AMBOPAKHYANA PARVA: Chapter 197

Marching out of the armies

वैशम्पायन उवाच ततः प्रभाते विमले धार्तराष्ट्रेण चोदिताः। दुर्योधनेन राजानः प्रययुः पाण्डवान् प्रति॥
Vaishampayana said Then, the next morning, when all was cloudy, all the kings, advanced against the son of Pandu, being excited by Duryodhana the son of Dhritarashtra.

आप्लाव्य शुचयः सर्वे स्रग्विणः शुक्लवाससः। गृहीतशास्त्रा ध्वजिनः स्वस्ति वाच्य हुताग्नयः॥
And they were all purified by having bathed and (decked) with garlands, and clothed in white raiment's, And having taken their weapons, and raised banners they received the blessings, after the sacred fires had been lighted.

सर्वे ब्रह्मविदः शूराः सर्वे सुचरितव्रताः। सर्वे कामकृतश्चैव सर्वे चाहवलक्षणाः॥
All of them were versed in the Vedas, and were powerful warriors, and all of them had always ably observed their vows, and all could do as they pleased, and all showed signs of having (previously) fought.

आहवेषु पराँल्लोकान् जिगीषन्तो महाबलाः। एकाचमनसः सर्वे श्रद्दधानाः परस्परम्॥
Desirous of earning for themselves regions of bliss in the next world, and in battle, might and strenght, they had their attention fixed and had faith in each other.

विन्दानुविन्दावावन्त्यौ केकया बाह्निकैः सह। प्रययुः सर्व एवैते भारद्वाजपुरोगमा:॥
(First of all) Vinda and Anuvinda, both of Avanti, and the Kaikeyas with the Balhika's went out with Bharadvaja at their head.

अश्वत्थामा शान्तनवः सैन्धवोऽथ जयद्रथः। दाक्षिणात्याः प्रतीच्याच पार्वतीयाश्च ये नृपाः॥
Then (came) Ashvathama and the son of Shantanu, and Jayadratha of the Sindhu country, and those kings who came from the south and west and other mountainous territories.

गान्धारराजः शकुनिः प्राच्योदीच्याश्च सर्वशः। शकाः किराता यवनाः शिवयोऽथ वसातयः॥
And then the Gandharva king named Shakuni and all those who came from the east and north from all parts, and the Shakas, Kiratas, Yavanas, Shibis and the Vasatis,

स्वैः स्वैरनीकैः सहिताः परिवार्य महारथम्। एते महारथाः सर्वे द्वितीये निर्ययुले॥
All these with their respective forces, surrounded their Maharathas, and all the Maharathas went out in the second division of the army.

कृतवर्मा सहानीकस्त्रिगर्तश्च महारथः। दुर्योधनश्च नृपतिर्भ्रातृभिः परिवारितः॥
Then (came) Kritavarman with his forces, and the great car-warrior Trigarta, and king Duryodhana, surrounded by his brothers.

शलोभूरिश्रवाः शल्य: कौसल्योऽथ बृहद्रथः। एते पश्चादनुगता धार्तराष्ट्रपुरोगमाः॥
And Shalya and Brihadratha the monarch of the Kausalya, marched in the rear, led by the sons of Dhritarashtra.

ते समेत्य यथान्यायं धार्तराष्ट्रा महाबलाः। कुरुक्षेत्रस्य पश्चार्धे व्यवातिष्ठन्त दंशिताः॥
And these followers of the great and mighty son of Dhritarashtra, uniting together according to the proper mode took up their station, all clad in Armour, on the back part of the plains of Kurukshetra.

दुर्योधनस्तु शिबिरं कारयामास भारत। यथैव हास्तिनपुरं द्वितीयं समलंकृतम्॥
And Duryodhana caused his camp to be so made, O Bharata, as to look like a second Hastinapur, well-ornamented.

न विशेषं विजानन्ति पुरस्य शिविरस्य वा। कुशला अपि राजेन्द्र नरा नगरवासिनः॥
And, O great king, even the clever men who lived in the city could not detect any distinguishing feature if their encampment from the city.

तादृशान्येव दुर्गाणि राज्ञामपि महीपतिः। कारयामास कौरव्यः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः॥
And the descendant of Kuru, a lord of the earth, caused camps similar to this, inaccessible (to others). to be made, by hundreds and thousands, for the kings.

पञ्चयोजनमुत्सृज्य मण्डलं तद्रणाजिरम्। सेनानिवेशास्ते राजन्नाविशञ्छतसंधशः॥
That encampment of war stood on a circular area of five Yojanas. And into them,O king, he made soldiers with their horses &c., enter in groups of hundreds.

तत्र ते पृथिवीपाला यथोत्साहं यथाबलम्। विविशुः शिबिराण्यत्र द्रव्यवन्ति सहस्रशः॥
Therein those rulers of earth entered, according to their respective strength and prowess, in camps which abounded in things by thousands.

तेषां दुर्योधनो राजा ससैन्यानां महात्मनाम्। व्यादिदेश सवाह्यानां भक्ष्यभोज्यमनुत्तमम्॥
And king Duryodhana ordered provisions of the best kind for high-souled (warriors) with their forces, consisting of infantry.

सनागाश्वमनुष्याणां ये च शिल्पोपजीविनः। ये चान्येऽनुगतास्तत्र सूतमागधबन्दिनः॥
And elephants, horses and other men. Those who lived by mechanical arts and those who followed them there as bards, singers and panegyrists.

वणिजो गणिकाचारा ये चैव प्रेक्षका जनाः। सर्वांस्तान् कौरवो राजा विधिवत् प्रत्यवेक्षत॥
And merchants and prostitutes and spies, and those who came as sight-seers, the Kuru king looked into (the needs of) all of them, with all proper care.