अथ प्रवृत्तः प्रसभं प्रलयार्णवरंहसा । सेनयोः शस्त्रसंपातः किरन्ननलविद्युतः ॥ ५ ॥
atha pravṛttaḥ prasabhaṁ pralayārṇavaraṁhasā | sēnayōḥ śastrasaṁpātaḥ kirannanalavidyutaḥ || 5 ||
Translation
Then, with the force of the ocean at the world's end, the clash of weapons between the two armies broke out in fury, scattering fire and lightning.
Word by word
- atha
- then
- pravṛttaḥ
- broke out
- prasabhaṁ
- in fury
- pralaya
- at the world's end
- arṇava
- of the ocean
- raṁhasā
- with the force
- sēnayōḥ
- between the two armies
- śastra
- of weapons
- saṁpātaḥ
- the clash
- kirann
- (kiran) scattering
- anala
- fire
- vidyutaḥ
- and lightning
Meaning
The first blow releases everything. The armies, held back so long, crash together like the flood of the dissolution. Sparks fly from the steel like fire and lightning. From here to v. 46 every verse describes "the clash of weapons", the battle, one aspect at a time.