यमदण्डोपमां घोरां चिक्षेप परमाहवे। तामापतन्तीं सहसा तस्य बाहुबलेरिताम्
He hurled that terrifying spear, resembling Yama's rod, in the supreme battle; it rushed swiftly, propelled by his arm's strength.
सात्यकिः समरे राजन्द्विधा चिच्छेद सायकैः । ततः पपात सहसा सहोल्केव हतप्रभा
O King, Satyaki cut that spear in two with arrows in battle; it fell suddenly, like a meteor whose brilliance is slain.
शक्तिं विनिहतां दृष्ट्वा पुत्रस्तव विशांपते । महता रथवंशेन वारयामास माधवम्
Seeing the spear destroyed, your son, O lord of men, blocked Madhava with a great line of chariots.
तथा परिवृतं दृष्ट्वा वार्ष्णेयानां महारथम्। दुर्योधनो भृशं क्रुद्धो भ्रातॄन्सर्वानुवाच ह
Seeing him thus surrounded, Duryodhana, greatly enraged, spoke to all his brothers regarding the mighty charioteer of the Vrishnis.
तथा कुरुत कौरव्या यथाः वः सात्यको युधि । न जीवन्प्रतिनिर्याति महतोऽस्माद्रथव्रजात्
Do so, O Kauravas, so that Satyaki does not escape alive from this great array of chariots in battle.
तस्मिन्हते हतं मन्ये पाण्डवानां महद्बलम् । तथेति च वचस्तस्य परिगृह्य महारथाः
With him slain, I consider the great strength of the Pandavas destroyed; and the great charioteers, accepting his words, replied, 'So be it.'
शैनेयं योधयामासर्भीष्मायाभ्युद्यतं रणे। `अभिमन्युं तदाऽऽयान्तं भीष्मस्याभ्युद्यतं वधे।' काम्भोजराजो बलवान्वारयामास संयुगे
As Abhimanyu advanced in battle, intent on slaying Bhishma, the powerful king of the Kambojas confronted him on the field.
आर्जुनिं नृपतिर्विद्ध्वा शरैः सन्नतपर्वभिः। पुनरेव चतुःषष्ट्या राजन्विव्याध तं नृप
The king struck Arjuna’s son with sharp, well-feathered arrows, and then, O king, pierced him again with sixty-four more.
सुदक्षिणस्तु समरे पुनर्विव्याध तं पञ्चभिः । सारथिं चास्य नवभिरिच्छन्भीष्मस्य जीवितम्
Sudakshina, too, struck him again in battle with five arrows, and, wishing for Bhishma’s life, wounded his charioteer with nine.
तद्युद्धमासीत्सुमहत्तयोस्तत्र समागमे। यदाभ्यधावद्गाङ्गेयं शिखण्डी शत्रुकर्शनः
There, as those two mighty warriors met, a great battle took place when Shikhandi, the subduer of foes, charged at Bhishma, son of Ganga.
विराटद्रुपदौ वृद्धौ वारयनतौ महाचमूम् । भीष्मं च युधि संरब्धावाद्रवन्तौ महारथौ
The aged Virata and Drupada, both great chariot-warriors, rushed angrily at Bhishma in battle, holding back the great army.
अश्वत्थामा रणे क्रुद्धः समियाद्रथसत्तमः। ततः प्रववृते युद्धं तयोस्तस्य च भारत
Then Ashvatthama, the foremost of chariot-warriors, enraged, advanced into battle; and a fierce fight began between them, O Bharata.
विराटो दशभिर्भल्लैराजघान परंतप । यतमानं महेष्वासं द्रौणिमाहवशोभिनम्
Virata struck Drona’s son, that mighty archer shining in battle, with ten broad-headed arrows as he strove in the fight.
द्रुपदश्च त्रिभिर्बाणैर्विव्याध निशितैस्तदा। गुरुपुत्रं समासाद्य प्रहरन्तौ महाबलौ
Drupada, too, with three sharp arrows, wounded the powerful son of his teacher as they fought, both warriors of great might.
अश्वत्थामा ततस्तौ तु विव्याध बहुभिः शरैः। विराटद्रुपदौ वीरौ भीष्मं प्रति समुद्यतौ
Then Ashvatthama struck both the valiant Virata and Drupada, who were advancing against Bhishma, with many arrows.
तत्राद्भुतमपश्याम वृद्धयोश्चरितं महत्। यद्द्रौणिसायकान्घोरान्प्रत्यवारयतां युधि
There we witnessed a wondrous feat by those two elders, as they repelled Drona’s son’s fierce arrows in battle.
सहदेवं तथाऽऽयान्तं कृपः शारद्वतोऽभ्ययात्। यथा नागो वने नागं मत्तो मत्तमुपाद्रवत्
As Sahadeva approached, Kripa, son of Sharadvat, charged at him, like a maddened elephant attacking another in the forest.
कृपश्च समरे शूरो माद्रीपुत्रं महारथम् । आजघान शरैस्तूर्णं सप्तत्या रुक्मभूषणैः
In battle, the valiant Kripa swiftly struck the son of Madri, that great chariot-warrior, with seventy gold-decked arrows.
तस्य माद्रीसुतश्चापं द्विधा चिच्छेद सायकैः । अथैनं छिन्नधन्वानं विव्याध नवभिः शरैः
Then the son of Madri cut Kripa’s bow in two with his arrows, and, as his foe stood weaponless, struck him with nine more.
सोऽन्यत्कार्मुकमादाय समरे भारसाधनम् । माद्रीपुत्रं सुसंहृष्टो दशभिर्निशितैः शरैः
Taking up another strong bow in the fight, Kripa, delighted, struck the son of Madri on the chest with ten sharp arrows.
आजघानोरसि क्रुद्ध इच्छन्भीष्मस्य जीवितम् । तथैव पाण्डवो राजञ्छारद्वतममर्षणम्
Enraged, he struck the son of Madri on the chest, desiring Bhishma’s life; and likewise, O king, the Pandava struck the unyielding Sharadvat.
आजघानोरसि क्रुद्धो भीष्मस्य वधकाङ्क्षया । तयोर्युद्धं समभवद्धोररूपं भयावहम्
Angry, and longing for Bhishma’s death, the Pandava struck Sharadvat’s son on the chest; their battle became fierce and terrifying.
नकुलं तु रणे क्रुद्धो विकर्णः शत्रुतापनः । विव्याध सायकैः षष्ट्या रक्षन्भीष्मं महाबलम्
In battle, the enraged Vikarna, tormentor of foes, struck Nakula with sixty arrows as he protected the mighty Bhishma.
नकुलोऽपि भृशं विद्धस्तव पुत्रेण धीमता। विकर्णं सप्तसप्तत्या निर्बिभेद शिलीमुखैः
But Nakula, though sorely wounded by your wise son, pierced Vikarna with seventy-seven iron-tipped arrows.
तत्र तौ नरशार्दूलौ भीष्महेतोः परंतपौ । अन्योन्यं जघ्नुतुर्वीरौ गोष्ठे गोवृषभाविव
There, those two tigers among men, the subduers of foes, fought each other for the sake of Bhishma, like two bullocks in a cattle yard.
घटोत्कचं रणे यान्तं निघ्नन्तं तव वाहिनीम् । दुर्मुखः समरे प्रायाद्भीष्यहेतोः पराक्रमी
As Ghatotkacha advanced in battle, striking down your troops, the valiant Durmukha, for Bhishma's sake, rushed forward in the fight.
हैडिम्बस्तु रणे राजन्दुर्मुखं शत्रुतापनम् । आजघानोरसि क्रुद्धः शरेणानतपर्वणा
O King, then Hidimba's son, enraged, struck Durmukha, the tormentor of enemies, on the chest with a sharp, well-feathered arrow in battle.
भीमसेनसुतं चापि दुर्मुखः सुमुखैः शरैः। षष्ट्या वीरो नदन्हृष्टो विव्याध रणमूर्धनि
Durmukha, the hero, roaring with delight, pierced Bhimasena's son on the battlefield with sixty well-made arrows.
धृष्टद्युम्नं तथाऽऽयान्तं भीष्मस्य वधकाङ्क्षिणम् । हार्दिक्यो वारयामास रथश्रेष्ठं महारथः
As Dhrishtadyumna advanced, desiring Bhishma's death, Hardikya, the great chariot-warrior, checked that foremost of charioteers.
हार्दिक्यः पार्षतं चापि विद्ध्वा पञ्चभिरायसैः । पुनः पञ्चाशता तूर्णं तिष्ठतिष्ठेति चाब्रवीत्
Hardikya struck the son of Prishata with five iron arrows, and then swiftly with fifty more, shouting, 'Stop! Stop!'