वैशम्पायन उवाच अथ संगम्य सर्वे ते कौरवाणां महारथाः। अर्जुनं सहिता यत्ताः प्रत्ययुध्यन्त भारत॥
Vaishampayana said O descendant of Bharata, then united together all the mighty car-warriors of the Kuru army began to strike Arjuna collectively.
स सायकमयैर्जालैः सर्वतस्तान् महारथान्। प्राच्छादयदमेयात्मा नीहारेणेव पर्वतान्॥
That one of incomparable energy covered, on all sides, all those mighty car-warriors with a net-work of arrows as the mountains are covered with dews.
नदद्धिश्च महानागैर्हेषमाणैश्च वाजिभिः। भेरीशङ्खनिनादैश्च स शब्दस्तुमुलोऽभवत्॥
The huge elephants roaring, the horses neighing and the bugles and conchs being sounded, there arose a great tumult.
नराश्वकायान् निर्भिद्य लौहानि कवचानि च। पार्थस्य शरजालानि विनिष्पेतुः सहस्रशः॥
Piercing the bodies of elephants and horses as also the iron coats of mail, the arrows of Partha dropped down in thousands.
त्वरमाणः शरानस्यन् पाण्डवः प्रबभौ रणे। मध्यंदिनगतोऽर्चिष्माञ्छरदीव दिवाकरः॥
Shooting speedily his arrows, the son of Pandu looked in battle like the blazing mid-day sun of the autumn.
उपपल्वन्ति चित्रस्ता रथेभ्यो रथिनस्तथा। सादिनचाश्वपृष्ठेभ्यो भूमौ चैव पदातयः॥
Possessed by fear, the car-warriors began to leap down from their cars, the horse-men from horse-back, and the infantry to fly away.
शरैः संछिद्यमानानां कवचानां महात्मनाम्। ताम्रराजतलौहानां प्रादुरासीन्महास्वनः॥
There arose a great sound when the arrows of the high-souled Arjuna pierced the copper, silver and iron made coats of mail.
छन्नमायोधनं सर्वं शरीरैर्गतचेतसाम्। गजाश्वसादिनां तत्र शितबाणात्तजीवितैः॥
The field was soon filled with the corpses of the warriors mounted on elephants and horses, killed by sharpened arrows.
रथोपस्थाभिपतितैरास्तृता मानवैर्मही। प्रनृत्यतीव संग्रामे चापहस्तो धनंजयः॥
The earth was covered with dead bodies of men fallen down from the chariots where they were. Dhananjaya as if danced in the battlefield with bow in his hand.
श्रुत्वा गाण्डीवनिर्घोषं विस्कूर्जितमिवाशनेः। त्रस्तानि सर्वसैन्यानि व्यपागच्छन् महाहवात्॥
Hearing the twang of Gandiva like the rumble of thunder and being possessed by fear, all the soldiers fled away from the battle-field.
कुण्डलोष्णीषधारीणि जातरूपस्रजस्तथा। पतितानि स्म दृश्यन्ते शिरांसि रणमूर्धनि॥
1 There were seen, fallen in the battle-field, heads having earrings and helmets and golden necklaces.
विशिखोन्मथितैर्गात्रैर्बाहुभिश्च सकार्मुकैः। सहस्ताभरणैश्चान्यैः प्रच्छन्ना भादि मेदिनी॥
The earth was covered with human bodies mangled by shafts, arms with bows and hands with ornaments.
शिरसां पात्यमानानामन्तरा निशितैः शरैः। अश्मवृष्टिरिवाकाशादभवद् भरतर्षभ॥
O best of the Bharata race, on account of the heads cut off by sharpened arrows, falling continually on the ground, it appeared that a shower of stones fell from the sky.
दर्शयित्वा तथाऽऽत्मानं रौद्रं रुद्रपराक्रमः। अवरुद्धोऽचरत् पार्थो वर्षाणि त्रिदशानि च।
Displaying his own fierce prowess, Partha of dreadful prowess ranged in the battle-field pouring his celestials weapons.
क्रोधाग्निमुत्सृजन् वीरो धार्तराष्ट्रेषु पाण्डवः॥ तस्य तद् दहतः सैन्यं दृष्ट्वा चैव पराक्रमम्।
The dreadful son of Pandu discharging his fire of anger at the sons of Dhritarashtra and beholding his dreadful prowess burning down the army.
सर्वे शान्तिपरा योधा धार्तराष्ट्रस्य पश्यतः॥ वित्रासयित्वा तत् सैन्यं द्रावयित्वा महारथान्।
They all became terrified in the presence of the son of Dhritarashtra. Having struck terror into the army and routed the mighty carwarriors.
अर्जुनो जयतां श्रेष्ठः पर्यवर्तत भारत॥ प्रावर्तयन्नदी घोरां शोणितोदां तरङ्गिणीम्।
Arjuna, the foremost of victors, ranged in the battle-field. He made a river of mighty currents having blood for the water to flow,
अस्थिशैवालसम्बाधां युगान्ते कालनिर्मिताम्॥
Like that created by Time at the end of Yuga having bones for the moss and the dreadful hair of the dead, slain by the arrows, for the straws;
शरचापप्लवां घोरां केशशैवलशाद्वलाम्। तनुत्रोष्णीषसम्बाधाः नागकूर्ममहाद्विपाम्॥
Having coats of mail and turbans floating on the surface, the elephants standing for islands. The marrow, fat and blood constituted the greatly terrific currents.
मेदोवसाहप्रवहां महाभयविवर्धिनीम्। रौद्ररूपां महाभीमां श्वापदैरभिनादिताम्॥
It was dreadful and highly terrific, resounding with the yells of ferocious beasts. It was filled with sharpened weapons forming its crocodiles, and was frequented by cannibals.
तीक्ष्णशस्त्रमहाग्राहां क्रव्यादगणसेविताम्। मुक्ताहारोर्मिकलिलां चित्रालंकारबुबुदाम्॥
Strings of pearls formed its ripples and diverse other ornaments the bubbles. The arrows were the eddies, the elephants were the crocodiles, and it was incapable of being got over.
शरसंघमहावर्ती नागनक्रां दुरत्ययाम्। महारथमहाद्वीपां शङ्खदुन्दुभिनिस्वनाम्। चकार च तदा पार्थो नदी दुस्तरशोणिताम्॥
The mighty car-warriors were the islands and it was filled with the sound of bugles and conchs. Thus Partha made a river of blood which it was so hard to cross.
आददानस्य हि शरान् संधाय च विमुञ्चतः। विकर्षतश्च गाण्डीवं न कश्चिद् ददृशे जनः॥
People could not make out when Partha took up arrows, when he drew the Gandiva bow and discharged them.