06.022
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
tato yudhiṣṭhiro rājā svāṃ senāṃ samacodayat। prativyūhann anīkāni bhīṣmasya bharatarṣabha ॥6-22-1॥
Then King Yudhishthira, the best of the Bharatas, commanded his army to arrange themselves against Bhishma's forces.
yathoddiṣṭānyanīkāni pratyavyūhanta pāṇḍavāḥ। svargaṃ paramabhīpsantaḥ suyuddhena kurūdvahāḥ ॥6-22-2॥
The Pandavas, desiring the highest heaven, arrayed their divisions as instructed, ready for a righteous battle, O best of the Kurus.
madhye śikhaṇḍino'nīkaṃ rakṣitaṃ savyasācinā। dhṛṣṭadyumnasya ca svayaṃ bhīmena paripālitam ॥6-22-3॥
In the midst of the battlefield, Shikhandi's army was strategically protected by Arjuna, while Bhima and Dhrishtadyumna personally ensured its defense.
anīkaṁ dakṣiṇaṁ rājanyuyudhānena pālitam। śrīmatā sātvatāgryeṇa śakreṇeva dhanuṣmatā ॥6-22-4॥
The southern division of the army was guarded by the noble Yuyudhāna, akin to how Indra is protected by the mighty archer, the illustrious leader of the Sātvatas.
mahendrayanapratimaṁ rathaṁ tu; sopaskaraṁ hāṭakaratnacitrām। yudhiṣṭhiraḥ kāñcanabhāṇḍayoktraṁ; samāsthito nāgakulasya madhye ॥6-22-5॥
Yudhishthira stood in the midst of the serpent race on a chariot that was like the chariot of Indra, equipped and adorned with gold and jewels, with a golden harness.
samucchritaṁ dāntaśalākamasya; supāṇḍuraṁ chatramatīva bhāti। pradakṣiṇaṁ cainamupācaranti; maharṣayaḥ saṁstutibhirnarendram ॥6-22-6॥
The king, with his white umbrella raised high, shines brightly. The great sages, singing praises, approach him with reverence, walking around him in respect.
purohitāḥ śatruvadhaṃ vadanto; maharṣivṛddhāḥ śrutavanta eva। japyaśca mantraśca tathauṣadhībhiḥ; samantataḥ svastyayanaṃ pracakruḥ ॥6-22-7॥
The priests, discussing the defeat of the enemy, along with the great sages and elders who had heard about it, performed rituals for welfare all around using chants, mutterings, and herbs.
tataḥ sa vastrāṇi tathaiva gāśca; phalāni puṣpāṇi tathaiva niṣkān। kurūttamo brāhmaṇasānmahātmā; kurvanyayau śakra ivāmarebhyaḥ ॥6-22-8॥
Then, the noble Kuru prince, in a manner akin to Indra among the gods, distributed garments, cattle, fruits, flowers, and gold coins to the Brahmins and took his leave.
sahasrasūryaḥ śatakiṅkiṇīkaḥ; parārdhyajāmbūnadakhemacitraḥ। ratho'rjunasya'gnirivārcimālī; vibhrājate śvetahayaḥ sucakraḥ ॥6-22-9॥
Arjuna's chariot, adorned with exquisite gold and hundreds of bells, shines brilliantly like a radiant fire, drawn by white horses and equipped with beautiful wheels, resembling a thousand suns.
tamāsthitaḥ keśavasaṅgṛhītaṃ; kapidhvajaṃ gāṇḍivabāṇahastaḥ। dhanurdharo yasya samaḥ pṛthivyāṃ; na vidyate no bhavitā vā kadācit ॥6-22-10॥
Standing there, held by Keshava, with a monkey banner, holding Gandiva and arrows, he is an archer whose equal on earth neither exists nor will ever be.
udvartayiṣyaṃstava putrasenā; matīva raudraṃ sa bibharti rūpam। anāyudho yaḥ subhujo bhujābhyāṃ; narāśvanāgānyudhi bhasma kuryāt ॥6-22-11॥
He intends to overturn your son's army and bears a terrifying form. Even without weapons, his strong arms could turn men, horses, and elephants to ashes in battle.
sa bhīmasenaḥ sahito yamābhyāṃ; vṛkodaro vīrarathasya goptā। taṃ prekṣya mattarṣabhasiṃhakhelaṃ; loke mahendrapratimānakalpam ॥6-22-12॥
Bhimasena, accompanied by the two Yamas, Vrikodara, the protector of the heroic chariot, appeared like a playful bull and lion, resembling the great Indra in the world.
samīkṣya senāgragataṃ durāsadaṃ; pravivyathuḥ paṅkagatā ivoṣṭrāḥ। vṛkodaraṃ vāraṇarājadarpaṃ; yodhāstvādīyā bhayavignasattvāḥ ॥6-22-13॥
Upon seeing the formidable figure leading the army, your warriors were as distressed as camels trapped in mud, their minds shaken by fear, as they beheld Vrikodara, who embodied the pride of a mighty elephant king.
anīkamadhye tiṣṭhantaṃ rājaputraṃ durāsadam। abravīdbharataśreṣṭhaṃ guḍākeśaṃ janārdanaḥ ॥6-22-14॥
In the midst of the army, Janardana addressed Gudakesha, the best of the Bharatas, as the formidable prince stood there.
vāsudeva uvāca॥
Vasudeva said:
ya eṣa goptā pratapanbalastho; yo naḥ senāṃ siṃha ivekṣate ca। sa eṣa bhīṣmaḥ kuruvaṃśaketu; ryenāhṛtāstriṃśato vājimedhāḥ ॥6-22-15॥
This is Bhishma, the powerful protector who observes our army like a lion. He is the emblem of the Kuru dynasty and has performed thirty horse sacrifices.
etānyanīkāni mahānubhāvaṁ; gūhanti meghā iva gharmaraśmim। etāni hatvā puruṣapravīra; kāṅkṣasva yuddhaṁ bharatarṣabheṇa ॥6-22-16॥
These armies, O great hero, hide the sun's rays like clouds. O best among men, after defeating these, seek battle with the bull of the Bharatas.
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca॥
Dhritarashtra spoke:
keṣāṃ prahṛṣṭāstatraagre yodhā yudhyanti sañjaya। udagramanasaḥ ke'tra ke vā dīnā vicetasaḥ ॥6-22-17॥
Sanjaya, whose warriors are elated and fighting at the front? Who here are with uplifted spirits, and who are dejected and dispirited?
ke pūrvaṃ prāharaṃstatra yuddhe hṛdayakampane। māmakāḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ vā tanmamācakṣva sañjaya ॥6-22-18॥
Sanjaya, tell me who was the first to strike in that heart-trembling battle, my warriors or the Pandavas?
kasya senāsamudaye gandhamālyasamudbhavaḥ। vācaḥ pradakṣiṇāścaiva yodhānāmabhigarjatām ॥6-22-19॥
In whose army assembly, the fragrance of garlands arises, and the warriors' voices roar as they circumambulate.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
ubhayoḥ senayostatra yodhā jahṛṣire mudā। sragdhūpapānagandhānāmubhayatra samudbhavaḥ ॥6-22-20॥
The warriors from both armies were filled with joy. On both sides, there was an abundance of garlands, incense, drinks, and fragrances.
saṁhatānāmanīkānāṁ vyūḍhānāṁ bharatarṣabha। saṁsarpatāmudīrṇānāṁ vimardaḥ sumahānabhūt ॥6-22-21॥
O best of the Bharatas, a massive clash took place among the tightly packed and well-arrayed troops as they advanced with great fervor.
vāditraśabdastumulaḥ śaṅkhabherīvimiśritaḥ। kuñjarāṇāṃ ca nadatāṃ sainyānāṃ ca prahṛṣyatām ॥6-22-22॥
The loud clamor of musical instruments, conches, and drums blended together with the trumpeting of elephants and the joyous shouts of the armies.
