12.102
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
kiṃśīlāḥ kiṃsamutthānāḥ kathaṃrūpāś ca bhārata। kiṃsaṃnāhāḥ kathaṃśastrā janāḥ syuḥ saṃyuge nṛpa ॥12-102-1॥
O Bhārata, what kind of people, of what character, origin, form, armor, and weapons, would be present in battle, O king?
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
yathācaritamevātra śastrapatraṃ vidhīyate। ācārādeva puruṣastathā karmasu vartate ॥12-102-2॥
As conduct is established here as the scriptural rule, so a person acts in accordance with conduct in all actions.
gāndhārāḥ sindhusauvīrā nakharaprāsayodhinaḥ। ābhīravaḥ subalinastadbalaṃ sarvapāragam ॥12-102-3॥
The Gandharas, Sindhus, Sauvīras, warriors with clawed weapons, the Ābhīras, and the mighty ones—all these made up that army capable of overcoming every obstacle.
sarvaśastreṣu kuśalāḥ sattvavanto hyuśīnarāḥ। prācyā mātaṅgayuddheṣu kuśalāḥ śaṭhayodhinaḥ॥12-102-4॥
The Uśīnaras are indeed courageous and skilled in all weapons. The easterners are skilled in elephant warfare and are cunning warriors.
tathā yavanakāmbojā mathurām abhitaś ca ye। ete niyuddhakuśalā dākṣiṇātyāsicarmiṇaḥ ॥12-102-5॥
Likewise, the Yavanas and Kambojas, and those around Mathurā—these are skilled in combat, southerners, armed with swords and hide armor.
sarvatra śūrā jāyante mahāsattvā mahābalāḥ। prāya eṣa samuddiṣṭo lakṣaṇāni tu me śṛṇu ॥12-102-6॥
Heroes of great strength and spirit are born everywhere. Generally, this is the indication; but now listen to the characteristics from me.
siṃhaśārdūlavāṅnetrāḥ siṃhaśārdūlagāminaḥ। pārāvatakuliṅgākṣāḥ sarve śūrāḥ pramāthinaḥ ॥12-102-7॥
They have the eyes and speech of lions and tigers, move like lions and tigers, and have the eyes of pigeons and waterfowl; all are valiant and fierce warriors.
mṛgasvarā dvīpinetrā ṛṣabhākṣās tathāpare। pravādinaḥ sucaṇḍāś ca krodhinaḥ kiṃnarīsvanāḥ ॥12-102-8॥
Some had voices like deer, some had eyes like tigers, some had eyes like bulls, and others were talkative, very fierce, angry, and had voices like kinnaris.
meghasvanāḥ kruddhamukhāḥ kecit karabhanisvanāḥ। jihmanāsānujanghāś ca dūragā dūrapātinaḥ ॥12-102-9॥
Some had voices like clouds, some had angry faces, some sounded like trumpeting elephants; some had crooked noses and thighs, and some could go far and fall at a distance.
biḍālakubjāstanavastanukeśāstanutvacaḥ। śūrāścapalacittāśca te bhavanti durāsadāḥ ॥12-102-10॥
Cats, hunchbacks, the thin, those with scanty hair, those with thin skin, the brave, and the fickle-minded are all difficult to approach.
godhānimīlitāḥ kecin mṛduprakṛtayo'pi ca। turaṅgagatinirghoṣās te narāḥ pārayiṣṇavaḥ ॥12-102-11॥
Some men, gentle by nature, closed their eyes like cows; yet, with the sound of the horses' movement, those men were eager to cross.
susaṁhatāḥ pratanavo vyūḍhoraskāḥ susaṁsthitāḥ। pravāditena nṛtyanti hṛṣyanti kalaheṣu ca ॥12-102-12॥
They are well-joined, slender-bodied, broad-chested, and well-settled; at the signal, they dance and rejoice in battles.
gambhīrākṣā niḥsṛtākṣāḥ piṅgalā bhrukuṭīmukhāḥ। nakulākṣās tathā caiva sarve śūrās tanut-yajaḥ ॥12-102-13॥
All the heroes, with deep eyes, protruding or tawny eyes, frowning faces, and mongoose-like eyes, were ready to give up their bodies in battle.
jihmākṣāḥ pralalāṭāś ca nirmāṃsahanavo'pi ca। vakrabāhvaṅgulīsaktāḥ kṛśā dhamanisantatāḥ॥12-102-14॥
They were crooked-eyed, with prominent foreheads, fleshless jaws, crooked arms and fingers, emaciated, and their veins were visible.
praviśantyativegena samparāye'bhyupasthite. vāraṇā iva saṃmattāste bhavanti durāsadāḥ ॥12-102-15॥
When the battle has arrived, they rush in with great speed; like intoxicated elephants, they become impossible to approach.
dīptasphuṭitakeśāntāḥ sthūlapārśvahanūmukhāḥ। unnātāṃsāḥ pṛthugrīvā vikaṭāḥ sthūlapiṇḍikāḥ ॥12-102-16॥
They had shining, bristling hair-ends, thick sides, faces with large jaws, raised shoulders, broad necks, monstrous forms, and thick muscles.
udvṛttāścaiva sugrīvā vinatā vihagā iva। piṇḍaśīrṣāhivaktrāśca vṛṣadaṃśamukhā iva ॥12-102-17॥
They were upraised, with beautiful necks, bent like birds; with round heads and serpent-like mouths, and faces resembling hornets.
ugrasvanā manyumanto yuddheṣvārāvasāriṇaḥ। adharmajñāvaliptāśca ghorā raudrapradarśinaḥ ॥12-102-18॥
They are fierce-voiced, wrathful, shouting loudly in battle, ignorant of righteousness, arrogant, terrible, and display ferocity.
tyaktātmānaḥ sarva ete antyajā hyanivartinaḥ। puraskāryāḥ sadā sainye hanyante ghnanti cāpi te ॥12-102-19॥
All these outcastes, having abandoned their lives and never turning back, are always placed at the front in the army; they are killed and they also kill others.
adhārmikā bhinnavṛttāḥ sādhvevaiṣāṃ parābhavaḥ। evameva prakupyanti rājño'pyete hyabhīkṣṇaśaḥ ॥12-102-20॥
For those who are unrighteous and of divided conduct, defeat is certain; in the same way, these people frequently become very angry even with the king.
