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.
ततः प्रववृते युद्धं तुमुलं रोमहर्षणम् । पाण्डवानां कुरूणां च समरे विजयैषिणाम्
Then there arose a tumultuous and hair-raising battle between the Pandavas and the Kurus, both striving for victory on the field.
दृष्ट्वा भीष्मं रणे युद्धं पाण्डवैरभिसंवृतम्। यथा मेघैर्महाराज तपान्ते दिवि भास्करम्
Seeing Bhishma in battle surrounded by the Pandavas, O King, as the sun in the sky is covered by clouds at the end of summer—
दुर्योधनो महाराज दुःशासनमभाषत। एष शूरो महेष्वासो भीष्मः शूरनिषूदनः
Duryodhana, O King, spoke to Duhshasana: 'Here is the mighty archer Bhishma, the destroyer of heroes—'
छादितः पाण्डवैः शूरैः समन्ताद्भरतर्षभ । तस्य कार्यं त्वया वीर रक्षणं सुमहात्मनः
He is surrounded on all sides by the valiant Pandavas, O bull among the Bharatas; it is your duty, O hero, to protect this great-souled one.
रक्ष्यमाणो हि समरे भीष्मोऽस्माकं पितामहः । निहन्यात्समरे यत्तान्पाञ्चालान्पाण्डवैः सह
For if our grandsire Bhishma is protected in battle, he will surely slay the Panchalas and the Pandavas together in the fight.
तत्र कार्यतमं मन्ये भीष्मस्यैवाभिरक्षणम् । गोप्ता ह्येष महेष्वासो भीष्मोऽस्माकं महाव्रतः
Therefore, I consider the foremost task here to be the protection of Bhishma alone; for this mighty archer, our grandsire of great vows, is our defender.
स भवान्सर्वसैन्येन परिवार्य पितामहम् । समरे कर्म कुर्वाणं दुष्करं परिरक्षतु
So you, with the entire army, should surround the grandsire and guard him as he performs his difficult deeds in battle.
स एवमुक्तः समरे पुत्रो दुःशासनस्तव। परिवार्य स्थितो भीष्मं सैन्येन महता वृतः
Thus addressed in battle, your son Duhshasana stood surrounding Bhishma, encircled by a great force.
ततः शतसहस्राणां हयानां सुबलात्मजः । विमलप्रासहस्तानामृष्टितोमरधारिणाम्
Then the son of Subala led a hundred thousand horses, wielding spotless spears and polished javelins in their hands.
दर्पितानां सुवेगानां बलस्थानां पताकिनाम् । शिक्षितैर्युद्धकुशलैरुपेतानां नरोत्तमैः
These were proud, swift, well-trained, and strong steeds bearing banners, mounted by the best of men skilled in the art of war.