The Carnage of the Fifth Morning

Verse 1 (6.70.1)

अकरोत्तुमुलं युद्धं भीष्मः शान्तनवस्तदा । भीमसेनभयादिच्छन्पुत्रांस्तारयितुं तव ॥

akarottumulaṃ yuddhaṃ bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavastadā | bhīmasenabhayādicchanputrāṃstārayituṃ tava

Then Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, fought a tumultuous battle, wishing to save your sons from their fear of Bhimasena.

Verse 2 (6.70.2)

पूर्वाह्णे तन्महारौद्रं राज्ञां युद्धमवर्तत । कुरूणां पाण्डवानां च मुख्यशूरविनाशनम् ॥

pūrvāhṇe tanmahāraudraṃ rājñāṃ yuddhamavartata | kurūṇāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ ca mukhyaśūravināśanam

In the forenoon that most terrible battle of kings went on between the Kurus and the Pandavas, destroying the foremost heroes.

Verse 3 (6.70.3)

तस्मिन्नाकुलसंग्रामे वर्तमाने महाभये । अभवत्तुमुलः शब्दः संस्पृशन्गगनं महत् ॥

tasminnākulasaṃgrāme vartamāne mahābhaye | abhavattumulaḥ śabdaḥ saṃspṛśangaganaṃ mahat

As that confused and fearful battle raged, a tumultuous din arose, great enough to touch the sky.

Verse 4 (6.70.4)

नदद्भिश्च महानागैर्हेषमाणैश्च वाजिभिः । भेरीशङ्खनिनादैश्च तुमुलं समपद्यत ॥

nadadbhiśca mahānāgairheṣamāṇaiśca vājibhiḥ | bherīśaṅkhaninādaiśca tumulaṃ samapadyata

With the trumpeting of great elephants, the neighing of horses and the blare of drums and conches, the uproar became tremendous.

Note on the text: Reads तुमुलं where the critical edition has tumulaḥ; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 5 (6.70.5)

युयुत्सवस्ते विक्रान्ता विजयाय महाबलाः । अन्योन्यमभिगर्जन्तो गोष्ठिष्विव महर्षभाः ॥

yuyutsavaste vikrāntā vijayāya mahābalāḥ | anyonyamabhigarjanto goṣṭhiṣviva maharṣabhāḥ

Those mighty warriors, valiant and eager to fight for victory, roared at one another like great bulls in their pens.

Note on the text: Removed a stray क after महाबलाः (misprint in Wikisource). Reads गोष्ठिष्विव where the critical edition has goṣṭheṣv iva; kept as Wikisource's reading.

Verse 6 (6.70.6)

शिरसां पात्यमानानां समरे निशितैः शरैः । अश्मवृष्टिरिवाकाशे बभूव भरतर्षभ ॥

śirasāṃ pātyamānānāṃ samare niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ | aśmavṛṣṭirivākāśe babhūva bharatarṣabha

The heads struck off in the battle by sharp arrows were like a rain of stones falling from the sky, O bull of the Bharatas.

Note on the text: Corrected शिरासं → शिरसां (misprint in Wikisource; the ā-sign misplaced, the critical edition reads śirasāṃ) and अश्यवृष्टि- → अश्मवृष्टि- (misprint in Wikisource; य for म, the critical edition reads aśmavṛṣṭir).

Verse 7 (6.70.7)

कुण्डलोष्णीषधारीणि जातरूपोज्ज्वलानि च । पतितानि स्म दृश्यन्ते शिरांसि भरतर्षभ ॥

kuṇḍaloṣṇīṣadhārīṇi jātarūpojjvalāni ca | patitāni sma dṛśyante śirāṃsi bharatarṣabha

Heads wearing earrings and turbans, shining with gold, were seen lying fallen, O bull of the Bharatas.

Verse 8 (6.70.8)

विशिखोन्मथितैर्गात्रैर्बाहुभिश्च सकार्मुकैः । सहस्ताभरणैश्चान्यैरभवच्छादिता मही ॥

viśikhonmathitairgātrairbāhubhiśca sakārmukaiḥ | sahastābharaṇaiścānyairabhavacchāditā mahī

The earth was covered with limbs mangled by arrows, with arms still grasping their bows, and with others still wearing ornaments on their hands —

Verse 9 (6.70.9)

कवचोपहितैर्गात्रैर्हस्तैश्च समलङ्कृतैः । मुखैश्च चन्द्रसंकाशै रक्तान्तनयनैः शुभैः ॥

kavacopahitairgātrairhastaiśca samalaṅkṛtaiḥ | mukhaiśca candrasaṃkāśai raktāntanayanaiḥ śubhaiḥ

with armoured bodies, with adorned hands, and with handsome faces like the moon, their eyes red at the corners;

Verse 10 (6.70.10)

गजवाजिमनुष्याणां सर्वगात्रैश्च भूपते । आसीत्सर्वा समास्तीर्णा मुहूर्तेन वसुंधरा ॥

gajavājimanuṣyāṇāṃ sarvagātraiśca bhūpate | āsītsarvā samāstīrṇā muhūrtena vasuṃdharā

and with every part of the bodies of elephants, horses and men, O lord of the earth, the whole earth was strewn in a moment.

Note on the text: Corrected वसुंधराः → वसुंधरा (misprint in Wikisource; a stray visarga on the feminine singular subject of सर्वा … आसीत्, the critical edition reads vasuṃdharā). Reads समास्तीर्णा where the critical edition has samākīrṇā; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 11 (6.70.11)

रजोमेघैश्च तुमुलैः शस्त्रविद्युत्प्रकाशिभिः । आयुधानां च निर्घोषः स्तनयित्नुसमोऽभवत् ॥

rajomeghaiśca tumulaiḥ śastravidyutprakāśibhiḥ | āyudhānāṃ ca nirghoṣaḥ stanayitnusamo'bhavat

Amid dense clouds of dust, lit by the lightning of weapons, the clash of arms sounded like thunder.

Note on the text: Reads प्रकाशिभिः where the critical edition has prakāśitaiḥ; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 12 (6.70.12)

स संप्रहारस्तुमुलः कटुकः शोणितोदकः । प्रावर्तत कुरूणां च पाण्डवानां च भारत ॥

sa saṃprahārastumulaḥ kaṭukaḥ śoṇitodakaḥ | prāvartata kurūṇāṃ ca pāṇḍavānāṃ ca bhārata

That tumultuous and bitter clash, with blood for its water, went on between the Kurus and the Pandavas, O Bharata.

Note on the text: Removed a stray क after तुमुलः (misprint in Wikisource).

Verse 13 (6.70.13)

तस्मिन्महाभये घोरे तुमुले रोमहर्षणे । ववृषुः शरवर्षाणि क्षत्रिया युद्धदुर्मदाः ॥

tasminmahābhaye ghore tumule romaharṣaṇe | vavṛṣuḥ śaravarṣāṇi kṣatriyā yuddhadurmadāḥ

In that dreadful, terrifying, hair-raising tumult, the kshatriyas, wild for battle, rained down showers of arrows.

Note on the text: Reads रोमहर्षणे and ववृषुः where the critical edition has lomaharṣaṇe and vavarṣuḥ; kept as Wikisource's reading.

Verse 14 (6.70.14)

आक्रोशन्कुञ्जरास्तत्र शरवर्षप्रतापिताः । तावकानां परेषां च संयुगे भरतर्षभ ॥

ākrośankuñjarāstatra śaravarṣapratāpitāḥ | tāvakānāṃ pareṣāṃ ca saṃyuge bharatarṣabha

The elephants there, of your side and of the enemy, scorched by showers of arrows, screamed aloud in the battle, O bull of the Bharatas.

Note on the text: = the critical edition's 6.66.14ab (reading आक्रोशन् and भरतर्षभ for krośanti and bharatottama); its line 14ef stands in Wikisource's verse 18. The automatic alignment missed this verse.

Verse 15 (6.70.15)

संरब्धानां च वीराणां धीराणाममितौजसाम् । धनुर्ज्यातलशब्देन न प्राज्ञायत किंचन ॥

saṃrabdhānāṃ ca vīrāṇāṃ dhīrāṇāmamitaujasām | dhanurjyātalaśabdena na prājñāyata kiṃcana

Amid the slap of bowstrings on the arm-guards of those furious, steadfast heroes of boundless might, nothing at all could be made out.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as the star passage 6.66.14d*0275, lines 1–2.

Verse 16 (6.70.16)

उत्थितेषु कबन्धेषु सर्वतः शोणितोदके । समरे पर्यधावन्त नृपा रिपुवधोद्यताः ॥

utthiteṣu kabandheṣu sarvataḥ śoṇitodake | samare paryadhāvanta nṛpā ripuvadhodyatāḥ

As headless trunks rose up on every side in that field watered with blood, kings bent on slaying their foes ran about the battlefield.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as the star passage 6.66.14d*0275, lines 3–4. Corrected शोमितोदके → शोणितोदके (misprint in Wikisource; म for ण, the apparatus reads śoṇitodake).

Verse 17 (6.70.17)

शरशक्तिगदाभिस्ते खड्गैश्चामिततेजसः । निजघ्नुः समरेऽन्योन्यं शूराः परिघबाहवः ॥

śaraśaktigadābhiste khaḍgaiścāmitatejasaḥ | nijaghnuḥ samare'nyonyaṃ śūrāḥ parighabāhavaḥ

With arrows, spears, maces and swords, those heroes of boundless energy, with arms like iron bars, struck one another down in battle.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as the star passage 6.66.14d*0275, lines 5–6 (line 2 there reads nijaghnuḥ samare śūrās te 'nyonyaṃ ca paraṃtapa). Corrected खङ्गैश् → खड्गैश् (misprint in Wikisource; ङ्ग for ड्ग, the apparatus reads khaḍgaiś).

Verse 18 (6.70.18)

बभ्रमुः कुञ्जराश्चात्र शरैर्विद्धा निरङ्कुशाः । अश्वाश्च पर्यधावन्त हतारोहा दिशो दश ॥

babhramuḥ kuñjarāścātra śarairviddhā niraṅkuśāḥ | aśvāśca paryadhāvanta hatārohā diśo daśa

Elephants pierced with arrows roamed there, free of the goad, and horses whose riders had been slain ran wild in all ten directions.

Note on the text: Line 1 is not in the critical edition's constituted text (vulgate recension) but is recorded in its apparatus as the star passage 6.66.14d*0275, line 7; line 2 is the critical edition's 6.66.14ef.

Verse 19 (6.70.19)

उत्पत्य निपतन्त्यन्ये शरघातप्रपीडिताः । तावकानां परेषां च योधा भरतसत्तम ॥

utpatya nipatantyanye śaraghātaprapīḍitāḥ | tāvakānāṃ pareṣāṃ ca yodhā bharatasattama

Other warriors, of your side and of the enemy, sorely hurt by the blows of arrows, leapt up and fell, O best of the Bharatas.

Note on the text: Line 2 reads योधा भरतसत्तम where the critical edition has yodhānāṃ bharatarṣabha; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 20 (6.70.20)

वाहानामुत्तमाङ्गानां कार्मुकाणां च भारत । गदानां परिघाणां च हस्तानां चोरुभिः सह ॥

vāhānāmuttamāṅgānāṃ kārmukāṇāṃ ca bhārata | gadānāṃ parighāṇāṃ ca hastānāṃ corubhiḥ saha

Of horses, of heads and of bows, O Bharata, of maces and iron clubs, of hands together with thighs,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as the star passage 6.66.15d*0276, lines 1–2 (line 1 there reads bahūnām uttamāṅgānāṃ kārmukāṇāṃ tathaiva ca).

Verse 21 (6.70.21)

पादानां भूषणानां च केयूराणां च सङ्घशः । राशयस्तत्र दृश्यन्ते भीष्मभीमसमागमे ॥

pādānāṃ bhūṣaṇānāṃ ca keyūrāṇāṃ ca saṅghaśaḥ | rāśayastatra dṛśyante bhīṣmabhīmasamāgame

of feet, of ornaments and of armlets, heaps upon heaps were seen there where Bhishma and Bhima met.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as the star passage 6.66.15d*0276, lines 3–4 (line 2 there reads rāśayaḥ sma pradṛśyante bhīṣmabhīmaparākrame).

Verse 22 (6.70.22)

अश्वानां कुञ्जराणां च रथानां चानिवर्तिनाम् । सङ्घाताः स्म प्रदृश्यन्ते तत्रतत्र विशांपते ॥

aśvānāṃ kuñjarāṇāṃ ca rathānāṃ cānivartinām | saṅghātāḥ sma pradṛśyante tatratatra viśāṃpate

Heaps of horses, elephants and chariots that had never turned back were seen here and there, lord of the people.

Note on the text: Reads चानिवर्तिनाम् where the critical edition has cātivartatām; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 23 (6.70.23)

गदाभिरसिभिः प्रासैर्बाणैश्च नतपर्वभिः । जघ्नुः परस्परं तत्र क्षत्रियाः काल आगते ॥

gadābhirasibhiḥ prāsairbāṇaiśca nataparvabhiḥ | jaghnuḥ parasparaṃ tatra kṣatriyāḥ kāla āgate

With maces, swords, lances and smooth-jointed arrows the kshatriyas struck at one another there, for their hour had come.

Note on the text: Corrected परस्पर → परस्परं (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped anusvara, the critical edition reads parasparaṃ). Reads काल आगते where the critical edition has kālacoditāḥ; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 24 (6.70.24)

अपरे बाहुभिर्वीरा नियुद्धकुशला युधि । बहुधा समसञ्जन्त आयसैः परिघैरिव ॥

apare bāhubhirvīrā niyuddhakuśalā yudhi | bahudhā samasañjanta āyasaiḥ parighairiva

Other heroes, skilled in wrestling, grappled in many ways in the fight with their bare arms, as if with iron clubs.

Verse 25 (6.70.25)

मुष्टिभिर्जानुभिश्चैव तलैश्चैव विशांपते । अन्योन्यं जघ्निरे वीरास्तावकाः पाण्डवैः सह ॥

muṣṭibhirjānubhiścaiva talaiścaiva viśāṃpate | anyonyaṃ jaghnire vīrāstāvakāḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ saha

With fists, knees and the flat of their hands, lord of the people, the heroes of your side and the Pandavas struck one another.

Note on the text: Corrected जघ्रिरे → जघ्निरे (misprint in Wikisource; र for न, the critical edition reads jaghnire).

Verse 26 (6.70.26)

पतितैः पात्यमानैश्च विचेष्टद्भिश्च भूतले । घोरमायोधनं जज्ञे तत्रतत्र जनेश्वर ॥

patitaiḥ pātyamānaiśca viceṣṭadbhiśca bhūtale | ghoramāyodhanaṃ jajñe tatratatra janeśvara

With men fallen, falling and writhing on the ground, the battlefield became dreadful here and there, O lord of men.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as the star passage 6.66.19d*0277.

Verse 27 (6.70.27)

विरथा रथिनश्चात्र निस्त्रिंशवरधारिणः । अन्योन्यमभिधावन्तः परस्परवधैषिणः ॥

virathā rathinaścātra nistriṃśavaradhāriṇaḥ | anyonyamabhidhāvantaḥ parasparavadhaiṣiṇaḥ

Chariot-warriors who had lost their chariots, gripping fine swords, rushed at one another, each seeking the other's death.

Note on the text: Removed a stray क after निस्त्रिंशवरधारिणः (misprint in Wikisource).

Verse 28 (6.70.28)

ततो दुर्योधनो राजा कलिङ्गैर्बहुभिर्वृतः । पुरस्कृत्य रणे भीष्मं पाण्डवानभ्यवर्तत ॥

tato duryodhano rājā kaliṅgairbahubhirvṛtaḥ | puraskṛtya raṇe bhīṣmaṃ pāṇḍavānabhyavartata

Then King Duryodhana, surrounded by many Kalingas and placing Bhishma at the front, advanced on the Pandavas in battle.

Verse 29 (6.70.29)

तथैव पाण्डवाः सर्वे परिवार्य वृकोदरम् । भीष्ममभ्यद्रवन्क्रुद्धास्ततो युद्धमवर्तत ॥

tathaiva pāṇḍavāḥ sarve parivārya vṛkodaram | bhīṣmamabhyadravankruddhāstato yuddhamavartata

Likewise all the Pandavas, gathered around Vrikodara (Bhima), rushed in anger at Bhishma; and then the battle began in earnest.

Note on the text: Line 2 ends ततो युद्धमवर्तत where the critical edition reads raṇe rabhasavāhanāḥ; kept as a recension variant.