ततो द्वन्द्वमयुध्यन्त मृत्युं कृत्वा पुरस्कृतम्। जघ्नतुः समरे तस्मिन्सुमित्रप्रियदर्शनौ
Then, making death their foremost aim, they fought in pairs; in that battle, Sumitra and Priyadarśana were both slain.
जयद्रथश्च कर्णश्च पश्यतः सव्यसाचिनः। अर्जुनः प्रेक्ष्य निहतौ सौमित्रप्रियदर्शनौ
Jayadratha and Karṇa, in the sight of Savyasācin (Arjuna), killed Sumitra and Priyadarśana; seeing them slain, Arjuna—
जयद्रथसुतं तत्र जघान पितुरन्तिके। वृषसेनादवरजं सुदामानं धनंजयः
Thereupon, Arjuna struck down Sudāmā, the younger brother of Vṛṣasena and son of Jayadratha, right before his father.
कर्णपुत्रं महेष्वासं रथनीडादपातयत्। तौ सुतौ निहतौ दृष्ट्वा राजसिंहौ तरस्विनौ
The mighty-armed Arjuna brought down Karṇa’s son, a great archer, from his chariot; seeing their two valiant sons slain—
नामृष्येतां महाबाहू प्रहारमिव सद्गजौ। तौ जग्मतुरसंभ्रान्तौ फल्गुनस्य रथंप्रति
Those two lion-like kings of great strength could not endure it, just as noble elephants cannot bear a blow; undaunted, they advanced toward Arjuna’s chariot.
प्रतिमुक्ततलत्राणौ शपमानौ परस्परम्। सन्निपातस्तयोरासीदतिघोरो महामृधे
With their shields fastened and hurling curses at each other, they approached; a most terrible clash arose between them in that great battle.
वृत्रशम्बरयोः सङ्क्ये वज्रिणेव महारणे। त्रीनश्वाञ्जघ्नतुस्तस्य फल्गुनस्य नर्षभौ
Like the encounter of Vṛtra and Śambara with the wielder of the thunderbolt in a great war, those two tigers among men struck down three of Arjuna’s horses.
ततः किलिकिलाशब्दः कुरूणामभवत्तदा। तान्हयान्निहतान्दृष्ट्वा भीमसेनः प्रतापवान्
Then, a tumultuous sound arose among the Kurus; seeing those horses slain, the valiant Bhīmasena—
निमेषान्तरमात्रेण रथमश्वैरयोजयत्। उपयातं रथं दृष्ट्वा दुर्योधनपुरःसरौ
In but a moment’s time, yoked new horses to the chariot; seeing the chariot thus readied, Duryodhana and his followers—
सौबलः सौमदत्तिश्च समेयातां परन्तपौ। तैः पञ्चभिरदीनात्मा भीमसेनो महाबलः
Saubala and Saumadatti, destroyers of foes, came forth; with those five warriors, the mighty Bhīmasena—
अयुध्यत तदा वीरैरिन्द्रियार्थैरिवेश्वरः। तैर्निरुद्धो न संत्रासं जगाम समितिंजयः
Then fought with those heroes, as a lord with the objects of the senses; though surrounded by them, the victorious Bhīmasena did not feel fear.
पञ्चभिर्द्विरदैर्मत्तैर्निरुद्ध इव केसरी। तस्यैते युगपत्पञ्च पञ्चभिर्निशितैः शरैः
Like a lion hemmed in by five maddened elephants, those five simultaneously, with five sharp arrows each—
सारथिं वाजिनश्चैव निन्युर्वैवस्वतक्षयम्। हताश्वात्स्यन्दनश्रेष्ठादवरुह्य महारथः
Struck down his charioteer and horses, sending them to the realm of Yama; the great chariot-warrior, his horses slain and his chariot destroyed, dismounted.
चचार विविधान्मार्गानसिमुद्यम्य पाण्डवः। अश्वस्कन्धेषु चक्रेषु युगेष्वीषासु चैव हि
The Pāṇḍava, sword in hand, moved in many directions—upon the backs of horses, on wheels, on the yoke, and even on the shafts.
व्यचरत्पातयञ्शत्रून्सुपर्ण इव भोगिनः। विधनुष्कं विकवचं विरथं च समीक्ष्य तम्
He moved about, striking down his enemies like Garuda attacking serpents, when he saw him without a bow, without armor, and without a chariot.
अभिपेतुर्नव्याघ्रा अर्जुनप्रमुखा रथाः। धृष्टद्युम्नः शिखण्डी च यमौ च युधि दुर्जयौ
Then the chariots led by Arjuna, fierce as young tigers, charged at him—Dhṛṣṭadyumna, Śikhaṇḍī, and the invincible twins in battle.
तस्मिन्महारथे युद्धे प्रवृत्ते शरवृष्टिभिः। रथध्वजपताकाश्च सवर्मन्तरधीयत
As that great chariot battle raged, with showers of arrows, the banners and pennants on the chariots were hidden behind the armor.
तत्प्रवृत्तं चिरं कालं युद्धं सममिवाभवत्। रथेन तान्महाबाहुरर्जुनो व्यधमत्पुनः
That battle, which went on for a long time, seemed evenly matched; but then mighty-armed Arjuna scattered them again with his chariot.
तमापतन्तं दृष्ट्वेव महाबाहुर्धनुर्धरः। कर्णोऽस्त्रविदुषां श्रेष्ठो वारयामास सायकैः
Seeing him charging forward, the mighty-armed, bow-wielding Karṇa, foremost among those skilled in weapons, checked him with arrows.
स तेनाभिहतः पार्थो वासविर्वज्रसन्निभान्। त्रीञ्शरान्संदधे क्रुद्धो वधात्क्रुद्धस्य पाण्डवः
Struck by Karṇa with arrows like Indra's thunderbolts, the enraged Pāṇḍava, in his wrath, fitted three arrows to slay his furious foe.
तैः शरैराहतं कर्णं ध्वजयष्टिमुपाश्रितम्। अपोवाह रथाच्चाशु सूतः परपुरंजयम्
Struck by those arrows, Karṇa, clinging to his banner staff, was quickly driven away from his chariot by his charioteer, the conqueror of enemy cities.
ततः पराजिते कर्णे धार्तराष्ट्रान्महाभयम्। विवेश समुदग्रांश्च पाण्डवान्प्रसमीक्ष्य तु
With Karṇa defeated, great fear entered the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, while the Pāṇḍavas, with their growing strength, looked on.
तत्प्रकम्पितमत्यर्थं तद्दृष्ट्वा सौबलो बलम्। गिरा मधुरया चापि समाश्वासयतासकृत्
Seeing his force greatly shaken, Saubala, with gentle words, repeatedly encouraged them.
धार्तराष्ट्रैस्ततः सर्वैर्दुर्योधनपुरःसरैः। धृतं तत्पुनरेवासीद्बलं पार्थप्रपीडितम्
Then all the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, led by Duryodhana, rallied and held their force again, though it was pressed hard by the Pārthas.
ततो दुर्योधनं दृष्ट्वा भीमो भीमपराक्रमः। अक्रुध्यत्स महाबाहुरगारं जातुषं स्मरन्
Then Bhīma, of terrible might, seeing Duryodhana, grew angry, remembering the house of lac.
ततः संग्रामशिरसि ददर्श विपुलद्रुमम्। आयामभूतं तिष्ठन्तं स्कन्धपञ्चाशदुन्नतम्
At the height of battle, he saw a great tree standing tall, with fifty branches rising high, broad and massive.
महास्कन्धं महोत्सेधं शक्रध्वजमिवोच्छ्रितम्। तमुत्पाठ्य च पाणिभ्यामुद्यम्य चरणावपि
With huge trunk and great height, like Indra's banner raised up, he uprooted it with his hands and lifted it, even with his feet.
अभिपेदे परान्सङ्ख्ये वज्रपाणिरिवासुरान्। भीमसेनभयार्तानि फल्गुनाभिहतानि च
He rushed at the enemy in battle like Vajrapāṇi against the Asuras, while the foes, terrified by Bhīmasena and struck by Arjuna, fled.
न शेकुस्तान्यनीकानि धार्तराष्ट्राण्युदीक्षितुम्। तानि संभ्रान्तयोधानि श्रान्तवाजिगजानि च
The Dhārtarāṣṭra troops, with their warriors confused and their horses and elephants exhausted, could not even look at them.
दिशः प्राकालयद्भीमो दिवीवाभ्राणि मारुतः। तान्निवृत्तान्निरानन्दान्नरवारणवाजिनः
Bhīma scattered them in all directions, like the wind dispersing clouds in the sky; those men, elephants, and horses, joyless, turned back.