तस्यार्जुनः शरैस्तीक्ष्णैः कङ्कपत्रपरिच्छदैः। न्यपातयद्धयाञ्शीघ्रं यतमानस्य मारिष। धनुश्चास्यापरैश्छित्त्वा शरैः पार्थो विचक्रमे
Arjuna, with sharp arrows tipped like vulture feathers, swiftly struck down his horses as he tried, O Māriṣa, and, cutting his bow with other arrows, advanced.
अम्बष्ठस्तु गदां गृह्य क्रोधपर्याकुलेक्षणः। आससाद रणे पार्थं केशवं च महारथम्
The Ambaṣṭha, seizing his mace, his eyes wild with anger, approached Pārtha and Keśava, the great charioteer, in battle.
ततः सम्प्रहरन्वीरो गदामुद्यम्य भारत। रथमावार्य गदया केशवं समताडयत्
Then the hero, raising his mace, struck, blocking the chariot, and with the mace struck Keśava, O Bhārata.
गदया ताडितं दृष्ट्वा केशवं परवीरहा। अर्जुनोऽथ भृशं क्रुद्धः सोऽम्बष्ठं प्रति भारत
Seeing Keśava struck by the mace, the destroyer of enemy heroes, Arjuna, became greatly enraged against the Ambaṣṭha, O Bhārata.
ततः शरैर्हेमपुङ्खैः सगदं रथिनां वरम्। छादयामास समरे मेघः सूर्यमिवोदितम्
Then, with arrows tipped with gold, he covered the best of charioteers, who held the mace, in battle, as a cloud covers the risen sun.
अथापरैः शरैश्चापि गदां तस्य महात्मनः। अचूर्णयत्तदा पार्थस्तिदद्भुतमिवाभवत्
Then, with other arrows, Pārtha shattered the mace of that great-souled one, and it was as if something wondrous had occurred.
अथ तां पतितां दृष्ट्वा गृह्यान्यां च महागदाम्। अर्जुनं वासुदेवं च पुनः पुनरताडयत्
Seeing that mace fallen, he seized another great mace and repeatedly struck Arjuna and Vāsudeva.
तस्यार्जुनः क्षुरप्राभ्यां सगदावुद्यतौ भुजौ। चिच्छेदेन्द्रध्वजाकारौ शिरश्चान्येन पत्रिणा
Arjuna, with razor-edged arrows, cut off his two arms raised with the mace, which resembled Indra's banners, and with another feathered arrow, his head.
स पपात हतो राजन्वसुधामनुनादयन्। इन्द्रध्वज इवोत्सृष्टो यन्त्रनिर्मुक्तबन्धनः
He fell, slain, O King, resounding upon the earth, like Indra's banner released, freed from its mechanical bindings.
अम्बष्ठे तु तदा भग्ने तव सैन्यमभज्यत
Then, when the Ambaṣṭha was defeated, your army was broken apart.
रथानीकावगाढश्च वारणाश्वशतैर्वृतः। अदृश्यत पदा पार्थो घनैः सूर्य इवावृतः
Penetrating the chariot formation, surrounded by hundreds of elephants and horses, Partha was seen on foot, veiled like the sun by dense clouds.
नानाविधैश्च शस्त्रौघैः पात्यमानैर्महारणे। न सन्धिः शक्यते भेत्तुं वर्मबन्धस्य तस्य तु
In that great battle, with torrents of diverse weapons raining down, no breach could be made in his armor's fastening.
स तेन वर्मणा गुप्तो वृत्रं देवरिपुं तदा। जघान समरेऽभीतः शक्रो देवाग्रणीस्तदा
Protected by that armor, Indra, leader of the gods, fearlessly slew Vṛtra, the enemy of the gods, in battle.
तं च मन्त्रमयं बन्धं वर्म चाङ्गिरसे ददौ। अङ्गिराः प्राह पुत्रस्य मन्त्रज्ञस्य बृहस्पतेः। बृहस्पतिरथोवाच अग्निवेश्याय धीमते
He gave that magical binding and armor to Aṅgiras; Aṅgiras spoke to his son Bṛhaspati, who knew mantras, and Bṛhaspati then spoke to the wise Agniveśya.
अग्निवेश्यो मम प्रादात्तेन बध्नामि वर्म ते। तवाह्य देहरक्षार्थं मन्त्रेण नृपसत्तम
Agniveśya gave it to me; with it, I bind your armor, O best of kings, for the protection of your body, by mantra.
एवमुक्त्वा ततो द्रोणस्तव पुत्रं महाद्युतिम्। पुनरे वचः प्राह शनैराचार्यपुङ्गवः
Having spoken thus, Drona, the foremost teacher, addressed your son, radiant in glory, again, slowly.
ब्रह्मसूत्रेण बध्नामि कथचं तव भारत। हिरण्यगर्भेण यथा बद्धं विष्णोः पुरा रणे
With the Brahma-sutra I bind your armor, O Bhārata, just as Hiraṇyagarbha once bound Viṣṇu's in battle.
यथा च ब्रह्मणा बद्धं सङ्ग्रामे तारकामये। शक्रस्य कवचं दिव्यं तथा बध्नाम्यहं तव
And as Brahmā bound it in the battle with Tāraka, so do I bind for you the divine armor of Indra.
बद्धा तु कवचं तस्य मन्त्रेण विधिपूर्वकम्। प्रेषयामास राजानं युद्धाय महते द्विजः
Having bound his armor by mantra, with proper ritual, the Brahmin sent the king forth to the great battle.
स सन्नद्धो महाबाहुराचार्येण महात्मना। `प्रस्थितः सहसा राजन्यत्र यातो धनञ्जयः
Thus equipped, mighty-armed, by the great-souled teacher, the king set out swiftly, where Dhanañjaya had gone.
रथानां च सहस्रेण त्रिगर्तानां प्रहारिणाम्। तथा दन्तिसहस्रेण मत्तानां वीर्यशालिनाम्
With a thousand chariots of the Trigartas, fierce in combat, and a thousand elephants, intoxicated and mighty.
अश्वानां नियुतेनैव तथाऽन्यैश्च महारथैः। वृतः प्रायान्महाबाहुरर्जुनस्य रथं प्रति
With ten thousand horses, and other great charioteers, the mighty-armed king advanced toward Arjuna's chariot.
नानावादित्रघोषेण यथा वैरोचनिस्तथा
With a clamorous sound of various instruments, like the son of Virocana.
ततः शब्दो महानासीत्सैन्यानां तव भारत। अगाधं प्रस्थितं दृष्ट्वा समुद्रमिव कौरवम्
Then a great noise arose from your army, O Bhārata, seeing the deep Kaurava host advancing like the ocean.
ते हयाः साध्वशोभन्त मिश्रिता वातरंहसः। पारावतसवर्णाश्च रक्तशोणाश्च संयुगे
Those horses shone splendidly, mingled with the swift wind, some dove-colored, some blood-red, in battle.
पारावतसवर्णास्ते रक्तशोणविमिश्रिताः। हयाः शुशुभिरे राजन्मेघा इव सविद्युतः
Those dove-colored horses, mixed with blood-red, shone, O King, like clouds with lightning.
धृष्टद्युम्नस्तु सम्प्रेक्ष्य द्रोणमभ्याशमागतम्। असिचर्माददे वीरो धनुरुत्सृज्य भारत
Dhṛṣṭadyumna, seeing Droṇa approach nearby, set aside his bow, O Bhārata, and the heroic man took up his sword and shield.
चिकीर्षुर्दुष्करं कर्म पार्षतः परवीरहा। ईषायाः समतिक्रम्य द्रोणस्य रथमाविशत्
Wishing to perform a deed difficult to accomplish, the destroyer of enemy heroes, the son of Pṛṣata, leapt past the yoke and entered Droṇa's chariot.
अतिष्ठद्युगमध्ये स युगसन्नहनेषु च। जघनार्धेषु चाश्वानां तत्सैन्यान्यभ्यपूजयन्
He stood in the middle of the yoke and at the joints of the yoke, and at the hindquarters of the horses; the armies honored that feat.
खङ्गेन चरतस्तस्य शोणाश्वानधितिष्ठतः। न ददार्शान्तरं द्रोणस्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्
As he moved about with his sword, standing among the red horses, Droṇa could not see any opening; it was as if something wondrous had occurred.