हेमपीतोत्तरासङ्गाश् चित्रवर्मरथायुधाः नाकपृष्ठशिखण्डास्तु वैडूर्यमकरध्वजाः
Wearing golden-yellow upper garments, with chariots, armor, and weapons adorned in various ways, their crests shone on the heights of heaven, bearing banners of beryl and makara-emblems.
जपारक्तोत्तरासङ्गा राक्षसा रक्तमूर्धजाः गृध्रध्वजा महावीर्या निर्मलायोविभूषणाः
The Rakshasas, with crimson upper garments and blood-red hair, bearing vulture banners, of great valor, were adorned with pure ornaments.
मुसलासिगदाहस्ता रथे चोष्णीषदंशिताः महामेघरवा नागा भीमोल्काशनिहेतयः
Holding pestles, swords, and maces in their hands, wearing turbans on their chariots, the great serpents roared like thunderclouds, hurling blazing meteors and lightning.
यक्षाः कृष्णाम्बरभृतो भीमबाणधनुर्धराः ताम्रोलूकध्वजा रौद्रा हेमरत्नविभूषणाः
The Yakshas, clad in black garments, wielded mighty bows and arrows; fierce, with copper-owl banners, they were adorned with gold and jewels.
द्वीपिचर्मोत्तरासङ्गं निशाचरबलं बभौ गार्ध्रपत्त्रध्वजप्रायम् अस्थिभूषणभूषितम्
The army of night-wanderers shone, clad in tiger-skin upper garments, mostly bearing vulture-feather banners, adorned with ornaments of bone.
मुसलायुधदुष्प्रेक्ष्यं नानाप्राणिमहारवम् किंनराः श्वेतवसनाः सितपत्त्रिपताकिनः
Armed with pestles, dreadful to behold, roaring with the cries of many creatures, the Kinnaras, dressed in white, bore white-feathered banners.
मत्तेभवाहनप्रायास् तीक्ष्णतोमरहेतयः मुक्ताजालपरिष्कारो हंसो रजतनिर्मितः
With intoxicated elephants as mounts, fierce spears as weapons, adorned with strings of pearls, a swan crafted from silver.
केतुर्जलाधिनाथस्य भीमधूमध्वजानलः पद्मरागमहारत्नविटपं धनदस्य तु
The banner of the lord of waters was a terrifying smoky flag of fire; for Kubera, a bough of lotus-gem and great jewels.
ध्वजं समुच्छ्रितं भाति गन्तुकाममिवाम्बरम् वृकेण काष्ठलोहेन यमस्यासीन्महाध्वजः
A raised banner shone, as if wishing to ascend the sky; for Yama, a great banner made of wood and iron by a wolf.
राक्षसेशस्य केतोर्वै प्रेतस्य मुखमाबभौ हेमसिंहध्वजौ देवौ चन्द्रार्कावमितद्युती
On the banner of the lord of the Rakshasas appeared the face of a ghost; the gods had golden lion banners, radiant like the moon and sun.
कुम्भेन रत्नचित्रेण केतुर् अश्विनयोर् अभूत् हेममातंगरचितं चित्ररत्नपरिष्कृतम्
The banner of the Ashvins was a jeweled pitcher, crafted of golden elephant and adorned with varied precious gems.
ध्वजं शतक्रतोरासीत् सितचामरमण्डितम् सनागयक्षगन्धर्वम् अहोरगनिशाचरा
The banner of Shatakratu was decorated with white yak tails, attended by Nagas, Yakshas, Gandharvas, and both serpents and night-dwellers.
सेना सा देवराजस्य दुर्जया भुवनत्रये कोटयस्तास् त्रयस्त्रिंशद् देवदेवनिकायिनाम्
That army of the king of the gods was unconquerable in the three worlds; its divisions numbered thirty-three crores of divine hosts.
हिमाचलाभे सितकर्णचामरे सुवर्णपद्मामलसुन्दरस्रजि कृताभिरागोज्ज्वलकुङ्कुमाङ्कुरे कपोललीलालिकदम्बसंकुले
With white yak tails resembling Himalayan peaks, pure golden lotus garlands, radiant with bright saffron marks, cheeks adorned with playful clusters of locks.
स्थितस्तदैरावतनामकुञ्जरे महाबलश्चित्रविभूषणाम्बरः विशालवस्त्रांशुवितानभूषितः प्रकीर्णकेयूरभुजाग्रमण्डलः सहस्रदृग्बन्दिसहस्रसंस्तुतस् त्रिविष्टपे ऽशोभत पाकशासनः
Standing upon the elephant named Airavata, mighty, clad in wondrous ornaments and garments, adorned with vast cloths and armlets, praised by thousands of bards, Indra shone in heaven.
तुरंगमातंगबलौघसंकुला सितातपत्रध्वजराजिशालिनी चमूश्च सा दुर्जयपत्त्रिसंतता विभाति नानायुधयोधदुस्तरा
That army, crowded with horses and elephants, bearing rows of white parasols and banners, unconquerable, shone with its array of diverse weapons, difficult to overcome in battle.
सुरासुराणां सम्मर्दस् तस्मिन्नत्यन्तदारुणे तुमुलो ऽतिमहानासीत् सेनयोरुभयोरपि
In that exceedingly fierce clash between gods and demons, a tumultuous and immense battle arose between both armies.
गर्जतां देवदैत्यानां शङ्खभेरीरवेण च तूर्याणां चैव निर्घोषैर् मातंगानां च बृंहितैः
With the roaring of gods and demons, the sound of conches and drums, the thunder of instruments, and the trumpeting of elephants.
ह्वेषतां हयवृन्दानां रथनेमिस्वनेन च ज्याघोषेण च शूराणां तुमुलो ऽतिमहानभूत्
With the neighing of horses, the rumble of chariot wheels, the twang of bowstrings, and the tumult of heroes, a great and terrible din arose.
समासाद्योभये सेने परस्परजयैषिणाम् रोषेणातिपरीतानां त्यक्तजीवितचेतसाम्
When both armies met, each seeking victory over the other, filled with wrath, their minds set on abandoning life.
समासाद्य तु ते ऽन्योन्यं प्रक्रमेण विलोमतः रथेनासक्तपादातो रथेन च तुरंगमः
Meeting each other, they engaged in battle in various ways: a horse attacked a chariot, a chariot struck a foot soldier.
हस्ती पदातिसंयुक्तो रथिना च क्वचिद्रथी मातंगेनापरो हस्ती तुरंगैर्बहुभिर्गजः
An elephant joined with foot soldiers, a charioteer fought with another charioteer, elsewhere an elephant battled many horses.
पदातिरेको बहुभिर् गजैर्मत्तैश्च युज्यते ततः प्रासाशनिगदाभिन्दिपालपरश्वधैः
A single foot soldier was matched by many intoxicated elephants; then with spears, maces, clubs, axes, and swords.
शक्तिभिः पट्टिशैः शूलैर् मुद्गरैः कुणपैर्गडैः चक्रैश्च शङ्कुभिश्चैव तोमरैरङ्कुशैः सितैः
With lances, swords, spikes, hammers, corpses, maces, wheels, stakes, spears, and white goads.
कर्णिनालीकनाराचवत्सदन्तार्धचन्द्रकैः भल्लैश्च शतपत्त्रैश्च शुकतुण्डैश्च निर्मलैः
With arrows tipped with ears, reeds, narachas, calf teeth, half-moon shapes, broad blades, hundred-petaled points, and pure parrot-beak heads,
वृष्टिरत्यद्भुताकारा गगने समदृश्यत संप्रच्छाद्य दिशः सर्वास् तमोमयमिवाकरोत्
A rain of astonishing appearance was seen in the sky, covering all directions and making them seem filled with darkness.
न प्राज्ञायत ते ऽन्योन्यं तस्मिंस्तमसि संकुले अलक्ष्यं विसृजन्तस्ते हेतिसंघातमुद्धतम्
In that tumultuous gloom, they could not recognize each other; unseen, they released a furious barrage of missiles.
पतितं सेनयोर्मध्ये निरीक्षन्ते परस्परम् ततो ध्वजैर्भुजैश्छत्त्रैः शिरोभिश्च सकुण्डलैः
They gazed at one another at what had fallen between the armies—then, with standards, arms, parasols, and heads adorned with earrings,
गजैस्तुरंगैः पादातैः पतद्भिः पतितैरपि आकाशसरसो भ्रष्टैः पङ्कजैरिव भूः स्तृता
With elephants, horses, foot soldiers, those falling and fallen, the earth was strewn like a lake whose lotuses have dropped from the sky.
भग्नदन्ता भिन्नकुम्भाश् छिन्नदीर्घमहाकराः गजाः शलनिभाः पेतुर् धरण्यां रुधिरस्रवाः
Elephants with broken tusks, shattered domes, and severed long trunks, resembling rocks, fell to the ground, streaming blood.