निरभ्रे विद्युतस् तीव्रा दिशश् च रजसावृताः ॥
प्रादुरासन् महोल्काश् च सनिर्घाता विशां पते ॥
प्रववौ च महावातः पांसुवर्षं पपात च ॥
नभस्य् अन्तर्दधे सूर्यः सैन्येन रजसावृतः ॥
प्रमोहः सर्वसत्त्वानाम् अतीव समपद्यत ॥
रजसा चाभिभूतानाम् अस्त्रजालैश् च तुद्यताम् ॥
वीरबाहुविसृष्टानां सर्वावरणभेदिनाम् ॥
संघातः शरजालानां तुमुलः समपद्यत ॥
प्रकाशं चक्रुर् आकाशम् उद्यतानि भुजोत्तमैः ॥
नक्षत्रविमलाभानि शस्त्राणि भरतर्षभ ॥
आर्षभाणि विचित्राणि रुक्मजालावृतानि च ॥
संपेतुर् दिक्षु सर्वासु चर्माणि भरतर्षभ ॥
सूर्यवर्णैश् च निस्त्रिंशैः पात्यमानानि सर्वशः ॥
दिक्षु सर्वास्व् अदृश्यन्त शरीराणि शिरांसि च ॥
nirabhre vidyutas tīvrā diśaś ca rajasāvṛtāḥ ||
prādurāsan maholkāś ca sanirghātā viśāṃ pate ||
pravavau ca mahāvātaḥ pāṃsuvarṣaṃ papāta ca ||
nabhasy antardadhe sūryaḥ sainyena rajasāvṛtaḥ ||
pramohaḥ sarvasattvānām atīva samapadyata ||
rajasā cābhibhūtānām astrajālaiś ca tudyatām ||
vīrabāhuvisṛṣṭānāṃ sarvāvaraṇabhedinām ||
saṃghātaḥ śarajālānāṃ tumulaḥ samapadyata ||
prakāśaṃ cakrur ākāśam udyatāni bhujottamaiḥ ||
nakṣatravimalābhāni śastrāṇi bharatarṣabha ||
ārṣabhāṇi vicitrāṇi rukmajālāvṛtāni ca ||
saṃpetur dikṣu sarvāsu carmāṇi bharatarṣabha ||
sūryavarṇaiś ca nistriṃśaiḥ pātyamānāni sarvaśaḥ ||
dikṣu sarvāsv adṛśyanta śarīrāṇi śirāṃsi ca ||
In the cloudless sky sharp flashes of lightning appeared, the directions were covered with dust, and great meteors, with thunderclaps, arose, O lord of men. A great wind blew, a rain of dust fell, and the sun vanished in the sky, hidden by the army and its dust. A great bewilderment came upon all beings: they were overwhelmed by the dust and struck by nets of weapons. Terrible became the mass of arrow-nets, let loose by the arms of heroes and piercing every guard. Weapons, raised by the mightiest arms and shining like pure stars, lit up the sky, O bull of the Bharatas. Sturdy, variegated shields, covered with nets of gold, flew in every direction, O bull of the Bharatas. Everywhere in every direction were seen bodies and heads cut down by swords the color of the sun.'
b27eeacc1c30 · published Jul 17, 2026, 9:35:52 PM UTC
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Cosmic portents and battle dust merge into one: the sky glows with weapons, the sun disappears, and men lose all bearing. War appears here as a rupture in the order of the world, not merely a clash of armies.