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.
तानभिद्रवतः शूरांस्तावका दृढविक्रमाः। सर्वतः प्रत्यगृह्णन्त तदभूद्रोमहर्षणम्
Your brave warriors, resolute in their valor, met those advancing heroes from every side; then there was a tumultuous clash.
शतमायस्तु शकुनिः सहदेवं समाद्रवत्। सनियन्तृध्वजरथं विव्याघ निशितैः शरैः
Shakuni, master of deceit, rushed at Sahadeva with a hundred illusions, attacking him, his charioteer, banner, and horses with sharp arrows.
तस्य माद्रीसुतः केतुं धनुः सूतं हयानपि। नातिक्रुद्धः शरैश्छित्त्वा षष्ठ्या विव्याध सौबलम्। `भित्त्वा च शरवर्षेण शकुनिं प्रत्यवारयत्
Then the son of Madri, not overly enraged, cut down his banner, bow, charioteer, and horses with arrows, and struck Saubala with sixty shafts; breaking through the shower of arrows, he repelled Shakuni.
गदां गृहीत्वा शकुनिः प्रचस्कन्द रथोत्तमात्। स तस्य गदया राजन्रथात्सूतमपातयत्
Seizing his mace, Shakuni leapt down from his excellent chariot and, O King, with his mace struck down the charioteer from Sahadeva's car.
ततस्तौ विरथौ राजन्गदाहस्तौ महाबलौ। चिक्रीडतू रणे शूरौ सशृङ्गाविव पर्वतौ
Then those two, dismounted and armed with maces, mighty and heroic, played in battle like two horned mountains.
द्रोणः पाञ्चालदायादं विव्याध निशितैः शरैः। तयोस्तत्र महाराज बाणवर्षैः प्रकाशितम्। खद्योतैरिव चाकाशं प्रदोषे पुरुषर्षभ
Drona struck the heir of the Panchalas with sharp arrows; there, O King, the rain of arrows from both sides shone like fireflies in the sky at dusk, O best of men.
विविंशतिं भीमसेनो विंशत्या निशितैः शरैः। विद्ध्वा नाकम्पयद्वीरस्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्
Bhimasena, the hero, struck Vivingsati with twenty sharp arrows, yet did not shake him; that was truly astonishing.
विविंशतिस्तु सहसा व्यश्वकेतुशरासनम्। भीमं चक्रे महाराज ततः सैन्यान्यपूजयन्
Vivingsati, suddenly breaking his bow and arrows, attacked Bhima, O King, and the armies honored him for it.
स तन्न ममृषे वीरः शत्रोर्विक्रममाहवे। ततोऽस्य गदया दान्तान्हयात्सर्वानपातयत्
The hero could not tolerate the enemy's valor in battle; then, with his mace, he struck down all the horses of his foe.
हताश्वात्स रथाद्राजन्गृह्य चर्म महाबलः। अभ्ययाद्भीमसेनं तु मत्तो मत्तमिव द्विपम्
Deprived of his horses, the mighty one took up a shield and, descending from his chariot, rushed at Bhimasena like a maddened elephant toward another.
शल्यस्तु नकुलं वीरः स्वस्रीयं प्रियमात्मनः। विव्याध प्रहसन्बाणैर्लालयन्कोपयन्निव
The valiant Shalya, smiling, struck Nakula—his dear sister’s son—with arrows, as if both caressing and provoking him.
तस्याश्वानातपत्रं च ध्वजं सूतमथो धनुः। निपात्य नकुलः सङ्ख्ये शङ्खं दध्मौ प्रतापवान्
Nakula, resolute in battle, brought down Shalya’s horses, parasol, banner, charioteer, and bow, then sounded his conch with great pride.
धृष्टकेतुः कृपेणास्ताञ्छित्त्वा बहुविधाञ्छरान्। कृपं विव्याध सप्तत्या ध्वजं चास्य त्रिभिः शरैः
Dhṛṣṭaketu, having cut down Kripa’s many arrows, pierced Kripa with seventy shafts and struck his banner with three more.
तं कृपः शरवर्षेण महता समवारयत्। विव्याध च रणे विप्रो धृष्टकेतुममर्षणम्
Kripa countered with a great shower of arrows and, enraged, wounded Dhṛṣṭaketu in battle.
सात्यकिः कृतवर्माणं नाराचेन स्तनान्तरे। विद्ध्वा विव्याध सप्तत्या पुनरन्यैः स्मयन्निव
Sātyaki struck Kṛtavarman in the chest with a broad-headed arrow, and, as if smiling, pierced him again with seventy more.
तं भोजः सप्तसप्तत्या विद्ध्वाऽऽशु निशितैः शरैः। नाकम्पयत शैनेयं शीघ्रो वायुरिवाचलम्
The Bhoja prince swiftly struck Sātyaki with seventy-seven sharp arrows, yet could not shake him, as the wind cannot move a mountain.
सेनापतिः सुशर्माणं भृशं मर्मस्वताडयत्। स चापि तं तोमरेण जत्रुदेशेऽभ्यताडयत्
The commander attacked Suśarmā fiercely at his vital points, and Suśarmā in turn struck him in the chest with a spear.
वैकर्तनं तु समरे विराटः प्रत्यवारयत्। सह मत्स्यैर्महावीर्यैस्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्
Virāṭa, together with his mighty Matsya warriors, confronted Karṇa in battle; it was a wondrous sight.
तत्पौरुषमभूत्तत्र सूतपुत्रस्य दारुणम्। यत्सैन्यं वारयामास शरैः सन्नतपर्वभिः
There, the fierce valor of Karṇa, the charioteer’s son, was displayed as he held back the enemy army with his well-feathered arrows.
द्रुपदस्तु स्वयं राजा भगदत्तेन सङ्गतः। तयोर्युद्धं महाराज चित्ररूपमिवाभवत्
King Drupada himself engaged Bhagadatta in battle, and their duel, O King, was a spectacle of many forms.