वार्यमाणाः सुबहुशस्त्रैगर्तेन सुशर्मणा । तथान्यैः पार्थिवश्रेष्ठैर्न व्यतिष्ठन्त संयुगे
Though restrained by Suśarman in the pit with many weapons, and by other foremost kings, they did not stand firm in battle.
तद्बलं प्रद्रुतं दृष्ट्वा पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव। पुरस्कृत्य रणे भीष्मं सर्वसैन्यपुरस्कृतः
Seeing that force routed, your son Duryodhana, placing Bhīṣma at the front in battle, led all the troops.
सर्वोद्योगेन महता धनञ्जयमुपाद्रवत् । त्रिगर्ताधिपतेरर्थे जीवितस्य विशांपते
With great effort, he advanced upon Dhanañjaya for the sake of the Trigarta chief’s life, O lord of the people.
स एकः समरे तस्थौ किरन्बहुविधाञ्शरान्। भ्रातृभिः सहितः सर्वैः शेषा हि प्रद्रुता नराः
He alone stood in battle, scattering many kinds of arrows, together with all his brothers, for the rest of the men had fled.
तथैव पाण्डवा राजन्सर्वोद्योगेन दंशिताः। प्रययुः फल्गुनार्थाय यत्र भीष्मो व्यतिष्ठत
Likewise, O King, the Pāṇḍavas, eager and with all their might, went for the sake of Phalguna, where Bhīṣma stood.
ज्ञायमाना रणे वीर्यं घोरं गाण्डीवधन्वनः। हाहाकारकृतोत्साहा भीष्मं जग्मुः समन्ततः
Recognizing the fierce valor of the wielder of Gāṇḍīva in battle, they raised cries of ‘ha-ha!’ and surrounded Bhīṣma on all sides.
ततस्तालध्वजः शूरः पाण्डवानां वरूथिनीम्। छादयामास समरे शरैः सन्नतपर्वभिः
Then the hero with the palm-banner covered the array of the Pāṇḍavas in battle with arrows whose shafts were well-fashioned.
एकीभूतास्ततः सर्वे कुरवः सह पाण्डवैः । अयुध्यन्त महाराज मध्यं प्राप्ते दिवाकरे
Then all the Kurus, united with the Pāṇḍavas, fought, O King, when the sun had reached its zenith.
सात्यकिः कृतवर्माणं विद्ध्वा पञ्चभिराशुगैः । अतिष्ठदाहवे शूरः किरन्बाणान्सहस्रशः
Sātyaki struck Kṛtavarman with five swift arrows, and stood in the fight as a hero, scattering thousands of arrows.
तथैव द्रुपदो राजा द्रोणं विद्ध्वा शितैः शरैः । पुनर्विव्याध सप्तत्या सारथिं चास्य पञ्चभिः
Likewise King Drupada struck Droṇa with sharp arrows, then struck him again with seventy, and his charioteer with five.
भीमसेनस्तु राजानं बाह्लीकं प्रपितामहम् । विद्ध्वा नदन्महानादं शार्दूल इव कानने
Bhīmasena struck King Bāhlīka, the great-grandfather, and roared a mighty roar like a tiger in the forest.
आर्जुनिश्चित्रसेनेन विद्धो बहुभिरशुगैः । अतिष्ठदाहवे शूरः किरन्बाणान्सहस्रशः। चित्रसेनं त्रिभिर्बाणैर्विव्याध समरे भृशम्
Arjuna, struck by Citraseṇa with many swift arrows, stood in the fight as a hero, scattering thousands of arrows; he struck Citraseṇa fiercely in battle with three arrows.
समागतौ तौ तु रणे महामात्रौ व्यरोचताम्। यथा दिवि महाघोरौ राजन्बुधशनैश्चरौ
Those two mighty warriors, having come together in battle, shone brilliantly, O King, like the fierce planets Mercury and Saturn meeting in the sky.
तस्याश्वांश्चतुरो हत्वा सूतं च नवभिः शरैः। ननाद बलवान्नादं सौभद्रः परवीरहा
Having slain his four horses and his charioteer with nine arrows, the powerful Saubhadra, destroyer of enemy heroes, let out a mighty roar.
हताश्वात्तु रथात्तूर्णं सोऽवप्लुत्य महारथः । आरुरोह रथं तूर्णं दुर्मुखस्य विशांपते
Then, that great chariot-warrior, quickly leaping down from his chariot whose horses had been killed, swiftly mounted the chariot of Durmukha, O lord of the people.
द्रोणश्च द्रुपदं भित्त्वा शरैः सन्नतपर्वभिः। सारथिं चास्य विव्याध त्वरमाणः पराक्रमी
Drona, piercing Drupada with arrows whose shafts were well-bent, also struck his charioteer, acting swiftly and with valor.
पीड्यमानस्ततो राजा द्रुपदो वाहिनीमुखे। अपायाज्जवनैरश्वैः पूर्ववैरमनुस्मरन्
Then King Drupada, oppressed at the front of the army, sped away with swift horses, recalling his former enmity.
भीमसेनस्तु राजानं मुहूर्तादिव बाह्लिकम् । व्यश्वसूतरथं चक्रे सर्वसैन्यस्य पश्यतः
But Bhimasena, in a moment, made King Bahlika lose his horses, charioteer, and chariot, as all the army looked on.
ससंभ्रमो महाराज संशयं परमं गतः
Great confusion arose, O King, and he was plunged into utmost peril.
अवप्लुत्य ततो वाहाद्बाह्लीकः पुरुषोत्तमः। आरुरह रथं तूर्णं लक्ष्मणस्य महारणे
Then Bahlika, best of men, leapt down from his vehicle and swiftly mounted the chariot of Lakshmana in the great battle.
सात्यकिः कृतवर्माणं वारयित्वा महारणे । शरैर्बहुविधै राजन्नाससाद पितामहम्
Satyaki, having checked Kritavarman in the great battle with many kinds of arrows, O King, approached the grandsire.
स विद्ध्वा भारतं षष्ट्या निशितै रोमवाहिभिः। नृत्यन्निव रथोपस्थे विधुन्वानो महद्धनुः
He struck Bhishma with sixty sharp, hair-raising arrows, and, as if dancing on the chariot, shook his great bow.
तस्यायसीं महाशक्तिं चिक्षेपाथ पितामहः । हेमचित्रां महावेगां नागकन्योपमां शुभाम्
Then the grandsire hurled at him a great iron spear, adorned with gold, of tremendous speed, beautiful as a daughter of the Nagas.
तामापतन्तीं सहसा मृत्युकल्पां सुदुर्जयाम्। व्यंसयामास वार्ष्णेयो लाघवेन महायशाः
That spear, rushing suddenly, deadly as death and nearly impossible to withstand, was shattered by the illustrious Vrishni with his skill.
अनासाद्य तु वार्ष्णेयं शक्तिः परमदारुणा । न्यपतद्धरणीपृष्ठे महोल्केव महाप्रभा
That terrible spear, failing to reach the Vrishni, fell to the earth's surface, shining like a great meteor.
वार्ष्णेयस्तु ततो राजन्स्वां शक्तिं कनकप्रभाम् । वेगवद्गृह्य चिक्षेप पितामहरथं प्रति
Then, O King, the Vrishni, seizing his own golden-glowing spear with force, hurled it at the grandsire's chariot.
वार्ष्णेयभुजवेगेन प्रणुन्ना सा महाहवे । अभिदुद्राव वेगेन कालरात्रिर्यथा नरम्
Driven by the strength of the Vrishni's arm, it sped forth in the great battle, rushing like the night of destruction toward a man.
तामापतन्तीं सहसा द्विधा चिच्छेद भारतः । क्षुरप्राभ्यां सुतीक्ष्णाभ्यांसा व्यशीर्यत मेदिनीम्
Bhishma, as it rushed upon him, swiftly cut it in two with two razor-sharp arrows, and its pieces fell to the earth.
छित्त्वा शक्तिं तु गाङ्गयः सात्यकिं नवभिः शरैः । आजघानोरसि क्रुद्धः प्रहसञ्छत्रुकर्शनः
Then the son of Ganga, having cut down the spear, angrily struck Satyaki in the chest with nine arrows, laughing as he harassed his foe.
ततः सरथनागाश्वाः पाण्डवाः पाण्डुपूर्वज। परिवब्रू रणे भीष्मं माधवत्राणकारणात्
Then the Pandavas, with their chariots, elephants, and horses, and Yudhishthira at their head, surrounded Bhishma in battle to protect Madhava.