धृतराष्ट्र उवाच तथा व्यूढेष्वनीकेषु संसक्तेषु च संजय। संशप्तकान् कथं पार्थो गतः कर्णश्च पाण्डवान्॥
Dhritarashtra said While armies thus encountered each other, did Partha, O Sanjaya, assail the Samsaptakas and Karna the Pandavas.
एतद् विस्तरशो युद्धं प्रब्रूहि कुशलो ह्यासि। न हि तृप्यामि वीराणां शृण्वानो विक्रमान् रणे॥
Skilled in narration as you are, recount at length the incidents of the battle to me. I am never satiated with listening to the accounts of the prowess of heroes.
संजय उवाच तदास्थितमवज्ञाय प्रत्यमित्रबलं महत्। अव्यूहतार्जुनो व्यूहं पुत्रस्य तव दुर्नये॥
Sanjaya said Disregarding the huge hostile array arranged in that way Arjuna rayed his force in proper form on account of the evil policy of your son.
तत् सादिनागकलिलं पदातिरथसंकुलम्। धृष्टद्युम्नमुखं व्यूहमशोभत महद् बलम्॥
The huge army of the Pandavas, abounding in infantry, cavalry, elephants and cars and led by Dhristadyumna, looked magnificent.
पारावतसवर्णाश्वश्चन्द्रादित्यसमद्युतिः। पार्षतः प्रबभौ धन्वी कालो विग्रहवानिव॥
With his horses white as the pigeons and endued with the effulgence of the sun or the moon the son of Prishata, with bow in hand, shone like Death himself in body.
पार्षतं जुगुपुः सर्वे द्रौपदेया युयुत्सवः। दिव्यवर्मायुधधराः शार्दूलसमविक्रमाः॥ सानुगा दीप्तवपुषश्चन्द्रं तारागणा इव।
The sons of Draupadi desirous of fighting stood by the side of the son of Prishata. They had celestial coats of mail and weapons and were powerful like tigers. They followed him like stars following the moon.
अथ व्यूढेष्वनीकेषु प्रेक्ष्य संशप्तकान् रणे॥ क्रुद्धोऽर्जुनोऽभिदुद्राव व्याक्षिपन् गाण्डिवं धनुः।
Beholding he Samsaptakas in battle array, Arjuna, worked up with anger, rushed against them, drawing his Gandiva bow.
अथ संशप्तकाः पार्थमभ्यधावन् वधैषिणः॥ विजये धृतसंकल्पा मृत्युं कृत्वा निवर्तनम्।
With a view to kill Arjuna the Samsaptakas bent upon acquiring victory, advanced against him, making death their end.
तन्नराश्वौधबहुलं मत्तनागरथाकुलम्॥ पत्तिमच्छूरवीरौधं दुतमर्जुनमार्दयत्।
Those brave warriors with men, horses, infuriate elephants and cars began quickly to assail Arjuna.
स सम्प्रहारस्तुमुलस्तेषामासीत् किरीटिना॥ तस्यैव नः श्रुतो यादृनिवातकवचैः सह।
Furious was their encounter with Kiritin. It resembled that between Arjuna and Nivata Kavachas, as we have heard.
रथानश्वान् ध्वजान नागान् पतीन् रणगतानपि॥ इघून धनूंषि खड्गाश्च चक्राणि च परश्वधान्। सायुधानुद्यतान् बाहून् विविधान्यायुधानि च॥ चिच्छेद द्विषतां पार्थः शिरांसि च सहस्रशः।
Thousands and thousands of cars, horses, flags, elephants, foot-soldiers engaged in fighting, arrows, bows, swords, discus, battle axes, uplifted arms holding weapons and heads of enemies were cut by Partha.
तस्मिन् सैन्यमहावर्ते पातालतलसंनिभे॥ निमग्न त रथं मत्वा नेदुः संशप्तकास्नथा।
Considering his car drowned into that whirlpool of warriors resembling the bed of the was nether region the Samsaptakas sent up loud war-cries.
स पुनस्तानरीन् हत्वा पुनरुत्तरतोऽत्वधीत्॥ दक्षिणेन च पश्चाच क्रुद्धो रुद्रः पशूनिव।
Slaying all his enemies in front Partha killed those that stood at a distance, then those that were on his right and back like Rudra himself killing in anger the entire animate creation.
अथ पञ्चालचेदीनां संजयानां च मारिष॥ त्वदीयैः सह संग्राम आसीत् परमदारुणः!
And exceedingly dreadful the encounter of your army with the Panchalas, Chedis and Srinjayas.
कृपश्च कृतवर्मा च शकुनिश्चापि सौबलः॥ हृष्टसेनाः सुसंरब्धा रथानीकप्रहारिणः। कोसलैः काश्यमत्स्यैश्च कारुषैः केकयैरपि॥ शूरसेनैः शूरवरैर्युयुधुर्युद्धदुर्मदाः।
Kripa, Kritavarma, Shakuni, the son of Subala, with cheerful soldiers, all greatly worked up with anger and capable of striking the car-warriors fought with Kosalas, the Kachis, Matsyas, Karushas, Kekayas and Surasenas all of whom were highly terrible in battle.
तेषामन्तकरं युद्धं देहपाप्मासुनाशनम्॥ क्षत्रविट्शूद्रवीराणां धर्म्य स्वर्ग्य यशस्करम्।
That great battle, destructive of life, body and sins, brought on fame, virtue and heaven for all the Kshatriya, Vaishyas and Sudra heroes that engaged in it.
दुर्योधनऽथ सहितो भ्रातृर्भिरतर्षभ॥ गुप्तः कुरुप्रवीरैश्च मद्राणां च महारथैः। पाण्डवैः सह पञ्चालैश्चैदिभिः सात्यकेन च॥ युध्यमानं रणे कुरुवीरो भ्यपालत्।
O best of Bharatas, meanwhile, the king Duryodhana, with all his brothers and Kuru heroes and many powerful Madraka carwarriors, protected Karna while he fought with the Pandavas, the Panchalas, the Chedis and Satyaki.
कर्णोऽपि निशितैर्बाणैर्विनिहत्य महाचमूम्॥ प्रमृद्य च रथश्रेष्ठान् युधिष्ठिरमपीडयत्।
Destroying that huge army with his sharpened arrows and assailing many leading car-warriors Karna afflicted Yudhishthira.
विवस्त्रायुधदेहासून कृत्वा शत्रून् सहस्रशः॥ युक्त्वा स्वर्गयशोभ्यां च स्वेभ्यो मुदमुदावहत्।
Sundering the armour, weapons and bodies of thousands of his enemies, killing them by thousands and sending them to heaven to earn fame Karna gave great delight to his friends.
एवं मारिष संग्रामो नरवाजिगजक्षयः। कुरूणां सृञ्जयानां च देवासुरसमोऽभवत्॥
Thus, O father, the battle, putting the Kurus and Srinjayas resembled that between the gods and demons in the days of yore.