संजय उवाच ततो मुहूर्तात् तुमुलः शब्दो हृदयकम्पनः। अश्रूयत महाराज योधानां प्रयुयुत्सताम्॥
Sanjaya said O king, a loud uproar was soon after heard. It was made by the combatants ready to fight. It made all hearts tremble.
शङ्खदुन्दुभिघोषैश्च वारणानां च बृंहितैः। नेमिघोषै रथानां च दीर्यतीव वसुंधराः॥
With the sounds of conchs and drums, the roaring of elephants and thc clatter of the carwheels, the earth seemed to be rent into two.
हयानां हेषमाणानां योधानां चैव गर्जताम्। क्षणेनैव नभो भूमिः शब्देनापूरितं तदा॥
The sky and the earth were soon filled with the neighing of horses and the shouts of the soldiers.
पुत्राणां तव दुर्धर्ष पाण्डवानां तथैव च। समकम्पन्त सैन्यानि परस्परसमागमे॥
O invincible hero, the troops of your sons and those of the Pandavas both trembled when they met each other.
तत्र नागा स्थाश्चैव जाम्बूनदविभूषिताः। भ्राजमाना व्यदृश्यन्त मेघा इव सविद्युतः॥
Elephants and cars decked with gold looked beautiful as clouds decked with lightning.
ध्वजा बहुविधाकारास्तावकानां नराधिप। काञ्चनाङ्गदिनो रेजुर्खलिता इव पावकाः॥
O king, the standards of various forms belonging to the warriors on your side, adorned with golden rings, looked like blazing fire.
स्वेषां चैव परेषां च समदृश्यन्त भारत। महेन्द्रकेतवः शुभ्रा महेन्द्रसदनेष्विव॥
O descendant of Bharata, these standards on your side and those on their side resembled the banners of Indra in his celestial mansions.
काञ्चनैः कवचैर्वीरा ज्वलनार्कसमप्रभैः। संनद्धाः समदृश्यन्त ज्वलनार्कसमप्रभाः॥
Those heroic warriors, all clad in golden armours and endued with the effulgence of the blazing sun looked like the fire on the sun.
कुरुयोधवरा राजन् विचित्रायुधकार्मुकाः। उद्यतैरायुधैश्चित्रैस्तलबद्धाः पताकिनः॥
O king, all the foremost warriors among the Kurus with excellent bows and arrows, with leather fences in their hands and with standards.
ऋषभाक्षा महेष्वासाश्चमूमुखगता बभुः। पृष्ठगोपास्तु भीष्मस्य पुत्रास्तव नराधिप। दुःशासनो दुर्विषहो दुर्मुखो दुःसहस्तथा॥ विविंशतिश्चित्रसेनो विकर्णश्च महारथः।
Those great bowmen with large eyes as those of the bulls all stood at the head of their respective troops. the following (heroes) of your side protected Bhishma from behind. Namely Dushasana, Durvishaha, Durmukha, Dusaha, Vivingshati and Chitrasena and that great car-warrior Vikarna.
सत्यव्रतः पुरुमित्रो जयो भूरिश्रवाः शलः॥ रथा विंशतिसाहस्रास्तथैषामनुयायिनः।
Amongst them were Satyavrata, Purumitra, Jaya, Bhurishrava and Sala, Twenty thousand car-warriors followed them.
अभीषाहाः शूरसेनाः शिबयोऽथ वसातयः॥ शाल्वा मत्स्यास्तथाम्बष्ठास्त्रैगर्ताः केकयास्तथा। सौवीराः कैतवाः प्राच्याः प्रतीच्योदीच्यवासिनः॥ द्वादशैते जनपदाः सर्वे शूरास्तनुत्यजः।
The Abhishahas, the Shurasenas, the Shibis, the Vasatis, the Shalvas, the Matsyas, the Ambashtas, the Trigartas, the Kaikeyas, the Sauviras, the Kaitava, and the northern countries, these twelve brave races, even reckless of their life, marched with the firm resolve to fight.
महता रथवंशेन ते ररक्षुः पितामहम्॥ अनीकं दशसाहस्रं कुञ्जराणां तरस्विनाम्।
These heroes protected the grandfather (Bhishma) with a grand array of cars, with an army that consisted of ten thousand strong elephants.
मागधो यत्र नृपतिस्तद् रथानीकमन्वयात्॥ रथानां चक्ररक्षाश्च पादरक्षाश्च दन्तिनाम्। अभवन् वाहिनीमध्ये शतानामयुतानि षट्॥ पादाताश्चाग्रतोऽगच्छन् धनुश्चर्मासिपाणयः। अनेकशतसाहस्रा नखरप्रासयोधिनः। ॥ अक्षौहिण्यो दशैका च तव पुत्रस्य भारत। अदृश्यन्त महाराज गङ्गेव यमुनान्तरा॥
The Magadha king followed that large array of cars. those that protected the elephants, numbered six millions. The foot-soldiers, who marched in advance, armed with bows, swords and shields, numbered many hundred thousands. They fought with their nails and darts. O descendant of Bharata, O great king, your son's eleven Akshauhini of soldiers looked like Ganga separated from the Yamuna.