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.
अन्यानपि महाराज तापयामास पार्थिवान् । पराङ्मुखीकृत्य तथा शरवर्षैर्महारथान्
He tormented other kings as well, O King, turning the great chariot-warriors to flight with his showers of arrows.
प्रावर्तयत संग्रामे शोणितोदां महानदीम् । मध्येन कुरुसैन्यानां पाण्डवानां च भारत
In the midst of the Kuru and Pandava armies, he set flowing in battle a great river of blood.
तस्मिन्नतिमहाभीमे राजन्वीरवरक्षये । भीष्मं प्रति पराक्रान्ताः पाण्डवाः सह सृञ्जयैः
In that exceedingly dreadful slaughter of heroes, O King, the Pandavas, together with the Srinjayas, advanced against Bhishma.
ते पराक्रान्तमालोक्य युधि राजन्पितामहम् । न न्यवर्तन्त ते पुत्रा ब्रह्मलोकपुरस्कृताः
Seeing the grandsire’s valor in battle, O King, your sons did not turn back, as if led by Brahma’s world.
इच्छन्तो निधनं युद्धे स्वर्गलोकपरायणाः । पाण्डवानभ्यवर्तन्त तावका युद्धदुर्मदाः
Desiring death in battle, intent on attaining heaven, your battle-maddened sons advanced against the Pandavas.
पाण्डवाश्च महाराज स्मरन्तो विविधान्बहून् । क्लेशान्कृतान्सपुत्रेण त्वया पूर्वं नराधिप
And the Pandavas, O King, recalling the many hardships you and your son had previously inflicted upon them—
भयं त्यक्त्वा रणे शूराः स्वर्गलोकपुरस्कृताः। तावकांस्तव पुत्रांश्च योधयन्ति स्म हृष्टवत्
Having cast off fear in battle, your sons and your warriors, honored by the world of heaven, fought joyfully.
गजाश्च रथसङ्घाश्च बहुधा रथिभिर्हताः । रथाश्च निहता नागैर्हयाश्चैव पदातिभिः
Elephants and groups of chariots were struck down in many ways by chariot-warriors; chariots were destroyed by elephants, and horses by foot soldiers.
अन्तरा च्छिद्यमानानि शरीराणि शिरांसि च । निपेतुर्दिक्षु सर्वासु गजाश्वरथयोधिनाम्
In between, bodies and heads were being cut down and fell in all directions, belonging to the elephant, horse, and chariot warriors.
छन्नमायोधनं राजन्कुण्डलाङ्गदधारिभिः। पतितैः पात्यमानैश्च राजपुत्रैर्महारथैः
The battlefield, O King, was covered by fallen royal sons and great chariot-warriors, adorned with earrings and armlets, who were being struck down.
रथनेमिनिकृत्तैश्च गजैश्चैवावपोथितैः । पादातश्चाप्यधावन्त साश्वाश्च हययोधिनः
There were elephants with wheels of chariots cut by their tusks, and others trampled down; foot soldiers and horsemen with their horses also fled.
गजाश्च रथयोधाश्च परिपेतुः समन्ततः । विकीर्णाश्च रथा भूमौ भग्रचक्रयुगध्वजाः
Elephants and chariot-warriors fell everywhere; chariots lay scattered on the ground, their wheels, yokes, and banners broken.
तद्गजाश्वरथौघानां रुधिरेण समुक्षितम । छन्नमायोधनं रेजे रक्ताभ्रमिव शारदम्
That battlefield, drenched with the blood of elephants, horses, and chariot-troops, shone like a red cloud in autumn.
श्वानः काकाश्च गृध्राश्च वृका गोमायुभिः सह । प्रणेर्दुर्भक्ष्यमासाद्य विकृताश्च सगद्विजाः
Dogs, crows, vultures, wolves, and jackals, along with other birds, found abundant food and became distorted, together with other flesh-eaters.
ववुर्बहुविधश्चैव दिक्षु सर्वासु मारुताः। दृश्यमानेषु रक्षःसु भूतेषु च नदत्सु च
Winds of many kinds blew in all directions, as spirits and beings were seen and heard making sounds.
काञ्चनानि च दामानि पताकाश्च महाधनाः । धूयमाना व्यदृश्यन्त सहसा मारुतेरिताः
Golden chains and great, costly banners were seen suddenly fluttering, tossed by the wind.
श्वेतच्छत्रसहस्राणि सध्वजाश्च महारथाः । विकीर्णाः समदृश्यन्त शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
Thousands of white umbrellas and great chariot-warriors with banners were seen scattered in hundreds and thousands.
सपताकाश्च मातङ्गा दिशो जग्मुः शरातुराः। क्षत्रियाश्च मनुष्येन्द्र गदाशक्तिधनुर्धराः
Elephants with banners, wounded by arrows, moved toward the directions; and O king of men, Kshatriyas bearing maces, spears, and bows did likewise.
समन्ततश्च दृश्यन्ते पतिता धरणीतले । `इषुभिस्ताड्यमानाश्च नाराचैश्च सहस्रशः।' पेतुरार्तस्वरं कृत्वा तत्रतत्र महागजाः
All around could be seen those fallen on the earth, struck by arrows and iron shafts by the thousands; great elephants fell here and there, crying out in pain.
सेनापतिस्तु समरे प्राह सेनां महारथः । अभ्यद्रवत गाङ्गेयं सैनिकाः किं कृतेन वः
Then the commander, a great chariot-warrior, spoke to the army in battle: 'Attack Ganga's son, soldiers! What use is delay for you?'