The Battle Begins: Bhima's Roar

Verse 1 (6.44.1)

एवं व्यूढेष्वनीकेषु मामकेष्वितरेषु च । के पूर्वं प्राहरंस्तत्र कुरवः पाण्डवा नु किम् ॥

evaṃ vyūḍheṣvanīkeṣu māmakeṣvitareṣu ca | ke pūrvaṃ prāharaṃstatra kuravaḥ pāṇḍavā nu kim

When the armies had been drawn up in this way, mine and the others', who struck first there, the Kurus or the Pandavas?

Note on the text: Removed a stray क after कुरवः (typing slip in Wikisource; the critical edition reads kuravaḥ). Line 2 ends पाण्डवा नु किम् where the critical edition has pāṇḍavās tathā; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 2 (6.44.2)

भ्रातृभिः सहितो राजन्पुत्रो दुःशासनस्तव । भीष्मं प्रमुखतः कृत्वा प्रययौ सह सेनया ॥

bhrātṛbhiḥ sahito rājanputro duḥśāsanastava | bhīṣmaṃ pramukhataḥ kṛtvā prayayau saha senayā

O king, your son Duhshasana, together with his brothers, set out with the army, placing Bhishma at its head.

Note on the text: Wikisource names Duhshasana (दुःशासनस्तव) where the critical edition reads duryodhanas tava; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 3 (6.44.3)

तथैव पाण्डवाः सर्वे भीमसेनपुरोगमाः । भीष्मेण युद्धमिच्छन्तः प्रययुर्हृष्टमानसाः ॥

tathaiva pāṇḍavāḥ sarve bhīmasenapurogamāḥ | bhīṣmeṇa yuddhamicchantaḥ prayayurhṛṣṭamānasāḥ

In the same way all the Pandavas, led by Bhimasena, advanced with glad hearts, eager to fight Bhishma.

Verse 4 (6.44.4)

क्ष्वेडाः किलकिलाशब्दाः क्रकचा गोविषाणिकाः । भेरीमृदङ्गमुरजा हयकुञ्जरनिःस्वनाः ॥

kṣveḍāḥ kilakilāśabdāḥ krakacā goviṣāṇikāḥ | bherīmṛdaṅgamurajā hayakuñjaraniḥsvanāḥ

War cries and shouts of "kilakila", the rasp of krakachas and the blare of cow-horns, kettledrums, mridangas and murajas, the neighing of horses and the trumpeting of elephants:

Verse 5 (6.44.5)

उभयोः सेनयोर्ह्यासंस्ततस्तेऽस्मान्समाद्रवन् । वयं तान्प्रतिनदन्तस्तदाऽऽसीत्तुमुलं महत् ॥

ubhayoḥ senayorhyāsaṃstataste'smānsamādravan | vayaṃ tānpratinadantastadā''sīttumulaṃ mahat

these sounds rose in both armies. Then they rushed upon us, and we roared back at them, and a great tumult arose.

Note on the text: Removed a stray क after उभयोः (typing slip in Wikisource; the critical edition reads ubhayoḥ). Corrected प्रतिर्दन्तस् → प्रतिनदन्तस् (misprint in Wikisource; a broken form of pratinadantaḥ, as the critical edition reads; the fix restores the metre). Otherwise a recension variant of 6.42.5.

Verse 6 (6.44.6)

महान्त्यनीकानि महासमुच्छ्रये । समागमे पाण्डवधार्तराष्ट्रयोः । चकम्पिरे शङ्खमृदङ्गनिःस्वनैः । प्रकम्पितानीव वनानि वायुना ॥

mahāntyanīkāni mahāsamucchraye | samāgame pāṇḍavadhārtarāṣṭrayoḥ | cakampire śaṅkhamṛdaṅganiḥsvanaiḥ | prakampitānīva vanāni vāyunā

At that meeting of the Pandavas and the sons of Dhritarashtra, a clash of the greatest violence, the vast armies shook at the blare of conches and drums, like forests shaken by the wind.

Verse 7 (6.44.7)

नरेन्द्र नागाश्वरथाकुलाना- । मभ्यागतानामशिवे मुहूर्ते । बभूव घोषस्तुमुलश्चमूनां । वातोद्धुतानामिव सागराणाम् ॥

narendra nāgāśvarathākulānā- | mabhyāgatānāmaśive muhūrte | babhūva ghoṣastumulaścamūnāṃ | vātoddhutānāmiva sāgarāṇām

O lord of men, as the armies, crowded with elephants, horses and chariots, came together at that inauspicious hour, a tumultuous roar went up from them like that of oceans whipped up by the wind.

Note on the text: Corrected नागाश्वरता° → नागाश्वरथा° (misprint in Wikisource; रत for रथ, "chariots"; the critical edition reads nāgāśvarathākulānām). अभ्यागतानाम् for the critical edition's abhyāyatīnām is kept as a recension variant.

Verse 8 (6.44.8)

तस्मिन्समुत्थिते शब्दे तुमुले रोमहर्षणे । भीमसेनो महाबाहुः प्राणदद्गोवृषो यथा ॥

tasminsamutthite śabde tumule romaharṣaṇe | bhīmaseno mahābāhuḥ prāṇadadgovṛṣo yathā

When that tumultuous, hair-raising din had risen, mighty-armed Bhimasena bellowed like a bull.

Verse 9 (6.44.9)

शङ्खदुन्दुभिनिर्घोषं वारणानां च बृंहितम् । सिंहनादं च सैन्यानां भीमसेनरवोऽभ्यभूत् ॥

śaṅkhadundubhinirghoṣaṃ vāraṇānāṃ ca bṛṃhitam | siṃhanādaṃ ca sainyānāṃ bhīmasenaravo'bhyabhūt

Bhimasena's roar rose above the blast of conches and drums, the trumpeting of elephants and the lion-roars of the troops.

Note on the text: Corrected भीससेन° → भीमसेन° (misprint in Wikisource; स for म; the critical edition reads bhīmasenaravo).

Verse 10 (6.44.10)

हयानां हेषमाणानामनीकेषु सहस्रशः । सर्वानभ्यभवच्छब्दान्भीमस्य नदतः स्वनः ॥

hayānāṃ heṣamāṇānāmanīkeṣu sahasraśaḥ | sarvānabhyabhavacchabdānbhīmasya nadataḥ svanaḥ

The voice of Bhima as he roared drowned every sound, even that of the horses neighing in their thousands among the ranks.

Note on the text: Corrected अभ्यभवच्चब्दान् → अभ्यभवच्छब्दान् (misprint in Wikisource; त् + श joins as च्छ; the critical edition reads abhyabhavac chabdān).

Verse 11 (6.44.11)

तं श्रुत्वा निनदं तस्य सैन्यास्तव वितत्रसुः । जीमूतस्येव नदतः शक्राशनिसमस्वनम् ॥

taṃ śrutvā ninadaṃ tasya sainyāstava vitatrasuḥ | jīmūtasyeva nadataḥ śakrāśanisamasvanam

Hearing his roar, like the thunder of a rumbling cloud and as loud as the crash of Shakra's thunderbolt, your troops were terrified.

Verse 12 (6.44.12)

वाहनानि च सर्वाणि शकृन्मूत्रं प्रसुस्रुवुः । शब्देन तस्य वीरस्य सिंहस्येवेतरे मृगाः ॥

vāhanāni ca sarvāṇi śakṛnmūtraṃ prasusruvuḥ | śabdena tasya vīrasya siṃhasyevetare mṛgāḥ

At the sound of that hero all the mounts let fall dung and urine, as other beasts do at the roar of a lion.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रमुस्रुवुः → प्रसुस्रुवुः (misprint in Wikisource; the perfect of प्र + स्रु; the critical edition reads prasusruvuḥ). Removed a stray क after इतरे (typing slip in Wikisource; the critical edition reads siṃhasyevetare).

Verse 13 (6.44.13)

दर्शयन्घोरमात्मानं महाभ्रमिव नादयन् । विभीषयंस्तव सुतान्भीमसेनः समभ्ययात् ॥

darśayanghoramātmānaṃ mahābhramiva nādayan | vibhīṣayaṃstava sutānbhīmasenaḥ samabhyayāt

Showing himself in a terrible form and roaring like a great cloud, Bhimasena bore down on your sons, striking fear into them.

Verse 14 (6.44.14)

तमायान्तं महेष्वासं सोदर्याः पर्यवारयन् । छादयन्तः शरव्रातैर्मेघा इव दिवाकरम् ॥

tamāyāntaṃ maheṣvāsaṃ sodaryāḥ paryavārayan | chādayantaḥ śaravrātairmeghā iva divākaram

As that great archer came on, the king's brothers closed around him, covering him with swarms of arrows as clouds cover the sun:

Verse 15 (6.44.15)

दुर्योधनश्च पुत्रस्ते दुर्मुखो दुःसहः शलः । दुःशासनश्चातिरथस्तथा दुर्मर्षणो नृपः ॥

duryodhanaśca putraste durmukho duḥsahaḥ śalaḥ | duḥśāsanaścātirathastathā durmarṣaṇo nṛpaḥ

your son Duryodhana, Durmukha, Duhsaha, Shala, Duhshasana the matchless warrior, and King Durmarshana;

Verse 16 (6.44.16)

विविंशतिश्चित्रसेनो विकर्णश्च महारथः । पुरुमित्रो जयो भोजः सौमदत्तिश्च वीर्यवान् ॥

viviṃśatiścitraseno vikarṇaśca mahārathaḥ | purumitro jayo bhojaḥ saumadattiśca vīryavān

Vivimshati, Chitrasena and Vikarna the great chariot-warrior, Purumitra, Jaya, Bhoja and the valiant son of Somadatta,

Verse 17 (6.44.17)

महाचापानि धुन्वन्तो मेघा इव सविद्युतः । आददानाश्च नाराचान्निर्मुक्ताशीविषोपमान् ॥

mahācāpāni dhunvanto meghā iva savidyutaḥ | ādadānāśca nārācānnirmuktāśīviṣopamān

shaking their great bows like clouds lit with lightning and taking up iron arrows like venomous serpents that have just shed their skins.

Verse 18 (6.44.18)

अथ ते द्रौपदीपुत्राः सौभद्रश्च महारथः । नकुलः सहदेवश्च धृष्टद्युम्नश्च पार्षतः ॥

atha te draupadīputrāḥ saubhadraśca mahārathaḥ | nakulaḥ sahadevaśca dhṛṣṭadyumnaśca pārṣataḥ

Then the sons of Draupadi, the great chariot-warrior son of Subhadra, Nakula, Sahadeva and Dhrishtadyumna of the Prishata line

Verse 19 (6.44.19)

धार्तराष्ट्रान्प्रतिययुरर्दयन्तः शितैः शरैः । वज्रैरिव महावेगैः शिखराणि धराभृताम् ॥

dhārtarāṣṭrānpratiyayurardayantaḥ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ | vajrairiva mahāvegaiḥ śikharāṇi dharābhṛtām

charged the sons of Dhritarashtra, galling them with sharp arrows, as thunderbolts of great force strike the peaks of mountains.

Verse 20 (6.44.20)

तस्मिन्प्रथमसंग्रामे भीमज्यातलनिःस्वने । तावकानां परेषां च नासीत्कश्चित्पराङ्मुखः ॥

tasminprathamasaṃgrāme bhīmajyātalaniḥsvane | tāvakānāṃ pareṣāṃ ca nāsītkaścitparāṅmukhaḥ

In that first battle, loud with the fearful slap of bowstrings on arm-guards, not one man on your side or the enemy's turned his back.

Verse 21 (6.44.21)

लाघवं द्रोणशिष्याणामपश्यं भरतर्षभ । निमित्तवेधिनां चैव शरानुत्सृजतां भृशम् ॥

lāghavaṃ droṇaśiṣyāṇāmapaśyaṃ bharatarṣabha | nimittavedhināṃ caiva śarānutsṛjatāṃ bhṛśam

O bull of the Bharatas, I saw the deftness of Drona's pupils, who struck whatever mark they aimed at as they loosed arrow after arrow.

Verse 22 (6.44.22)

नोपशाम्यति निर्घोषो धनुषां कूजतां तथा । विनिश्चेरुः शरा दीप्ताज्योतींषीव नभस्तलात् ॥

nopaśāmyati nirghoṣo dhanuṣāṃ kūjatāṃ tathā | viniśceruḥ śarā dīptājyotīṃṣīva nabhastalāt

The din of twanging bows never ceased, and blazing arrows flew out like stars falling from the sky.

Verse 23 (6.44.23)

सर्वे त्वन्ये महीपालाः प्रेक्षका इव भारत । ददृशुर्दर्शनीयं तं भीमं ज्ञातिसमागमम् ॥

sarve tvanye mahīpālāḥ prekṣakā iva bhārata | dadṛśurdarśanīyaṃ taṃ bhīmaṃ jñātisamāgamam

All the other kings, O Bharata, looked on like spectators at that sight, a fearful clash of kinsmen.

Verse 24 (6.44.24)

ततस्ते जातसंरम्भाः परस्परकृतागसः । अन्योन्यस्पर्धया राजन्व्यायच्छन्त महारथाः ॥

tataste jātasaṃrambhāḥ parasparakṛtāgasaḥ | anyonyaspardhayā rājanvyāyacchanta mahārathāḥ

Then those great warriors, their fury roused and each wronged by the other, strove against one another in rivalry, O king.

Verse 25 (6.44.25)

कुरुपाण्डवसेने ते हस्त्यश्वरथसंकुले । शुशुभाते रणेऽतीव पटे चित्रार्पिते इव ॥

kurupāṇḍavasene te hastyaśvarathasaṃkule | śuśubhāte raṇe'tīva paṭe citrārpite iva

The armies of the Kurus and the Pandavas, thronged with elephants, horses and chariots, looked splendid on the field, like figures painted on a canvas.

Verse 26 (6.44.26)

ततस्ते पार्थिवाः सर्वे प्रगृहीतशरासनाः । सहसैन्याः समापेतुः पुत्रस्य तव शासनात् ॥

tataste pārthivāḥ sarve pragṛhītaśarāsanāḥ | sahasainyāḥ samāpetuḥ putrasya tava śāsanāt

Then all those kings, bows in hand, charged with their troops at your son's command.

Verse 27 (6.44.27)

युधिष्ठिरेण चादिष्टाः पार्थिवास्ते सहस्रशः । विनदन्तः समापेतुः पुत्रस्य तव वाहिनीम् ॥

yudhiṣṭhireṇa cādiṣṭāḥ pārthivāste sahasraśaḥ | vinadantaḥ samāpetuḥ putrasya tava vāhinīm

And the kings in their thousands, ordered by Yudhishthira, fell roaring upon your son's host.

Note on the text: Corrected चदिष्टाः → चादिष्टाः (misprint in Wikisource; च + आदिष्टाः; the critical edition reads cādiṣṭāḥ).

Verse 28 (6.44.28)

उभयोः सेनयोस्तीव्रः सैन्यानां स समागमः । अन्तर्धीयत चादित्यः सैन्येन रजसा वृतः ॥

ubhayoḥ senayostīvraḥ sainyānāṃ sa samāgamaḥ | antardhīyata cādityaḥ sainyena rajasā vṛtaḥ

Fierce was that clash of the troops of the two armies; the sun vanished, veiled by the dust the host raised.

Verse 29 (6.44.29)

प्रयुद्धानां प्रभग्नानां पुनरावर्तिनामपि । नात्र स्वेषां परेषां वा विशेषः समदृश्यत ॥

prayuddhānāṃ prabhagnānāṃ punarāvartināmapi | nātra sveṣāṃ pareṣāṃ vā viśeṣaḥ samadṛśyata

Among those who fought, those who broke and those who turned back again, no difference could be seen there between our own men and the enemy.

Verse 30 (6.44.30)

तस्मिंस्तु तुमुले युद्धे वर्तमाने महाभये । अति सर्वाण्यनीकानि पिता तेऽभिव्यरोचत ॥

tasmiṃstu tumule yuddhe vartamāne mahābhaye | ati sarvāṇyanīkāni pitā te'bhivyarocata

While that tumultuous and terrifying battle raged, your father Bhishma outshone all the armies.

Note on the text: Corrected तस्मिस्तु → तस्मिंस्तु (misprint in Wikisource; dropped anusvara; the critical edition reads tasmiṃs tu).