Critical Edition
संजय उवाच तेषामनीकानि बृहद्ध्वजानि; रणे समृद्धानि समागतानि गर्जन्ति भेरीनिनदोन्मुखानि; मेघैर्यथा मेघगणास्तपान्ते
M. N. Dutt: Sanjaya said All the assembled troops marshaled in array, sounding their bugles and blowing this horns, like thick volumes of clouds at the end of summer, roared thunders.
Supplementary Passages:
8.53.1 Before 1, N T2 ins.: *807 धृतराष्ट्र उवाच महाभये पाण्डवसृञ्जयानां महाभये मामकानामगाधे धनंजये तात रणाय याते बभूव तद्युद्धमथो नु कीदृक् For 1cd, S (T1 om.) subst.: *808 भेरीनिनादैर्मुखराण्यगर्जन् मेघा यथा प्रावृषि मारुतास्ताः
महागजाभ्राकुलमस्त्रतोयं; वादित्रनेमीतलशब्दवच्च हिरण्यचित्रायुधवैद्युतं च; महारथैरावृतशब्दवच्च
AI Translation: Like the water of a cloud of great elephants, with the sound of the drums and cymbals, And with the golden-colored weapons and lightning, surrounded by great chariots, with the sound,
तद्भीमवेगं रुधिरौघवाहि; खड्गाकुलं क्षत्रियजीववाहि अनार्तवं क्रूरमनिष्टवर्षं; बभूव तत्संहरणं प्रजानाम्
AI Translation: That was terrible, flowing with blood, full of swords, carrying the lives of the Kshatriyas, Untimely, cruel, raining the undesirable, that was the destruction of the subjects.
Supplementary Passages:
8.53.3 After 3, K4 V1 B D (except D8) T2 ins.: *809 एकं रथं संपरिवार्य मृत्युं नयन्त्यनेके च रथाः समेताः एकस्तथैकं रथिनं रथाग्र्यांस् तथा रथश्चापि रथाननेकान् रथं ससूतं सहयं च कंचित् कश्चिद्रथी मृत्युवशं निनाय निनाय चाप्येकगजेन कश्चिद् रथान्बहून्मृत्युवशे तथाश्वान्
रथान्ससूतान्सहयान्गजांश्च; सर्वानरीन्मृत्युवशं शरौघैः निन्ये हयांश्चैव तथा ससादी;न्पदातिसंघांश्च तथैव पार्थः
M. N. Dutt: Partha thus inflicting the enemy with a heavy downpour of shafts rent them asunder with all their cavalry and elephant soldiers, as also the rides and riders of their war-chariots.
Supplementary Passages:
8.53.4 For 4cd, S (T1 om.) subst.: *810 निनाय पार्थो बलगर्विताक्षो यथान्तकः सर्वहरो महौजाः
कृपः शिखण्डी च रणे समेतौ; दुर्योधनं सात्यकिरभ्यगच्छत श्रुतश्रवा द्रोणसुतेन सार्धं; युधामन्युश्चित्रसेनेन चापि
M. N. Dutt: Kripacharya met Sikhandin in the field, while Satyaki encountered Duryodhana; and Srutasravas challenged Drona's son, while Yudhamauna took Chitrasena for his assailant.
कर्णस्य पुत्रस्तु रथी सुषेणं; समागतः सृञ्जयांश्चोत्तमौजाः गान्धारराजं सहदेवः क्षुधार्तो; महर्षभं सिंह इवाभ्यधावत्
M. N. Dutt: And like a hungry lion hotly pursuing a stout bull, Uttamauja, the great car-warrior of Srinjayas, pounced upon Susena, the son of Karna,; while Sahadeva launched out against Shakuni, the King of the Gandharas.
शतानीको नाकुलिः कर्णपुत्रं; युवा युवानं वृषसेनं शरौघैः समार्दयत्कर्णसुतश्च वीरः; पाञ्चालेयं शरवर्षैरनेकैः
M. N. Dutt: Young Satanika, the son of Nakula, rushing headlong afflicted young Vrishasena with a showering torrent of his shafts and (he, too), the heroic son of Karna returned the charges of the son of the princess of Panchala in no stinted measure.
रथर्षभः कृतवर्माणमार्च्छ;न्माद्रीपुत्रो नकुलश्चित्रयोधी पाञ्चालानामधिपो याज्ञसेनिः; सेनापतिं कर्णमार्च्छत्ससैन्यम्
M. N. Dutt: Madri's son Nakula, the skillful adept of war tactics and the wonderful warrior of unique fame, assailed Kritavarman, while Yajnasena's son the king of the Panchalas rushed against general Karna with all his hosts.
दुःशासनो भारत भारती च; संशप्तकानां पृतना समृद्धा भीमं रणे शस्त्रभृतां वरिष्ठं; तदा समार्च्छत्तमसह्यवेगम्
M. N. Dutt: O Bharata, Dushasana, with the swelling hosts of the Samsaptakas and all the troops comprising the Bharata force, rode full tile against Bhima, the inflictor of woes in battle to all wielders of arms and the foremost of all warriors.
Supplementary Passages:
8.53.9 For 9cd, T2.3 G M subst.: *811 व्यात्ताननः क्रूर इवान्तकाभः समासदद्भारत भीमसेनम्
कर्णात्मजं तत्र जघान शूर;स्तथाच्छिनच्चोत्तमौजाः प्रसह्य तस्योत्तमाङ्गं निपपात भूमौ; निनादयद्गां निनदेन खं च
M. N. Dutt: There the powerful Uttamaujas, putting forth all his mighty, struck down the son of Karna and his dissevered head fell down on the ground with a terrible shriek, which made the Earth and the sky resound its roars.
सुषेणशीर्षं पतितं पृथिव्यां; विलोक्य कर्णोऽथ तदार्तरूपः क्रोधाद्धयांस्तस्य रथं ध्वजं च; बाणैः सुधारैर्निशितैर्न्यकृन्तत्
M. N. Dutt: Overwhelmed with grief at the (ghastly) sight of the severed head of Sushena thus rolling on the ground. Karna remained stupefied (for a while), but, his avenging spirit soon taking the better of him, he, soon, with sharp-pointed arrows cut to pieces the steeds, chariot and the standard of his son's adversary.
स तूत्तमौजा निशितैः पृषत्कै;र्विव्याध खड्गेन च भास्वरेण पार्ष्णिं हयांश्चैव कृपस्य हत्वा; शिखण्डिवाहं स ततोऽभ्यरोहत्
M. N. Dutt: Uttamaujas, in the interval, trucking home, with his keen shafts and the sharp edge of his steed, the steed and the side-guards of Kripa, quickly leapt into the chariot of Shikhandin.
Supplementary Passages:
8.53.12 After 12, T2 ins.: *812 पाञ्चालराजस्य सुतस्तरस्वी चक्रे शिखण्डी विरथं कृपं वै
कृपं तु दृष्ट्वा विरथं रथस्थो; नैच्छच्छरैस्ताडयितुं शिखण्डी तं द्रौणिरावार्य रथं कृपं स्म; समुज्जह्रे पङ्कगतां यथा गाम्
M. N. Dutt: Shikhandin, observing from his own chariot, (the sad predicament of) Kripa thus deprived of his conveyance, did not like to pursue him with his shafts; the son of Drona, in the meanwhile, covering the car of Kripa with that of his own, like a bull fallen in a ditch, rescued him.
हिरण्यवर्मा निशितैः पृषत्कै;स्तवात्मजानामनिलात्मजो वै अतापयत्सैन्यमतीव भीमः; काले शुचौ मध्यगतो यथार्कः
M. N. Dutt: Here, the son of the Wind-god, Bhima, covered with armor of gold, afflicting with his keen shafts, like the burning mid-day Sun of summer, scorched the while body of troops of your sons. Here, the son of the Wind-god, Bhima, covered with armor of gold, afflicting with his keen shafts, like the burning mid-day Sun of summer, scorched the while body of troops of your sons.