Critical Edition
संजय उवाच ततो व्यूढेष्वनीकेषु तावकेष्वितरेषु च धनंजयो रथानीकमवधीत्तव भारत शरैरतिरथो युद्धे पातयन्रथयूथपान्
AI Translation: Sanjaya said: Then, when the armies were arrayed on both sides, O descendant of Bharata, Dhananjaya destroyed your chariot division in battle, O descendant of Bharata. The atiratha (Dhananjaya) brought down the leaders of chariot divisions in battle with his
ते वध्यमानाः पार्थेन कालेनेव युगक्षये धार्तराष्ट्रा रणे यत्ताः पाण्डवान्प्रत्ययोधयन् प्रार्थयाना यशो दीप्तं मृत्युं कृत्वा निवर्तनम्
AI Translation: Being killed by Partha, like the end of an era, The sons of Dhritarashtra, in the battle, attacked the Pandavas, Seeking the brilliant fame, having made death the turning point.
एकाग्रमनसो भूत्वा पाण्डवानां वरूथिनीम् बभञ्जुर्बहुशो राजंस्ते चाभज्यन्त संयुगे
AI Translation: Having become one-minded, they shattered the army of the Pandavas many times, O king, and they were shattered in battle.
द्रवद्भिरथ भग्नैश्च परिवर्तद्भिरेव च पाण्डवैः कौरवैश्चैव न प्रज्ञायत किंचन
M. N. Dutt: Then both the Kuru and the Pandava army broke and fled away. Nothing could then be distinguished.
उदतिष्ठद्रजो भौमं छादयानं दिवाकरम् दिशः प्रतिदिशो वापि तत्र जज्ञुः कथंचन
M. N. Dutt: A thick cloud of dust rose covering the sun. No body could distinguish any of the cardinal points.
अनुमानेन संज्ञाभिर्नामगोत्रैश्च संयुगे वर्तते स्म तदा युद्धं तत्र तत्र विशां पते
M. N. Dutt: O king, everywhere the battle raged the combatants were guided only by the indications afforded by colours, by watchwords, by names and by tribal distinctions.
न व्यूहो भिद्यते तत्र कौरवाणां कथंचन रक्षितः सत्यसंधेन भारद्वाजेन धीमता
M. N. Dutt: O sire, O king, the Vyuha protected as it was by the son of Bharadvaja (Drona) could by no means be broken.
तथैव पाण्डवेयानां रक्षितः सव्यसाचिना नाभिद्यत महाव्यूहो भीमेन च सुरक्षितः
M. N. Dutt: So did the formidable Pandava Vyuha remain unbroken, protected as it was by Savyasachi (Arjuna), and well-guarded by Bhima.
सेनाग्रादभिनिष्पत्य प्रायुध्यंस्तत्र मानवाः उभयोः सेनयो राजन्व्यतिषक्तरथद्विपाः
M. N. Dutt: O king, the cars and the elephants of both the armies and other combatants came out of their respective arrays and engaged in the fight.
हयारोहैर्हयारोहाः पात्यन्ते स्म महाहवे ऋष्टिभिर्विमलाग्राभिः प्रासैरपि च संयुगे
M. N. Dutt: In that fearful battle, horse-men cut down horsemen with sharp and polished swords and long lances.
रथी रथिनमासाद्य शरैः कनकभूषणैः पातयामास समरे तस्मिन्नतिभयंकरे
M. N. Dutt: Car-warriors getting car-warriors within reach cut them down with their arrows decked with golden wings.
गजारोहा गजारोहान्नाराचशरतोमरैः संसक्ताः पातयामासुस्तव तेषां च संघशः
M. N. Dutt: The elephant riders in your own army and in the army of Pandavas' destroyed the elephant riders of rival party in counter by blowing sharp Naracha, arrows and tomaras from all sides (viz. mutually they killed themselves).
Supplementary Passages:
6.53.12 After 12, Da Dn1 D5 ins.: *190 कश्चिदुत्पत्य समरे वरवारणमास्थितः केशपक्षे परामृश्य जहार समरे शिरः अन्ये द्विरददन्ताग्रनिर्भिन्नहृदया रणे वेमुश्च रुधिरं वीरा निःश्वसन्तः समन्ततः कश्चित्करिविषाणस्थो वीरो रणविशारदः प्रावेपच्छक्तिनिर्भिन्नो गजशिक्षास्त्रवेदिना
पत्तिसंघा रणे पत्तीन्भिण्डिपालपरश्वधैः न्यपातयन्त संहृष्टाः परस्परकृतागसः
M. N. Dutt: Innumerable foot-soldiers angrily and at the same time cheerfully cut down one another with short arrows and battle axes.
Supplementary Passages:
6.53.13 After 13, N (except B1; K5 om.) ins.: *191 रथी च समरे राजन्नासाद्य गजयोधिनम् सगजं पातयामास गजी च रथिनं रथात् रथिनं च हयारोहः प्रासेन भरतर्षभ पातयामास समरे रथी च हयसादिनम्
पदाती रथिनं संख्ये रथी चापि पदातिनम् न्यपातयच्छितैः शस्त्रैः सेनयोरुभयोरपि
M. N. Dutt: In both the armies, foot-soldiers cut down many car-warriors, many car-warriors cut down innumcrable foot-soldiers with their sharp weapons.
गजारोहा हयारोहान्पातयां चक्रिरे तदा हयारोहा गजस्थांश्च तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्
AI Translation: The elephant riders brought down the horse riders, and the horse riders brought down the elephant riders. It was a wonder.
Supplementary Passages:
6.53.15 After 15c, S (T2 om.) ins.: *192 आप्लुत्याप्लुत्य संयुगे निस्त्रिंशैर्निशितैस्तीक्ष्णैः
गजारोहवरैश्चापि तत्र तत्र पदातयः पातिताः समदृश्यन्त तैश्चापि गजयोधिनः
AI Translation: The foot soldiers were also struck by the elephant riders, and the elephant riders were struck by the foot soldiers. The elephant riders were seen to be struck by the foot soldiers.
पत्तिसंघा हयारोहैः सादिसंघाश्च पत्तिभिः पात्यमाना व्यदृश्यन्त शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
M. N. Dutt: It has been seen there that innumerable foot-soldiers were cut down by horse-riders and horse-riders cut down foot-soldiers,
ध्वजैस्तत्रापविद्धैश्च कार्मुकैस्तोमरैस्तथा प्रासैस्तथा गदाभिश्च परिघैः कम्पनैस्तथा
AI Translation: With flags, bows, javelins, spears, clubs, and iron bars, and with maces.
शक्तिभिः कवचैश्चित्रैः कणपैरङ्कुशैरपि निस्त्रिंशैर्विमलैश्चापि स्वर्णपुङ्खैः शरैस्तथा
AI Translation: With spears, armor, various arrows, goads, With sharp swords, and also with arrows with golden feathers,
परिस्तोमैः कुथाभिश्च कम्बलैश्च महाधनैः भूर्भाति भरतश्रेष्ठ स्रग्दामैरिव चित्रिता
AI Translation: With the Paristoma, with the Kutha, with the great wealth of blankets, the earth shines, O best of Bharatas, as if adorned with garlands.
नराश्वकायैः पतितैर्दन्तिभिश्च महाहवे अगम्यरूपा पृथिवी मांसशोणितकर्दमा
M. N. Dutt: The ground becoming muddy with flesh and blood, became impassable with the bodies of men, horses and elephants, that were killed in that fearful battle.
प्रशशाम रजो भौमं व्युक्षितं रणशोणितैः दिशश्च विमलाः सर्वाः संबभूवुर्जनेश्वर
M. N. Dutt: O majesty! The dust on the upper surface of earth was stuck to layer on being soaked in blood flown in that battle-field. On being this, all directions became clearly visible.
उत्थितान्यगणेयानि कबन्धानि समन्ततः चिह्नभूतानि जगतो विनाशार्थाय भारत
M. N. Dutt: O descendant of Bharata, innumerable headless bodies were seen rising from the ground, an omen to indicate that the destruction of the world is near.
तस्मिन्युद्धे महारौद्रे वर्तमाने सुदारुणे प्रत्यदृश्यन्त रथिनो धावमानाः समन्ततः
AI Translation: In that great and terrible battle, which was taking place in a most terrible way, charioteers were seen running in all directions.
ततो द्रोणश्च भीष्मश्च सैन्धवश्च जयद्रथः पुरुमित्रो विकर्णश्च शकुनिश्चापि सौबलः
AI Translation: Then Drona, Bhishma, Saindhava Jayadratha, Purumitra, Vikarna, and Shakuni Soubala,
एते समरदुर्धर्षाः सिंहतुल्यपराक्रमाः पाण्डवानामनीकानि बभञ्जुः स्म पुनः पुनः
AI Translation: These ones, difficult to be overcome in battle, with prowess equal to that of lions, again and again destroyed the armies of the Pandavas.
तथैव भीमसेनोऽपि राक्षसश्च घटोत्कचः सात्यकिश्चेकितानश्च द्रौपदेयाश्च भारत
AI Translation: Similarly, Bhimasena, the demon Ghatotkacha, Satyaki, Chekitana, and the sons of Draupadi, O descendant of the Bharata lineage,
तावकांस्तव पुत्रांश्च सहितान्सर्वराजभिः द्रावयामासुराजौ ते त्रिदशा दानवानिव
AI Translation: They drove away your sons and your allies, together with all the kings, just as the gods drive away the demons.
तथा ते समरेऽन्योन्यं निघ्नन्तः क्षत्रियर्षभाः रक्तोक्षिता घोररूपा विरेजुर्दानवा इव
M. N. Dutt: Those foremost of Kshatriya struck one another in battle. They became terrible to look at. covered with blood, they shone like the Kinshuka flowers.
विनिर्जित्य रिपून्वीराः सेनयोरुभयोरपि व्यदृश्यन्त महामात्रा ग्रहा इव नभस्तले
M. N. Dutt: O king, vanquishing their adversaries, those foremost of warriors of both the armies looked like the brilliant stars in the sky.
ततो रथसहस्रेण पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव अभ्ययात्पाण्डवान्युद्धे राक्षसं च घटोत्कचम्
M. N. Dutt: Then your son Duryodhana supported by one thousand car-warriors rushed to battle with the sons of Pandu and the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha.
तथैव पाण्डवाः सर्वे महत्या सेनया सह द्रोणभीष्मौ रणे शूरौ प्रत्युद्ययुररिंदमौ
M. N. Dutt: The Pandava also with many thousand troops rushed in battle against those chastiser of foes, the heroic Bhishma and Drona.
किरीटी तु ययौ क्रुद्धः समर्थान्पार्थिवोत्तमान् आर्जुनिः सात्यकिश्चैव ययतुः सौबलं बलम्
M. N. Dutt: The diadem-decked hero (Arjuna) also rushed in anger against those foremost of kings. then the son of Arjuna, Abhimanyu and Satyaki both rushed against the forces of the son of Subala, Shakuni.
ततः प्रववृते भूयः संग्रामो लोमहर्षणः तावकानां परेषां च समरे विजिगीषताम्
M. N. Dutt: Then again commenced a fearful and hairstring battle between the troops and both the sides, both parties being eager to defeat one other.