08.007
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca॥
Dhritarashtra said:
senāpatyaṃ tu samprāpya karṇo vaikartanastadā। tathoktaśca svayaṃ rājñā snigdhaṃ bhrātṛsamaṃ vacaḥ ॥8-7-1॥
Upon receiving the position of general, Karṇa, the son of Vikartana, was addressed by the king himself with affectionate words, as if he were a brother.
yogamājñāpya senāyā āditye'bhyudite tadā। akarotkiṃ mahāprājñastanmamācakṣva sañjaya ॥8-7-2॥
Sanjaya, tell me what the wise one did after ordering the army's strategy when the sun had risen.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
karṇasya matamājñāya putraste bharatarṣabha। yogamājñāpayāmāsa nāndītūryapuraḥsaram ॥8-7-3॥
Upon understanding Karna's opinion, your son, O esteemed Bharata, commanded the arrangements to be made, heralded by joyous music.
mahatyapararātre tu tava putrasya māriṣa। yogo yogeti sahasā prādurāsīnmahāsvanaḥ ॥8-7-4॥
During the great night, O Māriṣa, a great sound of union suddenly appeared for your son.
nāgānāṃ kalpamānānāṃ rathānāṃ ca varūthinām। saṃnahyatāṃ padātīnāṃ vājināṃ ca viśāṃ pate ॥8-7-5॥
O lord of the people, the elephants, chariots, and troops are being prepared, and the infantry and horses are being equipped.
krośatāṃ cāpi yodhānāṃ tvaritānāṃ parasparam। babhūva tumulaḥ śabdo divaspṛksumahāṃstadā ॥8-7-6॥
The warriors, swift and shouting together, created a tumultuous and very great sound that reached the sky at that time.
tataḥ śvetapatākena bālārkākāravājinā। hemapṛṣṭhena dhanuṣā hastikakṣyeṇa ketunā ॥8-7-7॥
Then, with a white flag and a horse resembling the young sun, and a golden-backed bow, along with a banner of an elephant's girth.
tūṇena śarapūrṇena sāṅgadena varūthinā। śataghníkíṅkiṇīśaktiśūlatomaradhāriṇā ॥8-7-8॥
Equipped with a quiver full of arrows, armor, a chariot, a hundred-killer, bells, a spear, a trident, and a club, he stood ready for battle.
kārmukeṇopapannena vimalādityavarcasā। rathenātipatākena sūtaputro vyadṛśyata ॥8-7-9॥
The son of a charioteer, shining with the brilliance of the pure sun, appeared equipped with a bow and a chariot adorned with a grand flag.
dhamantaṃ vārijaṃ tāta hemajālavibhūṣitam। vidhunvānaṃ mahaccāpaṃ kārtsvaravibhūṣitam ॥8-7-10॥
Dear, the lotus is being blown and adorned with a golden net. A great bow is being wielded, adorned with gold.
dṛṣṭvā karṇaṃ maheṣvāsaṃ rathasthaṃ rathināṃ varam। bhānumantamivodyantaṃ tamo ghnantaṃ sahasraśaḥ ॥8-7-11॥
Upon seeing Karna, the great archer and the best among charioteers, standing on his chariot like the rising sun dispelling darkness in thousands of ways.
na bhīṣmavyasanaṃ kecinnāpi droṇasya māriṣa। nānyeṣāṃ puruṣavyāghra menire tatra kauravāḥ ॥8-7-12॥
O great one, the Kauravas did not consider Bhishma's or Drona's calamity, nor that of others, as significant there, tiger among men.
tatastu tvarayanyodhāñśaṅkhaśabdena māriṣaḥ। karṇo niṣkāsayāmāsa kauravāṇāṃ varūthinīm ॥8-7-13॥
Then, Karna, urging the warriors with the sound of a conch, drove out the Kaurava army, O great one.
vyūhaṃ vyūhya maheṣvāso mākaraṃ śatrutāpanaḥ। pratyudyayau tadā karṇaḥ pāṇḍavānvijigīṣayā ॥8-7-14॥
The great archer Karna, known for tormenting his enemies, arranged his troops in a crocodile-like formation and advanced towards the Pandavas, eager for victory.
makarasya tu tuṇḍe vai karṇo rājanvyavasthitaḥ। netrābhyāṃ śakuniḥ śūra ulūkaśca mahārathaḥ ॥8-7-15॥
In the mouth of the crocodile, Karna is positioned, O king; in the eyes are Shakuni, the brave Uluka, and the great warrior.
droṇaputrastu śirasi grīvāyāṃ sarvasodarāḥ। madhye duryodhano rājā balena mahatā vṛtaḥ ॥8-7-16॥
The son of Droṇa, however, was on the head and neck of all brothers. In the middle was King Duryodhana, surrounded by a great force.
vāme pāde tu rājendra kṛtavarmā vyavasthitaḥ। nārāyaṇabalairyukto gopālayuryuddhadurmadaḥ ॥8-7-17॥
On the left side, O King, Kritavarma stands firm, allied with the forces of Narayana and the cowherds, displaying arrogance in battle.
pāde tu dakṣiṇe rājan gautamaḥ satyavikramaḥ। trigartaiś ca maheṣvāsair dākṣiṇātyaiś ca saṃvṛtaḥ ॥8-7-18॥
In the southern quarter, O king, Gautama, known for his true valor, was surrounded by the Trigartas, the great archers, and the southerners.
anupādastu yo vāmas tatra śalyo vyavasthitaḥ। mahatyā senayā sārdhaṃ madradeśasamutthayā ॥8-7-19॥
Without support, Śalya, who is on the left, is stationed there with a great army that has arisen from the Madra country.
dakṣiṇe tu mahārāja suṣeṇaḥ satyasaṅgaraḥ। vṛto rathasahasraiśca dantināṃ ca śataistathā ॥8-7-20॥
In the southern direction, O great king, Suṣeṇa and Satyasaṅgara were positioned, surrounded by thousands of chariots and hundreds of elephants.
pucche āstāṃ mahāvīrau bhrātarau pārthivau tadā। citrasenaśca citraśca mahatyā senayā vṛtau ॥8-7-21॥
At the rear were the great heroes and brothers, the princes. Then Citrasena and Citra were surrounded by a great army.
tataḥ prayāte rājendra karṇe naravarottame। dhanañjayamabhiprekṣya dharmarājo'bravīdidam ॥8-7-22॥
Then, O King, after Karna, the best among men, had departed, Yudhishthira looked at Dhananjaya and spoke these words.
paśya pārtha mahāsenāṃ dhārtarāṣṭrasya saṃyuge। karṇena nirmitāṃ vīra guptāṃ vīrairmahārathaiḥ ॥8-7-23॥
"Look, O son of Pritha, at the great army of the son of Dhritarashtra, arranged by Karna and protected by heroic warriors and great charioteers in the battle."
hatavīratamā hyeṣā dhārtarāṣṭrī mahācamūḥ। phalguśeṣā mahābāho tṛṇaistulyā matā mama ॥8-7-24॥
O mighty-armed one, this great army of Dhritarashtra's sons, with its slain heroes, is indeed considered by me to be as insignificant as grass.
eko hyatra maheṣvāsaḥ sūtaputro vyavasthitaḥ। sadevāsuragandharvaiḥ sakiṁnaramahoragaiḥ ॥ carācaraistribhirlokairyo'jayyō rathināṁ varaḥ ॥8-7-25॥
Here indeed stands one great archer, the son of a charioteer, who is invincible among the best of charioteers, accompanied by gods, demons, Gandharvas, Kinnaras, great serpents, and all beings of the three worlds, both moving and non-moving.
taṁ hatvā'dya mahābāho vijayastava phalguna। uddhṛtaśca bhavecchalyo mama dvādaśavārṣikaḥ ॥ evaṁ jñātvā mahābāho vyūhaṁ vyūha yathecchasi ॥8-7-26॥
"Having slain him today, O mighty-armed Arjuna, victory shall be yours. My twelve-year-old Śalya will be uplifted. Therefore, O mighty-armed one, arrange the formation as you wish."
bhrātustadvacanaṃ śrutvā pāṇḍavaḥ śvetavāhanaḥ। ardhacandreṇa vyūhena pratyavyūhata tāṃ camūm ॥8-7-27॥
Upon hearing his brother's words, Pāṇḍava Śvetavāhana arranged his forces in a crescent formation to counter the opposing army.
vāmapārśve'bhavad rājann bhīmaseno vyavasthitaḥ। dakṣiṇe ca maheṣvāso dhṛṣṭadyumno mahābalaḥ ॥8-7-28॥
On the left side stood Bhimasena, O king, while on the right was the mighty archer Dhrishtadyumna.
madhye vyūhasya sākṣāttu pāṇḍavaḥ kṛṣṇasārathiḥ। nakulaḥ sahadevaśca dharmarājaśca pṛṣṭhataḥ ॥8-7-29॥
In the middle of the formation was Arjuna, the son of Pandu, with Krishna as his charioteer. Behind them were Nakul, Sahadev, and Yudhishthira.
cakrarakṣau tu pāñcālyau yudhāmanyuttamaujasau। nārjunaṃ jahaturyuddhe pālyamānau kirīṭinā ॥8-7-30॥
Yudhāmanyu and Uttamaujas, the sons of Draupadi, remained with Arjuna in the battle, under his protection.
śeṣā nṛpatayo vīrāḥ sthitā vyūhasya daṃśitāḥ। yathābhāvaṃ yathotsāhaṃ yathāsattvaṃ ca bhārata ॥8-7-31॥
The remaining kings and heroes were positioned in the formation according to their disposition, enthusiasm, and strength, O Bhārata.
evam etan mahāvyūhaṃ vyūhya bhārata pāṇḍavāḥ। tāvakāś ca maheṣvāsā yuddhāyaiva mano dadhuḥ ॥8-7-32॥
In this way, O Bharata, the Pandavas and your warriors, the great archers, organized the grand formation and focused their minds solely on the battle.
dṛṣṭvā vyūḍhāṃ tava camūṃ sūtaputreṇa saṃyuge। nihatānpāṇḍavānmenetava putraḥ sahānvayaḥ ॥8-7-33॥
Upon seeing your army arranged by Karna, the son of a charioteer, in the battle, your son believed that the Pāṇḍavas and their followers were defeated.
tathaiva pāṇḍavīṃ senāṃ vyūḍhāṃ dṛṣṭvā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। dhārtarāṣṭrān hatān mene sakarṇān vai janādhipa ॥8-7-34॥
In the same way, upon seeing the Pandava army arranged, Yudhishthira thought that the sons of Dhritarashtra, including Karna, were indeed slain, O lord of people.
tataḥ śaṅkhāśca bheryaśca paṇavānakagomukhāḥ। sahasaivābhyahanyanta saśabdāśca samantataḥ ॥8-7-35॥
Then, suddenly, conch shells, drums, small drums, kettledrums, and cow-horns were sounded all around, creating a resounding noise.
senayorubhayor rājanprāvādyanta mahāsvanāḥ। siṃhanādaśca sañjajñe śūrāṇāṃ jayagṛddhinām ॥8-7-36॥
O king, the great sounds of both armies echoed, and the lion's roar emerged from the heroes who were eager for victory.
hayaheṣitaśabdāśca vāraṇānāṃ ca bṛṃhitam। rathanemisvanāścogrāḥ sambabhūvurjanādhipa ॥8-7-37॥
O ruler of men, the air was filled with the neighing of horses, the trumpeting of elephants, and the fierce clamor of chariot wheels.
na droṇavyasanaṃ kaścijjānīte bharatarṣabha। dṛṣṭvā karṇaṃ maheṣvāsaṃ mukhe vyūhasya daṃśitam ॥8-7-38॥
O best of the Bharatas, no one is aware of Drona's demise upon seeing Karna, the great archer, positioned at the forefront of the formation.
ubhe sene mahāsattve prahṛṣṭanarakuñjare। yoddhukāme sthite rājan hantumanyonyamañjasā ॥8-7-39॥
Both armies, filled with great courage and joyful warriors, stood ready to fight, O king, prepared to easily kill each other.
tatra yattau susaṁrabdhau dṛṣṭvānyonyaṁ vyavasthitau। anīkamedhye rājendra rejatuḥ karṇapāṇḍavau ॥8-7-40॥
There, O King, Karna and Pandava, very eager and having seen each other, stood shining in the midst of the army.
nṛtyamāne tu te sene sameyātāṃ parasparam। tayoḥ pakṣaiḥ prapakṣaiśca nirjagmurvai yuyutsavaḥ ॥8-7-41॥
As the armies danced, they came together, each with their wings and allies, ready for battle.
tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṃ naravāraṇavājinām। rathināṃ ca mahārāja anyonyaṃ nighnatāṃ dṛḍham ॥8-7-42॥
Then the battle began among men, elephants, horses, and charioteers, O great king, as they fiercely struck each other.
