Arjuna's Onslaught; Duels in the Dust

Verse 1 (6.71.1)

दृष्ट्वा भीष्मेण संसक्तान्भ्रातॄनन्यांश्च पार्थिवान् । समभ्यधावद्गाङ्गेयमुद्यतास्त्रो धनञ्जयः ॥

dṛṣṭvā bhīṣmeṇa saṃsaktānbhrātṝnanyāṃśca pārthivān | samabhyadhāvadgāṅgeyamudyatāstro dhanañjayaḥ

Seeing his brothers and the other kings locked in combat with Bhishma, Dhananjaya rushed at Ganga's son with weapons raised.

Note on the text: Corrected गांङ्गेयम् → गाङ्गेयम् (misprint in Wikisource; a stray anusvara before ङ्, the critical edition reads gāṅgeyam). Reads समभ्यधावद् where the critical edition has tam abhyadhāvad; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 2 (6.71.2)

पाञ्चजन्यस्य निर्घोषं धनुषो गाण्डिवस्य च । ध्वजं च दृष्ट्वा पार्थस्य सर्वान्नो भयमाविशत् ॥

pāñcajanyasya nirghoṣaṃ dhanuṣo gāṇḍivasya ca | dhvajaṃ ca dṛṣṭvā pārthasya sarvānno bhayamāviśat

Hearing the blast of the Panchajanya and the twang of the Gandiva bow, and seeing Partha's banner, fear came upon us all.

Verse 3 (6.71.3)

सिंहलाङ्गूलमाकाशे ज्वलन्तमिव पर्वतम् । असञ्जमानं वृक्षेषु धूमकेतुमिवोत्थितम् ॥

siṃhalāṅgūlamākāśe jvalantamiva parvatam | asañjamānaṃ vṛkṣeṣu dhūmaketumivotthitam

Like a blazing mountain in the sky, bearing a lion's tail, catching on no tree, rising up like a comet,

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 6.67.2d*0279; line 2 is the critical edition's 6.67.3ab (reading असञ्जमानं for asajjamānaṃ). The automatic alignment missed this verse.

Verse 4 (6.71.4)

बहुवर्णं विचित्रं च दिव्यं वानरलक्षणम् । अपश्याम महाराज ध्वजं गाण्डीवधन्वनः ॥

bahuvarṇaṃ vicitraṃ ca divyaṃ vānaralakṣaṇam | apaśyāma mahārāja dhvajaṃ gāṇḍīvadhanvanaḥ

many-coloured, wondrous and divine, marked with the ape — such was the banner of the wielder of Gandiva that we beheld, great king.

Note on the text: = the critical edition's 6.67.3cd and 3ef (reading विचित्रं च for ca citraṃ ca). The automatic alignment missed this verse.

Verse 5 (6.71.5)

सुवर्णपृष्ठं गाण्डीवं रणे द्रक्ष्यामि भारत । विद्युतं मेघमध्यस्थां भ्राजमानामिवाम्बरे । ददृशुर्गाण्डिवं योधा रुक्मपृष्ठं महामृधे ॥

suvarṇapṛṣṭhaṃ gāṇḍīvaṃ raṇe drakṣyāmi bhārata | vidyutaṃ meghamadhyasthāṃ bhrājamānāmivāmbare | dadṛśurgāṇḍivaṃ yodhā rukmapṛṣṭhaṃ mahāmṛdhe

In that battle, O Bharata, I was to behold the gold-backed Gandiva. Like lightning flashing in the sky amid a cloud, the warriors saw the gold-backed Gandiva in that great fight.

Note on the text: A three-line verse as the page prints it (5a–c). Line 1 (सुवर्णपृष्ठं गाण्डीवं रणे द्रक्ष्यामि भारत) is found neither in the critical edition's text nor among its star passages or Appendix I passages (vulgate only); lines 2–3 are the critical edition's 6.67.4 (reading महामृधे for mahārathe). The automatic alignment missed this verse.

Verse 6 (6.71.6)

आशुश्रुम भृशं चास्य शक्रस्येवाभिगर्जतः । सुघोरं तलयोः शब्दं निघ्नतस्तव वाहिनीम् ॥

āśuśruma bhṛśaṃ cāsya śakrasyevābhigarjataḥ | sughoraṃ talayoḥ śabdaṃ nighnatastava vāhinīm

We heard too the terrible slap of his palms on the bowstring as he roared like Shakra, striking down your host.

Verse 7 (6.71.7)

चण्डवातो यथा मेघः सविद्युत्स्तनयित्नुमान् । दिशः संप्लावयन्सर्वाः शरवर्षैः समन्ततः ॥

caṇḍavāto yathā meghaḥ savidyutstanayitnumān | diśaḥ saṃplāvayansarvāḥ śaravarṣaiḥ samantataḥ

Like a cloud driven by a fierce wind, with lightning and thunder, flooding every quarter on all sides with showers of arrows,

Verse 8 (6.71.8)

समभ्यधावद्गाङ्गेयं भैरवास्त्रो धनञ्जयः । दिशं प्राचीं प्रतीचीं च न जानीमोऽस्त्रमोहिताः ॥

samabhyadhāvadgāṅgeyaṃ bhairavāstro dhanañjayaḥ | diśaṃ prācīṃ pratīcīṃ ca na jānīmo'stramohitāḥ

Dhananjaya, wielding fearsome weapons, rushed upon Ganga's son. Bewildered by his weapons, we could not tell east from west.

Note on the text: Reads समभ्यधावद्गाङ्गेयं where the critical edition has abhyadhāvata gāṅgeyaṃ; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 9 (6.71.9)

कान्दिग्भूताः श्रान्तपत्रा हताश्वा हतचेतसः । अन्योन्यमभिसंश्लिष्य योधास्ते भरतर्षभ ॥

kāndigbhūtāḥ śrāntapatrā hatāśvā hatacetasaḥ | anyonyamabhisaṃśliṣya yodhāste bharatarṣabha

Not knowing where to turn, their mounts exhausted, their horses slain, their wits gone, those warriors clung to one another, O bull of the Bharatas,

Note on the text: Corrected कान्दिग्भूता → कान्दिग्भूताः (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped visarga on the masculine plural, the critical edition reads kāṃdigbhūtāḥ). Reads हताश्वा where the critical edition has hatāstrā; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 10 (6.71.10)

भीष्ममेवाभ्यलीयन्त सह सर्वैस्तवात्मजैः । तेषामार्तायनमभूद्भीष्मः शान्तनवो रणे ॥

bhīṣmamevābhyalīyanta saha sarvaistavātmajaiḥ | teṣāmārtāyanamabhūdbhīṣmaḥ śāntanavo raṇe

and, together with all your sons, took refuge with Bhishma alone. In that battle Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, became the shelter of the stricken.

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

Verse 11 (6.71.11)

समुत्पतन्ति वित्रस्ता रथेभ्यो रथिनस्तथा । सादिनश्चाश्वपृष्ठेभ्यो भूमौ चापि पदातयः ॥

samutpatanti vitrastā rathebhyo rathinastathā | sādinaścāśvapṛṣṭhebhyo bhūmau cāpi padātayaḥ

Terrified chariot-warriors leapt down from their chariots, horsemen from the backs of their horses, and foot-soldiers threw themselves to the ground.

Note on the text: Reads समुत्पतन्ति and तथा where the critical edition has samutpatanta and tadā; kept as recension variants. The critical edition's star passage 6.67.10d*0280 is not on the page.

Verse 12 (6.71.12)

श्रुत्वा गाण्डीवनिर्घोषं विस्फूर्जितमिवाशनेः । सर्वसैन्यानि भीतानि व्यवालीयन्त भारत ॥

śrutvā gāṇḍīvanirghoṣaṃ visphūrjitamivāśaneḥ | sarvasainyāni bhītāni vyavālīyanta bhārata

Hearing the roar of the Gandiva, like the crash of a thunderbolt, all the troops shrank away in fear, O Bharata.

Verse 13 (6.71.13)

अथ काम्बोजजैरश्वैर्महद्भिः शीघ्रगामिभिः । गोपानां बहुसाहस्रैर्बलैर्गोपायनैर्वृतः ॥

atha kāmbojajairaśvairmahadbhiḥ śīghragāmibhiḥ | gopānāṃ bahusāhasrairbalairgopāyanairvṛtaḥ

Then, surrounded by great, swift horses bred in Kamboja, and by the Gopayanas with their forces of many thousands of cowherds,

Note on the text: Corrected काम्भोजैजरश्वैर् → काम्बोजजैरश्वैर् (misprint in Wikisource; भ for ब and transposed vowel signs, 'horses bred in Kamboja'; the critical edition reads kāmboja-), बहुसाहस्त्रैर् → बहुसाहस्रैर् (misprint in Wikisource; a stray त्, the critical edition reads bahusāhasrair), and बालैर्गापायनैर् → बलैर्गोपायनैर् (misprint in Wikisource; ā-signs for a and o, the critical edition reads balair govāsano). The rest differs from the critical edition's 6.67.12 (kāmbojamukhyais tu bṛhadbhiḥ; govāsano vṛtaḥ) and is kept as a recension variant; the verse runs on into the next, whose subject is the king of Kalinga.

Verse 14 (6.71.14)

मद्रसौवीरगान्धारैस्त्रैगर्तैश्च विशांपते । सर्वकालिङ्गमुख्यैश्च कलिङ्गाधिपतिर्वृतः ॥

madrasauvīragāndhāraistraigartaiśca viśāṃpate | sarvakāliṅgamukhyaiśca kaliṅgādhipatirvṛtaḥ

and surrounded, lord of the people, by the Madras, Sauviras, Gandharas and Trigartas and by all the leading Kalingas, the king of Kalinga;

Verse 15 (6.71.15)

नानानरगणौघैश्च दुःशासनपुरःसरः । जयद्रथश्च नृपतिः सहितः सर्वराजभिः ॥

nānānaragaṇaughaiśca duḥśāsanapuraḥsaraḥ | jayadrathaśca nṛpatiḥ sahitaḥ sarvarājabhiḥ

Duhshasana at the head of hosts of many kinds of men, and King Jayadratha together with all the kings;

Note on the text: Line 1 reads नानानरगणौघैश्च … पुरःसरः where the critical edition has nāgā naragaṇaughāś ca … puraḥsarāḥ; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 16 (6.71.16)

हयारोहवराश्चैव तव पुत्रेण चोदिताः । चतुर्दशसहस्राणि सौबलं पर्यवारयन् ॥

hayārohavarāścaiva tava putreṇa coditāḥ | caturdaśasahasrāṇi saubalaṃ paryavārayan

and fourteen thousand of the finest horsemen, urged on by your son — these surrounded Saubala (Shakuni).

Verse 17 (6.71.17)

ततस्ते सहिताः सर्वे विभक्तरथवाहनाः । अर्जुनं समरे जघ्नुस्तावका भरतर्षभ ॥

tataste sahitāḥ sarve vibhaktarathavāhanāḥ | arjunaṃ samare jaghnustāvakā bharatarṣabha

Then all those of your side together, O bull of the Bharatas, with their chariots and mounts drawn up in divisions, struck at Arjuna in the battle.

Note on the text: Line 2 reads अर्जुनं समरे जघ्नुः where the critical edition has pāṇḍavān samare jagmuḥ; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 18 (6.71.18)

चेदिकाशिपदातैश्च रथैः पाञ्चालसृञ्जयैः । पाण्डवाः सहिताः सर्वे धृष्टद्युम्नपुरोगमाः । तावकान्समरे जघ्नुर्धर्मपुत्रेण चोदिताः ॥

cedikāśipadātaiśca rathaiḥ pāñcālasṛñjayaiḥ | pāṇḍavāḥ sahitāḥ sarve dhṛṣṭadyumnapurogamāḥ | tāvakānsamare jaghnurdharmaputreṇa coditāḥ

With the foot-soldiers of the Chedis and Kashis and the chariots of the Panchalas and Srinjayas, all the Pandavas together, led by Dhrishtadyumna and urged on by Dharma's son, struck at your men in the battle.

Note on the text: A three-line verse as the page prints it (18a–c). 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 6.67.16d*0282 (line 3 there reads jagmur for जघ्नुर्).

Verse 19 (6.71.19)

रथिभिर्वारणैरश्वैः पादातैश्च समीरितम् । घोरमायोधनं चक्रे महाभ्रसदृशं रजः ॥

rathibhirvāraṇairaśvaiḥ pādātaiśca samīritam | ghoramāyodhanaṃ cakre mahābhrasadṛśaṃ rajaḥ

Stirred up by chariot-warriors, elephants, horses and foot-soldiers, the dreadful battle raised a dust like a great cloud.

Note on the text: Reads पादातैश्च and चक्रे where the critical edition has padātaiś ca and jajñe; kept as recension variants.

Verse 20 (6.71.20)

तोमरप्रासनाराचगजाश्वरथयोधिनाम् । बलेन महता भीष्मः समसञ्जत्किरीटिना ॥

tomaraprāsanārācagajāśvarathayodhinām | balena mahatā bhīṣmaḥ samasañjatkirīṭinā

With a great force of warriors fighting with lances, darts and iron shafts, from elephants, horses and chariots, Bhishma closed with Kiritin (Arjuna).

Verse 21 (6.71.21)

आवन्त्यः काशिराजेन भीमसेनेन सैन्धवः । अजातशत्रुर्मद्राणामृषभेण यशस्विना ॥

āvantyaḥ kāśirājena bhīmasenena saindhavaḥ | ajātaśatrurmadrāṇāmṛṣabheṇa yaśasvinā

The king of Avanti closed with the king of Kashi, the Saindhava (Jayadratha) with Bhimasena; Ajatashatru (Yudhishthira), with the glorious bull of the Madras —

Note on the text: Corrected यशश्विना → यशस्विना (misprint in Wikisource; श for स, the critical edition reads yaśasvinā). = the critical edition's 6.67.19ab and 19cd; from here to verse 24 Wikisource divides the critical edition's three-line verses 6.67.19–21 into couplets. The automatic alignment missed this verse.

Verse 22 (6.71.22)

सहपुत्रः सहामात्यः शल्येन समसञ्जत । विकर्णः सहदेवेन चित्रसेनः शिखण्डिना ॥

sahaputraḥ sahāmātyaḥ śalyena samasañjata | vikarṇaḥ sahadevena citrasenaḥ śikhaṇḍinā

with his sons and ministers, he closed with Shalya. Vikarna closed with Sahadeva, and Chitrasena with Shikhandin.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 6.67.19ef; line 2 is its 6.67.20ab. The automatic alignment missed this verse.

Verse 23 (6.71.23)

मत्स्या दुर्योधनं जग्मुः शकुनिं च विशांपते । द्रुपदश्चेकितानश्च सात्यकिश्च महारथः ॥

matsyā duryodhanaṃ jagmuḥ śakuniṃ ca viśāṃpate | drupadaścekitānaśca sātyakiśca mahārathaḥ

The Matsyas went against Duryodhana and Shakuni, lord of the people. Drupada, Chekitana and Satyaki, the great chariot-warrior,

Note on the text: Corrected शंकुनिं न → शकुनिं च (misprint in Wikisource; a stray anusvara and न for च, the critical edition reads śakuniṃ ca) and सात्यकिश्चक → सात्यकिश्च (misprint in Wikisource; a stray क). Line 1 is the critical edition's 6.67.20cd; line 2 is its 6.67.21ab. The automatic alignment missed this verse.

Verse 24 (6.71.24)

द्रोणेन समसञ्जन्त सपुत्रेण महात्मना । कृपश्च कृतवर्मा च धृष्टद्युम्नमभिद्रुतौ ॥

droṇena samasañjanta saputreṇa mahātmanā | kṛpaśca kṛtavarmā ca dhṛṣṭadyumnamabhidrutau

closed with the great-souled Drona and his son; and Kripa and Kritavarman rushed against Dhrishtadyumna.

Note on the text: = the critical edition's 6.67.21cd and 21ef (reading धृष्टद्युम्नम् where it has dhṛṣṭaketum; kept as a recension variant). The automatic alignment missed this verse.

Verse 25 (6.71.25)

एवं प्रव्रजिताश्वानि भ्रान्तनागरथानि च । सैन्यानि समसञ्जन्त प्रयुद्धानि समन्ततः ॥

evaṃ pravrajitāśvāni bhrāntanāgarathāni ca | sainyāni samasañjanta prayuddhāni samantataḥ

Thus the armies, their horses set running and their elephants and chariots wheeling about, closed and fought on every side.

Note on the text: Reads प्रव्रजिताश्वानि where the critical edition has prajavitāśvāni; kept as Wikisource's reading.

Verse 26 (6.71.26)

निरभ्रे विद्युतस्तीव्रा दिशश्च रजसा वृताः । प्रादुरासन्महोत्काश्च सनिर्घाता विशांपते ॥

nirabhre vidyutastīvrā diśaśca rajasā vṛtāḥ | prādurāsanmahotkāśca sanirghātā viśāṃpate

From a cloudless sky came fierce lightning, the quarters were shrouded in dust, and great meteors appeared with thunderclaps, lord of the people.

Verse 27 (6.71.27)

प्रादुर्भूतो महावातः पांसुवर्षं पपात च । नभस्यन्तर्दधे सूर्यः सैन्येन रजसा वृतः ॥

prādurbhūto mahāvātaḥ pāṃsuvarṣaṃ papāta ca | nabhasyantardadhe sūryaḥ sainyena rajasā vṛtaḥ

A great wind sprang up and a rain of dust fell; the sun vanished from the sky, veiled by the dust of the army.

Note on the text: Corrected सजसा → रजसा (misprint in Wikisource; स for र, the critical edition reads rajasā). Line 1 opens प्रादुर्भूतो where the critical edition reads pravavau ca; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 28 (6.71.28)

प्रमोहः सर्वसत्वानामतीव समपद्यत । रजसा चाभिभूतानामस्त्रजालैश्च तुद्यताम् ॥

pramohaḥ sarvasatvānāmatīva samapadyata | rajasā cābhibhūtānāmastrajālaiśca tudyatām

A deep stupor came over all creatures, overwhelmed as they were by the dust and tormented by nets of weapons.

Verse 29 (6.71.29)

वीरबाहुविसृष्टानां सर्वावरणभेदिनाम् । संघातः शरजालानां तुमुलः समपद्यत ॥

vīrabāhuvisṛṣṭānāṃ sarvāvaraṇabhedinām | saṃghātaḥ śarajālānāṃ tumulaḥ samapadyata

There was a tumultuous mass of arrow-showers, loosed by heroes' arms and piercing every kind of armour.

Verse 30 (6.71.30)

प्रकाशं चक्रुराकाशमुद्यतानि भुजोत्तमैः । नक्षत्रविमलाभानि शस्त्राणि भरतर्षभ ॥

prakāśaṃ cakrurākāśamudyatāni bhujottamaiḥ | nakṣatravimalābhāni śastrāṇi bharatarṣabha

Weapons raised in mighty arms, bright as the stars, lit up the sky, O bull of the Bharatas.

Verse 31 (6.71.31)

आर्षभाणि विचित्राणि रुक्मजालावृतानि च । संपेतुर्दिक्षु सर्वासु चर्माणि भरतर्षभ ॥

ārṣabhāṇi vicitrāṇi rukmajālāvṛtāni ca | saṃpeturdikṣu sarvāsu carmāṇi bharatarṣabha

Shields of bull's hide, many-coloured and covered with networks of gold, fell in every direction, O bull of the Bharatas.

Verse 32 (6.71.32)

सूर्यवर्णैश्च निस्त्रिंशैः पात्यमानानि सर्वशः । दिक्षु सर्वास्वदृश्यन्त शरीराणि शिरांसि च ॥

sūryavarṇaiśca nistriṃśaiḥ pātyamānāni sarvaśaḥ | dikṣu sarvāsvadṛśyanta śarīrāṇi śirāṃsi ca

Bodies and heads, struck off on all sides by swords bright as the sun, were seen in every direction.

Verse 33 (6.71.33)

भग्नचक्राक्षनीडाश्च निपातितमहाध्वजाः । हताश्वाः पृथिवीं जग्मुस्तत्रतत्र महारथाः ॥

bhagnacakrākṣanīḍāśca nipātitamahādhvajāḥ | hatāśvāḥ pṛthivīṃ jagmustatratatra mahārathāḥ

Great chariot-warriors, their wheels, axles and seats broken, their great banners thrown down and their horses slain, fell to the ground here and there.

Verse 34 (6.71.34)

परिपेतुर्हयाश्चात्र केचिच्छस्त्रकृतव्रणाः । रथान्विपरिकर्षन्तो हतेषु रथयोधिषु ॥

paripeturhayāścātra kecicchastrakṛtavraṇāḥ | rathānviparikarṣanto hateṣu rathayodhiṣu

Some horses there, wounded by weapons, ran about dragging the chariots after the warriors in them had been slain.

Verse 35 (6.71.35)

शराहता भिन्नदेहा बद्धयोक्रा हयोत्तमाः । युगानि पर्यकर्षन्त तत्रतत्र स्म भारत ॥

śarāhatā bhinnadehā baddhayokrā hayottamāḥ | yugāni paryakarṣanta tatratatra sma bhārata

Fine horses, struck by arrows, their bodies torn, still bound in their harness, dragged the yokes here and there, O Bharata.

Verse 36 (6.71.36)

अदृश्यन्त ससूताश्च साश्वाः सरथयोधिनः । एकेन बलिना राजन्वारणेन विमर्दिताः ॥

adṛśyanta sasūtāśca sāśvāḥ sarathayodhinaḥ | ekena balinā rājanvāraṇena vimarditāḥ

Chariots were seen, with their drivers, horses and fighters, crushed by a single mighty elephant, O king.

Note on the text: Line 2 ends विमर्दिताः where the critical edition reads hatā rathāḥ; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 37 (6.71.37)

गन्धहस्तिमदस्रावमाघ्राय बहवो रणे । सन्निपाते बलौघानां गजैर्ममृदिरे गजाः ॥

gandhahastimadasrāvamāghrāya bahavo raṇe | sannipāte balaughānāṃ gajairmamṛdire gajāḥ

Catching the scent of the rut-fluid of musth elephants, many elephants in the battle were crushed by elephants where the hosts clashed.

Note on the text: Line 2 ends गजैर्ममृदिरे गजाः where the critical edition reads vītam ādadire gajāḥ; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 38 (6.71.38)

सतोमरैर्महामात्रैर्निपतद्भिर्गतासुभिः । बभूवायोधनं छन्नं नाराचाभिहतैर्गजैः ॥

satomarairmahāmātrairnipatadbhirgatāsubhiḥ | babhūvāyodhanaṃ channaṃ nārācābhihatairgajaiḥ

The battlefield was strewn with elephants struck down by iron shafts, and with their riders, lances in hand, falling lifeless.

Verse 39 (6.71.39)

सन्निपाते बलौघानां प्रेषितैर्वरवारणैः । निपेतुर्युधि संभग्नाः सयोधाः सध्वजा गजाः ॥

sannipāte balaughānāṃ preṣitairvaravāraṇaiḥ | nipeturyudhi saṃbhagnāḥ sayodhāḥ sadhvajā gajāḥ

Where the hosts clashed, elephants, struck by the fine elephants driven against them, fell shattered in the fight with their warriors and their banners.

Note on the text: Line 2 ends गजाः where the critical edition reads rathāḥ; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 40 (6.71.40)

नागराजोपमैर्हस्तैर्नागैराक्षिप्य संयुगे । व्यदृश्यन्त महाराज संभग्ना रथकूबराः ॥

nāgarājopamairhastairnāgairākṣipya saṃyuge | vyadṛśyanta mahārāja saṃbhagnā rathakūbarāḥ

Chariot-poles were seen shattered in the battle, great king, seized and flung away by elephants with trunks like great serpents.

Verse 41 (6.71.41)

विशीर्णरथसङ्घाश्च केशेष्वाक्षिप्य दन्तिभिः । द्रुमशाखा इवाविध्य निष्पिष्टा रथिनो रणे ॥

viśīrṇarathasaṅghāśca keśeṣvākṣipya dantibhiḥ | drumaśākhā ivāvidhya niṣpiṣṭā rathino raṇe

Their chariot-ranks broken, chariot-warriors were seized by the hair by tusked elephants, whirled about like the branches of trees and dashed to pieces in the battle.

Note on the text: Reads रथसङ्घाश्च where the critical edition has rathajālāś ca; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 42 (6.71.42)

रथेषु च रथान्युद्धे संसक्तान्वरवारणाः । विकर्षन्तो दिशः सर्वाः संपेतुः सर्वशब्दगाः ॥

ratheṣu ca rathānyuddhe saṃsaktānvaravāraṇāḥ | vikarṣanto diśaḥ sarvāḥ saṃpetuḥ sarvaśabdagāḥ

Fine elephants, dragging chariots that had locked with other chariots in the fight, rushed in all directions, charging at every sound.

Verse 43 (6.71.43)

तेषां तथा कर्षतां तु गजानां रूपमाबभौ । सरःसु नलिनीजालं विषक्तमिव कर्षताम् ॥

teṣāṃ tathā karṣatāṃ tu gajānāṃ rūpamābabhau | saraḥsu nalinījālaṃ viṣaktamiva karṣatām

As those elephants dragged them along, they looked like elephants dragging tangled masses of lotus stalks in lakes.

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

Verse 44 (6.71.44)

एवं संछादितं तत्र बभूवायोधनं महत् । सादिभिश्च पदातैश्च सध्वजैश्च महारथैः ॥

evaṃ saṃchāditaṃ tatra babhūvāyodhanaṃ mahat | sādibhiśca padātaiśca sadhvajaiśca mahārathaiḥ

Thus the great battlefield there was covered with horsemen, with foot-soldiers and with great chariot-warriors and their banners.