09022001a vartamAne tathA yuddhe ghorarUpe bhayAnake 'saJjaya said, 'During the progress of that terrible and awful battle,
09022001c abhajyata balanM tatra tava putrasya pANDavaiH the army of thy son was broken by the pANDavas.
09022002a tAMs tu yatnena mahatA sanMnivArya mahArathAn Rallying their great car-warriors, however, with vigorous efforts,
09022002c putras te yodhayAmAsa pANDavAnAm anIkinIm thy sons continued to fight with the pANDava army.
09022003a nivRttAsH sahasA yodhAs tava putrapriyaiSiNaH The (kuru) warriors, desirous of thy son's welfare, suddenly returned.
09022003c sanMnivRtteSu teSv evaM yuddham AsIt sudAruNam Upon their return, the battle once more became exceedingly fierce
09022004a tAvakAnAmM pareSAJM ca devAsuraraNopamam between thy warriors and those of the foe, resembling that between the gods and the asuras in days of old.
09022004c pareSAnM tava sainye ca nAsIt kaz cit parAGmukhaH Neither amongst the enemies nor amongst thine was there a single combatant that turned away from that battle.
09022005a anumAnena yudhyante saJMjJAbhiz ca parasparam The warriors fought, aided by guess and by the names they uttered.
09022005c teSAGM kSayo mahAn AsId yudhyatAm itaretaram Great was the destruction that occurred as they thus fought with one another.
09022006a tato yudhiSThiro rAjA krodhena mahatA yutaH Then king yudhiSThira, filled with great wrath
09022006c jigISamANasH saGMgrAme dhArtarASTrAn sarAjakAn and becoming desirous of vanquishing the Dhartarashtras and their king in that battle,
09022007a tribhizH zAradvataM viddhvA rukmapuGkhaizH zilAzitaiH pierced the son of Saradwat with three arrows winged with gold and whetted on stone,
09022007c caturbhir nijaghAnAzvAn kalyANAn kRtavarmaNaH and next slew with four others the four steeds of kRtavarman.
09022008a azvatthAmA tu hArdikyam apovAha yazasvinam Then Ashvatthama bore away the celebrated son of hRdika.
09022008c atha zAradvato 'STAbhiH pratyavidhyad yudhiSThiram Saradwat's son pierced yudhiSThira in return with eight arrows.
09022009a tato duryodhano rAjA rathAn saptazatAn raNe Then king duryodhana despatched seven hundred cars
09022009c preSayad yatra rAjAsau dharmaputro yudhiSThiraH to the spot where king yudhiSThira was battling.
09022010a te rathA rathibhir yuktA manomArutaraMhasaH Those cars ridden by excellent warriors and endued with speed of the wind or thought,
09022010c abhyadravanta saGMgrAme kaunteyasya rathamM prati rushed in that battle against the car of kuntI's son.
09022011a te samantAn mahArAja parivArya yudhiSThiram
09022011c adRzyaM sAyakaiz cakrur meghA iva divAkaram Encompassing yudhiSThira on every side, they made him invisible with their shafts like clouds hiding the sun from the view.
09022012a nAmRSyanta susaMrabdhAzH zikhaNDipramukhA rathAH Then the pANDava heroes headed by Shikhandi, beholding king yudhiSThira the just assailed in that way by the kauravas, became filled with rage and were unable to put up with it.
09022012c rathair agryajavair yuktaiH kiGkiNIjAlasaMvRtaiH With their cars possessed of great speed and adorned with rows of bells,
09022012e Ajagmur abhirakSantaH kuntIputraM yudhiSThiram Desirous of rescuing yudhiSThira, the son of kuntI, they came to that spot.
09022013a tataH pravavRte raudraH saMgrAmaH zoNitodakaH Then commenced an awful battle, in which blood flowed as water,
09022013c pANDavAnAGM kurUNAJM ca yamarASTravivardhanaH between the pANDavas and the kurus, that increased the population of yama's domains.
09022014a rathAn saptazatAn hatvA kurUNAm AtatAyinAm Slaying those seven hundred hostile car-warriors of the kuru army,
09022014c pANDavAsH saha pAJcAlaiH punar evAbhyavArayan the pANDavas and the Pancalas once more resisted (the whole kuru army).
09022015a tatra yuddhamM mahac cAsIt tava putrasya pANDavaiH There a fierce battle was fought between thy son and the pANDavas.
09022015c na ca nas tAdRzanM dRSTanM naiva cApi parizrutam We had never before seen or heard of its like.
09022016a vartamAne tathA yuddhe nirmaryAde samantataH During the progress of that battle in which no consideration was showed by anybody for anybody,
09022016c vadhyamAneSu yodheSu tAvakeSv itareSu ca and while the warriors of thy army and those of the foe were falling fast,
09022017a ninadatsu ca yodheSu zaGkhavaryaiz ca pUritaiH and the combatants were all shouting and blowing their conchs,
09022017c utkRSTaisH siMhanAdaiz ca garjitena ca dhanvinAm and the bowmen were roaring and uttering loud noises of diverse kinds,
09022018a atipravRddhe yuddhe ca chidyamAneSu marmasu while, indeed, the battle was raging fiercely and the very vitals of the combatants were being struck,
09022018c dhAvamAneSu yodheSu jayagRddhiSu mAriSa and the troops, O sire, desirous of victory, were rushing with speed,
09022019a saMhAre sarvato jAte pRthivyAM zokasamMbhave while, verily, everything on Earth seemed to be undergoing a woeful destruction,
09022019c bahvInAm uttamastrINAM sImantoddharaNe tathA during that time when innumerable ladies of birth and beauty were being made widows,
09022020a nirmaryAde tathA yuddhe vartamAne sudAruNe during, indeed, the progress of that fierce engagement in which the warriors behaved without any consideration for friends and foes,
09022020c prAdurAsan vinAzAya tadotpAtAsH sudAruNAH awful portents appeared, presaging the destruction of everything.
09022020e cacAla zabdaGM kurvANA saparvatavanA mahI The Earth, with her mountains and forests, trembled, making a loud noise.
09022021c ulkAH petur divo bhUmAv Ahatya ravimaNDalam Meteors like blazing brands equipped with handles dropped from the sky, O king, on every side on the Earth as if from the solar disc.
09022022a viSvagvAtAH prAdurAsan nIcaiH zarkaravarSiNaH A hurricane arose, blowing on all sides, and bearing away hard pebbles along its lower course.
09022022c azrUNi mumucur nAgA vepathuz cAspRzad bhRzam The elephants shed copious tears and trembled exceedingly.
09022023a etAn ghorAn anAdRtya samutpAtAn sudAruNAn Disregarding all these fierce and awful portents,
09022023c punar yuddhAya samMmantrya kSatriyAs tasthur avyathAH the kSatriyas, taking counsel with one another, cheerfully stood on the field for battle again,
09022023e ramaNIye kurukSetre puNye svargaM yiyAsavaH on the beautiful and sacred field called after kuru, desirous of obtaining heaven.
09022024a tato gAndhArarAjasya putrazH zakunir abravIt
09022024c yudhyadhvam agrato yAvat pRSThato hanmi pANDavAn Then zakuni, the son of the Gandhara king, said, 'Fight all of ye in front! I, however, will slay the pANDavas from behind.'
09022025a tato nasH samMprayAtAnAmM madrayodhAs tarasvinaH Then the Madraka warriors, endued with great activity, amongst those on our side that were advancing,
09022025c hRSTAH kilakilAzabdam akurvantApare tathA became filled with joy and uttered diverse sounds of delight. Others too did the same.
09022026a asmAMs tu punar AsAdya labdhalakSA durAsadAH The invincible pANDavas, however, possessed of sureness of aim, once more coming against us,
09022026c zarAsanAni dhunvantazH zaravarSair avAkiran shook their bows and covered us with showers of arrows.
09022027a tato hatamM parais tatra madrarAjabalanM tadA The forces of the Madrakas then were slain by the foe.
09022027c duryodhanabalanM dRSTvA punar AsIt parAGmukham Beholding this, the troops of duryodhana once more turned away from the battle.
09022028a gAndhArarAjas tu punar vAkyam Aha tato balI The mighty king of the gandharvas, however, once more said these words,
09022028c nivartadhvam adharmajJA yudhyadhvaGM kiM sRtena vaH 'Stop, ye sinful ones! Fight (with the foe)! What use is there of flight?'
09022029c AsId gAndhArarAjasya vimalaprAsayodhinAm At that time, O bull of bharata's race, the king of the Gandharas had full 10,000 horse-men capable of fighting with bright lances.
09022030a balena tena vikramya vartamAne janakSaye
09022030c pRSThataH pANDavAnIkam abhyaghnan nizitaiH zaraiH During the progress of that great carnage, zakuni, aided by that force, put forth his valour and assailed the pANDava army at the rear, slaughtering it with his keen shafts.
09022031a tad abhram iva vAtena kSipyamANaM samantataH Even as a mass of clouds is dispersed on all sides by a mighty wind,
09022031c abhajyata mahArAja pANDUnAM sumahad balam the vast force of the pANDus then, O monarch, broke.
09022032a tato yudhiSThiraH prekSya bhagnaM svabalam antikAt Then yudhiSThira, beholding from a near point his own army routed,
09022033a asau subalaputro no jaghanamM pIDya daMzitaH 'Yonder the son of subala, afflicting our rear, stayeth, clad in mail!
09022033c senAnM nisUdayanty eSa pazya pANDava durmatim He slaughtereth our forces! Behold that wicked wight, O son of pANDu!
note: nisUdayati ??
09022034a gaccha tvanM draupadeyAz ca zakuniM saubalaJM jahi Aided by the son of draupadI, proceed towards him and slay zakuni, the son of subala!
09022034c rathAnIkam ahaM rakSye pAJcAlasahito 'nagha Supported by the Pancalas, O sinless one, I will meanwhile destroy the car force of the enemy!
09022035a gacchantu kuJjarAsH sarve vAjinaz ca saha tvayA Let all the elephants and all the horse
09022035c pAdAtAz ca trisAhasrAzH zakuniM saubalaJM jahi and 3,000 foot, proceed with thee! Supported by these, slay zakuni!'
09022036a tato gajAsH saptazatAz cApapANibhir AsthitAH At this, 700 elephants ridden by combatants armed with the bow,
09022036c paJca cAzvasahasrANi sahadevaz ca vIryavAn and 5,000 horses, and the valiant sahadeva,
09022037a pAdAtAz ca trisAhasrA draupadeyAz ca sarvazaH and 3,000 foot-soldiers, and the sons of draupadI all
09022037c raNe hy abhyadravaMs te tu zakuniM yuddhadurmadam rushed against zakuni difficult of defeat in battle.
09022038a tatas tu saubalo rAjann abhyatikramya pANDavAn subala's son, however, of great valour, O king, prevailing over the pANDavas
09022038c jaghAna pRSThatasH senAJM jayagRdhraH pratApavAn and longing for victory, began to slay their forces from the rear.
09022039a azvArohAs tu saMrabdhAH pANDavAnAM tarasvinAm The horsemen, infuriate with rage, belonging to the pANDavas endued with great activity,
09022039c prAvizan saubalAnIkam abhyatikramya tAn rathAn penetrated the division of subala's son, prevailing over the latter's car-warriors.
09022040a te tatra sAdinazH zUrAsH saubalasya mahad balam Those heroic horsemen,
09022040c gajamadhye 'vatiSThantazH zaravarSair avAkiran staying in the midst of their own elephants, covered the large host of subala's son with showers of shafts.
09022041a tad udyatagadAprAsam akApuruSasevitam
09022041c prAvartata mahad yuddhaM rAjan durmantrite tava In consequence of thy evil counsels, O king, dreadful was the battle that then ensued in which maces and lances were used and in which heroes only took part.
09022042a upAramanta jyAzabdAH prekSakA rathino 'bhavan The twang of bow-string was no longer heard there, for all the car-warriors stood as spectators of that fight.
09022042c na hi sveSAmM pareSAM vA vizeSaH pratyadRzyata At that time no difference could be seen between the contending parties.
09022043c jyotiSAm iva samMpAtam apazyan kurupANDavAH Both the kurus and the pANDavas, O bull of bharata's race, beheld the darts hurled from heroic arms course like meteors through the welkin.
09022044a RSTibhir vimalAbhiz ca tatra tatra vizAmM pate
09022044c samMpatantIbhir AkAzam AvRtamM bahv azobhata The entire welkin, O monarch, shrouded with falling swords of great brightness, seemed to become exceedingly beautiful.
09022045a prAsAnAmM patatAM rAjan rUpam AsIt samantataH
09022045c zalabhAnAm ivAkAze tadA bharatasattama The aspect presented, O chief of the bharatas, by the lances hurled all around, became like that of swarms of locusts in the welkin.
09022046a rudhirokSitasarvAGgA vipraviddhair niyantRbhiH Steeds, with limbs bathed in blood in consequence of wounds inflicted by horsemen themselves wounded with arrows,
09022046c hayAH paripatanti sma zatazo 'tha sahasrazaH dropped down on all sides in hundreds and thousands.
09022047a anyonyaparipiSTAz ca samAsAdya parasparam Encountering one another and huddled together,
09022047c AvikSatAsH sma dRzyante vamanto rudhiramM mukhaiH many of them were seen to be mangled and many to vomit blood from their mouths.
09022048a tato 'bhavat tamo ghoraM sainyena rajasA vRte A thick darkness came there when the troops were covered with a dusty cloud.
09022048c tAn apAkramato 'drAkSanM tasmAd dezAd arinMdamAn We beheld those brave combatants, steeds and men, move away from that spot.
09022048e azvAn rAjan manuSyAMz ca rajasA saMvRte sati when that darkness shrouded everything, O king.
note: line missing
09022049a bhUmau nipatitAz cAnye vamanto rudhiramM bahu Others were seen to fall down on the Earth, vomiting blood in profusion.
09022049c kezAkezisamAlagnA na zekuz ceSTituJM janAH Many combatants, entangled with one another by their locks, could not stir.
09022050a anyonyam azvapRSThebhyo vikarSanto mahAbalAH Many, endued with great strength, dragged one another from the backs of their horses,
09022050c mallA iva samAsAdya nijaghnur itaretaram and encountering one another thus, slew one another like combatants in a wrestling match.
09022050e azvaiz ca vyapakRSyanta bahavo 'tra gatAsavaH Many deprived of life, were borne away on the backs of the steeds.
note: apakRSyanta for apAkRSyanta "were dragged away"
09022051c tatra tatra vyadRzyanta puruSAzH zUramAninaH Many men, proud of their valour and inspired with desire of victory, were seen to fall down on the Earth.
09022052c vyadRzyata mahI kIrNA zatazo 'tha sahasrazaH The Earth became strewn over with hundreds and thousands of combatants bathed in blood, deprived of limbs, and divested of hair.
09022053a dUranM na zakyanM tatrAsId gantum azvena kena cit
09022054e susanMnikRSTaisH saGMgrAme hatabhUyiSThasainikaiH In consequence of the surface of the Earth being covered with elephant-riders and horsemen and slain steeds and combatants with blood-stained armour and others armed with weapons and others who had sought to slay one another with diverse kinds of terrible weapons, all lying closely huddled together in that battle fraught with fearful carnage, no warrior could proceed far on his horse.
09022055a sa muhUrtanM tato yuddhvA saubalo 'tha vizAmM pate
09022055c SaTsahasrair hayaizH ziSTair apAyAc chakunis tataH Having fought for a little while, zakuni, the son of subala, O monarch, went away from that spot with the remnant of his cavalry numbering 6,000.
09022056c SaTsahasrair hayaizH ziSTair apAyAc chrAntavAhanam Similarly, the pANDava force, covered with blood, and its animals fatigued, moved away from that spot with its remnant consisting of 6,000 horses.
09022057a azvArohAs tu pANDUnAm abruvan rudhirokSitAH
09022057c susanMnikRSTAsH saGMgrAme bhUyiSThanM tyaktajIvitAH The blood-stained horsemen of the pANDava army then, with hearts intent on battle and prepared to lay down their lives, said,
09022058a neha zakyaM rathair yoddhuGM kuta eva mahAgajaiH 'It is no longer possible to fight here on cars; how much more difficult then to fight here on elephants!
09022058c rathAn eva rathA yAntu kuJjarAH kuJjarAn api Let cars proceed against cars, and elephants against elephants!
09022059a pratiyAto hi zakunisH svam anIkam avasthitaH
09022059c na punasH saubalo rAjA yuddham abhyAgamiSyati Having retreated, zakuni is now within his own division. The royal son of subala will not again come to battle.'
09022060a tatas tu draupadeyAz ca te ca mattA mahAdvipAH
09022060c prayayur yatra pAJcAlyo dhRSTadyumno mahArathaH Then the sons of draupadI and those infuriate elephants proceeded to the place where the Pancala prince dhRSTadyumna, that great car-warrior, was.
09022061a sahadevo 'pi kauravya rajomeghe samutthite sahadeva also, when that dusty cloud arose,
09022061c ekAkI prayayau tatra yatra rAjA yudhiSThiraH proceeded alone to where king yudhiSThira was.
09022062c pArzvato 'bhyahanat kruddho dhRSTadyumnasya vAhinIm After all those had gone away, zakuni, the son of subala, excited with wrath, once more fell upon dhRSTadyumna's division and began to strike it.
09022063a tat punas tumulaM yuddhamM prANAMs tyaktvAbhyavartata
09022063c tAvakAnAmM pareSAJM ca parasparavadhaiSiNAm Once more a dreadful battle took place, in which the combatants were all regardless of their lives, between thy soldiers and those of the foe, all of whom were desirous of slaying one another.
09022064a te hy anyonyam avekSanta tasmin vIrasamAgame In that encounter of heroes, the combatants first eyed one another steadfastly,
09022064c yodhAH paryapatan rAjaJ zatazo 'tha sahasrazaH and then rushed, O king, and fell upon one another in hundreds and thousands.
09022065a asibhiz chidyamAnAnAM zirasAM lokasaGMkSaye In that destructive carnage, heads severed with swords
09022065c prAdurAsIn mahAzabdas tAlAnAmM patatAm iva fell down with a noise like that of falling palmyra fruits.
09022066c sAyudhAnAJM ca bAhUnAm urUNAJM ca vizAmM pate
09022066e AsIt kaTakaTAzabdasH sumahAn romaharSaNaH Loud also became the noise, making the very hair to stand on end, of bodies falling down on the ground, divested of armour and mangled with weapons and of falling weapons also, O king, and of arms and thighs severed from the trunk.
09022067a nighnanto nizitaizH zastrair bhrAtRRn putrAn sakhIn api Striking brothers and sons and even sires with keen weapons,
09022067c yodhAH paripatanti sma yathAmiSakRte khagAH the combatants were seen to fight like birds, for pieces of meat.
09022068c ahamM pUrvam ahamM pUrvam iti nyaghnan sahasrazaH Excited with rage, thousands of warriors, falling upon one another, impatiently struck one another in that battle.
09022069c hayAH paripatanti sma zatazo 'tha sahasrazaH Hundreds and thousands of combatants, killed by the weight of slain horsemen while falling down from their steeds, fell down on the field.
09022070a sphuratAmM pratipiSTAnAm azvAnAM zIghrasAriNAm Loud became the noise of neighing steeds of great fleetness,
09022070c stanatAJM ca manuSyANAM sanMnaddhAnAM vizAmM pate and of shouting men clad in mail,
09022071a zaktyRSTiprAsazabdaz ca tumulasH samajAyata and of the falling darts and swords, O king, of combatants
09022071c bhindatAmM paramarmANi rAjan durmantrite tava desirous of piercing the vitals of one another in consequence, O monarch, of thy evil policy.
09022072a zramAbhibhUtAsH saMrabdhAzH zrAntavAhAH pipAsitAH At that time, thy soldiers, overcome with toil, spent with rage, their animals fatigued, themselves parched with thirst
09022072c vikSatAz ca zitaizH zastrair abhyavartanta tAvakAH mangled with keen weapons, began to turn away from the battle.
09022073a mattA rudhiragandhena bahavo 'tra vicetasaH Maddened with the scent of blood, many became so insensate
09022073c jaghnuH parAn svakAMz caiva prAptAn prAptAn anantarAn that they slew friends and foes alike, in fact, every one they got at.
09022074a bahavaz ca gataprANAH kSatriyA jayagRddhinaH Large numbers of kSatriyas, inspired with desire of victory,
09022074c bhUmAv abhyapatan rAjaJ zaravRSTibhir AvRtAH were struck down with arrows, O king, and fell prostrate on the Earth.
09022075a vRkagRdhrazRgAlAnAnM tumule modane 'hani Wolves and vultures and jackals began to howl and scream in glee and make a loud noise.
09022075c AsId balakSayo ghoras tava putrasya pazyataH In the very sight of thy son, thy army suffered a great loss.
09022076a narAzvakAyasaJMchannA bhUmir AsId vizAmM pate The Earth, O monarch, became strewn with the bodies of men and steeds,
09022076c rudhirodakacitrA ca bhIrUNAmM bhayavardhinI and covered with streams of blood that inspired the timid with terror.
09022077a asibhiH paTTizaiH zUlais takSamANAH punaH punaH Struck and mangled repeatedly with swords and battle axes and lances,
09022077c tAvakAH pANDavAz caiva nAbhyavartanta bhArata thy warriors, as also the pANDavas, O bharata, ceased to approach one another.
09022078c yodhAH paripatanti sma vamanto rudhiraM vraNaiH Striking one another according to the measure of their strength, and fighting to the last drop of their blood, the combatants fell down vomiting blood from their wounds.
09022079a ziro gRhItvA kezeSu kabandhasH samadRzyata Headless forms were seen, seizing the hair of their heads (with one hand)
09022079c udyamya nizitaGM khaDgaM rudhireNa samukSitam and with uplifted swords dyed with blood (in the other).
09022080a athotthiteSu bahuSu kabandheSu janAdhipa When many headless forms, O king, had thus risen up,
09022080c tathA rudhiragandhena yodhAH kazmalam Avizan when the scent of blood had made the combatants nearly senseless,
09022081a mandIbhUte tatazH zabde pANDavAnAmM mahad balam and when the loud noise had somewhat subsided,
09022081c alpAvaziSTais turagair abhyavartata saubalaH subala's son (once more) approached the large host of the pANDavas, with the small remnant of his horse.
09022082a tato 'bhyadhAvaMs tvaritAH pANDavA jayagRddhinaH At this, the pANDavas, inspired with desires of victory
09022082c padAtayaz ca nAgAz ca sAdinaz codyatAyudhAH and endued with foot-soldiers and elephants and cavalry, all with uplifted weapons,
09022083a koSThakIkRtya cApy enamM parikSipya ca sarvazaH
09022083c zastrair nAnAvidhair jaghnur yuddhapAranM titIrSavaH desirous of reaching the end of the hostilities, the pANDavas, forming a wall, encompassed zakuni on all sides, and began to strike him with diverse kinds of weapons.
09022084a tvadIyAs tAMs tu samMprekSya sarvatasH samabhidrutAn Beholding those troops of thine assailed from every side,
09022084c sAzvapattidviparathAH pANDavAn abhidudruvuH the kauravas, with horsemen, foot-soldiers, elephants, and cars, rushed towards the pANDavas.
09022085a ke cit padAtayaH padbhir muSTibhiz ca parasparam
09022085c nijaghnusH samare zUrAH kSINazastrAs tato 'patan Some foot-soldiers of great courage, destitute of weapons, attacked their foes in that battle, with feet and fists, and brought them down.
09022086a rathebhyo rathinaH petur dvipebhyo hastisAdinaH Car-warriors fell down from cars, and elephant-men from elephants,
09022086c vimAnebhya iva bhraSTAsH siddhAH puNyakSayAd yathA like meritorious persons falling down from their celestial vehicles upon the exhaustion of their merits.
09022087a evam anyonyam AastA yodhA jaghnur mahAmRdhe Thus the combatants, engaged with one another in that great battle, slew
09022087c pitRRn bhrAtRRn vayasyAMz ca putrAn api tathApare sires and friends and sons.
09022088a evam AsId amaryAdaM yuddhamM bharatasattama Thus occurred that battle, O best of the bharatas, in which no consideration was shown by anybody for anyone,
09022088c prAsAsibANakalile vartamAne sudAruNe and in which lances and swords and arrows fell fast, on every side and made the scene exceedingly terrible to behold.''
