YANASANDHI PARVA: Chapter 56

The speech of Sanjaya

दुर्योधन उवाच अक्षौहिणी: सप्त लब्ध्वा राजभिः सह संजय। किंस्विदिच्छति कौन्तेयो युद्धप्रेप्सुर्युधिष्ठिरः।।शा
Duryodhana said Having obtained an army of seven Akshauhinis, what does Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, desirous of war, do along with the other kings.

संजय उवाच अतीव मुदितो राजन् युद्धप्रेप्सुर्युधिष्ठिरः। भीमसेनार्जुनौ चोभौ यमावपि न बिभ्यतः॥
Sanjaya said Yudhishthira, desirous of war, is extremely cheerful; and the two, Bhimasena and Arjuna, are not otherwise. The twins too, are not afraid.

रथं तु दिव्यं कौन्तेयः सर्वा विभ्राजयन् दिशः। मन्त्रं जिज्ञासमानः सन् बीभत्सुः समयोजयत्॥
The son of Kunti, roamed about in his heavenly car in all directions. Vibhatsu, yoked the horses to it to test the efficacy of the Mantras (obtained by him).

तमपश्याम संनद्धं मेघं विद्युद्युतं यथा। समन्तात् समभिध्याय हृष्यमाणोऽभ्यभाषत॥
I beheld him, with his coat of mail on, like clouds with lightning. After thinking for a short time he addressed me thus with a light heart.

पूर्वरूपमिदं पश्य वयं जेष्याम संजय। बीभत्सुर्मा यथोवाच तथावैम्यहमप्युत॥
See these signs of prophecy; we will conquer, O Sanjaya, what Vibhatsu told me. I also saw the truth of this.

दुर्योधन उवाच प्रशंसस्यभिनन्दस्तान् पार्थानक्षपराजितान्। अर्जुनस्य रथे ब्रूहि कथमश्वाः कथं ध्वजाः॥
Duryodhana said You are pleased at praising those sons of Pritha, who were defeated at the game at dice. Tell me now what sort of horses are attached to the car of Arjuna and what sort of banners.

संजय उवाच भौमनः सह शक्रेण बहुचित्रं विशाम्पते। रूपाणि कल्पयामास त्वष्टा धाता सदा विभो॥
Sanjaya said Tvashtri or Bhaumana and Dhatri, aided by Shakra thought out, o lord of the world, diverse forms%3B

ध्वजे हि तस्मिन् रूपाणि चक्रुस्ते देवमायया। महाधनानि दिव्यानि महान्ति च लघूनि च॥
And those forms they included in the banner by the help of divine illusion-these forms, large and small, of heavenly origin and of great value.

भीमसेनानुरोधाय हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः। आत्मप्रतिकृति तस्मिन् ध्वज आरोपयिष्यति॥
At the request of Bhimasena, Hanumat, the son of the god of wind, will place his own figure on that banner.

सर्वा दिशो योजनमात्रमन्तरं स तिर्यगूज़ च रुरोध वै ध्वजः। न सज्जत्यऽसौ तरुभिः संवृतोऽपि तथा हि माया विहता भौमनेन॥
Such is the illusion produced by Bhimasena, that the banner occupies the space one yojana in all directions, both perpendicularly and obliquely; and through surrounded by trees its progress cannot be obstructed.

यथाऽऽकाशे शक्रधनुः प्रकाशते न चैकवर्णं न च वेद्मि किं नु तत्। तथा ध्वजो विहितो भौमनेन बह्वाकारं दृश्यते रूपमस्य॥
The banner designed by Bhaumana and its form appear as of diverse sorts like the diverse colours of Shakra's bow, which appears in the sky; but nobody knows what it is made of.

यथाग्निधूमो दिवमेति रुद्ध्वा वर्णान् बिभ्रत् तैजसाचित्ररूपान्। तथा ध्वजो विहितो भौमनेन न चेद् भारो भविता नोत रोधः॥
As smoke mixed with fire mounts the sky appearing beautiful and holding its many colours, so the flag manufactured by Brahmana has no weight and knows no impediment.

श्वेतास्तस्मिन् वातवेगाः सदश्वा दिव्या युक्ताश्चित्ररथेन दत्ताः। भुव्यन्तरिक्षे दिवि वा नरेन्द्र येषां गतिहीयते नात्र सर्वा। शतं यत् तत् पूर्यते नित्यकालं हतं हतं दत्तवरं पुरस्तात्॥१३।
And to that (car) are yoked many excellent celestial horses, white in colour, presented by Chitraratha and with the speed of wind. There is nothing in the world or in this world. Their number of hundred would ever remain constant however often they may be slain. Such was the effect of a boon granted in ancient days.

तथा राज्ञो दन्तवर्णा बृहन्तो रथे युक्ता भान्ति तद्वीर्यतुल्याः। ऋक्षप्रख्या भीमसेनस्य वाहा रथे वायोस्तुल्यवेगा बभूवुः॥
In the same way, in the car of the king (Yudhishthira) are yoked large horses of the colour of ivory and of a strength similar to the king, The horses attached to Bhimasena's car are of the speed of wind, having the splendor of Rishis.

कल्माषाङ्गास्तित्तिरिचित्रपृष्ठा भ्रात्रा दत्ताः प्रीयता फाल्गुनेन। भ्रातुर्वीरस्य स्वैस्तुरङ्गैर्विशिष्टा मुदा युक्ताः सहदेवं वहन्ति॥
Horses of black bodies, with backs of variegated colour, like the Tittara bird, presented by his brother Falguna out of dearness and possessed of better limbs than those of his heroic brother (Falguna), bear Sahadeva cheerfully.

माद्रीपुत्रं नकुलं त्वाजमीढ महेन्द्रदत्ता हरयो वाजिमुख्याः। समा वायोर्बलवन्तस्तरस्विनो वहन्ति वीरं वृत्रशत्रु यथेन्द्रम्॥
Horses superior of their race presented by the great Indra and equal in speed to the wind, strong and speedy, bear the hero Nakula, the son of Madri, of Ajmida's race; even as they bear Indra himself the enemy of Vritra.

तुल्य चैभिर्वयसा विक्रमेण महाजवाश्चित्ररूपाः सदश्वाः। सौभद्रादीन् द्रौपदेयान् कुमारान् वहन्त्यश्वा देवदत्ता बृहन्तः॥
Excellent horses of large size, of the same age as these and of equal strength, of many colours and great activity, presented by the gods, bear the princes, the sons of Subhadra and Draupadi.