संजय उवाच राजन् शतसहस्राणि तत्र तत्र पदातिनाम्। निर्मर्यादं प्रयुद्धानि तत् ते वक्ष्यामि भारत॥
Sanjaya said O king, O descendant of Bharata, I shall now describe to you the fight of hundreds and thousands of foot-soldiers, who were in utter forgetfulness of all considerations for others.
न पुत्रः पितरं जज्ञे पिता वा पुत्रमौरसम्। न भ्राता भ्रातरं तत्र स्वस्रीयं न च मातुलः॥
The son did not recognise the father and the father the son. The brother did not recognise his own brother and the sister's son did not recognise his maternal uncle.
न मातुलं च स्वस्रीयो न सखायं सखा तथा। आविष्टा इव युद्धयन्ते पाण्डवाः कुरुभिः सह॥
The maternal uncle did not recognise his sister's son, and the friend did not recognise the friend. the Pandava and the Kuru forces fought as if they had been possessed by demons.
स्थानीकं नरव्याघ्राः केचिदभ्यपतन रथैः। अभज्यन्त युगैरेव युगानि भरतर्षभ॥
O foremost of men, some warriors attacked with their cars the cars of the enemies, and crushed the yokes of those cars to pieces.
रथेषाश्च रथेषाभिः कूबरा रथकूबरैः। संगतैः सहिताः केचित् परस्परजिघांसवः॥
The shafts of cars broke dashing against shafts of other cars, the spikes of car-yokes broke against spikes of car-yokes. Some untidily attacked others that were united but all were eager to take one another's life.
न शेकुश्चलितुं केचित् संनिपत्य स्था रथैः। प्रभिन्नास्तु महाकायः संनिपत्य गजा गजैः॥ बहुधादारयन् क्रुद्धा विषाणैरितरेतरम्। सतोरणपताकैश वारणा वरवारणैः॥ अभिसृत्य महाराज वेगवद्भिर्महागजैः। दन्तैरभिहतास्तत्र चुक्रुशुः परमातुराः॥
Some cars were obstructed by other cars and they were unable to move. Huge elephants with rent temples fell upon other huge elephants. They angrily tore one another's body with their tusks. O king, others, again, attacking other impetuous and huge ones with huge standards on their backs, being wounded by tusks, roared in great agony.
अभिनीताश्च शिक्षाभिस्तोत्रांकुशसमाहताः। अप्रभिन्नाः प्रभिन्नानां सम्मुखाभिमुखा ययुः॥
Disciplined by training and urged on by pikes and hooks, elephants not in rut attacked those that were in rut.
प्रभिन्नैरपि संसक्ताः केचित् तत्र महागजाः। क्रौञ्चवन्निनदं कृत्वा दुर्दुवुः सर्वतो दिशम्॥
Huge elephants, attacked by those that were in rut, ran away in all directions, uttering cries like those of cranes.
सम्यक् प्रणीता नागाश्च प्रभिन्नकरटामुखाः। ऋष्टितोमरनाराचैर्निर्विद्धा वरवारणाः॥ प्रणेदुर्भिन्नमर्माणो निपेतुश्च गतासवः। प्राद्रवन्त दिशः केचिन्नदन्तो भैरवान् रवान्।॥
Many huge elephants, well trained and with juice trickling down from their rent temples and moth, having been wounded by swords, lances and arrows, shrieked aloud. Pierced in their vital parts they fell down and expired. Uttering fearful cries, some ran away in all directions.
गजानां पादरक्षास्तु व्यूढोरस्काः प्रहारिणः। ऋष्टिभिश्च धनुर्भिश्च विमलैश्च परश्वधैः॥ गदाभिर्मुसलैश्चैव भिन्दिपालैः सतोमरैः। आयसैः परिपैश्चैव निस्त्रिंशैविमलैः शितैः॥ प्रगृहीतैः सुसंरब्धा द्रवमाणास्ततस्ततः। व्यदृश्यन्त महाराज परस्परजिघांसवः॥
O king, the foot-soldiers, that protected the elephants, that possessed broad chests, that were capable of effectually striking the foe, armed with pikes, bows, bright battle-axes, maces, clubs, arrows, lances, shafts and heavy iron-mounted bludgeons and swords of the brightest polish, ran in every direction with the firm resolve of taking one another's life.
राजमानाश्च निस्त्रिंशाः संसिक्ता नरशोणितैः। प्रत्यदृश्यन्त शूराणामन्योन्मभिधावताम्॥
The swords of brave combatants who rushed against one another having been steeped in blood shone with great brilliancy.
अवक्षिप्तावधूतानामसीनां वीरबाहुभिः। संजज्ञे तुमुलः शब्दः पततां परमर्मसु॥
The whiling noise of the swords made by their whirling and falling by heroic arms became very loud.
गदामुसलरुग्णानां भिन्नानां च वरासिभिः। दन्तिदन्तावभिन्नानां मृदितानां च दन्तिभिः॥ तत्र तत्र नरौघाणां क्रोशतामितरेतरम्। शुश्रुवुर्दारुणा वाचः प्रेतानामिव भारत॥
O descendant of Bharata, crushed with maces and clubs, cut off with tempered swords pierced and grinned by the tusks of elephants, the combatants sent forth heart-rending wails as those of men doomed to hell.
हयैरपि हयारोहाश्चामरापीडधारिभिः। हंसैरिव महावेगैरन्योन्यमभिविद्रुताः॥
Horsemen on fleet horses with tails like the plumes of swans, rushed upon me another.
तैविमुक्ता महाप्रासा जाम्बूनदविभूषणाः। आशुगा विमलास्तीक्ष्णाः सम्पेतुर्भुजगोपमाः॥
Hurled by them, long fleet and polished and sharp-pointed darts, decked with gold, fell (on all sides) like so many snakes.
अश्वैरच्यजवैः केचिदाप्लुत्य महतो स्थान्। शिरांस्याददिरे वीरा रथिनामश्वसादिनः॥
Some heroic horsemen on fleet steeds leaped up and cut off the heads of car-warriors who were seated on their cars.
बहूनपि हयारोहान् भल्लैः संनतपर्वभिः। रथी जघान सम्प्राप्य बाणगोचरमागतान्॥
A car-warrior, getting a body cavalry within shooting distance, killed many with straight arrows furnished with broad heads.
नवमेघप्रतीकाशाश्चाक्षिप्य तुरगान् गजाः। पादैरेव विमृद्नन्ति मत्ताः कनकभूषणाः॥
Many infuriated elephants adorned with gold trappings and loO king like newly-risen clouds threw down the horses and crushed them with their legs.
पाट्यमानेषु कुम्भेषु पार्श्वेष्वपि च वारणाः। प्रासैर्विनिहताः केचिद् विनेदुः परमातुराः॥
Being struck on their frontal globes and flanks, and mangled by lances, many elephants roared aloud in great agony.
साश्वारोहान् हयान् कांश्चिदुन्मथ्य वरवारणाः। सहसा चिक्षिपुस्तत्र संकुले भैरवे सति॥
In the bewildering confusion of the melee, many elephants threw steeds with their riders and crushed them down.
साश्वारोहान् विषाणाप्रैक्षिप्य तुरगान् गजाः। रथौघानभिमृद्नन्तः सध्वजानभिचक्रमुः॥
Overthrowing with their tusks steeds and their riders, some elephants roved about and crushed cars with their standards.
पुंस्त्वादतिमदत्वाच्च केचित् तत्र महागजाः। साश्वारोहान् हयाञ्जघ्नुः करैः सचरणैस्तथा॥ अश्वारोहैश्च समरे हस्तिसादिभिरेव च।
Some huge male elephants, from excess of energy and with the temporal juice gushing down from their temples in large quantities, killed horses with their riders by their trunks and legs.
प्रतिमानेषु गात्रेषु पार्श्वेष्वभि च वारणान्। आशुगा विमलास्तीक्ष्णाः सम्पेतुर्भुजगोपमाः॥
Polished, sharp-pointed and fleet arrows resembling snakes fell upon the heads, the temples and the flanks and the limbs of elephants.
नराश्वकायान् निर्भिद्य लौहानि कवचानि च। निपेतुर्विमलाः शक्त्यो वीरबाहुभिरर्पिताः॥ महोल्काप्रतिमा घोरास्तत्र तत्र विशाम्पते। द्वीपिचर्मावनद्धैश्च व्याघ्रचर्मच्छदैरपि॥ विकोशैविमलैः खङ्गैरभिजग्मुः परान् रणे।
king, icarful, polished javelins resembling large meteoric lashes being hurled by heroic arms fell everywhere piercing through bodies of men and horses and cutting through coats of mail. Taking out their sharp swords from sheathes made of leopard's and tiger's skins, many killed their adversaries in battle.
अभिप्लुतमभिक्रुद्धमेकपाविदारितम्॥ विदर्शयन्तः सम्पेतुः खगचर्मपरश्वधैः।
Many warriors, though attacked and their bodies cut open, fell upon their antagonists with swords, shields and battle-axes.
केचिदाक्षिप्य करिणः शाश्वानपि रथान् करैः॥ विकर्षन्तो दिशः सर्वाः सम्पेतुः सर्वशब्दगाः।
Dragging down and overthrowing cars with their horses by their trunks, some elephants roved about in all directions, guided by the cries of those behind them.
शङ्कुभिर्दारिताः केचित् सम्भिन्नाश्च परश्वधैः॥ हस्तिभिर्मुदिताः केचित् क्षुण्णाश्चान्ये तुरंगमैः। रथनेमिनिकृत्ताश्च निकृत्ताश्च परश्वधैः॥ व्याक्रोशन्त नरा राजंस्तत्र तत्र स्म बान्धवान्। पुत्रानन्ये पितृनन्ये भ्रातृ॑श्च सह बन्धुभिः॥ मातुलान् भागिनेयांश्च परानपि च संयुगे।
Some pierced by javelins, some cut down by battle-axes, some crushed by elephants, some trodden down by horses, some cut by the car-wheels and some by axes, O king, loudly called for their kinsmen. Some called upon their sons, some upon their fathers, some upon their brothers some upon their relatives, some upon their maternal uncles, some upon their sister's sons, and some upon their friends and others.
विकीर्णान्त्राः सुबहवो भग्नसक्थाश्च भारत॥ बाहुभिश्चापरे छिन्नैः पार्थेषु च विदारिताः।
O descendant of Bharata, a large number of combatants lost their weapons, many had their thighs broken. Some were seen to cry piteously for their desire for life, with arms torn off or sides pierced or cut open.
क्रन्दन्तः समदृश्यन्त तृषिता जीवितेप्सवः॥ तृषा परिगताः केचिदल्पसत्त्वा विशाम्पते।
O king, some having but little strength, and lying on the field of battle asked for water from excessive thirst.
भूमौ निपतिताः संख्ये मृगयांचक्रिरे जलम्॥ रुधिरौघपरिक्लिन्नाः क्लिश्यमानाश्च भारत। व्यनिन्दन भृशमात्मानं तव पुत्रांश्च संगतान्॥
O descendant of Bharata, some, sweltering in blood and becoming greatly weakened, ensured themselves and your son assembled (in that battle).
अपरे क्षत्रियाः शूराः कृतवैराः परस्परम्। नैव शस्त्रं विमुञ्चन्ति नैव क्रन्दन्ति मारिष॥
O exalted one, but there were others, the brave Kshatriyas, who having wounded one another, did not abandon their weapons nor did they set up any wails,
तर्जयन्ति च संहृष्टास्तत्र तत्र परस्परम्। आदश्य दशनैश्चापि क्रोधात् सरदनच्छदम्॥ भृकुटीकुटिलैर्वक्त्रैः प्रेक्षन्ति च परस्परम्। अपरे क्लिश्यमानास्तु शरार्ता व्रणपीडिताः॥ निष्कूजाः समपद्यन्त दृढसत्त्वा महाबलाः। अन्ये च विस्थाः शूरा स्थमन्यस्य संयुगे।॥ प्रार्थयाना निपतिताः संक्षुण्णा वरवारणैः। अशोभन्त महाराज सपुष्पा इव किंशुकाः॥
There were some, who, lying on those places where they lay, roared in joy and bitting from wrath their own lips with their teeth, looked at one another with faces rendered fearful by the contraction of their eye-brows. Others, possessing great strength and tenacity, wounded with arrow, remained perfectly silent smarting under their pains. Other brave carwarriors, deprived of their own cars in battle and thrown down and wounded by huge elephants, asked to be taken up on the cars of others. O king, many looked beautiful like blossoming Kinshukas.
सम्बभूवुरनीकेषु बहवो भैरवस्वनाः। वर्तमाने महाभीमे तस्मिन् वीरवरक्षये।॥ निजघान पिता पुत्रं पुत्रश्च पितरं रणे। स्वस्रीयो मातुलं चापि स्वस्रीयं चापि मातुलः॥
In that fearful battle, destructive of heroes, the father killed the son and the son killed the father, the sister's son killed the maternal uncle, the maternal uncle killed the sister's son Friends killed friends and kinsmen killed kinsmen.
सखा सखायं च तथा सम्बन्धी बान्धवं तथा। एवं युयुधिरे तत्र कुरवः पाण्डवैः सह॥
Thus took place the great slaughter in that great battle between the Kurus and the Pandavas.
वर्तमाने तथा तस्मिन् निर्मर्यादे भयानके। भीष्ममासाद्य पार्थानां वाहिनी समकम्पत॥
In that fearful and terrible battle in which no consideration was shown, the Pandavas (at last) began to waver before Bhishma.
केतुना पञ्चतारेण तालेन भरतर्षभ। राजतेन महाबाहुरुच्छ्रितेन महारथे। बभौ भीष्मस्तदा राजश्चन्द्रमा इव मेरुणा॥
0 best of the Bharata race, O king, the mighty-armed Bhishma, with his great standard made of silver and adorned with the device of a palmyra with five stars sitting upon his excellent car, shone like the moon on the Meru mountain.