06.053
Pancharatra and Core: The armies fight each other in the intense battle.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
tato vyūḍheṣvanīkeṣu tāvakeṣvitareṣu ca। dhanañjayo rathānīkamavadhīttava bhārata ॥ śarairatiratho yuddhe pātayanrathayūthapān ॥6-53-1॥
Then, in the battle formations of both your and the opposing armies, Arjuna, the great chariot-warrior, struck down the leaders of the chariots with his arrows, O Bharata.
te vadhyamānāḥ pārthena kāleneva yugakṣaye। dhārtarāṣṭrā raṇe yattāḥ pāṇḍavānpratyayodhayana ॥ prārthayānā yaśo dīptaṃ mṛtyuṃ kṛtvā nivartanam ॥6-53-2॥
The sons of Dhritarashtra, engaged in battle against the Pandavas, were being killed by Arjuna as if by time at the end of an age, seeking brilliant fame and having accepted death as their return.
ekāgramanaso bhūtvā pāṇḍavānāṃ varūthinīm। babhañjurbahuśo rājaṃste cābhajyanta saṃyuge ॥6-53-3॥
With a focused mind, the army of the Pandavas repeatedly broke and were broken in battle, O king.
dravadbhiratha bhagnaiśca parivartadbhireva ca। pāṇḍavaiḥ kauravaiścaiva na prajñāyata kiñcana ॥6-53-4॥
In the chaos of the fleeing, broken, and turning warriors, neither the Pandavas nor the Kauravas could recognize anything.
udatiṣṭhadrajo bhaumaṃ chādayānaṃ divākaram। diśaḥ pratidiśo vāpi tatra jajñuḥ kathañcana ॥6-53-5॥
The dust rose, covering the sun on earth. Somehow, they appeared in every direction or there as well.
anumānena sañjñābhirnāmagotraiśca saṃyuge। vartate sma tadā yuddhaṃ tatra tatra viśāṃ pate ॥6-53-6॥
In the battle, identified by inference, signs, names, and lineages, the conflict was indeed occurring at various places, O lord of men.
na vyūho bhidyate tatra kauravāṇāṃ kathañcana। rakṣitaḥ satyasaṃdhena bhāradvājena dhīmatā ॥6-53-7॥
The Kauravas' formation remains unbroken, safeguarded by the wise and truthful Bharadvaja.
tathaiva pāṇḍaveyānāṃ rakṣitaḥ savyasācinā। nābhidhyata mahāvyūho bhīmena ca surakṣitaḥ ॥6-53-8॥
Similarly, the Pandavas' great formation, guarded by Arjuna, remained unbreached and was securely defended by Bhima.
senāgrādabhiniṣpatya prāyudhyamstatra mānavāḥ। ubhayoḥ senayo rājanvyatiṣaktarathadvipāḥ ॥6-53-9॥
The men emerged from the front of the army and fought there. O king, the chariots and elephants of both armies were interlocked.
hayārohair hayārohāḥ pātyante sma mahāhave। ṛṣṭibhir vimalāgrābhiḥ prāsair api ca saṃyuge ॥6-53-10॥
In the great battle, horsemen were being struck down by other horsemen using spears with shining tips and javelins.
rathī rathinam āsādya śaraiḥ kanakabhūṣaṇaiḥ। pātayāmāsa samare tasminn atibhayaṅkare ॥6-53-11॥
In the fierce battle, the charioteer approached the warrior and, with arrows adorned with gold, brought him down.
gajārohā gajārohānnārācaśaratomaraiḥ। saṁsaktāḥ pātayāmāsustava teṣāṁ ca saṅghaśaḥ ॥6-53-12॥
The elephant riders, armed with iron arrows, arrows, and spears, engaged in battle and caused both your and their groups to fall.
pattisaṅghā raṇe pattīnbhiṇḍipālaparaśvadhaiḥ। nyapātayanta saṃhṛṣṭāḥ parasparakṛtāgasaḥ ॥6-53-13॥
In the battle, the groups of infantry, delighted, struck each other down with clubs and axes, having previously committed offenses against one another.
padātī rathinaṃ saṅkhye rathī cāpi padātinam। nyapātayacchitaiḥ śastraiḥ senayorubhayorapi ॥6-53-14॥
In the battle, the foot-soldier struck down the charioteer, and likewise, the charioteer struck down the foot-soldier with sharp weapons, affecting both armies.
gajārohā hayārohānpātayāṃ cakrire tadā। hayārohā gajasthāṃśca tadadbhutamivābhavat ॥6-53-15॥
Then, the elephant riders caused the horse riders to fall. It seemed as if the horse riders and the elephant riders were in a wonderful state.
gajārōhavaraiś cāpi tatra tatra padātayaḥ। pātitāḥ samadṛśyanta taiś cāpi gajayōdhinaḥ ॥6-53-16॥
The excellent elephant riders were seen felling foot soldiers here and there, along with the elephant warriors.
pattisaṅghā hayārohaiḥ sādisaṅghāśca pattibhiḥ। pātyamānā vyadṛśyanta śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ ॥6-53-17॥
The battlefield was filled with groups of infantry and horse riders, as well as chariots and foot soldiers, all seen falling in great numbers, by hundreds and thousands.
dhvajais tatrāpaviddhaiś ca kārmukais tomarais tathā। prāsais tathā gadābhiś ca parighaiḥ kampanais tathā ॥6-53-18॥
There, flags were scattered, along with bows, spears, javelins, maces, and iron clubs, all trembling.
śaktibhiḥ kavacaścitraiḥ kaṇapairaṅkuśairapi। nistriṁśairvimalaiścāpi svarṇapuṅkhaiḥ śaraistathā ॥6-53-19॥
Equipped with spears, various armors, skulls, hooks, swords, and pure golden-feathered arrows.
paristomaiḥ kuthābhiśca kambalaiśca mahādhanaiḥ। bhūrbhāti bharataśreṣṭha sragdāmairiva citritā ॥6-53-20॥
O best of the Bharatas, the earth appears adorned with praises, blankets, rugs, and great wealth, as if decorated with garlands.
narāśvakāyaiḥ patitairdantibhiśca mahāhave। agamyarūpā pṛthivī māṃsaśoṇitakardamā ॥6-53-21॥
In the great battle, the earth was covered with the bodies of fallen men, horses, and elephants, becoming a muddy and incomprehensible form with flesh and blood.
praśaśāma rajo bhaumaṃ vyukṣitaṃ raṇaśoṇitaiḥ। diśaśca vimalāḥ sarvāḥ sambabhūvurjaneśvara ॥6-53-22॥
The dust on the battlefield, stained with blood, settled down. All directions became clear, O lord of the people.
utthitānyagaṇeyāni kabandhāni samantataḥ। cihnabhūtāni jagato vināśārthāya bhārata ॥6-53-23॥
O Bhārata, countless headless bodies have risen all around as ominous signs for the destruction of the world.
tasmin yuddhe mahāraudre vartamāne sudāruṇe। pratyadṛśyanta rathino dhāvamānāḥ samantataḥ ॥6-53-24॥
In that ongoing, very fierce and extremely terrible battle, charioteers were seen running all around.
tato droṇaśca bhīṣmaśca saindhavaśca jayadrathaḥ। purumitro vikarṇaśca śakuniścāpi saubalaḥ ॥6-53-25॥
Then Drona, Bhishma, the Sindhu prince Jayadratha, Purumitra, Vikarna, and Shakuni, the son of Subala, were present.
ete samaradurdharṣāḥ siṃhatulyaparākramāḥ। pāṇḍavānāmanīkāni babhañjuḥ sma punaḥ punaḥ ॥6-53-26॥
These warriors, who were invincible in battle and had the valor of lions, repeatedly broke through the Pandavas' formations.
tathaiva bhīmaseno'pi rākṣasaśca ghaṭotkacaḥ। sātyakiścekitānaśca draupadeyāśca bhārata ॥6-53-27॥
Similarly, Bhimasena, the demon Ghatotkacha, Satyaki, Chekitana, and the sons of Draupadi were present, O Bharata.
tāvakāṃstava putrāṃśca sahitānsarvarājabhiḥ। drāvayāmāsurājau te tridaśā dānavāniva ॥6-53-28॥
Your sons, along with all the allied kings, were driven away by the two kings, just as the gods once drove away the demons.
tathā te samare'nyonyaṃ nighnantaḥ kṣatriyarṣabhāḥ। raktokṣitā ghorarūpā virejurdānavā iva ॥6-53-29॥
In the battle, the warriors, fierce and smeared with blood, fought each other valiantly, appearing as terrifying as demons.
vinirjitya ripūnvīrāḥ senayorubhayorapi। vyadṛśyanta mahāmātrā grahā iva nabhastale ॥6-53-30॥
After defeating their enemies, the heroes from both armies appeared like great ministers in the sky, resembling planets.
tato rathasahasreṇa putro duryodhanastava। abhyayātpāṇḍavānyuddhe rākṣasaṃ ca ghaṭotkacam ॥6-53-31॥
Then, your son Duryodhana, with a thousand chariots, approached the Pandavas and the demon Ghatotkacha in battle.
tathaiva pāṇḍavāḥ sarve mahatyā senayā saha। droṇabhīṣmau raṇe śūrau pratyudyayurarindamau ॥6-53-32॥
Similarly, all the Pandavas, accompanied by a mighty army, advanced towards Drona and Bhishma, the valiant warriors, ready to confront their foes.
kirīṭī tu yayau kruddhaḥ samarthānpārthivottamān। ārjuniḥ sātyakiścaiva yayatuḥ saubalaṃ balam ॥6-53-33॥
Arjuna, in his anger, approached the most capable and distinguished kings. Both Arjuna and Satyaki advanced towards the army of Saubala.
tataḥ pravavṛte bhūyaḥ saṅgrāmo lomaharṣaṇaḥ। tāvakānāṃ pareṣāṃ ca samare vijigīṣatām ॥6-53-34॥
Then, once more, the hair-raising battle began between your forces and the enemies, both eager for victory in the war.
