सेनाद्वितयम् अक्षुब्धं सौम्याब्धिद्वितयोपमम् । महारम्भघनं मत्तं स्थिरं राजद्वयान्वितम्
There, two armies, undisturbed and resembling two gentle oceans, stood—grand, dense, intoxicated, steadfast, each led by a king.
युद्धसज्जं सुसन्नद्धसिद्धम् अग्निम् इवाहुतम् । पूर्वप्रहारसम्पातप्रेक्षाक्षुब्धाक्षिलक्षकम्
Prepared for battle, well-armored and ready, like fire kindled by oblation, their eyes were agitated, watching the onset of the first assault.
उद्यतामलनिस्त्रिंशधारासारब्रुडज्जनम् । कचत्परश्वधप्रासभिण्डिपालर्द्धिसङ्कुलम्
The warriors brandished spotless, unsheathed swords, and the field was crowded with flashing axes, spears, maces, and shields.
गरुत्मत्पक्षविक्षुब्धवनसम्पातकम्पितम् । उद्यद्दिनकरालोककचत्कनककङ्कटम्
The ground trembled from the rush of warriors, like a forest shaken by Garuda’s wings, and the gold armlets gleamed in the rising sunlight.
परस्परमुखालोककोपप्रोद्धासितायुधम् । अन्योऽन्यबद्धदृष्टित्वाच् चित्रभित्ताव् इवार्पितम्
Weapons were raised in anger as the warriors faced each other, their gazes locked, as if painted upon a marvelous mural.
लेखामर्यादया दीर्घबद्धया स्थापितस्थिति । अनिवार्यमहाहार्यझाङ्काराश्रुतसङ्कथम्
Their ranks were fixed by long, drawn lines of formation, and the air was filled with the unavoidable, thunderous clamor of their gathering.
पूर्वप्रहारस्मयतश् चिरसंशान्तदुन्दुभि । निबद्धयोधसंस्थाननिश्चलानीकमन्थरम्
In the early hours, smiling, with the drums long since silenced, the battle formations were fixed in place, unmoving and sluggish.
धनुर्द्वितयमात्रात्मशून्यमध्यैकसेतुना । विभक्तं कल्पवातेन मत्तम् एकार्णवं यथा
The two armies were separated by only the span of two bows, with a single bridge in the empty space between them, divided by the wind of imagination, like a single ocean made wild.
कार्यसङ्कटसंरम्भचिन्तापरवशेश्वरम् । रववद्भेककण्ठत्वग्भङ्गुरातुरहृद्गुहम्
The lord, overwhelmed by anxious thoughts about the crisis of action, his heart-cave fragile and restless like the croaking throat of a frog under the sun.
प्राणसर्वस्वसन्न्याससोद्योगासङ्ख्यसैनिकम् । कर्णस्थसशरज्यौघत्यागोन्मुखधनुर्धरम्
With soldiers countless, ready to renounce their very breath, and archers with drawn bows, arrows poised at their ears, eager for battle.
प्रहारपातसम्प्रेक्षानिस्स्पन्दासङ्ख्यसैनिकम् । अन्योऽन्योत्कटकाठिन्यभटभ्रूकुटिसङ्कटम्
The soldiers, countless and motionless, watching the fall of blows, their brows furrowed in fierce rivalry, each warrior hardened and tense.
परस्परांससङ्घट्टकटुटाङ्कारकङ्कटम् । वीरयोधदुराधर्षभीरुप्रोज्झितकोटरम्
The harsh clashing of limbs, the sharp sound of armor, the warriors bold and unyielding, their faces hollowed by fearlessness.
मिथस्संस्थानकालोकमात्रसन्दिग्धजीवितम् । समस्ताङ्गरुहासक्तपांसुवृद्धाभमानवम्
Their lives uncertain, dependent only on the arrangement and sight of their positions, their bodies covered in dust, resembling aged men.
पूर्वप्रहारसम्प्रेक्षाव्यग्रप्राणितया तया । संशान्तकल्लोलरवं निद्रामुद्रपुरोपमम्
With her breath hurried from watching the early blows, the sound of waves now stilled, she was like one sealed in sleep.
संशान्तशङ्खसङ्घाततूर्यनिर्ह्राददुन्दुभि । भूतलावशसंलीनसर्वपांसुपयोधरम्
The tumult of conch shells, cymbals, drums, and trumpets had subsided, and the earth was covered everywhere with dust and blood.
पलायनपरैः पश्चात् त्यक्तम् अङ्गुलम् अङ्गुलम् । विसारिमकरव्यूहमत्स्यसंस्थाब्धिभासुरम्
Abandoned inch by inch by those intent on fleeing, it was strewn with the shining bodies of fish-like warriors and the scattered ranks of makaras.
पताकामञ्जरीपुञ्जवीजितद्रुमनायकम् । हास्तिकोत्तम्भितकरकाननीकृतखान्तरम्
The standards and clusters of banners had overcome the trees, and the forests were transformed by the elephants lifting their trunks, making the battlefield appear as a wooded expanse.
तरत्तरलभापूरसपक्षसकलायुधम् । धमद् धम् इति शब्दैश् च श्वासोत्थैर् व्याप्तखान्तरम्
The air was filled with the fluttering wings of birds, the clamor of weapons, and the sounds 'dhamad dham'—the whole sky resounded with the noise of warriors' breath.
चक्रव्यूहकराक्रान्तदुर्वृत्तसुभटासुरम् । गरुडव्यूहसंरम्भविवलन्नागसञ्चयम्
The formation of chariots pressed upon the wicked and valiant demons, while the tumult of the Garuda formation scattered the host of serpents.
श्येनव्यूहाविभिन्नोग्रसन्निवेशोन्नमद्ध्वनि । अन्योऽन्यस्फोटनिष्पेषप्रपतच्छूरवृन्दकम्
The fierce array of the Śyena formation was broken, its ranks thrown into confusion, and groups of heroes fell, crushed by the collisions and blows of one another.
विविधव्यूहविन्यासम् आन्तरारावभैरवम् । करप्रतोलनोल्लासमत्तमुद्गरमन्दिरम्
There were various battle formations, terrifying with their inner clamor, and the halls echoed with the uproar of warriors brandishing their heavy maces.
कृष्णायुधांशुजालेन श्यामीकृतदिवाकरम् । अनिलाधूतशल्मीलशूत्कराभशरध्वनि
The sun was darkened by a network of black weapons, and the sound of arrows, like the wind shaking the silk-cotton trees, roared across the field.
अनेककल्पकल्पान्तसधर्मम् इव संस्थितम् । प्रलयानिलसङ्क्षुब्धम् एकार्णवम् इवोत्थितम्
It appeared as if it had endured countless aeons, like the end of a cosmic cycle, and rose up like a single ocean agitated by the winds of dissolution.
पातालकुहराक्षुब्धम् अन्धकारम् इवोत्थितम् । लोकालोकम् इवोन्मत्तनृत्तलोललसत्तटम् । महानरकसङ्घातं भित्त्वावनिम् इवोत्थितम्
It arose like darkness disturbed in the caverns of the underworld, like the wild shore of the boundary between worlds, trembling with the frenzied dance of madmen, and like a mass of great hells breaking through the earth.
आलोलकुन्तमुसुलासिपरश्वधांशुश्यामायमानम् इव सातपवारिपूरैः । एकार्णवं भुवनकोशम् इवाचिरेण कर्तुं समुद्यतम् अगाधम् अनन्तपूरैः
It seemed to darken with the tumult of lances, clubs, swords, and axes, as if soon to turn the world into a single, unfathomable ocean by the floods of heated water.
भगवन् युद्धम् एतन् मे समासेन मनाग् वद । श्रुतिर् आह्लाद्यते श्रोतुर् यस्माद् एताभिर् उक्तिभिः
O Lord, briefly tell me about this battle, for the words you speak delight the listener’s ear.
अथ खे तत्र ते देव्यौ सङ्ग्रामं तद् अवेक्षितुम् । विमाने कल्पिते कान्ते रुद्धे रुरुहतुस् स्थिरे
Then, in the sky, those two goddesses, wishing to witness the battle, sat together in a beautiful, prepared aerial chariot, steady and unmoving.
एतस्मिन्न् अन्तरे तत्र लीलेशप्रतिपक्षतः । ताम्यन् सोढुम् अशक्तस् सन् दुःखव्यतिकरं रणे
Meanwhile, there, the opponent of the playful Lord, unable to endure the intense suffering in battle, began to languish.
प्रलयार्णवकल्लोल इवोत्पत्योद्भटो भटः । जहौ सानाव् इव शिलां भटस्योरसि मुद्गरम्
Like a wave rising from the ocean of dissolution, a fierce warrior hurled a mace at the chest of his foe, as a rock is cast down from a mountain peak.
अथ प्रवृत्तः प्रसभं प्रलयार्णवरंहसा । सेनयोश् शस्त्रसम्पातः किरन्न् अनलविद्युतः
Then, with the force of the ocean at dissolution, a violent clash of weapons erupted between the two armies, scattering sparks and flashes like fire.