन्त पाण्डवैः कौरवा युधि। तथैव कौरवै राजन्नवध्यन्त परे रणे
The Kauravas were struck down in battle by the Pandavas in three divisions, O King, and likewise the opposing side was struck down by the Kauravas in the fight.
द्रोणस्तु रथिनां श्रेष्ठः सोमकान्सृञ्जयैः सह । अभ्यधावत संक्रुद्धः प्रेषयिष्यन्यमक्षयम्
Then Drona, foremost among chariot-warriors, enraged, rushed upon the Somakas and Srinjayas, intending to send them to destruction.
तत्राक्रन्दो महानासीत्सृञ्जयानां महात्मानाम् । वध्यतां समरे राजन्भारद्वाजेन धन्विना
There arose a great outcry among the mighty-hearted Srinjayas, O King, as they were slain in battle by the bowman, the son of Bharadvaja.
द्रोणेन निहतास्तत्र क्षत्रिया बहवो रणे। विचेष्टन्तो हृदृश्यन्त व्याधिक्लिष्टा वरा इव
There, many Kshatriyas were struck down in battle by Drona; writhing, they were seen, afflicted by wounds, like splendid serpents.
कूजतां क्रन्दतां चैव स्तनतां चैव भारत। अनिशं शुश्रुवे शब्दः क्षुत्क्लिष्टानां नृणामिव
The sound of men, ceaselessly crying out, wailing, and groaning, O Bharata, was heard, as if from those tormented by hunger.
तथैव कौरवेयाणां भीमसेनो महाबलः । चकार कदनं घोरं क्रुद्धः काल इवापरः
In the same way, Bhimasena of great strength, enraged, wrought a terrible slaughter among the Kauravas, like another god of death.
वध्यतां तत्र सैन्यानामन्योन्येन महारणे । प्रावर्तत नदी घोरा रुधिरौघपरवाहिनी
There, in that great battle, as the armies slaughtered each other, a dreadful river began to flow, carrying away masses of blood.
स संग्रामो महाराज घोररूपोऽभवन्महान् । कुरूणां पाणडवानां च यमराष्ट्रविवर्धनः
That battle, O great king, became vast and terrible in form, increasing the domain of Yama for both the Kurus and the Pandavas.
ततो भीमो रणे क्रुद्धो रभसश्च विशेषतः। गजानीकं समासाद्य प्रेषयामास मृत्यवे
Then Bhima, furious and especially impetuous in the fight, attacked the elephant division and sent it to death.
तत्र भारत भीमेन नाराचाभिहता गजाः । पेतुर्नेदुश्च सेदुश्च दिशश्च परिबभ्रमुः
There, O Bharata, the elephants struck by Bhima with iron arrows fell, trumpeted, screamed, and wandered in all directions.