06.017
Core and Pancharatra: Description of the Kaurava army formation.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
yathā sa bhagavān vyāsaḥ kṛṣṇadvaipāyano'bravīt। tathaiva sahitāḥ sarve samājagmurmahīkṣitaḥ ॥6-17-1॥
As the revered sage Vyasa, known as Krishna Dvaipayana, spoke, all the kings gathered together in the same manner.
maghāviṣayagaḥ somastaddinaṃ pratyapadyata। dīpyamānāśca sampeturdivi sapta mahāgrahāḥ ॥6-17-2॥
On that day, Soma entered the region of Magha. The seven great planets shone brightly and fell in the sky.
dvidhābhūta ivāditya udaye pratyadṛśyata। jvalantyā śikhayā bhūyo bhānumānudito divi ॥6-17-3॥
The sun appeared to be split in two at sunrise, with a blazing flame, the sun rose once more in the sky.
vavāśire ca dīptāyāṃ diśi gomāyuvāyasāḥ। lipsamānāḥ śarīrāṇi māṃsaśoṇitabhojanāḥ ॥6-17-4॥
In the blazing direction, jackals and crows howled, eager for bodies to feast on flesh and blood.
ahanyahani pārthānāṃ vṛddhaḥ kurupitāmahaḥ। bharadvājātmajaścaiva prātarutthāya saṃyatau ॥6-17-5॥
Every day, the elder Bhishma, the grandsire of the Kurus, and Drona, the son of Bharadvāja, would rise in the morning, ready for battle.
jayo'stu pāṇḍuputrāṇāmityūcaturarindamau। yuyudhāte tavārthāya yathā sa samayaḥ kṛtaḥ ॥6-17-6॥
The subduers of enemies declared victory for the sons of Pandu. They engaged in battle for your cause, as per the agreement made.
sarvadharmaviśeṣajñaḥ pitā devavratas tava। samānīya mahīpālān idaṃ vacanam abravīt ॥6-17-7॥
Your father, Devavrata, who knows all dharmas, gathered the kings and spoke these words.
idaṃ vaḥ kṣatriyā dvāraṃ svargāyāpāvṛtaṃ mahat। gacchadhvaṃ tena śakrasya brahmaṇaśca salokatām ॥6-17-8॥
This is the great gate to heaven opened for you, O warriors. Proceed through it to join the realms of Indra and Brahma.
eṣa vaḥ śāśvataḥ panthāḥ pūrvaiḥ pūrvatarairgataḥ। sambhāvayata cātmānamavyagramanaso yudhi ॥6-17-9॥
This is the eternal path that your ancestors and their ancestors have followed. Prepare yourself with a steady mind for the battle.
nābhāgo hi yayātiśca māndhātā nahuṣo nṛgaḥ। saṃsiddhāḥ paramaṃ sthānaṃ gatāḥ karmabhirīdṛśaiḥ ॥6-17-10॥
Nābhāga, Yayāti, Māndhātā, Nahuṣa, and Nṛga have all attained the supreme abode through such deeds.
adharmaḥ kṣatriyasya eṣa yad vyādhi-maraṇaṃ gṛhe। yad ājau nidhanaṃ yāti so'sya dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ ॥6-17-11॥
For a Kshatriya, dying of disease at home is considered unrighteous; his eternal duty is to die in battle.
evamuktā mahīpālā bhīṣmeṇa bharatarṣabha। niryayuḥ svānyanīkāni śobhayanto rathottamaiḥ ॥6-17-12॥
Upon being addressed in this manner by Bhishma, the revered elder, the kings, O best of the Bharatas, set forth, embellishing their respective armies with magnificent chariots.
sa tu vaikartanaḥ karṇaḥ sāmātyaḥ saha bandhubhiḥ। nyāsitaḥ samare śastraṃ bhīṣmeṇa bharatarṣabha ॥6-17-13॥
Karna, the son of Vikartana, was strategically positioned in the battlefield with his ministers and relatives by Bhishma, the great warrior, O best of the Bharatas.
apetakarṇāḥ putrāste rājānaścaiva tāvakāḥ। niryayuḥ siṃhanādena nādayanto diśo daśa ॥6-17-14॥
Your sons and kings, with their ears cut off, departed, making the ten directions resound with a lion's roar.
śvetaiś chatraiḥ patākābhir dhvajavāraṇavājibhiḥ। tāny anīkānyaśobhanta rathair atha padātibhiḥ ॥6-17-15॥
The armies, adorned with white umbrellas, flags, banners, elephants, and horses, appeared splendid with chariots and foot soldiers.
bherīpaṇavaśabdaiśca paṭahānāṃ ca nisvanaiḥ। rathanemininādaiśca babhūvākulitā mahī ॥6-17-16॥
The earth was filled with the tumultuous sounds of drums, small drums, kettledrums, and the echoes of chariot wheels, creating a scene of chaos.
kāñcanāṅgadakeyūraiḥ kārmukaiśca mahārathāḥ। bhrājamānā vyadṛśyanta jaṅgamāḥ parvatā iva ॥6-17-17॥
The great warriors, adorned with golden armlets, bracelets, and bows, appeared resplendent, resembling moving mountains.
tālena mahatā bhīṣmaḥ pañcatāreṇa ketunā। vimalādityasaṅkāśastasthau kurucamūpatiḥ ॥6-17-18॥
Bhishma, the leader of the Kuru army, stood with a grand banner and a flag adorned with five stars, radiating brilliance like the sun.
ye tvadīyā maheṣvāsā rājāno bharatarṣabha। avartanta yathādeśaṃ rājañśāntanavasya te ॥6-17-19॥
O best of the Bharatas, your great archer kings acted according to the command of Śāntanu, O king.
sa tu govāsanaḥ śaibyaḥ sahitaḥ sarvarājabhiḥ। yayau mātaṅgarājena rājārheṇa patākinā ॥ padmavarṇastvanīkānāṃ sarveṣāmagrataḥ sthitaḥ ॥6-17-20॥
Govasana and Shaibya, along with all the kings, proceeded with the king of elephants, adorned with a royal flag. The lotus-colored leader stood at the forefront of all the troops.
aśvatthāmā yayau yattaḥ siṃhalāṅgūlaketanaḥ। śrutāyuścitrasenaśca purumitro viviṃśatiḥ ॥6-17-21॥
Ashwatthama, adorned with a banner depicting a lion's tail, proceeded with readiness. Alongside him were Shrutayu, Chitrasena, Purumitra, and Vivimshati.
śalyo bhūriśravāścaiva vikarṇaśca mahārathaḥ। ete sapta maheṣvāsā droṇaputrapurogamāḥ ॥ syandanairvaravarṇābhairbhīṣmasyāsanpuraḥsarāḥ ॥6-17-22॥
Shalya, Bhurishrava, Vikarna, and other great warriors, led by Ashwatthama, were positioned in front of Bhishma in splendid chariots.
teṣāmapi mahotsedhāḥ śobhayanto rathottamān। bhrājamānā vyadṛśyanta jāmbūnadamayā dhvajāḥ ॥6-17-23॥
Their flags, made of gold, adorned the excellent chariots and were seen shining brightly.
jāmbūnadamayī vediḥ kamaṇḍaluvibhūṣitāḥ। keturācāryamukhyasya droṇasya dhanuṣā saha ॥6-17-24॥
The golden altar, adorned with a water-pot, stood as the banner of the chief teacher Drona, alongside his bow.
anekaśatasāhasramanīkamanukarṣataḥ। mahānduryodhanasyāsīnnāgo maṇimayo dhvajaḥ ॥6-17-25॥
Duryodhana had a great banner with a bejeweled serpent, followed by many hundreds and thousands of troops.
tasya pauravakāliṅgau kāmbojaśca sudakṣiṇaḥ। kṣemadhanvā sumitraśca tasthuḥ pramukhato rathāḥ ॥6-17-26॥
His allies, including Paurava, Kalinga, Kamboja, Sudakshina, Kṣemadhanvā, and Sumitra, positioned themselves prominently in front of the chariots.
syandanena mahārheṇa ketunā vṛṣabheṇa ca। prakarṣanniva senāgraṃ māgadhaśca nṛpo yayau ॥6-17-27॥
The King of Magadha proceeded with his grand chariot, adorned with a banner and a bull, leading the front of the army as if in a majestic display.
tadaṅgapatinā guptaṃ kṛpeṇa ca mahātmanā। śāradābhra-caya-prakhyaṃ prācyānām abhavad balam ॥6-17-28॥
The strength of the eastern forces, safeguarded by the lord of Anga and the noble Kripa, resembled a dense formation of autumn clouds.
anīkapramukhe tiṣṭhanvarāheṇa mahāyaśāḥ। śuśubhe ketumukhyena rājatena jayadrathaḥ ॥6-17-29॥
Jayadratha, greatly renowned, stood at the forefront of the army with the boar, shining with the chief silver banner.
śataṃ rathasahasrāṇāṃ tasyāsanvaśavartinaḥ। aṣṭau nāgasahasrāṇi sādināmayutāni ṣaṭ ॥6-17-30॥
He had a hundred thousand obedient chariots, eight thousand elephants, and ten thousand horsemen, six in number.
tatsindhupatinā rājanpālitaṃ dhvajinīmukham। anantarathanāgāśvamaśobhata mahadbalam ॥6-17-31॥
The front of the army, protected by the lord of the ocean, shone brilliantly with countless chariots, elephants, and horses, forming a mighty force, O king.
ṣaṣṭyā rathasahasraistu nāgānāmayutena ca। patiḥ sarvakaliṅgānāṃ yayau ketumatā saha ॥6-17-32॥
The lord of all Kalingas, accompanied by Ketumat, proceeded with sixty thousand chariots and ten thousand elephants.
tasya parvatasaṅkāśā vyarocanta mahāgajāḥ। yantratomaratuṇīraiḥ patākābhiśca śobhitāḥ ॥6-17-33॥
His great elephants, resembling mountains, shone brightly, adorned with machines, spears, quivers, and flags.
śuśubhe ketumukhyena pādapena kaliṅgapaḥ। śvetacchatreṇa niṣkeṇa cāmaravyajanena ca ॥6-17-34॥
The lord of Kalinga appeared resplendent, adorned with the chief of flags, a tree, a white umbrella, a golden ornament, and a yak-tail fan.
ketumānapi mātaṅgaṃ vicitraparamāṅkuśam। āsthitaḥ samare rājanmeghastha iva bhānumān ॥6-17-35॥
O king, having a banner, he mounted a magnificent elephant with a supreme goad, appearing in battle like the sun amidst the clouds.
tejasā dīpyamānastu vāraṇottamamāsthitaḥ। bhagadatto yayau rājā yathā vajradharastathā ॥6-17-36॥
Bhagadatta, shining with brilliance and mounted on the best elephant, proceeded like King Indra, the wielder of the thunderbolt.
gajaskandhagatāv āstāṃ bhagadattena saṃmitau। vindānuvindāv āvantyau ketumantam anuvratau ॥6-17-37॥
Vindha and Anuvindha, the two princes of Avanti, were mounted on the elephant's back, equal to Bhagadatta, and devoted to Ketumanta.
sa rathānīka-vān vyūho hastyaṅgottama-śīrṣa-vān। vājipakṣaḥ patann-ugraḥ prāharat sarvatomukhaḥ ॥6-17-38॥
He, with a chariot formation and a battle array that had excellent elephant limbs and a head, and with horses as wings, flew fiercely and attacked in all directions.
droṇena vihito rājanrājñā śāntanavena ca। tathaivācāryaputreṇa bāhlīkena kṛpeṇa ca ॥6-17-39॥
The arrangement was made by Drona, O king, as well as by the king, Santanu's son, the teacher's son, Bahlika, and Kripa.
