ऋते महेन्द्रतनयाच्छ्वेताश्वात्कृष्णसारथेः । स हि तं समरे राजन्निर्जित्य विजयोऽर्जुनः
Except for the son of Mahendra, Arjuna of white horses with Krishna as charioteer, O King, he alone gained victory in battle, having conquered him.
भीष्ममेवाभिदुद्राव सर्वसैन्यस्य पश्यतः । विजितस्तव पुत्रोऽपि भीष्मबाहुव्यपाश्रयः
He charged directly at Bhishma before the eyes of the entire army; even your son, relying on Bhishma's arms, was defeated.
पुनः पुनः समाश्वस्य प्रायुध्यत मदोत्कटः । अर्जुनस्तु रणे राजन्योधयन्संव्यराजत
Again and again, regaining his composure, he fought fiercely; but Arjuna shone in battle, contending with the warriors, O King.
शिखण्डी तु रणे राजन्विव्याधैव पितामहम् । शरैरशनिसंस्पर्शैस्तथा सर्पविषोपमैः
But Shikhandi, O King, struck the grandsire in battle with arrows that felt like thunderbolts and were likened to serpent-venom.
न च स्म ते रुजं चक्रुः पितुस्तव जनेश्वर । स्मय्रमानस्तु गाङ्गेयस्तान्बाणाञ्जगृहे तदा
Yet those arrows did not cause pain to your father, O lord of men; Ganga's son, smiling, received those shafts at that time.
उष्णार्तो हि नरो यद्वज्जलधाराः प्रतीच्छति । तथा जग्राह गाङ्गेयः शरधाराः शिखण्डिनः
Just as a man tormented by heat welcomes streams of water, so did Ganga's son receive Shikhandi's showers of arrows.
तं क्षत्रिया महाराज ददृशुर्घोरमाहवे। भीष्मं दहन्तं सैन्यानि पाण्डवानां महात्मनां
The Kshatriyas, O great king, saw Bhishma in that dreadful battle burning the armies of the great-souled Pandavas.
ततोऽब्रवीत्तव सुतः सर्वसैन्यानि मारिष । अभिद्रवत संग्रामे फल्गुनं सर्वतो रणे
Then your son, O Marisha, said to all the armies: 'Attack Phalguna from all sides in the battle!'
भीष्मो वः समरे सर्वान्पायिष्यति धर्मवित्। तद्भयं सुमहत्त्यक्त्वा पाण्डवान्प्रति युध्यत
'Bhishma, knower of dharma, will protect you all in battle; casting off great fear, fight against the Pandavas!'
एष तालेन महता भीष्मस्तिष्ठति पालयन्। सर्वेषां धार्तराष्ट्राणां समरे शर्म वर्म च
'Here stands Bhishma, with great force, protecting and shielding all the Dhartarashtras in battle.'
देवा अपि समुद्युक्ता नालं भीष्मं समासितुम् । किमु पार्था महात्मानं मर्त्यभूता महाबलाः
Even the gods, though fully prepared, are not able to withstand Bhishma; how much less the sons of Pritha, though great-souled and mighty, being mortal.
तस्माद्द्रवत मा योधाः फल्गुनं प्राप्य संयुगे । अहमद्य रणे यत्तो योधयिष्यामि पाण्डवम्
Therefore, O warriors, do not flee upon meeting Phalguna in battle; today, with all my effort, I will fight the Pandava in the field.
सहितः सर्वतो यत्तैर्भवद्भिर्वसुधाधिपैः । तच्छ्रुत्वा तु वचो राजंस्तव पुत्रस्य धन्विनः
Together with all of you, O lords of earth, exert yourselves on every side; hearing these words of your bow-armed son, O King—
अर्जुनं प्रति संयत्ता बलवन्तो महाबलाः । ते विदेहाः कलिङ्गाश्च दासेरकगणाश्च ह
The powerful Videhas, Kalingas, and the Daseraka clans, all prepared themselves against Arjuna.
अभिपेतुर्निषादाश्च सौवीराश्च महारणे । बाह्लीका दरदाश्चैव प्रतीच्योदीच्यमालवाः
The Nishadas and Sauviras advanced in the great battle, as did the Bahlikas, Daradas, and the Malavas of the west and north.
अभीषाहाः शूरसेनाः शिबयोऽथ वसातयः । साल्वः शकास्त्रिगर्ताश्च अम्बष्ठाः केकयौः सह
The Abhishahas, Shurasenas, Shibis, and Vasatas, as well as the Salvas, Shakas, Trigartas, Ambasthas, and the Kekayas, advanced together.
अभिपेतू रणे पार्थं पतङ्गा इव पावकम् । स तान्सर्वान्सहानीकान्महाराज महारथान्
They rushed at Partha in battle like moths into a flame; and he, O great king, with all his divisions and mighty chariot-warriors—
दिव्यान्यस्त्राणि संचिन्त्य प्रसंधाय धनञ्जयः । स तैरस्त्रैर्महावेगैर्ददाह सुमहाबलः
Dhananjaya, recalling and stringing together divine weapons, burned them with those weapons of great speed, being himself of immense might.
शरप्रतापैर्बीभत्सुः पतङ्गानिव पावकः । तस्य बाणसहस्राणि सृजतो दृढधन्विनः
Arjuna, with the force of his arrows, was like fire consuming moths; as he released thousands of shafts from his strong bow—
दीप्यमानमिवाकाशे गाण्डीवं समदृश्यत। ते शरार्ता महाराज विप्रकीर्णमहाध्वजाः
His Gandiva shone in the sky as if aflame; those struck by his arrows, O King, had their great banners scattered.
नाभ्यवर्तन्त राजानः सहिता वानरध्वजम् । सध्वजा रथिनः पेतुर्हयारोहा हयैः सह
No kings, even united with the one bearing the monkey-banner, could withstand him; chariot-warriors with their standards fell, as did horsemen with their steeds.
सगजाश्च गजारोहाः किरीटिशरताडिताः । ततोऽर्जुनभुजोत्सृष्टैरावृताऽऽसीद्वसुंधरा
Elephants and their riders, struck by the diademed Arjuna’s arrows, fell as well; the earth was covered by the missiles released from Arjuna’s arms.
विद्रुतं दिक्षु सर्वासु शरैर्बलमदृश्यत । अथ पार्थो महाराज द्रावयित्वा वरूथिनीम्
All directions showed the army fleeing, pierced by arrows; then Partha, O King, having routed the troops—
दुःशासनाय सुबहून्प्रेषयामास सायकान् । ते तु भित्त्वा तव सुतं दुःशासनमयोमुखाः
—sent a multitude of arrows at Duhshasana; those iron-tipped shafts, piercing your son—
धरणीं विविशुः सर्वे वल्मीकमिव पन्नगाः । हयांश्चास्य ततो जघ्ने सारथिं च न्यपातयत्
—all entered the earth like serpents into an anthill; then he struck down his horses and felled his charioteer.
विविंशतिं च विंशत्या विरथीकृतवान्प्रभुः । आजघान भृशं चैव पञ्चभिर्नतपर्वभिः
The mighty Arjuna, with twenty more arrows, deprived Vivimsati of his chariot; and with five sharp shafts, he struck fiercely—
कृपं विकर्णं शल्यं च विद्ध्वा बहुभिरायसैः । चकार विरथांश्चैव कौन्तेयः श्वेतवाहनः
—at Kripa, Vikarna, and Shalya, wounding them with many iron arrows; the son of Kunti, with his white steeds, made them all lose their chariots.
एवं ते विरथाः सर्वे कृपः शल्यश्च मारिष । दुःशासनो विकर्णश्च तथैव च विविंशतिः
Thus, all of them—Kripa, Shalya, O great one, Duhshasana, Vikarna, and Vivimsati—were left without chariots.
संप्राद्रवन्त समरे निर्जिताः सव्यसाचिना । पूर्वाह्णे भरतश्रेष्ठ पराजित्य महारथान्
Defeated by Savyasacin in battle, they fled from the field; in the forenoon, O best of Bharatas, having vanquished the great warriors—
प्रजज्वाल रणे पार्थो विधूम इव पावकः । तथैव शरवर्षेण भास्करो रश्मिवानिव
Partha blazed in battle like a smokeless fire; and with his shower of arrows, like the radiant sun.