तथैव तावकाः सर्वे भीष्मरक्षार्थमुद्यताः । प्रत्युद्ययुः पाण्डुसेनां सहसैन्या नराधिप
In the same way, all your men, determined to defend Bhishma, advanced with their armies against the Pandava forces, O ruler of men.
तत्रासीत्सुमहद्युद्धं तव तेषां च संकुलम् । नराश्वरथनागानां यमराष्ट्रविवर्धनम्
There arose a great and tumultuous battle between your side and theirs, a clash of men, horses, chariots, and elephants, swelling the realm of Yama.
रथी रथिनमासाद्य प्राहिणोद्यमसादनम्। तथेतरान्समासाद्य नरनागाश्वसादिनः
Charioteers met charioteers, sending each other to destruction; likewise, foot soldiers, elephants, and horsemen confronted their counterparts.
अनयन्परलोकाय शरैः सन्नतपर्वभिः । शरैश्च विविधैर्घोरैस्तत्रतत्र विशांपते
With arrows tipped with sharp points, they sent their foes to the next world; and with various fierce arrows, they struck everywhere, O lord of the people.
रथास्तु रथिभिर्हीना हतसारथयस्तथा । विप्रद्रुताश्वाः समरे दिशो जग्मुः समन्ततः
Chariots, deprived of their warriors and with their charioteers slain, their horses fleeing in all directions, scattered across the battlefield.
मृद्गन्तस्ते नरान्राजन्हयांश्च सुबहून्रणे। वातायमाना दृश्यन्ते गन्धर्वनगरोपमाः
O King, men and many horses, crushed in battle, appeared to be swept away, resembling the flying cities of the Gandharvas.
रथिनश्च रथैर्हीना वर्मिणस्तेजसा युताः। कुण्डलोष्णीषिणः सर्वे निष्काङ्गदविभूषणाः
Chariot warriors, deprived of their chariots but still armored and radiant, all adorned with earrings, turbans, and golden armlets, stood out.
देवपुत्रसमाः सर्वे शौर्ये शक्रसमा युधि। ऋद्ध्या वैश्रवणां चाति नयेन च बृहस्पतिम्
All of them were like sons of the gods in valor, equal to Indra in battle, surpassing Kubera in wealth, and matching Brihaspati in wisdom.
सर्वलोकेश्वराः शूरास्तत्रतत्र विशांपते। विप्रद्रुता व्यदृश्यन्त प्राकृता इव मानवाः
Those heroic lords of all the worlds, O lord of the people, were seen fleeing here and there, appearing like ordinary men.
दन्तिनश्च नरश्रेष्ठ हीनाः परमसादिभिः । मृद्गन्तः स्वान्यनीकानि निपेतुः सर्वशब्दगाः
And the best of men, the elephant riders, deprived of their mighty beasts, trampled their own ranks and fell, all making a great noise.
चर्मभिश्चामरैश्चित्रैः पताकाभिश्च मारिष । छत्रैः सितैर्हेमदण्डैश्चामरैश्च समन्ततः
With shields, ornate fans, banners, white umbrellas with golden handles, and fans all around, O dear one,
विशीर्णैर्विप्रधावन्तो दृश्यन्ते स्म दिशो दश। नवमेघप्रतीकाशा जलदोपमनिःस्वनाः
they were seen fleeing in all ten directions, their standards shattered, resembling dark clouds, their noise like thunder.
तथैव दन्तिभिर्हीना गजारोहा विशांपते। प्रधावन्तोऽन्वदृश्यन्त तव तेषां च संकुले
Likewise, O lord of the people, elephant riders deprived of their elephants were seen running amidst the confusion of your side and theirs.
नानादेशसमुत्थांश्च तुरगान्हेमभीषितान् । वातायमानानद्राक्षं शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
I saw hundreds and thousands of horses from various regions, adorned with gold, running wild.
अश्वारोहान्हतैरश्वैर्गृहीतासन्समन्ततः । द्रवमाणानपश्याम द्राव्यमाणांश्च संयुगे
We saw horsemen, whose horses had been slain, being seized on all sides, some fleeing, others being driven in the battle.
गजो गजं समासाद्य द्रवमाणं महाहवे । ययौ प्रमृद्य तरसा पादातान्वाजिनस्तथा । तथैव च रथान्राजन्प्रममर्द रणे गजः
In that great battle, an elephant attacked another fleeing elephant and crushed it with force; so too did horsemen trample foot soldiers, and elephants in turn crushed chariots in the fight, O King.
रथाश्चैव समासाद्य पतितांस्तुरगान्भुवि। व्यमृद्गन्समरे राजंस्तुरगांश्च नरान्रमे
The chariots, encountering fallen horses on the ground, crushed them in battle, O king, and likewise trampled both horses and men.
एवं ते बहुधा राजन्प्रत्यमृद्गन्परस्परम्। `दृश्यन्तेस्म महाबाहो तत्रतत्र महाबलाः
Thus, O king, they fiercely trampled each other in many ways; the mighty warriors were seen here and there, displaying their great strength.
तस्मिन्रौद्रे तथा युद्धे वर्तमाने महाभये। प्रावर्तत नदी घोरा शोमितान्त्रतरङ्गिणी
In that dreadful battle, amid great terror, a ghastly river began to flow, with waves of blood and gore.
अस्थिसङ्घातसंबाधा केशशैवलाद्वला । रथह्रदा शरावर्ता हयमीना दुरासदा
Crowded with heaps of bones, tangled with hair like water-weeds, with chariot-deep pools, whirlpools of arrows, and horses as fish, it was impossible to approach.
शीर्षोपलसमाकीर्णा हस्तिग्राहसमाकुला । कवचोष्णीषफेनौघा धनुर्वेगासिकच्छपा
Filled with severed heads as stones, teeming with elephants as crocodiles, its foam was armor and turbans, its turtles were swift bows and swords.
शङ्खनक्रौघसंकीर्णा छत्रकूर्मरथोडुपा।' पताकाध्वजवृक्षाढ्या मर्त्यकूलापहारिणी । क्रव्यादहंससंकीर्णा यमराष्ट्रविवर्धनी
Mixed with conch-shells and crocodiles, with umbrellas, shields, chariots, and stars; adorned with banners and flags as trees, its banks crowded with the dead, it carried away corpses, mingled with vultures and swans, and increased the realm of Yama.
तां नदीं क्षत्रियाः शूरा रथनागहयप्लवैः । प्रतेरुर्बहवो राजन्भयं त्यक्त्वा महारथाः
Into that river, brave Kshatriyas, using chariots, elephants, horses, and boats, crossed in great numbers, O king, the mighty warriors abandoning fear.
अपोवाह रणे भीरून्कश्मलेनाभिसंवृतान्। यथा वैतरणी प्रेतान्प्रेतराजपुरं प्रति
That river carried away the timid in battle, covered in confusion, just as the Vaitarani carries the departed toward the city of the lord of the dead.
प्राक्रोशन्क्षत्रियास्तत्र दृष्ट्वा तद्वैशसं महत्। दुर्योधनापराधेन गच्छन्ति क्षत्रियाः क्षयम्
There, the Kshatriyas cried out, seeing that great calamity: 'Because of Duryodhana's offense, the Kshatriyas are perishing.'
गुणवत्सु कथं द्वेषं धृतराष्ट्रो जनेश्वरः । कृतवान्पाण्डुपुत्रेषु पापात्मा लोभमोहितः
How could Dhritarashtra, lord of men, bear hatred toward the virtuous, having committed evil against the sons of Pandu, blinded by greed?
एवं बहुविधा वाचः श्रूयन्ते स्म परस्परम् । पाण्डवस्तवसंयुक्ताः पुत्राणां ते सुदारुणाः
Thus, many kinds of words were heard exchanged among them, harshly condemning your sons, joined with the Pandavas.
ता निशम्य ततो वाचः सर्वयोधैरुदाहृताः। आगस्कृत्सर्वलोकस्य पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव
Hearing those words spoken by all the warriors, your son Duryodhana became the cause of offense for the whole world.
भीष्मं द्रोणं कृपं चैव शल्यं चोवाच भारत। युध्यध्वमनहंकराः किं चिरं कुरुथेति च
He addressed Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, and Shalya, saying, 'Fight without pride! Why do you delay?'
इति दुर्योधनोत्सृष्टाः सर्वे युयुधिरे नृपाः' ततः प्रववृते युद्धं कुरूणां पाण्डवैः सह। अक्षद्यूतकृतं राजन्सुघोरं वैशसं तदा
Thus, at Duryodhana's command, all the kings fought; then the battle between the Kurus and Pandavas commenced, fierce and calamitous, caused by the fatal game of dice, O king.