Critical Edition
संजय उवाच अकरोत्तुमुलं युद्धं भीष्मः शांतनवस्तदा भीमसेनभयादिच्छन्पुत्रांस्तारयितुं तव
AI Translation: Sanjaya said: Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, then fought a fierce battle in order to save your sons from the fear of Bhimasena.
पूर्वाह्णे तन्महारौद्रं राज्ञां युद्धमवर्तत कुरूणां पाण्डवानां च मुख्यशूरविनाशनम्
AI Translation: In the morning, there was a great and fierce battle between the kings, destroying the chief heroes of the Kurus and Pandavas.
तस्मिन्नाकुलसंग्रामे वर्तमाने महाभये अभवत्तुमुलः शब्दः संस्पृशन्गगनं महत्
M. N. Dutt: When that furious and dreadful engagement raged, a terrible din arose, that touched the very heavens.
नदद्भिश्च महानागैर्हेषमाणैश्च वाजिभिः भेरीशङ्खनिनादैश्च तुमुलः समपद्यत
M. N. Dutt: The clangour that was made was deafening in consequence of the roars of stricking elephants and the neighs of steeds and the blare of conchis and the sound of drums.
युयुत्सवस्ते विक्रान्ता विजयाय महाबलाः अन्योन्यमभिगर्जन्तो गोष्ठेष्विव महर्षभाः
M. N. Dutt: Those mighty warriors endued with great prowess, fighting with one another out of a desires for victory roared at one another like bulls among a herd of kine.
शिरसां पात्यमानानां समरे निशितैः शरैः अश्मवृष्टिरिवाकाशे बभूव भरतर्षभ
M. N. Dutt: O foremost of the Bharatas, heads cut off with keen-edged arrows, falling in that battle, appeared like a shower of stones from the skies.
कुण्डलोष्णीषधारीणि जातरूपोज्ज्वलानि च पतितानि स्म दृश्यन्ते शिरांसि भरतर्षभ
M. N. Dutt: Many heads, O foremost of the Bharatas, were seen lying on the field of battle, graced with ear-rings and head-gears, and effulgent like gold itself.
विशिखोन्मथितैर्गात्रैर्बाहुभिश्च सकार्मुकैः सहस्ताभरणैश्चान्यैरभवच्छादिता मही
M. N. Dutt: The ground was strewn over with limbs severed by Vishikha, with head graced with ear-rings, and with arms decorated with ornaments &c.
कवचोपहितैर्गात्रैर्हस्तैश्च समलंकृतैः मुखैश्च चन्द्रसंकाशै रक्तान्तनयनैः शुभैः
AI Translation: With bodies covered with armor, with hands adorned, With faces resembling the moon, with auspicious eyes red at the corners,
गजवाजिमनुष्याणां सर्वगात्रैश्च भूपते आसीत्सर्वा समाकीर्णा मुहूर्तेन वसुंधरा
AI Translation: O king, the entire earth was covered in an instant with the bodies of elephants, horses and men.
रजोमेघैश्च तुमुलैः शस्त्रविद्युत्प्रकाशितैः आयुधानां च निर्घोषः स्तनयित्नुसमोऽभवत्
M. N. Dutt: Under the thick clouds of dust (raised by the warriors) in which the whistling weapons flashed like lightning, the sound emitted by the various implements of war resembled the roars of thunder.
स संप्रहारस्तुमुलः कटुकः शोणितोदकः प्रावर्तत कुरूणां च पाण्डवानां च भारत
M. N. Dutt: That dreadful and fierce fight, O Bharata, between the Kurus and the Pandus created a river of blood in the field of battle.
तस्मिन्महाभये घोरे तुमुले लोमहर्षणे ववर्षुः शरवर्षाणि क्षत्रिया युद्धदुर्मदाः
M. N. Dutt: In that fierce, dreadful terrifying and hairstirring battle, the Kshatriya in capable of being repressed in battle began to shower a veritable down-pour of arrows.
क्रोशन्ति कुञ्जरास्तत्र शरवर्षप्रतापिताः तावकानां परेषां च संयुगे भरतोत्तम अश्वाश्च पर्यधावन्त हतारोहा दिशो दश
M. N. Dutt: Afflicted with that shower of arrows, the elephants of your army as well as of the enemy's army, began to shriek aloud and run hither and thither with uplifted trunks.
Supplementary Passages:
6.66.14 After 14cd, N ins. (K0-2 om. from post. half of line 2 up to prior half of line 4): *275 संरब्धानां च वीराणां धीराणाममितौजसाम् धनुर्ज्यातलशब्देन न प्राज्ञायत किंचन उत्थितेषु कबन्धेषु सर्वतः शोणितोदके समरे पर्यधावन्त नृपा रिपुवधोद्यताः शरशक्तिगदाभिस्ते खड्गैश्चामिततेजसः निजघ्नुः समरे शूरास्तेऽन्योन्यं च परंतप बभ्रमुः कुञ्जराश्चात्र शरैर्विद्धा निरङ्कुशाः
उत्पत्य निपतन्त्यन्ये शरघातप्रपीडिताः तावकानां परेषां च योधानां भरतर्षभ
M. N. Dutt: Many warriors of your army and many belonging to the host of enemy afflicted with shafts-wounds, running hither and thither (with pain), (at last) jumped up and fell down.
Supplementary Passages:
6.66.15 After 15, N ins.: *276 बहूनामुत्तमाङ्गानां कार्मुकाणां तथैव च गदानां परिघाणां च हस्तानां चोरुभिः सह पादानां भूषणानां च केयूराणां च संघशः राशयः स्म प्रदृश्यन्ते भीष्मभीमपराक्रमे
अश्वानां कुञ्जराणां च रथानां चातिवर्तताम् संघाताः स्म प्रदृश्यन्ते तत्र तत्र विशां पते
M. N. Dutt: There was also seen here and there o ruler of men, large number of running steeds and retreating elephants.
गदाभिरसिभिः प्रासैर्बाणैश्च नतपर्वभिः जघ्नुः परस्परं तत्र क्षत्रियाः कालचोदिताः
M. N. Dutt: The Kshatriya, urged on by Destiny, began to slay one another in that battle, with maces, swerds, lances and straight-jointed shafts.
अपरे बाहुभिर्वीरा नियुद्धकुशला युधि बहुधा समसज्जन्त आयसैः परिघैरिव
M. N. Dutt: Other heroes accomplished in battle struck one another in that battle with their bare arms, that resembled bludgeons made wholly of iron.
मुष्टिभिर्जानुभिश्चैव तलैश्चैव विशां पते अन्योन्यं जघ्निरे वीरास्तावकाः पाण्डवैः सह
M. N. Dutt: O king, other heroic warriors of your army fought on with those of the Pandava host, and slew one another by striking one another with clenched fists, knees, palms and blows.
Supplementary Passages:
6.66.19 After 19, N ins.: *277 पतितैः पात्यमानैश्च विचेष्टद्भिश्च भूतले घोरमायोधनं जज्ञे तत्र तत्र जनेश्वर On the other hand, S ins. after 19: *278 दुर्योधनमते घोरे अक्षद्यूताभिदेवने भीष्मे युधि पराक्रान्ते भीमसेनेन भारत प्रावर्तत नदी घोरा शोणितौघतरङ्गिणी मध्ये च महती सेना केशशैवलशाद्वला हतारोहा हया राजन्रथिनो विरथा अपि विचेरुस्तत्र संग्रामे निस्त्रिंशवरधारिणः
विरथा रथिनश्चात्र निस्त्रिंशवरधारिणः अन्योन्यमभिधावन्त परस्परवधैषिणः
M. N. Dutt: Car-warriors deprived of their grasping well tempered swords rushed at one another desirous of slaying one another.
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा कलिङ्गैर्बहुभिर्वृतः पुरस्कृत्य रणे भीष्मं पाण्डवानभ्यवर्तत
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon king Duryodhana surrounded by a large number of the Kalingas and placing Bhishma at the head, charged the Pandava host.
तथैव पाण्डवाः सर्वे परिवार्य वृकोदरम् भीष्ममभ्यद्रवन्क्रुद्धा रणे रभसवाहनाः
M. N. Dutt: So also, the Pandavas, surrounding Vrikodara and riding on fleet animals in that battle, rushed inflamed with wrath against the division led by Bhishma. cars,