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.
हयौघाश्च रथौघाश्च नरौघाश्च निपातिताः। संक्षुण्णाः पुनरावृत्य बहुधा रथनेमिभिः
Masses of horses, chariots, and men, struck down, were crushed again and again in many ways by the wheels of chariots.
सगजौघमहावेगः परासुनरशैवलः। रथौघतुमुलावर्तः प्रबभौ सैन्यसागरः
That ocean of armies, with its surging waves of elephants, its foam of slain men, and its tumultuous whirlpools of chariots, appeared wondrous.
तं वाहनमहानौभिर्योधा जयधनैषिणः। अवगाह्याथ मज्जन्तो नैव मोहं प्रचक्रिरे
The warriors, seeking victory and wealth, plunged into that sea of vehicles and mounts, and though submerged, did not lose their resolve.
शरवर्षाभिवृष्टेषु योधेष्वञ्चितलक्ष्मसु। न तेष्वचित्ततां लेभे कश्चिदाहतलक्षणः
Even as showers of arrows rained down on the warriors, whose marks were bent and twisted, none who bore the marks of wounds lost their composure.
वर्तमाने तथा युद्धे घोररूपे भयङ्करे। मोहयित्वा परान्द्रोणो युधिष्ठिरमुपाद्रवत्
As that dreadful and terrifying battle raged on, Drona, having bewildered the enemy, advanced upon Yudhishthira.
पाञ्चालाः केकया मात्स्याश्चेदिकारूशकोसलाः। युधिष्ठिरमभीप्सन्तो दृष्ट्वा द्रोणमुपाद्रवन्
The Panchalas, Kekayas, Matsyas, Cedis, Karushas, and Kosalas, desiring to protect Yudhishthira, seeing Drona, rushed forward.
ततो युधिष्ठिरं प्रेप्सुराचार्यः शत्रुपूगहा। व्यधमत्तान्यनीकानि तूलराशिमिवानलः
Then, the preceptor, destroyer of hosts of enemies, desiring to reach Yudhishthira, scattered the opposing ranks like fire consuming heaps of cotton.
निर्दहन्तमनीकानि तानि तानि पुनःपुनः। द्रोणं मत्स्यादवरजः शतानीकोऽभ्यवर्तत
Burning through those divisions again and again, Drona was approached by the Matsya prince, Shatanika.
सूर्यरश्मिप्रतीकाशैः कर्मारपरिमार्जितैः। षड्भिः ससूतं सहयं द्रोणं विद्ध्वाऽनदद्भृशम्
With six arrows, bright as sunbeams and polished by the smith, he struck Drona, along with his charioteer and horses, and roared fiercely.
क्रूराय कर्मणे युक्तश्चिकीर्षुः कर्म दुष्करम्। अवाकिरच्छरशतैर्भारद्वाजं महारथम्
Intent on a cruel deed, wishing to perform a difficult act, he showered hundreds of arrows upon the great chariot-warrior, Bharadvaja's son.
तस्य नानदतो द्रोणः शिरः कायात्सकुण्डलम्। क्षुरेणापाहरत्तुर्णं ततो मत्स्याः प्रदुद्रुवुः
As he roared, Drona swiftly severed his head, adorned with earrings, from his body with a razor-sharp arrow; then the Matsyas fled.
मत्स्याञ्जित्वाऽजयच्चेदीन्करूशान्केकयानपि। पाञ्चालान्सृञ्जयान्पाण्डून्भारद्वाजः पुनःपुनः
Having defeated the Matsyas, Bharadvaja's son repeatedly overcame the Cedis, Karushas, Kekayas, Panchalas, Srinjayas, and Pandavas.
तं दहन्तमनीकानि क्रुद्धमग्निं यथा वनम्। दृष्ट्वा रुक्मरथं वीरं समकम्पन्त सृञ्जयाः
Seeing him, his golden chariot blazing, consuming divisions like an angry fire devouring a forest, the Srinjayas trembled.
उभाभ्यां सन्दधानस्य धनुरस्याशुकारिणः। ज्याघोषो निघ्नतोऽमित्रान्दिक्षुसर्वासु शुश्रुवे
As he strung his bow with both hands and swiftly struck down foes, the twang of the bowstring resounded in all directions.
नागानश्वान्पदातींश्च रथिनो गजसादिनः। रौद्रा हस्तवता मुक्ताः प्रमथ्नन्ति स्म सायकाः
His fierce arrows, released with force, struck down elephants, horses, foot soldiers, charioteers, and riders atop elephants.
नानद्यमानः पर्जन्यो मिश्रवातो हिमात्यये। अश्मवर्षमिवावर्षन्परेषां भयमादधत्
Like a thundercloud roaring with mixed winds at winter's end, he rained down a shower of stones, filling his enemies with terror.
सर्वा दिशः समचरत्सैन्यं विक्षोभयन्निव। बली शूरो महेष्वासो मित्राणामभयङ्करः
He moved in all directions, shaking the army as if to scatter it, that mighty, heroic, great archer, a bringer of fearlessness to his allies.
तस्य विद्युदिवाभ्रेषु चापं हेमपरिष्कृतम्। दिक्षु सर्वासु पश्यामो द्रोणस्यामिततेजसः
We saw Drona's bow, adorned with gold, flashing like lightning among clouds, visible in all directions, he of immeasurable energy.
शोभमानां ध्वजे चास्य वेदीमद्राक्ष्य भारत। हिमवच्छिखराकारं चरतः संयुगे भृशम्
And on his banner we beheld an altar, shining, shaped like the peak of the Himalayas, as he moved fiercely in battle, O Bharata.
द्रोणस्तु पाण्डवानीके चकार कदनं महत्। यथा दैत्यगणे विष्णुः सुरासुरनमस्कृतः
Drona wrought a great slaughter among the Pandava ranks, like Vishnu among the hosts of Daityas, worshipped by gods and demons alike.