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Mahabharata
Sainya-niryana Parva
Entrance into Kurukshetra. Preparation of tents. Equipment of Duryodhana's army. The conversation between Yudhishthira and Krishna. Divisions of Duryodhana's army. Appointment of Bhishma to the generalship. Journey of Balarama to the sacred places. The return of Rukmi. The speech of Sanjaya.
Vaishampayana said:
The virtuous-souled king Yudhishthira the just, having heard these words of Janardana, said to his brothers in the presence of Keshava.
You have heard what happened in that assemblage of the Kurus and you have also understood what words Keshava has said.
Therefore do you, O best among men, make a division of my army; these are the seven Akshauhinis who have assembled for my victory.
Listen to the names of those renowned men who are to be their respective commanders. Drupada, Virata, Dhrishtadyumna and Shikhandin,
Satyaki, Chekitana and Bhimasena endued with strength, these heroes who are prepared to sacrifice their lives will be the commanders of my army.
All of then are conversant with the Vedas, and all those heroes have made and observed excellent vows; all of them know very well the science of war and are endued with modesty and know diplomacy.
All of them besides can fight with all weapons and are skillful in the use of arrows and other weapons. He who will command these seven division must have a knowledge of all the divisions of the army.
He must besides withstand the flame of his arrows similar to those of fire. Speak out, O Sahadeva, O delighted of the Kuru race, your own opinion as to who has these qualifications, O best among men, and who is competent to be our general?
Sahadeva said:
Bound to us by a tie and having the same cause for sorrow as ourselves, the ruler of the earth, endued with prowess, the one conversant with virtue taking refuge with whom we seek to gain our share.
That mighty king of the Matsya's, Virata, a master in the use of weapons and hard to vanquish in battle, will withstand in battle Bhishma and those mighty car-warriors.
Vaishampayana said:
These words being spoken by Sahadeva, Nakula who was eloquent, said these words.
“In age, in a knowledge of the holy books, in patience, in nobility of birth and in high connections, he, who is respectable, who is well versed in all the holy books and sciences,
He who learnt the handing of weapons from Bharadvaja, he who is hard to vanquish and ever devoted to truth, who ever challenges Drona as also Bhishma endued with great strength,
He who is enviable in the races of the rulers of the earth, the foremost of all leaders of armies and who surrounded by sons and grandsons is like a tree with a hundred branches,
The lord of the earth who in company with his wife practiced hard austerities for destroying Drona, that hero who adorns an assembly,
That best among the rulers of the earth who ever supports us as a father, our father-in- law Drupada, should stand at the head of our army.
He will be able to withstand both Drona and Bhishma. Such has been my opinion; that king is familiar with the use of celestial weapons and the king is the friend of Angiras."
The two sons of Madri having spoken out their own opinions, that delighter of the Kuru race, Savyasachin, the son of Vasava, equal to Vasava himself, said these words.
He, who by the virtue of his austerity and by his gratification of the Rishis, that celestial being of long arms came out, looking like fire,
Armed with bows and swords, clad in amours and ascending a chariot drawn by celestial horses of superior breed, from the hole of the sacrificial fire.
That man endued with strength, whose chariot rattle is like the roar of the large masses of clouds, that hero, who endued with the strength of lions, is capable of slaying a lion;
That one of great effulgence and strength who has the heart of a lion, the arms of a lion, the chest of a lion, the roars of a lion as also the shoulders of a lion,
That man who has beautiful eyebrows, beautiful teeth, beautiful checks, beautiful arms, beautiful face, beautiful feet and beautiful frame of body,
Who can not be pierced by any weapon, like an infuriated elephant-this one, a speaker of truth, and a restrainer of his senses, was born for slaying Drona.
I think that this Dhrishtadyumna will be able to withstand the arrows of Bhishma, which strike with the force the thunderbolt and which look like blazing serpents,
Which in force are equal to the messengers of Yama and in causing havoc are like fire and which falling as they do with the heaviness of the thunderbolt could be borne only by Rama.
That man I do not see who can withstand that one of great vows (Bhishma) save and except Dhrishtadyumna, O king; and such is my opinion.
In my opinion this warrior, who is like the chief elephant of a herd, and endued with prosperity, lightness of hand, clad in a coat of mail that cannot be pierced, well versed in the use of all weapons, should be my commander.
Bhimasena said:
That Shikhandin, the son of Drupada who is born for the destruction ((of Bhishma) as it is used to be said, O chief among kings, by the assembled Siddhas and Rishis,
Whose form in the midst of the fight, while displaying celestial weapons, people will see to be like that of the great-souled Rama (should be the commander).
I do not see that man who could in battle subjugate Shikhandin while under arms, O king, and seated on his chariot clad in mail.
In hand single combat, no one save Shikhandin could slay that hero, Bhishma, of great vows and it is my opinion that he should be our general.
Yudhishthira said:
The truth or untruth, the strength and weakness of the entire world, my dear, brothers and the minds of these, the great souled Keshava knows.
He, whom Krishna, of the Dasharha race, will name, should be my general whether he is a master in the use of weapons or otherwise or whether he is old or young.
He, my dear brothers, in the root of our victory or our defeat and on him depend our lives, our kingdom, our success, our want, our happiness and our misery.
He is the lord he is the ordainer and on him depends success and let him, who is named by Krishna of the Dasharha race, be the leader of my forces.
Let the foremost of speakers speak, for it is now almost night; having selected our general, under the guidance of Krishna,
We shall at the end of this night march to the field of battle after having worshipped our weapons and duly performed all the auspicious ceremonies.
Vaishampayana said:
Hearing those words of the wise and virtuous king, the one of lotus eyes said looking on Dhananjaya.
In my opinion too, O great king, these powerful warriors who have been named by you, should be the leaders of your army.
All of them are competent to withstand your enemies and they will beget fear in even Indra in the great war,
What to speak of those sons of Dhritarashtra of wicked heart who are acting from covetousness. By me too, O you of long arms, has been taken great pains for your benefit in the forth-coming great war.
With that view, I have taken great pains so that there might be peace, O Bharata, and we have thus paid off the debt we owned to virtue and can besides not be blamed by fault-finding persons.
That boy thinks himself wise and a master in the use of weapons; and though the son of Dhritarashtra considers himself strong yet in reality he is weak.
Array your troops for battle for in my opinion it is possible to slay them. The son of Dhritarashtra will not be able to continue in their present attitude after seeing Dhananjaya.
As also when he sees Bhimasena excited with anger, and the twins who are like Yama himself and the wrathful Dhrishtadyumna having Yuyudhana for his second,
And Abhimanyu and the sons of Draupadi and Virata and Drupada and other chiefs of men of fierce strength, each the commander of an Akshauhini.
Our army has great strength and is besides hard to vanquish and is hard to withstand and I think that in the battle will slay the army of the son of Dhritarashtra - there is no doubt about it. O chastiser of foes, I consider that Dhrishtadyumna should be our general.
Vaishampayana said:
Krishna having said this all those best among men were highly rejoiced and there was a great shout sent up by these whose minds had been made cheerful.
There was a speedy moving about among the soldiers all crying "Dravup" and there was everywhere the roar of elephants, the neighing of horses and the clatter of the wheels of the chariots.
There was everywhere a loud uproar caused by the sounds of conches and of drums, and the assembling of that army caused a din like that of the sea in a tempest.
The army, composed of chariots, infantry and cavalry, with the soldiers running about summoning one another and buckling on their Armour.
And the Pandavas moving about, looked like the Ganga troubled by great waves and full to the brim. The army seemed to be hard to vanquish. In front of the army were Bhimasena and the two sons of Madri clad in coats of mail,
And the son of Subhadra and the (five) sons of Draupadi and Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Parshata race, the Prabhadrakash and the Panchalas under the leadership of Bhimasena.
The sound proceeding from these was like the roar of the sea on the day of the new moon; and the shouts, sent by the cheerful soldiers proceeding along, touched the very heavens as it were.
The cheerful soldiers, clad in coats of mail, were capable of piercing the hostile armies and in the midst of those went Yudhishthira the son of Kunti,
With carts and transport cars, and all descriptions of vehicles, the treasury, weapons and machines and physicians and surgeons,
The few invalids that there were in the army and all those that were weak and powerless-taking all these the king went with those that served him as attendants.
The truthful princess of Panchali, the daughter of Drupada in company with other ladies and surrounded by servant and maids remained at Upaplavya.
Those delighters of the Pandu race set out with a large army after having made due arrangements for guarding over their wealth and having erected a surrounding wall at a short distance and soldiers being placed at regular intervals.
They proceeded distributing cows and gold and surrounded by Brahmanas; O king, they proceeded, hymns being sung in their praise, on chariots ornamented with gems and precious stones.
The Kaikeya princes and Dhrishtaketu the son of the prince of the Kashis, Shrenimat, Vasudana, and Shikhandin who had never met with defeat,
With cheerful hearts, clad in coats of mail, well-armed, and with their persons well ornamented, all followed surrounding the king Yudhishthira.
In the rear were, Virata and the son of Yagasena of the Somaka race, Sudharman and Kuntibhoja and the sons of Dhrishtadyumna,
Forty thousand chariots, five times that number of horses, ten times that number of foot soldiers, and sixty thousand elephants.
Anadhristhi and Chekitana, Dhrishtaketu and Satyaki all went surrounding the king as also Vasudeva and Dhananjaya.
And having racing Kurukshetra with their army ready for action, those smiters, the Pandavas, looked like bulls wandering about with loud roars.
And reaching Kurukshetra those chastiser of foes blew their conches and in the same way did Vasudeva and Dhananjaya also blow their conches.
All the soldiers of the army became cheerful in every way at hearing the sound of the Panchajanya conch which was similar to the roaring of thunder.
Sounds of conches and drums mixed with the leonine roars of those soldiers endued with activity resounded in the earth and the sky and the seas also.
Vaishampayana said:
Then in a part of the field which was level, shady and where there was plenty of fodder's and fuel the king Yudhishthira had his army encamped.
Avoiding cremation grounds other sacred places and horses consecrated to the gods, and the hermitages of the great Rishis and also other holy places,
Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, of great intelligence, ordered his army to be encamped, in a part of the field which was delightful and grassy and which was open.
Then his army, which was weary and tried, having rested, again set out surrounded by hundred and thousands of rulers of the earth.
Routing hundreds of groups of soldiers of the son of Dhritarashtra Keshava wandered about in company with the son of Pritha.
Dhrishtadyumna, the son of the Prishata race, and the car-warrior Satyaki endued with prowess, otherwise called Yuyudhana, had the land of encampment measured.
Reaching, in the field of Kurukshetra the holy lake Hiranvati which was a place of hermitage, the water of which was pure and the bed free from stones and mire,
Keshava had a trench dug there, O Bharata and for the protection thereof posted a body of soldiers with instructions to them.
The rulers, that were in force in connection with the encampment of the great souled Pandavas, were ordered also to be fol- lowed by Keshava in regard to the encampment of other chiefs of men.
There were plenty of tents, by hundred and thousands, hard to be captured and provided with abundance of foods, eatables, solid food, drink and fuels.
Separate tents of great value were fixed there on the face of the earth, one for each; and they looked like so many palaces, O chief among kings.
And there were engaged many skillful workmen and experienced, to whom were given regular salaries, as also physicians, familiar with the science, furnished with all the necessary articles and ingredients of their respective professions.
Bowstrings bows, coats of mail, and weapons as also honey and clarified butter, water, pounded lac, in heaps resembling hills,
And plenty of water and fodder for cattle and chaff and fire, the king Yudhishthira placed in each tent.
Large machines, long shafts, to maras, and battle-axes, bows, coats of mail, breast-plates and quivers were also there.
Elephants having coats of steel with prickles thereon and huge as mountain, were seen there, each capable of fighting with a hundred thousand warriors.
Knowing that the sons of Pandu were encamped there, O Bharata, his friends came from their respective countries along with their own forces and armies.
By them had been observed Brahmacharya vows, drunk the Soma juice; and liberal presents had also been made by them to the Brahmanas in sacrifices; these kings came for ensuring victory to the sons of Pandu.
Janamejaya said:
Hearing that Yudhishthira with his army was advancing with the desire of fighting and has already reached Kurukshetra and was protected by Vasudeva,
And by Virata and Drupada along with their sons, and by the Kaikeyas and Vrishnis and surrounded by the rulers of the earth by hundreds,
Protected by mighty car-warriors as the great Indra by the Adityas - what did the king Duryodhana do?
I desire to hear this in detail, O you of great wisdom-what happened at Kurujangala on that terrible occasion.
These assembled together would strike terror into the hearts of the gods even with Indra - namely the son of Pandu Vasudeva, Virata and Drupada,
Dhrishtadyumna, the princess of Panchala and the great car-warriors Shikhandi and the powerful Yudhamanyu hard to withstand even by the gods.
This I desire to hear in detail, O you whose only wealth is devotion, namely the movements respectively of the Kurus and the Pandavas.
Vaishampayana said:
The scion of the Dasharha race having gone away, the king Duryodhana then said thus to Karna, Dushasana and Shakuni.
"With his object unsuccessful has the one whom the senses cannot know (Krishna) gone back to the son of Pritha and being filled with malice he will surely excite them (against us)- there is no doubt of it.
It is the desire of Vasudeva that there should be war between the sons of Pandu and myself; and Bhimasena and Arjuna ever follow the opinions of that scion of the Dasharha race.
Yudhishthira who has no enemies, too is greatly under the influence of Bhimasena besides he had been persecuted by me before along with all his brothers.
Virata and Drupada too entertain feelings of enmity towards me; and those two leaders of armies too are under the influence of Vasudeva.
Therefore will there be a fierce war which will make one's hair stand on end; therefore do you make all preparations of war very carefully.
Let the rulers of the earth fix their tents in Kurukshetra-tents which are spacious and large, and incapable being captured by enemies.
Let them be fixed by hundreds and thousands near a place abounding in water and fuel and in such a place that the way leading to it for supplying rations may not be cut off at the sweet will of the foe.
Let them be full of diverse kinds of weapons, flags and banners and let the roads leading to it out of the town be made level and cleared.
Proclaim without delay that we march forth tomorrow and they too saying "very well" obeyed these instructions on the day after.
Then did those rulers of the earth hearing those commands of the king become cheerful and made the necessary arrangements for the residence of the allies.
Being excited with wrath (towards the Pandavas) they rose up from their seats of great value and began slowly to rub their arms which had the circumference, of maces.
And which were blazing with golden ornaments and ornamented with sandal paste; and they began to put on their head gears by the help of their lotus like hands as also their lower and upper garments in all parts body.
The foremost among the car-warriors looked to the equipment of the cars, while those who were experts about horses looked to the harnessing of the steeds, and those who knew all about elephants began to get ready the elephants for war.
All those warriors then began to take up diverse sorts of coats of mail, many amours which were made of gold and all sorts of weapon in all directions.
The soldiers of the infantry began to take up different sorts of weapons and to protect their bodies by various sorts of amours made of gold.
Then did that army, of the son of Dhritarashtra made up of cheerful men, look like a festive city, O Bharata.
The crowd of human beings looked like the water of the sea, the cars, horses, and elephants like the fishes, the sound of conches and the beat of drums were its roar and the collection of treasures was the gems.
The diverse sorts of ornaments were the lesser waves, the bright and spotless weapons the foam, the clusters, of houses in the city were like the mountains on the sea shore and the groups of chariots were the large lakes on the bed of the sea.
In short, O king, was that great sea of the Kuru king brightened by the moon of warriors and it really then looked like the great sea at the rise of the moon.
Thus ends the one hundred and fifty third chapter, the in Sainya Niryana of the Udyoga Parva.
Vaishampayana said:
Yudhishthira, remembering these words of Vasudeva again asked the scion of the Vrishni race as to how that fool could say it.
"Under the present circumstances which have developed before us, what should we do, O you who never go away from the right path; and by shaping our course in what way shall we not fall off from the duties of our class.
O Vasudeva, you know the minds of Duryodhana, Karna, Shakuni and the son of Subala as also of myself along with my brothers.
The words of Vidura have been heard by you as also those of Bhishma, as also the entire wisdom of the greatly wise Kunti, as embodied in her words.
Reviewing in your mind all this and reflecting again and again, speak unhesitatingly what our capabilities are, O you of along arms.”
Hearing these words of the virtuous king consistent with both virtue and worldly profit, Krishna said these words with the voice resembling the roar of clouds and beat of drums.
Krishna said:
The words that you have said are consistent with virtue and profit and are indeed to your benefit but then these do not seem acceptable to the son of Kuru, with whom ignorance has now become wisdom.
That man of bad intellect does not even listen to the words of Bhima nor to those of Vidura nor even the words spoken by me-he disobeys all.
He does not seek virtue, nor does he see renown, under the protection of Karna, that evil souled one considers everything as conquered.
Suyodhana even ordered for my capture; but that evil-souled one of sinful determination did not succeed in his desire.
In that case neither Bhishma nor Drona said anything-in fact all follow him more or less save Vidura, O you who never swerve from your duties.
Shakuni, the son of Subala, Karna and Dushasana all these fools, spoke of you in a way you did not deserve, to that wrathful one.
What is the use of my repeating everything that the son of Kuru said; in brief that evil- souled one does not hold the opinion, you deserve, of yourself.
Not even in all these rulers of the earth who constitute your army combined is there the same wickedness and the want of righteousness as is rooted in him.
We do not desire peace with the sons of Kuru, at the sacrifice of our own interest and therefore war is what we should follow.
Vaishampayana said:
Hearing those words spoken by Vasudeva all the kings looked on the face of the king Yudhishthira, without saying anything, O Bharata.
Yudhishthira too having divined the intentions of those kings ordered for the arraying of the troops along with Bhima and Arjuna and the twins.
Then was there a din in the army of the Pandavas, and on the order of the arraying troops being given the soldiers became cheerful.
The virtuous king Yudhishthira, now seeing that a slaughter of innocent men was unavoidable, began to sign repeatedly and said these words to Bhimasena and Vijaya.
The very thing to avoid which (a war) I went to exile in the forest and experienced other troubles-that very calamity now overtakes us as if with a set purpose.
The object, for which we took so much care, leaves as for our wishing it; and without our wishing for it has the mighty Kali come.
How shall we fight with these who cannot be slain and who lead honorable lives and how can we expect victory by slaying aged men our elders?
Savyasachin that chastiser of foes, hearing these words of the virtuous king, repeated before him the words said by Vasudeva (in this connection).
(He said addressing Yudhishthira), you have, O king, understood the words spoken by Kunti and Vidura in their entirely as repeated before you by the son of Devaki.
I firmly adhere to the opinion that they will not say what is unrighteous, not is it proper, O son of Kunti, that we should turn back without enjoying war.”
Vasudeva too hearing those words of Savyasachin, said laughingly to the son of Pritha (Arjuna) "It is as you have said."
Then did those sons of Pandu make up their minds for war, O great king, and passed the night with their soldiers without any mental agitation.
Vaishampayana said:
The night having passed away, king Duryodhana then made the usual divisions of his army which consisted of ten and one Akshauhinis, O Bharata.
He divided his men, elephants, chariots and horses into superior, inferior and indifferent; and then that ruler of men dis- tributed them in his army.
Furnished with all the requirements of a large army, namely with materials for repairs of chariots, with quivers to be carried on chariots, with large sticks fixed to spear blades for throwing with the hand, with quivers suitable to be carried on horses and elephants, with Shaktis, (a sort of long handled weapon) with arrow-holders suitable for the infantry and with heavy sticks,
With flags and banners, with huge arrows, and bows and bowstrings and diverse suites of ropes, with nooses and lashes;
With plain pointed sticks, oil, molasses and sand (to be thrown heated at the enemy) pots full of poisonous snakes, with pounded lac and other inflammable articles;
With barbed weapons, with skins furnished with bells and all sorts of weapons and instruments for throwing hot molasses water and sand, with maces making a peculiar sound, with syringes for throwing hot liquids;
With staffs having thorns or barbs fixed to them, weapons for throwing poison, and sloughs, as also devices for hurling javelins;
With battle axes, forked lances, sharp spikes, iron gloves with barbs and chariots covered by tiger skins are skins of leopards;
With forbid pieces of wood, with excellent horses, with diverse weapons of offense and defense, with felling axes and spades and with oil-clothes, and clarified butter.
Glittering with robes embroidered with gold and decked with diverse gems and consisting of beautiful warriors, the army of Duryodhana blazed forth like fire.
Heroes clad in coats of mail and masters in the use of weapons and of good parentage, competent judges of the breed of horses, were appointed to be charioteers.
The chariots had on them all sorts of drugs and weapons, were drawn by horses having bells and pearls on their necks and had also flags and standards attached. They had also on their turrets ornaments and shields, swords, Pattishas and other weapons.
All the chariots were drawn by four horses each, all of whom again were the best of their species; each of them was furnished with a hundred bows and all sorts of defensive weapons.
Each of them had one driver for the horses in front and one again for each of the horses at the sides and those men were the foremost among car-warriors and also familiar with horse driving.
Each was protected as a city should be and was therefore hard to be captured by the enemies; thousands of those decked with gold were posted in all directions.
As the chariots had bells and wreaths of pearls and other ornaments so had the elephants and on the back of each were mounted seven men making the animals look like hills decks with jewels.
These seven were made up of two men holding hooks for driving the elephants, two again who were excellent bowmen, two who could fight well with swords, O king, and one was armed with a lance and a trident.
That army of the great-souled Kurus, O king, was full of infuriated animals and was furnished with all necessary weapons and treasuries.
It was also made up of tens of thousands of horse soldiers clad in mail, with ornaments on and holding up flags.
All the horses numbering many hundreds and thousands were kept under proper control and were free from the habit of scratching the ground with the fore feet.
There were also in that army, hundreds of thousands of infantry decked with gold, clad in diverse sorts of arms and diverse temper.
For every chariot there were ten elephants, for every elephants ten horses, for every horse ten men for the proper protection.
There was also another reserve army in which for every chariot there were five elephants, for every elephant one hundred horses, and for every horse seven men.
A sena consisted of five hundred elephants, and the same number of elephants (with infantry and cavalry); ten Senas made a Pritana and ten Pritanas a Vahini.
Sena, Vahini, Pritana, Dhvajini and Bhuhini, Akshauhini, Chamu, and Varuthini mean however the same thing in common usage.
In this way was the army of the intelligent Kaurava arrayed by him; there were seven and eleven Akshauhini of troops altogether.
The army of the Pandavas consisted of seven Akshauhini, while that of the Kauravas consisted of ten and one Akshauhini.
Of men five times fifty constituted a Patti and three Pattis make a Senamukha which is also called a Gulma. Three Gulmas make a Gana, and there were tens thousands of Ganas in the army of Duryodhana, each competent to fight and each a smiter.
The king Duryodhana, of long arms selecting men who were wise and also heroes, made them leaders of his army.
Having those best among men the leaders of his Akshauhinis brought before them with suitable honour he spoke to them separately.
Kripa, Drona, Shalya, Saindhava, Jayadratha, Sudakshina, and Kamboja, and Kritavarman,
The son of Drona, Bhurishravas, Shakuni, the son of Subala and Balhika endued with great strength.
All of these, O Bharata, he used to bring before him daily for consultation and looked to them himself and offered them due honour.
These men being thus treated with respect, and those foot soldiers who constituted the army of the king Duryodhana became desirous of doing what was beneficial to that king.
Vaishampayana said:
Then did the son of Dhritarashtra, with clasped hands, along with all these rulers of the earth, say these words to Bhishma, the son of Shantanu.
“Without a (suitable) leader of the army even a large army is broken up when engaged in battle like a swarm of ants.
The opinions of two seldom agree besides the leaders of hosts are jealous of one another regarding their own prowess.
It is heard, O you of great wisdom, that all the Brahmanas having assembled together, hoisted up their flag of Kusha and proclaimed war with the Haihayas of immeasurable energy.
They were joined. O grandfather, by the Vaishyas and Sudras. There were thus on one side three orders and those best among the Kshatriyas on the other.
The three orders broke up again and again in the battle that followed and the Kshatriyas were victorious over that large army though they were alone.
Then did these best among the twice-born asked the Kshatriya the cause of his and O grandfather, and those men conversant with virtue told them the truth.
"In battle we listen to the commands of any one person who is the wisest among us, but you are separated and follow your individual whims,
Then did those best among the Brahmanas make one among the twice-born the leader of their army, who was skillful in diplomacy and then did they win a victory ever the Kshatriyas.
In the same way those, who appoint a skillful hero who has the good of his party at heart as the leader of the army, vanquish their enemies in battle.
You are equal to Ushanas himself and over wish me well and follow a righteous course from which you never fall off. Therefore do you become a general.
You are as the sun is among the luminous bodies, the moon among deciduous herbs, Kubera among the Yakshas, Vasava among the gods,
Meru among the mountains, Suparna among the birds, Kumara among the gods, Indra among the Vasus.
Protected by you we will be as the gods protected by Shakra and we shall surely be invincible even by the denizens of heaven.
You march in our front as the son of Agni (Kumara) among the gods and we shall follow you like calves following a cow.
Bhishma said:
It is as you say, O Bharata, O you of long arms but as you are to me so are the Pandavas.
And it is also my duty to look after their welfare, O ruler of men; but I shall fight on your behalf since I have promised it.
I do not see any soldier equal to me in this world save that best among men Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti.
He (Arjuna) is a man of great wisdom and knows the use of celestial weapons and many other weapons but that son of Pandu will never encounter me in open fight.
I, in a moment, shall make this world destitute of men, gods, Asuras and Rakshasas by the strength of my weapons.
But these sons of Pandu ought not to be slain by me, O ruler of men; therefore shall I slay ten thousand warriors every day.
In this way, shall I bring on their end O delighter of the Kuru race, if indeed they do not kill me before I have time to carry out my desire in the battle.
But there is another condition on which I shall be the leader of your army; that desire which I have in my heart it is proper that you should hear of.
Either let Karna fight first or myself, O lord of the earth. The son of the Suta always compares his prowess in battle with mine,
Karna said:
So long as the son of Ganga is alive I shall never fight, O king; when Bhishma is slain, I shall fight with him who wields the Gandiva bow.
Vaishampayana said:
Then did the son of Dhritarashtra make Bhishma, who had made liberal gifts, the commander of his army, and he too being duly installed blazed forth.
Drums and conches were then sounded by hundreds and thousands by eager musicians by command of the king.
There were also roars like those of lions and several other sorts of roars among the army; and though there were no clouds in the sky there was a down pour of blood which made the ground full of mire.
There were also earthquakes and whirl- winds and roars made by elephants which succeeded in casting a shade on the minds of all warriors.
There were also incorporeal voices and meteors shot forth the heavens and jackals began to make frightful howls and the cardinal points seemed ablaze.
When the king installed the son of Ganga in the generalship these frightful sights appeared in hundreds, O ruler of men.
Then having appointed, Bhishma the grinder of the enemies' hosts, as the general and having made liberal presents of cows and gold to the foremost among the twice born.
He marched forth with the blessings of those Brahmanas glorifying him, surrounded by his army placing Bhishma at the head of his host and accompanied by his brothers.
And with a large army he went to Kurukshetra.
The son of Kuru having traversed Kurukshetra in company with Karna placed his camps in a plain, O ruler of men,
In a part which was also charming and without sands and abounded, fuel and fodder. The encampment then shone forth as the city of Hastina.
Janamejaya said:
The great-souled Bhishma, the foremost among all wielders of weapons, the grandfather of the Bharatas, the flag as were of all the rulers of the earth,
In intelligence equal to Brihaspati, in power equal to the earth, in gravity equal to the sea, in calmness equal to the Himavat,
In generosity equal to the lord of all creatures, in effulgence equal to the sun, and in destroying the enemies by downpours of arrows equal to great Indra,
Was employed for life as the chief priest of that sacrifice of battle, which was fierce and hair-stirring. Healing this what did Yudhishthira,
Of long arms, the foremost among all wielders of weapons, say and what did Bhimasena and Arjuna and what did Krishna say?
Vaishampayana said:
Yudhishthira, who was skillful in virtue and worldly profit especially in seasons of calamities, having summoned together all his brothers as also the eternal Vasudeva,
That foremost of speakers said these words in a calm spirit: "Go round the army and remain watchful being clad in mail.
Our first encounter will be with our grandfather, therefore do you look for the seven leaders of my army.
Krishna said:
By you, O best among the race of Bharatas, have these words pregnant with meaning been said, which indeed are proper in these circumstances which have presented themselves.
All this I approve of, O you of long arms, and now do what ought to be done; select seven leaders for your army.
Vaishampayana said:
Then summoning before him Drupada, Virata, and that best among the Shini race, and Dhrishtadyumna the prince of Panchala, and the ruler of the earth Dhrishtaketu,
Shikhandin, the prince of Panchala Sahadeva and the king of Magadha summoning these seven heroes of great attributes who were anxious for war,
Yudhishthira duly installed them as the leaders of his army and made Dhrishtadyumna the general commander of all.
This Dhrishtadyumna, who was destined to be the cause of the end of Drona, was born of the blazing sacrificial fire. And over all these great souled men assembled together,
Dhananjaya of curling hairs was made the general; and the guide of Arjuna and the driver of his horses,
Was the younger brother of Sankarashana, Janardana of great intelligence, endued with great beauty. Then seeing that a great battle was near at hand,
The one, who had the slough for his weapon (elder brother of Krishna), entered the encampment of the Pandavas, O king, in company with Akrura, Gadha, Samba, Uddahava,
And the son of Rukmini (Pradyumna) and the son of Ahuka and Charudeshna and others. Surrounded and protected by those foremost of the Vrishni race like a hard of powerful tigers,
The one of long arms like Vasava protected by Maruts with blue garments on and looking majestic as the peak of the Kailasa,
With the gait of a sporting lion, endued with beauty and with eyes having the ends reddened by drinking wine (entered there. Seeing him, the virtuous king and Keshava of great effulgence,
Rose up from their seats as also did the son of Pritha, and Vrikodara of fierce deeds and the wielder of the Gandiva bow and the other kings that were there.
And they assembled together did worship the approaching Halayudha. Then did the Pandava king touch him in the hand by his own hands.
And all those kings with Vasudeva at their head greeting him, Halayudha too saluted Virata and Drupada and those who were aged.
That chastiser of foes then sat down with Yudhishthira and the son of Rohini then said, with his eyes on Vasudeva, to those rulers of the earth seated together.
There will be a very fierce and harsh massacre of men; it is ordained by the fate surely, I think, and cannot be avoided.
And I entertain the hope that I shall see you come out of that battle along with your well wishers without any disease, and without any scars on your persons.
All these Kshatriyas, these rulers of the earth have their hour come and there will be a great massacre which will make the earth one mass of clay of flesh and blood.
Vasudeva was thus addressed by me again and again in private: "Behave with impartiality to those who are equally related to you, O slayer of Madhu.
As the sons of Pandu are to us, so is that ruler of men Duryodhana; and do you therefore help him also for he applied for it again and again.
For your sake, however, did the slayer of Madhu, not act up to my words. He has with all his heart set himself to your interests, with his eye on the interests of Dhananjaya.
Victory will surely come to the sons of Pandu; such is my opinion, for such is the purpose of Vasudeva.
I do not dare to look on this world separated from Krishna and therefore shall I remain inactive in what Krishna wishes.
Both of these heroes, well skilled in fighting with maces, are my pupils and I bear the same affection for Duryodhana as for that ruler of men Bhima.
Therefore shall I now go to make a pilgrimage to the sacred places on the banks of the Sarasvati for I shall not be able to look on with indifference at this massacre of the Kurus.
The one of long arms, Rama saying this with the leave of the sons of Pandava, went to visit the holy places making the slayer of Madhu return, (he had accompanied him for some distance)
Vaishampayana said:
At this time did there come to the encampment of the Pandavas, the son of the great souled Bhishmaka, otherwise called the king Hiranya Roman, who was the friend of Indra himself, who was the very renowned ruler of the Bhojas, and who was the lord of the entire southern countries. His son was known in all countries by the name of Rukmi, ever devoted to truth,
Who was a pupil of that lion of the Kimpurushas living on the Gandhamadana mountain and who learnt from him the entire science of handling bows in all its four branches;
Who, having long arms, obtained the Vijaya bow of the great Indra himself which was equal in energy to the Gandiva and to the Sharanga which had celestial attributes in it.
These were the three celestial bows of the denizens of heaven namely, Gandiva belonging to Varuna, Vijaya belonging to the great Indra and Sharanga the bow of Vishnu, having celestial energy.
Krishna obtained that bow which struck terror to the soldiers of the enemies. The son of Indra (Arjuna) obtained the Gandiva from the fire on the occasion of burning the Khandava.
Rukmi of great energy, obtained the Vijaya from Druma after breaking open the knots and nooses of Mura and slaying Asura by his own energy.
And subjugating Naraka the son of Bhumi (earth) while recovering the jeweled ear-rings and sixteen thousand damsels and diverse sorts of gems,
Hrishikesha obtained that excellent bow the Sharanga. Rukmi, obtaining that bow called Vijaya whose twang was like the roaring of the clouds.
Came to the Pandavas as if terrifying the earth. The hero, proud of the strength of his own arms, could not pass, in silence before,
The ravishment of Rukmini (his sister) by the wise Vasudeva; and having resolved "I shall not return without slaying Janardana,"
The foremost among wielders of weapons came in pursuit of the scion of Vrishni race, with army having all the four divisions, which occupied a large tract of land as it proceeded,
And furnished with diverse sorts of amours and weapons resembled the Ganga when full. He, then coming to that scion of the Vrishni race who is the lord, the object of all devotion,
Was defeated by him and was thus put to shame. And he returned not, O king, to Kundina, his capital, since that slayer of hostile heroes, Krishna, was not defeated by him in battle.
There he built an excellent city called Bhojakata furnished with a large army and plenty of elephants and horses.
That city became famous by the name of Bhojakata, O ruler of men. That king of the Bhojas surrounded by a large army,
Numbering an Akshauhini and endued with great prowess soon came to the son of Pandu. Then did he, clad in a coat of mail and armed with bow, fencer, sword and quivers,
With a slandered of the hue of the sun, entered into the large army and become known to the sons of Pandu through his desire of doing what was acceptable to Vasudeva.
The king Yudhishthira, too, offered him worship after advancing a little; and he, being worshipped and praised by the son of Pandu as became his station and rank,
Saluted those kings in return; and after resting himself with his army he said, in the midst of those heroes, to Dhananjaya the son of Kunti.
If, O son of Pandu, you are afraid on the eve of the war I shall afford you assistance. The assistance, I will give, cannot possibly be borne by your enemies.
There is no man in this world who is equal to me in prowess. I shall slay in battle that portion of your enemy you will allot to my share,
Even including Drona and Kripa, or the heroes Bhishma or Kuru or all those rulers of the earth assembled together even, if they stand against you.
(Even then) having slain in battle your enemies I shall make over the earth to you. Being thus spoken to in the presence of the virtuous king Keshava,
And in the hearing of those chief among the rulers of the earth, and all others who were there and with his eyes on Vasudeva and on the virtuous king the son of Pandu,
The son of Kunti said laughingly in a friendly way. “Born in the race of Kurus, especially being the son Pandu,
Calling myself the pupil of Drona and getting the help of Vasudeva, how can I say that I am afraid especially as I hold the Gandiva bow?
O hero, when fighting with the great army of Gandharvas in the battle, who was then my friend?
Then again in that terrific battle between the gods and the Danavas fighting together at Khandava who was then my friend?
In my fight with the Nivatakavachas or with the Danavas called Kalakeyais - who was my friend?
Then again in the battle with Kurus in the city of Virat - who was my friend?
Having paid homage to Rudra, Shakra, Vaishravana, Yama, Varuna, Agni, Kripa, Drona and Madhava,
And holding firmly the celestial bow the Gandiva and furnished with an inexhaustible mass of arrows and protected by celestial weapons,
How can one like myself say 'I am afraid" calculated to cast infamy on my name, to even Indra himself who has the thunderbolt for his weapon, O best among men.
I am not afraid, O you of long arms and I have no necessity for your assistance. Go elsewhere if you please, or remain here if you like.
Then Rukmi, returning with that army resembling these came to Duryodhana and spoke in the same strain, O Bharata.
Coming to that ruler of the earth did he say the same thing and his help was refused by Duryodhana too who thought himself a hero.
Thus two parties, O great king did not take part in that battle, namely the son of Rohini, the scion of the Vrishni race and the ruler of the earth Rukmi.
Rama having gone to visit the sacred places and the son of Bhishmaka having returned in the manner just described the sons of Pandu again sat down for consolation.
The assembly, of the virtuous king with all the rulers of the earth, shone as the moon in the sky surrounded by diverse stars, O Bharata.
Janamejaya said:
The army having then been prepared in order for battle, O best among the Bharatas, what did the sons of Kuru, urged as they were by destiny itself, do?
Vaishampayana said:
The army having been prepared in order for battle, O Bharata, the great king Dhritarashtra said these words to Sanjaya.
“Come, O Sanjaya, and tell me everything in detail of the steps taken in the matter of encamping the army of the Kurus and the Pandavas.
In my opinion luck is the more important factor, manliness and prowess being vain and useless; since I though understanding the disadvantages of war which gives rise only to decay and ruin,
Can not yet retain my son who considers folly to be wisdom and who is addicted to gambling, and cannot thus effect my own good.
My understanding is capable, O Suta, of finding out the disadvantage of a particular act but when I approach Duryodhana my understanding fails me.
Such being the case, O Sanjaya, what will happen must happen (in spite of all that I can do to prevent it). Besides it is the honored duty of a Kshatriya to quit this life in battle."
Sanjaya said:
This question, that you desire to put is worthy of you, O great king, but it is not proper that you should lay the fault entirely on Duryodhana.
Listen to the end of my speech in detail regarding this matter; that man, who meets with disasters owing to his own bad acts, should not, properly speaking, lay the fault on time or luck nor on the gods.
O great king, he, who behaves sinfully in every thing towards men, ought to be killed by the entire world owing to his sinful behaviour.
O foremost among the sons of Manu, the Pandavas, defeated at the game dice, were much persecuted but they bore up all that for they had confidence in you.
Hear from me fully of the slaughter that is about to be perpetrated in the battle, of horses, elephants, and kings of immeasurable prowess.
Hearing patiently of the massacre of the entire world that is about to take place in the battle, O you of great wisdom, be decided in this point namely.
A man is not the doer of his virtuous or impious acts. In fact a man acts under compulsion like a wooden machine.
Some say that each act is made to be done by god himself; others say that action proceeds from our own free will, while others again say that they are the results three opinions held in this matter. Listen therefore patiently to the disaster that is close on us.
End of Sainya-niryana Parva
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