None: Chapter 87

The arraying of the Kaurava troops

संजय उवाच तस्यां निशायां व्युष्टायं द्रोणः शस्त्रभृतां वरः। स्वान्यनीकानि सर्वाणि प्राक्रामद् व्यूहितुं ततः॥
Sanjaya said After the night had passed away, that foremost of all wielders of weapons, viz., Drona began to dispose of his divisions in battle array.

शूरूणां गर्जतां राजन् संक्रुद्धानाममर्षिणाम्। श्रूयन्ते स्म गिरश्चित्राः परस्परवधैषिणाम्॥
Then there were heard the diverse words of challenge uttered by shouting heroes, inflamed with rage and desirous of slaying one another.

विस्कार्य च धनूंष्यन्ये ज्याः परे परिमृज्य च। विनिःश्वसन्तः प्राक्रोशन् क्वेदानीं सधनंजयः॥
Stretching their bows and drawing back the strings of their bow with their hands and breathing (hot), they began to exclaim, 'where now is that Dhananjaya.'

विकोशान् सुत्सरूनन्ये कृतधारान् समाहितान्। पीतानाकाशसंकाशानसीन् केचिच्च चिक्षिपुः॥
Some began to toss their swords in airswords that were naked, non-plant, welltempered, of the hue of the sky, possessed of great sharpness and decorated with ornamental hilts.

चरन्तस्त्वसिमाश्चि शिक्षया। संग्राममनसः शूरा दृश्यन्ते सम सहस्रशः॥
Thousands of heroic warriors longing for battle, were seen to perform various evolutions of swordsmen and bowmen, with dexterity acquired through discipline.

सघण्टाश्चन्दनादिग्धाः स्वर्णवज्रविभूषिताः। समुत्क्षिप्य गदाश्चान्ये पर्यपृच्छन्त पाण्डवम्॥
Others again whirling in the air their maces tied with belts decorated with sandal paste and adorned with gold and diamond, began to enquire after the son of Pandu (Arjuna).

अन्ये बलमदोन्मत्ताः परिधैर्बाहुशालिनः। चक्रुः सम्बाधमाकाशमुच्छ्रितेन्द्रध्वजोपमैः॥
Other warriors, maddened with the pride of their prowess and endued with strong arms, obstructed the sky with their spiked bludgeons that looked like bannered poles raised in honor of Indra.

नानाप्रहरणैश्चान्ये विचित्रस्रगलकृताः। संग्राममनसः शूरास्तत्र तत्र व्यवस्थिताः॥
Other brave warriors again decorated with charming floral garlands and armed with various kinds of weapons, stationed themselves on different parts of the field, burning with a desire for battle.

क्वार्जुनः क्व सगोविन्दः क्व च मानी वृकोदरः। क्व च ते सुहृदस्तेशामाह्वयन्ते रणे तदा॥
'Where is Arjuna? Where is Govinda? Where is the proud Vrikodara? Where are all their followers and friends? Even thus did they then challenge the Pandavas to battle.

ततः शङ्खमुपाध्याय त्वरयन् वाजिनः स्वयम्। इतस्ततस्तान् रचयन् द्रोणश्चरति वेगितः॥
Then blowing his conch and urging his steeds to full speed, Drona began to move hither and thither with great celerity, arranging his troops in order.

तेष्वनीकेषु सर्वेषु स्थितेष्वाहवनन्दिषु। भरद्वाजो महाराज जयद्रथमथाब्रवीत्॥
When those divisions that ever delighted in fight, were disposed of in order, O mighty monarch, the son of Bharadvaja addressing Jayadratha said these words.

त्वं चैव सौमदत्तिश्च कर्णश्चैव महारथः। अश्वत्थामा च शल्यश्च वृषसेनः कृपस्तथा॥ शतं चाश्वसहस्राणां रथानामयुतानि षट्। द्विरदानां प्रभिन्नानां सहस्राणि चतुर्दश॥ पदातीनां सहस्राणि दंशितान्येकविंशतिः। गव्यूतिषु त्रिमात्रासु मामनासाद्य तिष्ठत॥
"Yourself, the son of Somadatta, the mighty car-warrior Karna, Ashvatthaman, Shalya, Vrishasena and Kripa supported with hundred thousand horses, sixty thousand chariots, fourteen thousand elephants with rent temples, twenty-one thousand foot-soldiers cased in armour, take up your stand behind me at a distance of twelve miles.

तत्रस्थं तवां न संसोढुं शक्ता देवाः सवासवाः। किं पुनः पाण्डवाः सर्वे सामश्वसिहि सैन्धव॥
There even the very gods led by Vasava himself will not be able to assault you what to speak of the sons of Pandu? Take heart, O ruler of the Sindhus."

एवमुक्तः समाश्वस्त: सिन्धुराजो जयद्रथः। सम्प्रायात् सह गान्धारैर्वृतस्तैश्च महारथैः॥
Thus spoken to, Jayadratha the ruler of the Sindhus became comforted. He then set out for the spot indicated by Drona, followed by many Gandhara heroes and surrounded by those great car-warriors.

वर्मिभिः सादिभिर्यत्तैः प्रासपाणिभिरास्थितैः। चामरापीडिनः सर्वे जाम्बूनदविभूषिताः॥
And accompanied by many foot soldiers cased in armours, armed with nooses and prepared to fight to the best of their abilities. Decked with Chamaras and adorned with golden caparisons.

जयद्रथस्य राजेन्द्र हयाः साधुप्रवाहिनः। ते चैक सप्तसाहस्रास्त्रिसाहस्राश्च सैन्धवाः॥
The horses of Jayadratha, O mighty king, were all very good carriers; seven thousand such steeds and three thousands other steeds of the Shindhu breed, were also with him.

मत्तानां सुविरूढानां हस्त्यारोहैर्विशारदैः। नागानां भीमरूपाणां वर्मिणां रौद्रकर्मिणाम्॥ अध्यर्धेन सहस्रेण पुत्रो दुर्मर्षणस्तव। अग्रतः सर्वसैन्यानां युध्यमानां युध्यमानो व्यवस्थितः।।
Your son Durmarshana, desirous of doing battle, was stationed in the van of the rest of the troops being supported by one thousand and five hundred maddened elephants of prodigious size, covered with mail and of dreadful deeds, all mounted by skillful elephant-riders.

ततो दुःशासनश्चैव विकर्णश्च तवात्मजौ। सिन्धुराजार्थसिद्ध्यर्थमग्रानीके व्यवस्थितौ॥
Your other two sons, Dushasana and Vikarna, stationed themselves amidst the advance division of the army, for securing success to the king of the Sindhus.

दी? द्वादश गव्यूतिः पश्चाः पञ्च विस्तृतः। व्यूहस्तु चक्रशकटो भारद्वाजेन निर्मितः॥
The array that the son of Bharadvaja then formed, partly figuring a sakata and partly a circle, was full forty-eight miles in length and its back portion, in width, measured full twenty miles.

नानानृपतिभिर्वीरैस्तत्र तत्र व्यवस्थितैः। स्थाश्वगजपत्त्योधैर्दोणेन विहितः स्वयम्॥
Drona himself formed this array in which were stationed numerous brave kings and innumerable cars, elephants, horses and foot soldiers.

पश्चार्धे तस्य पद्मस्तु गर्भव्यूहः सुदुर्भिदः। सूची पद्मस्य गर्भस्थो गूढो व्यूहः कृतः पुनः॥
In the back portion of that array was formed another impenetrable array figuring a lotus. Within this latter again was constructed another closely formed array, that was designated the needle.

एवमेतं महाव्यूहं व्यूह्य द्रोणो व्यवस्थितः। सूचीमुखे महेष्वासः कृतवर्मा व्यवस्थितः॥
Thus having formed this inighty array Drona waited for the encounter. In the rear of the needle array was placed Kritavarman the fierce bowman.

अनन्तरं च काम्बोजो जलसंधश्च मारिष। दुर्योधनश्च कर्णश्च तदनन्तरमेव॥
After him were stationed the Kamboja Princes and also Jalasandha, O sire, Behind them stood Duryodhana and Karna, in the Sakata.

ततः शतसहस्राणि योधानामनिवर्तिनाम्। व्यवस्थितानि सर्वाणि शकटे मुखरक्षिणाम्॥
Nex, to them were placed hundreds and thousands of unretreating warriors, for protecting the head of that array.

तेषां च पृष्ठतो राजा बलेन महता वृतः। जयद्रथस्ततो राजा सूचीपार्वे व्यवस्थितः॥
Behind their back, was stationed · king Jayadratha by the side of the needle array and surrounded by a mighty division of troops.

शकटस्य तु राजेन्द्र भारद्वाजो मुखे स्थितः। अनु तस्याभवद् भोजो जुगोपैनं ततः स्वयम्॥
The son of Bharadvaja, himself stood at the mouth of the Sakata. Next to him stood the ruler of the Bhojas, who protected the former.

श्वेतवर्माम्बरोष्णीषो व्यूढोरस्को महाभुजः। धनुर्विस्फारयन् द्रोणस्तस्थौ क्रुद्ध इवान्तकः॥
Cased in a white coat of mail, graced with a beautiful turban, of broad chest and of mighty arms, Drona there stood stretching his bow, like the enraged God of Death.

पताकिनं शोणहयं वेदिकृष्णाजिनध्वजम्। द्रोणस्य रथमालोक्य प्रहृष्टाः कुरवोऽभवन्॥
The Kurus then were filled with delight by beholding the chariot of Drona, graced with a banner, having crimson steeds yoked to it and standard that bore the device of the sacrificial altar and a black deer.

सिद्धचारणसंघानां विस्मयः सुमहानभूत्। द्रोणेन विहितं दृष्ट्वा व्यूहं क्षुब्धार्णवोपमम्॥
Beholding that array formed by Drona that resembled the ocean agitated (by the tempest), the Siddhas and the Charanas were filled with great wonder.

सशैलसागरवनां नानाजनपदाकुलाम्। ग्रसेद् व्यूहः क्षितिं सर्वामिति भूतानि मेनिरे॥
The creatures then thought that array would devour the whole Earth with her mountains, oceans, forests and the various rivers flowing on its surface.

बहुरथमनुजाश्वपत्तिनागं प्रतिभयनिः स्वनमद्भुतानुरूपम्। अतिहहृदयभेदनं महद् वै शकटमवेक्ष्यकृतं ननन्द राजा॥
King Duryodhana then beholding that great array figuring a Sakata, teeming with chariots, men, steeds and elephants and roaring fearfully, of wonderful appearance and capable of afflicting the hearts of the enemy, became filled with delight.