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.
नकुलं सहदेवं च धर्मराजं च पाण्डवम् । न्यवारयन्नरश्रेष्ठान्परिवार्य समन्ततः
They surrounded and checked Nakula, Sahadeva, and King Yudhishthira, the foremost of men, on all sides.
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा शूराणां हयसादिनाम् । अयुतं प्रेषयामास पाण्डवानां निवारणे
Then King Duryodhana sent a division of ten thousand heroic horsemen to check the Pandavas.
तैः प्रविष्टैर्महावेगैर्गरुत्मद्भिरिवाहवे। खुराहता धरा राजंश्चकम्पे च ननाद च
As these swift warriors entered the fray, like Garudas, the earth, struck by their hooves, trembled and roared, O King.
खुरशब्दश्च सुमहान्वाजिनां शुश्रुवे तदा। महावंशवनस्येव दह्यमानस्य पर्वते
The mighty sound of the horses' hooves was heard then, like the crackling of a great bamboo forest burning on a mountain.
उत्पतद्भिश्च तैस्तत्र समुद्धूतं महद्रजः। दिवाकररथं प्राप्य च्छादयामास भास्करम्
And as they leapt forward, a great cloud of dust was raised, which, reaching the chariot of the sun, covered the sun itself.
वेगवद्भिर्हयैस्तैस्तु क्षोभिता पाण्डवीक चमूः। निपतद्भिर्महावेगैर्हंसैरिव महत्सरः
By those swift horses, the Pandava army was thrown into confusion, like a great lake disturbed by the sudden descent of powerful swans.
हेषतां चैव शब्देन न प्राज्ञायत किंचन । `अन्तर्दधे महाञ्शब्दस्तेन शब्देन मोहितः
And by the sound of their neighing, nothing could be discerned; the great noise, bewildering, drowned out all else.
ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा माद्रीपुत्रौ च पाण्डवौ। प्रत्यघ्नंस्तरसा वेगं समरे हयसादिनाम्
Then King Yudhishthira and the two sons of Madri, the Pandavas, forcefully checked the charge of the horsemen in battle.
उद्वृत्तस्य महाराज प्रावृट्कालेऽतिपूर्यतः। पौर्णमास्यामम्बुवेगं यथा वेला महोदधेः
O great king, just as the tide of the great ocean swells and overflows its shore at the full moon during the rainy season, so too did the force surge forth.
ततस्ते रथिनो राजञ्शरैः सन्नतपर्वभिः। न्यकृन्तन्नुत्तमाङ्गानि शरेण हयसादिनाम्
Then, O king, the warriors on chariots, with arrows whose shafts were well-bent, struck off the heads of horsemen and others with their arrows.
ते निपेतुर्महाराज निहता दृढधन्विभिः । नागैरिव महानागा यथावद्गिरिगह्वरे
Those struck down by mighty bowmen fell, O king, just as great serpents are felled by nāgas in the mountain caves.
तेऽपि प्रासैः सुनिशितैः शरैः सन्नतपर्वभिः । न्यकृन्तन्नुत्तमाङ्गानि विचरन्तो दिशो दश
They too, roaming in all ten directions, cut off heads with sharp spears and arrows whose shafts were well-bent.
अभ्याहता हयारोहा ऋष्टिभिर्भरतर्षभ । अत्यजन्नुत्तमाङ्गानि फलानीव महाद्रुमाः
The horsemen, struck by spears, O bull among the Bharatas, dropped their heads like great trees shedding their fruit.
समादिनो हया राजंस्तत्रतत्र निषूदिताः। पतिताः पात्यमानाश्च प्रत्यदृश्यन्त सर्वशः
The horses, their riders slain, were seen everywhere falling and collapsing in various places, O king.
वध्यमाना हयाश्चैव प्राद्रवन्त भयार्दिताः। यथा सिंहं समासाद्य मृगाः प्राणपरायणाः
And the horses, being slaughtered, fled in terror, just as deer, intent on their lives, flee upon encountering a lion.
पाण्डवाश्च महाराज जित्वा शत्रून्महामृधे । दध्मुः शङ्खांश्च भेरीश्च ताडयामासुराहवे
And the Pāṇḍavas, O great king, having conquered their enemies in that great battle, blew their conches and beat their drums in the fight.
ततो दुर्योधनो दीनो दृष्ट्वा सैन्यं पराजितम् । अब्रवीद्रतश्रेष्ठ मद्रराजमिदं वचः
Then Duryodhana, dejected upon seeing his army defeated, spoke these words to the foremost of chariot-warriors, the king of Madra.
एष पाण्डुसुतो ज्येष्ठो यमाभ्यां सहितो रणे । पश्यतां वो महाबाहो सेनां द्रावयति प्रभो
Here is the eldest son of Pāṇḍu, together with the two sons of Yamā, driving your army away in the sight of you all, O mighty-armed lord.
तं वारय महाबाहो वेलेव मकरालयम् । त्वं हि संश्रूयसेऽत्यर्थमसह्यबलविक्रमः
Restrain him, O mighty-armed one, as the shore restrains the ocean's tide, for you are renowned as possessing strength and valor that are truly unbearable.
पुत्रस्य तव तद्वाक्यं श्रुत्वा शल्यः प्रतापवान्। स ययौ रथवंशेन यत्र राजा युधिष्ठिरः
Hearing those words of your son, the valiant Śalya went forth with his chariot division to where King Yudhiṣṭhira was.