धृतराष्ट्र उवाच अक्षौहिण्यो दशैका च व्यूढा दृष्ट्वा युधिष्ठिरः। कथमल्पेन सैन्येन प्रत्यव्यूहत पाण्डवः॥
Dhritarashtra said Having seen our eleven Akshauhinis placed in battle array, how did Yudhishthira the son of Pandu, make his counter-array with his troops which were smaller than ours?
यो वेद मानुषं व्यूहं दैवं गान्धर्वमासुरम्। कथं भीष्मं स कौन्तेयः प्रत्यव्यूहत संजय॥
O Sanjaya, how did the son of Kunti form his counter array of troops against Bhishma who knew all kinds of Vyuhas, those of the celestial, the Gandharvas, the Asuras and the men.
संजय उवाच धार्तराष्ट्राण्यनीकानि दृष्ट्वा व्यूढानि पाण्डवः। अभ्यभाषत धर्मात्मा धर्मराजो धनंजयम्॥
Sanjaya said seeing the troops of the Kurus placed in battle-array, the virtuous minded son of Pandu, Dharmaraja Yudhishthira, thus spoke spoke to Dhananjaya (Arjuna).
महर्षेर्वचनात् तात वेदयन्ति बृहस्पतेः। संहतान् योधयेदल्पान् कामं विस्तारयेद् बहून्॥
We know from the words of Brihaspati that few (troops) must be made to fight be forming them in a solid array, and many may be expanded according to pleasure.
सूचीमुखमनीकं स्यादल्पानां बहुभिः सह। अस्माकं च तथा सैन्यमल्पीयः सुतरां परैः॥
When a few have to fight with many, the Vyuha should be made the Needle mounted. Our troops in comparison to those of our enemies are but few.
एतद् वचनमाज्ञाय महर्षेव्यूह पाण्डव। एतच्छ्रुत्वा धर्मराजं प्रत्यभाषत पाण्डवः॥
O son of Pandu, keeping always in mind this precept of the great Rishi, array our troops". Having heard this, the Pandava thus spoke to Dharmaraja Yudhishthira.
एष व्यूहामि ते व्यूहं राजसत्तम दुर्जयम्। अचलं नाम वज्राख्यं विहितं वज्रपाणिना॥
O foremost of kings, that immovable Vyuha called Vajra which was designed by the wielder of thunderbolt (Indra), that impenetrable Vyuha I shall make today.
यः स वात इवोद्भूतः समरे दुःसहः परैः। स नः पुरो योत्स्यते वै भीमः प्रहरतां वरः॥
He who is like a raging tempest, he who is irresistible in battle by any foe, that foremost of heroes. Bhima, will fight at the head of our troops.
तेजांसि रिपुसैन्यानां मृद्नन् पुरुषसत्तमः। अग्रऽग्रणीर्योत्स्यति नो युद्धोपायविचक्षणः॥
That foremost of men who knows all the appliances of battle, becoming our leader, will stand in front of our army, and crush the prowess of the enemy's troops.
यं दृष्ट्वा कुरवः सर्वे दुर्योधनपुरोगमाः। निवर्तिष्यन्ति संत्रस्ताः सिहं क्षुद्रमृगा यथा॥ तं सर्वे संश्रयिष्यामः प्राकारमकुतोभयाः। भीमं प्रहरतां श्रेष्ठं देवराजमिवामराः॥
That foremost of all warriors, Bhima, will lead us, seeing whom all the warriors, headed by Duryodhana, will fly in terror as small animals fly at the sight of a lion. Our fears being all dispelled, we shall all seck his shelter as if he were a wall, as the celestial seeks the shelter of Indra."
न हि सोऽस्ति पुमाँल्लोके य: संक्रुद्धं वृकोदरम्। द्रष्टुमत्युग्रकर्माणं विषहेत नरर्षभम्॥
There breathes none in the world who can cast his eye on the foremost of men, Vrikodara of fearful deeds, when he is enraged.
भीमसेनो गदां बिभ्रद् वज्रसारमयीं दृढाम्। चरन् वेगेन महता समुद्रमपि शोषयेत्॥ कैकयो धृष्टकेतुश्च चेकितानश्च वीर्यवान्। एते तिष्ठन्ति सामान्याः प्रेक्षन्तस्ते जनाधिप॥
Along with the Kaikeya brothers and Dhrishtaketu and the greatly courageous Chekitana. Bhimasena the wielder of the mace made of the hardest metal, moving with fearful speed, can dry up even the sea.
धृतराष्ट्रस्य दायादा इति बीभत्सुरब्रवीत्। भीमसेनं तदा राजन् दर्शयस्व महाबलम्॥
"O king (look) the sons of Dhritarashtra with their counsellors look on him". O king, pointing out Bhimasena, this was what Bibhatsu (Arjuna) spoke.
ब्रुवाणं तु तथा पार्थं सर्वसैन्यानि भारत। अपूजयंस्तदा वाग्भिरनुकूलाभिराहवे॥
O descendant of Bharata, when Partha (Arjuna) was thus speaking, all the troops worshipped him on the field of battle with congratulatory words.
एवमुक्त्वा महाबाहुस्तथा चक्रे धनंजयः। व्यूह्य तानि बलान्याशु प्रययौ फाल्गुनस्तथा॥
Having said this, the mighty-armed Dhananjaya (Arjuna), did as he said. Phalguna (Arjuna) quickly placing his troops in battlearray, marched against the enemy.
सम्प्रयातान् कुरून् दृष्ट्वा पाण्डवानां महाचमूः। गङ्गेव पूर्णा स्तिमिता स्पन्दमाना व्यदृश्यत॥
Seeing the Kuru army on the march, the great Pandava army appeared like the full, immovable and rolling and surging Ganga.
भीमसेनोऽग्रणीस्तेषां धृष्टद्युम्नश्च वीर्यवान्। नकुलः सहदेवश्च दृष्टकेतुश्च पार्थिवः॥
Bhimasena, the greatly powerful Dhrishtadyumna, Nakula and Sahadeva and king Dhrishtaketu become the several leaders of the (Pandava) force.
विराटश्च ततः पश्चाद् राजाऽथाक्षौहिणीवृतः। भ्रातृभिः सह पुत्रैश्च सोऽभ्यरक्षत पृष्ठतः॥
The king Virata, accompanied by his brothers and sons, and surrounded by one Akshauhini of soldiers, marched in the rear and protected the army from behind.
चक्ररक्षौ तु भीमस्य माद्रीपुत्रौ महाद्युती। द्रौपदेयाः ससौभद्राः पृष्ठगोपास्तरस्विनः॥ धृष्टद्युम्नश्च पाञ्चाल्यस्तेषां गोप्ता महारथः। सहितः पृतनाशूरै रथमुख्यैः प्रभद्रकैः॥ शिखण्डी तु ततः पश्चादर्जुनेनाभिरक्षितः। यत्तो भीष्मविनाशाय प्रययौ भरतर्षभ॥
The greatly effulgent twin sons of Madri (Nakula and Sahadeva) became the protectors of Bhima's chariot. The sons of Draupadi and the son of Subhadra, all possessing great heroism, protected him from behind. Behind him stood Shikhandin, who was protected by Arjuna. O best of the Bharata race, he advanced with the firm determination to kill Bhishma.
पृष्ठतोऽप्यर्जुनस्यासीद् युयुधानो महाबलः। चक्ररक्षौ तु पाञ्चाल्यौ युधामन्यूत्तमौजसौ॥
Behind Arjuna stood the mighty Yuyudhana; and the two Panchala princes, Yudhamanyu add Uttamaujas protected Arjuna's chariot.
राजा तु मध्यमानीके कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। बृहद्भिः कुञ्चरैर्मत्तैश्चलद्भिरचलैरिव॥
Then king Yudhishthira, surrounded by huge and various elephants each resembling a moving hill, took up his position in the centre of the army.
अक्षौहिण्याथ पाञ्चाल्यो यज्ञसेनो महामनाः। विराटमन्वयात् पश्चात् पाण्डवार्थं पराक्रमी॥
The illustration Yajnasena the greatly powerful Panchala king placed himself behind Virata (king) with one Akshauhini of soldiers.
तेषामादित्यचन्द्राभाः कनकोत्तमभूषणाः। नानाचित्रधरा राजन् रथेष्वासन् महाध्वजाः॥
O king, the standards of those kings, cars bore various devices. They were all adorned with excellent ornaments of gold. They were as effulgent as the moon or the sun.
समुत्सार्य ततः पश्चाद् धृष्टद्युम्नो महारथः। भ्रातृभिः सह पुत्रैश्च सोऽभ्यरक्षद् युधिष्ठिरम्॥
Asking the kings to move onward the great car-warrior Dhrishtadyumna accompanied by his brothers and sons, protected Yudhishthira from behind.
त्वदीयानां परेषां न रथेषु विपुलान् ध्वजान्। अभिभूयार्जुनस्यैको रथे तस्थौ महाकपिः॥
Shadowing all the great standards of the cars on your side, a huge ape stood (as standard) on Arjuna's car.
पादातास्त्वग्रतोऽगच्छन्नसिशक्त्वृष्टिपाणयः। अनेकशतसाहस्रा भीमसेनस्य रक्षिणः॥
Many hundreds and thousands of footsoldiers, armed with swords, spears and scimitars, marched ahead protecting Bhimsena.
वारणा दशसाहस्राः प्रभिन्नकरटामुखाः। शूरा हेममयैर्जालैर्दीप्यमाना इवाचलाः॥ क्षरन्त इव जीमूता महार्हाः पद्मगन्धिनः। राजानमन्वयुः पश्चाज्जीमूता इव वार्षिकाः॥
Ten thousand elephants with juice trickling down their checks and mouth, each endued with great courage, each as huge as a hill, each blazing with golden caparisons, each emitting the fragrance of lotuses, followed the king like so many moving mountains.
भीमसेनो गदां भीमा प्रकर्षन् परिघोपमाम्। प्रचकर्ष महासैन्यं दुराधर्षो महामनाः॥
The illustrious and invincible Bhimasena, whirling his fearful mace loO king like a parigha (weapon), seemed to crush your sons' sons' army.
तमर्कमिव दुष्प्रेक्ष्यं तपन्तमिव वाहिनीम्। न शेकुः सर्वयोधास्ते प्रतिवीक्षितुमन्तिके॥
He was incapable of being looked at like the sun. He was scorching, as it were, the enemy army. None of the warriors could even look at him from a near point.
वज्रो नामेष स व्यूहो निर्भयः सर्वतोमुखः। चापविद्युद्ध्वजो घोरो गुप्तो गाण्डीवधन्वना॥
This Vyuha, called Vajra, with its face turned to all sides, had, as it were, the bows (of the warriors) as its lightnings. This extremely fearful Vyuha was protected by the wielder of Gandiva (Arjuna).
यं प्रतिव्यूह्य तिष्ठन्ति पाण्डवास्तव वाहिनीम्। अजेयो मानुषे लोके पाण्डवैरभिरक्षितः॥
Thus placing their troops in this counterarray, the Pandavas waited for battle, Protected as it was by the Pandavas that Vyuha became impenetrable in the world.
संध्यां तिष्ठत्सु सैन्येषु सूर्यस्योदयनं प्रति। प्रावात् सपृषतो वायुर्निरभ्रे स्तनयित्नुमान्॥
At the dawn of day when the armies were waiting for the sunrise, a wind began to blow with drops of water. Though there were no clouds, yet the roars of thunder were heard.
विष्वग्वाताश्च विवर्नीचैः शर्करकर्षिणः रजश्योद्भूयत महत् तम आच्छादयज्जगत्॥
Dry winds began to blow from all sides, carrying showers of sharp pointed stones and pebbles. A thick dust rose and covered the world with darkness.
पपात महती चोल्का प्राङ्मुखी भरतर्षभ। उद्यन्तं सूर्यमाहत्य व्यशीर्यत महास्वना॥
O best of the Bharata race, large meteors fell, and striking the rising sun, they fell in fragments with loud noise.
अथ संनह्यमानेषु सैन्येषु भरतर्षभ। निष्प्रभोऽभ्युद्ययौ सूर्यः सघोषं भूश्चचाल च॥ व्यशीर्यत सनादा च भूस्तदा भरतर्षभ। निर्घाता बहवो राजन् दिक्षु सर्वासु चाभवन्॥
O foremost of the Bharata race, when the armies thus stood in battle-array the sun rise bereft of its splendor and the earth trembled with loud sounds. The roars of thunder were again and again heard on all sides.
प्रादुरासीद् रजस्तीवं न प्राज्ञायत किंचन। ध्वजानां धूयमानानां सहसा मातरिश्वना॥ किङ्किणीजालबद्धानां काञ्चनस्रग्वराम्बरैः। महतां सपताकानामादित्यसमतेजसाम्॥ सर्वं झणझणीभूतमासीत् तालवनेष्विव। एवं ते पुरुषव्याघ्राः पाण्डवा युद्धनन्दिनः॥ व्यवस्थिताः प्रतिव्यूह्य तव पुत्रस्य वाहिनीम्। असन्त इव मज्जा नो योधानां भरतर्षभ॥ दृष्ट्वाऽग्रतो भीमसेनं गदापाणिमवस्थितम्॥
So thick was the dust that rose that nothing could be seen. The high standards (on the cars) adorned with strings of bells, decked with golden ornaments, garlands of flowers and rich cloths and graced with banners, and loO king like the sun in splendor, being suddenly shaken by the wind gave out a loud jingling noise like that of a forest of palmyra trees. having thus placed their troops in battle-array against the army of your son, and sucking, as it were, the marrow of our warriors and warriors and loO king at Bhimsena who stood at the head of the army with his mace in hand, it was thus that those foremost of men, the Pandavas, who over take delight in battle, stood.