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.
सात्यकिं रभसं युद्धे द्रौणिर्ब्राह्मणपुङ्गवः । आजघानोरसि क्रुद्धो नाराचेन परंतपः
Drona's son, the foremost among Brahmins, struck Satyaki, who was fierce in battle, in the chest with a razor-sharp arrow, enraged and scorching his foe.
शैनेयोऽपि गुरोः पुत्रं सर्वमर्मसु भारत। अताडयदमेयात्मा नवभिः कङ्कपत्रिभिः
But Satyaki, of unconquerable spirit, struck the preceptor's son, O Bharata, in all his vital points with nine arrows tipped with vulture feathers.
अश्वत्थामा तु समरे सात्यकिं नवभिः शरैः । त्रिंशता च पुनस्तूर्णं बाह्वोरुरसि चार्पयत्
Ashvatthama, in that battle, pierced Satyaki with nine arrows, and then swiftly struck his arms and chest with thirty more.
सोऽतिविद्धो महेष्वासो द्रोणपुत्रेण सात्यकिः । द्रोणपुत्रं त्रिभिर्बाणैराजघान महायशाः
Satyaki, the mighty archer, though severely wounded by Drona's son, struck Drona's son in return with three arrows, his fame resounding.
पौरवो धृष्टकेतुं च शरैराच्छाद्य संयुगे । बहुधा दारयांचक्रे महेष्वासं महारथः
The Paurava, great chariot-warrior, covered Dhrishtaketu with arrows in the battle, and pierced the mighty archer in many ways.
तथैव पौरवं युद्धे धृष्टकेतुर्महारथः। त्रिंशता निशितैर्बाणैर्विव्याधाशु महाभुजः
Likewise, Dhrishtaketu, the great chariot-warrior with mighty arms, swiftly struck the Paurava in battle with thirty sharp arrows.
पौरवस्तु धनुश्छित्त्वा धृष्टकेतोर्महारथः । ननाद बलवन्नादं विव्याध च शितैः शरैः
But the Paurava, great chariot-warrior, cut down Dhrishtaketu's bow, roared loudly, and pierced him with sharp arrows.
सोऽन्यत्कार्मुकमादाय पौरवं निशितैः शरैः । आजघान महाराज त्रिसप्तत्या शिलीमुखैः
Taking up another bow, Dhrishtaketu struck the Paurava, O great king, with seventy-one keen-tipped shafts.
तौ तु तत्र महेष्वासौ महामात्रौ महारथौ । महता शरवर्षेण परस्परमवर्षताम्
Then those two mighty archers, great-souled and great chariot-warriors, showered each other with a great rain of arrows.
अन्योन्यस्य धनुश्छित्त्वा हयान्हत्वा च भारत। विरथावसियुद्धाय समीयतुरमर्षणौ
Having cut each other's bows and slain each other's horses, O Bharata, the two, filled with wrath, approached for a sword fight on foot.