ते संरब्धाः समागम्य द्विसाहस्राः प्रहारिणः। अचिराद्गमयामासुः प्रेतलोकं परस्परम्
Those two thousand, eager for battle, came together and soon sent each other to the realm of the dead.
तस्मिंस्तु निहते सैन्ये तावुभौ युद्धदुर्मदौ। संग्रामे समतिष्ठेतां यथा वै वृत्रवासवौ
When that army was destroyed, both those battle-mad warriors stood firm in combat, like Vritra and Indra.
आद्रवन्तमभिप्रेक्ष्य राक्षसं युद्धदुर्मदम् । इरावाथ संरब्धः प्रत्यधावन्महाबलः
Seeing the battle-mad Rakshasa charging, Iravan, enraged and mighty, rushed to meet him.
समभ्याशगतस्याजौ तस्य खङ्गेन दुर्मदः । चिच्छेद कार्मुकं दीप्तं शरवापं च कञ्चुकम्
As Iravan approached in battle, the frenzied Rakshasa cut his shining bow and the mail covering his chest with a sword.
स निकृत्तं धनुर्दृष्ट्वा खं जवेन समाविशत्। इरावन्तमभिक्रुद्धं मोहयन्निव मायया
Seeing his bow cut, Iravan entered the sky with speed, attacking the Rakshasa with magic, as if to bewilder him.
ततोऽन्तरिक्षमुत्पत्य इरावानपि राक्षसम्। विमोहयित्वा मायाभिसत्स्य गात्रामि सायकैः
Then, rising into the air, Iravan bewildered the Rakshasa with magic, and struck his limbs with arrows.
चिच्छेद सर्वमर्मज्ञः कामरूपो दुरासदः । तथा स राक्षसश्रेष्ठः शरैः कृत्तः पुनः पुनः
The master of all vital points, able to assume any form and hard to approach, cut everything; so the foremost Rakshasa was repeatedly wounded by arrows.
संबभूव महाराज समवाप च यौवनम् । माया हि सहराज समवाप च यौवनम्
He became whole again, O King, and regained his youth; by magic, he indeed regained his youth.
एवं तद्राक्षसस्याङ्गं छिन्नंछिन्नं व्यरोहत । इरावानपि संक्रुद्धो राक्षसं त महाबलम्
Thus, the Rakshasa's body, though cut again and again, was restored; Iravan too, enraged, struck the mighty Rakshasa.
परश्वथेन तीक्ष्णेन चिच्छेद च पुनः पुनः । स तेन बलिना वीरश्छिद्यमान इव द्रुमः
With a sharp axe, he cut him again and again; that strong hero was like a tree being chopped down.
राक्षसो व्यनदद्धोरं स शब्दस्तुमुलोऽभवत्। परश्वथक्षतं रक्षः सुस्राव बहुशोणितम्
The Rakshasa let out a terrible roar, and that sound became tumultuous; the Rakshasa, wounded by the battle-axe, bled profusely.
ततश्रुक्रोध बलवांश्चक्रे वेगं च संयुगे। आर्श्यशृङ्गिस्ततो दृष्ट्वा समरे शत्रुमूर्चितम्
Then, strong with tears and anger, he surged forward in the battle; seeing his enemy faint in the fight, Arjyaśṛṅgi acted.
कृत्वा घोरं महद्रूपं ग्रहीतुमुपचक्रमे । अर्जुनस्य सुतं वीरमिरावन्तं यशस्विनम्
Assuming a dreadful and immense form, he began to seize the heroic and renowned son of Arjuna, Iravan.
संग्रामशिरसो मध्ये सर्वेषां तत्र पश्यताम्। तां दृष्ट्वा तादृशीं मायां राक्षसस्य दुरात्मनः
In the midst of the battlefield, before the eyes of all, seeing such a display of illusion by the wicked Rakshasa—
इरावानपि संक्रुद्धो मायां स्रष्टुं प्रचक्रमे। तस्य क्रोधाभिभूतस्य समरेष्वनिवर्तिनः
Iravan, too, enraged, began to create his own illusion; overcome by anger, he was unyielding in battle.
योऽन्वयो मातृकस्तस्य स एनमभिपेदिवान्। स नागैर्बहुभी राजन्निरावान्संवृतो रणे
He, whose lineage was maternal, rushed at him; Iravan was surrounded in battle by many serpents, O King.
दधार सुमहद्रूपमनन्त इव भोगवान्। ततो बहुविधैर्नागैश्छादयामास राक्षसम्
He assumed a vast and mighty form, like Ananta the serpent-lord; then, with many kinds of serpents, he covered the Rakshasa.
छाद्यमानस्तु नागैः स ध्यात्वा राक्षसपुङ्गवः। सौपर्णं रूपमास्थाय भक्षयामास पन्नगम्
But as he was being covered by serpents, that foremost Rakshasa, reflecting, assumed the form of Garuda and began to devour the serpents.
मायया भक्षिते तस्मिन्नन्वये तस्य मातृके । विमोहितमिरावन्तं न्यहनद्राक्षसोऽसिना
When, by illusion, he had devoured those of his maternal line, the Rakshasa struck the bewildered Iravan with his sword.
सकुण्डलं समुकुटं पद्मेन्दुसदृशप्रभम् । इरावतः शिरो रक्षः पातयामास भूतले
The Rakshasa struck off Iravan's head, adorned with earrings and a crown and shining like a lotus or the moon, and cast it to the ground.
तस्मिंस्तु निहते वीरे राक्षसेनार्जुनात्मजे। विशोकाः समपद्यन्त धार्तराष्ट्राः सराजकाः
When that hero, Arjuna's son, was slain by the Rakshasa, the sons of Dhritarashtra and their kings became free from sorrow.
तस्मिन्महति संग्रामे तादृशे भैरवे पुनः। महान्व्यतिकरो घोरः सेनयोः समपद्यत
In that great and dreadful battle, once again, a terrible and fierce conflict arose between the two armies.
गजा हयाः पदाताश्च विमिश्रा दन्तिभिर्हताः । रथाश्वा दन्तिनश्चैव पत्तिभिस्तत्र सूदिताः
Elephants, horses, and foot soldiers, mingled together, were slain by elephants; chariots, horses, and elephants were likewise killed by infantry there.
तथा पत्तिरथौघाश्च हयाश्च बहवो रणे। रथिभिर्निहता राजंस्तव तेषां च संकुले
So too, many foot soldiers, charioteers, and horses in the battle were slain by charioteers, O King, and in that confusion—
अजानन्नर्जुनश्चापि निहतं पुत्रमौरसम्। जघान समरे शूरान्राज्ञस्तान्भीष्मरक्षिणः
Even Arjuna, not knowing his own son had been slain, struck down the brave kings who guarded Bhishma in battle.
तथैव तावका राजन्सृञ्जयाश्च सहस्रशः। जुह्वतः समरे प्राणान्निजघ्रुरितरेतरम्
Likewise, O King, your men and the Sṛñjayas, by the thousands, offered up their lives in battle, slaying each other.
मुक्तकेशा विकवचा विरथाश्छिन्नकार्मुकाः । बाहुभिः समयुध्यन्त समवेताः परस्परम्
With hair unbound, armor cast off, chariots lost, and bows broken, they fought each other hand to hand, joined together.
तथा मर्मातिगैर्भीष्मो निजघान महारथान्। कम्पयन्समरे सेनां पाण्डवानां परंतपः
So too, Bhishma struck down great warriors with deadly blows, shaking the Pandava army in battle, scorcher of foes.
तेन यौधिष्ठिरे सैन्ये बहवो मानवा हताः। दन्तिनः सादिनश्चैव रथिनोऽथ हयास्तथा
By him, in Yudhishthira’s army, many men were slain—elephant-riders, horsemen, charioteers, and cavalry as well.
तत्र भारत भीष्मस्य रणे दृष्ट्वा पराक्रमम् । अत्यद्भुतमपश्याम शक्रस्येव पराक्रमम्
There, O Bharata, witnessing Bhishma’s valor in battle, we saw a marvel, a prowess like that of Indra himself.