Mahabharata — Volume IV (Dutt edition) — Chapter 21

MBh 4 21.1

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच सूर्योदये संजय के नु पूर्व युयुत्सवो हृष्यमाणा इवासन्। मामका वा भीष्मनेत्रा: समीपे पाण्डवा वा भीमनेत्रास्तदानीम्॥

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca sūryodaye saṃjaya ke nu pūrva yuyutsavo hṛṣyamāṇā ivāsan| māmakā vā bhīṣmanetrā: samīpe pāṇḍavā vā bhīmanetrāstadānīm||

Dhritarashtra said O Sanjaya, when the sun rose, of the two armies, one commanded by Bhishma and the other by Bhima, which first cheerfully met the other, desirous as they were both to fight?

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 4 21.2

केषां जघन्यौ सोमसूर्यो सवायू केषां सेनां श्वापदाश्चाभषन्त। केषां यूनां मुखवर्णाः प्रसन्नाः सर्वं ह्येतद् ब्रूहि मेवं यथावत्॥

keṣāṃ jaghanyau somasūryo savāyū keṣāṃ senāṃ śvāpadāścābhaṣanta| keṣāṃ yūnāṃ mukhavarṇāḥ prasannāḥ sarvaṃ hyetad brūhi mevaṃ yathāvat||

To which side were the sun, the moons and the wind adverse? Against whom did the beasts of prey utter inauspicious sounds? Who were those young heroes whose countenances were ever cheerful? Tell me all this in detail.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 4 21.3

संजय उवाच उभे सेने तुल्यमिवोपयाते उभे व्यूहे हृष्टरूपे नरेन्द्र। उभे चित्रे वनराजिप्रकाशे तथैवोभे नागरथाश्वपूर्णे॥

saṃjaya uvāca ubhe sene tulyamivopayāte ubhe vyūhe hṛṣṭarūpe narendra| ubhe citre vanarājiprakāśe tathaivobhe nāgarathāśvapūrṇe||

Sanjaya said O king, when placed in battle-array, both the armies were equally cheerful. Both the armies looked equally beautiful. They looked like two blossoming woods, and they were full of elephants, cars and horses.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 4 21.4

उभे सेने बृहत्यौ भीमरूपे तथैवोभे भारत दुर्विषो। तथैवोभे स्वर्गजयाय सृष्टे तथैवोभे सत्पुरुषोपजुष्टे॥

ubhe sene bṛhatyau bhīmarūpe tathaivobhe bhārata durviṣo| tathaivobhe svargajayāya sṛṣṭe tathaivobhe satpuruṣopajuṣṭe||

O descendant of Bharata, both the armies were huge and fearful. None of the them could bear the other. Both of them were arrayed as if they would conquer the very heavens. Both of them consisted of excellent soldiers.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 4 21.5

पश्चान्मुखाः कुरवो धार्तराष्ट्राः स्थिताः पार्थाः प्राङ्मुखा योत्स्यमानाः। दैत्येन्द्रसेनेव च कौरवाणं देवेन्द्रसेनेव च पाण्डवानाम्॥

paścānmukhāḥ kuravo dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ sthitāḥ pārthāḥ prāṅmukhā yotsyamānāḥ| daityendraseneva ca kauravāṇaṃ devendraseneva ca pāṇḍavānām||

The armies of Dhritarashtra's party stood facing the west, the Pandavas stood facing the cast, all ready for fight. The Kuru troops looked like the army of the Danava chief, while the Pandava troops looked like the army of the celestial.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 4 21.6

चक्रे वायुः पृष्ठतः पाण्डवानां धार्तराष्ट्राश्वापदा व्यारहन्त। गजेन्द्राणां मदग्न्धांश्च तीव्रान् न सेहिरे तव पुत्रस्य नागाः॥

cakre vāyuḥ pṛṣṭhataḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ dhārtarāṣṭrāśvāpadā vyārahanta| gajendrāṇāṃ madagndhāṃśca tīvrān na sehire tava putrasya nāgāḥ||

The wind blew from behind the Pandavas. The beasts of prey yelled, from behind the troops of your sons. The elephants, belonging to your son, could not bear the strong odour of the juice emitted by the large (Pandava) elephants.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 4 21.7

दुर्योधनो हस्तिनं पद्मवर्णं सुवर्णकक्षं जालवन्तं प्रभिन्नम्। समास्थितो मध्यगतः कुरूणां संस्तूयमानो वन्दिभिर्मागधैश्च॥

duryodhano hastinaṃ padmavarṇaṃ suvarṇakakṣaṃ jālavantaṃ prabhinnam| samāsthito madhyagataḥ kurūṇāṃ saṃstūyamāno vandibhirmāgadhaiśca||

Duryodhana rode on a lotus-complexioned elephant with its temples rent, adorned with a golden Kaksha and clad in steel armour. He was in the very centre of the Kurus. He was being adored by eulogists and bards.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 4 21.8

चन्द्रप्रभ श्वेतमथातपत्रं सौवर्णस्रग् भ्राजति चोत्तमाङ्गे। तं सर्वतः शकुनिः पर्वतीयैः सार्धं गान्धारैर्याति गान्धारराजः॥ भीष्मोऽग्रतः सर्वसैन्यस्य वृद्धः श्वेतच्छत्र: श्वेतधनुः सखङ्गः। श्वेतोष्णीषः पाण्डुरेण ध्वजेन श्वेतैरश्चैः श्वेतशैलप्रकाशैः॥

candraprabha śvetamathātapatraṃ sauvarṇasrag bhrājati cottamāṅge| taṃ sarvataḥ śakuniḥ parvatīyaiḥ sārdhaṃ gāndhārairyāti gāndhārarājaḥ|| bhīṣmo'grataḥ sarvasainyasya vṛddhaḥ śvetacchatra: śvetadhanuḥ sakhaṅgaḥ| śvetoṣṇīṣaḥ pāṇḍureṇa dhvajena śvetairaścaiḥ śvetaśailaprakāśaiḥ||

A white umbrella adorned with a golden chain, as effulgent as the moon, was held over his head. The ruler of Gandhara, Shakuni, followed him with innumerable mountaineers of Gandhara. The venerable Bhishina was at the head of the army. With a white umbrella held over his head with a white head dress (on his head) with a white bow and sword in his hand), with a white banner (on his car) and with white horses (yoked to his car) he looked like a (great) white mountain.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 4 21.9

तस्य सैन्ये धार्तराष्ट्राश्च सर्वे बाह्रीकानामेकदेशः शलश्च। स्तथा सौवीराः पञ्चनदाश्च शूराः॥

tasya sainye dhārtarāṣṭrāśca sarve bāhrīkānāmekadeśaḥ śalaśca| stathā sauvīrāḥ pañcanadāśca śūrāḥ||

In the division that was under Bhishma's direct command, were all the of Dhritarashtra, also Sala who was a countryman of the Balhikas, also all those Kshatriya called Ambashtas, also the heroic dwellers of the country of the five rivers.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 4 21.10

शौणैर्हयै रुक्मरथो महात्मा द्रोणो धनुष्पाणिरदीनसत्त्वः। आस्ते गुरुः प्रायशः सर्वराज्ञां पश्चाच्च भूमीन्द्र इवाभियाति॥

śauṇairhayai rukmaratho mahātmā droṇo dhanuṣpāṇiradīnasattvaḥ| āste guruḥ prāyaśaḥ sarvarājñāṃ paścācca bhūmīndra ivābhiyāti||

The illustrious Drona, the preceptor of almost all the kings, with a bow in hand and with never-falling heart, stationed on a golden sons car yoked with red horses, remained behind all the troops thus protecting them like Indra.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 4 21.11

वार्धक्षत्रिः सर्वसैन्यस्य मध्ये भूरिश्रवाः पुरुमित्रो जयश्च। शाल्वा मत्स्याः केकयाश्चेति सर्वे गजानीकैर्धातरो योत्स्यमानाः॥

vārdhakṣatriḥ sarvasainyasya madhye bhūriśravāḥ purumitro jayaśca| śālvā matsyāḥ kekayāśceti sarve gajānīkairdhātaro yotsyamānāḥ||

In the midst of all the troops fought Vardhakshatri, Bhurishrava, Purumitra, Jaya, and the Shalvas, the Matsyas and all the Kaikeyas with their elephants crops.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 4 21.12

शारद्वतकोत्तरधूर्महात्मा महेष्वासो गौतमश्चित्रयोधी। शकैः किरातैर्यवनैः पल्हवैश्छ सार्धं चमूमुत्तरतोऽभियाति॥

śāradvatakottaradhūrmahātmā maheṣvāso gautamaścitrayodhī| śakaiḥ kirātairyavanaiḥ palhavaiścha sārdhaṃ camūmuttarato'bhiyāti||

The son of Sharadvata, the warrior who ever fights in the front, that illustrious great bow-man called Gautama, learned in all the modes of warfare, took up his position in the northern portion of the army with the Shakas, the Kiratas, the Yavanas and the Pallavas.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 4 21.13

महारथैर्वृष्णिभोजैः सुगुप्तं सुराष्ट्रकैर्विहितैरात्तशस्त्रैः। बृहद् बलं कृतवर्माभिगुप्तं बलं त्वदीयं दक्षिणेनाभियाति॥

mahārathairvṛṣṇibhojaiḥ suguptaṃ surāṣṭrakairvihitairāttaśastraiḥ| bṛhad balaṃ kṛtavarmābhiguptaṃ balaṃ tvadīyaṃ dakṣiṇenābhiyāti||

That large force which was well protected by the great car-warriors of the Vrishni and the Bhoja race and also by the warriors of Saurashtra, all well armed and well-skilled in the use of arms, the force which was under the command of Kritavarmana marched to the south of your army.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 4 21.14

संशप्तकानामयुतं रथानां मृत्युर्जयो वाऽर्जुनस्येति सृष्टाः। येनार्जुनस्तेन राजन् कृतास्त्राः प्रयातारस्ते त्रिगर्ताश्च शूराः॥

saṃśaptakānāmayutaṃ rathānāṃ mṛtyurjayo vā'rjunasyeti sṛṣṭāḥ| yenārjunastena rājan kṛtāstrāḥ prayātāraste trigartāśca śūrāḥ||

Ten thousand Sanshaptaka car-warriors who were created for cither the death of the fame of Arjuna, who were all greatly accomplished in arms, who intended to follow. Arjuna at every step, marched out with the Trigartas.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 4 21.15

साचं शतसहस्रं तु नागानां तव भारत। नागे नागे रथशतं शतमश्वा रथे रथे॥ अश्वेऽश्वे दश धानुष्का धानुष्के शतचर्मिणः। एवं व्यूढान्यनीकानि भीष्मेण तव भारत॥

sācaṃ śatasahasraṃ tu nāgānāṃ tava bhārata| nāge nāge rathaśataṃ śatamaśvā rathe rathe|| aśve'śve daśa dhānuṣkā dhānuṣke śatacarmiṇaḥ| evaṃ vyūḍhānyanīkāni bhīṣmeṇa tava bhārata||

O descendant of Bharata in your ariny, there were one hundred thousand elephants of the greatest fighting powers. To each elephant was assigned one hundred car-warriors, to each car was assigned one hundred horse men, to each horsemen, ten bowmen, to each bow-men, ten soldiers armed with shield. Thus, O descendant of Bharata, were your troops placed by Bhishma in battle array.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 4 21.16

संव्यूह्य मानुषं व्यूहं दैवं गान्धर्वमासुरम्। दिवसे दिवसे प्राप्ते भीष्मः शान्तनवोऽग्रणीः॥

saṃvyūhya mānuṣaṃ vyūhaṃ daivaṃ gāndharvamāsuram| divase divase prāpte bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavo'graṇīḥ||

On every succeeding morning your generalissimo Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, sometimes placed your troops in the human sometime in the celestial, sometimes in the Gandharva and sometimes in the Asura Vyuhas.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 4 21.17

महारथौघविपुलः समुद्र इव घोषवान्। भीष्मेण धार्तराष्ट्राणां व्यूहः प्रत्यङ्मुखो युधि॥

mahārathaughavipulaḥ samudra iva ghoṣavān| bhīṣmeṇa dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ vyūhaḥ pratyaṅmukho yudhi||

With innumerable great car-warriors, roaring like the very ocean, the arıny of Dhritarashtra's son, arrayed by Bhishma, stood ready for battle, facing the west.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 4 21.18

अनन्तरूपा ध्वजिनी नरेन्द्र भीमात्वदीया न तु पाण्डवानाम्। तां चैव मन्ये बृहती दुष्प्रधर्षां यस्या नेता केशवश्चार्जुनश्च॥

anantarūpā dhvajinī narendra bhīmātvadīyā na tu pāṇḍavānām| tāṃ caiva manye bṛhatī duṣpradharṣāṃ yasyā netā keśavaścārjunaśca||

O king, your army looked terrible but the Pandava army appeared to me very large and invincible, for Arjuna and Krishna were its leaders.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)