गिरिमात्रा हि ते नागा भिन्नाञ्जनचयोपमाः । विरेजुर्वसुधां प्राप्ता विकीर्णा इव पर्वताः
Those elephants, as large as mountains and dark as broken masses of collyrium, lay scattered on the earth, shining like shattered hills.
युधिष्ठिरो महेष्वासो मद्रराजानमाहवे । महत्या सेनया गुप्तं पीडयामास संगतम्
Yudhiṣṭhira, mighty archer, pressed the king of Madra in battle, though he was protected by a great army and surrounded on all sides.
मद्रेश्वरश्च समरे धर्मपुत्रं महारथम् । पीडयामास संरब्धो भीष्महेतोः पराक्रमी
The lord of Madra, enraged and valiant for Bhīṣma’s sake, pressed Dharmaputra, the great chariot-warrior, in battle.
विराटं सैन्धवो राजा विद्ध्वा सन्नतपर्वभिः । नवभिः सायकैस्तीक्ष्णैस्त्रिंशता पुनरार्पयत्
The king of Sindhu struck Virāṭa with nine sharp, well-feathered arrows, and then assailed him again with thirty.
विराटश्च महाराज सैन्धवं वाहिनीपतिः । त्रिंशद्भिर्निशितैर्बाणैराजघान स्तनान्तरे
And Virāṭa, O king, commander of the forces, struck the Sindhu king in the chest with thirty sharp arrows.
चित्रकार्मुकनिस्त्रिंशौ चित्रवर्मायुधध्वजौ । रेजतुश्चित्ररूपौ तौ संग्रामे मत्स्यसैन्धवौ
Both with splendid bows and swords, adorned with shining armor and weapons, those two—Matsya and Saindhava—shone in battle with wondrous forms.
द्रोणः पाञ्चालपुत्रेण समागम्य महारणे । महासमुदयं चक्रे शरैः सन्नतपर्वभिः
Drona, encountering the son of Panchala on the great battlefield, unleashed a mighty assault with his arrows, whose shafts were well-feathered.
ततो द्रोणो महाराज पार्षतस्य महद्धनुः । छित्त्वा पञ्चाशतेषूंश्च पार्षतं प्रति सृष्टवान्
Then Drona, O King, cut down the great bow of the son of Prishata, and released fifty arrows at him.
सोऽन्यत्कार्मुकमादाय पार्षतः परवीरहा। द्रोणस्य मिषतो युद्धे प्रेषयामास सायकान्
Taking up another bow, the son of Prishata, destroyer of enemy heroes, sent arrows at Drona in the battle, even as Drona looked on.
ताञ्छराञ्छरघातेन चिच्छेद स महारथः । द्रोणो द्रुपदपुत्राय प्राहिणोत्पञ्च सायकान्
That great chariot-warrior, Drona, cut down those arrows with his own, and sent five shafts at the son of Drupada.
ततः क्रुद्धो महाराज पार्षतः परवीरहा । द्रोणाय चिक्षेप गदां यमदण्डोपमां रणे
Then, enraged, O King, the son of Prishata, destroyer of enemy heroes, hurled a mace at Drona in the battle, resembling the rod of Death.
तामापतन्तीं सहसा हेमपट्टविभूषिताम्। शरैः पञ्चाशता द्रोणो वारयामास संयुगे
That mace, adorned with golden bands and rushing swiftly, Drona repelled in the fight with fifty arrows.
सा छिन्ना बहुधा राजन्द्रोगचापच्युतैः शरैः । चूर्णीकृता विशीर्यन्ती पपात वसुधातले
That mace, shattered into many pieces by arrows shot from Drona's bow, was crushed and, breaking apart, fell to the earth.
गदां विनिहतां दृष्ट्वा पार्षतः शत्रुतापनः । द्रोणाय शक्तिं चिक्षेप सर्वपारशवीं शुभाम्
Seeing his mace destroyed, the son of Prishata, tormentor of foes, hurled a splendid spear, sharp on all sides, at Drona.
तां द्रोणो नवभिर्बाणैश्चिच्छेद युधि भारत। पार्षतं च महेष्वासं पीजयामास संयुगे
Drona cut that spear in battle with nine arrows, O Bharata, and pressed hard upon the mighty-armed son of Prishata in the fight.
एवमेतन्महायुद्धं द्रोणपार्षतयोरभूत्। भीष्मं प्रति महाराज घोररूपं भयानकम्
Thus, this great and dreadful battle took place between Drona and the son of Prishata, O King, in front of Bhishma.
अर्जुनः प्राप्य गाङ्गेयं पीडयन्निशितैः शरैः । अभ्यद्रवत संयत्तो वने मत्तमिव द्विपम्
Arjuna, having reached the son of Ganga, pressed him with sharp arrows, and charged forward, eager for battle, like a maddened elephant in the forest.
प्रत्युद्ययौ च तं राजा भगदत्तः प्रतापवान् । त्रिधा भिन्नेन नागेन मदान्धेन महाबलः
Then King Bhagadatta, mighty in valor, advanced to meet him, mounted on his threefold-trained, intoxicated, and powerful elephant.
तमापतन्तं सहसा महेन्द्रगजसन्निभम् । परं यत्नं समस्थाय बीभत्सुः प्रत्यपद्यत
As that king, resembling the great elephant of the gods, rushed swiftly forward, Arjuna, exerting his utmost effort, confronted him.
ततो गजगतो राजा भगदत्तः प्रतापवान् । अर्जुनं शरवर्षेण वारयामास संयुगे
Then King Bhagadatta, mounted on his elephant and full of prowess, checked Arjuna in battle with a shower of arrows.
अर्जुनस्तु ततो नागमायान्तं रजतोपमैः । विमलैरायसैस्तीक्ष्णैरविध्यत महारणे
But Arjuna struck at the advancing elephant with sharp, shining, iron arrows, bright as silver, in the great battle.
शिखण्डिनं च कौन्तेयो याहियाहीत्यचोदयत्। भीष्मं प्रति महाराज जह्येनमिति चाब्रवीत्
And the son of Kunti urged Shikhandin onward, saying, 'Go, go!' and told him, 'Attack Bhishma, O King, and slay him.'
प्राग्ज्योतिषस्ततो हित्वा पाण्डवं पाण्डुपूर्वज। प्रययौ त्वरितो राजन्द्रुपदस्य रथं प्रति
Then the king of Pragjyotisha, leaving the son of Pandu and the eldest Pandava, hastened, O King, towards the chariot of Drupada.
ततोऽर्जुनो महाराज भीष्ममभ्यद्रवद्द्रुतम्। शिखण्डिनं पुरस्कृत्य ततो युद्धमवर्तत
Then Arjuna, O King, swiftly attacked Bhishma, placing Shikhandin in front, and thus the battle was joined.
ततस्ते तावकाः शूराः पाण्डवं रभसं युधि । समभ्यधावन्क्रोशन्तस्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्
Then your valiant warriors rushed fiercely at Arjuna in battle, shouting loudly; it was a marvelous sight.
नानाविधान्यनीकानि पुत्राणां ते जनाधिप । अर्जुनो व्यधमत्काले दिवीवाभ्राणि मारुतः
Arjuna scattered the various divisions of the king's sons at the right moment, like the wind dispersing clouds in the sky.
शिखण्डी तु समासाद्य भरतानां पितामहम्। इषुभिस्तूर्णमव्यग्रो बहुभिः स समाचिनोत्
But Śikhaṇḍin, approaching the grandsire of the Bharatas, swiftly and steadily covered him with many arrows.
रथाग्न्यगारश्चापार्चिरशिशक्तिगदेन्धनः । शरसङ्घमहाज्वालः क्षत्रियान्समरेऽदहत्
His chariot was the altar, his bow the blazing flame, his arrows and spears the fuel; with a great fire of arrows, he burned the warriors in battle.
यथाऽग्निः सुमहानिद्धः कक्षे चरति सानिलः। तथा जज्वाल भीष्मोऽपि दिव्यान्यस्त्राण्युदीरयन्
Just as a great fire, fanned by the wind, moves through the forest, so too did Bhīṣma blaze forth, unleashing celestial weapons.
सोमकांश्च रणे भीष्मो जघ्ने पार्थपदानुगान् । न्यवारयत तत्सैन्यं पाण्डवस्य महारथः
In battle, Bhīṣma struck down the Somakas and the followers of Arjuna, and the great chariot-warrior checked the army of the Pāṇḍava.