05.152
Core: Preparation of 11 divisions of the army from the Kauravas and 7 divisions from the Pandavas.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaishampayana spoke:
व्युषितायां रजन्यां तु राजा दुर्योधनस्ततः। व्यभजत्तान्यनीकानि दश चैकं च भारत ॥५-१५२-१॥
After the night had passed, King Duryodhana divided the armies into eleven parts, O Bharata.
नरहस्तिरथाश्वानां सारं मध्यं च फल्गु च। सर्वेष्वेतेष्वनीकेषु संदिदेश महीपतिः ॥५-१५२-२॥
The king commanded the arrangement of men, elephants, chariots, and horses, focusing on their essence, middle, and insignificant parts, across all these armies.
सानुकर्षाः सतूणीराः सवरूथाः सतोमराः। सोपासङ्गाः सशक्तीकाः सनिषङ्गाः सपोथिकाः ॥५-१५२-३॥
They were equipped with drawers, quivers, chariots, spears, attachments, powers, sheaths, and cases.
सध्वजाः सपताकाश्च सशरासनतोमराः। रज्जुभिश्च विचित्राभिः सपाशाः सपरिस्तराः ॥५-१५२-४॥
The army was adorned with banners and flags, equipped with bows and spears, and had various ropes, nooses, and coverings.
सकचग्रहविक्षेपाः सतैलगुडवालुकाः। साशीविषघटाः सर्वे ससर्जरसपांसवः ॥५-१५२-५॥
All the obstacles, including those with wheel-grasping and throwing, oil, molasses, sand, and pots of poison, were created with juices and dust.
सघण्टाफलकाः सर्वे वासीवृक्षादनान्विताः। व्याघ्रचर्मपरीवारा वृताश्च द्वीपिचर्मभिः ॥५-१५२-६॥
All were adorned with bells and plates, surrounded by bamboo trees, covered with tiger skins, and encircled with leopard skins.
सवस्तयः सशृङ्गाश्च सप्रासविविधायुधाः। सकुठाराः सकुद्दालाः सतैलक्षौमसर्पिषः ॥५-१५२-७॥
They were adorned with garments, horns, spears, and various weapons, carrying axes and spades, and were equipped with oil, silk, and clarified butter.
चित्रानीकाः सुवपुषो ज्वलिता इव पावकाः। तथा कवचिनः शूराः शस्त्रेषु कृतनिश्रमाः ॥५-१५२-८॥
The warriors with bright standards and good appearance, blazing like fire, were thus armored heroes who had exerted effort in their weapons.
कुलीना हययोनिज्ञाः सारथ्ये विनिवेशिताः। बद्धारिष्टा बद्धकक्ष्या बद्धध्वजपताकिनः ॥५-१५२-९॥
The noble-born individuals, who are experts in horse-breeding, were appointed as charioteers, equipped with secured protection, girdles, and adorned with flags and banners.
चतुर्युजो रथाः सर्वे सर्वे शस्त्रसमायुताः। संहृष्टवाहनाः सर्वे सर्वे शतशरासनाः ॥५-१५२-१०॥
All the chariots are yoked in fours, fully armed, with joyful steeds, and equipped with hundreds of bows.
धुर्ययोर्हययोरेकस्तथान्यौ पार्ष्णिसारथी। तौ चापि रथिनां श्रेष्ठौ रथी च हयवित्तथा ॥५-१५२-११॥
Among the two horses, one is a steed, and the other two are skilled charioteers. They are considered the best among charioteers and are knowledgeable about horses.
नगराणीव गुप्तानि दुरादेयानि शत्रुभिः। आसन्रथसहस्राणि हेममालीनि सर्वशः ॥५-१५२-१२॥
The cities were like fortresses, protected and inaccessible to enemies, with thousands of chariots adorned with gold everywhere.
यथा रथास्तथा नागा बद्धकक्ष्याः स्वलङ्कृताः। बभूवुः सप्त पुरुषा रत्नवन्त इवाद्रयः ॥५-१५२-१३॥
The elephants, harnessed and well-adorned, stood like chariots, resembling seven jewel-like men, akin to mountains.
द्वावङ्कुशधरौ तेषु द्वावुत्तमधनुर्धरौ। द्वौ वरासिधरौ राजन्नेकः शक्तिपताकधृक् ॥५-१५२-१४॥
Among them, O king, two are skilled in wielding the elephant goad, two are excellent archers, two are the best sword bearers, and one is a holder of a spear and banner.
गजैर्मत्तैः समाकीर्णं सवर्मायुधकोशकैः। तद्बभूव बलं राजन्कौरव्यस्य सहस्रशः ॥५-१५२-१५॥
O king, the army of the Kauravas, filled with thousands of intoxicated elephants and all kinds of weapons and armories, became formidable.
विचित्रकवचामुक्तैः सपताकैः स्वलङ्कृतैः। सादिभिश्चोपसम्पन्ना आसन्नयुतशो हयाः ॥५-१५२-१६॥
The horses, adorned with various armors and flags, well-decorated and equipped with riders, were present in tens of thousands.
सुसङ्ग्राहाः सुसन्तोषा हेमभाण्डपरिच्छदाः। अनेकशतसाहस्रास्ते च सादिवशे स्थिताः ॥५-१५२-१७॥
They were well-collected and contented, with golden vessels and furnishings numbering in the hundreds of thousands, all under control.
नानारूपविकाराश्च नानाकवचशस्त्रिणः। पदातिनो नरास्तत्र बभूवुर्हेममालिनः ॥५-१५२-१८॥
There were men of various forms and transformations, equipped with different armors and weapons, who stood as infantrymen adorned with golden garlands.
रथस्यासन्दश गजा गजस्य दश वाजिनः। नरा दश हयस्यासन्पादरक्षाः समन्ततः ॥५-१५२-१९॥
There were ten elephants for each chariot, ten horses for each elephant, and ten men as foot soldiers surrounding each horse.
रथस्य नागाः पञ्चाशन्नागस्यासञ्शतं हयाः। हयस्य पुरुषाः सप्त भिन्नसन्धानकारिणः ॥५-१५२-२०॥
The chariot had fifty elephants, the elephant had a hundred horses, and the horse had seven men who were responsible for repairing breaks.
सेना पञ्चशतं नागा रथास्तावन्त एव च। दशसेना च पृतना पृतना दशवाहिनी ॥५-१५२-२१॥
An army consisting of five hundred elephants and an equal number of chariots. Additionally, there are ten armies and battalions, each with ten divisions.
वाहिनी पृतना सेना ध्वजिनी सादिनी चमूः। अक्षौहिणीति पर्यायैर्निरुक्ताथ वरूथिनी ॥ एवं व्यूढान्यनीकानि कौरवेयेण धीमता ॥५-१५२-२२॥
The wise Kaurava arranged the formations of the army, battle, military, flag-bearing, chariot, troop, division, and battalion as explained by synonyms.
अक्षौहिण्यो दशैका च सङ्ख्याताः सप्त चैव ह। अक्षौहिण्यस्तु सप्तैव पाण्डवानामभूद्बलम् ॥ अक्षौहिण्यो दशैका च कौरवाणामभूद्बलम् ॥५-१५२-२३॥
The Pandavas had seven divisions of army, while the Kauravas had eleven. This was the strength counted for both sides.
नराणां पञ्चपञ्चाशदेषा पत्तिर्विधीयते। सेनामुखं च तिस्रस्ता गुल्म इत्यभिसञ्ज्ञितः ॥५-१५२-२४॥
The prescribed infantry for men consists of fifty-five units. The front of the army and three divisions are collectively referred to as such.
दश गुल्मा गणस्त्वासीद्गणास्त्वयुतशोऽभवन्। दुर्योधनस्य सेनासु योत्स्यमानाः प्रहारिणः ॥५-१५२-२५॥
There were ten battalions forming a group, and these groups multiplied into tens of thousands. In Duryodhana's armies, the warriors were ready to strike.
तत्र दुर्योधनो राजा शूरान्बुद्धिमतो नरान्। प्रसमीक्ष्य महाबाहुश्चक्रे सेनापतींस्तदा ॥५-१५२-२६॥
There, King Duryodhana, after observing the brave and wise men, appointed the mighty-armed generals at that time.
पृथगक्षौहिणीनां च प्रणेतॄन्नरसत्तमान्। विधिपूर्वं समानीय पार्थिवानभ्यषेचयत् ॥५-१५२-२७॥
He gathered the leaders of the armies and the noblest men separately and consecrated the kings following the proper rituals.
कृपं द्रोणं च शल्यं च सैन्धवं च महारथम्। सुदक्षिणं च काम्बोजं कृतवर्माणमेव च ॥५-१५२-२८॥
Kṛpa, Droṇa, Śalya, Saindhava, Sudakṣiṇa, Kāmboja, and Kṛtavarmā, all great warriors, were present.
द्रोणपुत्रं च कर्णं च भूरिश्रवसमेव च। शकुनिं सौबलं चैव बाह्लीकं च महारथम् ॥५-१५२-२९॥
Drona's son, Karna, Bhuriśravas, Shakuni, the son of Subala, and Bahlika are all great chariot-warriors.
दिवसे दिवसे तेषां प्रतिवेलं च भारत। चक्रे स विविधाः सञ्ज्ञाः प्रत्यक्षं च पुनः पुनः ॥५-१५२-३०॥
O Bharata, he continuously made various signals directly, day by day and every moment, again and again.
तथा विनियताः सर्वे ये च तेषां पदानुगाः। बभूवुः सैनिका राजन्राज्ञः प्रियचिकीर्षवः ॥५-१५२-३१॥
Thus, all the followers were controlled and became soldiers, O king, eager to please the king.
