स शूरः सत्यवाक्प्राज्ञो बलवान्सत्यविक्रमः। महानुभावः कल्पान्ते रौद्रां भीरुविभीषणाम्
That hero, truthful, wise, powerful, steadfast in valor, of great might, at the end of an age, unleashed a terrifying, fearsome carnage.
कवचोर्मिध्वजावर्तां मर्त्यकूलापहारिणीम्।। गजवाजिमहाग्राहामसिमीनां दुरासदाम्
It was a river with waves of armor and banners, carrying away crowds of mortals, with elephants and horses as great crocodiles, and swords as its dangerous fish.
वीरास्यिशर्करां रौद्रां भेरीमुरजकच्छपाम्। चर्मवर्मप्लवां घोरां केशशैवलशाद्वलाम्
Its pebbles were the teeth of heroes, dreadful, with drums and kettledrums as its turtles, shields and armor as its rafts, terrible, with hair as its moss and grass.
शरौघिणीं धनुःस्रोतां बाहुपन्नगसङ्कुलाम्। रणभूमिवहां तीव्रां कुरुसृञ्जयवाहिनीम्
Its current was made of arrows, its stream was bows, crowded with the serpents of arms, a fierce river of the battlefield, carrying away the armies of Kurus and Srinjayas.
मनुष्यशीर्षपाषाणां शक्तिमीनां गदोडुपाम्। उष्णीषफेनवसनां विकीर्णान्त्रसरीसृपाम्
Stones shaped like human heads, spears like fish, maces like stars; garments of froth for turbans, reptiles with entrails scattered as clothing.
वीरापहारिणीमुग्रां मांसशोमितकर्दमाम्। हस्तिग्राहां केतुवृक्षां क्षत्रियाणां निमज्जनीम्
A fierce river that steals away heroes, muddy with flesh and blood; filled with elephants, bearing banners as trees, the drowning place of warriors.
क्रूरां शरीरसङ्घाटां सादिनक्रां दुरत्ययाम्। द्रोणः प्रावर्तयत्तत्र नदीमन्तकगामिनीम्
Cruel, composed of bodies, impassable, teeming with horsemen and riders; Drona unleashed there a river flowing toward destruction.
क्रव्यादगणसञ्जुष्टां श्वशृगालगणायुताम्। निषेवितां महारौद्रैः पिशिताशैः समन्ततः
Crowded with packs of flesh-eaters, accompanied by dogs and jackals; frequented on all sides by those with a terrible craving for meat.
तं दहन्तमनीकानि रथोदारं कृतान्तवत्। सर्वतोऽभ्यद्रवन्द्रोणं कुन्तीपुत्रपुरोगमाः
That river, burning the armies, with chariots vast as Death; everywhere, Drona was attacked by the sons of Kunti at the forefront.
ते द्रोणं सहिताः शूराः सर्वतः प्रत्यवारयन्। गभस्तिभिरिवादित्यं तपन्तं भुवनं यथा
Together, those brave warriors surrounded Drona from all sides, as rays encircle the sun, scorching the world.
तं तु शूरं महेष्वासं तावकाऽभ्युद्यतायुधाः। राजानो राजपुत्राश्च समन्तात्पर्यवारयन्
But your men, kings and princes, armed and ready, surrounded that mighty archer from all directions.
शिखण्डी तु ततो द्रोणं पञ्चभिर्नतपर्वभिः। क्षत्रवर्मा च विंशत्या वसुदानश्च पञ्चभिः
Then Shikhandi struck Drona with five sharp arrows; Kshatravarman with twenty, and Vasudana with five.
उत्तमौजास्त्रिभिर्बाणैः क्षत्रदेवश्च सप्तभिः। सात्यकिश्च शतेनाजौ युधामन्युस्तथाऽष्टभिः
Uttamaujas with three arrows, Kshatradeva with seven; Satyaki with a hundred in battle, and Yudhamanyu with eight.
युधिष्ठिरो द्वादशभिर्द्रोणं विव्याध सायकैः। धृष्टद्युम्नश्च दशभिश्चेकितानस्त्रिभिः शरैः
Yudhishthira pierced Drona with twelve arrows; Dhrishtadyumna with ten, and Chekitana with three.
ततो द्रोणः सत्यसन्धः प्रभिन्न इव कुञ्जरः। अभ्यतीत्य स्थानीकं दृढसेनमपातयत्
Then Drona, steadfast in truth, like a wounded elephant, passed through the ranks and struck down Dridhasena.
ततो राजानमासाद्य प्रहरन्तमभीतवत्। अविध्यन्नवभिः क्षेमं स हतःप्रापतद्रथात्
Then, approaching the king who fought fearlessly, he pierced him with nine arrows; wounded, he fell from his chariot.
स मध्यं प्राप्य सैन्यानां सर्वाः प्रविचरन्दिशः। त्राता ह्यभवदन्येषां न त्रातव्यः कथंचन
Reaching the center of the armies, moving in all directions, he became the protector of others, but none could protect him.
शिखण्डिनं द्वादशभिर्विंशत्या चोत्तमौजसम्। वसुदानं च भल्लेन प्रैषयद्यमसादनम्
He struck Shikhandi with twelve arrows, Uttamaujas with twenty, and sent Vasudana to the abode of Yama with a broad-headed shaft.
अशीत्या क्षत्रवर्माणं षड्विंशत्या सुदक्षिणम्। क्षत्रदेवं तु भल्लेन रथनीडाडपातयत्
He pierced Kshatravarman with eighty arrows, Sudakshina with twenty-six; and struck down Kshatradeva from his chariot with a broad-headed shaft.
युधामन्युं चतुःषष्ट्या त्रिंशता चैव सात्यकिम्। विद्ध्वा रुक्मरथस्तूर्णं युधिष्ठिरमुपाद्रवत्
He wounded Yudhamanyu with sixty-four arrows, and Satyaki with thirty; then, his golden chariot swiftly approached Yudhishthira.
ततो युधिष्ठिरः क्षिप्रं गुरुतो राजसत्तमः। अपायाञ्जवनैरश्वैः पाञ्चाल्यो द्रोणमभ्ययात्
Then Yudhishthira, the foremost of kings, quickly withdrew with swift horses; the Panchala prince advanced toward Drona.
तं द्रोणः सधनुष्कं तु साश्वयन्तारमाक्षिणोत्। स हतः प्रापतद्भूमौ रथाज्ज्योतिरिवाम्बरात्। `हत्वा तं विबभौ द्रोणः कुरुभिः परिवारितः
Drona struck him, bow in hand, along with his charioteer and horses; slain, he fell to the earth from his chariot like a star from the sky. Having killed him, Drona shone, surrounded by the Kurus.
वार्धक्षेमिस्तु वार्ष्णेयो द्रोणं विद्ध्वा शरोत्तमैः। नवभिश्च महीपालः पुनर्विव्याध पञ्चभिः
Then Vardhakṣemi, the Vṛṣṇi hero, struck Droṇa with excellent arrows, and again the king pierced him with five more.
स सात्यकिश्चतुष्षष्ट्या राजन्विव्याध सायकैः। सुचित्रो दशभिर्बाणैर्द्रोणं विद्व्वाऽनदद्बली
Sātyaki, O King, wounded Droṇa with sixty-four arrows, and Sucitra, strong in battle, pierced him with ten well-aimed shafts.
तं द्रोणः समरे राजञ्शरवर्षैरवाकिरत्। अपातयत्तयो द्रोणः सुचित्रं सहसारथिम्
Droṇa, O King, showered a rain of arrows upon him in the battle, and Droṇa struck down Sucitra together with his charioteer.
साश्वं च समरे राजन्हतो वै प्रापतत्क्षितौ। पात्यमानो महाराज बभौ ज्योतिरिवाम्बरात्
With his horses, O King, slain in battle, he fell to the earth; as he was falling, O great king, he shone like a star dropping from the sky.
तस्मिन्हते राजपुत्रे पाञ्चालानां यशस्करे। हत द्रोणं हत द्रोणमित्यासीन्निःस्वनो महान्
When that prince, the glory of the Pāñcālas, was slain, a great cry arose: 'Droṇa is slain! Droṇa is slain!'
तांस्तथा भृशसंरब्धान्पाञ्चालान्मत्स्यकेकयान्। सृञ्जयान्पाण्डवांश्चैव द्रोणो व्यक्षोभयद्बली
Then Droṇa, powerful in battle, agitated the Pāñcālas, Matsyas, Kekayas, Sṛñjayas, and the Pāṇḍavas, who were all greatly enraged.
सात्यकिं चेकितानं च धृष्टद्युम्नशिखण्डिनौ। वार्धक्षेमिं चैत्रसेनिं सेनाबिन्दुं सुवर्चसम्
He defeated Sātyaki, Cekitāna, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, Śikhaṇḍin, Vārdhakṣemi, Citrāyudha, Senābindu, and Suvarcas.
एतांश्चान्यांश्च सुबहून्नानाजनपदेश्वरान्। सर्वान्द्रोणोऽजयद्युद्धे कुरुभिः परिवारितः
And many other kings from various lands—Droṇa, surrounded by the Kurus, overcame all of them in battle.