संजय उवाच दृष्ट्वा तु संनिवृत्तांस्तान् संशप्तकगणान् पुनः। वासुदेवं महात्मानमर्जुनः समभाषत॥
Sanjaya said Beholding the host of the Samsaptakas one more return to battle, Arjuna thus addressed the high-souled son of Vasudeva.
चोदयाश्वान् हृषीकेश संशप्तकगणान् प्रति। नैतै हास्यन्ति संग्रामं जीवन्त इति मे मतिः॥
'O Hrishikesha urge my steeds against this host of the Samshaptakas. I think they will not give up the battle so long life will be extant in them.
पश्यमेऽस्त्रबलं घोरं बाहोरिष्वसनस्य च। अद्यैतान् पातयिष्यामि क्रुद्धो रुद्रः पशूनिव॥
Behold, today, the terrible prowess of my two arms as also that of my bow. This day I will slay them, like Rudra slaying creatures (at the time of the universal annihilation).'
ततः कृष्णः स्मितं कृत्वा प्रतिनन्द्य शिवेन तम्। प्रावेशयत दुर्धर्षो यत्र यत्रैच्छदर्जुनः॥
Thereupon Krishna smiling and greeting the invincible Arjuna with auspicious words, pushed in the chariot where-so-ever the latter desired it to go.
स रथो भ्राजतेऽत्यर्थमुह्यमानो रणे तदा। उह्यमानमिवाकाशे विमानं पाण्डुरैर्हयैः॥
That chariot, borne in that battle by white steeds, appeared excessively effulgent, like a celestial car borne through the firmament.
मण्डलानि ततश्चक्रे गतप्रत्यागतानि च। यथा शक्ररथो राजन् युद्धे देवासुरे पुरा॥
O monarch, like the chariot of Shakra in the battle between the gods and the Asuras in the days of yore, that car moved in circular, backward and forward motions.
अथ नारायणाः कुद्धा विविधायुधपाणयः। क्षादयन्तः शरव्रातैः परिववर्धनंजयम्॥
Then the Narayana soldiers inflamed with rage and holding various weapons in their hands, encompassing Dhananjaya, covered him with showers of arrows.
अदृश्यं च मुहूर्तेन चकुस्ते भरतर्षभ। कृष्णेन सहितं युद्धे कुन्तीपुत्रं धनंजयम्॥
O foremost of the Bharata, in a moment they, in that battle, made the son of Kunti namely Dhananjaya, together with Krishna, disappear from the sight.
क्रुद्धस्तु फाल्गुनः संख्ये द्विगुणीकृतविक्रमः। गाण्डीवं धनुरामृज्य तूर्णं जग्राह संयुगे॥
Wrought up with wrath, Phalguna, doubling his energy in that battle, rubbed his bow Gandiva and quickly grasped it.
बद्ध्वा च भ्रुकुटि वक्त्रे क्रोधस्य प्रतिलक्षणम्। देवदत्तं महाशङ्ख पूरयामास पाण्डवः॥
Causing a frown indicative of wrath to gather on his brow, the son of Pandu charged his mighty conch called Devadatta with his breath.
अथास्त्रमरिसंघघ्नं त्वाष्ट्रमभ्यस्यदर्जुनः। ततो रूपसहस्राणि प्रादुरासन् पृथक् पृथक्॥
Thereafter Arjuna discharged the weapon called Tashtra that is capable of slaying large divisions of the enemy. Thereupon thousands of separate forms (of Arjuna and Vasudeva) started into existence there.
आत्मनः प्रतिरूपैस्तैर्नानारूपैर्विमोहिताः। अन्योन्येनार्जुनं मत्वा स्वमात्मानं च जजिरे॥
Confounded by the various images of Arjuna's self, they fell to slay one another each considering the other to be Arjuna himself.
अयमर्जुनोऽयं गोविन्द इमौ पाण्डवयादवौ। इति ब्रुवाणाः सम्मूढा जघ्नुरन्योन्यमाहवे॥
'This is Arjuna, this is Govinda, these two are the son of Pandu and the descendant of Yadu', uttering these exclamations, and stupefied, they slow each other in that fight,
मोहिताः परमास्त्रेण क्षयं जग्मुः परस्परम्। अशोभन्त रणे योधाः पुष्पिता इव किंशुकाः॥
Confounded by virtue of that weapon, they courted destruction through one another's agency. In that battle those warriors shone like flowering Kinshuka trees.
ततः शरसहस्राणि तैर्विमुक्तानि भस्मसात्। कृत्वा तदस्त्रं तान् वीराननयद् यमसादनम्॥
Then that weapon. consuming the thousands of shafts discharged by the enemy, conveyed those heroes to the regions of Death.
अथ प्रहस्य बीभत्सुर्ललित्थान् मालवानपि। मावेल्लकास्त्रिगतश्चि यौधेयांश्चादयच्छरैः॥
Thereafter Vibhatsu, with a smile, crushed with his arrows the war-like Lalithyas, the Malavas, the Mavelakas and the Trigarttas.
ते हन्यमाना वीरेण क्षत्रियाः कालचोदिताः। व्यसृजञ्छरजालानि पार्थे नानाविधानि च॥
Those Kshatriyas, doomed by fate to die, being smitten by the heroic son of Pritha, discharged at him a net-work of diverse arrows.
न ध्वजो नार्जुनस्तत्र न रथो न च केशवः। प्रत्यदृश्यत घोरेण शरवर्षेण संवृतः॥
Thereupon, neither Arjuna, nor his car, nor Keshava was to be seen on the field, being covered over by that terrible arrowy showers.
ततस्ते लब्धलक्षत्वादन्योन्यमभिचुकुशुः। हतौ कृष्णाविति प्रीत्या वासांस्यादुधुवुस्तदा॥
Then finding their arrows strike the aim, they exclaimed to one another saying 'Krishna and Arjuna are both slain’; and out of delight they waived their garments in the air.
भेरीमृदङ्गशङ्खांश्च दध्मुर्वीराः सहस्रशः। सिंहनादरवांश्चोग्रांश्चक्रिरे तत्र मारिष॥
Then those heroes sounded, by thousands, drums and Mridangas and conchs; and, O sire, they also gave forth war-cries resembling the roars of lions.
ततः प्रसिष्विदे कृष्णः खिन्नश्चार्जुनमब्रवीत्। क्वासिपार्थन पश्येत्वां कच्चिज्जीवसिशत्रुहन्॥
Then Krishna greatly perspiring, addressed Arjuna covered with sweat, saying 'Where are you, O son of Pritha, I do not see you, do you live, O siayer of your foes.'
तस्य तद् भाषितं श्रुत्वा त्वरमाणो धनंजयः। वायव्यास्त्रेण तैरस्तां शरवृष्टिमपाहरत्॥
Hearing those words of his (Krishna's), Dhananjaya quickly dispelled that arrowy shower poured by the enemy, by means of the Vavabha weapon.
ततः संशप्तकवातान् साश्वद्विपरथायुधान्। उवाह भगवान् वायुः शुष्कपर्णचयानिव॥
Then the almighty Vayu blew away hosts of the Samshaptakas consisting of steeds elephants, chariots and weapons like heaps of dry leafs.
उह्यमानास्तु ते राजन् बह्वशोभन्त वायुना। प्रडीनाः पक्षिण: काले वृक्षेभ्य इव मारिष॥
Borne away by the god Vayu, they appeared highly beautiful like flights of birds, O sire, flying up from trees at the hour of dawn.
तांस्तथा व्याकुलीकृत्य त्वरमाणो धनंजयः। जघान निशितैर्बाणैः सहस्राणि शतानि च।॥
Thus causing great anxiety in them, Dhananjaya with great lightness of hands slew, with keen pointed shafts, hundreds and thousands of the enemy.
शिरांसि भल्लैरहरद् बाहूनपि च सायुधान्। हस्तिहस्तोपमांश्चोरूशरैरुक्मपातयत्॥
He struck their heads and arms hearing weapons, with broad-headed shafts; and with his arrows he cut down on the ground their thighs resembling the trunks of elephants.
पृष्ठच्छिन्नान् विचरणान् बाहुपार्वेक्षणाकुलान्। नानाडावयवैीनांश्चकारारीन् धनंजयः॥
Some had their backs lacerated, some were deprived of their legs, some were hit on the arms, backs and eyes; thus Dhananjaya made his enemies deprived of their various limbs.
गन्धर्वनगराकारान् विधिवत्कल्पितान् रथान्। शरैर्विशकलीकुर्वेश्चक्रे व्यश्वरथद्विपान्॥
Shattering into pieces with his arrows, chariots resembling a real castle and equipped according to rule, he deprived them of their steeds, warriors and elephants.
मुण्डतालवनानीव तत्र तत्र चकाशिरे। छिन्ना रथध्वजवाताः केचित्तत्र क्वचित् क्वचित्॥
At places several crowds of chariots, having their flag-staffs severed, looked like forests of palmyra trees deprived of their heads.
सोत्तरायुधिनो नागाः सपताकांकुशध्वजाः। पेतुः शक्राशनिहता दुमवन्त इवाचलाः॥
Elephants furnished with excellent weapons, banners, hooks and standards fell down like woody mountains rent asunder by the thunder-bolt of Indra.
चामरापीडकवचाः स्त्रस्तान्त्रनयनास्तथा। सारोहास्तुरगाः पेतुः पार्थवाणहताः क्षितौ॥
Smitten with the arrows of Partha, steeds, graced with tails like those of the yak, protected with coats of mail and with their entrails, eyes and vitals dragged out, rolled on the ground along with their riders.
विप्रविद्धासिनखराश्छिन्नवर्मटिशक्तयः। पत्तयश्छिन्नवर्माणः कृपणाः शेरते हताः॥
Dropping from their grasps the swords that had served the purposes of their nails, having their armours torn and the joints of their limbs smashed, foot soldiers, with their vital parts cut open, helplessly laid themselves down (on the field) being slain (by Partha).
तैर्हतैर्हन्यमानैश्च पतद्भिः पतितैरपि। भ्रमद्भिर्निष्टनद्भिश्च क्रूरमायोधनं बभौ॥
The field of battle assumed an awful aspect in consequence of those warriors slain or in course of being slaughtered fallen and falling, wheeling round or staying motionless.
रजश्च सुमहज्जातं शान्तं रुधिरवृष्टिभिः मही चाप्यभवद् दुर्गा कबन्धशतसंकुला॥
The cloud of dust that had arisen was now cleared away by means of the shower of blood. The ground became slipper and was strewn with numerous headless trunks.
तद बभौ रौद्रबीभत्सं बीभत्सोर्यानमाहवे। आक्रीडमिव रुद्रस्य घनतः कालात्यय पशून्॥
Then the chariot of Vibhastsu shone fierce and dreadful in that battle, like the chariot of Rudra himself when at the end of a Yuga he slays all creatures.
ते वध्यमानाः पार्थेन व्याकुलाश्च रथद्विपाः। तमेवाभिमुखाः क्षीणाः शक्रस्यातिथितां गताः॥
Thus being slaughtered by the son of Pritha, those warriors, with their steeds, cars and elephants in distress and their ranks thinned, rushed at him and thus were made the guests of Shakra (i.e. were transported to the regions of Indra).
सा भूमिर्भरतश्रेष्ठ निहतैस्तैर्महारथैः। आस्तीर्णा सम्बभौ सर्वा प्रेतीभूतैः समन्ततः॥
O foremost of the Bharatas, that field of battle then strewn with many a slain carwarrior of renown, shone like the region of Death swarming with the spirits of the departed.
एस्मिन्नन्तरे चैव प्रमत्ते सव्यसाचिनि। व्यूढानीकस्ततो द्रोणो युधिष्ठिरमुपाद्रवत्॥
During this period when Savyasachin was furiously engaged (with the Samshaptakas) Drona, at the head of his divisions formed in battle-array, charged Yudhishthira.
तं प्रत्यगृणंस्त्वरिता व्यूढानीका: प्रहारिणः। युधिष्ठिरं परीप्सन्तस्तदासीत् तुमुलं महत्॥
Many a warrior, arranged in order of battle and accomplished in striking quickly formed Drona's support, out of a desire for capturing Yudhishthira. There-upon a dreadful fight ensued.