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.
आत्तशस्त्रो रणे यत्नाद्वारयामास सायकैः । नानाशस्त्रास्त्रवर्षैस्तान्वीर्यामर्षप्रवेरितैः
Armed with weapons, he strove in battle, blocking them with arrows and showers of diverse weapons and missiles, driven by his valor and wrath.
निजघ्ने समरे क्रुद्धो हस्त्यश्वं चामितं बहु। रथिनोऽपातयद्राजन्रथेभ्यः पुरुषर्षभ
Enraged in battle, he struck down countless elephants and horses, and, O king, felled chariot-warriors from their chariots.
सादिनश्चाश्वपृष्ठेभ्यः पादातांश्च समागतान्
He brought down cavalry from horseback and foot soldiers who had come together.
गजारोहान्गजेभ्यश्च परेषां जयकारिणः । तमेकं समरे भीष्मं त्वरमाणं महारथम्
He struck down victorious elephant-riders from their elephants; that one Bhishma, the great chariot-warrior, hastened alone in battle.
पाण्डवाः समवर्तन्त वज्रहस्तमिवासुराः। शक्राशनिसमस्पर्शान्विमुञ्चन्निशिताञ्छरान्
The Pandavas surrounded him as the Asuras would one bearing the thunderbolt, while he released sharp arrows with the force of Indra's thunderbolt.
दिक्ष्वदृश्यत सर्वासु घोरं सन्धारयन्वपुः। मण्डलीभूतमेवास्य नित्यं धनुरदृश्यत
On all sides, his terrible form was seen in every direction; his bow always appeared as a circle.
संग्रामे युध्यमानस्य शक्रचापोपमं महत् ।। तदृष्ट्वा समरे कर्म पुत्रास्तव विशांपते
In battle, as he fought, his great feat was like that of Indra wielding the bow; seeing this in the fight, your sons, O lord of the people—
विस्मायं परमं गत्वा पितामहमपूजयन् । पार्था विमनसो भूत्वा प्रैक्षन्त पितरं तव
—were filled with utmost wonder and honored the grandsire; the sons of Pandu, disheartened, gazed at your father.
युध्यमानं रणे शूरं विप्रचित्तिमिवामराः । न चैनं वारयामासुर्व्यात्ताननमिवान्तकम्
As he fought bravely in battle, like the gods watching Vipracitti, they did not try to stop him, as one does not check Death with open mouth.
दशमेऽहनि संप्राप्ते रथानीकं शिखण्डिनः । अदहन्निशितैर्बाणैः कृष्णवर्त्मेव काननम्
When the tenth day arrived, Bhishma burned the division of Shikhandi with sharp arrows, as fire consumes a forest in Krishna's path.