संजय उवाच परिणाम्य निशां तां तु भारद्वाजो महारथः। उक्त्वा सुबहु राजेन्द्र वचनं वै सुयोधनम्॥ विधाय योगं पार्थेन संशप्तकगणैः सह। निष्क्रान्ते च तदा पार्थे संशप्तकवधं प्रति॥ व्यूढानीकस्ततो द्रोणः पाण्डवानां महाचमूम्। अभ्ययाद् भरतश्रेष्ठ धर्मराजजिघृक्षया।॥
Sanjaya said O monarch, the mighty car-warrior, the son of Bharadvaja, having passed the night, thus addressed Suyodhana saying-'I am yours.' Having made arrangements for Partha's encounter with the host of the Samshaptaka, (you have done well).' When the son of Pritha son had gone out to slay the Sainshaptaka. Drona, having formed his soldiers in battle-array, charged the mighty host of the Pandavas, O foremost of the Bharatas, with the desire of capturing the very virtuous king Yudhishthira.
व्यूढं दृष्ट्वा सुपर्णे तु भारद्वजकृतं तदा। व्यूहेन मण्डलार्धेन प्रत्यव्यूहद् युधिष्ठिर॥
Beholding the son of Bharadvaja, form his forces in an array figuring the appearance of Suparna, Yudhishthira disposed his forces in counter-array in the shape of a semi-circle.
मुखं त्वासीत् सुपर्णस्य भारद्वाजो महारथः। शिरो दुर्योधनो राजा सोदर्यैः सानुगैर्वृतः। चक्षुषी कृतवर्माऽऽसीद् गौतमश्चास्यतां वर॥
The mighty car-warrior, the of Bharadvaja himself formed the mouth of the Suparna; and king Duryodhana along with his uterine brothers and his followers formed its head.
भूतशर्मा क्षेमशर्मा करकाशश्च वीर्यवान्। कलिङ्गाः सिंहलाः प्राच्याः शूराभीरा दशेरकाः॥ शका यवनकाम्बोजास्तथा हंसपथाश्च ये। ग्रीवायां शूर सेनाश्च दरदा मद्रकेकया:॥ गजाश्वरथपत्त्योघास्तस्थुः परमदंशिताः।
Kritavarman and the effulgent Gautama formed its eyes, Bhutasharman, Kshemasharman, the puissant Karakasha, the Kalingas, the Singhalas, the Easterners, the Sudras, the Ahiras, the Kambojas, as also the Hansapathas. The Surasenas, the Madras, the Kekayas, the Dronas, with hundreds and thousands of elephants, steeds chariots and foot-soldiers, formed its neck.
भूरिश्रवास्तथा शल्यः सोमदत्तश्च वाह्निकः॥ अक्षौहिण्या वृता वीरा दक्षिणं पार्श्वमास्थिताः।
Bhurisrava, Shalya and Somadatta as also Vahlika, these heroes surrounded by a Akshauhini of soldiers stationed themselves in the right flank.
विन्दानुविन्दावावन्त्यौ काम्बोजश्च सुदक्षिणः॥ वाम पार्वं समाश्रित्य द्रोणपुत्राग्रतः स्थिताः।
Vinda and Anuvinda of the kingdom of Avanti and Sudakshina, the ruler of the two Kambojas, took up their positions in the left flank placing themselves in front of the division of Drona's son.
पृष्ठे कलिङ्गः साम्बष्ठा मागधाः पौण्ड्रमद्रकाः॥ गान्धाराः शकुनाः प्राच्याः पर्वतीया वसातयः।
The Kalingas, the Ambasthas, the Magadhas, the Paundras, the Madrakas, the Gandharas, the Sakunas, the Easterners, the highlanders and the Vasatis were stationed in the back of that Suparna.
पुच्छे वैकर्तनः कर्णः सपुत्रज्ञातिबान्धवः॥ महत्या सेनया तस्थौ नानाजनपदोत्थया।
In the tail was stationed Karna the son of Vikartana, supported by his sons, relatives and friends and surrounded by a large force recruited from various regions.
जयद्रथो भीमरथः सम्पातिऋषभो जयः॥ भूमिजयो वृषक्राधो नैषधश्च महाबलः। वृता बलेन महता ब्रह्मलोकपुरस्कृताः॥ व्यूहस्योरसि ते राजन् स्थिता युद्धविशारदाः।
Jayadratha, Bhimaratha, Sampati, the Rishabha, the Jaya, Bhuminjaya, Vrishakratha and the ruler of the Nishadhas of great prowess. O monarch, these, surrounded by mighty hosts, accomplished in fighting and keeping the region of Brahma before their view, stationed their selves in the bosom of that array.
द्रोणेन विहितो व्यूहः पदात्यश्वरथद्विपैः॥ वातोद्धतार्णवाकारः प्रवृत्त इव लक्ष्यते।
That array formed by Drona and composed of foot-soldiers, horses, chariots and elephants, appeared to dance like the ocean lashed into fury by the tempest.
तस्ये पक्षप्रपक्षेभ्यो निष्पतन्ति युयुत्सवः॥ सविद्युत्स्तनिता मेघाः सर्वदिग्भ्य इवोष्णगे।
From the wings and flanks of that array, warriors, desirous of battle, began to rush out like clouds surcharged with thunder and lightning, rushing (in the welkin) from all direction of the compass during the season of summer.
तस्य प्राग्ज्योतिषो मध्येविधिवत् कल्पितं गजम्॥ आस्थितः शुशुभे राजन्नंशुमानुदये यथा।
In the heart of that array, the ruler of the Pragjyotisas, mounted on an elephant equipped according to rule, O monarch, shone like the sun at the time of its rising.
माल्यदामवता राजन् श्वेतच्छत्रेण धार्यता॥ कृत्तिकायोगयुक्तेन पौर्णमासयामिवेन्दुना।
O monarch, adorned with garlands of flowers and having a white umbrella held over his head, he shone like the moon in all her digits, rising in conjunction with the constellation Krittika.
नीलाञ्जनचयप्रख्यो भदान्धो द्विरदो बभौ॥ अतिवृष्टो महामेधैर्यथा स्यात् पर्वतो महान्।
His elephant blinded with shedding ichor, appeared like a mass of black antimony and like a mighly mountain washed by the downpour of rain from thick clouds.
नानानृपतिभिर्वी रैर्विविधायुधभूषणैः॥ समन्वितः पर्वतीयैः शक्रो देवगणैरिव।
He was also surrounded by many war-like sovereign of mountain lands, armed with various weapons, and he resembled Shakra himself encompassed by the celestials.
ततो युधिष्ठिरः प्रेक्ष्य व्यूहं तमतिमानुषम्॥ अजय्यमरिभिः संख्ये पार्षतं वाक्यमब्रवीत्। ब्राह्मणस्य वशं नाहमियामद्य यथा प्रभो। पारावतसवर्णाश्व तथा नीतिर्विधीयताम्॥
Beholding that superhuman array invincible in battle by the enemies, king Yudhishthira spoke these words to the son of Prishata, “O mighty warrior, O you who own steeds white as the pigeons, do you adopt such measures so that I may not this day be subjugated by the Brahmana (Drona)."
धृष्टद्युम्न उवाच द्रोणस्य यतमानस्य वशं नैष्यसि सुव्रत। अहमावारयिष्यामि द्रोणमद्य सहानुगम्॥
Dhrishtadyumna said O you of chaste vows, you shall never be subjugating by Drona however much he may strive. Today I myself will resist Drona and all his followers.
मयि जीवति कौरव्य नौद्वेगं कर्तुमर्हसि। न हि शक्तो रणे द्रोणो विजेतुं मां कथंचन॥
O descendant of Kuru's race, it behoves you not to fell anxious so long as I am alive. Drona shall never be able to vanquish me in battle.
संजय उवाच एवमुक्त्वाकिरन् बाणान् द्रपदस्य सुतोबली! पारावतसवर्णाश्वः स्वयं द्रोणमुपाद्रवत्॥
Sanjaya said Having thus spoken, the highly puissant son of Drupada the owner of pigeon-white steeds, scattering arrows (on all direction) himself rushed at Drona.
अनिष्टदर्शनं दृष्ट्वा धृष्टद्युम्नमवस्थितम्। क्षणेनैवाभवद् द्रोणो नातिहृष्टमना इव॥
Beholding evil omen in the person of Dhrishtadyumna stationed before him, for a while Drona became all but cheerful.
तं तु सम्प्रेक्ष्य पुत्रस्ते दुर्मुखः शत्रुकर्षणः। प्रियं चिकीर्षुद्रोणस्य धृष्टद्युम्नमवारयत्॥
Seeing this, your son Durmukha that grinder of foes, desirous of doing an act agreeable to Drona, set himself to oppose Dhrishtadyumna.
स समप्रहारस्तुमुल: सुघोरः समपद्यत। पार्षतस्य च शूरस्य दुर्मुखस्य च भारत॥
Then, O Bharata, ensued a terrible and dreadful battle between the war-like son of Prishata and the heroic Durmukha.
पार्षतः शरजालेन क्षिप्रं प्रच्छाद्य दुर्मुखम्। भारद्वाजं शरौघेण महता समवारयत्॥
The son of Prishata, speedily covering Durmukha with his net-work of arrows, checked the career of the son of Bharadvaja with a thick shower of shafts.
द्रोणमावारितं दृष्ट्वा भृशायस्तस्तवात्मजः। नानालिङ्गैः शरवातैः पार्षतं सममोहयत्॥
Seeing Drona covered, your son quickly came to his help and confounded the son of Prishata, with a downpour of arrows of various appearance.
तयोर्विषक्तयोः संख्ये पाञ्चाल्यकुरुमुख्ययोः। द्रोणो यौधिष्ठिरं सैन्यं बहुधा व्यधमच्छरैः॥
When the prince of the Panchalas and the foremost of the Kurus were thus engaged in battle, Drona crushed, with his arrows, diverse divisions of Yudhishthira's army.
अनिलेन यथाऽभ्राणि विच्छिन्नानि समन्ततः। तथा पार्थस्य सैन्यानिविच्छन्नानि क्वचित् क्वचित्॥३१
Just as masses of clouds are torn into pieces by the vehemence of the wind, so the army belonging to the son of Pritha was shattered at many places.
मुहूर्तमिव तद् युद्धमासीन्मधुरदर्शनम्। तत उन्मत्तवद् राजन् निर्मर्यादमवर्तत॥
For a short while only, O monarch, that engagement was agreeable to look at; after which it became like the battle of demented persons in which no consideration was made in favour of any one.
नैव स्वे न परे राजन्नज्ञायन्त परस्परम्। अनुमानेन संज्ञाभिर्युद्धं तत्
The combatants were no longer able to distinguish between their own men and their enemies; and the battle raged, the warr.ors being guided by conjecture and watch-words.
चूडामणिषु निष्केषु भूषणेष्वपि वर्मसु। तेषामादित्यवर्णाभा रश्मयः प्रचकाशिरे॥
On the gems embosscd on their head-gears, on their necklaces ornaments and armours, rays of light, like the rays of the sun, were seen to be reflected.
तत्प्रकीर्णपताकानां रथवारणवाजिनाम्। बलाकाशबलाभ्राभं ददृशे रूपमाहवे॥
Then in that battle, the car, the elephants and the horses, adorned with fluttering pennons looked like masses of cloud having rows of cranes ranging beneath them.
नरानेव नरा जघ्नुरुदग्राश्च हया हयान्। रथांश्च रथिनो जनुर्वारणा वरवारणान्॥ समवर्तत॥
Men slew men and mettled steeds slew other steeds and car-warriors slew car-warriors and mighty elephants slew other elephant.
समुच्छ्रितपताकानां गजानां परमद्विपैः। क्षणेन तुमुलो घोरः संग्रामः समपद्यत॥
And in a moment a dreadful battle raged between elephants bearing raised standards and their powerful rivals rushing at them.
तेषां संसक्तगात्राणां कर्षतामितरेतरम्। दन्तसंघातसंघर्षात् सधूमोऽग्निरजायत॥
And in consequence of those prodigious creatures rushing against one another and tearing another with their tusks, fire and smoke were engendered there by such friction of bodies and clashing of tusks.
विप्रकीर्णपताकास्ते विषाणजनिताग्नयः। बभूवुः खं समासाद्य सविद्युत इवाम्बुदाः॥
Deprived of the flag-staffs on their backs, those elephants, owing to the fire enkindled by the friction of their tusks, appeared like masses of clouds charged with lighting covering the skies.
विक्षिपद्भिर्नदद्धिश्च निपतद्भिश्च वारणैः। सम्बभूव मही कीर्णा मेघैद्यौरिव शारदी॥
The earth, over-spread with dragging (their rivals) and falling and roaring elephants, appeared like the autumnal clouds.
तेषामाहन्यमानानां बाणतोमरऋष्टिभिः। वारणानां रवो जज्ञे मेघानामिव सम्लवे॥
There arose a roar, emitted by those elephants when they were being slaughtered by showers of shafts and spears, that resembled the rumbling of clouds during a cyclone.
तोमराभिहताः केचिद् बाणैश्च परमद्विपाः। वित्रेसुः सर्वनागानां शब्दमेवापरेऽव्रजन्॥
Some of those huge elephants being struck with arrows and some with lances, were inspired with panic and others began to roar aloud.
विषाणाभिहताश्चापि केचित् तत्र गजा गजैः। चारार्तस्वनं घोरमुत्पातजलदा इव॥
Some elephants being struck by others with their tusks gave out fierce roars of distress that resembled the rumbling of all-destructive clouds (at the end of a Yuga).
प्रतीपाः क्रियमाणाश्च वारणा वरवारणैः। उन्मथ्य पुनराजग्मुः प्रेरिताः परमाङ्कुशैः॥
Some elephants turned back by powerful rivals, being urged on by the strokes of the hooks, again returned to the charge, crushing the hostile ranks (in their march).
महामात्रैर्महामात्रास्ताडिताः शरतोमरैः। गजेभ्यः पृथिवीं जर्मुमुक्तप्रहरणाङ्कुशाः॥
Elephant-drivers assaulted other elephantdrivers with shafts and lances; and they fell down on the ground from their respective elephants and lost hold of their weapons and hooks.
निर्मनुष्याश्च मातङ्गा विनदन्तस्ततस्ततः। छिन्नाभ्राणीव सम्पेतुः सम्प्रविश्य परस्परम्॥
Many elephants, deprived of the riders on their backs, coursed wildly hither and thither resembling clouds torn from prodigious masses and they fell down, encountering one another.
हतान् परिवहन्तश्च पतितान् पतितायुधान्। दिशो जग्मुर्महानागाः केचिदेकचरा इव॥
Bearing on their backs slains and fallen warriors or those whose weapons had fallen off their grasps, huge elephant roamed in all direction as if deprived of their mates.
ताडितास्ताड्यमानाश्च तोमरट्रिपरश्वधैः। पेतुरार्तस्वनं कृत्वा तदा विशसने गजा॥
Then in that carnage, elephants fell down uttering distressful roars, being pierced or in the act of being pierced with lances, swords and battle axes.
तेषां शैलोपमैः कायैर्निपतद्भिः समन्ततः। आहता सहसा भूमिश्चकम्पे च ननाद च॥
Struck with the falling carcasses of elephants huge like large mountains, the earth suddenly quaked and emitted loud sound.
सादितैः सगजारोहैः सपताकैः समन्ततः। मातङ्गैः शुशुभे भूमिर्विकीर्णैरिव पर्वतैः ॥
The ground, strewn with mangled elephants and their drivers and with broken standards appeared as if it were covered over with hills.
गजस्थाश्च महामात्रा निर्मित्रहृदया रणे। रथिभिः पातिता भल्लैर्विकीर्णाङ्कुशतोमराः॥
In that battle elephant-drivers riding on their respective beasts and their beasts torn with broad-headed shafts by car-warriors of might, fell scattering their lances and hooks on all sides.
क्रौञ्चवद् विनदन्तोऽन्ये नाराचाभिहता गजाः। परान् स्वांश्चापि मृद्गन्तः परिपेतुर्दिशो दश॥
Other elephants, smitten with long-shafts, gave forth crane-like cries and ran on all sides, crushing friends and foes alike.
गजाश्वरथयोधानां शरीरौघसमावृता। बभूव पृथिवी राजन् मांसशोणितकर्दमा॥
Strewn with carcasses and corpses of elephants, horses, car-warriors and heroes, the field, O monarch, became miry with flesh and blood. Huge cars with wheels and without wheels ard having their riders on, were thrown up by elephants, being smashed with the point of their tusks.
प्रमथ्य च विषाणाप्रैः समुत्क्षिप्ताश्च वारणैः। सचक्राश्च विचक्राश्च रथैरेव महारथाः॥
A number of elephants threw the chariots of huge size either with or without wheels with charioteers and warriors rode on them by lifting upon the tusk and tossed through the trunk. All those were thus, splitted into pieces.
रथाश्च रथिभित्ना निर्मनुष्याश्च वाजिनः। हतारोहाच मातङ्ग दिशो जग्मुर्भयातुराः॥
Cars without riders, steeds deprived of their riders and elephants having their drivers slain, ran in all directions being over-whelmed with panic.
जघानात्र पिता पुत्रं पुत्रश्च पितरं तथा। इत्यासीत् तुमुलं युद्धं न प्राज्ञायत किंचन॥
In that battle, father slew his son and son slew his father, thus raged the fierce fight in which nothing could be distinguished. a
आगुल्फेभ्योऽवसीदन्ते नरा लोहितकर्दमैः। दीप्यमानैः परिक्षिप्ता दावैरिव महाद्रुमाः॥
In that gory mire men sank ankle-deep; and they looked like mighty trees the lower portion of which were enveloped in forest conflagration
शोणितैः सिच्यमानानि वस्त्राणि कवचानि च। छत्राणि च पताकाच सर्वं रक्तमदृश्यत॥
Their garments and coats of mail and umbrellas and standards being steeped in blood, everything in that battle appeared to be crimson.
हयौघाश्च रथौघाश्च नरौघाश्च निपातिताः। संक्षुण्णाः पुनरावृत्य बहुधा रथनेमिभिः॥
Large bodies of fallen steeds and carwarriors and men were again hacked into pieces by rolling car-wheels.
सगजौघमहावेगः परासुनरशैवलः। रथौघतुमुलावर्तः प्रबभौ सैन्यसागरः॥
That sea of troops appeared vested with a terrible beauty, having elephants for its strong currents, slain warriors for its (floating) moss and (shattered) cars for its fearful eddies.
तं वाहनमाहानौभिर्योधा जयधनैषिणः। अवगाह्याथ मज्जन्तो नैव मोहं प्रचक्रिरे॥
Warriors desirous of the wealth of victory launching into that sea on board the vessels consisting of their respective vehicles, produced stupefaction in their enemies instead of themselves sinking down to the bottom.
शरवर्षाभिवृष्टेषु योधेष्वञ्चितलक्ष्मसु। न तेष्वचित्ततां लेभे कश्चिदाहतलक्षणः॥
When all the warriors having proper individual devices (of heraldry) where covered over with showers of arrows, none among them lost heart, though every body was deprived of his particular badge.
वर्तमाने तथा युद्धे घोररूपे भयंकरे। मोहयित्वा परान् द्रोणो युधिष्ठिरमुपाद्रवत्॥
When that fierce and panic inspiring battle was thus raging, Drona confounding the senses of his enemies, at last rushed at Yudhishthira.