यद् अम्बुदैर् इवोड्डीनं शस्त्रवृन्दैर् नभोऽङ्गने । तद् दृष्टं वीचिवलयैर् लोलैः प्लुतम् इवार्णवे
Just as clouds rise up and fill the sky, so did the multitude of weapons; and that sight appeared, with circling, restless waves, as if the ocean itself were leaping.
शतचन्द्रं सितच्छत्रैश् शरैश् शलभनिर्भरम् । शक्तिभिः काकनीरन्ध्रं दृष्टम् आकाशकाननम्
The sky-forest was seen filled with white parasols like a hundred moons, with arrows dense as swarming locusts, and with spears piercing through like crows entering their holes.
लीनाश् चीरचयाक्रन्दकारिणः केकयाः कृताः । कङ्कैः कङ्ककुलाक्रान्तैर् व्योमोच्छलितमस्तकाः
The Kekaya warriors, their crests tossed up into the sky by flocks of herons, were made to wail, their garlands torn, by the cries of the birds.
हिमवच्छैलकन्यानां कामं कलकलारवैः । अङ्गैर् अनङ्गतां नीत्वा भैरवैर् इव गर्जितम्
The tumultuous cries, like the roaring of fierce beings, led the daughters of the Himalaya to a state of passion, their bodies overcome by the clamorous sounds.
काशैर् उद्देहकाक्रान्ता अदृश्यैर् दयया खगैः । निर्धूतपक्षैः क्षुभितैः पवनैर् इव पांसवः
The reeds, overwhelmed by invisible birds of mercy, were shaken and stripped of their feathers, like dust stirred up by agitated winds.
उन्मत्तास्त्रविनिर्धूतास् त्यक्तहेतिरणाम्बराः । नन्दनानन्दनिर्मातृ ननृतुर् जहसुर् जगुः
Driven mad by the force of weapons, abandoning their armor and golden garments, the creators of joy in Nandana danced, laughed, and sang.
प्रक्वणत्किङ्किणीजालं शक्तिवर्षम् उपागतम् । साल्वबाणानिलोद्धूतम् अगमत् पृषदाकृतिम्
The clamor of jingling bells arose, as a shower of weapons descended; driven by the wind of arrows, it took on the form of scattered dust.
शैव्यास्त्रैः खण्डिताः कौन्ता भ्रमत्कुन्तैर् विघट्टिताः । शवीभूता दिवं नीता दृष्टा विद्याधरा इव
The Kauravas, shattered by the Shaiva weapons and struck by whirling spears, became like corpses, carried to the sky, resembling celestial beings.
धराधरणधर्मिण्या धीरया वीरसेनया । लोठिताः पाण्डुनगराश् चलनोल्लासमात्रतः
The city of the Pandavas, steadfast as the earth itself, was thrown into turmoil by the heroic army, shaken solely by their movement and vigor.
उद्देहकाः पञ्चनदैर् दलिता मत्तकाशिभिः । कुन्तदन्तक्षतोद्दामैः पद्मा इव मतङ्गजैः
The warriors of Uddehaka were crushed by the intoxicated Kashi soldiers, their lances sharp as tusks, like lotuses torn apart by wild elephants.
ब्रह्मवासन्तकानीकैः कृत्ताश् चक्रैर् गता महीम् । माहार्याः क्रकचोत्कृत्ता वृक्षाः कुसुमिता इव
The armies of Brahmavāsantaka were cut down by spinning discs and fell to the ground, just as blossoming trees are felled by the saws of great woodcutters.
भोक्काणकाननं लूनं कुठारैर् जठरेरितैः । पतद् ददाह पार्श्वस्थो भद्रेशश् शरवह्निना
The forest of Bhokkaṇaka was hewn down by axes wielded by the Jaṭharas; as it fell, the lord of Bhadra, standing nearby, burned it with a rain of fiery arrows.
काशयो वन्दिलालानलग्ना जीर्णमतङ्गजाः । लयम् आजग्मुर् आबुद्धम् इद्धे ऽग्नाव् इन्धनं यथा
The aged elephants of Kashi, entangled in the creepers of battle, perished unawares, like dry fuel consumed in a blazing fire.
त्रिगर्तावर्तगर्तेषु भ्रमित्वौण्ड्रास् तृणोपमाः । विविशुर् व्यस्तमूर्धानः पातालान्तं पलायिताः
The warriors of Trigarta, after wandering in the whirlpools of battle, became as insignificant as blades of grass; fleeing with scattered heads, they entered the depths of the netherworld.
मन्दानिलाचलाम्भोधिभासुरे मागधे बले । निमग्ना वन्दिला मन्दाः पङ्के जीर्णगजा इव
The slow, windless, mountain, and ocean-bright warriors of Magadha, overwhelmed in battle, sank down dispirited into the mire, like old elephants mired in mud.
चेदयच् चेतनां जह्नुस् तङ्गनानां रणाङ्गने । पुष्पाणां पथि शीर्णानां सौकुमार्यम् इवातपाः
On the battlefield, Jahnu took away the consciousness of the warriors, just as sunlight destroys the delicacy of flowers strewn along the path.
कोसलाः पौरवारावम् असहन्तो ऽर्भका इव । तेरुर् मुक्तगदाप्रासशरशक्त्यृष्टिवृष्टयः
The Kosalas, unable to endure the fierce assault of the Pauravas, like children, were struck down by a rain of released maces, spears, arrows, and javelins.
बभुर् भल्लनिकृत्ताङ्गा द्रिमयो विद्रुमद्रुमाः । इवाद्रौ विद्रवत्स्वान्त्रसान्द्रासृक्स्रवमूर्तयः
Their limbs severed by arrows, the warriors appeared like coral trees on a mountain, their bodies streaming thick blood as they fled in terror.
नाराचौघा महाहेतिमारुताधूतमूर्तयः । बभ्रमुर् भ्रमरानीकभासुरा जलधाव् इव
Showers of iron arrows, their forms tossed by the mighty wind of weapons, whirled about, shining like swarms of bees over the ocean.
शरधाराधरामेघाश् शरोर्णापूर्णमेचकाः । शरपत्रावृता वृक्षा भ्रेमुर् उद्गर्जना जवाः
Clouds of arrows, dark as rainclouds, filled with the foam of arrows, and trees covered with arrow-feathers, roared and trembled with the speed of their discharge.
वनराज्यो जवाज् जीर्णाः कटकस्थलजन्तवः । अत्रुटन् परमाकृष्टाः पेलवा इव तन्तवः
The ancient forests, with their creatures, were shattered by the force, breaking apart like delicate threads stretched to their limit.
रथेषूर्ध्वस्थचक्रेषु निखातोन्मग्नमूर्धसु । निपेतुर् जनसङ्घाता मेघा इव वनाद्रिषु
Crowds of people fell upon the chariots, whose wheels stood upright and whose warriors' heads were buried or raised, like clouds falling upon forested mountains.
सालतालवनं प्राप्य जनतालवनं घनम् । भुजावकर्तनं चासीद् उत्तालस्थाणुकाननम्
Having reached the dense forest of sal and palmyra trees, it became a thicket of people, a place where arms were severed, a wild grove of upraised trunks.
ननन्दुर् नन्दनोद्यानसुन्दर्यो मत्तयौवनाः । वनोपवनदेशेषु मेरोर् वीरवराश्रिताः
The beautiful women, intoxicated by youth, rejoiced in the gardens and groves on Mount Meru, sheltered by the foremost of heroes.
तावत् तारारवं रेजे सैन्यकाननम् उन्नतम् । यावन् न परपक्षेण क्रान्तं कल्पानलौजसा
That lofty forest of warriors shone with the tumult of battle-cries, until it was overrun by the enemy, blazing with the force of a world-ending fire.
छिन्नान् पिशाचसंयुक्ता हूनापहृतहेतयः । पातयित्वा ययुः कर्णान् दशार्णास् तर्णका इव
Some, their weapons seized by Huns and joined by demons, having struck down their foes, fled to the Karnas and Dasharnas like birds to water.
जहुर् भग्नस्वराः कान्तिं ताजिकाजिजनौजसा । काशयः कमलानीव शुष्कस्रोतस्स्विनोजसा
The Kashi warriors, their voices broken and their splendor lost by the might of the Tajika troops, withered like lotuses in a dried-up stream.
भुखारा मेखलैः कीर्णाश् शरशक्त्यृष्टिमुद्गरैः । विद्रुता नरके क्षिप्ताः कार्कोटस्थलनामनि
Encircled by belts of arrows, spears, lances, and maces, they fled, cast into a hell named Karkota's domain.
कौरुक्षेत्रास्थस् तवसैश् छद्मयोधिभिर् आवृताः । गुणा इव खलाक्रान्ता गता व्यक्तम् अशक्तताम्
The Kurukshetra warriors, surrounded by ascetics disguised as fighters, became clearly powerless, like virtues overcome by the wicked.
द्रिमयो वटधानानां क्षणेनादाय मस्तकम् । भल्लैः पलाय्याशु गता विलूनकमला इव
The Dravidians, in an instant, took the heads of the banyan-tree dwellers with arrows and swiftly fled, like plucked lotuses.