वैशम्पायन उवाच निर्याय नगराच्छूरा व्यूढानीकाः प्रहारिणः। त्रिगर्तानस्पृशन् मत्स्याः सूर्ये परिणते सति॥
Vaishampayana said Issuing out from the city, those heroic repressors, the Matsya's, arranged in battle array, met the Trigartas when the sun had passed the meridian.
ते त्रिगर्ताश्च मत्स्याश्च संरब्धा युद्धदुर्मदाः। अन्योन्यमभिगर्जन्तो गोषु गृद्धा महाबलाः॥
The mighty and powerful Trigartas and Matsya's, both worked up with ire and irrepressible in battle, desirous of possessing kine, sent up a loud war-cry.
भीमाश्च मत्तमातङ्गास्तोमराङ्कुशनोदिताः। ग्रामणीयैः समारूढाः कुशलैर्हस्तिसादिभिः॥
Terrible and infuriated elephants, mounted by skillful heroes of both sides, were urged on with spikes and hooks.
तेषां समागमो घोरस्तुमुलो लोहमर्षणः। घ्नतां परस्परं राजन् यमराष्ट्रविवर्धनः॥ देवासुरसमो राजन्नासीत् सूर्येऽवलम्बति। पदातिरथनागेन्द्रहयारोहबलौघवान्॥
The combat that took place, O king, when the sun was declining, between the infantry and cavalry, chariots and elephants of both sides, resembling that which took place in the days of yore between the gods and demons, was dreadful, fierce, hair-stirring and calculated to increase the dominion of Yama.
अन्योन्यमभ्यापततां निघ्नतां चेतरेतरम्। उदतिष्ठद् रजो भौम प्राज्ञायत किंचन॥
As the combatants rushed on slaying each other there arose a thick cloud of dust in which nothing could be seen.
पक्षिणश्चापतन् भूमौ सैन्येन रजसाऽऽवृताः। इषुभिर्व्यतिसर्पद्भिरादित्योऽन्तरधीयत॥
Covered with dust raised by the soldiers the birds began to drop down on earth and the sun himself disappeared behind the thick cloud of arrows.
खद्योतैरिव संयुक्तमन्तरिक्षं व्यराजत। रुक्मपृष्ठानि चापानि व्यतिषिक्तानि धन्विनाम्॥ पततां लोकवीराणां सव्यदक्षिणमस्यताम्। रथा रथैः समाजग्मुः पादातैश्च पदातयः॥
The sky shone resplendent as if with (a number of) fire-flies. Changing their bows feathered in gold from one hand to another, the heroes began to smite each other discharging their shafts right and left. The charioteers fought with charioteers, the infantry fought with infantry.
सादिनः सादिभिश्चैव गजैश्चापि महागजाः। असिभिः पदृिशैः प्रासैः शक्तिभिस्तोमरैरपि॥
The cavalry with cavalry and elephants with mighty elephants. With sword axes, Prasas, Shaktis, and Tomaras,
संरब्धाः समरे राजन् निजघ्नुरितरेतरम्। निघ्नन्तः समरेऽन्योन्यं शूराः परिघबाहवः॥
They, enraged, O king, struck each other in the encounter. Although these mighty armed heroes struck each other,
न शेकुरभिसंरब्धाः शूरान् कर्तुं पराङ्मुखान्। कृत्तोत्तरोष्ठं सुनसं कृत्तकेशमलंकृतम्॥ अदृश्यत शिरश्छिन्नं रजोध्वस्तं सकुण्डलम्। अदृश्यंस्तत्र गात्राणि शरैश्छिन्नानि भागशः॥ शालस्कन्धनिकाशानि क्षत्रियाणां महामृधे। नागभोगनिकाशैश्च बाहुभिश्चन्दनोक्षितैः॥ आस्तीर्णा वसुधा भाति शिरोभिश्च सकुण्डलैः। रथिनां रथिभिश्चात्र सम्प्रहारोऽभ्यवर्तत॥
None of them succeeded in weakening the other. And severed heads, some with beautiful noses, some with upper lips wounded, some adorned with ear-rings, some cut into twain about the well-arranged hair, were seen rolling in the field covered with dust. And in that battle field were seen the limbs of Kshatriya heroes cut off by shafts and lying like trunks of Sala trees. And spread over with heads adorned with car-rings and arms smeared with sandal looking like the bodies of snakes the battlefield appeared in beauty. The charioteers approached the charioteers striking each other.
सादिभिः सादिनां चापि पदातीनां पदातिभिः। उपाशाम्यद् रजो भौमं रुधिरेण प्रसर्पता॥
The cavalry (encountered) the cavalry and the infantry the infantry and the dreadful dust was drenched by the over-spreading blood.
कश्मलं चाविशद् घोरं निर्मर्यादमवर्तत। उपाविशन् गरुत्मन्तः शरैर्गाढं प्रवेजिताः। अन्तरिक्षे गतिर्येषां दर्शनं चाप्यरुध्यत॥ ते जन्तः समरेऽन्योन्यं शूराः परिघबाहवः। न शेकुरभिसंरब्धाः शूरान् कर्तुं पराङ्मुखान्॥ शतानीकः शतं हत्वा विशालक्षश्चतुःशतम्। प्रविष्टौ महतीं सेनां त्रिगर्तानां महारथौ॥
There arose a dreadful combat shorn of all considerations. And having their course and vision obstructed by the shower of arrows the vultures began to come down. Although these mighty-armed heroes struck cach other in the battle none of them could overpower his antagonist. Shatanika slaying a hundred, and Vishalaksha a four hundred,
तौ प्रविष्टौ महासेनां बलवन्तौ मनस्विनौ। आर्छतां बहुसंरब्धौ केशाकेशि रथारथिः॥
These two mighty car-warriors entered into the huge army of Trigartas. And having entered into the great army those two intelligent and powerful.
लक्षयित्वा त्रिगर्तानां तौ प्रविष्टौ रथव्रजम्। अग्रतः सूर्यदत्तश्च मदिराक्षश्च पृष्ठतः॥
(Heroes) (began an encounter) hand-tohand, hair to hair and car to car. And marking they entered into the collection of cars belonging to the Trigartas.
विराटस्तत्र संग्रामे हत्वा पञ्चशतान् रथान्। हयानां च शतान्यष्टौ हत्वा पञ्च महारथान्॥
Destroying five hundred cars in that encounter with Suryadatta before and Madiraksha after him,
चरन् स विविधान् मार्गान् रथेन रथसत्तमः। त्रिगर्तानां सुशर्माणमार्च्छद् रुक्मरथं रणे॥
And slaying eight hundred horses, five mighty car-warriors, that foremost of charioteers began to display many manuvaeres in that field of battle.
तौ व्यवाहरतां तत्र महात्मानौ महाबलौ। अन्योन्यमभिगर्जन्तौ गोष्ठेषु वृषभाविव॥
He then came upon Susharma, the king of Trigartas mounted on a golden chariot; there those two high-souled and highly powerful (heroes) struck (each other)
ततो राजा त्रिगर्तानां सुशर्मा युद्धदुर्मदः। मत्स्य समायाद् राजानं द्वैरथेन नरर्षभः॥
Roaring like two bulls in a pasture. Thereupon the king of Trigartas, Susharman, irrepressible in battle,
ततो स्थाभ्यां रथिनौ व्यतीयतुरमर्षणौ। शरान् व्यसृजतां शीघ्रं तोयधारा घना इव॥
That foremost of men invited the king of Matsya to a single combat on the chariot. Thereupon those two car-warriors, worked up with fury, rushed upon each other in their cars.
अन्योन्यं चापि संरब्धौ विचेस्तुरमर्षणौ। कृतास्त्रौ निशितैर्बाणैरसिशक्तिगदाभृतौ॥
They discharged arrows quickly like clouds pouring torrents of rain. Enraged with each other the (two) wrathful (heroes) moved about,
ततो राजा सुशर्माणं विव्याध दशभिः शरैः। पञ्चभिः पञ्चभिश्चास्य विव्याध चतुरो हयान्॥
Skilled in weapons, and armed with sharpened arrows, swords, shaktis and maces. Then the king pierced Susharman with ten arrows,
तथैव मत्स्यराजानं सुशर्मा युद्धदुर्मदः। पञ्चाशता शितैर्बाणैर्विव्याध परमास्त्रवित्॥ ततः सैन्यं महाराज मत्स्यराजसुशर्मणोः। नाभ्यजानात् तदान्योन्यं सैन्येन रजसाऽऽवृतम्॥३
Each of his four horses also with five arrows. Susharma too, irrepressible in battle and acquainted with the use of fatal weapons, pierced, the king of Matsya with fifty sharpened arrows. Then, Ogreat king, on account of the dust in the field of battle, the soldiers of both Susharma and the king of Matsya could not recognise each other.