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.
मिथस् सारस्वतादित्या आदिनान्तं कृताजयः । पण्डिता इव वादेषु नोद्विग्ना न पराजिताः
Just as Sarasvati and Aditya, from beginning to end, achieved victory, so too, like learned scholars in debates, they were neither distressed nor defeated.
कवाटाः खर्वितक्षुद्रावाटधानैः परावृताः । तेजः परमम् आजग्मुश् शान्ताग्नय इवेन्धनैः
The gates were closed off by heaps of broken debris and small mounds; the supreme brilliance appeared, like extinguished fires without fuel.
कियदाख्यायत एतज् जिह्वानिचयैः किलालम् आकुलितम् । वासुकिर् अपि वर्णयितुं न समर्थो रणवरं नाम
How much can be described of this, when the mass of tongues is agitated with thick saliva? Even Vasuki is not able to recount the glory of the battlefield.
एवम् अत्याकुले युद्धे सास्फोटभटसङ्कटे । आदिनान्तम् असंरुद्धे रटत्कठिनकङ्कटे
Thus, in the exceedingly tumultuous battle, with fierce warriors and chaos, from beginning to end, unrestrained, with loud, harsh clamor.
वहन्तीषूत्पतन्तीषु पतन्तीष्व् अश्मवृष्टिषु । नदीषु क्षेपणोत्थासु चटत्केत्वब्जपङ्क्तिषु
Among those carrying, rising, and falling in showers of stones; in rivers stirred by missiles, and in rows of lotuses scattered by the clamor.
मिथः फलाग्रटङ्कोत्थवह्निशीकरिणीसु खे । आयान्तीषु पतन्तीषु दूरं शरनदीषु च
Among each other, in the sky, with fruits, tips, and sparks of fire; coming and falling far away in rivers of arrows.
वहल्लूनशिरःपद्मचक्रावर्तैस् तरङ्गितैः । खार्णवे पूरिते हेतिवृन्दमन्दाकिनीगणैः
With waves swirling with severed heads, feet, and lotus wheels; the ocean was filled with streams of weapons and groups of Mandakini rivers.
समीरणरणद्वारिशस्त्रचूर्णघनैर् घनैः । सदाहाङ्गेषु सिद्धेषु कपिकच्छव्यथाप्रदैः
At the gates of battle, with dense clouds of powdered weapons stirred by wind; always afflicting the bodies of the accomplished, causing pain to monkeys and tortoises.
अष्टभागदशाशेषं प्रतापमधुराकृतिः । शस्त्रघातौजसा वीर इवाहस् तनुतां ययौ
With a form sweetened by valor, possessing a fraction of its former brilliance, the hero, like one wearied by the blows of weapons, became diminished.
श्रान्ताश्वेन प्रभग्नाग्रहेतिसङ्घातदीप्तयः । दिनेशेन समं सेना ययुर् मन्दप्रतापताम्
With their horses exhausted, their foremost weapons shattered, and their radiance faded, the armies, along with the sun, grew faint in their splendor.