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.
तत्रासीत्सुमहद्युद्धं कुरूणां पाण्डवैः सह। भीष्महेतोर्नरव्याघ्र श्येनयोरामिषे यथा
There, a tremendous battle took place between the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas for the sake of Bhīṣma, O tiger among men, like two vultures fighting over flesh.
तयोः समागमो घोरो बभूव युधि भारत। अन्योन्यस्य वधार्थाय जिगीषूणां महाहवे
The encounter between those two sides became fierce in battle, O Bhārata, as each sought to destroy the other, striving for victory in the great conflict.
अभिमन्युर्महाराज तव पुत्रमयोधयत्। महत्या सेनया युक्तं भीष्महेतोः पराक्रमी
O great king, Abhimanyu fought your son, who was arrayed with a mighty army, displaying his valor for the sake of Bhīṣma.
दुर्योधनो रणे कार्षिं नवभिर्नतपर्वभिः। आजघानोरसि क्रुद्धः पुनश्चैनं त्रिभिः शरैः
Duryodhana, enraged in battle, struck Kārṣṇi on the chest with nine sharp arrows, and then again with three more.
तस्य शक्तिं रणे कार्ष्णिर्मृत्योर्जिह्वामिवायसीम्। प्रेषयामास संक्रुद्धो दुर्योधनरथं प्रति
Kārṣṇi, furious, sent a steel spear—like the tongue of Death—toward Duryodhana's chariot.
तामापतन्तीं सहसा घोररूपां विशांपते । द्विधा चिच्छेद ते पुत्रः क्षुरप्रेण महारथः
But your son, O lord of men, swiftly cut that dreadful, onrushing spear in two with a razor-sharp arrow.
तां शक्तिं पतितां दृष्ट्वा कार्ष्णिः परमकोपनः । दुर्योधनं त्रिभिर्बाणैर्बाह्वोरुरसि चार्पयत्
Seeing his spear fall, Kārṣṇi, greatly enraged, struck Duryodhana on the arms and chest with three arrows.
पुनश्चैनं शरैर्घोरैराजघान स्तनान्तरे । दशभिर्भरतश्रेष्ठ दुर्योधनममर्षणम्
Then again, O best of the Bharatas, he struck the unyielding Duryodhana in the chest with ten fierce arrows.
तद्युद्धमभवद्धोरं चित्ररूपं च भारत। ईक्षितृप्रीतितजननं सर्वपार्थिवपूजितम्
That battle became terrible and wondrous, O Bhārata, delighting the spectators and honored by all the kings.
भीष्मस्य निधनार्थाय पार्थस्य विजयाय च। युयुधाते रणे वीरौ सौभद्रकुरुपुङ्गवौ
For the death of Bhīṣma and the victory of Arjuna, the two heroes—Saubhadra and the foremost of the Kurus—fought in battle.