तं श्रुत्वा सुमहानादं तव सैन्यस्य भारत ।। ऊरुस्तम्भः समभवद्वेपथुः स्वेद एव च
Hearing that tremendous roar, O Bharata, the thighs of your army stiffened, they trembled, and sweat broke out.
सर्व एव महाराज तावका दीनचेतसः ।। सर्वतः समचेष्टन्त सिंहभीता गजा इव
All your men, O king, became faint-hearted; everywhere they moved about like elephants frightened by a lion.
नर्दित्वा सुमहानादं निर्घातमिव राक्षसः ।। ज्वलितं शूलमुद्यम्य रूपं कृत्वा विभीषणम्
After roaring that thunderous cry, the Rakshasa, brandishing a blazing spear and taking on a terrifying form, advanced.
नानारूपप्रहरणैर्वृतो राक्षसपुङ्गवैः ।। आजघान सुसंक्रुद्धः कालान्तकयमोपभः
Surrounded by leading Rakshasas with weapons of many kinds, he, furious as Death at the end of time, struck the enemy.
तमापतन्तं संप्रेक्ष्य संक्रुद्धं भीमदर्शनम् ।। स्वबलं च भयात्तस्य प्रायशो विमुखीकृतम्
Seeing him charging, enraged and dreadful to behold, and their own troops mostly turning away in fear,
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा घटोत्कचमुपाद्रवत् ।। प्रगृह्य विपुलं चापं सिंहवद्विनदन्मुहुः
Then King Duryodhana rushed at Ghatotkacha, grasping his mighty bow and roaring again and again like a lion.
पृष्ठतोऽनुययौ चैनं स्रवद्भिः पर्वतोपमैः ।। कुञ्जरैर्दशसाहस्रैर्वङ्गानामधिपः स्वयम्
The lord of the Vangas himself followed him from behind with ten thousand elephants, each resembling a mountain and streaming with ichor.
पुत्रं तव महाराज चुकोप स निशाचरः । ततः प्रववृते युद्धं तुमुलं रोमहर्षणम्
O great king, that night-wanderer became enraged at your son; then a tumultuous and hair-raising battle began.
राक्षसानां च राजेन्द्र दुर्योधनबलस्य च। गजानीकं च संप्रेक्ष्य मेघबृन्दमिवोदितम्
O king of kings, the Rakshasas and Duryodhana’s army, seeing the elephant division appear like a mass of clouds, engaged in combat.
अभ्यधावन्त संक्रुद्धा राक्षसाः शस्त्रपाणयः । नदन्तो विविधान्नादान्मेघा इव सविद्युतः
The Rakshasas, furious and armed with weapons, charged forward, roaring with many kinds of cries like thunderclouds with lightning.
शरशक्त्यृष्टिनाराचैर्निघ्नन्तो गजयोधिनः । भिण्डिपालैस्तथा शूलैर्मुद्गरैः सपरश्वथैः
With arrows, spears, lances, and iron shafts, as well as with maces, tridents, clubs, and axes, they struck down the elephant warriors.
पर्वताग्रैश्च वृक्षैश्च निजघ्नुस्ते महागजान् । भिन्नकुम्भान्विरुधिरान्भिन्नगात्रांश्च वारणान्
With mountain peaks and trees, they struck those great elephants, shattering their heads, wounding their bodies, and covering them with blood.
अपश्याम महाराज वध्यमानान्निशाचरैः । तेषु प्रक्षीयमाणेषु भग्नेषु गजयोधिषु
O king, we saw the elephant warriors being slain by the Rakshasas; as they were being destroyed and routed,
दुर्योधनो महाराज राक्षसान्समुपाद्रवत्। अमर्षवशमापन्नस्त्यक्त्वा जीवितात्मनः
Duryodhana, O king, overcome by wrath and abandoning concern for his own life, rushed at the Rakshasas.
मुमोच निशितान्बाणान्राक्षसेषु परंतप । जघान च महेष्वासः प्रधानांस्तत्र राक्षसान्
The scorcher of foes released sharp arrows at the Rakshasas, and that mighty archer struck down their leaders there.
संक्रुद्धो भरतश्रेष्ठ पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव । वेगवन्तं महारौद्रं विद्युज्जिह्वं प्रमाथिनम्
O best of the Bharatas, your son Duryodhana, greatly enraged, attacked the swift, fierce, lightning-tongued destroyer.
शरैश्चतुर्भिश्चतुरो निजघान महाबलः । ततः पुनरमेयात्मा शरवर्षं दुरासदम्
With four arrows, the mighty one struck down four of them; then, immeasurable in spirit, he released an unendurable shower of arrows.
मुमोच भरतश्रेष्ठो निशाचरबलं प्रति। तत्तु दृष्ट्वा महत्कर्म पुत्रस्य तव मारिष
O best of the Bharatas, he released that shower of arrows upon the Rakshasa force; seeing your son’s great feat, O Marisha,
क्रोधेनाभिप्रजज्वाल भैमसेनिर्महाबलः । स विष्फार्य महच्चापमिन्द्राशनिसमप्रभम्
Bhimasena, mighty in battle, blazed with anger; stringing his great bow, shining like Indra’s thunderbolt,
अभिदुद्राव वेगेन दुर्योधनमरिन्दमम् । तमापतन्तमुद्वीक्ष्य कालसृष्टमिवान्तकम्
He rushed swiftly at Duryodhana, the subduer of enemies; seeing him charging, like Death created by Time,
न विव्यथे महाराज पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव। अथैनमब्रवीत्क्रुद्धः क्रूरः संरक्तलोचनः
O king, your son Duryodhana did not falter; then, enraged, with bloodshot eyes, he spoke to him harshly.
अद्यानृण्यं गमिष्यामि पितॄणां मातुरेव च। ये त्वया सुनृशंसेन दीर्घकालं प्रवासिताः
Today I will repay my debts to my ancestors and to my mother, for whom you, with your cruelty, exiled for a long time.
यच्च ते पाण्डवा राजंश्छलद्यूते पराजिताः । यच्चैव द्रौपदी कृष्णा एववस्त्रा रजस्वला
And when, O king, the Pandavas were defeated by you in a deceitful game of dice, and when Draupadi, Krishna, was brought into the assembly, clad in a single garment and menstruating,
सभामानीय दुर्बुद्धे बहुधा क्लेशिता त्वया। तव च प्रियकामेन आश्रमस्था दुरात्मना
O wicked-minded one, you brought her into the hall and tormented her in many ways; and, out of desire to please you, the ascetics were also tormented by you, evil-hearted one.
सैन्धवेन परामृष्टा परिभूय पितॄन्मम । एतेषामपमानानामन्येषां च कुलाधम
Insulted by the Sindhu king, who has dishonored my ancestors, this wretch among families has brought disgrace upon both them and others.
अन्तमद्य गमिष्यामि यदि नोत्सृजसे रणम्। एवमुक्त्वा तु हैडिम्बो महद्विष्फार्य कार्मुकम्
Today I will bring about his end, unless you abandon the battle; having spoken thus, the son of Hidimba drew his great bow with a thunderous sound.
संदश्य दशनैरोष्ठं सृकिणी परिसंलिहन्। शरवर्षेण महता दुर्योधनमवाकिरत्। पर्वतं वारिधाराभिः प्रावृषीव बलाहकः
Gnashing his lips with his teeth and licking the corners of his mouth, he showered Duryodhana with a great volley of arrows, like a raincloud pouring on a mountain in the monsoon.
ततस्तद्बाणवर्षं तु दुःसहं दानवैरपि। दधार युधि राजेन्द्रो यथा वर्षं महाद्विपः
Then, that rain of arrows—unbearable even for demons—was withstood in battle by the king, like a mighty elephant enduring a downpour.
ततः क्रोधसमाविष्टो निःश्वसन्निव पन्नगः । संशयं परमं प्राप्तः पुत्रस्ते भरतर्षभ
Then, filled with rage and breathing hard like a serpent, your son, O bull of the Bharatas, reached the utmost extremity.
मुमोच निशितांस्तीक्ष्णान्नाराचान्पञ्चविंशतिम्। तेऽपतन्सहसा राजंस्तस्मिन्राक्षसपुङ्गवे
He released twenty-five sharp and keen iron arrows, which swiftly fell upon that foremost of Rakshasas.