धृतराष्ट्र उवाच पाण्ड्ये हते किमकरोदर्जुनो युधि संजय। एकवीरेण कर्णेन द्रावितेषु परेषु च॥
Dhritarashtra said O Sanjaya, on the slaughter of Pandya and also while that foremost of warriors, Karna, destroyed the hostile force, what did Arjuna do in the field of battle?
समाप्तविद्यो बलवान् युक्तो वीरः स पाण्डवः। सर्वभूतेष्वनुज्ञातः शङ्करेण महात्मना॥
That son of Pandu, who had finished the study of all sciences and who also was possessed of immense strength and who was attentive to fixed duties and who was a hero, was made by the lofty-minded Sankara most invincible amongst all creatures.
तस्मान्महद् भयं तीव्रममित्रनाद धनंजयात्। स यत् तत्राकरोत् पार्थस्तन्ममाचक्ष्व संजय॥
My greatest and highly tormenting terrors from that slayer slayer of antagonists, Dhananjaya. O Sanjaya, do you relate to me in detail what the son of Pritha had done there on that on that occasion. are
संजय उवाच हते पाण्ड्येऽर्जुनं कृष्णस्त्वरन्नाह वचो हितम्। पश्यामि नाहं राजानमपयातांश्च पाण्डवान्॥
Sanjaya said On the death of Pandya, Krishna, with great activity, uttered these most beneficial words to Arjuna-'I do not find out the king. The other Pandavas have fled away (from the field of battle).'
निवृत्तैश्च पुनः पार्थर्भग्नं शत्रुबलं महत्। अश्वत्थाम्नश्च सङ्कल्पाद्धताः कर्णेन सृञ्जयाः॥
The vast hostile force was repeatedly broken by the son of Pritha, who retreated (from the field). The Srinjaya were slaughtered by Karna in carrying out the purposes of Ashvatthama.
तथाश्वरथनागानां कृतं च कदनं महत्। सर्वमाख्यातवान् वीरो वासुदेवः किरीटिने॥
Then also a dreadful slaughter of the horses, cars and elephants was made (by that warrior). Thus the hero, Vasudeva, related all these to the diadem-decked one (Arjuna).
एतच्छ्रुत्वा च दृष्ट्वा च भ्रातुर्घोरं महद्भयम्। वाहयाश्वान् हृषीकेश क्षिप्रमित्याह पाण्डवः॥
Hearing of the great and immense fear of his brother (Yudhishthira), as also witnessing it, the Pandava readily addressed him thus-'O Hrishikesha, urge the horses.'
ततः प्रायाद्हृषीकेशो रथेनाप्रतियोधिना। दारुणश्च पुनस्तत्र प्रादुरासीत् समागमः॥
Thereupon, Hrishikesha went (to the battle), ascending on an irresistible car. Then there raged a dreadful battle.
ततः पुनः समाजग्मुरभीताः कुरुपाण्डवाः। भीमसेनमुखाः पार्थाः सूतपुत्रमुखा वयम्॥
Then once more both the Kurus and the Pandavas fearlessly came face to face (for an encounter). The sons of Pritha were headed by Bhimasena; and we were headed by the son Suta.
ततः प्रववृत्ते भूयः संग्रामो राजसत्तम। कर्णस्य पाण्डवानां च यमराष्ट्रविवर्धनः॥
Thereupon, O best of monarchs, again the dreadful battle took place between Karna and Pandavas, which aggrandised the kingdom of Yama.
धनूर्षि बाणान् परिघानसिपट्टिशतोमरान्। मुसलानि भुशुण्डीश्च सशत्तवृष्टिपरश्वधान्॥ गदाः प्रासाञ्छितान् कुन्तान् भिन्दिपालान् महाङ्कुशान्। प्रगृह्य क्षिप्रमापेतुः परस्परजिघांसया॥
Having taken up the bows, the arrows, the spiked maces and the swords, lances and the battle-axes and also the short clubs, the Vushandis, the Shakti-darts, the rapiers and the axes, as well as the iron maces, the spears, the white Kuntas, the short arrows and the hooks, the warriors most rapidly fell upon one another with the desire of killing them.
बाणज्यातलशब्देन द्यां दिशः प्रदिशो वियत्। पृथिवी नेमिघोषेण नादयन्तोऽभ्ययुः परान्॥
Having filled the firmament, the ten different points of the horison as well as the other subsidiary subsidiary points points and and the upper atmosphere with the noise of arrows, the bowstring and the sound of palms and again, having made the entire earth echo with the noise of clatter car-wheels, the warriors proceeded against their antagonists.
तेन शब्देन महता संहृष्टाक्रुराहवम्। वीरा वीरैर्महाघोरं कलहान्तं तितीर्षवः॥
Being gratified with that tremendous noise, the hero, who were most willing to cross over and reach the shore of that dreadful ocean of hostility, began to fight with numerous other horses.
ज्यातलज्ञधनुःशब्दः कुञ्जराणां च बुंहताम्। पादातानां च पततां नृणां नादो महानभूत्॥
There was a great noise of the bowstrings, bows and lances and the loud roar of elephants; as also there were terrible shouts of the foot soldiers and men falling (upon the earth).
तालशब्दांश्चविविधाञ्शूराणां चाभिगर्जताम्। श्रुत्वा तत्र भृशं त्रेसुः पेतुर्मम्लुश्च सैनिकाः॥
There, having heard the numerous kinds of arrow sounds and the terrible uproar of the heroic warriors, the combatants were deeply struck with terror, fell down and became very pale.
तेषां निनदतां चैव शस्त्रवर्षं च मुश्चताम्। बहूनाधिरथिर्वीरः प्रममाथेषुभिः परान्॥
The warlike son of Adhiratha crushed, with innumerable arrows, large numbers of these enemies, who uttered loud roars and poured forth showers of weapons.
पश्च पश्चालवीराणां रथान् दश च पञ्च च। शाश्वसूतध्वजान् कर्णः शरैर्निन्ये यमक्षयम्॥
Then Karna led to the abode of Death twenty car-warriors against the Panchala heroes, along with their horses, drivers and standards, by means of his innumerable arrows.
योधमुख्या महावीर्याः पाण्डूनां कर्णमाहवे। शीघ्रास्त्रास्तूर्णमावृत्य परिवठ्ठः समन्ततः॥
Then, again, the best of the warriors of the vast Pandava force, who were all very powerful and who also were very sinart in the management of weapons, after having careered round, surrounded Karna from all sides in the field of battle.
ततः कर्णो द्विषत्सेना शरवर्षेर्विलोडयन्। विजगाहाण्डजाकीर्णां पद्यिनामिव यूथयः॥
Thereupon Karna crushed the army belonging to the foes by means of showers of shafts; even as the leader of the elephants, plunging into a lake, crushes down the lotuses and swans, adorning the lake itself.
द्विषन्मध्यमवस्कन्ध राधेयो धनुरुत्तमम्। विधुन्वान्ः शितैर्वाणैः शिरांस्युन्मथ्य पातयत्॥
The son of Radha, after having entered the hostile force and also having shaken his best of bonds had struck off their heads with his keen arrows and caused them to fall upon the carth.
चर्मवर्माणि संछिन्नान्यपतन् भुवि देहिनाम्। विषेहुर्नास्य संस्पर्शं द्वितीयस्य पतत्रिणः॥
Being broken into pieces, the shields and coats of mail, belonging to the warriors, fell upon the earth; and none of them could bear the touch of a second arrow (to be shot by Karna).
वर्मदेहासुमथनैर्धनुषः प्रत्युतैः शरै। मौळ तलवे न्यहनत् कशया वाजिनो यथा॥
He (Karna) struck the fences of the antagonists, that could be perceivable only by the bowstrings, by means of shafts shot from his bow, that were capable of crushing the coats of mail, the bodies and the lives of the combatants); even as one strikes the horses with the whip.
पाण्डुसृञ्जयपञ्चालाशरगोचरमागतान्। ममर्द तरसा कर्णः सिंहो मृगगणानिव॥
Then Karna, with great speed, crushed down the Pandus, the Panchalas and the Srinjayas, who came with the reach of his arrows; even as the lion slays the whole lot of dear.
ततः पाञ्चालराजश्च द्रौपदेयाश्च मारिष। यमौ च युयुधानश्च सहिताः कर्णमभ्ययुः॥
Thereupon, O sire, the king of the Panchalas, the sons of Draupadi, the twin brothers and Yuyudhana, who all gathered together, advanced against Karna.
तेषु व्यायच्छमानेषु कुरुपाञ्चालपाण्डुषु। प्रियानसून् रणेत्यक्त्वा योधा जघ्नुः परस्परम्॥
Whilst the Kurus, the Panchalas and the Pandus were fighting with one another, the combatants, offering up their lives slaughtered one another in the field of battle.
सुसंनद्धाः कवचिनः सशिरस्त्राणभूषणाः। गदाभिर्मुसलैश्चान्ये परिधैश्च महाबलाः॥ समभ्यधावन्त भृशं कालदण्डैरिवोद्यते। नर्दन्तश्चह्वयन्तश्च प्रवल्गन्तश्च मारिष॥
O sire, the mighty warriors, who were all protected with armours and coats of mail and who also were ornamented with the headgears, uplifting their maces, short clubs and spiked maces, that resembled the very uplifted rod of Death jumped, marched most rapidly and dreadfully against their antagonists.
ततो निजघ्नुरन्योन्यं पेतुश्चान्योन्यताडिताः। वमन्तो रुधिरं गात्रैर्विमस्तिष्केक्षणायुधाः॥
Thereupon they (the combatants), being highly afflicted by one another and also being deprived of their brains, eyes and weapons, struck one another and fell down in the field of battle, when blood gushed out of their limbs.
दन्तपूर्णैः सरुधिरैर्वक्त्रैर्दाडिमसंनिभैः। जीवन्त इव चाप्येके तस्थुः शस्त्रोपबृंहिताः॥
Some of the warriors, who were covered over with innumerable weapons, lay in the field of battle); and they were supposed to be alive with faces, that were as handsome as the pomegranates and also that were adorned with numerous teeth and smeared with blood.
परश्वधैश्चाप्यवरे पट्टिशैरसिभिस्तथा। शक्तिभिर्भिन्दिपालैश्च नखरपासतोमरैः॥ ततक्षुश्चिच्छिदुश्चान्ये बिभिदुश्चिक्षिपुस्तथा। संचकर्तुश्च जघ्नुश्च क्रुद्धा रणमहार्णवे॥
With the battle-axes, short maces, swords, the arrows called Sakti, the Vindipalas and hooks, spears and lances, others, again, who were highly enraged either crushed, cut-off, pierced, furled down lopped off or slaughtered one another in that vast ocean of battle.
पेतुरन्योन्यनिहता व्यसवो रुधिरोक्षिताः। क्षरन्तः सुरसं रक्तं प्रकृत्ताश्चन्दना इव।॥
Being slain by one another, they (the combatants) fell down dead and covered over with blood; even as the sandal trees, being felled, fall down shedding red and excellent juice.
रथै रथा विनिहता हस्तिभिश्चापि हस्तिनः। नरैर्नरा हताः पेतुरश्वश्चाश्वैः सहस्रशः॥
Cars, being destroyed by cars and elephants, smitten down by elephants, smitten down by elephants and men, slaughtered by men and horses, fell (upon the earth) in thousands.
ध्वजाः शिरांसि छत्राणि द्विपहस्ता नृणां भुजाः। क्षुरैर्भल्लार्धचन्द्रश्च च्छिन्ना: पेतुर्महीतले॥
The standards, heads, umbrellas, trunks of elephants and arms of men, being severed by the razor-like, broad headed and crescentshaped arrows, fell down upon the earth.
नरांश्च नागान् सरथान् हयान् समृदुराहवे। अश्वरोहैर्हताः शूराश्छिन्नहस्ताश्च दन्तिनः॥
They (the combatants) had smiiten down in that battle, the men, elephants and horses yoked to the cars. cars. Many heroes, were slaughtered by horsemen; and the elephants had their trunks cut-off.
सपताकाध्वजा: पेतुर्विशीर्णा इव पर्वताः। पत्तिभिश्च समाप्लुत्य द्विरदाः स्यन्दनास्तथा॥
The elephants and cars being smitten down by the foot-soldiers, their standards along with their banner fell down like the cloven mountains.
हताश्च हन्यमानाश्च पतिताश्चैव सर्वशः। अश्वारोहाः सामासाद्य त्वरिताः पत्तिभिर्हताः॥
On all sides, some (of the warriors) were slaughtered and some were in course of being slaughtered and others, again, fell down. Then the horsemen after having encountered most actively with the foot-soldiers, were killed (by the foot-soldiers).
सादिभिः पत्तिसंघाश्च निहता युधि शेरते। मृदितानीव पद्मानि प्रम्लाना इव च स्त्रजः॥
The throngs of foot-soldiers, being slain by the horsemen, were lying on the field of battle, resembling the crushed lotuses and faded floral wreaths.
हतानां वदनान्यासन् गात्राणि च महाहवे। रूपाण्यत्यर्थकान्तानि द्विरदाश्वनृणां नृप। समुन्नानीव वस्त्राणि ययुर्दुर्दर्शतां पराम्॥
The faces and limbs of the slain rested on the field and O king, the most beautiful forms of the elephants, horses and men, that resembled the dirty cloths, presented an exceedingly gloomy site.