04.054
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
तं पार्थः प्रतिजग्राह वायुवेगमिवोद्धतम्। शरजालेन महता वर्षमाणमिवाम्बुदम् ॥०४-५४-१॥
Pārtha (Arjuna) received him, who was rushing with the force of the wind, with his great network of arrows, just as one would meet a cloud pouring rain. (04-54-1)
तयोर्देवासुरसमः संनिपातो महानभूत्। किरतोः शरजालानि वृत्रवासवयोरिव ॥०४-५४-२॥
A great clash between the two, equal to that of gods and demons, arose, and the showers of arrows from the two Kirātas resembled those exchanged by Vṛtra and Indra. (04-54-2)
न स्म सूर्यस्तदा भाति न च वाति समीरणः। शरगाढे कृते व्योम्नि छायाभूते समन्ततः ॥०४-५४-३॥
At that time, neither did the sun shine nor did the wind blow, as the sky had become completely shadowed on all sides by the mass of arrows. (04-54-3)
महांश्चटचटाशब्दो योधयोर्हन्यमानयोः। दह्यतामिव वेणूनामासीत्परपुरञ्जय ॥०४-५४-४॥
O conqueror of enemy cities, there arose a great crackling sound from the two warriors being struck, as if bamboos were being burned. (04-54-4)
हयानस्यार्जुनः सर्वान्कृतवानल्पजीवितान्। स राजन्न प्रजानाति दिशं काञ्चन मोहितः ॥०४-५४-५॥
Arjuna has made all his horses short-lived. He, O King, being deluded, does not know any direction. (04-54-5)
ततो द्रौणिर्महावीर्यः पार्थस्य विचरिष्यतः। विवरं सूक्ष्ममालोक्य ज्यां चिच्छेद क्षुरेण ह ॥ तदस्यापूजयन्देवाः कर्म दृष्ट्वातिमानुषम् ॥०४-५४-६॥
Then Drona's son, the mighty hero, seeing a tiny opening as Arjuna moved, cut his bowstring with a razor-headed arrow. The gods, witnessing this superhuman feat, praised his action. (04-54-6)
ततो द्रौणिर्धनूंष्यष्टौ व्यपक्रम्य नरर्षभम्। पुनरभ्याहनत्पार्थं हृदये कङ्कपत्रिभिः ॥०४-५४-७॥
Then Drauṇi, after retreating eight bows' distance from the bull among men, again struck Pārtha in the heart with arrows with vulture-feathered shafts. (04-54-7)
ततः पार्थो महाबाहुः प्रहस्य स्वनवत्तदा। योजयामास नवया मौर्व्या गाण्डीवमोजसा ॥०४-५४-८॥
Then Arjuna, mighty of arms, smiling, strung his Gāṇḍīva bow with a new mūrva bowstring, forcefully and making it resound. (04-54-8)
ततोऽर्धचन्द्रमावृत्य तेन पार्थः समागमत्। वारणेनेव मत्तेन मत्तो वारणयूथपः ॥०४-५४-९॥
Then, having circled in a half-moon formation, Pārtha advanced against him, like an intoxicated elephant-king moving against another intoxicated elephant. (04-54-9)
ततः प्रववृते युद्धं पृथिव्यामेकवीरयोः। रणमध्ये द्वयोरेव सुमहल्लोमहर्षणम् ॥०४-५४-१०॥
Then, on the earth, a battle was undertaken between the two heroes. In the midst of combat, there was indeed a very great and hair-raising fight between the two. (04-54-10)
तौ वीरौ कुरवः सर्वे ददृशुर्विस्मयान्विताः। युध्यमानौ महात्मानौ यूथपाविव सङ्गतौ ॥०४-५४-११॥
All the Kurus, filled with wonder, saw those two great-souled heroes fighting each other, like two leaders of troops who had come together. (04-54-11)
तौ समाजघ्नतुर्वीरावन्योन्यं पुरुषर्षभौ। शरैराशीविषाकारैर्ज्वलद्भिरिव पन्नगैः ॥०४-५४-१२॥
Those two heroes, the foremost among men, struck each other with blazing arrows shaped like venomous serpents, as if fighting with fiery serpents. (04-54-12)
अक्षय्याविषुधी दिव्यौ पाण्डवस्य महात्मनः। तेन पार्थो रणे शूरस्तस्थौ गिरिरिवाचलः ॥०४-५४-१३॥
With his two imperishable and pure divine (weapons), Pārtha, the great-souled hero, stood immovable in battle like a mountain. (04-54-13)
अश्वत्थाम्नः पुनर्बाणाः क्षिप्रमभ्यस्यतो रणे। जग्मुः परिक्षयं शीघ्रमभूत्तेनाधिकोऽर्जुनः ॥०४-५४-१४॥
Aśvatthāman's arrows, as he swiftly and repeatedly shot them in battle, were quickly exhausted; thereby, Arjuna became superior. (04-54-14)
ततः कर्णो महच्चापं विकृष्याभ्यधिकं रुषा। अवाक्षिपत्ततः शब्दो हाहाकारो महानभूत् ॥०४-५४-१५॥
Then Karṇa, drawing his great bow with intense anger, let loose (an arrow). At that moment, a great outcry of alarm arose. (04-54-15)
तत्र चक्षुर्दधे पार्थो यत्र विस्फार्यते धनुः। ददर्श तत्र राधेयं तस्य कोपोऽत्यवीवृधत् ॥०४-५४-१६॥
There, Pārtha fixed his gaze where the bow was being stretched; there he saw Rādheya, and his anger increased greatly. (04-54-16)
स रोषवशमापन्नः कर्णमेव जिघांसया। अवैक्षत विवृत्ताभ्यां नेत्राभ्यां कुरुपुङ्गवः ॥०४-५४-१७॥
The chief of the Kurus, overcome by anger, looked at Karṇa alone with the desire to kill him, his eyes wide open. (04-54-17)
तथा तु विमुखे पार्थे द्रोणपुत्रस्य सायकान्। त्वरिताः पुरुषा राजन्नुपाजह्रुः सहस्रशः ॥०४-५४-१८॥
But thus, when Pārtha had turned away, O king, quick men brought thousands of arrows belonging to the son of Droṇa near. (04-54-18)
उत्सृज्य च महाबाहुर्द्रोणपुत्रं धनञ्जयः। अभिदुद्राव सहसा कर्णमेव सपत्नजित् ॥०४-५४-१९॥
And having left Droṇa’s son, the mighty-armed Dhanañjaya, the conqueror of foes, suddenly rushed towards Karṇa. (04-54-19)
तमभिद्रुत्य कौन्तेयः क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः। कामयन्द्वैरथे युद्धमिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥०४-५४-२०॥
Having rushed toward him, the son of Kunti, his eyes reddened by anger and desiring battle on the dueling chariot, spoke these words. (04-54-20)
