महाभारतम् — ८.३६

संजय उवाच ।

क्षत्रियास्ते महाराज परस्परवधैषिणः ।
अन्योन्यं समरे जघ्नुः कृतवैराः परस्परम् ॥

M N Dutt Sanjaya said Desirous of slaying one another and cherishing hatred, the Kshatriyas, O monarch, killed one another in battle.

८.३६.२

रथौघाश्च हयौघाश्च नरौघाश्च समन्ततः ।
गजौघाश्च महाराज संसक्ताः स्म परस्परम् ॥

M N Dutt Cars, horses, men and elephants, O monarch, in large numbers, encountered one another on all sides.

८.३६.३

गदानां परिघाणां च कणपानां च सर्पताम् ।
प्रासानां भिण्डिपालानां भुशुण्डीनां च सर्वशः ॥

M N Dutt We saw the falling maces, Parighas, Kunapas, lances, and rockets discharged at one another in that terrible encounter. Dreadful showers of arrows shot through like locusts.

८.३६.४

संपातं चान्वपश्याम संग्रामे भृशदारुणे ।
शलभा इव संपेतुः समन्ताच्छरवृष्टयः ॥

८.३६.५

नागा नागान्समासाद्य व्यधमन्त परस्परम् ।
हया हयांश्च समरे रथिनो रथिनस्तथा ।
पत्तयः पत्तिसंघैश्च हयसंघैर्हयास्तथा ॥

M N Dutt Elephants struck elephants, horses routed horses and the car-warriors fought with carwarriors. There fought foot-soldiers with footsoldiers and the infantry with the cars and elephants and horsemen and elephants with the three other kinds of forces. They began to crush, O inonarch and grind one another. arrows

८.३६.६

पत्तयो रथमातङ्गान्रथा हस्त्यश्वमेव च ।
नागाश्च समरे त्र्यङ्गं ममृदुः शीघ्रगा नृप ॥

८.३६.७

पततां तत्र शूराणां क्रोशतां च परस्परम् ।
घोरमायोधनं जज्ञे पशूनां वैशसं यथा ॥

M N Dutt On account of those combatants striking one another and shouting at the top of their voices, the battle-field became awful, resembling the slaughter ground of creatures.

८.३६.८

रुधिरेण समास्तीर्णा भाति भारत मेदिनी ।
शक्रगोपगणाकीर्णा प्रावृषीव यथा धरा ॥

M N Dutt Covered with blood, the earth looked like a vast plain in the season of rains covered with red cochineal.

८.३६.९

यथा वा वाससी शुक्ले महारजनरञ्जिते ।
बिभृयाद्युवतिः श्यामा तद्वदासीद्वसुंधरा ।
मांसशोणितचित्रेव शातकौम्भमयीव च ॥

M N Dutt The earth assumed, as it were, the form of youthful maiden of great beauty clad in white robes dyed with deep red. Variegated with flesh and blood the earth appeared as if decked with gold.

८.३६.१०

छिन्नानां चोत्तमाङ्गानां बाहूनां चोरुभिः सह ।
कुण्डलानां प्रविद्धानां भूषणानां च भारत ॥

M N Dutt Large numbers of beads, cut-off from trunks and arms and thighs and ear-rings and other ornaments stripped off the bodies of the warriors, collars, cuirasses, bodies of brave bowmen, coats of mail and banners, lay scattered on the earth.

८.३६.११

निष्काणामधिसूत्राणां शरीराणां च धन्विनाम् ।
वर्मणां सपताकानां संघास्तत्रापतन्भुवि ॥

८.३६.१२

गजान्गजाः समासाद्य विषाणाग्रैरदारयन् ।
विषाणाभिहतास्ते च भ्राजन्ते द्विरदा यथा ॥

M N Dutt O king, the elephants approaching other elephants tore one another with their tusks. Stuck with the tusks of assailing elephants they looked beautiful.

८.३६.१३

रुधिरेणावसिक्ताङ्गा गैरिकप्रस्रवा इव ।
यथा भ्राजन्ति स्यन्दन्तः पर्वता धातुमण्डिताः ॥

M N Dutt Bathed in blood those huge creatures looked resplendent like moving hills covered with metals and streams of liquid chalk.

८.३६.१४

तोमरान्गजिभिर्मुक्तान्प्रतीपानास्थितान्बहून् ।
हस्तैर्विचेरुस्ते नागा बभञ्जुश्चापरे तथा ॥

M N Dutt Many of them seized the lances hurled by horsemen whilst others broke and twisted them.

८.३६.१५

नाराचैश्छिन्नवर्माणो भ्राजन्ते स्म गजोत्तमाः ।
हिमागमे महाराज व्यभ्रा इव महीधराः ॥

M N Dutt Many huge elephants, with their armours cut-off with arrows, looked like mountains divested of clouds at the approach of the winter.

८.३६.१६

शरैः कनकपुङ्खैस्तु चिता रेजुर्गजोत्तमाः ।
उल्काभिः संप्रदीप्ताग्राः पर्वता इव मारिष ॥

M N Dutt Many leading elephants, struck with goldwinged arrows, looked beautiful, like mountains whose summits are lighted with torches.

८.३६.१७

केचिदभ्याहता नागा नागैर्नगनिभा भुवि ।
निपेतुः समरे तस्मिन्पक्षवन्त इवाद्रयः ॥

M N Dutt Struck by their antagonists some of those creatures, huge as hills, fell down in battle like winged mountains.

८.३६.१८

अपरे प्राद्रवन्नागाः शल्यार्ता व्रणपीडिताः ।
प्रतिमानैश्च कुम्भैश्च पेतुरुर्व्यां महाहवे ॥

M N Dutt Others, afflicted with arrows and much pained by the wound, fell down on the earth in that dreadful encounter with their frontal globes or the parts between their tusks.

८.३६.१९

निषेदुः सिंहवच्चान्ये नदन्तो भैरवान्रवान् ।
मम्लुश्च बहवो राजंश्चुकूजुश्चापरे तथा ॥

M N Dutt Others roared like lions. And many emitting terrible sounds ran hither and thither and many, O king, uttered cries of pain.

८.३६.२०

हयाश्च निहता बाणैः स्वर्णभाण्डपरिच्छदाः ।
निषेदुश्चैव मम्लुश्च बभ्रमुश्च दिशो दश ॥

M N Dutt Horses, adorned with golden trappings, kills by arrows, fell down or became weak or ran in all directions.

८.३६.२१

अपरे कृष्यमाणाश्च विवेष्टन्तो महीतले ।
भावान्बहुविधांश्चक्रुस्ताडिताः शरतोमरैः ॥

M N Dutt Others, wounded with arrows or dragged, fell down on the earth making diverse kinds of motion in agony.

८.३६.२२

नरास्तु निहता भूमौ कूजन्तस्तत्र मारिष ।
दृष्ट्वा च बान्धवानन्ये पितॄनन्ये पितामहान् ॥

M N Dutt Men also slain fell down on the earth uttering many cries. Many beholding their relatives, fathers, grand-fathers, while others, seeing their retreating enemies called one another by their own and their family names.

८.३६.२३

धावमानान्परांश्चैव दृष्ट्वान्ये तत्र भारत ।
गोत्रनामानि ख्यातानि शशंसुरितरेतरम् ॥

८.३६.२४

तेषां छिन्ना महाराज भुजाः कनकभूषणाः ।
उद्वेष्टन्ते विवेष्टन्ते पतन्ते चोत्पतन्ति च ॥

M N Dutt Cut-off by enemies, the arms of many warriors adorned with golden ornaments fell down on the earth and writhed in agony.

८.३६.२५

निपतन्ति तथा भूमौ स्फुरन्ति च सहस्रशः ।
वेगांश्चान्ये रणे चक्रुः स्फुरन्त इव पन्नगाः ॥

M N Dutt Thousands of such arms fell down on the earth and sprang up and many seemed to dart forward like five-headed snakes.

८.३६.२६

ते भुजा भोगिभोगाभाश्चन्दनाक्ता विशां पते ।
लोहितार्द्रा भृशं रेजुस्तपनीयध्वजा इव ॥

M N Dutt O king, those arms, resembling the bodies of serpents, pasted with gold and besmeared with blood, appeared like little mountains.

८.३६.२७

वर्तमाने तथा घोरे संकुले सर्वतोदिशम् ।
अविज्ञाताः स्म युध्यन्ते विनिघ्नन्तः परस्परम् ॥

M N Dutt When such a dreadful battle raged on all sides, people not know themselves killed one another.

८.३६.२८

भौमेन रजसा कीर्णे शस्त्रसंपातसंकुले ।
नैव स्वे न परे राजन्व्यज्ञायन्त तमोवृते ॥

M N Dutt When everything was covered with dust raised by the weapons, they, O king, could not recognise who were their own and who were their enemies.

८.३६.२९

तथा तदभवद्युद्धं घोररूपं भयानकम् ।
शोणितोदा महानद्यः प्रसस्रुस्तत्र चासकृत् ॥

M N Dutt Then there took place a dreadful encounter and there flew a river of blood striking terror unto all.

८.३६.३०

शीर्षपाषाणसंछन्नाः केशशैवलशाद्वलाः ।
अस्थिसंघातसंकीर्णा धनुःशरवरोत्तमाः ॥

M N Dutt It was filled with heads forming the rocks. The hairs of the warriors formed the floating weeds and mosses. Bones formed the fishes; and bows, arrows and maces formed the rafts by which to cross them.

८.३६.३१

मांसकर्दमपङ्काश्च शोणितौघाः सुदारुणाः ।
नदीः प्रवर्तयामासुर्यमराष्ट्रविवर्धनीः ॥

M N Dutt Flesh and blood formed their mire. Thus dreadful and terrible rivers, with currents swelled by blood, were formed there.

८.३६.३२

ता नद्यो घोररूपाश्च नयन्त्यो यमसादनम् ।
अवगाढा मज्जयन्त्यः क्षत्रस्याजनयन्भयम् ॥

८.३६.३३

क्रव्यादानां नरव्याघ्र नर्दतां तत्र तत्र ह ।
घोरमायोधनं जज्ञे प्रेतराजपुरोपमम् ॥

M N Dutt And many plunged into those rivers striking terror unto the Kshatriyas and dies. O best of men, on account of many carnivorous animals emitting yells on all sides the battle-field became terrible, like the territory of the Regent of the Dead.

८.३६.३४

उत्थितान्यगणेयानि कबन्धानि समन्ततः ।
नृत्यन्ति वै भूतगणाः संतृप्ता मांसशोणितैः ॥

M N Dutt And innumerable, headless trunks rose on all sides. And many terrible creatures eating flesh and drinking blood and fat began to dance around.

८.३६.३५

पीत्वा च शोणितं तत्र वसां पीत्वा च भारत ।
मेदोमज्जावसातृप्तास्तृप्ता मांसस्य चैव हि ।
धावमानाश्च दृश्यन्ते काकगृध्रबलास्तथा ॥

M N Dutt And gratified with fat, marrow and flesh crows, vultures and cranes were seen to move about in delight.

८.३६.३६

शूरास्तु समरे राजन्भयं त्यक्त्वा सुदुस्त्यजम् ।
योधव्रतसमाख्याताश्चक्रुः कर्माण्यभीतवत् ॥

M N Dutt The heroes, however, O king, shaking off fear and observing the warrior's warrior's vow, fearlessly did their duty.

८.३६.३७

शरशक्तिसमाकीर्णे क्रव्यादगणसंकुले ।
व्यचरन्त गणैः शूराः ख्यापयन्तः स्वपौरुषम् ॥

M N Dutt On that field where innumerable arrows and darts passed through the air and where various carnivorous animals in large number and the brave warriors armed moved about displaying their powers.

८.३६.३८

अन्योन्यं श्रावयन्ति स्म नामगोत्राणि भारत ।
पितृनामानि च रणे गोत्रनामानि चाभितः ॥

M N Dutt They called out one another by their own and family names. And many taking the names of their fathers and families began to assail one another with darts, lances and battle axes.

८.३६.३९

श्रावयन्तो हि बहवस्तत्र योधा विशां पते ।
अन्योन्यमवमृद्नन्तः शक्तितोमरपट्टिशैः ॥

M N Dutt They called out one another by their own and family names. And many taking the names of their fathers and families began to assail one another with darts, lances and battle axes.

८.३६.४०

वर्तमाने तदा युद्धे घोररूपे सुदारुणे ।
व्यषीदत्कौरवी सेना भिन्ना नौरिव सागरे ॥

M N Dutt In that-onset the Kuru army became divested of its strength and unable to stand any longer like a ship foundered on the bosom of the ocean.

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