ततः शूराः समासाद्य समरे ते परस्परम् ॥
नेत्रैर् अनिमिषै राजन्न् अवैक्षन्त प्रकोपिताः ॥
मनोभिस् ते मनुष्येन्द्र पूर्वं योधाः परस्परम् ॥
युद्धाय समवर्तन्त समाहूयेतरेतरम् ॥
ततः प्रववृते युद्धं घोररूपं भयावहम् ॥
तावकानां परेषां च निघ्नताम् इतरेतरम् ॥
नाराचा निशिताः संख्ये संपतन्ति स्म भारत ॥
व्यात्तानना भयकरा उरगा इव संघशः ॥
निष्पेतुर् विमलाः शक्त्यस् तैलधौताः सुतेजनाः ॥
अम्बुदेभ्यो यथा राजन् भ्राजमानाः शतह्रदाः ॥
गदाश् च विमलैः पट्टैः पिनद्धाः स्वर्णभूषिताः ॥
पतन्त्यस् तत्र दृश्यन्ते गिरिशृङ्गोपमाः शुभाः ॥
निस्त्रिंशाश् च व्यराजन्त विमलाम्बरसंनिभाः ॥
आर्षभाणि च चर्माणि शतचन्द्राणि भारत ॥
अशोभन्त रणे राजन् पतमानानि सर्वशः ॥
tataḥ śūrāḥ samāsādya samare te parasparam ||
netrair animiṣai rājann avaikṣanta prakopitāḥ ||
manobhis te manuṣyendra pūrvaṃ yodhāḥ parasparam ||
yuddhāya samavartanta samāhūyetaretaram ||
tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṃ ghorarūpaṃ bhayāvaham ||
tāvakānāṃ pareṣāṃ ca nighnatām itaretaram ||
nārācā niśitāḥ saṃkhye saṃpatanti sma bhārata ||
vyāttānanā bhayakarā uragā iva saṃghaśaḥ ||
niṣpetur vimalāḥ śaktyas tailadhautāḥ sutejanāḥ ||
ambudebhyo yathā rājan bhrājamānāḥ śatahradāḥ ||
gadāś ca vimalaiḥ paṭṭaiḥ pinaddhāḥ svarṇabhūṣitāḥ ||
patantyas tatra dṛśyante giriśṛṅgopamāḥ śubhāḥ ||
nistriṃśāś ca vyarājanta vimalāmbarasaṃnibhāḥ ||
ārṣabhāṇi ca carmāṇi śatacandrāṇi bhārata ||
aśobhanta raṇe rājan patamānāni sarvaśaḥ ||
Then the heroes, having met each other in battle, O king, gazed upon one another with unblinking eyes, seized with fury. Even before their weapons clashed, the warriors' minds had already turned to combat, as they challenged one another. Then a terrible, dreadful battle unfolded: thy warriors and their foes struck one another down. Sharp naracha shafts, O Bharata, rained down in the fighting like throngs of frightful serpents with jaws agape. Bright shaktis, anointed with oil and gleaming sharp, flew forth, O king, like lightning-bolts flashing from the clouds. There could be seen falling maces, bound with gleaming plates and adorned with gold, beautiful, like unto mountain peaks. Swords flashed, resembling a clear sky. Shields of bull-hide, marked with a hundred moons, shone in the battle, O king, falling on every side.
6070f307ca51 · published Jul 17, 2026, 9:46:24 PM UTC
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Before the physical clash comes an inner one: glances, challenges, resolve. War is thus born first in the mind, and only afterward becomes a rain of arrows, spears, maces, and swords.