04.041
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
uttaraṃ sārathiṃ kṛtvā śamīṃ kṛtvā pradakṣiṇam। āyudhaṃ sarvam ādāya tataḥ prāyād
dhanañjayaḥ ॥04-41-1॥
Having appointed Uttara as the charioteer, performed circumambulation of the śamī tree to
the right, and collected all the weapons, then Dhanañjaya (Arjuna) set out. (04-41-1)
dhvajaṃ siṃhaṃ rathāt tasmād apanīya mahārathaḥ। praṇidhāya śamīmūle prāyād uttarasārathiḥ
॥04-41-2॥
Having removed the lion-banner from that chariot, the great charioteer Uttarasārathi laid
it down at the root of the śamī tree and departed. (04-41-2)
daivīṃ māyāṃ rathe yuktvā vihitāṃ viśvakarmaṇā। kāñcanaṃ siṃhalāṅgūlaṃ dhvajaṃ
vānaralakṣaṇam ॥04-41-3॥
Having attached (through) divine illusion to the chariot—prepared by Viśvakarman—a golden
banner with a lion's tail, marked with the sign of a monkey. (04-41-3)
manasā cintayāmāsa prasādaṃ pāvakasya ca। sa ca taccintitaṃ jñātvā dhvaje bhūtāny
acodayat॥04-41-4॥
He pondered in his mind the favor of Pāvaka (the Fire-god), and that deity, knowing his
thought, urged the beings on the banner. (04-41-4)
sapatākaṃ vicitrāṅgaṃ sopāsaṅgaṃ mahārathaḥ। rathamāsthāya bībhatsuḥ kaunteyaḥ
śvetavāhanaḥ ॥04-41-5॥
The great chariot-warrior Arjuna, the son of Kunti, known as Bībhatsu and whose steeds are
white, after mounting his chariot adorned with banners and side equipment, (stood ready).
(04-41-5)
baddhāsiḥ satanutrāṇaḥ pragṛhītaśarāsanaḥ। tataḥ prāyādudīcīṃ sa kapipravaraketanaḥ
॥04-41-6॥
With his sword fastened on, wearing body armor, and bow and arrows in hand, he then went
northward, he who bears the foremost monkey as his banner. (04-41-6)
svanavantaṃ mahāśaṅkhaṃ balavānarimardanaḥ। prādhama dbalamāsthāya dviṣatāṃ lomaharṣaṇam
॥04-41-7॥
The powerful destroyer of enemies, assuming command of the resounding great conch and the
chief force, caused horror among his foes. (04-41-7)
tataste javanā dhuryā jānubhyāmagamamnahīm। uttaraścāpi santrasto rathopastha upāviśat
॥04-41-8॥
Then the swift horses touched the ground with their knees, and Uttara, frightened, sat
down in the chariot-seat. (04-41-8)
saṁsthāpya ca aśvān kaunteyaḥ samudyamya ca raśmibhiḥ। uttaraṁ ca pariṣvajya samāśvāsayad
arjunaḥ ॥04-41-9॥
Kaunteya (Arjuna), having stopped the horses and taken up the reins, embraced Uttara and
comforted him. (04-41-9)
mā bhais tvaṁ rājaputrāgrya kṣatriyo ‘si parantapa। kathaṁ puruṣaśārdūla śatrumadhye
viṣīdasi ॥04-41-10॥
Do not be afraid, O best among princes, you are a Kṣatriya, destroyer of foes. How can
you, tiger among men, become dejected in the midst of enemies? (04-41-10)
śrutās te śaṅkhaśabdāś ca bherīśabdāś ca puṣkalāḥ। kuñjarāṇāṃ ca nadatāṃ vyūḍhānīkeṣu
tiṣṭhatām ॥04-41-11॥
The abundant sounds of conches and drums, and the roars of the elephants standing in
arrayed troops, were heard. (04-41-11)
sa tvaṃ katham ihānena śaṅkhaśabdena bhīṣitaḥ। viṣaṇṇarūpo vitrastaḥ puruṣaḥ prākṛto
yathā॥04-41-12॥
So you, how is it that here, frightened by this conch sound, taking on a dejected
appearance and terrified, are behaving like an ordinary man? (04-41-12)
uttara uvāca॥
Uttara said.
śrutā me śaṅkhaśabdāś ca bherīśabdāś ca puṣkalāḥ. kuñjarāṇāṃ ca ninadā vyūḍhānīkeṣu
tiṣṭhatām ॥04-41-13॥
I have heard the abundant sounds of conches and drums, and also the trumpetings of
elephants among the arrayed troops of those standing. (04-41-13)
naivaṁvidhaḥ śaṅkhaśabdaḥ purā jātu mayā śrutaḥ। dhvajasya cāpi rūpaṁ me dṛṣṭapūrvaṁ na
hīdṛśam ॥ dhanuṣaścaiva nirghoṣaḥ śrutapūrvo na me kvacit ॥04-41-14॥
I have never before heard a conch sound like this. Nor have I ever seen such a banner
form. Nor have I ever heard such a roar of a bow anywhere before. (04-41-14)
asya śaṅkhasya śabdena dhanuṣo nisvanena ca। rathasya ca ninādena mano muhyati me bhṛśam
॥04-41-15॥
The sound of this conch, the twang of the bow, and the rumbling of the chariot greatly
confound my mind. (04-41-15)
vyākulāś ca diśaḥ sarvā hṛdayaṃ vyathatīva me। dhvajena pihitāḥ sarvā diśo na pratibhānti
me ॥ gāṇḍīvasya ca śabdena karṇau me badhirīkṛtau ॥04-41-16॥
All the directions seem distressed, and my heart feels as if pained. All the directions
are obscured from me by the banner, and I cannot see them. The sound of the Gāṇḍīva bow has
made my ears deaf as well. (04-41-16)
arjuna uvāca॥
Arjuna said.
ekānte ratham āsthāya padbhyāṁ tvam avapīḍaya। dṛḍhaṁ ca raśmīn saṁyaccha śaṅkhaṁ
dhmāsyāmy ahaṁ punaḥ ॥04-41-17॥
Mount the chariot in seclusion, press down with your feet, and hold the reins firmly; I
will blow the conch again. (04-41-17)
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
tasya śaṅkhasya śabdena rathanemi-svanena ca। gāṇḍīvasya ca ghoṣeṇa pṛthivī samakampata
॥04-41-18॥
The earth trembled from the sound of his conch, the chariot's wheel, and the roaring of
the Gandiva. (04-41-18)
droṇa uvāca॥
Droṇa said;
yathā rathasya nirghoṣo yathā śaṅkha udīryate। kampate ca yathā bhūmir naiṣo'nyaḥ
savyasācinaḥ ॥04-41-19॥
Just as the sound of the chariot, the blowing of the conch, and the trembling of the earth
are seen, this is nothing other than Savyasācin (Arjuna). (04-41-19)
śastrāṇi na prakāśante na prahṛṣyanti vājinaḥ। agnayaś ca na bhāsante samiddhās tan na
śobhanam॥04-41-20॥
The weapons do not gleam, the horses are not joyful, even the kindled fires do not shine;
this is not a good sign. (04-41-20)
pratyādityaṃ ca naḥ sarve mṛgā ghorapravādinaḥ। dhvajeṣu ca nilīyante vāyasās tanna
śobhanam॥ śakunāś cāpasavyā no vedayanti mahadbhayam॥04-41-21॥
All the animals are crying out fearfully towards the sun and at us; crows are hiding in
the banners, which is inauspicious. Birds flying to our left also foretell great danger.
(04-41-21)
gomāyur eṣa senāyā ruvan madhye'nudhāvati। anāhataś ca niṣkrānto mahad vedayate bhayam ॥
bhavatāṃ romakūpāṇi prahṛṣṭāny upalakṣaye ॥04-41-22॥
This jackal is running after the army, howling in the midst. Unstruck and having come out,
it feels great fear. I observe the hair on your body standing on end with joy. (04-41-22)
parābhūtā ca vaḥ senā na kaścid yoddhum icchati। vivarṇamukhabhūyiṣṭhāḥ sarve yodhā
vicetasaḥ ॥ gāḥ samprasthāpya tiṣṭhāmo vyūḍhānīkāḥ prahāriṇaḥ ॥04-41-23॥
Your army has been defeated, and nobody wishes to fight. All the warriors are bewildered,
with mostly pale faces. Having sent the cows away, let us stand ready in battle formation,
prepared to strike. (04-41-23)
