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.
यथा श्येनस्य पतनं वनेष्वामिषगृद्धिनः। तथैवासीदभीसारस्तस्य द्रोणं जिघांसतः
Just as a hawk swoops down in the forest, greedy for flesh, so was his assault as he sought to slay Droṇa.
ततः शरशतेनास्य शतचन्द्रं समाक्षिपत्। द्रोणो द्रुपद पुत्रस्य खङ्गं च दशभिः शरैः
Then Droṇa, with a hundred arrows, struck down his shield adorned with a hundred moons, and with ten arrows he struck the sword of Drupada's son.
हयांश्चैव चतुःषष्ट्या शराणां जघ्निवान्बली। ध्वजं छत्रं च भल्लाभ्यां तथा तौ पार्ष्णिसारथी
With sixty-four arrows the mighty Droṇa struck down his horses, and with two broad-headed shafts he felled his banner and umbrella, as well as his charioteer and driver.
अथास्मै त्वरितो बाणमपरं जीवितान्तकम्। धृष्टद्युम्नाय चिक्षेप वज्रं वज्रधरो यथा
Then, in haste, Droṇa released another arrow, deadly as death itself, at Dhṛṣṭadyumna, like the wielder of the thunderbolt hurling his weapon.
तं चतुर्दशभिस्तीक्ष्णैर्बाणैश्चिच्छेद सात्यकिः। ग्रस्तमाचार्यमुख्येन धृष्टद्युम्नं व्यमोचयत्
But Sātyaki cut that arrow into fourteen sharp pieces, freeing Dhṛṣṭadyumna, who had been seized by the chief of teachers.
सिंहेनेव मृगं ग्रस्तं नरसिंहेन मारिष। द्रोणाद्वै मोचयामास पाञ्चाल्यं शिनिपुङ्गवः
Just as a lion rescues a deer seized by another lion, so did the foremost of the Śinis rescue the Pāñcāla from Droṇa, O great one.
सात्यकिं प्रेक्ष्य गोप्तारं पाञ्चाल्यं च महाहवे। शराणां त्वरितो द्रोणः षड्विंशत्या समार्पयत्
Seeing Sātyaki as the protector of the Pāñcāla in that great battle, Droṇa swiftly showered twenty-six arrows upon them.
ततो द्रोणं शिनेः पौत्रो ग्रसन्तमपि सृञ्जयान्। प्रत्यविध्यच्छितैर्बाणैः षड्विंशत्या स्तनान्तरे
Then the grandson of Śini struck Droṇa, even as he was overwhelming the Sṛñjayas, with twenty-six sharp arrows in the chest.
ततः सर्वे रथास्तूर्णं पाञ्चाल्या जयगृद्धिनः। सात्वताभिसृते द्रोणे धृष्टद्युम्नमवाक्षिपन्
Then all the chariots of the Pāñcālas, eager for victory, quickly rushed at Droṇa, who was being attacked by the Sātvata, and surrounded Dhṛṣṭadyumna.
बाणे तस्मिन्निकृत्ते तु धृष्टद्युम्ने च मोक्षिते। तेन वृष्णिप्रवीरेण युयुधानेन सञ्जय
When that arrow was cut down and Dhṛṣṭadyumna was freed by that foremost of the Vṛṣṇis, Yuyudhāna, O Sañjaya—