संजय उवाच मध्यन्दिने महाराज संग्रामः समपद्यत। लोकक्षयकरो रौद्रो भीष्मस्य सह सोमकैः॥
Sanjaya said At mid day, 0 mighty monarch, commenced a combat between the Somakas and Bhishma, that become dreadful and destructive of many creatures.
गाङ्गेयो रथिनां श्रेष्ठः पाण्डवानामनीकिनीम्। व्यधमन्निशितैर्बाणैः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः॥
That foremost of car-warriors viz., the son of Ganga began to consume the ranks of the Pandava host, with his sharp shafts discharged by hundreds and thousands.
सम्ममर्द च तत् सैन्यं पिता देवव्रतस्तव। धान्यानामिव लूनानां प्रकरं गोगणा इव॥
Then your father Devavrata crushed that army like a herd of heifer grinding (under their tread) a heap of paddy sheaves.
धृष्टद्युम्नः शिखण्डी च विराटो द्रुपदस्तथा। भीष्ममासाद्य समरे शरैर्जघ्नुर्महारथम्॥
Then Dhrishtadyumna, Shikhandin, Virata and Draupada, encountering Bhishma in battle began to pierce that mighty car-warriors with numerous shafts.
धृष्टद्युम्नं ततो विध्वा विराटं च शरैस्त्रिभिः। दुपदस्य च नाराचं प्रेषयामास भारत॥
Thereat, 0 Bharata, piercing Dhrishtadyumna and Virata with three shafts, Bhishma discharged a Naracha at Draupada.
तेन विद्धा महेष्वासा भीष्मेणामित्रकर्षिणा। चुक्रुधुः समरे राजन् पादस्पृष्टा इवोरगाः॥
Then those pierced by Bhishma that girder of foes, waxed worth, O king, in battle like a snake trampled under the feet.
शिखण्डी तं च विव्याध भरतानां पितामहम्। स्त्रीमयं मनसा ध्यात्वा नास्मै प्राहरदच्युतः॥
Then Shikhandin pierced the grand father of the Bharatas, but the latter of undeteriorating renown struck him not, remembering his femininity.
धृष्टद्युम्नस्तु समरे क्रोधेनाग्निरिव ज्वलन्। पितामहं त्रिभिर्बाणैर्वाह्वोरुरसि चार्पयत्॥
Then Dhrishtadyumna blazing up with rage like fire, pierced the grandsire, with three shafts on the breast and the arms.
द्रुपदः पञ्चविंशत्या विराटो दशभिः शरैः। शिखण्डी पञ्चविंशत्या भीष्मं विव्याध सायकैः॥
Drupada with twenty five, Virata with ten, Shikhandin with twenty five arrows pierced Bhishma.
सोऽतिविद्धो महाराज शोणितौघपरिप्लुतः। वसन्ते पुष्पशबलो रक्ताशोक इवाबभौ॥
That hero (Bhishma) thus deeply pierced, O mighty monarch, and bathed in copiously flowering blood, appeared beautiful like flowering red Ashoka tree in the spring.
तान् प्रत्यविध्यद् गाङ्गेयस्त्रिभिस्त्रिभिरजिह्मगैः। द्रुपदस्य च भल्लेन धनुचिच्छेद मारिष॥
Then the son of Ganga pierced them in return each with three straight going shafts; and O sire, he bust open the bow of Drupada with a broad headed arrow.
सोऽन्यत् कार्मुकमादाय भीष्मं विव्याध पञ्चभिः। सारथिं च त्रिभिर्बाणैः सुशितै रणमूर्धनि॥
The latter then taking up another bow pierced Bhishma with five arrows and his charioteer with three whetted shafts on the field of battle.
तथा भीमो महाराज द्रौपद्याः पञ्च चात्मजाः। केकया भ्रातरः पञ्च सात्यकिश्चैव सात्वतः॥
Thereupon, O monarch, Bhima, the five sons of Draupadi, the five Kaikeya brothers, and Satyaki of the Satvata race,
अभ्यद्रवन्त गाङ्गेयं युधिष्ठिरपुरोगमाः। रिरक्षिषन्तः पाञ्चाल्यं धृष्टद्युम्नपुरोगमाः॥
Headed by king Yudhishthira himself rushed at the son of Ganga, desirous of rescuing the Panchalas headed by Dhrishtadyumna.
तथैव तावकाः सर्वे भीष्मरक्षार्थमुद्यताः। प्रत्युद्ययुः पाण्डुसेनां सहसैन्या नराधिप॥
So also, O ruler of men, your warriors anxious for protecting Bhishma, rushed against the Pandava host, supported by their respective divisions.
तत्रासीत् सुमहद् युद्धं तव तेषां च संकुलम्। नराश्वरथनागानां यमराष्ट्रविवर्धनम्॥
Thereupon ensued a fierce and sanguinary engagement between your army and theirs both teeming with men, steeds chariots and elephants-engagement that considerably swelled the population of Death's domain.
रथी रथिनमासाद्य प्राहिणोद् यमसादनम्। तथेतरान् समासाद्य नरनागाश्वसादिनः॥
Car-warriors meeting car-warriors dispatched them to the abode of Death; so also others, men, horse-soldiers, elephant riders encountering one another,
अनयन् परलोकाय शरैः संनतपर्वभिः। शरैश्च विविधैर्पोरैस्तत्र तत्र विशाम्पते॥ रथास्तु रथिभि_ना हतसारथयस्तथा। विप्रदुताश्चाः समरे दिशो जग्मुः समन्ततः॥
Conveyed one another to the abode of Death, with their straight knotted shafts; and in that field of battle, O ruler of men, many cars deprived of their riders with numerous dreadful arrows, and with their drivers slain, careered on the being dragged on all sides.
मृदन्तस्ते नरान् राजन् हयांश्च सुबहून् रणे। वातायमाना दृश्यन्ते गन्धर्वनगरोपमाः॥
Crushing, O king, innumerable men and steeds in that battle, those cars of the velocity of wind appeared beautiful like aerial castles.
रथिनश्च स्थैींना वर्मिणस्तेजसा युताः। कुण्डलोष्णीषिणः सर्वे निष्काङ्गदविभूषणाः॥
Many car-warriors deprived of their cars, clad in armour and possessed of strength all decked with ear-rings and turbans and with bracelets and garlands,
देवपुत्रसमाः सर्वे शौर्ये शक्रसमा युधि। ऋद्ध्या वैश्रवणं चाति नयेन च बृहस्पतिम्॥
All resembling sons of the gods and equal to Shakra in prowess in battle, prosperous as Vaishravana himself and wise in polity as Brihaspati himself.
सर्वलोकेश्वराः शूरास्तत्र तत्र विशाम्पते। विप्रद्रुता व्यदृश्यन्त प्राकृता इव मानवाः।।२३।
Ruling over vast dominions, and all heroic warriors, O ruler of men, flying hither and thither, were slain like ordinary men.
दन्तिनश्च नरश्रेष्ठ हीनाः परमसादिभिः। मृदन्तः स्वान्यनीकानि निपेतुः सर्वशब्दगाः॥
Huge tusked elephants also, O foremost of men, deprived of their excellent riders, fell down crushing their own ranks and uttering distressful cries,
चर्मभिश्चामरैश्चत्रैः पताकाभिश्च मारिष। छत्रैः सिहतैर्हमदण्डैश्चामरैश्च समन्ततः॥
With their armours, variegated standards, chamaras, white umbrellas with golden staves, and lances shattered, O sire,
विशीर्णैविप्रधावन्तो दृश्यन्ते स्म दिशो दश। नवमेघप्रतीकाशा जलदोपमनिःस्वनाः॥
The huge elephants ran in all the ten points of the compass, resembling newly-risen clouds.। and roaring also like them.
तथैव दन्तिभिहींना गजारोहा विशाम्पते। प्रधावन्तोऽन्वदृश्यन्त तव तेषां च संकुले॥
So also, O ruler of men, elephant riders, deprived of their elephants, were seen to run in all directions in that general engagement between your army and theirs.
नानादेशसमुत्थांतुरगान हेमभूषितान्। वातायमानानद्राक्षं शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः॥
We also beheld steeds born in various regions, decked with golden caparisons, and fleet as the wind itself, by hundreds and by thousands.
अश्वारोहान् हतैरश्चैर्ग्रहीतासीन् समन्ततः। द्रवमाणानपश्याम द्राव्यमाणांश्च संयुगे॥
We also beheld horse soldiers, deprived of their charges chase and chased by, one another in that battle, with swords in their grasp.
गजो गजं समासाद्य द्रवमाणं महाहवे। ययौ प्रमृद्य तरसा पादातान् वाजिनस्तथा॥
An elephant meeting a flying compeer in that great battle, rushed with velocity crushing foot soldiers and steeds.
तथैव च रथान् राजन् प्रममर्द रणे गजः। रथाश्चैव समासाद्य पतितांस्तुरगान् भुवि॥
Also, o king, in that battle one elephant crushed many cars, and car also, passing over fallen steeds, crushed them in battle.
व्यमृद्न् समरे राजंस्तुरगाश्च नरान् रणे। एवं ते बहुधा राजन् प्रत्यमृद्न् परस्परम्॥
And also, O king, horses again crushed the foot-soldiers in that battle. Thus, o king, they crushed one another in various modes.
तस्मिन् रौद्रे तथा युद्धे वर्तमाने महाभये। प्रावर्तत नदी घोरा शोणितान्त्रतरङ्गिणी॥
When that awful and fierce battle was thus raging, there started up into existence on the field of battle a hideous river, having blood for its stream,
अस्थिसंघातसम्बाधा केशशैवलशाद्वला। रथह्रदा शरावर्ता हयमीना दुरासदा॥
Choked with piles of bones, and having the hair (of slain warriors) for its moss and weeds. It had cars for its lakes arrows for its eddies and horses for its fishers; and it was inaccessible.
शीर्षोपलसमाकीर्णा हस्तिग्राहसमाकुला। कवचोष्णीषफेनौघा धनुर्वेगासिकच्छपा॥
It abounded in pebbles consisting of the heads of warrior; as also in sharks &c formed by the elephants. It had armours and headgears for its froth and bows for its current and swords for its tortoises;
पताकाध्वजवृक्षाढ्या महँकूलापहारिणी। क्रव्यादहंससंकीर्णा यमराष्ट्रविवर्धनी॥
The trees on its banks were formed of the numerous standards; it had men for its banks which it ate away constantly. It was infested by swans consisting of cannibals, and it considerably increased the population of Death's domain.
तां नदी क्षत्रियाः शूरा रथनागहयप्लवैः। प्रतेरुर्बहवो राजन् भयं त्यक्त्वा महारथाः॥
Many heroic Kshatriyas all mighty carwarriors crossed that river on their rafts consisting of cars, steeds and elephants, totally driving away fear their hearts.
अपोवाह रणे भीरून् कश्मलेनाभिसंवृतान्। यथा वैतरणी प्रेतान् प्रेतराजपुरं प्रति॥
Just as the river Vaitarani conveys all departed spirits to the dominions of the ruler of spirits, so, in that afternoon, that river carried away (with its bloody currents) all cowards that became overwhelmed with a swoon.
प्राक्रोशन् क्षत्रियास्तत्र दृष्ट्वा तद् वैशसं महत्। दुर्योधनापराधेन गच्छन्ति क्षत्रियाः क्षयम्॥
Then in that battle the Kshatriyas beholding that awful carnage, exclaimed saying. Through the folly of Duryodhana, Kshatriyas are being thus destroyed.
गुणवत्सु कथं द्वेषं धृतराष्ट्रो जनेश्वरः। कृतवान् पाण्डुपुत्रेषु पापात्मा लोभमोहितः॥
Why did Dhritarashtra of wicked soul, that ruler of men, infatuated by covetousness, harbor feelings of envy against the sons of Pandu, all endued with many virtues."
एवं बहुविधा वाचः श्रूयन्ते स्म परस्परम्। पाण्डवस्तवसंयुक्ताः पुत्राणां ते सुदारुणाः॥
Various exclamations of this kind, purporting to be applause to the Pandavas and censures to your sons, were heard there addressed to one another.
ता निशम्य ततो वाचः सर्वयोधैरुदाहृताः। आगस्कृत् सर्वलोकस्य पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव॥
Hearing these exclamations vociferated by all the warriors, your son Duryodhana, that offender of all men,
भीष्मं द्रोणं कृपं चैव शल्यं चोवाच भारत। युध्यध्वमनहंकाराः किं चिरं कुरुथेति च॥
Addressing Bhishma, Drona, Kripa and Shalya said, O Bharata “Do you go on fighting with self-confidence? Why do you tarry at all?”
ततः प्रववृत्ते युद्धं कुरूणां पाण्डवैः सह। अक्षद्यूतकृतं राजन् सुघोरं वैशसं तदा॥
Then ensued a battle between the Kurus and the Pandavas. O king, that owed its origin to that game at dice and that brought about awful carnage.
यत् पुरा न निगृह्णासि वार्यमाणो महात्मभिः। वैचित्रवीर्य तस्येदं फलं पश्य सुदारुणम्॥
Now do you see, O son of Vichitravirya, the dreadful fruit of your refusal to accept the salutary advice (of your friends), though warned against it by many high souled heroes.
न हि पाण्डुसुता राजन् ससैन्याः सपदानुगाः। रक्षन्ति समरे प्राणान् कौरवा वापि संयुगे॥
Neither the sons of Pandu, O king, with their soldiers and followers, nor the Kauravas pay any the least head to their lives in that battle.
एतस्मात् कारणाद् घोरो वर्तते स्वजनक्षयः। दैवाद् वा पुरुषव्याघ्र तव चापनयानृप॥
For this reason, O foremost of men, a dreadful destruction of men is taking place, brought about by Destiny or by your wicked policy, O king.