अथ ते तोमरैः प्रासैर्बाणौघैश्च समन्ततः। पट्टसैश्च सुनिस्त्रिंशैर्नाराचैश्च तथा शितैः
Then, with javelins, lances, showers of arrows on all sides, with swords, sharp scimitars, and keen-tipped shafts,
वत्सदन्तैश्च भल्लैश्च तमेकमभिदुद्रुवुः । सिंहनादस्ततो घोरः पाण्डवानामभूत्तदा
With calf-toothed arrows and broad-headed shafts, they all rushed at that one man; then a terrible lion's roar arose from the Pandavas.
तथैव तव पुत्राश्च नेदुर्भीष्मजयैषिणः। तमेकमभ्यरक्षन्त सिंहनादांश्च चक्रिरे
Likewise, your sons, eager for Bhishma's victory, shouted in response and surrounded that one man, making lion-like cries.
तत्रासीत्तुमुलं युद्धं तावकानां परैः सह। दशमेऽहनि राजेन्द्र भीष्मार्जुनसमागमे
There, a tumultuous battle took place between your forces and the enemy, O king, on the tenth day, when Bhishma and Arjuna met.
आसीद्धोर इवावर्तो मुहूर्तमुदधेरिव । सैन्यानां युध्यमानानां निघ्नतामितरेतरम्
It was like a dreadful whirlpool for a moment, as if in the ocean, with the armies fighting and striking each other down.
असौम्यरूपा पृथिवी शोणिताक्ताऽभवत्तदा। समं च विषमं चैव न प्राज्ञायत किंचन
The earth then became grim in appearance, stained with blood; neither level nor uneven ground could be distinguished.
योधानामयुतं हत्वा तस्मिन्स दशमेऽहनि । अतिष्ठदाहवे भीष्मो भिद्यमानेषु मर्मसु
Having slain tens of thousands of warriors on that tenth day, Bhishma stood firm in the battle, even as his vital points were being struck.
ततः सेनामुखे तस्मिन्स्थितः पार्थो धनुर्धरः। मध्येन कुरुसैन्यानां द्रावयामास वाहिनीम्
Then Arjuna, the wielder of the bow, stood at the front of the army and began to drive back the Kuru forces through their center.
तत्राद्भुतमपश्याम पाण्डवानां पराक्रमम्। द्रावयामासुरिषुभिः सर्वान्भीष्मपदानुगान्
There we witnessed the astonishing valor of the Pandavas, as with arrows they routed all those who followed Bhishma.
वयं श्वेतहयाद्भीताः कुन्तीपुत्राद्धनञ्जयात्। पीड्यमानाः शितैः शस्त्रैः प्राद्रवाम रणे तदा
We, terrified by Arjuna, the son of Kunti with white horses, and afflicted by sharp weapons, fled from the battle at that time.
पाण्डवैः पञ्चभिः सार्धं सात्यकेन च धन्विना। धृष्टद्युम्नसुखैः सर्वैः पाञ्चालैश्च समन्ततःक
With the five Pandavas, the bowman Satyaki, Dhrishtadyumna, all the Panchalas, and their allies on every side,
भिद्यमानाः शरैस्तीक्ष्णैः सर्वे कार्ष्णिपुरोगमैः। द्रोणद्रौणिकृतैः सार्धं सर्वे शल्यशलादयः। तावकाः समरे राजञ्जहुर्भीष्मं महामृधे
All, led by Krishna, were pierced by sharp arrows, together with Drona and Drona's son, as well as Shalya and Shalva; your men, O king, abandoned Bhishma in the great battle.
सौवीराः कितवाः प्राच्याःप्रतीच्योदीच्यमालवाः। अभीषाहाः शूरसेनाः शिबयोऽथ वसातयः
The Sauvira, Kitava, Easterners, Westerners, Northerners, Malavas, Abhishahas, Shurasenas, Shibis, and Vasatis,
साल्वाश्रयास्त्रिगर्ताश्च अम्बष्ठाः केकयैः सह। द्वादशैते जनपदाः शरार्ता व्रणपीडिताः। संग्रामे प्रजहुर्भीष्मं युध्यमानाः किरीटिना
The Salvas, Trigartas, Ambasthas, and Kekayas—these twelve peoples, wounded by arrows and tormented by injuries, abandoned Bhishma in battle while fighting against the diademed Arjuna.
ततस्तमेकं बहवः परिवार्य समन्ततः । परिकाल्य कुरून्सर्वाञ्शरर्षैरवाकिरन्
Then many warriors surrounded that one man on all sides, protecting all the Kurus, and showered him with a rain of arrows.
निपातयत गृह्णीत युध्यध्वमवकृन्तत। इत्यासीत्तुमुलः शब्दो राजन्भीष्मरथं प्रति
"Strike him down! Capture him! Fight on! Cut him to pieces!"—such was the tumultuous cry, O king, directed at Bhishma's chariot.
निहत्य समरे राजञ्शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः । न तस्यासीदनिर्भिन्नं गात्रे द्व्यङ्गुलमन्तरम्
Slaying hundreds and thousands in battle, O king, there was not a space on his body the width of two fingers that was unpierced.
एवंभूतस्तव पिता शरैर्विशकलीकृतः। शिताग्रैः फल्गुनेनाजौ प्राक्शिराः प्रापतद्रथात्
In such a state, your father, his body shattered by arrows with sharp points by Phalguna in the fight, fell headlong from his chariot.
किंचिच्छेषे दिनकरे पुत्राणां तव पश्यताम् । हाहेति दिवि देवानां पार्थिवानां च भारत
As the day drew to its end, while your sons looked on, O Bhārata, a cry of 'Alas!' arose among the gods in heaven and the kings on earth.
पतमाने रथाद्भीष्मे बभूव सुमहास्वनः । संपतन्तमभिप्रेक्ष्य महात्मानं पितामहम्
When Bhīṣma fell from his chariot, a tremendous sound arose; seeing the great-souled grandsire descending, all were struck with awe.
सह भीष्मेण सर्वेषां प्रापतन्हृदयानि नः । स पपात महाबाहुर्वसुधामनुनादयन्
With Bhīṣma, the hearts of all fell as well; that mighty-armed one crashed down, resounding upon the earth.
इन्द्रध्वज इवोत्सृष्टः केतुः सर्वधनुष्मताम् । धरणीं न स पस्पर्श शरसङ्घैः समावृतः
Like a banner of Indra cast down, the foremost among all archers did not touch the ground, being enveloped by a mass of arrows.
शलतल्पे महेष्वासं शयानं पुरुषर्षभम्। रथात्प्रपतितं चैनं दिव्यो भावः समाविशत्
Lying on a bed of arrows, that great archer, the bull among men, having fallen from his chariot, was enveloped by a divine state.
अभ्यवर्षच्च पर्जन्यः प्राकम्पत च मेदिनी । पतन्स ददृशे चापि दक्षिणेन दिवाकरम्
Rain fell from the clouds, the earth trembled, and as he fell, he was seen to the south of the sun.
संज्ञां चोपालभद्वीरः कालं संचिन्त्य भारत । अन्तरिक्षे च शुश्राव दिव्या वाचः समन्ततः
That hero, reflecting on the time, regained consciousness, O Bhārata, and in the sky he heard divine voices all around.
कथं महात्मा गाङ्गेयः सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः । कालकर्ता नरव्याघ्रः संप्राप्ते दक्षिणायने
'How has the great-souled son of Ganga, the foremost of all wielders of weapons, the tiger among men, met his end as the sun turns southward?'
स्थितोऽस्मीति च गाङ्गेयस्तच्छ्रुत्वा वाक्यमब्रवीत्। धारयिष्याम्यहं प्राणान्पतितिऽपि महीतले
Then Gāṅgeya said, 'I remain,' and hearing those words, he declared, 'I will hold my life-breaths, even though I have fallen to the earth.'
उत्तरायणमन्विच्छन्सुगतिप्रतिकाङ्क्षया। तस्य तन्मतमाज्ञाय गह्गा हिमवतः सुताः
Desiring the northern course of the sun and hoping for a blessed end, his wish was known to Ganga, daughter of the Himalaya.
महर्षीन्हंसरूपेण प्रेषयामास तत्र वै। ततस्तं प्रति ते हंसास्त्वरिता मानसौकसः
She sent great sages in the form of swans to him; then those swans, swift and dwelling in the Mānasa lake, went to him.
आजग्मुः सहिता द्रष्टुं भीष्मं कुरुपितामहम्। यत्र शेते नरश्रेष्ठः शरतल्पे पितामहः
They came together to see Bhīṣma, the grandsire of the Kurus, where that best of men lay upon his bed of arrows.