वारयस्व रणे यत्तो मिषतां सर्वधन्विनाम् । राक्षसं क्रूरकर्माणं यथेन्द्रस्तारकं पुरा
Resist in battle, with all your effort, in the sight of all archers, that Rakshasa of cruel deeds, as Indra once did with Taraka.
तव दिव्यानि चास्त्राणि विक्रमश्च परंतप । समागमश्च बहुभिः पुराऽभूदमरैः सह
Your divine weapons and your valor, O scorcher of foes, and your encounters with many gods in the past are well known.
त्वं तस्य नृपशार्दूल प्रतियोद्धा महाहवे । स्वबलेनावृतो गच्छ जहि राक्षसपुङ्गवम्
You, O tiger among kings, are the one to oppose him in great battle; go, surrounded by your own forces, and slay the foremost of Rakshasas.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु वचनं भीष्मस्य पृतनापतेः। प्रययौ सिंहनादेन परानभिमुखको द्रुतम्
Hearing these words of Bhishma, the commander of the army, he advanced swiftly toward the enemy with a lion's roar.
तमापतन्तं संप्रेक्ष्य गर्जन्तमिव तोयदम् । अभ्यवर्तन्त संक्रुद्धाः पाण्डवानां महारथाः
Seeing him rushing forward, roaring like a thundercloud, the great chariot-warriors of the Pandavas, enraged, turned to face him.
भीमसेनोऽभिमन्युश्च राक्षसश्च घटोत्कचः । द्रौपदेयाः सत्यधृतिः क्षत्रदेवश्च भारत
Bhimasena, Abhimanyu, and the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha, the sons of Draupadi, Satyadhriti, and Kshatradeva, O Bharata—
चेदिपो वसुदानश्च दशार्णाधिपतिस्तथा । सुप्रतीकेन तांश्चापि भगदत्तोऽप्युपाद्रवत्
Cedipa, Vasudana, and the lord of the Dasharnas, together with Supratika, were also attacked by Bhagadatta.
ततः समभवद्युद्धं घोररूपं भयानकम्। पाण्डूनां भगदत्तेन यमराष्ट्रविवर्धनम्
Then there arose a battle, terrible and fearsome, between the Pandavas and Bhagadatta, increasing the domain of Yama.
प्रयुक्ता रथिभिर्बाणा भीमवेगाः सुतेजनाः । ते निपेतुर्महाराज नागेषु च रथेषु च
Arrows, swift as thought and well-feathered, were loosed by the chariot-warriors; they fell, O King, upon elephants and chariots alike.
प्रभिन्नाश्च महानागा विनीता हस्तिसादिभिः । परस्परं समासाद्य संनिपेतुरभीतवत्
Great elephants, broken and subdued by their riders, collided with one another fearlessly in the clash.
मदान्धा रोषसंरब्धा विषाणाग्रैर्महाहवे । बिभिदुर्दन्तमुसलैः समासाद्य परस्परम्
Maddened by rut and inflamed with anger, they struck each other with the tips of their tusks and with their massive clubs in the great battle.
हयाश्च चामरापीडाः प्रासपाणिभिरास्थिताः । चोदिताः सादिभिः क्षिप्रं निजघ्रुरितरेतरम्
Horses adorned with yak-tail fans, mounted by warriors armed with spears, swiftly attacked one another, urged on by their riders.
पादाताश्च पदात्योघैस्ताडिताः शक्तितोमरैः। न्यपतन्त तदा भूमौ शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
Foot-soldiers, struck by showers of spears and javelins from masses of infantry, fell to the ground then by the hundreds and thousands.
रथिनश्च रथाकंश्चित्रान्कर्णिनालीकतोमरैः । निहत्य समरे वीरान्सिंहनादान्विनेदिरे
Chariot-warriors, having slain heroes in battle with varied arrows, barbed darts, and javelins, roared like lions.
तस्मिंस्तथा वर्तमाने संग्रामे रोमहर्षणे । भगतत्तो महेष्वासो भीमसेनमथाद्रवत्
While that hair-raising battle was raging thus, Bhagadatta, the mighty bowman, charged at Bhimasena.
कुञ्जरेण प्रभिन्नेन सप्तधा स्रवता मदम्। पर्वतेन यथा तोयं स्रवमाणेन सर्वशः
Mounted on an elephant, split and streaming with rut in seven places, like a mountain pouring forth water on all sides,
किरञ्छरसहस्राणि सुप्रतीकशिरोगतः । ऐरावतस्थो मघवान्वारिधारा इवानघ
Supratika, with Bhagadatta atop his head, showered thousands of arrows, like Indra on Airavata pouring down torrents of rain, O sinless one.
स भीमं शरधाराभिस्ताजयामास पार्थिवः । पर्वतं वारिधाराभिस्तपान्ते जलदो यथा
That king assailed Bhima with streams of arrows, as a rain-cloud at the end of summer lashes a mountain with torrents.
भीमसेनस्तु संक्रुद्धः पादरक्षान्परःशतान्। निजघान महेष्वासः संरब्धः शरवृष्टिभिः
But Bhimasena, enraged, the mighty archer, struck down hundreds of foot-soldiers with showers of arrows.
तान्दृष्ट्वा निहतान्क्रुद्धो भगदत्तः प्रतापवान् । चोदयामास नागेन्द्रं भीमसेनरथं प्रति
Seeing them slain, the valiant Bhagadatta, filled with wrath, urged his lordly elephant against Bhimasena's chariot.
स नागः प्रेषितस्तेन बाणो ज्याचोदितो यथा। अभ्यधावत वेगेन भीमसेनपुरोगमाः
That elephant, driven by him like an arrow shot from a bowstring, charged swiftly at Bhimasena and those at his forefront.
तमापतन्तं संप्रेक्ष्य पाण्डवानां महारथाः। अभ्यवर्तन्त वेगेन भीमसेनपुरोगमाः
Seeing him rushing forward, the great chariot-warriors of the Pandavas, led by Bhimasena, quickly turned to face him.
केकयाश्चाभिमन्युश्च द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्वशः। दशार्णाधिपतिः शूरः क्षत्रदेवश्च मारिष
The Kekayas, Abhimanyu, all the sons of Draupadi, the valiant lord of the Dasharnas, and Kshatradeva, O great one,
चेदिपो धृष्टकेतुश्च संरब्धाः सर्व एव ते। उत्तमास्त्राणि दिव्यानि दर्शयन्तो महाबलाः
Cedipa and Dhrishtaketu—all of them, filled with fury and great might, displayed their supreme and divine weapons.
तमेकं कुञ्जरं क्रुद्धाः समन्तात्पर्यवारयन् । स विद्धो बहुभिर्बाणैर्व्यरोचत महाद्विपः
Enraged, they surrounded that single elephant from all sides; struck by many arrows, the great elephant shone brilliantly.
संजातरुधिरोत्पीडो धातुचित्र इवाद्रिराट्। दशार्णाधिपतिश्चाऽपि गजं भूमिधरोपमम्
With blood streaming forth, he resembled a mountain adorned with minerals; and the lord of the Daśārṇas, too, advanced against the elephant, which was like a mountain.
समास्थितोऽभिदुद्राव भगदत्तस्य वारणम्। तमापतन्तं समरे जगं जगपतिः स च
Mounted on his own elephant, he charged at Bhagadatta’s beast; as he rushed forward in battle, the lord of elephants confronted him.
दधार सुप्रतीकोऽपि वेलेव मकरालयम् । वारितं प्रेक्ष्य नागेन्द्रं दशार्णस्य महात्मनः
Even Supratīka held his ground, like the shore holding back the ocean; seeing the mighty elephant of the Daśārṇa king checked,
साधुसाध्विति सैन्यानि त्वदीयान्यभ्यपूजयन् । ततः प्राग्ज्योतिषः क्रुद्धस्तोमरान्वै चतुर्दश
Your troops applauded, exclaiming, 'Well done! Well done!'; then Bhagadatta of Prāgjyotiṣa, enraged, hurled fourteen spears,
प्राहिणोत्तस्य नागस्य प्रमुखे नृपसत्तम। तस्य कुम्भपरित्राणां शातकुम्भपरिष्कृतम्
He sent them at the foremost part of that elephant, O best of kings; piercing the golden armor that protected its temples,