Critical Edition
संजय उवाच क्षत्रियास्ते महाराज परस्परवधैषिणः अन्योन्यं समरे जघ्नुः कृतवैराः परस्परम्
M. N. Dutt: Sanjaya said Desirous of slaying one another and cherishing hatred, the Kshatriyas, O monarch, killed one another in battle.
रथौघाश्च हयौघाश्च नरौघाश्च समन्ततः गजौघाश्च महाराज संसक्ताः स्म परस्परम्
M. N. Dutt: Cars, horses, men and elephants, O monarch, in large numbers, encountered one another on all sides.
गदानां परिघाणां च कणपानां च सर्पताम् प्रासानां भिण्डिपालानां भुशुण्डीनां च सर्वशः
AI Translation: the clubs, the iron bars, the spears, the swords, the javelins, the lances, the spears, the arrows,
संपातं चान्वपश्याम संग्रामे भृशदारुणे शलभा इव संपेतुः समन्ताच्छरवृष्टयः
AI Translation: We saw the rain of arrows falling in that extremely fierce battle. Like locusts, showers of arrows fell all around.
नागा नागान्समासाद्य व्यधमन्त परस्परम् हया हयांश्च समरे रथिनो रथिनस्तथा पत्तयः पत्तिसंघैश्च हयसंघैर्हयास्तथा
AI Translation: The elephants, having encountered the elephants, crushed each other. The horses and the chariot-warriors in battle, and the foot-soldiers with the groups of foot-soldiers, and the horses with the groups of horses,
पत्तयो रथमातङ्गान्रथा हस्त्यश्वमेव च नागाश्च समरे त्र्यङ्गं ममृदुः शीघ्रगा नृप
AI Translation: The chariots, elephants, horses, and chariots, and the elephants and horses, The three limbs of mine were crushed in battle, O king, by the swift-moving ones.
Supplementary Passages:
8.36.6 After 6ab, T1.3 G ins.: *475 हस्तिनोऽश्वान्रथांश्चैव T1.3 G1.3 M2-4 ins. after 6: M1 after 6abc: *476 हयास्त्र्यङ्गं च मारिष T1.3 G1.3 cont.: T2 ins. after 6: *477 नराश्च ममृदुस्त्र्यङ्गं रथास्त्र्यङ्गं च मारिष Finally, T G1.3 cont.: M ins. after 476*: *478 शरतोमरनाराचैर्गदाशक्तिपरश्वधैः
पततां तत्र शूराणां क्रोशतां च परस्परम् घोरमायोधनं जज्ञे पशूनां वैशसं यथा
M. N. Dutt: On account of those combatants striking one another and shouting at the top of their voices, the battle-field became awful, resembling the slaughter ground of creatures.
रुधिरेण समास्तीर्णा भाति भारत मेदिनी शक्रगोपगणाकीर्णा प्रावृषीव यथा धरा
M. N. Dutt: Covered with blood, the earth looked like a vast plain in the season of rains covered with red cochineal.
यथा वा वाससी शुक्ले महारजनरञ्जिते बिभृयाद्युवतिः श्यामा तद्वदासीद्वसुंधरा मांसशोणितचित्रेव शातकौम्भमयीव च
M. N. Dutt: The earth assumed, as it were, the form of youthful maiden of great beauty clad in white robes dyed with deep red. Variegated with flesh and blood the earth appeared as if decked with gold.
Supplementary Passages:
8.36.9 T2.3 G2.3 M ins. after 9cd: T1 G1 after 9: *479 बद्धचूडामणिवरैः शिरोभिश्चारुकुण्डलैः उज्झितैर्वृषभाक्षाणां भ्राजते स्म वसुंधरा After 9, T3 G3 M ins.: *480 भूर्बभौ भरतश्रेष्ठ शान्तार्चिर्भिरिवाग्निभिः
छिन्नानां चोत्तमाङ्गानां बाहूनां चोरुभिः सह कुण्डलानां प्रविद्धानां भूषणानां च भारत
AI Translation: of severed heads, arms and thighs, and of earrings and ornaments,
निष्काणामधिसूत्राणां शरीराणां च धन्विनाम् वर्मणां सपताकानां संघास्तत्रापतन्भुवि
AI Translation: of gold, of armour, of bows, of bodies, of arrows, of quivers, of flags, of standards, of chariots, of horses, of elephants, of foot-soldiers, of weapons, of missiles, of armour, of flags, of standards, of chariots, of horses, of elephants, of foot-soldiers, of weapons, of missiles, of armour, of flags,
Supplementary Passages:
8.36.11 After 11, S ins.: *481 अगम्यकल्पा पृथिवी सर्वतो भृशदुर्गमा
गजान्गजाः समासाद्य विषाणाग्रैरदारयन् विषाणाभिहतास्ते च भ्राजन्ते द्विरदा यथा
M. N. Dutt: O king, the elephants approaching other elephants tore one another with their tusks. Stuck with the tusks of assailing elephants they looked beautiful.
रुधिरेणावसिक्ताङ्गा गैरिकप्रस्रवा इव यथा भ्राजन्ति स्यन्दन्तः पर्वता धातुमण्डिताः
M. N. Dutt: Bathed in blood those huge creatures looked resplendent like moving hills covered with metals and streams of liquid chalk.
Supplementary Passages:
8.36.13 After 13, T1.3 G1.3 M1 ins.: *482 तथा रेजू रणे नागा रुधिरेण समाप्लुताः
तोमरान्गजिभिर्मुक्तान्प्रतीपानास्थितान्बहून् हस्तैर्विचेरुस्ते नागा बभञ्जुश्चापरे तथा
M. N. Dutt: Many of them seized the lances hurled by horsemen whilst others broke and twisted them.
नाराचैश्छिन्नवर्माणो भ्राजन्ते स्म गजोत्तमाः हिमागमे महाराज व्यभ्रा इव महीधराः
M. N. Dutt: Many huge elephants, with their armours cut-off with arrows, looked like mountains divested of clouds at the approach of the winter.
शरैः कनकपुङ्खैस्तु चिता रेजुर्गजोत्तमाः उल्काभिः संप्रदीप्ताग्राः पर्वता इव मारिष
M. N. Dutt: Many leading elephants, struck with goldwinged arrows, looked beautiful, like mountains whose summits are lighted with torches.
केचिदभ्याहता नागा नागैर्नगनिभा भुवि निपेतुः समरे तस्मिन्पक्षवन्त इवाद्रयः
M. N. Dutt: Struck by their antagonists some of those creatures, huge as hills, fell down in battle like winged mountains.
अपरे प्राद्रवन्नागाः शल्यार्ता व्रणपीडिताः प्रतिमानैश्च कुम्भैश्च पेतुरुर्व्यां महाहवे
M. N. Dutt: Others, afflicted with arrows and much pained by the wound, fell down on the earth in that dreadful encounter with their frontal globes or the parts between their tusks.
निषेदुः सिंहवच्चान्ये नदन्तो भैरवान्रवान् मम्लुश्च बहवो राजंश्चुकूजुश्चापरे तथा
M. N. Dutt: Others roared like lions. And many emitting terrible sounds ran hither and thither and many, O king, uttered cries of pain.
हयाश्च निहता बाणैः स्वर्णभाण्डपरिच्छदाः निषेदुश्चैव मम्लुश्च बभ्रमुश्च दिशो दश
M. N. Dutt: Horses, adorned with golden trappings, kills by arrows, fell down or became weak or ran in all directions.
अपरे कृष्यमाणाश्च विवेष्टन्तो महीतले भावान्बहुविधांश्चक्रुस्ताडिताः शरतोमरैः
M. N. Dutt: Others, wounded with arrows or dragged, fell down on the earth making diverse kinds of motion in agony.
नरास्तु निहता भूमौ कूजन्तस्तत्र मारिष दृष्ट्वा च बान्धवानन्ये पितॄनन्ये पितामहान्
AI Translation: O venerable one, the men who were killed on the ground were crying there. Some saw their relatives, others their fathers, and others their grandfathers.
धावमानान्परांश्चैव दृष्ट्वान्ये तत्र भारत गोत्रनामानि ख्यातानि शशंसुरितरेतरम्
AI Translation: Seeing others running away, O descendant of Bharata, others there proclaimed their gotra and names to each other.
तेषां छिन्ना महाराज भुजाः कनकभूषणाः उद्वेष्टन्ते विवेष्टन्ते पतन्ते चोत्पतन्ति च
M. N. Dutt: Cut-off by enemies, the arms of many warriors adorned with golden ornaments fell down on the earth and writhed in agony.
निपतन्ति तथा भूमौ स्फुरन्ति च सहस्रशः वेगांश्चान्ये रणे चक्रुः स्फुरन्त इव पन्नगाः
M. N. Dutt: Thousands of such arms fell down on the earth and sprang up and many seemed to dart forward like five-headed snakes.
ते भुजा भोगिभोगाभाश्चन्दनाक्ता विशां पते लोहितार्द्रा भृशं रेजुस्तपनीयध्वजा इव
M. N. Dutt: O king, those arms, resembling the bodies of serpents, pasted with gold and besmeared with blood, appeared like little mountains.
वर्तमाने तथा घोरे संकुले सर्वतोदिशम् अविज्ञाताः स्म युध्यन्ते विनिघ्नन्तः परस्परम्
M. N. Dutt: When such a dreadful battle raged on all sides, people not know themselves killed one another.
भौमेन रजसा कीर्णे शस्त्रसंपातसंकुले नैव स्वे न परे राजन्व्यज्ञायन्त तमोवृते
M. N. Dutt: When everything was covered with dust raised by the weapons, they, O king, could not recognise who were their own and who were their enemies.
तथा तदभवद्युद्धं घोररूपं भयानकम् शोणितोदा महानद्यः प्रसस्रुस्तत्र चासकृत्
M. N. Dutt: Then there took place a dreadful encounter and there flew a river of blood striking terror unto all.
शीर्षपाषाणसंछन्नाः केशशैवलशाद्वलाः अस्थिसंघातसंकीर्णा धनुःशरवरोत्तमाः
M. N. Dutt: It was filled with heads forming the rocks. The hairs of the warriors formed the floating weeds and mosses. Bones formed the fishes; and bows, arrows and maces formed the rafts by which to cross them.
मांसकर्दमपङ्काश्च शोणितौघाः सुदारुणाः नदीः प्रवर्तयामासुर्यमराष्ट्रविवर्धनीः
AI Translation: The flesh, mud, and mire, and the terrible torrents of blood They made the rivers flow, increasing the kingdom of Yama.
Supplementary Passages:
8.36.31 After 31, K4 B Da1 Dn1 D1.3-5.7 M1 ins.: *483 भीरुवित्रासकारिण्यः शूराणां हर्षवर्धनाः
ता नद्यो घोररूपाश्च नयन्त्यो यमसादनम् अवगाढा मज्जयन्त्यः क्षत्रस्याजनयन्भयम्
AI Translation: Those rivers, of terrible form, carrying to Yama's abode, engulfing and drowning, generated fear in the Kshatriyas.
क्रव्यादानां नरव्याघ्र नर्दतां तत्र तत्र ह घोरमायोधनं जज्ञे प्रेतराजपुरोपमम्
M. N. Dutt: And many plunged into those rivers striking terror unto the Kshatriyas and dies. O best of men, on account of many carnivorous animals emitting yells on all sides the battle-field became terrible, like the territory of the Regent of the Dead.
उत्थितान्यगणेयानि कबन्धानि समन्ततः नृत्यन्ति वै भूतगणाः संतृप्ता मांसशोणितैः
M. N. Dutt: And innumerable, headless trunks rose on all sides. And many terrible creatures eating flesh and drinking blood and fat began to dance around.
पीत्वा च शोणितं तत्र वसां पीत्वा च भारत मेदोमज्जावसातृप्तास्तृप्ता मांसस्य चैव हि धावमानाश्च दृश्यन्ते काकगृध्रबलास्तथा
AI Translation: Having drunk blood there, and having drunk fat, O descendant of Bharata, Sated with marrow, fat, and flesh, And running about are seen crows, vultures, and owls,
शूरास्तु समरे राजन्भयं त्यक्त्वा सुदुस्त्यजम् योधव्रतसमाख्याताश्चक्रुः कर्माण्यभीतवत्
M. N. Dutt: The heroes, however, O king, shaking off fear and observing the warrior's warrior's vow, fearlessly did their duty.
शरशक्तिसमाकीर्णे क्रव्यादगणसंकुले व्यचरन्त गणैः शूराः ख्यापयन्तः स्वपौरुषम्
M. N. Dutt: On that field where innumerable arrows and darts passed through the air and where various carnivorous animals in large number and the brave warriors armed moved about displaying their powers.
अन्योन्यं श्रावयन्ति स्म नामगोत्राणि भारत पितृनामानि च रणे गोत्रनामानि चाभितः
AI Translation: They called out to each other their names and gotras, O descendant of Bharata, And their father's names and gotras in the battle.
श्रावयन्तो हि बहवस्तत्र योधा विशां पते अन्योन्यमवमृद्नन्तः शक्तितोमरपट्टिशैः
AI Translation: O lord of the people, many warriors there were heard to be crushing each other with spears, javelins and lances.
वर्तमाने तदा युद्धे घोररूपे सुदारुणे व्यषीदत्कौरवी सेना भिन्ना नौरिव सागरे
M. N. Dutt: In that-onset the Kuru army became divested of its strength and unable to stand any longer like a ship foundered on the bosom of the ocean.