मध्यंदिनगते सूर्ये नभस्य् आकुलतां गते ॥
कुरवः पाण्डवेयाश् च निजघ्नुर् इतरेतरम् ॥
ध्वजिनो हेमचित्राङ्गा विचरन्तो रणाजिरे ॥
सपताका रथा रेजुर् वैयाघ्रपरिवारणाः ॥
समेतानां च समरे जिगीषूणां परस्परम् ॥
बभूव तुमुलः शब्दः सिंहानाम् इव नर्दताम् ॥
तत्राद्भुतम् अपश्याम संप्रहारं सुदारुणम् ॥
यम् अकुर्वन् रणे वीराः सृञ्जयाः कुरुभिः सह ॥
नैव खं न दिशो राजन् न सूर्यं शत्रुतापन ॥
विदिशो वाप्य् अपश्याम शरैर् मुक्तैः समन्ततः ॥
शक्तीनां विमलाग्राणां तोमराणां तथास्यताम् ॥
निस्त्रिंशानां च पीतानां नीलोत्पलनिभाः प्रभाः ॥
कवचानां विचित्राणां भूषणानां प्रभास् तथा ॥
खं दिशः प्रदिशश् चैव भासयाम् आसुर् ओजसा ॥
विरराज तदा राजंस् तत्र तत्र रणाङ्गणम् ॥
रथसिंहासनव्याघ्राः समायान्तश् च संयुगे ॥
विरेजुः समरे राजन् ग्रहा इव नभस्तले ॥
madhyaṃdinagate sūrye nabhasy ākulatāṃ gate ||
kuravaḥ pāṇḍaveyāś ca nijaghnur itaretaram ||
dhvajino hemacitrāṅgā vicaranto raṇājire ||
sapatākā rathā rejur vaiyāghraparivāraṇāḥ ||
sametānāṃ ca samare jigīṣūṇāṃ parasparam ||
babhūva tumulaḥ śabdaḥ siṃhānām iva nardatām ||
tatrādbhutam apaśyāma saṃprahāraṃ sudāruṇam ||
yam akurvan raṇe vīrāḥ sṛñjayāḥ kurubhiḥ saha ||
naiva khaṃ na diśo rājan na sūryaṃ śatrutāpana ||
vidiśo vāpy apaśyāma śarair muktaiḥ samantataḥ ||
śaktīnāṃ vimalāgrāṇāṃ tomarāṇāṃ tathāsyatām ||
nistriṃśānāṃ ca pītānāṃ nīlotpalanibhāḥ prabhāḥ ||
kavacānāṃ vicitrāṇāṃ bhūṣaṇānāṃ prabhās tathā ||
khaṃ diśaḥ pradiśaś caiva bhāsayām āsur ojasā ||
virarāja tadā rājaṃs tatra tatra raṇāṅgaṇam ||
rathasiṃhāsanavyāghrāḥ samāyāntaś ca saṃyuge ||
virejuḥ samare rājan grahā iva nabhastale ||
When the sun had reached midday and the sky grew turbulent, the Kurus and the Pandavas began to slay one another. Chariots with banners, golden ornaments, pennants, and tiger-skin coverings gleamed as they moved across the field of battle. Among those who had come together in the fight, each desiring to conquer the other, arose a tumultuous sound, like the roar of lions. There we beheld a wondrous and exceedingly terrible clash, which the heroic Srinjayas made in battle together with the Kurus. Because of the arrows loosed from every side, we could see neither the sky, nor the directions, nor the sun, O king, scorcher of foes, nor even the intermediate directions. The gleam of javelins with unstained points, of hurled lances, and of golden swords, like the glow of blue lotuses, together with the radiance of ornate armor and ornaments, lit up the sky, the directions, and the intermediate quarters with their brilliance. Everywhere the field of battle shone then, O king. The heroes, like lions upon their chariots, converging in the fray, gleamed in battle like planets across the vault of heaven."
bbfaf12380fd · published Jul 17, 2026, 9:35:52 PM UTC
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The midday scene is built on a contrast: the sky is hidden behind arrows and dust, yet weapons and armor blaze with light. The outward splendor of battle does not undo the fact that this radiance is born of mutual destruction.