वैशम्पायन उवाच इङ्गितेनैव दाशार्हस्तमभिप्रायमादितः। द्रौणेर्बुद्ध्वा महाबाहुरर्जुनं प्रत्यभाषत॥ अर्जुनार्जुन यदिव्यमस्त्रं ते हृदि वर्तते। द्रोणोपदिष्टं तस्यायं काल: सम्प्रति पाण्डव॥
Vaishampayana said "In the very beginning the powerful hero of Dasharha's, race understood from sings the intention of Drona's son. He said to Arjuna, O son of Pandu, the time is come for the use of that celestial weapon, the use of which was given to you by Drona.
भ्रातृणामात्मनश्चैव परित्राणाय भारत। विसृजैतत् त्वमप्याजावस्त्रमस्त्रनिवारणम्॥
For protecting yourself as also your brothers, O Bharata, discharge in this battle that weapon which is capable of counteracting all other weapons.
केशवेनैवमुक्तोऽथ पाण्डवः परवीरहा। अवातरद् रथात् तूर्णं प्रगृह्य सशरं धनुः॥
Thus addressed by Keshava, Arjuna that destroyer of hostile heroes, quickly got down from the car, taking with him his bow with arrow fixed on string.
पूर्वमाचार्यपुत्राय ततोऽनन्तरमात्मने। भ्रातृभ्यश्चैव सर्वेभ्य स्वस्तीत्युक्त्वा परंतपः॥ देवताभ्यो नमस्कृत्य गुरुभ्यश्चैव सर्वशः। उत्ससर्ज शिवं ध्यायन्नस्त्रमस्त्रेण शाम्यताम्॥
Wishing good to the preceptor's son of himself, and to all his brothers, that destroyer of foes then bowed to all the gods and all his superiors and discharged his weapon, thinking of the well-being of all the words and saying, 'Let this weapon neutralise Ashvatthaman's weapon.'
ततस्तदस्त्रं सहसा सृष्टं गाण्डीवधन्वना। प्रजज्वाल महार्चिष्मद् युगान्तानलसंनिभम्॥
Quickly discharged by the wider of Gandiva, that weapon blazed up with fierce flames like the all-destroying fire that appears at the end of a cycle.
तथैव द्रोणपुत्रस्य तदस्त्रं तिग्मतेजसः। प्रजज्वाल महाज्वालं तेजोमण्डलसंवृतम्॥
Likewise the weapon that had been discharged by Drona's energetic son, blazed up with dreadful flames within a huge sphere of fire.
निर्घाता बहवश्चासन् पेतुरुल्काः सहस्रशः। महद् भयं च भूतानां सर्वेषां समजायत॥
Peals of thunder were heard; thousands of meteors, dropped down and all living creatures were filled with great fear.
सशब्दमभवद् व्योम ज्वालामालाकुलं भृशम्। चचाल च मही कृत्स्ना सपर्वतवनदुमा॥
The entire sky was filled with noise and put on a terrible appearance with those flames of fire. The entire earth shook with her mountains, rivers and trees.
स त्वस्त्रतेजसी लोकांस्तापयन्ती व्यवस्थिते। महर्षी सहितौ तत्र दर्शयामासतुस्तदा॥ नारदः सर्वभूतात्मा भरतानां पितामहः। उभौ शमयितुं वीरौ भारद्वाजधनंजयौ॥
Seeing those two weapons consuming the three worlds, the two great Rishis, viz., Narada who is the soul of every creature, and Vyasa, the grandfather of all the Bharata princes, came there. The two Rishis tried to pacify the two heroes, Ashvatthaman and Dhananjaya.
तौ मुनी सर्वधर्मज्ञौ सर्वभूतहितैषिणौ। दीप्तयोरस्त्रयोर्मध्ये स्थितौ परमतेजसौ। १३॥
Cognizant of all duties and desirous of the well-being of all creatures, the two energetic sages, stood in the midst of those two blazing weapons.
तदन्तरमथाधृष्यावुपगम्य यशस्विनौ। आस्तामृषिवरौ तत्र ज्वलिताविव पावकौ॥
Incapable of being moved by any force, those two great Rishis, placing themselves between the two weapons, stood like two burning fires.
प्राणभृद्भिरनाधृष्यौ देवदानवसम्मतौः अस्त्रतेजः शमयितुं लोकानां हितकाम्यया॥
Incapable of being checked by any living creatures, and worshipped of gods and Danavas, they two acted in this way, counteracting the power of the two weapons and doing good to all the world.
ऋषी ऊचतुः नानाशस्त्रविदः पूर्वे येऽप्यतीता महारथाः। नैतदस्त्रं मनुष्येषु तैः प्रयुक्तं कथंचन। किमिदं साहसं वीरौ कृतवन्तौ महात्ययम्॥
The two Rishis said Those great car-warriors who have died in this battle were masters of diverse kinds weapons. They, however, never shot such a weapon upon men. What rash act is this, O heroes, that you have done.