धृतराष्ट्र उवाच दैवमेव परं मन्ये पौरुषादपि संजय। यत् सैन्यं मम पुत्रस्य पाण्डुसैन्येन बाध्यते।।।।
Dhritarashtra said I consider, O Sanjaya, destiny to by superior to human endeavor, in as much as, the troops of my son are always being slaughtered by those of the sons of Pandu.
नित्यं हि मामकांस्तात हतानेव हि शंससि। अव्यग्रांश्च प्रहृष्टांश्च नित्यं शंससि पाण्डवान्॥
You always, O Suta, tell me, that my troops are slaughtered, whilst on the other hand you say that the Pandava forces are not slaughtered and are all filled with delight.
हीनान् पुरुषकारेण मामकानद्य संजय। पातितान् पात्यमानांश्च हतानेव च शंससि॥
You always, O Sanjaya, speak of my troops as being destitute of manliness, as felled and falling and massacred.
युध्यमानान् यथाशक्ति घटमानाञ्जयं प्रति। पाण्डवा हि जयन्त्येव जीयन्ते चैव मामकाः॥
Yough they are fighting to the best of their powers, and striving hard to secure victory over them, whilst they are becoming reduced in number.
सोऽहं तीव्राणि दुःखानि दुर्योधनकृतानि च। श्रोष्यामि सततं तात दुःसहानि बहूनि च॥
So, O son, I am always hearing of numerous causes of insufferable and poignant grief, engendered by misdeeds of Duryodhana.
तमुपायं न पश्यामि जीयेरन् येन पाण्डवाः न्। मामका विजयं युद्धे प्राप्नुयुर्येन संजय॥
I could discover no measure by which the Pandavas could be reduced, also by which, O Sanjaya, my sons would be able to secure victory in this battle.
संजय उवाच शृणु राजन् स्थिरो क्षयं मनुष्यदेहानां गजवाजिरथक्षयम्। भूत्वा तवैवापनयो महान्॥
Sanjaya said Listen, O monarch, with patience, to the description of the destruction of human hosts and of the hosts of steeds elephants and cars this mighty evil owes its origin to you.
धृष्टद्युम्नस्तु शल्येन पीडितो नवभिः शरैः। पीडयामास संक्रुद्धो मद्राधिपतिमायसैः॥
Dhrishtadyumna, being afflicted by Shalya with nine arrows, was inflamed with wrath; and he afflicted the ruler of the Madras, in return, with dares made of steel.
तत्राद्भुतमपश्याम पार्षतस्य पराक्रमम्। न्यवारयत यस्तूर्णं शल्यं समितिशोभनम्॥
Then we saw the highly wonderful prowess of the son of Prishata, as he speedily checked (the career of) Shalya the ornament of assemblies.
नान्तरं दृश्यते तत्र तयोश्च रथिनोस्तदा। मुहूर्तमिव तद् युद्धं तयोः सममिवाभवत्॥
No weakness was detected in any one of them, when enraged, they were engaged in the battle. The combat between them seemed to last only for a moment.
ततः शल्यो महाराज धृष्टद्युम्नस्य संयुगे। धनुश्चिच्छेद भल्लेन पीतेन निशितेन च।॥
Then, O mighty monarch, in that fight, Shalya cut down the bow of Dhrishtadyumna with a keen pointed yellow dare.
अथैनं शरवर्षेण च्छादयामास संयुगे। गिरिं जलागमे यद्वज्जलदा जलवृष्टिभिः॥
Also, Bharata, he covered Dhrishtadyumna with showers of arrows, like clouds, swelling with rain, covering a mountain at the rainy season.
अभिमन्युस्तत: क्रुद्धो धृष्टद्युम्ने च पीडिते। अभिदुद्राव वेगेन मद्रराजरथं प्रति॥
When Dhrishtadyumna was being thus fermented, Abhimanyu, inflamed with wrath, rushed with violence against the car of the king of the Madras.
ततो मद्राधिपरथं कार्णः प्राप्यातिकोपनः। आर्तायनिममेयात्मा विव्याध निशितैः शरैः॥
Then the highly excited nephew of Krishna, that hero of immeasurable should, having reached near the car of the Madra king, pierced Artayani with three whetted shafts.
ततस्तु तावका राजन् परीप्सन्तोऽर्जुनि रणे। मद्रराजरथं तूर्णं परिवार्यावतस्थिरे॥
Thereat, O monarch, your troops desirous of resting the son of Arjuna in battle, speedily formed themselves in a circle around the chariot of the ruler of the Madras.
दुर्योधनो विकर्णश्च दुःशासनविविंशती। दुर्मर्षणो दुःसहश्च चित्रसेनोऽथ दुर्मुखः॥
Duryodhana, Vikarna, Dushasana, Vivingshati, Durmarshana Dusaha, Chitrasena, Durmukha.
सत्यव्रतश्च भद्रं ते पुरुमित्रश्च भारत। एते मद्राधिपरथं पालयन्तः स्थिता रणे॥
Satyavrata, Purumitra and the mighty carwarrior Vikarna, these stationed themselves in the filed for protecting the chariot of the ruler of the Madras.
तान् भीमसेनः संक्रुद्धो धृष्टद्युम्नश्च पार्षतः। द्रौपदेयाऽभिमन्युश्च माद्रीपुत्रौ च पाण्डवौ॥
Threat Bhimsena, excited with rage, and Dhrishtadyumna of Prishata's race, the sons of Draupadi and Abhimanyu, the twin sons of Pandu by Madri.
धार्तराष्ट्रान् दशरथान् दशैव प्रत्यवारयन्। नानारूपाणि शस्त्राणि विसृजन्तो विशाम्पते॥१९॥
These ten warriors opposed the ten warriors of Duryodhana's hosts, discharging 0 monarch, weapons of diverse shape.
अभ्यवर्तन्त संहृष्टाः परस्परवधैषिणः। ते वै समेयुः संग्रामे राजन् दुर्मन्त्रिते तव॥
It is, O monarch, through the wicked policy of yours that those warriors inflamed with rage then approached and encountered one another in battle, out of a desire for slaying one another.
तस्मिन् दशरथे क्रुद्धे वर्तमाने महाभये। तावकानां परेषां वा प्रेक्षका रथिनोऽभवन॥
When those ten warriors, wrought up with wrath, met the other ten in that awful battle, thereat of the car-warriors of your army and of the army of your foes became sight seers.
शस्त्राण्यनेकरूपाणि विसृजन्तो महारथाः। अन्योन्यमभिमर्दन्तः सम्प्रहारं प्रचक्रिरे॥
Those mighty car-warriors shooting weapons of diverse shape and roaring at one another began to smite one bother.
ते तदा जातसंरम्भाः सर्वेऽन्योन्यं जिघांसवः। अन्योन्यमभिमर्दन्तः स्पर्धमानाः परस्परम्॥
Then in the battle, inflamed with both and desirous of slaying one another, those heroes roared at one another, and boasted of their prowess.
अन्योन्यस्पर्धया राजज्ञातयः सङ्गता मिथः। महास्त्राणि विमुञ्चन्तः समापेतुरमर्षिणः॥
Then O monarch, those kinsfolk that had met together, burning with jealousy and challenging one another, fell upon one another, discharging mighty weapons at the same time.
दुर्योधनस्तु संक्रुद्धो धृष्टद्युम्नं महारणे। विव्याध निशितैर्बाणैश्चतुर्भिः समरे द्रुतम्॥
Inflamed with wrath, Duryodhana in that fierce battle pierced Dhrishtadyumna with four whetted arrows; and in battle, the feat was wonderful.
दुर्मर्षणश्च विंशत्या चित्रसेनश्च पञ्चभिः। दुर्मुखो नवभिर्बाणैर्दुःसहश्चापि सप्तभिः॥
Durmarshana pierced him (Dhrishtadyumna) with twenty shafts, Chitrasena with five, Durmukha with nine, Dusaha with seven.
विविंशतिः पञ्चभिश्च त्रिभिर्दुःशासनस्तथा। तान् प्रत्यविध्यद् राजेन्द्र पार्षतः शत्रुतापनः॥
Vivingshati with five, and Dushasana with three. Them, O monarch, the son of Prishata, the slayer of his foes, pierced.
एकैकं पञ्चविंशत्या दर्शयन् पाणिलाघवम्। सत्यव्रतं च समरे पुरुमित्रं च भारत॥ अभिमन्युरविध्यत् तु दशभिर्दशभिः शरैः। माद्रीपुत्रौ तु समरे मातुलं मातृनन्दनौ॥ अविध्येतां शरैस्तीक्ष्णैस्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्। ततः शल्यो महाराज स्वस्रीयौ रथिनां वरौ॥ शरैर्बहुभिरानछेत् कृतप्रतिकृतैषिणौ। छाद्यमानौ ततस्तौ तु माद्रीपुत्रौ न चेलतुः॥
In return, each with twenty shafts displaying great lightness of hands. O Bharata Abhimanyu in that battle pierced Satyavrata and Purumitra each with ten shafts. The sons of Madri, the delighters of their mother, in that battle covered their maternal uncle with a shower of sharp shafts; and that seemed indeed marvelous. Thereupon, O mighty monarch, Shalya covered with innumerable arrows those nephews of his, those two foremost of car warriors, who were desirous of counteracting the stratagems of their uncle (Shalya himself). Yough thus covered over with arrows, the twin sons of Madri flinched not.
अथ दुर्योधनं दृष्ट्वा भीमसेनो महाबलः। विधित्सुः कलहस्यान्तं गदां जग्राह पाण्डव:॥
Thereafter the Pandava Bhimasena endued with great might beholding Duryodhana and desirous of putting and end to the strife, grasped his mace.
तमुद्यतगदं दृष्ट्वा कैलासमिव शृङ्गिणम्। भीमसेनं महाबाहुं पुत्रास्ते प्राद्रवन् भयात्॥
Seeing that mighty armed Bhimsena with uplifted mace look like the Kailasa mount towering with its peaks your sons fled out of terror.
दुर्योधनस्तु संक्रुद्धो मागधं समचोदयत्। अनीकं दशसाहस्रं कुञ्चराणां तरस्विनाम्॥
Duryodhana however wrought up with anger urged against Bhima the Magadha division consisting of ten thousands swiftcoursing elephants.
गजानीकेन सहितस्तेन राजा सुयोधनः। मागधं पुरतः कृत्वा भीमसेनं समभ्ययात्॥
King Suyodhana then accompanied by that division of elephants, and placing the ruler of the Maghadas in front of him, advanced towards Bhimasena.
आपतन्तं च तं दृष्ट्वा गजानीकं वृकोदरः। गदापाणिरवारोहद् रथात् सिहं इवोन्नदन्॥
Thereat Vrikodara, beholding that division of elephants make towards himself,, descended from his car, holding a mace in his hands and roaring out like a lion.
अद्रिसारमयीं गुर्वी प्रगृह्य महतीं गदाम्। अभ्यधावद् गजानीकं व्यादितास्य इवान्तकः॥
Grasping a mighty and heavy mace made of the essence of adamant, Bhimasena charged that division of elephants, like Death himself with his mouth wide open.
स गजान् गदया निघ्नन् व्यचरत् समरे बली। भीमसेनो महाबाहुः सवज्र इव वासवः॥
Then like the slayer of Vritra moving amidst the Danava host, the mighty armed Bhimasena, endued with great strength, careered on the filed of battle, slaughtering elephants with his mace.
तस्य नादेन महता मनोहृदयकम्पिना। व्यत्यचेष्टन्त संहत्य गजा भीमस्य गर्जतः॥
Then at the defending shouts of the roaring Bhima-shouts that were capable of producing a tremor in the hare and in the mind, the elephants huddling together were deprived of the power of moving.
ततस्तु द्रौपदीपुत्राः सौभद्रश्च महारथः। नकुलः सहदेवश्च धृष्टद्युम्नश्च पार्षतः॥
Then the sons of Draupadi, the mighty carwarrior the son of Subhadra, and Nakula, Sahadeva and Dhrishtadyumna the son of Prishata.
पृष्ठं भीमस्य रक्षन्तः शरवर्षेण वारणान्। अभ्यवर्षन्त धावन्तो मेघा इव गिरीन् यथा॥
Supporting Bhima's car, proceeded behind him, checking the foe with their shower of arrows, like clouds drenching the mountains with rain.
क्षुरैः क्षुरप्रैर्भल्लैश्च पीतैश्चाञ्जलिकैः शितैः। व्यरत्रुत्तमाङ्गानि पाण्डवा गजयोधिनाम्॥
With Kshuras the Kshurapras and Bhallas and Anjalikas, all well-sharpened and tempered, the Pandava warriors cut down the heads of those who were fighting on the backs of elephants.
शिरोभिः प्रपतद्भिश्च बाहुभिश्च विभूषितैः। अश्मवृष्टिरिवाभाति पाणिभिश्च सहाकुशैः॥
In consequence of the thick falling of the heads (of elephants-riders), their arms decked with ornaments and their hands grasping the iron hook, a shower of stones appeared to fall.
हृतोत्तमाङ्गाः स्कन्धेषु गजानां गजयोधिनः। अदृश्यन्ताचलाचेषु दुमा भग्नशिखा इव॥
And elephants-riders deprived of heads, seated as they were on the necks of those beasts, appeared like ties on a mountain with their heads broken.
धृष्टद्युम्नहतानन्यानपश्याम महागजान्। पतत: पात्यमानांश्च पार्षतेन महात्मना॥
We also saw many other mighty elephants, felled and falling, slain by Dhrishtadyumna, the high-souled son of Prishata.
मागधोऽथ महीपालो गजमैरावणोपमम्। प्रेषयामास समरे सौभद्रस्य रथं प्रति॥
Thereafter, the ruler of the Magadha territory, goaded in that battle, against the car not of Subhadra's son, an elephants that resembled Airavata itself.
तमापतन्तं सम्प्रेक्ष्य मागधस्य महागजम्। जघानैकेषुणा वीरः सौभद्रः परवीरहा॥
Then the heroic son of Subhadra, that slayer of hostile heroes, beholding that mighty elephant of the ruler of the Magadhas make towards himself, killed it with a single shaft.
तस्यावर्जिनागस्य कार्ष्णिः परपुरंजयः। राज्ञो रजतपुखेन भल्लेनापाहरच्छिरः॥
Then the nephew of Krishna that conqueror of hostile cities cut down with a Bhalla of silvery wings, the head of the king who could extricate himself from the (falling)elephants.
विगाह्य तद् गजानीकं भीमसेनोऽपि पाण्डवः। व्यचरत् समरे मृद्गन् गजानिन्द्रो गिरीनिव॥
Then Bhimasena the son of Pandu, also penetrating that division of elephants, careered in the filed, crushing the elephants, like Indra crushing the mountains.
एकप्रहारनिहतान् भीमसेनेन दन्तिनः। अपश्याम रणे तस्मिन् गिरीन् वज्रहतानिव॥
In that battle, we also beheld elephants smashed by Bhimasena, each with a single stoke, like cliffs rent open by the thunder-bolt.
भग्नदन्तान् भग्नकटान् भग्नसक्थांश्च वारणान्। भग्नपृष्ठत्रिकानन्यान् निहतान् पर्वतोपमान्॥ नदतः सीदतश्चान्यान् विमुखान् समरे गतान्। विद्रुतान् भयसंविग्नांस्तथा विशकृतोऽपरान्॥ भीमसेनस्य मार्गेषु पतितान् पर्वतोपमान्।
Elephants prodigious like mountains were slain having their tusks broken, their temples, their bones, their backs and their frontal globes smashed.
अपश्यं निहतान् नागान् राजन् निष्ठीवतोऽपरान्॥ वमन्तो रुधिरं चान्ये भिन्नकुम्भा महागजाः।
We saw, O monarch, some of those beasts slain and some with mouths foaming (we saw) other mighty elephants with their frontal globes smashed, vomiting blood in profusion.
विह्वलन्तो गता भूमि शैला इव धरातले॥ मेदोरुधिरदिग्धाङ्गो वसामज्जासमुक्षितः।
Some fell down on the grounds overwhelmed with terror, and they resembled huge hills and were soiled in every pare of their body with fat and blood, and were almost bathed in marrow and brain matter.
व्यचरत् समरे भीमो दण्डपाणिरिवान्तकः॥ गजानां रुधिरक्लिन्नां गदां बिभ्रद् वृकोदरः।
Bhima careered in the filed like the Destroyer himself with his mace in his hand. Vrikodara whirling his mace that was drenched with the blood of the elephants.
घोरः प्रतिभयश्चासीत् पिनाकीव पिनाकधृक्॥ सम्मथ्यमानाः क्रुद्धेन भीमसेनेन दन्तिनः।
Appeared dreadful like Pinaki (Shiva) himself wielding the bow Pinaka. Crushed by the wrathful Bhimasena, the elephants.
सहसा प्राद्रवन् क्लिष्टा मृनन्तस्तव वाहिनीम्॥ तं हि वीरं महेष्वासं सौभद्रप्रमुखा रथाः। पर्यरक्षन्त युध्यन्तं वज्रायुधमिवामराः॥ शोणिताक्ता गदां बिभ्रदुक्षितां गजशोणितैः।
Sorely afflicted, suddenly fled away, smashing the ranks of your own army. The mighty bowmen and car-warriors headed by the son of Subhadra, protected that hero as he battled, like the immortals protecting the wielder of the thunderbolt. Grasping his bloodstained mace almost bathed in the blood of clephants.
कृतान्त इव रौद्रात्मा भीमसेनो व्यदृश्यत॥ व्यायच्छमानं गदया दिखं सर्वासु भारत। अपश्याम रणे भीमं नृत्यन्तमिव शंकरम्॥ यमदण्डोपमां गुर्वीमिन्द्राशनिसमस्वनाम्। अपश्याम महाराज रौद्रां विशसनी गदाम्॥ विमिश्रां केशमज्जाभिः प्रदिग्धां रुधिरेण च।
Bhimasena of fierce should then appeared like the destroyer himself. then O Bharata, we saw Bhimasena whirling his mace in all directions appear like the god Shiva in the course of his wild dance. We beheld, O mighty monarch, his heavy and sounding mace that resembled the club of the destroyer himself, the whiz of which equalled the roar of Indra thunder, which was fierce to look at, and which was stained copiously with blood and smeared with marrow and hair,
पिनाकमिव रुद्रस्य क्रुद्धस्याभिघ्नतः पशून्॥ यथा पशूनां संघातं यष्ट्या पालः प्रकालयेत्।
And (lastly) which resembled the Pinaka of the enraged Rudra engaged in slaughtering animals. Just as a herdsman belabours his herd with a cudgel,
तथा भीमो गजानीकं गदया समकालयत्॥ गदया वध्यमानास्ते मार्गणैश्च समन्ततः।
So Bhima belaboured the elephants division with his mace. smitten by that mace, as also by means of arrows on all sides,
स्वान्यनीकानि मृनन्तः प्राद्रवन् कुञ्जरास्तव॥ महावात इवाभ्राणि विधमित्वा स वारणान्। अतिष्ठत् तुमुले भीमः श्मशान इव शूलभृत्॥
The elephants heavily fled away from the field, smashing the chariots of their own host. Like tempest driving away clouds, Bhimasena driving away from the field those elephants, stood there like the wielder of the trident (Shiva) standing on the cremation grounds.