अथ सेनाधिनाथाभ्यां विचार्य सह मन्त्रिभिः । दूताः परस्परं दत्ता युद्धं संह्रियताम् इति
Then, after deliberation with their ministers, the commanders of the armies sent messengers to each other, saying, 'Let the battle be ended.'
ततश् श्रमवशान् मन्दपत्त्रशस्त्रपराक्रमैः । रणसंहरणं काले सर्वैर् एवोररीकृतम्
Thereafter, due to fatigue, with their arrows and weapons wielded feebly, all agreed to cease the battle at that time.
ततो महारथोत्तुङ्गकेतुप्रान्ते कृतास्पदम् । बलयोर् आरुरोहैक एको योधो ध्रुवो यथा
Then, at the edge of the armies, beneath lofty banners and great chariots, one steadfast warrior ascended, as if alone and immovable.
अंशुकं भ्रामयाम् आस सर्वदिङ्मण्डलेक्षितम् । द्याम् एव दीर्घम् इन्द्वंशुं युद्धं संह्रियताम् इति
He began to wave a cloth, visible in all directions like a circle, resembling a long moonbeam in the sky, signaling, 'Let the battle cease.'
ततो दुन्दुभयश् शेमुः प्रतिध्वनितदिङ्मुखाः । महाप्रलयसंशान्तौ पुष्करावर्तका इव
Then the drums fell silent, their echoes fading in all directions, like whirlpools in a lotus pond stilled at the end of a great dissolution.
शरादिहेतिसरितो विस्तीर्णे गगनस्थले । प्रवृत्ताश् शोषम् आगन्तुं शारद्यस् सरितो यथा
The streams of arrows and weapons, spread wide across the sky, began to dry up, just as autumnal rivers do.
योधदोर्द्रुमसञ्चारस् तनुताम् आययौ शनैः । भूकम्पान्ते वनस्पन्द इवावात इवार्णवः
The movement of the warriors' arms gradually diminished, like the trembling of trees at the end of an earthquake, or the waves of the ocean when the wind has ceased.
विनिर्गन्तुं प्रववृते रणारण्याद् बलद्वयम् । वारिपूरश् चतुर्दिक्कं प्रलयैकार्णवाद् इव
Both armies began to withdraw from the battlefield, like floodwaters receding in all directions from the single ocean of dissolution.
उत्क्षिप्तमन्दरक्षीरसमुद्रवलनाकुलम् । सैन्यं प्रशमदावर्तं शनैस् साम्यम् उपाययौ
The army, agitated like the churning of the ocean of milk by the uplifted Mandara mountain, slowly came to rest in the stillness of peace.
क्रमेणासीन् मुहूर्तेन विकटोदरभीषणम् । अगस्त्यपीतार्णववच् छून्यम् एव रणाङ्गनम्
In a short while, the battlefield became utterly desolate and dreadful as the gaping belly of death, empty like the ocean drunk dry by Agastya.
शवसन्ततिसम्पूर्णं वहद्रक्तमहाह्रदम् । परिकूजनझाङ्कारपूर्णखिल्लीवनोपमम्
It was filled with heaps of corpses, a great river of blood flowing, resembling a haunted forest echoing with the cries of birds and jackals.
बृहद्रक्तसरित्स्रोतस्तरङ्गरवघर्घरम् । साक्रन्दावसृताहूतस्वत्राणव्यग्रमानवम्
The broad stream of blood roared with the tumult of waves, crowded with the cries of the wounded, the calls for help, and the frantic efforts of those seeking rescue.
मृतार्धमृतदेहौघरक्तौघस्रुतनिर्झरम् । सजीवनरपृष्ठस्थशवस्पन्दनभीतिदम्
With torrents of blood pouring from heaps of the dead and half-dead, it became a terrifying sight, where the twitching of corpses on the backs of the living struck fear.
करीन्द्रशवराश्यग्रविश्रान्ताम्बुदखण्डकम् । विशीर्णरथसङ्घातजितच्छत्त्रमहावनम्
Fragments of clouds rested atop piles of elephants and corpses, and the shattered chariots formed a vast forest of broken parasols.
वहद्रक्तनदीरंहःप्रोह्यमानरथद्विपम् । शरशक्त्यृष्टिमुसुलगदाप्रासासिसङ्कुलम्
A vast river of blood flowed, carrying away chariots and elephants, crowded with arrows, spears, lances, maces, and swords.
पर्याणाञ्चलसन्नाहकवचावृतभूतलम् । केतुचामरपट्टौघगुप्तशावशरीरकम्
The ground was covered by fallen armor, the ends of canopies, and shields, with corpses concealed beneath heaps of banners, yak-tail fans, and cloth strips.
स्फारस्फोटकतूणीरकुञ्जकूजत्समीरणम् । शरराशिपलाशौघतल्पसुप्तशवेश्वरम्
The wind rustled through thick quivers and broken bows, while the lords of the slain lay asleep on beds of heaps of arrows and clusters of shields.
मौलिहाराङ्गदोद्द्योतचक्रचापवनावृतम् । श्वसृगालखगाकृष्टसान्द्रान्त्रदीर्घरज्जुकम्
The field was strewn with crowns, necklaces, armlets, shining discs, bows, and arrows, and thick, long cords of entrails dragged by jackals, wolves, and birds.
रक्तक्षेत्रक्वणत्किञ्चिच्छेषजीवातिदन्तुरम् । रक्तकर्दमनिर्मग्नसजीवनरदुर्दुरम्
The battlefield echoed with the gnashing of teeth from the few survivors, and living men struggled, half-submerged in the muddy blood.
वराटकचयप्रेक्ष्यनिर्गताक्षिशतोच्चयम् । वहद्भुजौघकाष्टौघघोररक्तसरिच्छतम्
Coins and heaps of shells were scattered, eyes protruded from hundreds of severed heads, and dreadful rivers of blood flowed, carrying masses of arms and logs.
साक्रन्दबन्धुवलितमृतार्धमृतमानवम् । सर्वायुधरथाश्वेभपर्याणासञ्चरान्तरम्
The field was filled with the cries of grieving relatives, with the dead and half-dead men, and the remains of all weapons, chariots, horses, and canopies scattered about.
नृत्यत्कबन्धदोर्दण्डषण्डकाननिताम्बरम् । मदमेदोवसागन्धपिण्डाक्तघ्राणकोटरम्
Headless trunks danced, their arm-stumps raised like clubs, while nostrils were clogged with lumps reeking of blood, marrow, and fat.
उत्फालार्धमृतेभाश्वमार्यमाणाल्पजीवितम् । वहद्रक्तनदीवीचीप्रहारहतदुन्दुभि
With half-swollen, dying horses, noble men of short life, and war drums struck by the waves of rivers flowing with blood,
उह्यमानमृताश्वेभमकरासृक्सरिच्छटम् । म्रियमाणनरानीकफूत्कृतासृग्घनानिलम्
Dragged by dying horses and elephants, splashed by streams of blood, with gusts of wind thick with the cries and blood of perishing warriors,
स्वल्पजीवशरापूर्णमुखहिक्काङ्कितस्वरम् । पिण्डहार्यवसागन्धवातात्तोत्पीडलोहितम्
Filled with the hiccuping voices of those whose mouths are stained with the curse of brief life, with flesh torn and the air heavy with the stench of fat, and blood forced out by pain,
उन्नासार्धमृतेभेन्द्रकराक्रान्तकबन्धकम् । निरधिष्ठितहस्त्यश्वपातितोद्यत्कबन्धकम्
With half-broken noses, the bodies of elephants and horses seized by the hands of the dead, and the ground strewn with corpses of men and beasts fallen without support,
रुदद्बन्धुसखिभ्रष्टशवक्षुब्धासृगुद्ध्वनि । मृतभर्तृगले शस्त्रत्यक्तप्राणकुलाङ्गनम्
With the wailing of relatives and friends bereft, the tumult of blood from the corpses, and women whose husbands have died, lying with their throats cut by weapons,
शवस्थानकृतोद्ग्रीवबन्धुकायपरीक्षणम् । शवहारखराकृष्टसम्पृक्तनरव्याकुलम्
Examining the bodies of relatives at the place of corpses, agitated by the mingling of bodies dragged away by corpse-bearers and jackals,
केशशेवलवक्त्राब्जचक्रावर्तननर्तनम् । तरत्तुङ्गतरङ्गाढ्यवहद्रक्तमहानदम्
With faces like lotuses tangled in hair and sinew, whirling and dancing in the eddies, and a great river of blood flowing with high, surging waves,
प्राणान्तस्मृतपुत्रेष्टमातृदेवधनाभिधम् । हाहाहीहीतिकथितमर्मच्छेदनवेदनम्
At the end of life, remembering sons, loved ones, mothers, gods, and wealth, crying out 'Alas! Alas!' and speaking of the pain of wounds that cut to the core,