कथं शिखण्डी गाङ्गेयमभ्यवर्तत संयुगे। पाण्डवाश्च कथं भीष्मं तन्ममाचक्ष्व सञ्जय
How did Shikhandi approach Ganga's son in battle, and how did the Pandavas confront Bhishma? Tell me this, Sanjaya.
ततः प्रभाते विमले सूर्यस्योदयनं प्रति। ताड्यमानासु भेरीषु मृदङ्गेष्वानकेषु च
Then, at dawn, as the sun was about to rise, with drums, mridangas, and anvils being struck,
ध्मायमानेषु शङ्खेषु पाण्डरेषु समन्ततः । शिखण्डिनं पुरस्कृत्य निर्याप्ताः पाण्डवा युधि
And as conches, white as the moon, were being blown all around, the Pandavas set out to battle, placing Shikhandi at the front.
कृत्वा व्यूहं महाराज सर्वशत्रुनिबर्हणम् । शिखण्डी सर्वसैन्यानामग्र आसीद्विशांपते
Forming a battle array, O King, that could destroy all enemies, Shikhandi stood at the head of all the troops, O lord of men.
चक्ररक्षौ ततस्तस्य भीमसेनधनंजयौ । पृष्ठतो द्रौपदेयाश्च सौभद्रश्चैव वीर्यवान्
Then Bhimasena and Dhananjaya guarded his chariot wheels, while the sons of Draupadi and the valiant son of Subhadra stood behind.
सात्यकिश्चेकितानश्च तेषां गोप्ता महारथः। धृष्टद्युम्नस्ततः पश्चात्पाञ्चालैरभिरक्षितः
Satyaki and Chekitana, both great chariot-warriors, protected them; behind them was Dhrishtadyumna, shielded by the Panchalas.
ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा यमाभ्यां सहितः प्रभुः। प्रययौ सिंहनादेन नादयन्भरतर्षभ
After that, King Yudhishthira, mighty and accompanied by the two sons of Yama, advanced, roaring like a lion, O bull among the Bharatas.
विराटस्तु ततः पश्चात्स्वेन सैन्येन संवृत्तः । द्रुपदश्च महाबाहो ततः पञ्चादुपाद्रवत्
Then Virata followed, surrounded by his own army, and the mighty-armed Drupada advanced next with the Panchalas.
केकया भ्रातरः पञ्च धृष्टकेतुश्च वीर्यवान् । जघनं पालयामासुः पाण्डवेयश्च राक्षसः
The five brothers of the Kekayas and the valiant Dhrishtaketu guarded the rear, along with the Rakshasa, son of Pandu.
एवं व्यूह्य महासैन्यं पाण्डवास्तव वाहिनीम् । अभ्यद्रवन्त संग्रामे त्यक्त्वा जीवितमात्मनः
Thus, having arrayed their great army, the Pandavas charged your forces in battle, having abandoned concern for their own lives.
तथैव कुरवो राजन्भीष्मं कृत्वा महारथम् । अग्रतः सर्वसैन्यानां प्रययुः पाण्डवान्प्रति
Likewise, O King, the Kurus placed Bhishma, the great chariot-warrior, at the front of all their troops and advanced against the Pandavas.
पुत्रैस्तव दुराधर्षो रक्षितः सुमहाबलैः । ततो द्रोणो महेष्वासः पुत्रश्चास्य महाबलः
Your son, hard to defeat and protected by his mighty brothers, was next; then came Drona, the great archer, and his powerful son.
भगदत्तस्ततः पश्चाद्गजानीकेन संवृतः । कृपश्च कृतवर्मा च भगदत्तमनुव्रतौ
Bhagadatta followed after, surrounded by his elephant division; Kripa and Kritavarma, devoted to Bhagadatta, came next.
काम्भोजराजो बलवांस्ततः पश्चात्सुदक्षिणः । मागधश्च जयत्सेनः सौबलश्च बृहद्बलः
Then came the powerful king of the Kambojas, Sudakshina, Jayatsena the Magadha king, and Brihadbala, son of Subala.
तथैवान्ये महेष्वासाः सुशर्मप्रमुखा नृपाः । जघनं पालयामासुस्तव सैन्यस्य भारत
Likewise, other great archers, with Susharma at their head, guarded the rear of your army, O Bharata.
दिवसेदिवसे प्राप्ते भीष्मः शान्तनवो युधि। आसुरानकरोद्व्यूहान्पैशाचानथ राक्षसान्
Day after day, Bhishma, son of Shantanu, arranged the army in demonic, fiendish, and monstrous formations in battle.
ततः प्रववृते युद्धं तव तेषां च भारत। अन्योन्यं निघ्नतां राजन्यमराष्ट्रविवर्धनम्
Then, O Bharata, battle was joined between your forces and theirs, as kings struck each other, causing the earth to tremble.
अर्जुनप्रमुखाः पार्थाः पुरस्कृत्य शिखण्डिनम्। भीष्मं युद्धेऽभ्यवर्तन्त किरन्तो विविधाञ्शरान्
The sons of Pandu, led by Arjuna and placing Shikhandin at the front, advanced against Bhishma in battle, showering him with many arrows.
तत्र भारत भीमेन ताडितास्तावकाः शरैः। रुधिरौघपरिक्लिन्नाः परलोकं ययुस्तदा
There, O Bharata, your men struck by Bhima's arrows, drenched in streams of blood, departed for the next world.
नकुलः सहदेवश्च सात्यकिश्च महारथः । तव सैनयं समासाद्य पीडयामासुरोजसा
Nakula, Sahadeva, and the great chariot-warrior Satyaki, encountering your army, pressed it hard with their might.
ते वध्यामानाः समरे तावका भरतर्षभ । नाशक्नुवन्वारयितुं पाण्डवानां महद्बलम्
Those of your men being slain in battle, O bull among the Bharatas, were unable to withstand the great strength of the Pandavas.
ततस्तु तावकं सैन्यं वध्यमानं समन्ततः। संप्राद्रवद्दशः दिशः काल्यमानं महारथैः
Then your army, being slaughtered on all sides and harried by the great chariot-warriors, fled in all directions.
त्रातारं नाध्यगच्छन्त तावका भरतर्षभ । वध्यमानाः शितैर्बाणैः पाण्डवैः सह सृञ्जयैः
O bull among the Bharatas, your men found no protector as they were struck down by the sharp arrows of the Pandavas and the Srinjayas.
पीड्यमानं बलं दृष्ट्वा पार्थैर्भीष्मः पराक्रमी । यदकार्षीद्रणे क्रुद्धस्तन्ममाचक्ष्व सञ्जय
Seeing his army afflicted by the sons of Pandu, the mighty Bhishma, enraged, acted in battle—tell me, Sanjaya, what he did.
कथं वा पाण्डवा युद्धे प्रत्युद्याताः परंतपाः । निघ्नन्तो मामकान्वीरांस्तन्ममाचक्ष्व सञ्जय
And how did the Pandavas, those tormentors of foes, stand ready in battle, striking down my valiant men? Tell me that, Sanjaya.
आचक्षे ते महाराज यदकार्षीत्पिता तव। पीडिते तव पुत्रस्य सैन्ये पाण्डव सृञ्जयैः
I will tell you, O great king, what your father did when your son's army was oppressed by the Pandavas and the Srinjayas.
प्रंहृष्टमनसः शूराः पाण्डवाः पाण्डुपूर्वज । अभ्यवर्तन्त निघ्नन्तस्तव पुत्रस्य वाहिनीम्
The Pandavas, their hearts exultant, led by Yudhishthira, advanced, striking down the army of your son.
तं विनाशं मनुष्येन्द्र नरवारणवाजिनाम् । नामृष्यत तदा भीष्मः सैन्यघातं रणे परैः
Bhishma could not endure, O king of men, the destruction of elephants, horses, and warriors in battle by the enemy.
स पाणडवान्महेष्वासः पञ्चालांश्चैव सृञ्जयान् । नाराचैर्वत्सदन्तैश्च शितैरञ्जलिकैस्तथा
That mighty archer assailed the Pandavas, the Panchalas, and the Srinjayas with iron arrows, broad-headed shafts, and sharp, palm-shaped missiles.
अभ्यवर्षत दुर्धर्षस्त्यक्त्वा जीवितमात्मनः । स पाण्डवानां प्रवरान्पञ्च राजन्महारथान्
Fierce and unassailable, he rained down arrows, disregarding his own life, upon the five foremost great chariot-warriors of the Pandavas, O king.