यः पुत्रं काशिराजस्य वाराणस्यां महारथम्। समरे स्त्रीषु गृध्यन्तं भल्लेनापाहरद्रथात्
Who, in battle at Varanasi, struck down the son of the king of Kashi, a great chariot-warrior, who coveted women, with a mace, and dragged him from his chariot.
धृष्टद्युम्नं महेष्वासं पार्थानां मन्त्रधारिणम्। युक्तं दुर्योधनानर्थे सृष्टं द्रोणवधाय च
Dhrishtadyumna, great archer, counselor of the Parthas, appointed for Duryodhana's sake and created for Drona's destruction.
निर्दहन्तं रणे योधान्दारयन्तं च सर्वतः। द्रोणाभिमुखमायान्तं के शूराः पर्यवारयन्
Who, burning warriors in battle and tearing through them everywhere, advanced toward Drona—what heroes surrounded him?
उत्सङ्ग इव सम्वृद्धं द्रुपदस्यास्त्रवित्तमम्। शैखण्डिनं शस्त्रगुप्तं के द्रोणादवारयन्
Shaikhandi, raised like a foster child in Drupada's lap, master of weapons, protected by arms—who could restrain him from Drona?
य इमां पृथिवीं कृत्स्नां चर्मवत्समवेष्टयत्। महता रथघोषेण मुख्यारिघ्नो महारथः
Who, with the thunder of his chariot, enveloped the whole earth like a hide, slayer of foremost foes, a great chariot-warrior.
दशाश्वमेधानाजहे स्वन्नपानाप्तदक्षिणान्। निरर्गलान्सर्वमेधान्पुत्रवत्पालयन्प्रजाः
He performed ten ashvamedha sacrifices, with abundant food, drink, and gifts, all unrestricted, and protected his subjects like his own sons.
विसृष्टा दक्षिणा यस्य गङ्गाजलमवारयत्। गङ्गास्रोतसि यावत्यः सिकता अप्यशेषतः। तावतीर्गा ददौ वीर उशीनरसुतोऽध्वरे
When the sacrificial fee was offered, the waters of the Ganges were restrained; as many grains of sand as are in the stream of the Ganges, so many cows did the valiant son of Ushinara give at the sacrifice.
न पूर्वे नापरे चक्रुरिदं केचन मानवाः। इतीदं चुक्रुशुर्देवाः कृते कर्मणि दुष्करे
No men before nor after have ever done this; thus spoke the gods when that difficult deed was accomplished.
पश्यामस्त्रिषु लोकेषु न तं संस्थास्नुचारिषु। जातं चापि जनिष्यन्तं द्वितीयं चापि साम्प्रतम्
We do not see, in the three worlds among those who have lived or are living, or even among those yet to be born, another like him.
अन्यमौशीनराच्छेब्याद्धुरो वोढारमित्युत। गतिं यस्य न यास्यन्ति मानुषा लोकवासिनः
Who else but the son of Ushinara or Shaibya could bear such a burden? His path cannot be followed by men dwelling in the world.
तस्य नप्तारमायान्तं शैब्यं कः समवारयत्। द्रोणायाभिमुखं यत्तं व्यात्ताननमिवान्तकम्
Who could have stopped Shaibya, his grandson, as he advanced, facing Drona like Death itself with mouth agape?
विराटस्य रथानीकं मत्स्यस्यामित्रघातिनः। प्रेप्सन्तं समरे द्रोणं के वीराः पर्यवारयन्
Who were the heroes that surrounded Drona in battle, when he sought to seize the chariot division of Virata, the king of the Matsyas, slayer of foes?
सद्यो वृकोदराज्जातो महाबलपराक्रमः। मायावी राक्षसो वीरो यस्मान्मम महद्भयम्
From Vrikodara was born at once a mighty and valiant Rakshasa, skilled in illusion, a hero who became the source of great fear for me.
पार्थानां जयकामं तं तं पुत्राणां मम कण्टकम्। घटोत्कचं महात्मानं कस्तं द्रोणादवारयत्
Who could restrain Ghatotkacha, the great-souled one, the thorn in the side of my sons, who sought the victory of the sons of Pritha?
एते चान्ये च बहवो येषामजितं युधि। त्यक्तारः संयुगे प्राणान्किं तेषामजितं युधि
These and many others, unconquered in battle, who have given up their lives in combat—how can they be defeated in war?
येषां च पुरुषव्याघ्रः शार्ङ्गधन्वा व्यपाश्रयः।। लोकानां गुरुरत्यर्थं लोकनाथः सनातनः
Those whose refuge is the tiger among men, the wielder of the Sharnga bow, the supreme teacher of the worlds, the eternal lord of all beings—
नारायणोरणे नाथो दिव्यो दिव्यात्मकः प्रभुः।। यस्य दिव्यानि कर्माणि प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः
Narayana, the divine, the lord in battle, whose deeds are celebrated as wondrous by the wise—
तान्यहं कीर्तयिष्यामि भक्त्या स्थैर्यार्थमात्मनः
I will recount those deeds with devotion, to steady my own heart.
तथा गदश्च साम्बश्च प्रद्युम्नोऽथ विदूरथः। अगावहोऽनिरुद्धश्च चारुदेष्णः ससारणः
Thus Gada, Samba, Pradyumna, Viduratha, Agavaha, Aniruddha, Charudesna, and Sarana—
उल्मुको निशठश्चैव झिल्ली बभ्रुश्च वीर्यवान्। पृथुश्च विपृथुश्चैव शमीङ्कोऽथारिमेजयः
Ulmuka, Nishatha, Jhilli, the valiant Babhru, Prithu, Viprithu, Shaminka, and Arimejaya—
एतेऽन्ये बलवन्तश्च वृष्णिवीराः प्रहारिणः। कथंचित्पाण्जवानीकं श्रयेयुः समरे स्थिताः
These and other powerful Vrishni heroes, skilled in battle, might somehow join the Pandava army as it stands in the field.
आहूता वृष्णिवीरेण केशवेन महात्मना। ततः संशयितं सर्वे भवेदिति मतिर्मम
If summoned by the Vrishni hero, the great-souled Kesava, then I think all would become uncertain.
नागायुतबलो वीरः कैलासशिखरोपमः। वनमाली हली रामस्तत्र यत्र जनार्दनः
There is the mighty Rama, strong as ten thousand elephants, resembling the peak of Mount Kailasa, garlanded with forest flowers and bearing the plough, wherever Janardana is.
यमाहुः सर्वपितरं वासुदेवं द्विजातयः। अपि वा ह्येष पाण्डूनां योत्स्यतेऽर्थाय सञ्जय
He whom the twice-born call the father of all, Vasudeva—will he, Sanjaya, fight for the sake of the Pandavas?
स यदा तात सन्नह्येत्पाण्डवार्थाय सञ्जय। न तदा प्रतिसंयोद्धा भविता तत्र कश्चन
When, dear Sanjaya, he sets his mind upon the cause of the Pandavas, then none there will be able to withstand him in battle.
यदि स्म कुरवः सर्वे जयेयुर्नाम पाण्डवान्। वार्ष्णेयोऽर्थाय तेषां वै गृह्णीयाच्छस्त्रमुत्तमम्
If indeed all the Kurus were to defeat the Pandavas, then the Vrishni hero would take up the supreme weapon for their sake.
ततः सर्वान्नरव्याघ्रो हत्वा नरपतीन्रणे। कौरवांश्च महाबाहुःकुन्त्यै दद्यात्स मेदिनीम्
Then, that tiger among men, having slain all the kings in battle, the mighty-armed one would give the earth to Kunti, along with the Kauravas.
यस्य यन्ता हृषीकेशो योद्धा यस्य धनञ्जयः। रथस्य तस्य कः सङ्ख्ये प्रत्यनीको भवेद्रथः
Whose charioteer is Hrishikesha, whose warrior is Dhananjaya—who in battle could stand against such a chariot?
न केनचिदुपायेन कुरूणां दृश्यते जयः। तस्मान्मे सर्वमाचक्ष्व यथा युद्धमवर्तत
By no means does victory for the Kurus appear possible; therefore, tell me everything, how the battle unfolded.
अर्जुनः केशवस्यात्मा कृष्णोऽप्यात्मा किरीटिनः। अर्जुने विजयो नित्यं कृष्णे कीर्तिश्च शाश्वती
Arjuna is the soul of Kesava, and Krishna is the soul of the diademed one; in Arjuna is constant victory, and in Krishna is eternal glory.