संजय उवाच अकरोत् तुमुलं युद्धं भीष्मः शान्तनवस्तदा। भीमसेनभयादिच्छन् पुत्रांस्तारयितुं तव॥ पूर्वाह्ने तन्महारौद्रं राज्ञां युद्धमवर्तत। कुरूणां पाण्डवानां च मुख्यशूरविनाशनम्॥
Sanjaya said Then Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, fought a fierce battle, desirous of saving your sons from their fear of Bhimasena. In that morning, a most dreadful battle was fought between the kings of the Kaurava and the Pandava hosts, in which many best warriors were slain.
तस्मिन्नाकुलसंग्रामे वर्तमाने महाभये। अभवत् तुमुलः शब्दः संस्पृशन् गगनं महत्॥
When that furious and dreadful engagement raged, a terrible din arose, that touched the very heavens.
नदद्भिश्च महानागैर्हेषमाणैश्च वाजिभिः। भेरीशङ्खनिनादैश्च तुमुलं समपद्यत॥
The clangour that was made was deafening in consequence of the roars of stricking elephants and the neighs of steeds and the blare of conchis and the sound of drums.
युयुत्सवस्ते विक्रान्ता विजयाय महाबलाः। अन्योन्यमभिगर्जन्तो गोष्ठेष्विव महर्षभाः॥
Those mighty warriors endued with great prowess, fighting with one another out of a desires for victory roared at one another like bulls among a herd of kine.
शिरसां पात्यमानानां समरे निशितैः शरैः। अश्मवृष्टिरिवाकाशे बभूव भरतर्षभ॥
O foremost of the Bharatas, heads cut off with keen-edged arrows, falling in that battle, appeared like a shower of stones from the skies.
कुण्डलोष्णीषधारीणि जातरूपोज्ज्वलानि च। पतितानि स्म दृश्यन्ते शिरांसि भरतर्षभ॥
Many heads, O foremost of the Bharatas, were seen lying on the field of battle, graced with ear-rings and head-gears, and effulgent like gold itself.
विशिखोन्मथितैर्गात्रैर्बाहुभिश्च सकार्मुकैः। सहस्ताभरणैश्चान्यैरभवच्छादिता मही॥
The ground was strewn over with limbs severed by Vishikha, with head graced with ear-rings, and with arms decorated with ornaments &c.
कवचोपहितैर्गात्रैर्हस्तैश्च समलंकृतैः। मुखैश्च चन्द्रसंकाशै रक्तान्तनयनैः शुभैः॥ गजवाजिमनुष्याणां सर्वगात्रैश्च भूपते। आसीत् सर्वा समास्तीर्णा मुहूर्तेन वसुंधरा॥
In A moment the earth literally became covered over with bodies cased in arinours, with decorated arms, with faces charming like the moon and beauty fled with eyes with coppery corners, and O monarch, with the of dead bodies of elephants, steeds and men.
रजोमेघैश्च तुमुलैः शस्त्रविद्युत्प्रकाशिभिः। आयुधानां च निर्घोषः स्तनयित्नुसमोऽभवत्।॥
Under the thick clouds of dust (raised by the warriors) in which the whistling weapons flashed like lightning, the sound emitted by the various implements of war resembled the roars of thunder.
स सम्प्रहारस्तुमुलः कटुकः शोणितोदकः। प्रावर्तत कुरूणां च पाण्डवानां च भारत॥
That dreadful and fierce fight, O Bharata, between the Kurus and the Pandus created a river of blood in the field of battle.
तस्मिन् महाभये घोरे तुमुले लोमहर्षणे। ववृषुः शरवर्षाणि क्षत्रिया युद्धदुर्मदाः॥
In that fierce, dreadful terrifying and hairstirring battle, the Kshatriya in capable of being repressed in battle began to shower a veritable down-pour of arrows.
आक्रोशन् कुञ्जरास्तत्र शरवर्षप्रतापिताः। तावकानां परेषां च संयुगे भरतर्षभ॥
Afflicted with that shower of arrows, the elephants of your army as well as of the enemy's army, began to shriek aloud and run hither and thither with uplifted trunks.
संरब्धानां च वीराणां धीराणाममितौजसाम्। धनुातलशब्देन न प्राज्ञायत किंचन॥
Nothing could be heard in consequence of the flapping produced by bows of great toughness, belonging to cool-headed warriors excited with fury.
उत्थितेषु कबन्धेषु सर्वतः शोणितोदके। समरे पर्यधावन्त नृपा रिपुवधोद्यताः॥
As head-less trunks stood up in that sea of blood, other kings rushed into battle endeavoring to slay their enemies.
शरशक्तिगदाभिस्ते खड्नेश्चामिततेजसः। निजघ्नुः समरेऽन्योन्यं शूराः परिघबाहवः॥
Heroes of immeasurable prowess possessed of arms resembling bludgeons, slew one another in that battle, with shafts and Shaktis and maces and swords.
बभ्रमुः कुञ्जराश्चात्र शरैर्विद्धा निरङ्कुशाः। अश्वाश्च पर्यधावन्त हतारोहा दिशो दश॥
Pierced with shafts and deprived of their riders who used to guide them with hooks, elephants began to course (madly) through the field steeds ran about in all direction having their riders slain.
उत्पत्य निपतन्त्यन्ये शरघातप्रपीडिताः। तावकानां परेषां च योधा भरतसत्तम॥
Many warriors of your army and many belonging to the host of enemy afflicted with shafts-wounds, running hither and thither (with pain), (at last) jumped up and fell down.
वाहानामुत्तमाङ्गानां कार्मुकाणां च भारत। गदानां परिघाणां च हस्तानां चोरुभिः सह॥ पादानां भूषणानां च केयूराणां च संघशः। राशयस्तत्र दृश्यन्ते भीष्मभीमसमागमे।॥
In that fight between Bhima and Bhishma, heaps of arms, heads, bows maces, legs and ornaments and bracelets were seen rising over the field.
अश्वानां कुञ्जराणां च रथानां चानिवर्तिनाम्। संघाताः स्म प्रदृश्यन्ते तत्र तत्र विशाम्पते॥
There was also seen here and there o ruler of men, large number of running steeds and retreating elephants.
गदाभिरसिभिः प्रासैर्बाणैश्च नतपर्वभिः। जघ्नुः परस्परं तत्र क्षत्रियाः काल आगते॥
The Kshatriya, urged on by Destiny, began to slay one another in that battle, with maces, swerds, lances and straight-jointed shafts.
अपर गहुभिर्वीरा नियुद्धकुशला युधि। बहुधा सम ज्जन्त आयसैः परिचैरिव॥
Other heroes accomplished in battle struck one another in that battle with their bare arms, that resembled bludgeons made wholly of iron.
मुष्टिभिर्जानुभिश्चैव तलैश्चैव विशाम्पते। अन्योन्यं जजिरे वीरास्तावकाः पाण्डवैः सह॥
O king, other heroic warriors of your army fought on with those of the Pandava host, and slew one another by striking one another with clenched fists, knees, palms and blows.
पतितैः पात्यमानैश्च विचेष्टद्भिश्च भूतले। घोरमायोधनं जज्ञे तत्र तत्र जनेश्वर॥
With the fallen, the falling, and with those rolling on the grounds in agony the battle, O lord of men, became indeed very dreadful.
विरथा रथिनश्चात्र निस्त्रिंशवरधारिणः। अन्योन्यमभिधावन्तः परस्यरवधैषिणः॥
Car-warriors deprived of their grasping well tempered swords rushed at one another desirous of slaying one another.
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा कलिङ्गैर्बहुभिर्वृतः। पुरस्कृत्य रणे भीष्मं पाण्डवानभ्यवर्तत॥
Thereupon king Duryodhana surrounded by a large number of the Kalingas and placing Bhishma at the head, charged the Pandava host.
तथैव पाण्डवाः सर्वे परिवार्य वृकोदरम्। भीष्ममभ्यद्रवन् क्रुद्धास्ततो युद्धमवर्तत॥
So also, the Pandavas, surrounding Vrikodara and riding on fleet animals in that battle, rushed inflamed with wrath against the division led by Bhishma. cars,