ततः प्राग्ज्योतिषो राजा शरवर्षे निवारिते। संरक्तनयनो रोषात्पार्थं पुनरवाकिरत्
Then the king of Pragjyotisha, his arrow-shower thwarted, his eyes red with anger, again covered Partha with arrows.
स तथा शरवर्षेण पार्थं समभिहत्य वै। चोदयामास तं नागं वधायाच्युतपार्थयोः
Striking Partha with that hail of arrows, he urged his elephant forward to slay Krishna and Arjuna.
तमापतन्तं द्विरदं दृष्ट्वा क्रुद्धमिवान्तकम्। चक्रेऽपसव्यं त्वरितः स्यन्दनेन जनार्दनः
Seeing that charging elephant, furious like Death himself, Janardana swiftly turned the chariot to the left.
सम्प्राप्तमपि नेयेष परावृत्तं महाद्विपम्। सारोहं मृत्युसात्कर्तुं स्मरन्धर्मं धनञ्जयः
Even as the great elephant approached, Dhananjaya, mindful of righteousness, would not turn it back or destroy it along with its rider.
स तु नागो द्विपरथान्हयांश्चामृद्य मारिष। प्राहिणोन्मृत्युलोकाय ततः क्रुद्धो धनञ्जयः
But that elephant, O dear one, crushed elephants, chariots, and horses, sending them to the realm of death; then Arjuna grew angry.
स प्लुतः स्यन्दनात्तस्मान्नीलश्चर्मवरासिभृत्। द्रौणायनेः शिरः कायाद्धर्तुमैच्छत्पतत्त्रिवत्
Then Nila, bearer of a blue shield and sword, leapt from his chariot, seeking to sever the head of Drona’s son like a bird’s wing.
तस्योद्यतासेः सुनसं शिरः कायात्सकुण्डलम्। भल्लेनापाहरद्द्रौणिः स्मयमान इवानघ
But Drona’s son, smiling, struck off his beautiful, earringed head with a razor-sharp arrow before the sword could fall.
सम्पूर्णचन्द्राभमुखः पद्मपत्रनिभेक्षणः। प्रांशुरुत्पलपत्राभो निहतो न्यपतद्भुवि
His face full as the moon, his eyes like lotus petals, tall and radiant as a blue lotus leaf, he fell slain to the earth.
ततः प्रविव्यथे सेना पाण्डवी भृशमाकुला। आचार्यपुत्रेण हते नीले ज्वलिततेजसि
Then the Pandava army was deeply shaken and thrown into confusion, seeing Nila of blazing energy slain by the preceptor’s son.
अचिन्तयंश्च ते सर्वे पाण्डवानां महारथाः। कथं नो वासविस्त्रायाच्छत्रुभ्य इति मारिष
All the great chariot-warriors of the Pandavas thought, 'How will Vasava protect us from our enemies now, O dear one?'
दक्षिणेन तु सेनायाः कुरुते कदनं बली। संशप्तकावशेषस्य नारायणबलस्य च
On the southern side of the army, the mighty one was slaughtering the remnants of the Samsaptakas and the Narayana battalion.
प्रतिघातं तु सैन्यस्य नामृष्यत वृकोदरः। सोऽभ्याहनद्गुरुं षष्ट्या कर्णं च दशभिः शरैः
Vrikodara could not bear the repulse of the army; he struck Drona with sixty arrows and Karna with ten.
तस्य द्रोणः शितैर्बाणैस्तीक्ष्णधारैरजिह्मगैः। जीवितान्तमभिप्रेप्सुर्मर्मण्याशु जघान ह
Drona, seeking to end his life, struck him swiftly in the vital parts with sharp, straight-flying arrows.
आनन्तर्यमभिप्रेप्सुः षड्विंशत्या शमार्पयत्। कर्णो द्वादशभिर्बाणैरश्वत्थामा च सप्तभिः
Karna, seeking to follow up, struck him with twenty-six arrows; Ashvatthama with seven, and Karna with twelve more.
षङ्भिर्दुर्योधनो राजा तत एनमथाकिरत्। भीमसेनोऽपि तान्सर्वान्प्रत्यविध्यन्महाबलः
King Duryodhana then covered him with six arrows; but Bhimasena, of great might, struck all of them in return.
द्रोणं पञ्चाशतेषूणां कर्णं च दशभिः शरैः। दर्योधनं द्वादशभिर्दौणिमष्टाभिराशुगैः
He struck Drona with fifty arrows, Karna with ten, Duryodhana with twelve, and Drona’s son with eight swift shafts.
आरावं तुमुलं कुर्वन्नभ्यवर्तत तान्रणे। तस्मिन्सन्त्यति प्रामान्मृत्युसाधारणीकृते
He advanced upon them in battle, raising a tumultuous clamor, as that field became a place where death was common to all.
अजातशत्रुस्तान्योधान्भीमं त्रातेत्यचोदयत्। ते ययुर्भीमसेनस्य समीपममितौजसः
Ajātaśatru urged those warriors, saying, 'Protect Bhīma!' And those of immeasurable energy went toward Bhīmasena.
युयुधानप्रभृतयो माद्रीपुत्रौ च पाण्डवौ। ते समेत्य सुसंरब्धाः सहिताः पुरुषर्षभाः
Yuyudhāna and others, along with the two sons of Mādrī, those foremost of men, came together, greatly enraged and united.
महेष्वासवरैर्गुप्ता द्रोणानीकं बिभित्सवः। समापेतुर्महावीर्या भीमप्रभृतयो रथाः
Guarded by mighty archers, those chariot-warriors of great valor, headed by Bhīma, eager to strike, approached Droṇa's array.
तान्प्रत्यगृह्णादव्यग्रो द्रोणोऽपि रथिनां वरः। महारथानतिबलान्वीरान्समरयोधिनः
Droṇa too, the foremost of charioteers, calmly received them—those mighty, powerful heroes, skilled in battle.
बाह्यं मृत्युभयं कृत्वा तावकान्पाण्डवा ययुः। सादिनः सादिनोऽब्यघ्नंस्तथैव रथिनो रथान्
The Pāṇḍavas, disregarding the fear of death, advanced against your men; horsemen struck horsemen, and charioteers fought charioteers in the same way.
असिशक्त्यृष्टिसङ्घातैर्युद्धमासीत्परश्वथैः। प्रकृष्टमसियुद्धं च बभूव कटुकोदयम्
The battle was fought with swords, spears, javelins, and axes; a fierce sword-fight arose, dreadful in its ferocity.
कुञ्जराणां च सम्पाते युद्धमासीत्सुदारुणम्। अपतत्कुञ्जरादन्यो हयादन्यस्त्ववाक्शिराः
In the clash of elephants, the battle became exceedingly terrible; one fell from an elephant, another from a horse, head downward.
नरो बाणविनिर्भिन्नो रथादन्यश्च मारिष। तत्रान्यस्य च सम्पर्दे पतितस्य विवर्मणः
A man, pierced by arrows, fell from his chariot, O best of men; and there, in the confusion, another fell, his armor gone.
शिरः प्रध्वंसयामास वक्षस्याक्रम्य कुञ्जरः। अपरांश्चापरेऽमृद्रन्वारणाः पतितान्नरान्
An elephant, trampling on a man's chest, crushed his head; other elephants struck down other fallen men.
विषाणैश्चावनिं गत्वा व्यभिन्दन्रथिनो बहून्। नरान्त्रैः केचिदपरे विषाणालग्नसंश्रयैः
Some elephants, reaching the ground with their tusks, pierced many charioteers; others wandered about with human entrails caught on their tusks.
बभ्रमुः समरे नागा मृद्रन्तः शतशो नरान्। कार्ष्णायसतनुत्राणान्नराश्वरथकुञ्जरान्
Elephants roamed the battlefield, trampling hundreds of men—those clad in black iron armor, along with horses, chariots, and other elephants.
पतितान्पोथयाञ्चक्रुर्द्विपाः स्थूलनलानिव। गृध्रपत्राधिवासांसि शयनानि नारधिपाः
The elephants pounded the fallen as if they were thick reeds; the kings of elephants made beds covered with vulture feathers.
हीमन्तः कालसम्पर्कात्सुदुःस्वान्यनुशेरते। हन्ति स्मात्र पिता पुत्रं रथेनाभ्येत्य संयुगे
In that place, due to the touch of Time, the cold ones lay down to sleep in dreadful beds; here, a father killed his son, charging in his chariot during battle.