संजय उवाच अर्जुनस्तान् नरव्याघ्रः सुशर्मानुचरान् नृपान्। अनयत् प्रेतराजस्य सदनं सायकैः शितैः॥
Sanjaya said Then that foremost of of men Arjuna, conveyed, with his whetted shafts, the kings that followed Susharma to the abode of the lord of departed spirits.
सुशर्मापि ततो बाणैः पार्थं विव्याध संयुगे। वासुदेवं च सप्तत्या पार्थं च नवभिः पुनः॥
Thereupon in that battle Susharma pierced Pritha's son with many shafts; he then pierced the son of Vasudeva with seventy shafts and Arjuna again with nine.
तं निवार्य शरौघेण शक्रसूनुर्महारथः। सुशर्मणो रणे योद्धान् प्राहिणोद् यमसादनम्॥
Baffling those arrows with his showers of arrows, that mighty car-warrior, the son of Shakra, dispatched the warriors that supported Susharma to the mansion of Death.
ते वध्यमानाः पार्थेन कालेनेव युगक्षये। व्यद्रवन्त रणे राजन् भये जाते महारथाः॥
Thus slaughtered by Pritha's son, as if by the Destroyer himself at the expiration of a Yuga, those mighty car-warriors, seized with panic, ran from the field of battle.
उत्सृज्य तुरगान् केचिद् रथान् केचिच्च मारिष। गजानन्ये समुत्सृज्य प्राद्रवन्त दिशो दश॥
Some leaving their horses, some their cars, and some their elephants. O sire, fled in all the directions of the compass.
अपरे तु तदाऽऽदाय वाजिनागरथान् रणे। त्वरया परया युक्ताः प्राद्रवन्त विशाम्पते॥
Others, on the other hand, seizing steeds, elephants and chariots in that battle, fled away, O ruler of men, at the top of their speed.
पादाताश्चापि शस्त्राणि समुत्सृज्य महारणे। निरपेक्षा व्यधावन्त तेन तेन स्म भारत॥
In that fierce fight, foot-soldiers, abandoning their weapons, and without paying any heed to any one, fled, O Bharata, hither and thither.
वार्यमाणाः सुबहुशस्वैगर्तेन सुशर्मणा। तथान्यैः पार्थिवश्रेष्ठैर्न व्यतिष्ठन्त संयुगे॥
Through they were repeatedly forbidden by the Trigarta ruler Susharma as also by many other foremost sovereigns they did not tarry on the field any longer.
तद् बलं प्रद्रुतं दृष्ट्वा पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव। पुरस्कृत्य रणे भीष्मं सर्वसैन्यपुरस्कृतः॥
Seeing that army thus routed, your son Duryodhana, placing Bhishma at the head of all the troops, and himself marching in the van.
सर्वोद्योगेन महता धनंजयमुपाद्रवत्। त्रिगर्ताधिपतेरर्थे जीवितस्य विशाम्पते।॥
Assaulted Dhananjaya putting forth all his energies, desirous of saving, o ruler of men, the life of the king of the Trigaretas.
स एकः समरे तस्थौ किरन् बहुविधाञ्शरान्। भ्रातृभिः सहितः सर्वैः शेषा हि प्रद्रुता नराः॥
Susharına alone, accompanied by his brother, was standing against Arjuna in battle, scattering various kinds of shafts, the rest of his men having ran away.
तथैव पाण्डवा राजन सर्वोद्योगेन दंशिताः। प्रययुः फाल्गुनार्थाय यत्र भीष्मो व्यतिष्ठत॥
So also, O king, the Pandavas, clad in armour, rushed, with all their energies, to the spot where Bhishma was, desirous of rescuing Partha.
ज्ञायमाना रणे वीर्यं घोरं गाण्डीवधन्वनः। हाहाकारकृतोत्साहा भीष्मं जग्मुः समन्ततः॥
Though perfectly cognisant of the dreadful prowess of the Pandava heroes with loud cries of 'Oh!' and 'Alas!' advanced towards Bhishma from all sides.
ततस्तालध्वजः शूरः पाण्डवानां वरूथिनीम्। छादया समरे शरैः संनतपर्वभिः॥
Then that hero, owning the standard bearing the device of the palmyra tree, covered the Pandava host in that battle with straightknotted shafts.
एकीभूतास्ततः सर्वे कुरवः सह पाण्डवैः। अयुध्यन्त महाराज मध्यं प्राप्ते दिवाकरे॥
When the sun reached the meridian, O mighty sovereign, the Kurus mingling pell-mell with the Pandavas fought on fiercely.
सात्यकिः कृतवर्माणं विद्ध्वा पञ्चभिराशुगैः। अतिष्ठदाहवे शूरः किरन् बाणान् सहस्रशः॥
Then the heroic Satyaki piercing Kritavarina with five swift-coursing arrows stood in the field shooting shafts by hundreds and by thousands.
तथैव दुपदो राजा द्रोणं विद्ध्वा शितैः शरैः। पुनर्विव्याध सप्तत्या सारथिं चास्य पञ्चभिः॥
So also king Drupada piercing Drona with sharp shafts again pierced the latter with seventy shafts and his charioteer with five shafts.
भीमसेनस्तु राजानं बाह्रीकं प्रपितामहम्। विद्ध्वा नदन्तमहानादं शार्दूल इव कानने॥
Bhimasena, piercing the Balhika king, his great grandsire, uttered his war-cry that resembled the tiger's roar in the woods.
आर्जुनिश्चित्रसेनेन विद्धो बहुभिराशुगैः। अतिष्ठदाहवे शूरः किरन् बाणान् सहस्रशः॥
The son of Arjuna being pierced by Chitrasena with many swift-coursing arrows, pierced him in return on the breast with three shafts.
चित्रसेनं त्रिभिर्बाणैर्विव्याध समरे भृशम्। समागतौ तौ तु रणे महामात्रौ व्यरोचताम्॥
Encountering one another in battle, those two foremost of men, appeared beautiful, O king, like Venus and Saturn shining in the heavens.
यथा दिवि महाघोरौ राजन् बुधशनैश्चरौ। तस्याश्वांश्चतुरो हत्वा सूतं च नवभिः शरैः॥
Then that slayer of hostile heroes, that son of Subhadra, endued with prowess, slaying Chitrasena's four steeds and charioteer with nine shafts, uttered his fierce war-cry.
ननाद बलवन्नादं सौभद्रः परवीरहा। हताश्वात् तु रथात् तूर्णंसोऽवप्लुत्य महारथः॥
Then that mighty car-warrior Chitrasena, jumping down with agility from the car of which the steeds were slain, ascended with quickness, O ruler of men, the chariot of Durmukha.
आरुरोह रथं तूर्णं दुर्मुखस्य विशाम्पते। द्रोणश्च द्रुपदं भित्त्वा शरैः संनतपर्वभिः॥
The highly puissant Drona also penetrating Draupada with straight shafts, pierced with quickness the latter's charioteer.
सारथिं चास्य विव्याध त्वरमाणः पराक्रमी। पीड्यमानस्ततो राजा द्रुपदो वाहिनीमुखे॥
Thereupon king Drupada thus afflicted before the army, fled, borne away by fleet steeds, remembering his former enmity.
अपायाज्जवनैरश्वैः पूर्ववैरमनुस्मरन्। भीमसेनस्तु राजानं मुहूर्तादिव बाह्निकम्॥
Bhimasena in a moment deprived king Balhika of his horses, car and driver, before the very eyes of the troops.
व्यश्वसूतरथं चक्रे सर्वसैन्यस्य पश्यतः। ससम्भ्रमो महाराज संशयं परमं गतः॥
Thus involved in a perilous situation and seized with panic, O mighty monarch, that foremost of me Balhika, jumping down from his own vehicle,
अवप्लुत्य ततो वाहाद् बाह्लीकः पुरुषोत्तमः। आरुरोह रथं तूर्णं लक्ष्मणस्य महारणे॥
Ascended, in that fierce battle, that of Lakshmana. Satyaki, having repulsed Kritavarma in battle,
सात्यकिः कृतवर्माणं वारयित्वा महारणे। शरैर्बहुविधै राजन्नाससाद पितामहम्॥
Approached the grandsire Bhishma, shooting various kinds of arrows. Then he, having pierced the grandsire with sixty whetted shafts furnished with feathery wings,
न विद्ध्वा भारतं षष्ट्या निशितैर्लोमवाहिभिः। नृत्यन्निव रथोपस्थे विधुन्वानो महद् धनुः॥
Seemed to dance on the terrace of his car, wielding his massive bow. Thereupon the grandsire hurled at him a mighty lance made entirely of iron,
तस्यायसीं महाशक्तिं चिक्षेपाथ पितामहः। हेमचित्रां महावेगां नागकन्योपमां शुभाम्॥ तामापतन्ती सहसा मृत्युकल्पां सुदुर्जयाम्। व्यंसयामास वार्ष्णेयो लाघवेन महायशाः॥
Decked with gold, charged with great velocity and loO king beautiful like a daughter of a Naga. (Beholding) that irresistible lance swiftly course towards himself like death itself,
अनासाद्य तु वार्ष्णेयं शक्तिः परमदारुणा। न्यपतद् धरणीपृष्ठे महोल्केव महाप्रभा॥
That high formed hero of the Vrishni race baffled it with the swiftness (of his movements); and that dreadful lance, even without reaching him of the Vrishni race,
वार्ष्णेयस्तु ततो राजन् स्वां शक्तिं कनकप्रभाम्। वेगवद् गृह्य चिक्षेप पितामहरथं प्रति॥ वार्ष्णेयभुजवेगेन प्रणुन्ना सा महाहवे। अभिदुद्राव वेगेन कालरात्रिर्यथा नरम्॥
O king! Satyaki also picked up the Sakti having golden radiance and threw it with full might on the chariot of Bhishma. That Sakti so thrown with full might by Satyaki rushed rapidly towards Bhishma in that great war. It appeared as if the Kalaratri (the night of devastation) is forwarding to grip the man.
तामापतन्ती सहसा द्विधा चिच्छेद भारत। क्षुरप्राभ्यां सुतीक्ष्णाभ्यां सा व्यशीर्यत मेदिनीम्॥
Flew swiftly, like the last night (of worldly existence) of a doomed man. Then 0 Bharata, Bhishma cut in twin that swift coursing lance,
छित्त्वा शक्तिं तु गाङ्गेयः सात्यकिं नवभिः शरैः। आजघानोरसि क्रुद्धः प्रसञ्छत्रुकर्शनः॥ ततः सरथनागाश्वाः पाण्डवाः पाण्डुपूर्वजाः। परिववू रणे भीष्मं माघवत्राणकारणात्॥
With two sharp arrows having horse shoeheads; and the lance fell down on the ground. Having severed that lance, the son of Ganga, that grinder of foes, waxing wroth and smiling the while, pierced Satyaki on the breast with nine arrows. Thereupon with all their chariots, elephants and horses, the Pandavas, O elder brother of Pandu,
ततः प्रववृते युद्धे तुमुलं लोमहर्षणम्। पाण्डवानां कुरूणां च समरे विजयैषिणाम्॥
Surrounded Bhishma on all sides, in order to rescue him of Madhu's race. Then between the Kurus and the Pandavas, both desirous of securing victory, commenced a fierce fight making the hair stand erect.