नाभिमन्युमपश्यन्त नैव स्वान्न परान्रणे । अभिमन्युश्च तदृष्ट्वा घोररूपं महत्तमः
They could not see Abhimanyu, nor their own men or the enemy in battle; and Abhimanyu, seeing that terrible, vast darkness—
प्रादुश्चक्रेऽस्त्रमत्सुग्रं भास्करं कुरुनन्दनः । ततः प्रकाशमभवज्जगत्सर्वं महीपते
The son of Kuru then released a fierce, shining weapon; immediately, O king, the whole world became illuminated.
तां चाभिजघ्निवान्मायां राक्षसस्य दुरात्मनः । संक्रुद्धश्च महावीर्यो राक्षसेन्द्रं नरोत्तमः
He struck down that illusion of the wicked demon; and, enraged, the mighty hero attacked the lord of the Rakshasas.
छादयामास समरे शरैः सन्नतपर्वभिः। बह्वीस्तथाऽन्या मायाश्च प्रयुक्तास्तेन रक्षसा
In battle, he covered him with arrows whose shafts were well-feathered; and likewise, that Rakshasa employed many other illusions.
सर्वास्त्रविदमेयात्मा वारयामास फाल्गुनिः। हतमायं ततो रक्षो वध्यमानं च सायकैः
Phalguni, knower of all weapons and master of himself, repelled them; then, with his illusions destroyed and struck by arrows, the demon—
रथं तत्रैव संत्यज्य प्राद्रवन्महतो भयात्। तस्मिन्विनिर्जिते तूर्णं कूटयोधिनि राक्षसे
Abandoning his chariot right there, fled in great fear; when that deceitful Rakshasa was swiftly defeated—
आर्जुनिः समरे सैन्यं तावकं संममर्द ह। मदान्धो वन्यनागेन्द्रः सपद्मां पद्मिनीमिव
Arjuna then crushed your army in battle, as a wild, intoxicated elephant tramples a lotus pond with its lotuses.
ततः शान्तनवो भीष्मः सैन्यं दृष्ट्वाऽभिविद्रुतम्। महता शरवर्षेण सौभद्रं पर्यवारयत्
Then Bhishma, son of Shantanu, seeing the army routed, surrounded Subhadra’s son with a great shower of arrows.
कोष्ठीकृत्य च तं वीरं धार्तराष्ट्रा महारथः । एवं सुबहवो युद्धे ततक्षुः सायकैर्दृढम्
Having encircled that hero, the mighty car-warriors of Dhritarashtra’s side struck him hard with many arrows in battle.
स तेषां रथिनां वीरः पितुस्तुल्यपराक्रमः । सदृशो वासुदेवस्य विक्रमेण बलेन च
That hero among charioteers, equal in prowess to his father, was like Vasudeva in courage and strength.
उभयोः सदृशं कर्म स पितुर्मातुलस्य च । रणे बहुविधं चक्रे सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः
In both action and valor, he resembled his father and his maternal uncle; in battle, he performed many feats, being foremost among all wielders of weapons.
ततो धनञ्जयो वीरो विनिघ्नंस्तव सैनिकान् । आससाद रणे भीष्मं पुत्रप्रेप्सुरमर्षणः
Then Dhananjaya, the heroic Arjuna, slaying your soldiers, approached Bhishma in battle, eager and longing for his son.
तथैव समरे राजन्पिता देवव्रतस्तव । आससाद रणे पार्थं स्वर्भानुरिव भास्करम्
Likewise, O king, your father Devavrata advanced upon Partha in battle, as Svarbhanu approaches the sun.
ततः सरथनागाश्वाः पुत्रास्तव जनेश्वर । परिवव्रू रणे भीष्मं जुगुपुश्च समन्ततः
Then, O lord of men, your sons with their chariots, elephants, and horses surrounded Bhishma in battle, protecting him on all sides.
तथैव पाण्डवा राजन्परिवार्य धनञ्जयम् । रणाय महते युक्ता दंशिता भरतर्षभ
In the same way, O king, the Pandavas, having encircled Dhananjaya, stood ready for the great battle, their resolve firm, O bull of the Bharatas.
शारद्वतस्ततो राजन्भीष्मस्य प्रमुखे स्थितम् । अर्जुनं पञ्चविंशत्या सायकानां समाचिनोत्
Then, O king, Kripa, son of Sharadvat, standing before Bhishma, struck Arjuna with twenty-five arrows.
प्रत्युद्गम्याथ विव्याध सात्यकिस्तं शितैः शरैः । पाण्डवप्रियकामार्थं शार्दूल इव कुञ्जरम्
Then Satyaki confronted him and pierced him with sharp arrows, seeking to please the Pandavas, like a tiger attacking an elephant.
गौतमोऽपि त्वरायुक्तो माधवं नवभिः शरैः । हृदि विव्याध संक्रुद्धः कङ्कपत्रपरिच्छदैः
Gautama, swift in action, angrily struck Madhava in the heart with nine arrows, each tipped with the feathers of a crane.
शैनेयोऽपि ततः क्रुद्धश्चापमानम्य वेगवान् । गौतमान्तकरं तूर्णं समाधत्त शिलीमुखम्
Shaineya, enraged, quickly bent his bow and aimed a deadly arrow at Gautama, intending to end him.
तमापतन्तं वेगेन शक्राशनिसमद्युतिम् । द्विधा चिच्छेद संक्रुद्धो द्रौणिः परमकोपनः
Drauni, furious and filled with wrath, cut down that speeding arrow, which shone like Indra's thunderbolt, splitting it in two.
समुत्सृज्याथ शैनेयो गौतमं रथिनां वरः । अभ्यद्रवद्रणे द्रौणिं राहुः खे शशिनं यथा
Shaineya, abandoning Gautama, the foremost of chariot-warriors, rushed at Drauni in battle, like Rahu attacking the moon in the sky.
तस्य द्रोणसुतश्चापं द्विधा चिच्छेद भारत। अथैनं छिन्नधन्वानं ताडयामास सायकैः
O Bharata, Drona's son then cut Shaineya's bow in two, and struck him with arrows as he stood weaponless.
सोऽन्यत्कार्मुकमादाय शत्रुघ्नं भारसाधनम् । द्रौणिं षष्ट्या महाराज बाह्वोरुरसि चार्पयत्
He seized another bow, strong enough to slay enemies and bear burdens, and struck Drauni, O King, with sixty arrows on his arms and chest.
स विद्धो व्यथितश्चैव मुहूर्तं कश्मलायुतः। निषसाद रथोपस्थे ध्वजयष्टिं समाश्रितः
Wounded and distressed, he sat for a moment in his chariot, overcome with confusion, leaning upon the flagstaff.
प्रतिलभ्य ततः संज्ञां द्रोणपुत्रः प्रतापवान् । वार्ष्णेयं समरे क्रुद्धो नाराचेन समार्पयत्
Regaining his senses, Drona's valiant son, enraged in battle, struck the Vrishni hero with a sharp arrow.
शैनेयं स तु निर्भिद्य प्राविशद्धरणीतलम् । वसन्तकाले बलवान्बिलं सर्पशिशुर्यथा
Piercing Shaineya, he entered the earth, like a powerful young serpent entering its hole in spring.
अथापरेण भल्लेन माधवस्य ध्वजोत्तमम् । चिच्छेद समरे द्रौणिः सिंहनादं मुमोच ह
Then, with another broad-headed arrow, Drauni cut down Madhava's foremost banner in battle, and let out a lion's roar.
पुनश्चैनं शरैर्घोरैश्छादयामास भारत। निदाघान्ते महाराज यथा मेघो दिवाकरम्
Again, O Bharata, he covered him with fierce arrows, as clouds cover the sun at the end of summer, O King.
सात्यकोऽपि महाराज शरजालं निहत्य तत्। द्रौणिमभ्याकिरत्तूर्णं शरजालैरनेकधा
Satyaki, O King, destroyed that shower of arrows and swiftly overwhelmed Drauni with many volleys of arrows.
तापयामास च द्रौणिं शैनेयः परवारहा । विमुक्तो मेघजालेन यथैव तपनस्तथा
Shaineya, slayer of foes, tormented Drauni, just as the sun scorches after being freed from clouds.