विषण्णमुखभूयिष्ठाः सर्वे योधा विचेतसः । दिशं ते दक्षिणां सर्वे विप्रेक्षन्ते पुनः पुनः
Most of the warriors have despondent faces and are bewildered; all of them keep glancing again and again toward the southern direction.
मृगाश्च पक्षिणश्चैव सव्यमेव पतन्ति नः। वादित्रोद्धृष्टघोषाश्च न च गाढं स्वनन्ति च। ध्वजाग्रेषु निलीयन्ते वायसास्तन्न शोभनम्
Beasts and birds are flying only to our left; the drums and instruments sound weakly, not loudly; crows are perching on the tops of the banners—this is not a good sign.
यथा मेघस्य निनदो गम्भीरस्तूर्णमायतः। श्रूयते रथनिर्घोषो नायमन्यो धनञ्जयात्
Just as the deep, swift rumble of a cloud is heard, so is the roar of that chariot—no one but Dhananjaya could make such a sound.
अश्वानां स्वनतां शब्दो वहतां पाकशासनिम् । वानरस्य रथे दिव्यो निस्वनः श्रूयते महान्
The neighing of the horses, the sound of the chariot wheels, and the great roar of the divine monkey on the banner are all heard.
शङ्खशब्देन पार्थस्य कर्णौ मे बधिरीकृतौ । सर्वसैन्यं च वित्रस्तं नायमन्यो धनञ्जयात्
The sound of Partha's conch has deafened my ears; the entire army is terrified, for none other than Dhananjaya could do this.
राजानमग्रतः कृत्वा दुर्योधनमरिन्दमम्। गाः प्रस्थाप्य च तिष्ठामो व्यूढानीकाः प्रहारिणः । प्रविभज्य त्रिधा सेनां समुच्छ्रित्य ध्वजानपि
Let us place King Duryodhana, the foe of enemies, at the front; send forth the cows and stand ready, our battle lines drawn and warriors prepared, dividing the army into three parts and raising our banners.
शितैर्बाणैः प्रताप्येमां चमूमेष धनञ्जयः। मूर्ध्नि सर्वनरेन्द्राणां वामपादं करिष्यति
With sharp arrows, Dhananjaya will scorch this army; upon the heads of all kings, he will place his left foot.
न ह्येष शक्यो बीभत्सुर्जेतुं देवासुरैरपि । दिक्षु गुल्मा निवेश्यन्तां यत्ता योत्स्यामहेऽर्जुन
For Bibhatsu cannot be defeated, not even by gods or demons; let us station troops in all directions and, prepared, fight against Arjuna.
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा समरे भीष्ममब्रवीत्। द्रोणं च रथिशार्दूलं कृपं च सुमहाबलम्
Then King Duryodhana spoke in battle to Bhishma, and to Drona, the tiger among charioteers, and to mighty Kripa.
उक्तोऽयमर्थ आचार्य मया कर्णेन चासकृत्। पुनरेव च वक्ष्यामि न हि तृप्यामि तद्ब्रुवन्
This matter has been told to you, O teacher, many times by Karna and myself; yet I will speak it again, for I am never satisfied saying it.
पराजितैर्विवस्तव्यं तैश्च द्वादशवत्सरान् । वने जनपदेऽज्ञातैरेष एव पणो हि नः
Those who are defeated must live twelve years in the forest, unknown among the people; this is the wager for us.
तेषां न तावन्निर्वृत्तो वत्सरः स त्रयोदशः । अज्ञातवासे बीभत्सुरथास्माभिः परिश्रुतः
But their thirteenth year has not yet been completed; Bibhatsu is said to be among us during their period of concealment.
अनिर्वृत्ते तु निर्वासे यदि बीभत्सुरागतः । पुनर्द्वादशवर्षाणि वने वत्स्यन्ति पाण्डवाः
If Bibhatsu has returned before the completion of their exile, then the Pandavas must again spend twelve years in the forest.
लोभाद्वा ते न जानीयुरस्मान्वा मोह आविशत्। हीनातिरिक्तमेतेषां भीष्मो वेदितुमर्हति
Whether out of greed they do not know us, or confusion has overtaken them, Bhishma should determine what is lacking or excessive for them.
अर्थानां हि पुनर्द्वैधे नित्यं भवति संशयः । अन्यथा चिन्तितो ह्यर्थः पुनर्भवति चान्यथा
For when there is doubt about matters, uncertainty always arises; what is considered one way becomes otherwise in the end.
उत्तरं मार्गमाणानां मात्स्यसेनां युयुत्सताम् । यदि बीभत्सुरायातः किंतु कृत्यमतः परम्
If Bibhatsu has arrived among those seeking the northern path, the Matsya army eager for battle, what should be done next?
त्रिगर्तानां कृतं कार्यं पाण्डवानां च मार्गणम् । विप्रकारैर्हि मात्स्येन सुशर्मा बाधित पुरा
The task of the Trigartas is accomplished, and the search for the Pandavas; Suśarman was previously harassed by the Matsya with acts of aggression.
तेषां भयाभिपन्नानां वस्तानां त्राणभिच्छताम् । अभयं याचमानानां तदाऽस्माभिः परिश्रुतम्
When those who were attacked by fear sought protection, asking for safety, we heard of this at that time.
प्रथमं वैर्ग्रहीतव्यं मात्स्यानां गोधनं महत्। अष्टम्याश्चापराह्णे तु इति नस्तैः समाहितम्
First, the great cattle wealth of the Matsyas should be seized; on the eighth day in the afternoon, this was agreed upon by them.
नवम्यां पुनरस्माभिः सूर्यस्योदयनं प्रति। इमा गावो ग्रहीतव्या याते मत्स्ये गवांपदम्
On the ninth day, at sunrise, we must seize these cows, once the Matsya has reached the place of the cattle.
इत्येवं निश्चयोऽस्माकं मन्त्रोऽभून्नागसाह्वये । पाण्डवानां परिज्ञाने सर्वेषां नः परस्परम्
Thus, this was our decision, the counsel at Nagasahvaya, for recognizing the Pandavas, all of us together.
ते वा गाश्च नयिष्यन्ति यदि वा स्युः पराजिताः। अस्मान्वाऽप्यतिसन्धाय कुर्युर्मात्स्येन संगतिम्
Either they will take the cows away, or they will be defeated; or, surpassing us, they may form an alliance with the Matsya.
अथवा तानुपादाय मात्स्यो जानपदैः सह । सर्वथा सेनया सार्धमस्मानेष युयुत्सति
Or perhaps, having gathered the Matsya king together with the people of the land, he comes against us with his entire army, intent on battle.
तेषामेको महावीर्यः कश्चिदेव पुनःसरः। अस्माञ्जेतुमिहायातो मात्स्यो वाऽपि स्वयं भवेत्
Among them, there is one of great valor, or perhaps a single warrior returning again, who has come here to defeat us—he may even be the Matsya king himself.
यद्येष राजा मात्स्यानां यदि बीभत्सुरागतः । सर्वैर्योद्धव्यमस्माभिरिति नः समयः कृतः
If this is the king of the Matsyas, or if Bhīmasena has arrived, then it is our agreement that we must fight them all.
अथ कस्मात्थिता ह्येते रथेषु रथिसत्तमाः । भीष्मद्रोणकृपाः कर्णो विकर्णो द्रौणिरेव च। संभ्रान्तमनसः सर्वे प्राप्ते ह्यस्मिन्धनञ्जये
Then why do these foremost chariot-warriors—Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Kṛpa, Karṇa, Vikarṇa, and Droṇa's son—stand on their chariots, all with disturbed minds, now that Dhanañjaya has arrived?
नान्यत्र युद्धाच्छ्रेयोस्ति तथाऽऽत्मा प्रणिधीयताम् । सर्वलोकेन वा युद्धं देवैर्वाऽस्तु सवासवैः
There is no greater good than battle; thus, let each one devote himself fully. Let the fight be with all the world, or even with the gods and Indra himself.
अनाच्छिन्ने धनेऽस्माकमथ शक्रेण वज्रिणा। यमेन वाऽपि संग्रामे को हास्तिनपुरं व्रजेत्
While our wealth remains unbroken, who, even if it were Śakra the thunder-wielder or Yama in battle, could enter Hastinapura?
शरैरभिप्रणुन्नानां भग्नानां गहने वने । को हि जीवेत्पदातीनां भवेदश्वेषु संशयः
Who among the foot soldiers, driven back by arrows and broken in the dense forest, could survive? Even among the horsemen, there is doubt.
आचार्यं पृष्ठतः कृत्वा तथा नीतिर्विधीयताम् । जानामि च मतं तेषामतस्त्रासयतीव नः
Place the teacher at the rear, and let the strategy be arranged accordingly. I also know their intention; it does not seem to frighten us.