धृतराष्ट्र उवाच बहूनि सुविचित्राणि द्वन्द्वयुद्धानि संजय। त्वयोक्तानि निशम्याहं स्पृहयामि सचक्षुषाम्॥
Dhritarashtra said O Sanjaya, you have described to me various wonderful accounts of single combats; hearing them I envy those who are blessed with eyes.
आश्चर्यभूतं लोकेषु कथयिष्यन्ति मानवाः। कुरूणां पाण्डवानां च युद्धं देवासुरोपमम्॥
In this world, all men will speak of this battle between the Kurus and the Pandavas, resembling that between the celestials and the Asuras, as very wonderful.
न हि मे तृप्तिरस्तीह शृण्वतो युद्धमुत्तमम्। तस्मादार्तायनेयुद्धं सौभद्रस्य च शंस मे॥
I am never satiated with the audition of this excellent fight; therefore do you recount to me the (details of the combat between Atrayan and the son of Subhadra.
संजय उवाच सादितं प्रेक्ष्य यन्तारं शल्यः सर्वायसीं गदाम्। समुत्क्षिप्य नदन् क्रुद्धः प्रचस्कन्द रथोत्तमात्॥
Sanjaya said Seeing his charioteer overthrown, Shalya uplifting a mace wholly made of iron and in rage uttering a loud shout, jumped down from his excellent car.
तं दीप्तमिव कालाग्निं दण्डहस्तमिवान्तकम्। जवेनाभ्यपतद् भीमः प्रगृह्य महतीं गदाम्॥
Thereupon Bhima also grasping a mighty mace speedily encountered him (Shalya) who then resembled the all-destroying fire in effulgence and also the God of death wielding his bludgecn.
जवेनाभ्यपतद् भीमः प्रगृह्य महतीं गदाम्। एह्येहीत्यब्रवीच्छल्यं यत्नाद् भीमेन वारितः॥
The son of Subhadra also grasping a huge mace that looked like the thunderbolt itself, called out to Shalya saying 'Come, Come'; but Bhima, with great efforts, prevented him (from joining in the fray).
वारयित्वा तु सौभद्रं भीमसेनः प्रतापवान्। शल्यमासाद्य समरे तस्थौ गिरिरिवाचलः॥
Then having dissuaded the son of Subhadra, the puissant Bhimasena, meeting Shalya in battle, stood immovable like a mountain.
तथैव मद्रराजोऽपि भीमं दृष्ट्वा महाबलम्। ससाराभिमुखस्तूर्णं शार्दूल इव कुञ्जरम्॥
Also the mighty-powerful king of the Madras, beholding Bhima, rushed at him with impetuosity, like a tiger attacking an elephant.
ततस्तूर्यनिनादाश्च शङ्खानां च सहस्रशः। सिंहनादाश्च संजजुर्भेरीणां च महास्वनाः॥
Then there arose the blare of trumpets and conchs by thousands, as also leonine roars and deafening sounds of drums.
पश्यता शतशो ह्यासीदन्योन्यमभिधावताम्। पाण्डवानां कुरूणां च साधु साध्विति नि:स्वनः॥
Loud shouts of Well-done' “Well-done' were uttered by hundreds of Kuru and Pandava warriors who had been looking on and rushing against one another.
न हि मद्राधिपादन्यः सर्वराजसु भारत। सोढुमुत्सहते वेगं भीमसेनस्य संयुगे॥
Bharata, none among host of kings, except the ruler of the Madras, could withstand in battle, the impetuosity of the attack of Bhimasena.
तथा मद्राधिपस्यापि गदावेगं महात्मनः। सोढुमुत्सहते लोके युधि कोऽन्यो वृकोदरात्॥
Also, in this earth, none except Vrikodara, could bear the vehemence of the mace wielded by the king of the Madras, of illustrious soul attack of Bhimasena.
पटैर्जाम्बूनदैर्बद्धा बभूव जनहर्षणी। प्रजज्वाल तदाऽऽविद्धा भीमेन महती गदा॥
Then that huge mace, covered over with a 11C/-work composed of hempen strings and gold wires, imparted grcal delight into the hearts of the troops and being wielded by Bhima it seemed to blaze forth.
तथैव चरतो मार्गान् मण्डलानि च सर्वशः। महाविद्युत्प्रतीकाशा शल्यस्य शुशुभे गदा॥
Similarly, the mace was getting grace like lightening in the hands of king Shalya when it was being played in orbits, circles and several trends as prescribed for truncheon-war.
तौ वृषाविव नर्दन्तौ मण्डलानि विचेरतुः। आवर्तितगदाशृङ्गावुभौ शल्यवृकोदरौ॥
The both Shalya and Vrikodara, whirling their maces and moving in various orders, began to course in various circles.
मण्डलावर्तमार्गेषु गदाविहरणेषु च। निर्विशेषमभूद् युद्धं तयोः पुरुषसिंहयोः॥
Whether as regards their circular movements and whirling motions or their wielding of the maces, the fight between those two foremost of men as equal in every respect.
ताडिता भीमसेनेन शल्यस्य महती गदा। साग्निज्वाला महारौद्रा तदा तूर्णमशीर्यत॥
The prodigious mace of Shalya being struck against that of Bhimasena, emitted dreadful flashes of fire and then quickly fell into fragments.
तथैव भीमसेनस्य द्विषताभिहता गदा। वर्षाप्रदोघे खद्योतैर्वृतो वृक्ष इवाबभौ॥
Similarly the mace of Bhimasena being struck against that of his adversary, resembled a tree lighted by fire-flies during the rainy season at night-fall.
गदा क्षिप्ता तु समरे मद्रराजेन भारत। व्योम दीपयमाना सा ससृजे पावकं मुहुः॥
The mace hurled by the king of the Madras in battle, O Bharata, illuminating the welkin, frequently emitted flashes of fires.
तथैव भीमसेनेन द्विषते प्रेषिता गदा। तापयामास तत् सैन्यं महोल्का पतती यथा।॥
Similarly the mace hurled by Bhimasena at his foe, consumed the latter's troops like a dreadful meteor shooting down.
ते गदे गदिनां श्रेष्ठौ समासाद्य परस्परम्। श्वसन्त्यौनागकन्येव ससृजाते विभावसुम्॥
Then those two excellent of maces, clashing against each other, appeared like two fiercely breathing she-snakes and emitted flashes of fire.
नखैरिव महाव्याघ्रौ दन्तैरिव महागजौ। तौ विचेरतुरासाद्य गदाण्याभ्यां परस्परम्॥
Then like two mighty tigers attacking one another with their claws or like two infuriated elephants doing the same with their tusks, those two heroes, coursed (in the field), having grasped their two excellent maces.
ततो गदाग्राभिहतौ क्षणेन रुधिरोक्षितौ। ददृशाते महात्मानौ किंशुकाविव पुष्पितौ॥
Then both of them being simultaneously struck with those excellent of maces, were soon besmeared with blood and they resembled two Kinshuka trees decked with blossoms.
शुश्रुवे दिक्षु सर्वासु तयोः पुरुषसिंहयोः। गदाभिधातसंहादः शक्राशनिरवोपमः॥२४॥
Then in all the points of the compass was heard, like the rumbling of Shakra's thunder, the sound generated by the clash of the maces wielded by those two foremost of men.
गदया मद्रराजेन सब्यदक्षिणमाहतः। नाकम्पत तदा भीमो भिद्यमान इवाचलः॥
Struck with the mace of the ruler of the Madras both on the left and on the right side, Bhima did not tremble, even like a mountain cleft open (by the thunder-bolt).
तथा भीमगदावेगैस्ताड्यमानो महाबलः। धैर्यानमद्राधिपस्तस्थौ वचैर्गिरिरिवाहतः॥
Also the puissant king of the Madras being struck by impetus of the mace of Bhima, patiently stood immovable like a mountain riven by the thunder-bolt itself.
आपेततुर्महावेगौ समुच्छ्रितगदावुभौ। पुनरन्तरमार्गस्थौ मण्डलानि विचेरतुः॥
Upraising their maces, they assaulted one another with great impetus; they then again began to course in shorter circles.
अथाप्लुत्य पदान्यष्टौ संनिपत्य गजाविव। सहसा लोहदण्डाभ्यामन्योन्यमभिजघ्नतुः॥
Leaping over space measuring eight steps and falling upon one another like two rival elephants, they began to strike with vehemence, one another, with their iron bludgeons.
तौ परस्परवेगाच्च गदाभ्यां च भृशाहतौ। युगपत् पेततुर्वीरौ क्षिताविन्द्रध्वजाविव॥
In consequence of their great impetus and being struck sorely with each other's mace, those two heroes simultaneously fell down on earth like two poles raised in honour of Indra.
ततो विह्वलमानं तं निःश्वसन्तं पुनः पुनः। शल्यमभ्यपतत् तूर्णे कृतवर्मा महारथः॥
Thereupon the mighty car-warrior Kritavarman speedily came to Shalya's rescue who was deprived of his senses and was breathing quickly.
दृष्ट्वा चैनं महाराज गदयाभिनिपीडितम्। विचेष्टन्तं यथा नागं मूर्च्छयाभिपरिप्लुतम्॥
Seeing Shalya crushed with the stroke of the mace and writhing like a snake and overwhelmed with a swoon, O monarch.
ततः स्वरथमारोष्य मद्राणामधिपं रणे। अपोवाह रणात् तूर्णे कृतवर्मा महारथः॥
The mighty car-warrior car-warrior Kritavarman, speedily taking up the ruler of the Madras on his car carried him away from the field of battle.
क्षीबवद् विह्वलो वीरो निमेषात् पुनरुत्थितः। भीमोऽपि सुमहाबाहुर्गदापाणिरदृश्यत॥
Though unconscious like one drunk the mighty-armed and heroic Bhima rose up in a twinkling of the eye and was seen standing with his mace in his grost.
ततो मद्राधिपं दृष्ट्वा तव पुत्राः पराङ्मुखम्। सनागपत्त्यश्वरथाः समकम्पन्त मारिष॥
Thereupon your sons-seeing the king of the Madras turn back from the field of battle, O Sire, began to tremble supported though they were by elephant, infantry, cavalry and cars.
ते पाण्डवैरर्यमानास्तावका जितकाशिभिः। भीता दिशोऽन्वपद्यन्त वातनुन्ना घना इव।॥
The warriors of your army being crushed by the Pandavas desirous of victory and struck with fear, fled in all directions like clouds driven by the storm.
निर्जित्य धार्तराष्ट्रांस्तु पाण्डवेया महारथाः। व्यरोचन्त रणे राजन् दीप्यमाना इवाग्नयः॥
The mighty warriors, Oking, of the Pandava host having vanquished, in battle, the army of Dhritarashtra, appeared effulgent like blazing fires.
सिंहनादान् भृशं चक्रुः शङ्खान् दध्मुश्च हर्षिताः। भेरीश्च वादयामासुर्मृदङ्गांश्चानकैः सह॥
Transported with joy, they blew their conchs and gave forth roars resembling those of the lions and struck up their drums along with Mridangas and cymbals.