सेनापतिवचः श्रुत्वा सोमकाः सह सृञ्जयैः । अभ्यद्रवन्त गोङ्गेयं शस्त्रवृष्ट्या समन्ततः
Hearing the commander's words, the Somakas along with the Sṛñjayas attacked Ganga's son from all sides with a shower of weapons.
ततो भीष्मो महाराज दिव्यमस्त्रमुदीरयन् । अभ्यधावत कौन्तेयं मिषतां सर्वधन्विनाम्
Then Bhishma, O King, invoking a divine weapon, rushed toward the son of Kunti before the eyes of all the archers.
तं शिखण्डी रणे यान्तमभ्यद्रवत दंशितः । ततः समाहरद्भीष्मस्तदस्त्रं पावकोपमम्
Shikhandi, enraged, charged at him in battle as he advanced; then Bhishma released that weapon, blazing like fire.
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु कौन्तेयः श्वेतवाहनः। निजघ्ने तावकं सैन्यं मोहयित्वा पितामहम्
At that very moment, the son of Kunti, with the white steeds, confounded the grandsire and struck down your army.
असंव्यूढेष्वनीकेषु भूयिष्ठमनुवर्तिषु । ब्रह्मलोकपराः सर्वे समपद्यन्त भारत
When the armies were not arrayed and most were following, all became devoted to the world of Brahma, O Bharata.
च ह्यनीकमनीकेषु समसञ्जत संकले । रथा न रथिभिः सार्धं पादाता न पदातिभिः
Indeed, in the disordered and disarrayed troops, chariots did not fight with charioteers, nor infantry with infantry.
अश्वा नाश्वैरयुध्यन्त गजा न गजयोधिभिः । उन्मत्तवन्महाराज युध्यन्ते तत्र भारत
Horses did not battle with horsemen, nor elephants with elephant-warriors; like madmen, O great king, they fought there, O Bharata.
महान्व्यतिकरो रौद्रः सेनयोः समपद्यत । नरनागगणेष्वेवं विकीर्णेषु च सर्वशः
A great and terrible confusion arose between the two armies, as the groups of men and elephants were scattered everywhere.
क्षये तस्मिन्महारौद्रे निर्विशेषमजायत । ततः शल्यः कृपश्चैव चित्रसेनश्च भारत
In that fierce destruction, all distinction vanished; then Shalya, Kripa, and Citrashena, O Bharata,
दुःशासनो विकर्णश्च रथानास्थाय भास्वरान् । पाण्डवानां रणे शूरा ध्वजिनीं समकम्पयन्
Duhshasana and Vikarna, mounting their shining chariots, shook the Pandava army in battle, O heroes.
सा वध्यमाना समरे पाण्डुसेना महात्मभिः । त्रातारं नाध्यगच्छद्वै मञ्जमानेव नौर्जंले
That Pandava army, slaughtered in battle by the great-souled ones, found no protector, like a boat drifting in the sea.
यथा हि शैशिरः कालो गवां मर्माणि कृन्तति। तथा पाण्डुसुतानां वै भीष्मो मर्माणि कृन्तति
Just as the winter season cuts the vital parts of cows, so Bhishma cut the vital parts of the sons of Pandu.
तथैव तव सैन्यस्य पार्थेन च महात्मना। नवमेघप्रतीकाशाः पातिता बहुधा गजाः
Likewise, by the great-souled Arjuna, many elephants resembling new clouds were struck down in your army.
मृद्यमानाश्च दृश्यन्ते पार्थेन नरयूथपाः । इषुभिस्ताड्यमानाश्च नाराचैश्च सहस्रशः
The leaders of men were seen being crushed by Arjuna, struck by arrows and shafts by the thousands.
पेतुरार्तस्वरं घोरं कृत्वा तत्र महागजाः । आनद्धाभरणैः कायैर्निहतानां महात्मनाम्
There, the great elephants fell, making a dreadful cry, their bodies adorned with armor, belonging to the slain great-souled ones.
छन्नमायोधनं रेजे शिरोभिश्च सकुण्डलैः । तस्मिन्नेव महाराज महावीरवरक्षये
The battlefield shone, covered with weapons and with heads adorned with earrings, amid the slaughter of great heroes, O king.
भीष्मे च युधि विक्रान्ते पाण्डवे च धनञ्जये । ते पराक्रान्तमालोक्य राजन्युधि पितामहम्
When Bhishma fought valiantly and Dhananjaya among the Pandavas, the kings, seeing the prowess of the grandsire in battle,
अभ्यवर्तन्त ते पुत्राः सर्वे सैन्यपुरस्कृताः । इच्छन्तो निधनं युद्धे स्वर्गं कृत्वा परायणम्
All your sons advanced, led by their armies, desiring death in battle, making heaven their ultimate goal.
पाण्डवानभ्यवर्तन्त तस्मिन्वीरवरक्षये । पाण्डवापि महाराज स्मरन्तो विविधान्बहून्
They advanced against the Pandavas in that slaughter of great heroes; and the Pandavas, O king, recalling many various hardships,
क्लेशान्कृतान्सपुत्रेण त्वया पूर्वं नराधिप । भयं त्यक्त्वा रणे शूरा ब्रह्मलोकाय तत्पराः
The hardships caused earlier by you and your son, O ruler of men, the heroes, abandoning fear in battle, were intent upon the world of Brahma.
तावकांस्तव पुत्रांश्च योधयन्ति प्रहृष्टवत्। सेनापतिस्तु समरे प्राह सेनां महारथः
Your warriors and your sons fought with delight; and the commander in battle spoke to the army, O great charioteer.
अभिद्रवत गाङ्गेयं सोमकाः सृञ्जयैः सह । सेनापतिवचः श्रुत्वा सोमकाः सृञ्जयाश्च ते
Charge at Ganga's son, O Somakas, together with the Srinjayas! Hearing the commander's words, the Somakas and Srinjayas
अभ्यद्रवन्त गाङ्गेयं शरवृष्ट्या समाहताः । वध्यमानस्ततो राजन्पिता शान्तनवस्तव
Struck by a shower of arrows, they rushed at the son of Ganga; then, O King, your father, Santanu's son, was being assailed.
अमर्षवशमापन्नो योधयामास सृञ्जयान्। तस्य कीर्तिमतस्तात पुरा रामेण धीमता
Overcome by wrath, he fought the Srinjayas; long ago, O father, that illustrious one had received instruction in weapons from the wise Rama.
संप्रदत्ताऽस्त्रशिक्षा वै परानीकविनाशनी । स तां विद्यामधिष्ठाय कुर्वन्तपरबलक्षयम्
He had been taught the science of arms that destroys hostile armies; relying on that knowledge, he began to annihilate the enemy forces.
अहन्यहनि पार्थानां वृद्धः कुरुपितामहः । भीष्मो दशसहस्राणि जघान परवीरहा
Day after day, the aged grandsire of the Kurus, Bhishma, the slayer of hostile heroes, struck down ten thousand of the Pandavas.
तस्मिंस्तु दशमे प्राप्ते दिवसे भरतर्षभ । एको भीष्मो हि मत्स्येषु पाञ्चालेषु च संयुगे
But on the tenth day, O bull among the Bharatas, Bhishma alone, in battle against the Matsyas and Panchalas—
गजाश्वममितं हत्वा हत्वा सप्त महारथान् । हत्वा पञ्चसहस्राणि रथानां प्रतिपामहः
Having slain countless elephants and horses, and seven great chariot-warriors, he, the grandsire, killed five thousand chariots.
नराणां च महायुद्धे सहस्राणि चतुर्दश । दन्तिनां च सहस्राणि हयानामयुतं पुनः
And in that great battle, he struck down fourteen thousand men, a thousand elephants, and again, ten thousand horses.
शिक्षबलेन न्यहनत्पिता तव विशांपते । ततः सर्वमहीपानां क्षपयित्वा वरूथिनीम्
With the power of his training, your father, O lord of the people, struck them down; then, having destroyed the best divisions of all the kings—