चिन्तयित्वा महाबाहुः पिता देवव्रतस्तव । अभ्याशस्थं महाराज पाण्डवं वाक्यमब्रवीत्
Having reflected thus, your father Devavrata, mighty-armed, spoke these words to the nearby Pandava, O king.
युधिष्ठिर महाप्राज्ञ सर्वशास्त्रविशारद । शृणुष्व वचनं तात धर्म्यं स्वर्ग्यं च जल्पतः
'Yudhishthira, greatly wise, master of all scriptures, listen, dear one, to my words, which are righteous and lead to heaven.'
निर्विष्णोऽस्मि भृशं तात देहेनानेन भारत । घ्नतश्च मे गतः कालः सुबहून्प्राणिनो रणे
'I am utterly weary, dear child, in this body, O Bharata; and as I strike, the time of death has come for many beings in battle.'
तस्मात्पार्थं पुरोधाय पाञ्चालान्सृज्जयांस्तथा । मद्वधे क्रियतां यत्नो मम चेदिच्छसि प्रियम्
'Therefore, placing Arjuna at the front, along with the Panchalas and Srinjayas, make every effort for my death, if you desire what is good for me.'
तस्य तन्मतमाज्ञाय पाण्डवः सत्यदर्शनः । भीष्मं प्रति ययौ राजा संग्रामे सह सृञ्जयैः
Understanding his counsel, the truth-seeing Pandava, together with the Srinjayas, advanced toward Bhishma in battle.
धृष्टद्युम्नस्ततो राजन्पाण्डवश्च युधिष्ठिरः । श्रुत्वा भीष्मस्य तां वाचं चोदयामासतुर्बलम्
Then, O King, Dhrishtadyumna and Yudhishthira, having heard Bhishma's words, urged their forces onward.
अभिद्रवध्यं युद्ध्यध्वं भीष्मं जयत संयुगे । रक्षिताः सत्यसन्धेन जिष्णुना रिपुजिष्णुना
Attack, fight, and conquer Bhishma in battle; you are protected by the truthful and victorious Arjuna, the subduer of foes.
अयं चापि महेष्वासः पार्षतो वाहिनीपतिः । भीमसेनश्च समरे पालयिष्यति वो ध्रुवम्
This mighty archer, the commander of the Parshata army, and Bhimasena in the fray, will surely defend you.
मा वो भीष्माद्भयं किंचिदस्त्वद्य युधि सृञ्जयाः। ध्रुवं भीष्मं विजेष्यामः पुरस्कृत्य शिखण्डिनम्
Let not any fear of Bhishma trouble you today, O Srinjayas; surely we will defeat Bhishma, placing Shikhandi at the forefront.
ते तथा समयं कृत्वा दशमेऽहनि पाण्डवाः। ब्रह्मलोकपरा भूत्वा संजग्मुः क्रोधमूर्च्छिताः
Having thus made their agreement on the tenth day, the Pandavas, intent on attaining the realm of Brahma, rushed forth, overcome by wrath.
शिखण्डिनं पुरस्कृत्य पाण्डवं च धनञ्जयम् । भीष्मस्य पातने यत्नं परमं ते समास्थिताः
Placing Shikhandi and Dhananjaya at the front, they devoted themselves fully to the task of bringing down Bhishma.
ततस्त्व सुतादिष्टा नानाजनपदेश्वराः। द्रोणेन सहपुत्रेण सहसेना महाबलाः
Then, as commanded by your son, the mighty rulers from many lands, together with Drona and his son, and their armies, assembled.
दुःशासनश्च बलवान्सह सर्वैः सहोदरैः । भीष्मं समरमध्यस्थं पालयांचक्रिरे तदा
The powerful Duhshasana, along with all his brothers, then guarded Bhishma, who stood at the center of the battle.
ततस्तु तावकाः शूराः पुरस्कृत्य महाव्रतम्। शिखण्डिप्रमुखान्पार्थान्योधयन्ति स्म संयुगे
Then your heroic men, led by the great-vowed Bhishma, fought against the Pandavas, who had Shikhandi at their head.
चेदिभिस्तु सपाञ्चालैः सहितो वानरध्वजः । ययौ शान्तनवं भीष्मं पुरस्कृत्य शिखण्डिनम्
With the Cedis and Panchalas, the monkey-bannered one advanced toward Bhishma, son of Shantanu, placing Shikhandi at the front.
द्रोणपुत्रं शिनेर्नप्ता धृष्टकेतुस्तु पौरवम् । अभिमन्युः सहामात्यं दुर्योधमयोधयत्
Dhrishtaketu, the grandson of Shini, confronted Drona's son; Abhimanyu, with his ministers, engaged Duryodhana in battle.
विराटस्तु सहानीकः सहसेनं जयद्रथम् । वृद्धक्षत्रस्य दायादमाससाद परंतप
Virata, with his troops, and his army, challenged Jayadratha, the heir of Vriddhakshatra, O scorcher of foes.
मद्रराजं महेष्वासं सहसैन्यं युधिष्ठिरः । भीमसेनोऽभिगुप्तस्तु नागानीकमुपाद्रवत्
Yudhishthira, with his army, faced the mighty-armed king of Madra in battle; Bhimasena, well protected, attacked the elephant division.
अप्रधृष्यमनावार्यं सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरम् । द्रोणं प्रति ययौ यत्तः पाञ्चाल्यः सह सोदरैः
The Panchala, with his brothers, prepared to confront Drona, the invincible, irresistible, foremost among all wielders of weapons.
कर्णिकारध्वजं चैव सिंहकैतुररिंदमः । प्रत्युज्जगाम सौभद्रं राजपुत्रो बृहद्बलः
The lion-bannered destroyer of enemies, Bhagadatta, advanced to meet Saubhadra, who bore the Karnikara banner.
शिखण्डिनं च पुत्रास्ते पाण्डवं च धनञ्जयम् । राजभिः समरे पार्थमभिपेतुर्जिघांसवः
Your sons, along with the kings, attacked Shikhandi and Dhananjaya in battle, seeking to slay Partha.
तस्मिन्नतिमहाभीमे सेनयोर्वै पराक्रमे । संप्रधावत्स्वनीकेषु मेदिनी समकम्पत
In that exceedingly fierce clash of armies, as they charged within their ranks, the earth trembled.
तान्यनीकान्यनीकेषु समयुध्यन्त भारत । तावकानां परेषां च दृष्ट्वा शान्तनवं रणे
O Bhārata, those divisions within the armies fought against each other, both your men and the enemy's, upon seeing Śāntanu's son on the battlefield.
ततस्तेषां प्रयततामन्योन्यमभिधावताम् । प्रादुरासीन्महाशब्दो दिक्षु सर्वासु भारत
Then, as those warriors strove and rushed at one another, a great tumult arose in all directions, O Bhārata.
शङ्खदुन्दुभिघोषश्च वारणानां च बृंहितैः । सिंहनादश्च सैन्यानां दारुणः समपद्यत
The blaring of conches and drums, the trumpeting of elephants, and the terrible lion-roars of the soldiers resounded.
सा च सर्वनरेन्द्राणां चन्द्रार्कसदृशी प्रभा । हाराङ्गदकिरीटेषु निष्प्रभा समपद्यत
And the radiance of all the kings, like the sun and the moon, became dimmed upon their garlands, armlets, and crowns.
रजोमेघास्तु संजज्ञुः शस्त्रविद्युद्भिरावृताः । धनुषां चापि निर्घोषो दारुणः समपद्यत
Clouds of dust arose, veiled by the flashes of weapons, and the dreadful twang of bowstrings echoed.
बाणशङ्खप्रणादाश्च भेरीणां च महास्वनाः । रथघोषश्च संजज्ञे सेनयोरुभयोरपि
The sounds of arrows and conches, the loud beating of drums, and the rumble of chariots arose from both armies.
प्रासशक्त्यृष्टिसङ्घैश्च बाणौघैश्च समाकुलम् । निष्प्रकाशमिवाकाशं सेनयोः समपद्यत
The space between the two armies became crowded with spears, lances, javelins, and showers of arrows, as if the sky itself had lost its light.
अन्योन्यं रथिनः पेतुर्वाजिनश्च महाहवे । कुञ्जरान्कुञ्जरा जघ्नुः पादातांश्च पदातयः
On that great battlefield, chariot-warriors fell upon each other, horsemen clashed, elephants struck down elephants, and foot-soldiers fought with foot-soldiers.