06.042
Core and Pancharatra: The war begins, and it is the shout of Bhimasena that overpowers all.
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच॥
Dhritarashtra spoke:
एवं व्यूढेष्वनीकेषु मामकेष्वितरेषु च। के पूर्वं प्राहरंस्तत्र कुरवः पाण्डवास्तथा ॥६-४२-१॥
In the arranged formations of both my army and the others, who were the ones to attack first there, the Kurus or the Pāṇḍavas?
सञ्जय उवाच॥
Sanjaya said:
भ्रातृभिः सहितो राजन्पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव। भीष्मं प्रमुखतः कृत्वा प्रययौ सह सेनया ॥६-४२-२॥
O king, your son Duryodhana, accompanied by his brothers, set forth with the army, having placed Bhishma at the forefront.
तथैव पाण्डवाः सर्वे भीमसेनपुरोगमाः। भीष्मेण युद्धमिच्छन्तः प्रययुर्हृष्टमानसाः ॥६-४२-३॥
In the same manner, all the Pandavas, led by Bhimasena, eagerly set out to battle with Bhishma, their minds filled with joy.
क्ष्वेडाः किलकिलाशब्दाः क्रकचा गोविषाणिकाः। भेरीमृदङ्गमुरजा हयकुञ्जरनिस्वनाः ॥६-४२-४॥
The air was filled with a cacophony of sounds: roars, clattering, sawing noises, cow-horn sounds, and the beating of drums, mridangas, and murajas, along with the sounds of horses and elephants.
उभयोः सेनयो राजंस्ततस्तेऽस्मान्समाद्रवन्। वयं प्रतिनदन्तश्च तदासीत्तुमुलं महत् ॥६-४२-५॥
O king, both armies then attacked us, and we shouted back, creating a great uproar.
महान्त्यनीकानि महासमुच्छ्रये; समागमे पाण्डवधार्तराष्ट्रयोः। चकम्पिरे शङ्खमृदङ्गनिस्वनैः; प्रकम्पितानीव वनानि वायुना ॥६-४२-६॥
In the grand assembly where the Pāṇḍavas and Dhārtarāṣṭras met, the mighty armies trembled as the sounds of conches and drums echoed, reminiscent of forests swaying in the wind.
नरेन्द्रनागाश्वरथाकुलाना; मभ्यायतीनामशिवे मुहूर्ते। बभूव घोषस्तुमुलश्चमूनां; वातोद्धुतानामिव सागराणाम् ॥६-४२-७॥
At an inauspicious moment, as the kings, elephants, horses, and chariots approached, a tumultuous sound arose from the armies, resembling the oceans agitated by the wind.
तस्मिन्समुत्थिते शब्दे तुमुले लोमहर्षणे। भीमसेनो महाबाहुः प्राणदद्गोवृषो यथा ॥६-४२-८॥
As the tumultuous and hair-raising sound arose, Bhimasena, with his mighty arms, roared like a bull.
शङ्खदुन्दुभिनिर्घोषं वारणानां च बृंहितम्। सिंहनादं च सैन्यानां भीमसेनरवोऽभ्यभूत् ॥६-४२-९॥
The battlefield echoed with the sounds of conches and drums, the trumpeting of elephants, and the roaring of lions, but all were overpowered by the mighty shout of Bhimasena.
हयानां हेषमाणानामनीकेषु सहस्रशः। सर्वानभ्यभवच्छब्दान्भीमसेनस्य निस्वनः ॥६-४२-१०॥
The roar of Bhimasena was so powerful that it drowned out the sounds of thousands of neighing horses in the armies.
तं श्रुत्वा निनदं तस्य सैन्यास्तव वितत्रसुः। जीमूतस्येव नदतः शक्राशनिसमस्वनम् ॥६-४२-११॥
Upon hearing his roar, your soldiers were struck with fear, as if it were the thunderous sound of a cloud, akin to Indra's thunderbolt.
वाहनानि च सर्वाणि शकृन्मूत्रं प्रसुस्रुवुः। शब्देन तस्य वीरस्य सिंहस्येवेतरे मृगाः ॥६-४२-१२॥
All the vehicles discharged excrement and urine at the sound of that hero, just like other animals do at the roar of a lion.
दर्शयन्घोरमात्मानं महाभ्रमिव नादयन्। विभीषयंस्तव सुतांस्तव सेनां समभ्ययात् ॥६-४२-१३॥
He approached, displaying a terrifying form, making a sound like a great delusion, and instilling fear in your sons and army.
तमायान्तं महेष्वासं सोदर्याः पर्यवारयन्। छादयन्तः शरव्रातैर्मेघा इव दिवाकरम् ॥६-४२-१४॥
The brothers, like clouds covering the sun, surrounded the approaching great archer with volleys of arrows.
दुर्योधनश्च पुत्रस्ते दुर्मुखो दुःसहः शलः। दुःशासनश्चातिरथस्तथा दुर्मर्षणो नृप ॥६-४२-१५॥
Duryodhana, your son, along with Durmukha, Duhsaha, Shala, Duhshasana, and the great chariot-warrior Durmarshana, are all present, O king.
विविंशतिश्चित्रसेनो विकर्णश्च महारथः। पुरुमित्रो जयो भोजः सौमदत्तिश्च वीर्यवान् ॥६-४२-१६॥
Twenty warriors including Citrasena, Vikarna, the great chariot-warrior, Purumitra, Jaya, Bhoja, and the valiant Saumadatti were present.
महाचापानि धुन्वन्तो जलदा इव विद्युतः। आददानाश्च नाराचान्निर्मुक्ताशीविषोपमान् ॥६-४२-१७॥
The warriors, wielding great bows, were like clouds with lightning, taking arrows that were comparable to released serpents.
अथ तान्द्रौपदीपुत्राः सौभद्रश्च महारथः। नकुलः सहदेवश्च धृष्टद्युम्नश्च पार्षतः ॥६-४२-१८॥
Then the sons of Draupadī, along with Abhimanyu, Nakula, Sahadeva, and Dhṛṣṭadyumna, prepared for battle.
धार्तराष्ट्रान्प्रतिययुरर्दयन्तः शितैः शरैः। वज्रैरिव महावेगैः शिखराणि धराभृताम् ॥६-४२-१९॥
The sons of Dhritarashtra attacked fiercely, their sharp arrows striking like thunderbolts with great speed, as if they were targeting the peaks of mountains.
तस्मिन्प्रथमसंमर्दे भीमज्यातलनिस्वने। तावकानां परेषां च नासीत्कश्चित्पराङ्मुखः ॥६-४२-२०॥
In the initial clash, amidst the dreadful twang of bowstrings, neither your forces nor the enemies retreated.
लाघवं द्रोणशिष्याणामपश्यं भरतर्षभ। निमित्तवेधिनां राजञ्शरानुत्सृजतां भृशम् ॥६-४२-२१॥
O best of the Bharatas, I observed the agility of Drona's disciples as they intensely released arrows, guided by the omen-readers, O king.
नोपशाम्यति निर्घोषो धनुषां कूजतां तथा। विनिश्चेरुः शरा दीप्ता ज्योतींषीव नभस्तलात् ॥६-४२-२२॥
The sound of the twanging bows continued unabated. Bright arrows shot forth like stars from the sky.
सर्वे त्वन्ये महीपालाः प्रेक्षका इव भारत। ददृशुर्दर्शनीयं तं भीमं ज्ञातिसमागमम् ॥६-४२-२३॥
All the other kings, like mere spectators, O Bhārata, witnessed the impressive Bhīma and the assembly of relatives.
ततस्ते जातसंरम्भाः परस्परकृतागसः। अन्योन्यस्पर्धया राजन्व्यायच्छन्त महारथाः ॥६-४२-२४॥
Then, O king, the great warriors, having become enraged and committed offenses against each other, engaged in combat with rivalry.
कुरुपाण्डवसेने ते हस्त्यश्वरथसङ्कुले। शुशुभाते रणेऽतीव पटे चित्रगते इव ॥६-४२-२५॥
The Kuru and Pāṇḍava armies, filled with elephants, horses, and chariots, appeared magnificent in the battlefield, resembling a beautifully painted canvas.
ततस्ते पार्थिवाः सर्वे प्रगृहीतशरासनाः। सहसैन्याः समापेतुः पुत्रस्य तव शासनात् ॥६-४२-२६॥
Then, at the command of your son, all the kings, with their armies, took up their bows and advanced.
युधिष्ठिरेण चादिष्टाः पार्थिवास्ते सहस्रशः। विनदन्तः समापेतुः पुत्रस्य तव वाहिनीम् ॥६-४२-२७॥
Ordered by Yudhishthira, thousands of kings, shouting, approached your son's army.
उभयोः सेनयोस्तीव्रः सैन्यानां स समागमः। अन्तर्धीयत चादित्यः सैन्येन रजसावृतः ॥६-४२-२८॥
The intense clash of the soldiers from both armies occurred. The sun was obscured by the dust raised by the army.
प्रयुद्धानां प्रभग्नानां पुनरावर्ततामपि। नात्र स्वेषां परेषां वा विशेषः समजायत ॥६-४२-२९॥
There was no distinction perceived here between one's own and others, whether they fought, were broken, or returned.
तस्मिंस्तु तुमुले युद्धे वर्तमाने महाभये। अति सर्वाण्यनीकानि पिता तेऽभिव्यरोचत ॥६-४२-३०॥
In the midst of that fierce and dangerous battle, your father stood out brilliantly among all the armies.
