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!'
आजघान महाबाहुः पार्षतं तं महारथम् । तं चैव पार्षतो राजन्हार्दिक्यं नवभिः शरैः
The mighty-armed Hardikya struck that great chariot-warrior, the son of Prishata, and the Prishata also struck Hardikya with nine arrows, O King.
विव्याध निशितैस्तीक्ष्णैः कङ्कपत्रैरजिह्नगैः । तयोः समभवद्युद्धं भीष्महेतोर्महाहवे
With sharp, keen, vulture-feathered, straight-flying arrows, they pierced each other; and for Bhishma's sake, a fierce battle arose between them.
अन्योन्यातिशये युक्तं यथा वृत्रमहेन्द्रयोः । भीमसेनं तथाऽऽयान्तं भीष्मं प्रति महारथम्
Their contest was marked by mutual superiority, like that of Vritra and Indra; just so, Bhimasena advanced against Bhishma, the great chariot-warrior.
भूरिश्रवाभ्ययात्तूर्णं तिष्ठतिष्ठेति चाब्रवीत् । सौमदत्तिरथो भीममाजघान स्तनान्तरे
Bhurishravas quickly approached, shouting, 'Stop! Stop!' And Saumadatti struck Bhima in the chest.
नाराचेन सुतीक्ष्णेन रुक्मपुङ्खेन संयुगे। उरःस्थेन बभौ तेन भीमसेनः प्रतापवान्
With a razor-sharp, gold-feathered arrow in battle, planted in his chest, the mighty Bhimasena shone.
स्कन्दशक्त्या यथा क्रौञ्चः पुरा नृपतिसत्तम। तौ शरान्सूर्यसंकाशान्कर्मारपरिमार्जितान्
Just as the Krauncha bird was once pierced by Skanda's spear, so those two, with arrows shining like the sun and well-forged by smiths—
अन्योन्यस्य रणे क्रुद्धौ चिक्षिपते नरर्षभौ । भीमो भीष्मवधाकाङ्क्षी सौमदत्तिं महारथम्
Those two bulls among men, enraged in battle, hurled such arrows at each other; Bhima, desiring Bhishma's death, at Saumadatti, the great chariot-warrior.
तथा भीष्मजये गृध्नुः सौमदत्तिस्तू पाण्डवम् । कृतप्रतिकृते यत्तौ योधयामासतू रणे
And Saumadatti, eager for victory over Bhishma, fought the Pandava; both, having countered each other's attacks, continued to battle.
युधिष्ठिरं तु कौन्तेयं महत्या सेनया वृत्तम्। भीष्माभिमुखमायान्तं भारद्वाजो न्यवारयत्
But Drona, with his great army, blocked Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, as he advanced towards Bhishma.
द्रोणस्य रथनिर्घोषं पर्जन्यनिनदोपमम् । श्रुत्वा प्रभद्रका राजन्समकम्पन्त मारिष
Hearing the roar of Drona's chariot, like the rumble of clouds, the Prabhadrakas, O King, trembled, O Marisha.