संजय उवाच वर्तमाने तथा युद्धे घोररूपे भयावहे। तमसा संवृते लोके रजसा च महीपते॥
Sanjaya said That terrible and awe-inspiring battle having taken place when the world was enveloped with darkness and dust, o lord of the earth.
नापश्यन्त रणे योधाः परस्परमवस्थिताः। अनुमानेन संज्ञाभिर्युद्धं तद् ववृधे महत्॥
The warriors, who remained on the field of battle) could not distinguish one another. It was by conjecture and uttering their names that those foremost of the Kshatriyas fought with one another.
नरनागाश्वमथनं परमं लोमहर्षणम्। द्रोणकर्णकृपा वीरा भीमपार्षतसात्यकाः॥
When that terrible destruction of men, horses, elephants and foot-soldiers was going on, those heroes viz., Drona, Karna, Kripa, Bhima, the son of Prishata and Satvata.
अन्योन्यं क्षोभयामासुः सैन्यानि नृपसत्तम। वध्यमानानि सैन्यानि समन्तात् तैर्महारथैः॥
Began, O best of the Bharatas, to afflict each other and the troops. The soldiers, (thus) terribly slaughtered by those great car-warriors.
तमसा संवृते चैव समन्ताद् विप्रदुद्रुवुः। ते सर्वतो विद्रवन्तो योधा विध्वस्तचेतनाः॥
And surrounded by that dense gloom, took to flight in all directions. And with their minds (greatly) agitated (with terror) they ran away on all sides.
अहन्यन्त महाराज धावमानाश्च संयुगे। महारथसहस्राणि जघ्नुरन्योन्यमाहवे॥
And, Ogreat king, while flying away in all directions they were (pursued) and killed. In that engagement thousands of great carwarriors slaughter one another.
अन्धे तमसि मूढानि पुत्रस्य तव मन्त्रिते। ततः सर्वाणि सैन्यानि सेनागोपाश्च भारत। व्यमुह्यन्त रणे तत्र तमसा संवृते सति॥
(And) in that blinding darkness, (the soldiers) lost their senses. (All this is no doubt due to the evil counsels of your son. And that (dismal) darkness prevailing all around, all the creatures, may the very foremost of the combatants themselves, O Bharata, were seized with terror and their senses forsook them, o Bharata in that battle.
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच तेषां संलोड्यमानानां पाण्डवैर्विहतौजसाम्। अन्धे तमसि मग्नानामासीत् किं वो मनस्तदा।॥
Dhritarashtra said When drowned in that blinding darkness you were agitated by the Pandavas and were deprived of your energy, what became the state of your minds?
कथं प्रकाशस्तेषां वा मम सैन्यस्य वा पुनः। बभूव लोके तमसा तथा संजय संवृते॥
When the world was thus enveloped with darkness, how, O Sanjaya, their and my armies were disclosed to view again!
संजय उवाच ततः सर्वाणि सैन्यानि हतशिष्टानि यानि वै। सेनागोप्तनथादिश्य पुनर्वृहमकल्पयत्॥
Sanjaya said Then all the survivors of the slaughtered army (of the Kurus) were, in obedience to the order of their commanders, again drawn up in battle array.
स्तथा द्रौणिः पार्श्वतः सौबलश्चा स्वयं तु सर्वाणि बलानि राजन् राजाभ्ययाद् गोपयन् वै निशायाम्॥
And Drona (took his station) at the van, Shalya at the rear and the sons of Drona and Subala (respectively placed themselves) at the right and left flanks (of that array). And king (Duryodhana) himself, O monarch, was, during that night, engaged in protecting all the troops.
उवाच सर्वांश्च पदातिसङ्घान् दुर्योधनः पार्थिव सान्त्वपूर्वम्। उत्सृज्य सर्वे परमायुधानि गृह्णीत हस्तैललितान् प्रदीपान्॥
(And) consoling all the foot-soldiers and also the lords of the earth, Duryodhana said to them "leaving aside your great weapons, take in hand blazing lamps.”
ते चोदिताः पार्थिवसत्तमेन ततः प्रहृष्टाः जगृहुः प्रदीपान्। देवर्षिगन्धर्वसुरर्षिसङ्घा विद्याधराश्चाप्सरसां गणाच॥
In obedience to the command of that foremost of kings they gladly took (burning) lamps, in their hands. large numbers of celestials, sages, Gandharvas and Rishis and hosts of Vidyadharas, Apsaras.
नागाः सयक्षोरगकिन्नराच हृष्टा दिविस्था जगृहुः प्रदीपान्। ऽदृश्यन्त दीपाः ससुगन्धितैलाः॥
Nagas, Yakshas, Uragas and Kinnaras, stationed in the firmament, cheerfully took up lamps. Lamps, filled with perfumed oil, were seen to fall from the lands of) the regents of the cardinal points.
विशेषतो नारदपर्वताभ्यां सम्बोध्यमानाः कुरुपाण्डवार्थम्। सा भूय एव ध्वजिनी विभक्ता व्यरोचताग्निप्रभया निशायाम्॥
Specially Narada and Parvata sent down for the sake of the foremost of the Kurus many such lamps, dispelling the darkness. On that night, the army (of the Kurus) looked brilliant by virtue of the lustre of these) lamps.
महाधनैराभरणैश्च दिव्यैः शस्त्रैश्च दीप्तैरपि सम्पतद्भिः। रथे रथे पञ्च विदीपकास्तु प्रदीपकास्तत्र गजे त्रयश्च॥
The precious ornaments (wom by the combatants) and of the blazing celestial weapons that were hurled (by the Kaurava army against their enemies). Five lamps were placed on each car and three on each maddened elephants.
प्रत्यश्वमेकश्च महाप्रदीपः। कृतास्तु तैः पाण्डवैः कौरवेयैः। क्षणेन सर्वे विहिताः प्रदीपा व्यादीपयन्तो ध्वजिनीं तवाशु॥
Upon each horse (was placed) a huge lamp. It was in this way that the Kuru warriors were illuminated. The lamps, being thus placed in due order, very lighted up your army.
सर्वास्तु सेना व्यतिसेव्यमानाः पदातिभिः पावकतैलहस्तैः। प्रकाश्यमाना ददृशुर्निशायां यथान्तरिक्षे जलदास्तडिद्भिः॥
Nay, all the troops thus disclosed to view by the foot-soldiers carrying oilified lamps in their hands, looked as brilliant as the clouds in the firmament during the night with flashes of lightning (plying amidst them).
प्रकाशितायां तु ततो ध्वजिन्यां द्रोणोऽग्निकल्पः प्रतपन् समन्तात्। रराज राजेन्द्र सुवर्णवर्मा मध्यं गतः सूर्य इवांशुमाली॥
When the army was thus lighted up, Drona, like the fire, scorching everything around, looked resplendent, O king of kings, with his golden armour on, like the mid-day sun of blazing rays.
जाम्बूनदेष्वाभरणेषु चैव निष्केषु शुद्धेषु शरासनेषु। पीतेषु शस्त्रेषु च पावकस्य प्रतिप्रभास्तत्र तदा बभूवुः॥
The lustre of the lamps (falling upon the golden Ornaments) the bright cuirasses and bow and the will-tempered weapons, was reflected from them.
गदाश्च शैक्याः परिघाश्च शुभ्रा रथेषु शक्त्यश्च विवर्तमानाः। प्रतिप्रभारश्मिभिराजमीढ पुनः पुनः संजनयन्ति दीपान्॥
The rays (of these lamps) falling upon maces entwined with strings, bright Parighas, cars and darts as they whirled along, created innumerable lamps.
छत्राणि वालव्यजनानि खङ्गा दीप्ता महोल्काश्च तथैव राजन्। व्याघूर्णमानाश्च सुवर्णमाला व्यायच्छतां तत्र तदा विरेजुः॥
O king, umbrellas and yak-tails and scimitars and flaming brands and necklaces of gold as they were being whirled looked exceedingly brilliant.
शस्त्रप्रभाभिश्च विराजमानं दीपप्रभाभिश्च तदा बलं तत्। भृशं प्रकाशं नृपते बभूव॥
And, O king, that army illuminated by the lustre of the weapons, by the splendour of those lamps and by the brilliancy of the ornaments, looked highly resplendent.
पीतानि शस्राण्यसृगुक्षितानि वीरावधूतानि तनुच्छदानि। दीप्तां प्रभां प्राजनयन्त तत्र तपात्यये विद्युदिवान्तरिक्षे॥
Well-tempered and beautiful weapons dyed with blood and wielded by the warriors shed a blazing lustre like flashes of lightning in the firmament at the end of the hot season.
रभिघ्नतां चापततां जवेन। वक्त्राण्यकाशन्त तदा नराणां वाय्वीरितानीव महाम्बुजानि॥
The faces, of the combatants who were trembling by the impetuosity of their speed and rushing furiously against their enemies striking them down, shone at that time like great lotuses shaken by the wind.
महावने दारूमये प्रदीप्ते यथा प्रभा भास्करस्यापि नश्येत्। तथा तदाऽऽसीद् ध्वजिनी प्रदीप्ता महाभया भारत भीमरूपा॥
On that dreadful night that army blazed up (by the light of those lamps) looked as terrible as the splendour of the sun during the progress of the conflagration of a great forest teeming with trees.
तत् सम्प्रदीप्तं बलमस्मदीयं निशम्य पार्थास्त्वरितास्तथैव। नचोदयंस्तेऽपि चक्रुः प्रदीपान्॥
Seeing our army (thus) lighted up, the sons of Pritha urging all their foot-soldiers through their entire army, acted in the same way (as we did).
गजे गजे सप्त कृताः प्रदीपा रथे रथे चैव दश प्रदीपाः। द्वावश्वपृष्ठे परिपार्श्वतोऽन्ये ध्वजेषु चान्ये जघनेषु चान्ये॥
(And they) placed seven lamps on each elephant, ten on each car, two on the back of every horse and many on the flank and rear and the standards.
सेनासु सर्वासु च पार्श्वतोऽन्ये पश्चात् पुरस्ताच समन्ततश्च। मध्ये तथान्ये ज्वलिताग्निहस्ता व्यदीपयन् पाण्डुसुतस्य सेनाम्॥
(Innumerable) blazing lamps were placed on the flanks and the rear and the van of and within and all around the entire army. Thus were the two hosts lighted up.
मध्ये तथान्ये ज्वलिताग्निहस्ताः सेनाद्वयेऽपि स्म नरा विचेरुः। सर्वेषु सैन्येषु पदातिसङ्घा विमिश्रिता हस्तिरथाश्ववृन्दैः॥
Through the entire army, the infantry became mixed up with throngs of elephants, cars and horses. And like them (i.e. the footsoldiers) several other persons, also taking flaming brands in their hands, lighted up the army of the son of Pandu.
व्यदीपयंस्ते ध्वजिनीं प्रदीप्तां तथा बलं पाण्डवेयाभिगुप्तम्। तेन प्रदीप्तेन तथा प्रदीप्तं बलं तवासीद् बलवद् बलेन॥
By virtue of (the lustre of) those lamps that army became fiercely blazed up like a blazing fire made fiercely illuminated by the rays of the sun, the maker of day.
भाः कुर्वता भानुमता ग्रहेण दिवाकरेणाग्निरिवाभिगुप्तः। तयोः प्रभाः पृथिवीमन्तरिक्षं सर्वा व्यतिक्रम्य दिशश्च वृद्धाः॥
The splendour of those two (armies) reaching beyond the earth, the firmament and all the cardinal points began to increase. By that light their army as well as yours became crearly disclosed to view.
तेन प्रकाशेन भृशं प्रकाशं बभूव तेषां तव चैव सैन्यम्। तेन प्रकाशेन दिवं गतेन सम्बोधिता देवगणाश्च राजन्॥
All the celestials, the Gandharvas, the Yakshas, the gods, the Siddhas and the Apsaras, awakened by that light which reached the skies, appeared on the scene.
गन्धर्वयक्षासुरसिद्धसंघाः समागमन्नप्सरसश्च सर्वाः। तद् देवगन्धर्वसमाकुलं च यक्षासुरेन्द्राप्सरसां गणैश्च॥
The field of battle, thronged with the celestials, the Gandharvas, the Yakshas, the Siddhas, the Apsaras and the spirits of the dead combatants about to enter the celestials regions, appeared like a second heaven.
रायोधनं दिव्यकल्पं बभूव। रथाश्वनागाकुलदीपदीप्तं संरब्धयोधं हतविदुताश्वम्॥
Crowded with cars, horses and elephants lighted up by these lamps and (teeming with) furious warriors and steeds slain or careering madly, that mighty host, consisting of men, horses and elephants drawn up in battle array, looked like the array of the celestials and the Asuras (in days of yore).
महद् बलं व्यूढरथाश्वनागं सुरासुव्यहूसमं बभूवा तच्छक्तिसंघाकुलचण्डवातं महारथानं गजवाजिघोषम्॥
That nocturnal battle between the god-like combatants raged furiously like a tempest. The rush of arrows formed its fierce winds, the mighty car-warriors and elephants its clouds, the shafts its showers and the blood (of the combatants and the animals) its torrent of rain.
शस्त्रैघवर्षं रुधिराम्बुधारं निशि प्रवृत्तं रणदुर्दिनं तत्। तस्मिन् महाग्निप्रतिमो महात्मा संतापयन् पाण्डवान् विप्रमुख्यः॥ गभस्तिभिर्मध्यगमो यथार्को वर्षात्यये तद्वदभून्नरेन्द्र॥
In that encounter that foremost of the Brahmanas, he magnanimous (Drona) endued with the energy of a great fire began to afflict the Pandavas like the noon day sun, (scorching everything) at the end of the rainy season.