धृतराष्ट्र उवाच दृष्ट्वा मे निहतान् पुत्रान् बहूनेकेन संजय। भीष्मो द्रोणः कृपश्चैव किमकुर्वत संयुगे।।।
Dhritarashtra said Seeing my sons, so many in number, slain by one, what, O Sanjaya, did, Bhishma, Drona, and Kripa do?
अहन्यहनि मे पुत्राः क्षयं गच्छन्ति संजय। मन्येऽहं सर्वथा सूत दैवेनोपहता भृशम्॥
Day by day, O Sanjaya, my sons are being destroyed. Indeed 0 Suta, I consider them to be completely struck down by (Evil) Destiny. are
यत्र मे तनया: जीयन्ते न जयनत्युत। यत्र भीष्मस्य द्रोणस्य कृपस्य च महात्मनः॥ सौमदत्तेश्च वीरस्य भगदत्तस्य चोभयोः। अश्वत्थाम्नस्तथा तात शूराणामनिवर्तिनाम्॥ अन्येषां चैव शूराणां मध्यगास्तनया मम। यदहन्यन्त संग्रामे किमन्यद् भागधेयतः॥
In as much as, my sons are never victorious and are ever vanquished in battle, in as much as my sons remaining amidst, Drona, Bhishma, the illustrious Kripa, and the heroic son of Somadatta, and Bhagadatta, and O son, Ashvathama, and many other heroic and valiant warriors of high-soul, still slaughtered in battle, what can it be but (adverse) Fate?
न हि दुर्योधनो मन्दः पुरा प्रोक्तमबुध्यत। वार्यमाणो मया तात भीष्मेण विदुरेण च॥
The wicked Duryodhana did not listen to our advise before. Forbidden, O son by myself, by Bhishma, by Vidura,
गान्धार्या चैव दुर्मेधाः सततं हितकाम्यया। नाबुध्यत पुरा मोहात् तस्य प्राप्तमिदं फलम्॥
By his mother Gandhari ever anxious to compass his good, that perverse Duryodhana did not comprehend our words before through his folly. Now he reaps the fruits of his own actions,
यद् भीमसेनः समरे पुत्रान् मम विचेतसः। अहन्यहनि संक्रुद्धो नयते यमसादनम्॥
In as much as, day by day, waxing worth in battle, Bhimasena is dispatching my sons to the abode of death.
संजय उवाच इदं तत् समनुप्राप्तं क्षत्तुर्वचनमुत्तमम्। न बुद्धवानसि विभो प्रोच्यमानं हितं तदा॥
Sanjaya said Those excellent words of Khattva have now been verified, which, O lord, uttered as they were for your good, you did not pay any heed to before.
निवारय सुतान् द्यूतात् पाण्डवान् मा दुहेति च। सुहृदां हितकामानां ब्रुवतां तत् तदेव च॥
'Withhold your sons from the dice, do not persecute the sons of Pandu', these words, spoken by your well-wishing friends,
न शुश्रूषसि तद् वाक्यं मर्त्यः पथ्यमिवौषधम्। तदेव त्वामनुप्राप्तं वचनं साधुभाषितम्॥
You did not listen to, like one on death-bed neglecting wholesome medicine. It is now that you relies those words spoken by the righteous.
विदुरद्रोणभीष्माणां तथान्येषां हितैषिणाम्। अकृत्वा वचनं पथ्यं क्षयं गच्छन्ति कौरवाः॥
Disregarding the salutary advice offered by well-wishing friends like Bhishma, Drona, Vidura and others, the descendants of the Kuru race are reaping destruction.
तदेतत् समनुप्राप्तं पूर्वमेव विशाम्पते। तस्मात् त्वं शृणु तत्त्वेन यथा युद्धमवर्तत॥
Now, O monarch, the inevitable consequence of all that has arrived. Listen now from me as to how the battle was fought.
मध्याह्ने सुमहारौद्रः संग्रामः समपद्यत। लोकक्षयकरो राजस्तन्मे निगदतः शृणु।॥
At mid-day, O king, the battle regard fiercely and the carnage that took place was exceedingly terrible. Hear me narrate it.
ततः सर्वाणि सैन्यानि धर्मपुत्रस्य शासनात्। संरब्धान्यभ्यवर्तन्त भीष्ममेव जिघांसया॥
Then at the command of the son of Dharma (Yudhishthira), all the troops of the Pandava host inflamed with rage, rushed against Bhishma, out of a desire for slaying him.
धृष्टद्युम्नः शिखण्डी च सात्यकिश्च महारथतः। युक्तानीका महाराज भीष्ममेव समभ्ययुः॥
Dhrishtadyumna, Shikhandin and the mighty car-warriors Satyaki, uniting together their divisions, rushed, O mighty monarch, against Bhishma.
विराटो द्रुपदश्चैव सहिताः सर्वसोमकैः। अभ्यद्रवन्त संग्रामे भीष्ममेव महारथम्॥
Then the mighty car-warriors Virata and Drupada accompanied by all the Somakas rushed even against Bhishma himself.
केकया धृष्टकेतुश्च कुन्तिभोजश्च दंशितः। युक्तानीका महाराज भीष्ममेव समभ्ययुः॥
The Kaikeyas, and Dhrishtaketu, and Kuntibhoja, clad in mail and supported by their armies, rushed, O monarch, against Bhishma himself.
अर्जुनो द्रौपदेयाश्च चेकितानश्च वीर्यवान्। दुर्योधनसमादिष्टान् राज्ञः सर्वान् समभ्ययुः॥
Arjuna, the son of Draupadi, and the highly powerful Chekitana, rushed against the kings commanded by Duryodhana himself.
अभिमन्युस्तथा शूरो हैडिम्बश्च महारथः। भीमसेनश्च संक्रुद्धस्तेऽभ्यधावन्त कौरवान्॥
Thereafter, the valiant Abhimanyu, that mighty car-warrior, the son of Hidimba, and Bhimasena himself, all wrought up with wrath, assaulted the Kauravas.
त्रिधाभूतैरवध्यन्त पाण्डवैः कौरवा युधि। तथैव कौरवै राजन्नवध्यन्त परे रणे॥
Thus were the Kauravas slain in battle by the Pandavas divided in two divisions, so also, O monarch, the Pandavas were slaughtered by the Kauravas in that fight.
द्रोणस्तु रथिनः श्रेष्ठान् सोमकान् संजयैः सह। अभ्यधावत संक्रुद्धः प्रेषयिष्यन् यमक्षयम्॥
Then that foremost of car-warriors namely Drona, excited with rage, rushed against the 'Somakas and the Srinjayas, dispatching them to the mansion of death.
तत्राक्रन्दो महानासीत् सुंजयानां महात्मनाम्। वध्यतां समरे राजन् भारद्वाजेन धन्विना॥
Then the high-souled Srinjaya, set up a loud and distressful cry when, o king they were thus being slaughtered in battle by that great bowman the son of Bharadvaja.
द्रोणेन निहतास्तत्र क्षत्रिया बहवो रणे। विचेष्टन्तो ह्यदृश्यन्त व्याधिक्लिष्टा नरा इव॥
Innumerable Kshatriya warriors, smitten by Drona were seen to conclusive like persons suffering from agonising ailments.
कूजतां क्रन्दतां चैव रस्तनतां चैव भारत। अनिशं शुश्रुवै शब्दः क्षुत्क्लिष्टानां नृणामिव॥
They gleaned and moaned and cries and uttered cries of agony in consequence of which a confused noise was heard, resembling that produced by men struck with famine.
तथैव कौरवेयाणां भीमसेनो महाबलः। चकार कदनं घोरं क्रुद्धः काल इवापरः॥
On the other hand, the highly puissant Bhimasena, waxing worth, caused a dreadful carnage among the Kaurava ranks like another god of Death himself.
वध्यतां तत्र सैन्यानामन्योन्येन महारणे। प्रावर्तत नदी घोरा रुधिरौघप्रवाहिनी॥
In that fierce fight, as the troops slew one another, a terrible river started up into existence on the field of battle, of which the waves and currents were formed of blood.
स संग्रामो महाराज घोररूपोऽभवन्महान्। कुरूणां पाण्डवानां च यमराष्ट्रविवर्धनः॥
That great battle, O mighty monarch, between the Kurus and the Pandavas, was indeed very dreadful in its aspect; and it considerably swelled the population of Death's domain.
ततो भीमो रणे क्रुद्धो रभसश्च विशेषतः। गजानीकं समासाद्य प्रेषयामास मृत्यवे॥
Thereafter Bhima inflamed with rage, fell with impetuosity upon the elephant-division of the Kurus, and many were the beasts that he sent to the regions of Death.
तत्र भारत भीमेन नाराजाभिहता गजाः। पेतुर्नेदुश्च सेदुश्च दिसश्च परिबभ्रमुः॥
There, in that battle, O Bharata, many were the elephants that pierced with Nacharas by Bhima, fell and were confounded and shrieked and careered in all directions.
छिन्नहस्ता महानागाश्छिन्नगात्राश्च मारिष। क्रौञ्चवद् व्यनदन् भीताः पृथिवीमधिशेरते॥
Huge elephants, with their trucks cut off, and their bodies mangled, fell down on the earth, O sire, screaming like cranes.
नकुलः सहदेवश्च हयानीकमभिद्रुतौ। ते हयाः काञ्चनापीडा रुक्मभाण्डपरिच्छदाः॥
Nakula and Sahadeva, both together, charged the cavalry-division. Those horses decked with golden chains and caparisons of the same metal.
वध्यमाना व्यदृश्यन्त शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः। पतिद्भिस्तुरगै राजन् समास्तीर्यत मेदिनी॥
Were scen to be slain by hundreds and by thousands; and O monarch, the earth was strewn over with falling horses.
निर्जिकैश्च श्वसद्धिश्च कूजद्भिश्च गतासुभिः। हयैर्बभौ नरश्रेष्ठ नानारूपधरैर्धरा॥
The earth looked awful, O foremost of men, being covered over with horses of diverse appearance, some of which, again were breathing hard, some meaning and some deprived of their lives.
अर्जुनेन हतैः संख्ये तथा भारत राजभिः। प्रबभौ वसुधा घोरा तत्र तत्र विशाम्पते॥
The earth also, O Bharata, appeared lawfully beautiful being over strewn with kings slain by Arjuna in the encounter.
स्थैर्भग्नैर्ध्वजैश्छिन्नैनिकृत्तैश्च महायुधैः। चामरैर्व्यजनैश्चैव छत्रैश्च सुमहाप्रभैः॥
With shattered chariots, and torn flags and umbrellas of great effulgence, with rent Chamaras and fans, and with mighty weapons splintered into pierces,
हारैर्निष्कैः सकेयूरैः शिरोभिश्च सकुण्डलैः। उष्णीषैरपविद्धैश्च पताकाभिश्च सर्वशः॥
With garlands and necklaces of gold, with heads graced with ear-rings, with bracelets, with head-gears fallen off from the heads, and with streamers,
अनुकषैः शुभै राजन् योक्त्रैश्चैव सरश्मिभिः। संकीर्णा वसुधा भाति वसन्ते कुसुमैरिव॥
With well-made car-bottoms, and O king, with reins and riggings-covered with all these things, the earth appeared as beautiful as she appears during the spring being strewn over with blossoms.
एवमेष क्षयो वृत्तः पाण्डूनामपि भारत। क्रुद्ध शान्तनवे भीष्मे द्रोणे च रथसत्तमे॥
Such also was the carnage caused in the Pandava host, О Bharata, when the son of Shantanu, and Drona that foremost of carwarriors were enraged;
अश्वत्थाम्नि कृपे चैव तथैव कृतवर्मणि। तथेतरेषु क्रुद्धेषु तावकानामपि क्षयः॥
As also when Ashvathama, and Kripa and Kritavarma (were wrought up with rage). So also your troops under went destruction when the other side was inflamed with wrath.