तमुद्यतगदं दृष्ट्वा सशृङ्गमिव पर्वतम् । तावकानां भयं घोरं समपद्यत भारत
Seeing him with his mace raised, like a mountain with its peak, a terrible fear arose among your men, O Bharata.
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु पाण्डवः कृष्णसारथिः । आजगाम महाराज निघ्नञ्शत्रून्समन्ततः
At that very moment, O King, the Pandava with Krishna as his charioteer arrived, striking down enemies on all sides.
यत्र तौ पुरुषव्याघ्रौ पितापुत्रौ महाबलौ । प्राग्ज्योतिषेण संयुक्तौ भीमसेनघटोत्कचौ
There were those two tigers among men, father and son of great strength—Bhimasena and Ghatotkacha—joined by the ruler of Pragjyotisha.
दृष्ट्वा च पाण्डवो भ्रातॄन्युध्यमानान्महारथान् । त्वरितो भरतश्रेष्ठ तत्रायुध्यत्किरञ्छरान्
And seeing his brothers, mighty warriors, engaged in battle, the Pandava, swiftest among the Bharatas, fought there, showering arrows.
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा त्वरमाणो महारथः । सेनामचोदयत्क्षिप्रं रथनागाश्वसंकुलाम्
Then King Duryodhana, the great chariot-warrior, hastening, quickly urged his army, crowded with chariots, elephants, and horses, forward.
तामापतन्तीं सहसा कौरवाणां महाचमूम् । अभिदुद्राव वेगेन पाण्डवः श्वेतवाहनः
Upon that great Kaurava force, suddenly advancing, the Pandava with white steeds rushed forward with speed.
भगदत्तश्च समरे तेन नागेन भारत। विमृद्गन्पाण्डवबलं युधिष्ठिरमुपाद्रवत्
And Bhagadatta, O Bharata, in battle with his elephant, pressed hard upon the Pandava army and advanced toward Yudhishthira.
तदासीत्सुमहद्युद्धं भगदत्तस्य मारिष। पाञ्चालैः पाण्डवेयैश्च केकयैश्चोद्यतायुधैः
Then there was a great battle, O dear one, between Bhagadatta and the Panchalas, Pandavas, and Kekayas, all with weapons raised.
भीमसेनोऽपि समरे तावुभौ केशवार्जिनौ । अश्रावयद्यथावृत्तमिरावद्वधतुत्तमम्
And Bhimasena, too, in battle, told both Kesava and Arjuna exactly how the mighty Iravan had been slain.
पुत्रं विनिहतं श्रुत्वा इरावन्तं धन?ञ्जयः। दुःखेन महताऽऽविष्टो निःश्वसन्पन्नगो यथा
Hearing that his son Iravan had been killed, Dhananjaya was seized by great sorrow, sighing like a serpent.
अब्रवीत्समरे राजन्वासुदेवमिदं वचः। इदं नूनं महाप्राज्ञो विदुरो दृष्टवान्पुरा
In battle, O King, he spoke these words to Vasudeva: 'Truly, the wise Vidura foresaw this long ago.'
कुरूणां पाण्डवानां च क्षयं घोरं महामतिःक । स ततो निवारितवान्धृतराष्ट्रं जनेश्वरम्
That great-minded one saw the dreadful destruction of Kurus and Pandavas, and so he tried to restrain King Dhritarashtra.
अन्ये च बहवो वीराः संग्रामे मधुसूदन। निहताः कौरवैः सङ्ख्ये तथाऽस्माभिश्च कौरवाः
And many other heroes, O Madhusudana, have been slain in battle by the Kauravas, and likewise we have slain Kauravas.
अर्थहेतोर्नरश्रेष्ठ क्रियते कर्म कुत्सितम्। धिगर्थान्यत्कृते ह्येवं क्रियते ज्ञातिसंक्षयः
For the sake of gain, O best of men, shameful deeds are done; alas, for the sake of wealth, such destruction of kin is wrought.
अधनस्य मृतं श्रेयो न च ज्ञातिवधाद्वनम् । किं नु प्राप्स्यामहे कृष्ण हत्वा ज्ञातीन्समागतान्
For one without wealth, death is better than the slaughter of kin; what shall we gain, Krishna, by killing assembled relatives?
दुर्योधनापराधेन शकुनेः सौबलस्य च। क्षत्रिया निधनं यान्ति कर्णदुर्मन्त्रितेन च
Because of Duryodhana's offense, and that of Shakuni son of Subala, and the evil counsel of Karna, the Kshatriyas are meeting their end.
इदानीं च विजानामि सुकृतं मधुसूदन। कृतं राज्ञा महाबाहो याचता त सुयोधनम्
Now I understand, O Madhusudana, the good done by the king with mighty arms, when he begged Suyodhana.
राज्यार्धं पञ्च वा ग्रामान्नाकार्षीत्स च दुर्मतिःक । दृष्ट्वा हि क्षत्रियाञ्शूराञ्शयानान्धरणीतले
He did not grant even half the kingdom, nor five villages, that wicked one, though he saw the brave Kshatriyas lying dead upon the earth.
निन्दामि भृशमात्मानं धिगस्तु क्षत्रिजीविकाम् । अशक्तमिति मामेते ज्ञास्यन्ते क्षत्रिया रणे
I harshly reproach myself; cursed be the life of a warrior. In battle, the Kshatriyas will know me as powerless.
एतदर्थं मया युद्धं रोचितं मधुसूदन। संचोदय हयाञ्शीघ्रं धार्तराष्ट्रचमूं प्रति
For this reason, O Madhusudana, I have chosen to fight. Urge the horses swiftly toward the army of Dhritarashtra.
प्रतरिष्ये महापारं भुजाभ्यां समरोदधिम् । नायं क्लीबायितुं कालो विद्यते माधव क्वचित्
I will cross this vast ocean of battle with my arms. This is not the time, O Madhava, to act as a coward.
एवमुक्तस्तु पार्थेन केशवः परवीरहा। चोदयामास तानश्वान्पाण्डुरान्वातरंहसः
Thus addressed by Partha, Keshava, destroyer of enemy heroes, drove the white horses with great speed.
अथ शब्दो महानासीत्तव सैन्यस्य भारत। मारुतोद्धूतवेगस्य सागरस्येव पर्वणि
Then a great sound arose from your army, O Bharata, like the roar of the ocean stirred by the wind at the full moon.
अपराह्णे महाराज संग्रामः समपद्यत । पर्जन्यसमनिर्घोषो भीष्मस्य सह पाण्डवैः
In the afternoon, O King, battle commenced, its thunder like that of storm clouds, between Bhishma and the Pandavas.
ततो राजंस्तव सुता भीमसेनमुपाद्रवन् । परिवार्य रणे द्रोणं वसवो वासवं यथा
Then, O King, your sons surrounded Bhimasena in battle, as the Vasus surround Indra.
ततः शान्तनवो भीष्मः कृपश्च रथिनां वरः। भगदत्तः सुशर्मा च धनंजयमुपाद्रवन्
Then Bhishma, son of Shantanu, Kripa the foremost of charioteers, Bhagadatta, and Susharma attacked Dhananjaya.
हार्दिक्यो बाह्लिकश्चैव सात्यकिं समभिद्रुतौ । अम्बष्ठकस्तु नृपतिरभिमन्युमवस्थितः
Hardikya and Bahlika rushed against Satyaki, and the king of the Ambashtas confronted Abhimanyu.
शेषास्त्वन्ये महाराज शेषानेव महारथान् । ततः प्रववृते युद्धं घोररूपं भयावहम्
The remaining warriors, O King, engaged the other great chariot-warriors. Then a fierce and terrifying battle began.
भीमसेनस्तु संप्रेक्ष्य पुत्रांस्तव विशांपते'। प्रजज्वाल रणे क्रुद्धो हविषा हव्यवाडिव
Bhimasena, seeing your sons, O lord of men, blazed with anger in battle like a sacrificial fire fed with offerings.
पुत्रास्तु तव कौन्तेयं छादयांचक्रिरे शरैः। प्रावृषीव महाराज जलदा इव पर्वतम्
Your sons covered the son of Kunti with arrows, O King, as rain clouds cover a mountain in the monsoon.