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.
सर्वेष्वपि च लोकेषु बीभत्सुरपराजितः। प्राधान्येनैव भूयिष्ठममेयाः केशवे गुणाः
In all the worlds, Bhībhatsu is unconquered; yet, above all, the immeasurable virtues are found in Kesava.
मोहाद्दुर्योधनः कृष्णं यो न वेत्तीह केशवम्। मोहितो दैवयोगेन मृत्युपाशपुरस्कृतः
Out of delusion, Duryodhana does not recognize Krishna, the son of Keshava; bewildered by divine fate, he is bound by the noose of death.
न वेद कृष्णं दाशार्हमर्जुनं चैव पाण्डवम्। पूर्वदेवौ महात्मानौ नरनारायणावुभौ
He does not know Krishna of the Dasharhas, nor Arjuna the Pandava—both great souls, former gods, Nara and Narayana.
एकात्मानौ द्विधाभूतौ दृश्येते मानवैर्भुवि। मनसापि हि दुर्धर्षौ सेनामेतां यशस्विनौ
Though appearing as two, they are one in essence, seen by men upon the earth; even in thought, these illustrious ones are unconquerable by armies.
नाशयेतामिहेच्छन्तौ मानुषत्वाच्च नेच्छतः। युगस्येव विपर्यासो लोकानामिव मोहनम्
If they wished, they could destroy everything here, but due to their humanity, they do not wish it; it is as if the ages are reversed, as if the worlds are deluded.
भीष्मस्य च वधस्तात द्रोणस्य च महात्मनः। न ह्येव ब्रह्मचर्येण न वेदाध्ययनेन च
The death of Bhishma and of the great-souled Drona, O Sanjaya, cannot be avoided by celibacy nor by study of the Vedas.
न क्रियाभिर्न चास्त्रेण मृत्योः कश्चिन्निर्वायते। लोकसम्भावितौ वीरौ कृतास्त्रौ युद्धदुर्मदौ
Nor by rituals nor by weapons can anyone escape death; those two heroes, honored by the world, skilled in arms, fierce in battle.
भीष्मद्रोणौ हतौ श्रुत्वा किन्नु जीवामि सञ्जय। यां तां श्रियमसूयामः पुरा दृष्ट्वा युधिष्ठिरे
Hearing of Bhishma and Drona slain, Sanjaya, how can I live? That prosperity which we once envied, seeing it in Yudhishthira.
अद्य तामनुजानीमो भीष्मद्रोणवधेन ह। मत्कृते चाप्यनुप्राप्तः कुरूणामेष सङ्क्षयः
Today, we must accept it, with the death of Bhishma and Drona; and for my sake, this destruction of the Kurus has come about.
पक्वानां हि वधे सूत वज्रायन्ते तृणान्युत। अनन्तमिदमैश्वर्यं लोके प्राप्तो युधिष्ठिरः
When the ripe are struck down, O charioteer, even grass becomes like thunderbolts; Yudhishthira has attained boundless sovereignty in the world.
यस्य कोपान्महात्मानौ भीष्मद्रोणौ निपातितौ। प्राप्तः प्रकृतितो धर्मो न धर्मो मामकान्प्रति
By whose wrath the great-souled Bhishma and Drona were felled; righteousness has returned to its nature, but not for my kin.
क्रूरः सर्वविनाशाय कालोऽसौ नातिवर्तते। अन्यथा चिन्तिता ह्यर्था नरैस्तात मनस्विभिः। अन्यथैव प्रपद्यन्ते दैवादिति मतिर्मम
Cruel Time, for the destruction of all, does not pass over; though men of wisdom think otherwise, events unfold differently, and thus is my conviction regarding fate.
तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे सम्प्राप्ते कृच्छ्र उत्तमे। अपारणीये दुश्चिन्त्ये यथाभूतं प्रचक्ष्व मे
Therefore, when an unavoidable and grave crisis has arisen, one that cannot be resolved and is deeply troubling, tell me the truth as it is.
एवमुक्ते तदा तस्मिन्युद्धे देवासुरोपमे'। सान्तरं तु प्रतिज्ञाते राज्ञो द्रोणेन निग्रहे। गृहीतं तममन्यन्त तव पुत्राः सुबालिशाः
When this was said, in that battle like one between gods and demons, after the vow was made to capture the king and restrain him by Drona, your foolish sons believed it had already been accomplished.
ततो दुर्योधनेनापि ग्रहणं पाण्डवस्य तत्। `स्कन्धावारेषु सर्वेषु यथास्थानेषु मारिष'। सैन्यस्थानेषु सर्वेषु सुघोषितमरिन्दम
Then Duryodhana also proclaimed the capture of the Pandava, 'Let it be announced loudly in all the camps and at every position of the army, O subduer of enemies!'
पाण्डवेयेषु सापेक्षं द्रोणं जानाति ते सुतः। ततः प्रतिज्ञास्थैर्यार्थं स मन्त्रो बहुलीकृतः
Your son knows that Drona is partial toward the Pandavas; therefore, to ensure the firmness of the vow, that counsel was made elaborate.
मोहयित्वा ततः सैन्यं भारद्वाजः प्रतापवान्। धृष्टद्युम्नबलं तूर्णं व्यधमन्निशितैः शरैः
Then the mighty Bhāradvāja, having bewildered the army, swiftly scattered the force of Dhrishtadyumna with sharp arrows.
स दिशः सर्वतो रुद्ध्वा संवृत्य खमजिह्मगैः। पार्षतो यत्र तत्रैनामभिनत्पाण्डुवाहिनीम्
Having blocked all directions and closed the sky with crooked-flying arrows, he struck the Pandava army wherever Prishata's son was.
शऱीरशतसम्बाधां केशशैवलशाद्वलाम्। नदीं प्रावर्तयद्राजन्भीरूपणां भयवर्धिनीम्
He created a river, O King, crowded with hundreds of bodies, with hair and moss as its grass, terrifying in appearance and increasing fear.
तर्जयन्तमनीकानि तानि तानि महारथम्। सर्वतोऽभ्यद्रवन्द्रोणं युधिष्ठिरपुरोगमाः
Then, threatening the various divisions and great charioteers, the warriors led by Yudhishthira charged at Drona from all sides.