05.162
Pancharatra-Core: Asked by Duryodhana, Bhishma describes the army of Vauravas.
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca॥
Dhritarashtra spoke:
pratijñāte phalgunena vadhe bhīṣmasya sañjaya। kimakurvanta me mandāḥ putrā duryodhanādayaḥ ॥5-162-1॥
Sanjaya, when Arjuna had vowed to kill Bhishma, what actions did my foolish sons, including Duryodhana, take?
hatam eva hi paśyāmi gāṅgeyaṃ pitaraṃ raṇe। vāsudevasahāyena pārthena dṛḍhadhanvanā ॥5-162-2॥
I see that Bhishma, the son of Ganga and my father, has been killed in battle by Arjuna, who was aided by Krishna and wielded a strong bow.
sa cāparimitaprajñastacchrutvā pārthabhāṣitam। kimuktavānmaheṣvāso bhīṣmaḥ praharatāṃ varaḥ ॥5-162-3॥
Upon hearing the words of Partha, the wise and great archer Bhishma, the best among warriors, responded thoughtfully. What did he say?
senāpatyaṃ ca samprāpya kauravāṇāṃ dhurandharaḥ। kimaceṣṭata gāṅgeyo mahābuddhiparākramaḥ ॥5-162-4॥
After becoming the commander of the Kauravas, what actions did the wise and valiant son of Ganga take?
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaishampayana spoke:
tatastatsañjayastasmai sarvameva nyavedayat। yathoktaṃ kuruvṛddhena bhīṣmeṇāmitatejasā ॥5-162-5॥
Then Sanjaya conveyed all the details to him, exactly as narrated by the venerable Bhishma, the elder of the Kuru dynasty, who possessed immeasurable splendor.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
senāpatyamanuprāpya bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavo nṛpa। duryodhanamuvācedaṃ vacanaṃ harṣayanniva ॥5-162-6॥
Upon assuming command, Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, addressed King Duryodhana with words that seemed to cheer him.
namaskṛtvā kumārāya senānye śaktipāṇaye। ahaṃ senāpatiste'dya bhaviṣyāmi na saṃśayaḥ ॥5-162-7॥
After saluting the prince and the general who holds a spear, I shall undoubtedly become your commander today.
senākarmaṇyabhijño'smi vyūheṣu vividheṣu ca। karma kārayituṃ caiva bhṛtānapyabhṛtāṃstathā ॥5-162-8॥
I am skilled in military duties and various formations, and I can execute tasks with both paid and unpaid personnel.
yātrāyāneṣu yuddheṣu labdhapraśamaneṣu ca। bhṛśaṃ veda mahārāja yathā veda bṛhaspatiḥ ॥5-162-9॥
O great king, you are as knowledgeable in journeys, battles, and achieving peace as Bṛhaspati himself.
vyūhān api mahārambhān daivagāndharvamānuṣān। tair ahaṃ mohayişyāmi pāṇḍavān vyetu te jvaraḥ ॥5-162-10॥
I will use formations and great undertakings, both divine and human, to confuse the Pandavas. Let your anxiety be relieved.
so'haṁ yotsyāmi tattvena pālayaṁstava vāhinīm। yathāvacchāstrato rājanvyetu te mānaso jvaraḥ ॥5-162-11॥
O king, I will truly fight while protecting your army. Let your mental anguish be relieved properly according to the scriptures.
duryodhana uvāca॥
Duryodhana spoke:
na vidyate me gāṅgeya bhayaṃ devāsureṣvapi। samasteṣu mahābāho satyametadbravīmi te ॥5-162-12॥
O son of Ganga, I have no fear even among gods and demons. This is the truth I tell you, O mighty-armed one.
kiṁ punastvayi durdharṣe senāpatye vyavasthite। droṇe ca puruṣavyāghre sthite yuddhābhinandini ॥5-162-13॥
What then, when you, the invincible, are positioned as the general, and Drona, the tiger among men, stands rejoicing in battle?
bhavadbhyāṃ puruṣāgryābhyāṃ sthitābhyāṃ vijayo mama। na durlabhaṃ kuruśreṣṭha devarājyamapi dhruvam ॥5-162-14॥
With you both, the greatest of men, standing firm, my victory is assured, O best of the Kurus, even the divine kingdom is within reach.
rathasaṅkhyāṃ tu kārtsnyena pareṣāmātmanastathā। tathaivātirathānāṃ ca vettumicchāmi kaurava ॥5-162-15॥
O Kaurava, I wish to know the complete number of chariots of both the enemies and ourselves, as well as the great charioteers.
pitāmaho hi kuśalaḥ pareṣāmātmanastathā। śrotumicchāmyahaṃ sarvaiḥ sahaibhirvasudhādhipaiḥ ॥5-162-16॥
The grandfather is indeed skilled in understanding both others and himself. I wish to listen along with all the kings of the earth.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma spoke:
gāndhāre śṛṇu rājendra rathasaṅkhyāṃ svake bale| ye rathāḥ pṛthivīpāla tathaivātirathāśca ye ॥5-162-17॥
O King, listen in Gandhara to the count of chariots in your own army; which chariots and great charioteers, O protector of the earth.
bahūnīha sahasrāṇi prayutānyarbudāni ca। rathānāṃ tava senāyāṃ yathāmukhyaṃ tu me śṛṇu ॥5-162-18॥
Here, in your army, there are numerous thousands, tens of millions, and hundreds of millions of chariots; however, listen to my chief directive.
bhavānagre rathodāraḥ saha sarvaiḥ sahodaraiḥ। duḥśāsanaprabhṛtibhirbhrātṛbhiḥ śatasaṁmitaiḥ ॥5-162-19॥
You are at the forefront with the grand chariot, accompanied by all your brothers, including Duhshasana and others, numbering a hundred.
sarve kṛtapraharaṇāś chedyabhedyaviśāradāḥ। rathopasthe gajaskandhe gadāyuddhe'sicarmaṇi ॥5-162-20॥
All are equipped with weapons, skilled in cutting and piercing, adept on chariots and elephants, and proficient in mace and sword-shield combat.
saṁyantāraḥ prahartāraḥ kṛtāstrā bhārasādhanāḥ। iṣvastrae droṇaśiṣyāśca kṛpasya ca śaradvataḥ ॥5-162-21॥
The controllers and attackers, skilled in weaponry and bearers of burden, are students of Drona, Kripa, and Sharadvata, proficient in archery.
ete haniṣyanti raṇe pāñcālānyuddhadurmadān। kṛtakilbiṣāḥ pāṇḍaveyairdhārtarāṣṭrā manasvinaḥ ॥5-162-22॥
The proud sons of Dhritarashtra, having committed sins, will be slain by the Pandavas in the battle against the arrogant Panchalas.
tato'haṁ bharataśreṣṭha sarvasenāpatistava। śatrūnvidhvaṁsayiṣyāmi kadarthīkṛtya pāṇḍavān ॥ na tvātmano guṇānvaktumarhāmi vidito'smi te ॥5-162-23॥
Then, O best of the Bharatas, I, your commander of all armies, will destroy the enemies by humiliating the Pandavas. However, I am not worthy of speaking about my own qualities, as you already know them.
kṛtavarmā tvatiratho bhojaḥ praharatāṃ varaḥ। arthasiddhiṃ tava raṇe kariṣyati na saṃśayaḥ ॥5-162-24॥
Kritavarma, the mighty chariot-warrior of the Bhojas, is the best among fighters and will undoubtedly secure your victory in battle.
astravidbhiranādhṛṣyo dūrapātī dṛḍhāyudhaḥ। haniṣyati ripūṃstubhyaṃ mahendro dānavāniva ॥5-162-25॥
Mahendra, who is invincible and skilled in weaponry, will destroy your enemies from afar with his mighty weapons, just as he would vanquish demons.
madrarājo maheṣvāsaḥ śalyo me'tiratho mataḥ| spardhate vāsudevena yo vai nityaṃ raṇe raṇe ॥5-162-26॥
The king of Madra, Śalya, known for his great archery skills, is regarded by me as an exceptional chariot-warrior. He constantly challenges Vāsudeva in every battle.
bhāgineyān nijāṁs tyaktvā śalyas te rathasattamaḥ। eṣa yotsyati saṅgrāme kṛṣṇaṁ cakragadādharam ॥5-162-27॥
Shalya, having forsaken his own nephews, will engage in battle against Krishna, the wielder of the discus and mace, as the finest of charioteers.
sāgarormisamairvegaiḥ plāvayanniva śātravān। bhūriśravāḥ kṛtāstraśca tava cāpi hitaḥ suhṛt ॥5-162-28॥
Bhūriśravāḥ, a skilled warrior, is like an ocean with waves and speed, overwhelming the enemies, and he is your beneficial friend.
saumadattirmaheṣvāso rathayūthapayūthapaḥ| balakṣayamamitrāṇāṃ sumahāntaṃ kariṣyati ॥5-162-29॥
Saumadatti, a renowned archer and commander of chariot divisions, will inflict significant losses on the enemy forces.
sindhurājo mahārāja mato me dviguṇo rathaḥ। yotsyate samare rājanvikrānto rathasattamaḥ ॥5-162-30॥
Sindhuraja, the great king, is considered to have a chariot twice as powerful. O king, the valiant best of chariots will engage in battle.
draupadīharaṇe pūrvaṃ parikliṣṭaḥ sa pāṇḍavaiḥ| saṃsmaraṃstaṃ parikleśaṃ yotsyate paravīrahā ॥5-162-31॥
Before the abduction of Draupadi, he, afflicted by the Pandavas, remembering that affliction, will fight as the destroyer of enemy heroes.
etena hi tadā rājanstapa āsthāya dāruṇam। sudurlabho varo labdhaḥ pāṇḍavānyoddhumāhave ॥5-162-32॥
By undertaking severe penance, O king, a boon that was very difficult to obtain was granted to fight against the Pandavas in battle.
sa eṣa rathaśārdūlastadvairaṃ saṃsmaranraṇe। yotsyate pāṇḍavāṃstāta prāṇāṃstyaktvā sudustyajān ॥5-162-33॥
This valiant warrior, a tiger among charioteers, recalling the old enmity, will engage in battle with the Pandavas, dear father, even at the cost of his life, which is so hard to forsake.
