Critical Edition
संजय उवाच सैन्धवेन निरुद्धेषु जयगृद्धिषु पाण्डुषु सुघोरमभवद्युद्धं त्वदीयानां परैः सह
M. N. Dutt: Sanjaya said Thus when the Pandavas intent on securing victory were resisted by the Sindhu ruler, there commenced an awful fight between your Warriors and those of the enemy.
प्रविश्य त्वार्जुनिः सेनां सत्यसंधो दुरासदाम् व्यक्षोभयत तेजस्वी मकरः सागरं यथा
M. N. Dutt: Penetrating into your ranks, Arjuna's son aviacible and of unerring aim and endued with tenergy, began to agitate your troups, like is nighty whale agitating the sea.
तं तथा शरवर्षेण क्षोभयन्तमरिंदमम् यथाप्रधानाः सौभद्रमभ्ययुः कुरुसत्तमाः
M. N. Dutt: Then according to their ranks, the foremost warriors of the Kauravas rushed against Subhadra's son, the subduer of foes, who has been agitating his enemies with his arrowy downpour.
तेषां तस्य च संमर्दो दारुणः समपद्यत सृजतां शरवर्षाणि प्रसक्तममितौजसाम्
M. N. Dutt: The clash between these warriors, endued with infinite energy and scattering a shower of arrows on one side and Abhimanyu on the other, became awful.
रथव्रजेन संरुद्धस्तैरमित्रैरथार्जुनिः वृषसेनस्य यन्तारं हत्वा चिच्छेद कार्मुकम्
M. N. Dutt: Then impaled by the enemies with crowds of cars, the son of Arjuna slew the driver of Vrishasena and also cut-off the latter's bow.
तस्य विव्याध बलवाञ्शरैरश्वानजिह्मगैः वातायमानैरथ तैरश्वैरपहृतो रणात्
M. N. Dutt: Then again that highly powerful hero pierced Vrishasena's horses with straightflying arrows; the latter then was carried away from the field of battle by those steeds of the fleetness of the wind.
तेनान्तरेणाभिमन्योर्यन्तापासारयद्रथम् रथव्रजास्ततो हृष्टाः साधु साध्विति चुक्रुशुः
M. N. Dutt: At this opportunity, the charioteer of Abhimanyu drove his vehicle out of the press of hostile charioteers and then the troops filled with delight exclaimed aloud saying "Well done, Well done.'
तं सिंहमिव संक्रुद्धं प्रमथ्नन्तं शरैररीन् आरादायान्तमभ्येत्य वसातीयोऽभ्ययाद्द्रुतम्
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon approaching Abhimanyu who, excited with rage, had been crushing the foe with his arrows like a lion crushing other animals, Vasatiya fell upon him with great impetuosity.
सोऽभिमन्युं शरैः षष्ट्या रुक्मपुङ्खैरवाकिरत् अब्रवीच्च न मे जीवञ्जीवतो युधि मोक्ष्यसे
M. N. Dutt: He then covered Abhimanyu with sixty shafts all furnished with golden wings and also thus addressed him-“You shall not escape me alive in battle, so long as I am alive'.
तमयस्मयवर्माणमिषुणा आशुपातिना विव्याध हृदि सौभद्रः स पपात व्यसुः क्षितौ
M. N. Dutt: Him cased in iron male, the son of Subhadra pierced on the breast with an arrows capable of flying to a great distance; and he fell down on the earth deprived of life.
वसात्यं निहतं दृष्ट्वा क्रुद्धाः क्षत्रियपुंगवाः परिवव्रुस्तदा राजंस्तव पौत्रं जिघांसवः
M. N. Dutt: Beholding Vasatiya slain, the foremost of the Kshatriyas all excited with rage, surrounded, O king, your grandson, desirous of taking his life out of him.
विस्फारयन्तश्चापानि नानारूपाण्यनेकशः तद्युद्धमभवद्रौद्रं सौभद्रस्यारिभिः सह
M. N. Dutt: They stretched their bows of different shapes, in many different ways. There-upon commenced terrible conflict between Subhadra's son and his adversaries.
तेषां शरान्सेष्वसनाञ्शरीराणि शिरांसि च सकुण्डलानि स्रग्वीणि क्रुद्धश्चिच्छेद फाल्गुनिः
M. N. Dutt: a
सखड्गाः साङ्गुलित्राणाः सपट्टिशपरश्वधाः अदृश्यन्त भुजाश्छिन्ना हेमाभरणभूषिताः
M. N. Dutt: Then severed arms were seen on the field with fingers-protectors and grasping swords, lances, axes and bludgeons and adorned with golden ornaments.
स्रग्भिराभरणैर्वस्त्रैः पतितैश्च महाध्वजैः वर्मभिश्चर्मभिर्हारैर्मुकुटैश्छत्रचामरैः
AI Translation: With garlands, ornaments, clothes, fallen great banners, With armor, shields, necklaces, crowns, umbrellas, and chowries,
अपस्करैरधिष्ठानैरीषादण्डकबन्धुरैः अक्षैर्विमथितैश्चक्रैर्भग्नैश्च बहुधा युगैः
AI Translation: With wheels, axles, and yokes broken in many ways, With wheels and yokes shattered, and with yokes broken in many ways,
अनुकर्षैः पताकाभिस्तथा सारथिवाजिभिः रथैश्च भग्नैर्नागैश्च हतैः कीर्णाभवन्मही
AI Translation: With banners, with charioteers and horses, And with broken chariots and slain elephants, the earth was strewn.
निहतैः क्षत्रियैः शूरैर्नानाजनपदेश्वरैः जयगृद्धैर्वृता भूमिर्दारुणा समपद्यत
M. N. Dutt: Then the field of battle assumed a dreadful aspect being strewn over with many slain heroic Kshatriya rulers of many countries, who had fought for securing victory.
दिशो विचरतस्तस्य सर्वाश्च प्रदिशस्तथा रणेऽभिमन्योः क्रुद्धस्य रूपमन्तरधीयत
M. N. Dutt: The very form of Abhimanyu could not then be discerned, as he careered through the field of battle moving in all the directions, subsidiary and cardinal.
काञ्चनं यद्यदस्यासीद्वर्म चाभरणानि च धनुषश्च शराणां च तदपश्याम केवलम्
M. N. Dutt: His golden coat of mail and his buckler and his ornaments and his arrows and bow only were seen by us then.
तं तदा नाशकत्कश्चिच्चक्षुर्भ्यामभिवीक्षितुम् आददानं शरैर्योधान्मध्ये सूर्यमिव स्थितम्
M. N. Dutt: Then no one was able to cast his eyes on him (Abhimanyu) when he was slaying hostile warriors with his arrows, staying in their midst like the very sun in the heavens.