द्रोणावारितं दृष्ट्वा भृशायस्तस्तवात्मजः। नानालिङ्गैः शरव्रातैः पार्षतं सममोहयत्
Seeing Drona block the way, your son became greatly agitated and bewildered Parshata with a multitude of arrows of various kinds.
तयोर्विषक्तयोः सङ्ख्ये पाञ्चाल्यकुरुमुख्ययोः। द्रोणो यौधिष्ठिरं सैन्यं बहुधा व्यधमच्छरैः
While the foremost of the Kurus and Panchalis were engaged in battle, Drona scattered Yudhishthira's army in many ways with his arrows.
अनिलेन यथाऽभ्राणि विच्छिन्नानि समन्ततः। तथा पार्थस्य सैन्यानि विच्छिन्नानि क्वचित्क्वचित्
Just as clouds are torn apart in all directions by the wind, so too were the armies of Partha broken here and there.
मुहूर्तमिव तद्युद्धमासीन्मधुरदर्शनम्। तत उन्मत्तवद्राजन्निर्मर्यादमवर्तत
For a moment, that battle was pleasing to behold; then, O King, it turned wild and without restraint.
नैव खं न दिशो भूमिर्बभासे न च भास्करः'। नैव स्वे न परे राजन्नाज्ञायन्त परस्परम्। अनुमानेन संज्ञाभिर्युद्धं तत्समवर्तत
Neither the sky nor the directions nor the earth nor the sun were visible; neither friend nor foe could recognize each other, O King. That battle continued by signs and guesses.
चूडामणिषु निष्केषु भूषणेष्वपि वर्मसु। तेषामादित्यवर्णाभा रश्मयः प्रचकाशिरे
On their crests, necklaces, ornaments, and armor, rays shone forth with the brilliance of the sun.
तत्प्रकीर्णपताकानां रथवारणवाजिनाम्। बलाकाशबलाभ्रामं ददृशे रूपमाहवे
Among the scattered banners of chariots, elephants, and horses, a form appeared in the battle like clouds streaked with cranes.
नरानेव नरा जघ्नरुदग्राश्च हया हयान्। रथांश्च रथिनो जघ्नुर्वारणा वरवारणान्
Men struck down men, fierce horses struck down horses, charioteers struck down chariots, and elephants struck down noble elephants.
समुच्छ्रितपताकानां गजानां परमद्विपैः। क्षणेन तुमुलो घोरः सङ्ग्रामः समपद्यत
Among elephants with raised banners, by the best of elephants, in a moment a tumultuous and dreadful battle arose.
तेषां संसक्तगात्राणां कर्षतामितरेतरम्। दन्तसङ्घातसङ्घर्षात्सधूमोऽग्निरजायत
As their bodies became entangled, dragging each other, from the grinding of tusks, smoke and fire arose.
विप्रकीर्णपताकास्ते विषाणजनिताग्नयः। बभूवुः खं समासाद्य सविद्युत इवाम्बुदाः
Those scattered banners and fires produced by tusks reached the sky, like clouds with lightning.
विक्षिपद्भिर्नदद्भिश्च निपतद्भिश्च वारणैः। सम्बभूव मही कीर्णा मेघैर्द्यौरिव वार्षिकी
With elephants tossing, roaring, and falling, the earth became covered, like the sky with rain clouds.
तेषामाहन्यमानानां बाणतोमरऋष्टिभिः। वारणानां रवो जज्ञे मेघानामिव सम्पुवे
As the elephants were struck by arrows, spears, and lances, their cries arose like the rumbling of clouds.
तोमराभिहताः केचिद्बाणैश्च परमद्विपाः। वित्रेसुः सर्वनागानां शब्दमेवापरेऽसृजन्
Some mighty elephants, struck by spears and arrows, fled, while others produced the sound of all the elephants.
विषाणाभिहताश्चापि केचित्तत्र गजा गजैः। चक्रुरार्तस्वनं घोरमुत्पातजलदा इव
Some elephants, struck by tusks of other elephants, made terrible cries of distress, like storm clouds.
प्रतीपाः क्रियमाणाश्च वारणा वरवारणैः। उन्मथ्य पुनराजग्मुः प्रेरिताः परमाङ्कुशैः
Elephants, made to retreat by noble elephants, after being pushed back, returned again, driven by excellent goads.
महामात्रैर्महामात्रास्ताडिताः शरतोमरैः। गजेभ्यः पृथिवीं जग्मुर्मुक्तप्रहरणाङ्कुशाः
The chief elephant drivers, struck by arrows and spears, left their weapons and goads, and descended from the elephants to the earth.
निर्मनुष्याश्च मातङ्गा विनदन्तस्ततस्ततः। छिन्नाभ्राणीव सम्पेतुः सम्प्रविश्य परस्परम्
The elephants, now without riders, roared here and there, crashing into each other like scattered clouds.
हतान्परिवहन्तश्च पतितान्पतितायुधान्। दिशो जग्मुर्महानागाः केचिदेकचरा इव
Some great elephants, carrying the slain and those who had dropped their weapons, wandered in all directions, like solitary wanderers.
ताडितास्ताड्यमानाश्च तोमरर्ष्टिपरश्वथैः। पेतुरार्तस्वनं कृत्वा तदा विशसने गजाः
Struck and being struck by javelins, spears, and axes, the elephants fell down with cries of pain in that slaughter.
तेषां शैलोपमैः कायैर्निपतद्भिः समन्ततः। आहता सहसा भूमिश्चकम्पे च ननाद च
As their bodies, massive as mountains, fell all around, the earth was struck suddenly, shook, and roared.
सादितैः सगजारोहैः सपताकैः समन्ततः। मातङ्गैः शुशुभे भूमिर्विकीर्णैरिव पर्वतैः
The earth shone, strewn on all sides with elephants—together with their riders and banners—like mountains scattered about.
गजस्थाश्च महामात्रा निर्भिन्नहृदया रणे। रथिभिः पातिता भल्लैर्विकीर्णाङ्कुशतोमराः
Great elephant-trainers, mounted on elephants, their hearts pierced in battle by warriors with arrows, lay fallen, their goads and javelins scattered.
क्रौञ्चवद्विनदन्तोऽन्ये नाराचाभिहता गजाः। परान्स्वांश्चापि मृद्गन्तः परिपेतुर्दिशो दश
Other elephants, struck by iron arrows, cried out like curlews, trampling both friend and foe, ran off in all ten directions.
गजाश्वरथयोधानां शरीरौघसमावृता। बभूव पृथिवी राजन्मांसशोणितकर्दमा
O King, the earth became covered with heaps of the bodies of elephants, horses, chariots, and warriors, muddy with flesh and blood.
प्रमथ्य च विषाणाग्रैः समुत्क्षिप्ताश्च वारणैः। सचक्राश्च विचक्राश्च रथैरेव महारथाः
Crushed by the tips of tusks and tossed by elephants, the great chariot-warriors, along with their chariots—some with wheels, some without—were scattered.
रथाश्च रथिभिर्हीना निर्मनुष्याश्च वाजिनः। हतारोहाश्च मातङ्गा दिशो जग्मुर्भयातुराः
Chariots abandoned by their warriors, riderless horses, and elephants whose drivers had been killed, fled in all directions, terrified.
जघानात्र पिता पुत्रं पुत्रश्च पितरं तथा। इत्यासीत्तुमुलं युद्धं न प्राज्ञायत किञ्चन
Here, a father struck down his son, and a son likewise his father; such was the tumultuous battle that nothing could be recognized.
आगुल्फेभ्योऽवसीदन्ते नरा लोहितकर्दमैः। दीप्यमानैः परिक्षिप्ता दावैरिव महाद्रुमाः
Men sank up to their ankles in the bloody mire, surrounded by blazing fires like great trees encircled by a forest blaze.
शोणितैः सिच्यमानानि वस्त्राणि कवचानि च। छत्राणि च पताकाश्च सर्वं रक्तमदृश्यत
Clothes, armor, umbrellas, and banners, drenched with blood, all appeared red.