05.161
Core: Provoked by Uluka, Yudhisthira arranges the army of Pandavas for battle.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
ulūkasya vacaḥ śrutvā kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। senāṃ niryāpayāmāsa dhṛṣṭadyumnapurogamām ॥5-161-1॥
Upon hearing Uluka's words, Yudhishthira, Kunti's son, sent forth the army with Dhrishtadyumna at the forefront.
padātinīṃ nāgavatīṃ rathinīmaśvavṛndinīm। caturvidhabalāṃ bhīmāmakampyāṃ pṛthivīmiva ॥5-161-2॥
The army, formidable and steadfast, was like the earth itself, composed of infantry, elephants, chariots, and cavalry.
bhīmasenādibhir guptāṃ sārjunaiś ca mahārathaiḥ। dhṛṣṭadyumnavaśāṃ durgāṃ sāgarastimitopamām ॥5-161-3॥
The fort, guarded by Bhimasena, Arjuna, and other great warriors, and under Dhrishtadyumna's command, was as calm as a still ocean.
tasyāstvagre maheṣvāsaḥ pāñcālyo yuddhadurmadaḥ। droṇaprepsuranīkāni dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ prakarṣati ॥5-161-4॥
In front of her stood Dhrishtadyumna, the great archer and son of Panchala, proud and eager to confront Drona, leading the armies.
yathābalaṃ yathotsāhaṃ rathinaḥ samupādiśat. arjunaṃ sūtaputrāya bhīmaṃ duryodhanāya ca ॥5-161-5॥
The charioteers, considering their strength and enthusiasm, assigned Arjuna to Karna, the son of the charioteer, and Bhima to Duryodhana.
aśvatthāmne ca nakulaṃ śaibyaṃ ca kṛtavarmaṇe। saindhavāya ca vārṣṇeyaṃ yuyudhānamupādiśat ॥5-161-6॥
He gave instructions to Ashwatthama, Nakul, Shaibya, Kritavarma, Saindhava, Vrishni, and Yuyudhana.
śikhaṇḍinaṃ ca bhīṣmāya pramukhe samakalpayat. sahadevaṃ śakunaye cekitānaṃ śalāya ca ॥5-161-7॥
Shikhandin and Sahadeva were positioned in front of Bhishma, while Cekitana was aligned with Shakuni and Shalya.
dhṛṣṭaketuṃ ca śalyāya gautamāyottamaujasam। draupadeyāṃśca pañcabhyastrigartebhyaḥ samādiśat ॥5-161-8॥
He instructed Dhṛṣṭaketu, Śalya, Gautama, Uttamaujas, the sons of Draupadī, the five warriors, and the Trigartas.
vṛṣasenāya saubhadraṃ śeṣāṇāṃ ca mahīkṣitām। samarthaṃ taṃ hi mene vai pārthādabhyadhikaṃ raṇe ॥5-161-9॥
He considered Vṛṣasena, Abhimanyu, and the other kings to be capable and indeed superior to Arjuna in battle.
evaṃ vibhajya yodhāṃstānpṛthakca saha caiva ha। jvālāvarṇo maheṣvāso droṇamaṃśamakalpayat ॥5-161-10॥
Thus, the flame-colored great archer arranged the warriors, dividing them separately and together, as part of Drona's strategy.
dhṛṣṭadyumno maheṣvāsaḥ senāpatipatistataḥ। vidhivadvyūhya medhāvī yuddhāya dhṛtamānasaḥ ॥5-161-11॥
Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the great archer and commander of the army, then wisely arranged the troops with a firm mind for battle.
yathādiṣṭānyanīkāni pāṇḍavānāmayojayat। jayāya pāṇḍuputrāṇāṃ yattastasthau raṇājire ॥5-161-12॥
The troops of the Pandavas were arranged as commanded, and he stood ready in the battlefield for the victory of the sons of Pandu.
