त्रयो गुल्मा गणो नाम वाहिनी तु गणास्त्रयः। स्मृतास्तिस्रस्तु वाहिन्यः पृतनेति विचक्षणैः
Three 'gulmas' are called a 'gana,' and three 'ganas' make a 'vahini'; three 'vahinis' are known by the discerning as a 'pritaṇa.'
चमूस्तु पृतनास्तिस्रस्तिस्रश्चम्वस्त्वनीकिनी। अनीकिनीं दशगुणां प्राहुरक्षौहिणीं बुधाः
Three 'pritaṇas' make a 'camū,' and three 'camūs' make an 'anīkinī'; the wise say that ten times an 'anīkinī' is called an 'akshauhini.'
अक्षौहिण्याः प्रसंख्याता रथानां द्विजसत्तमाः। संख्यागणिततत्त्वज्ञैः सहस्राण्येकविंशतिः
O best of Brahmanas, the reckoned number of chariots in an Akshauhini, according to those skilled in calculation, is twenty-one thousand.
शतान्युपरि चैवाष्टौ तथा भूयश्च सप्ततिः। गजानां च परीमाणमेतदेव विनिर्दिशेत्
And, in addition, eight hundred, and again seventy—this is also specified as the number of elephants.
ज्ञेयं शतसहस्रं तु सहस्राणि नवैव तु। नराणामपि पञ्चाशच्छतानि त्रीणि चानघाः
It should be known: one hundred thousand, and indeed nine thousand more; and, O sinless ones, also fifty and three hundred of men.
पञ्च षष्टिसहस्राणि तथाश्वानां शतानि च। दशोत्तराणि षट् प्राहुर्यथावदिह संख्यया
Sixty-five thousand, and also hundreds of horses—one hundred and six, as is properly stated here by number.
एतामक्षौहिणीं प्राहुः संख्यातत्त्वदितो जनाः। यां वः कथितवानस्मि विस्तरेण तपोधनाः
Those who know the truth of numbers declare this to be an akshauhini, which I have described to you in detail, O ascetics.
एतया संख्यया ह्यासन्कुरुपाण्डवसेनयोः। अक्षौहिण्यो द्विजश्रेष्ठाः पिण्डिताष्टादशैव तु
With this reckoning, O best of twice-born, there were indeed eighteen akshauhinis marshaled for the armies of the Kurus and Pandavas.
समेतास्तत्र वै देशे तत्रैव निधं गताः। कौरवान्कारणं कृत्वा कालेनाद्भुतकर्मणा
Gathered together in that place, they met their end there, having made the Kauravas the cause, through the wondrous workings of time.
अहानि युयुधे भीष्मो दशैव परमास्त्रवित्। अहानि पञ्च द्रोणस्तु ररक्ष कुरुवाहिनीम्
Bhishma, master of divine weapons, fought for ten days; Drona then protected the Kuru army for five days.
अहनी युयुधे द्वे तु कर्णः परबलार्दनः। शल्योऽर्धदिवसं चैव गदायुद्धमतः परम्
Karna, destroyer of enemy ranks, fought for two days; and then Shalya, after that, for half a day in mace combat.
तस्यैव दिवसस्यान्ते द्रौणिहार्दिक्यगौतमाः। प्रसुप्तं निशि विश्वस्तं जघ्नुर्यौधिष्ठिरं बलम्
At the end of that very day, Drona's son, Kritavarma, and Kripa, slew the Yudhishthira army, trusting and asleep at night.
यत्तु शौनक सत्रे ते भारताख्यानमुत्तमम्। जनमेजयस्य तत्सत्रे व्यासशिष्येण धीमता
And that supreme tale called the Bharata, O Shaunaka, was recited at Janamejaya's sacrifice by Vyasa's wise disciple.
कथितं विस्तरार्थं च यशो वीर्यं महीक्षिताम्। पौष्यं तत्र च पौलोममास्तीकं चादितः स्मृतम्
It was told in full detail—the glory and valor of kings; and there, at the beginning, Pauṣya, Pauloma, and Astika are remembered.
विचित्रार्थपदाख्यानमनेकसमयान्वितम्। प्रतिपन्नं नरैः प्राज्ञैर्वैराग्यमिव मोक्षिभिः
With stories of varied meaning and expression, containing many occasions, it was embraced by wise men as detachment is by seekers of liberation.
आत्मेव वेदितव्येषु प्रियेष्विव हि जीवितम्। इतिहासः प्रधानार्थः श्रेष्ठः सर्वागमेष्वयम्
Just as life is dear among things to be known, so is this history the foremost and best among all scriptures.
अनाश्रित्येदमाख्यानं कथा भुवि न विद्यते। आहारमनपाश्रित्य शरीरस्येव धारणम्
No tale exists on earth without drawing from this narrative, just as the body cannot be sustained without food.
तदेतद्भारतं नाम कविभिस्तूपजीव्यते। उदयतेप्सुभिर्भृत्यैरभिजात इवेश्वरः
This Bharata is indeed lived upon by poets, as a lord is by his noble servants who seek his rise.
इतिहासोत्तमे यस्मिन्नर्पिता बुद्धिरुत्तमा। स्वरव्यञ्जनयोः कृत्स्ना लोकवेदाश्रयेव वाक्
Where the best intellect is devoted to the supreme history, speech, with all its tones and accents, rests as in worldly and Vedic lore.
तस्य प्रज्ञाभिपन्नस्य विचित्रपदपर्वणः। सूक्ष्मार्थन्याययुक्तस्य वेदार्थैर्भूषितस्य च
For one whose wisdom is thus engaged, whose chapters are adorned with varied words, subtle meanings, sound reasoning, and Vedic import—
भारतस्येतिहासस्य श्रूयतां पर्वसंग्रहः। पर्वानुक्रमणी पूर्वं द्वितीयः पर्वसंग्रहः
Let the collection of sections of the Bharata history be heard; first the list of sections, then the second collection of sections.
पौष्यं पौलोममास्तीकमादिरंशावतारणम्। ततः संभवपर्वोक्तमद्भुतं रोमहर्षणम्
Pauṣya, Pauloma, Āstīka, Ādi, and Āśvatarana; then the wondrous and thrilling Sambhava section is spoken of.
दाहो जतुगृहस्यात्र हैडिम्बं पर्व चोच्यते। ततो बकवधः पर्व पर्व चैत्ररथं ततः
Here, the burning of the lac house is recounted, followed by the Hidimba episode; then comes the slaying of Baka, and after that, the Citra-ratha episode.
ततः स्वयंवरो देव्याः पाञ्चाल्याः पर्व चोच्यते। क्षात्रधर्मेण निर्जित्य ततो वैवाहिकं स्मृतम्
Next is told the svayamvara of the princess Draupadi, where, by the code of warriors, she is won; after that, the marriage episode is remembered.
विदुरागमनं पर्व राज्यलाभस्तथैव च। अर्जुनस्य वने वासः सुभद्राहरणं ततः
The episode of Vidura's arrival, and likewise the gaining of the kingdom; Arjuna's dwelling in the forest, and then the abduction of Subhadra.
सुभद्राहरणादूर्ध्वं ज्ञेया हरणहारिका। ततः खाण्डवदाहाख्यं तत्रैव मयदर्शनम्
After the abduction of Subhadra, the episode called 'the removal of the abductors' is to be known; then the burning of Khandava forest, and there the encounter with Maya.
सभापर्व ततः प्रोक्तं मन्त्रपर्व ततः परम्। जरासन्धवधः पर्व पर्व दिग्विजयं तथा
Then is recounted the Sabha Parva, followed by the Mantra Parva; the slaying of Jarasandha, and then the conquest of the directions.
पर्व दिग्विजयादूर्ध्वं राजसूयिकमुच्यते। ततश्चार्घाभिहरणं शिशुपालवधस्ततः
After the conquest of the directions, the Rajasuya sacrifice is told; then the offering of the arghya, and after that, the slaying of Shishupala.
द्यूतपर्व ततः प्रोक्तमनुद्यूतमः परम्। तत आरण्यकं पर्व किर्मीरवध एवच
Then is recounted the Dice Game episode, and after that, the episode following the dice game; then the Aranyaka Parva, and also the slaying of Kirmira.
अर्जुनस्याभिगमनं पर्व ज्ञेयमतः परम्। ईश्वरार्जुनयोर्युद्धं पर्व कैरातसंज्ञितम्
Next is to be known the episode of Arjuna's departure; the battle between Ishvara and Arjuna, called the Kairata episode.