गङ्गेव पूर्णा दुर्धर्षा समदृश्यत वाहिनी । अग्रानीके भीमसेनो माद्रीपुत्रौ च दंशितौ
The army appeared like the full, unassailable Ganga; at the forefront were Bhimasena and the sons of Madri, fierce and ready.
सौभद्रो द्रौपदेयाश्च धृष्टद्युम्नस्य पार्षतः । प्रभद्रकाश्च पञ्चाला भीमसेनमुखा ययुः
Saubhadra, the sons of Draupadi, Dhrishtadyumna the son of Prishata, and the Prabhadrakas of the Panchalas, led by Bhimasena, advanced.
ततः शब्दः समभवत्सुमुद्रस्येव पर्वणि
Then a sound arose, like the sea at its full tide.
फल्गु यच्चं बलं किंचिद्यच्चापि कृशदुर्बलम्। तत्सङ्गृह्य ययौ राजा ये चापि परिचारकाः
Whatever weak or meager force remained, the king gathered it, along with his attendants, and departed.
उपप्लाव्ये तु पाञ्चाली द्रौपदी सत्यवादिनी । सह स्त्रीभिर्निनवृते दासीदाससमावृता
At Upaplavya, Panchali, Draupadi, truthful in speech, surrounded by women and attended by maids and servants, was sheltered.
कृत्वा मूलप्रतीकारं गुल्मैः स्थावरजङ्गमैः । स्कन्धावारेण महता प्रययुः पाण्डुनन्दनाः
Having arranged the main defenses with stationary and mobile troops, the sons of Pandu set out with a great encampment.
ददतो गां हिरण्यं च ब्राह्मणैरभिसंवृताः। स्तूयमाना ययू राजन्रथैर्मणिविभूषितैः
Giving cows and gold, surrounded by Brahmins, praised as they went, O king, in chariots adorned with jewels.
केकया धृष्टकेतुश्च पुत्रः काश्यस्य चाभिभूः । श्रेणिमान्वसुदानश्च शिखण्डी चापराजितः
Kekaya, Dhrishtaketu, Abhibhu the son of Kashi, Shreniman, Vasudana, and Shikhandi the unconquered, were there.
हृष्टास्तुष्टाः कवचिनः सशस्त्राः समलङ्कृताः। राजानमन्वयुः सर्वे परिवार्य युधिष्ठिरम्
Joyful, satisfied, armored, armed, and adorned, all the kings surrounded Yudhishthira and followed him.
जघनार्धे विराटश्च याज्ञसेनिश्च सौमकिः । सुधर्मा कुन्तिभोजश्च धृष्टद्युम्नस्य चात्मजाः
On the rear flank were Virata, Yajnaseni, Saumaki, Sudharma, Kuntibhoja, and the sons of Drupada.
रथायुतानि चत्वारि हयाः पञ्चगुणास्तथा । पत्तिसैन्यं दशगुणं गजानामयुतानि षट्
There were four divisions of chariots, five times as many horses, ten times as many foot soldiers, and sixty thousand elephants.
अनाधृष्टिश्चेकितानो धृष्टकेतुश्च सात्यकिः । परिवार्य ययुः सर्वे वासुदेवधनञ्जयौ
Anadhṛṣṭi, Chekitana, Dhrishtaketu, and Satyaki—all of them surrounded Vasudeva and Dhananjaya.
आसाद्य तु कुरुक्षेत्रं व्यूढानीकाः प्रहारिणः । पाण्डवाः समदृश्यन्त नर्दन्तो वृषभा इव
Having reached Kurukshetra, the Pandavas, their forces arrayed and ready for battle, appeared like roaring bulls.
तेऽवगाह्य कुरुक्षेत्रं शङ्खान्दध्मुररिन्दमाः। तथैव दध्मतुः शङ्खं वासुदेवधनञ्जयौ
Those best of men, having entered Kurukshetra, blew their conch shells; likewise, Vasudeva and Dhananjaya sounded their conchs.
पाञ्चजन्यस्य निर्घोषं विस्फूर्जितमिवाशनेः । निशम्य सर्वसैन्यानि समहष्यन्त सर्वशः
Hearing the thunderous sound of Panchajanya, like the crash of lightning, all the armies rejoiced together.
शङ्खदुन्दुभिसंहृष्टः सिंहनादस्तरस्विनाम् । पृथिवीं चान्तरिक्षं च सागरांश्चान्वनादयत्
The blaring of conchs and drums, and the lion-roars of the warriors, echoed across the earth, the sky, and the seas.
ततो देशे समे स्निग्धे प्रभूतयवसेन्धने। निवेशयामास तदा सेनां राजा युधिष्ठिरः
Then, in a level, lush place with abundant grass and fuel, King Yudhishthira made his army encamp.
परिहृत्य श्मशानानि देवतायतनानि च। आश्रमांश्च महर्षीणां तीर्थान्यायतनानि च
He avoided cremation grounds, temples, hermitages of great sages, sacred fords, and shrines.
मधुरानूषरे देशे शुचौ पुण्ये महामतिः । निवेशं कारयामास कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः
In a pleasant, fertile, pure, and holy land, the wise son of Kunti, Yudhishthira, established the encampment.
ततश्च पुनरुत्थाय सुखी विश्रान्तवाहनः । प्रययौ पृथिवीपालैर्वृतः शतसहस्रशः
Then, rising again, refreshed and with rested horses, he set out, surrounded by kings in their hundreds of thousands.
विद्राव्य शतशो गुल्मान्धार्तराष्ट्रस्य सैनिकान् । पर्यक्रामत्समन्ताच्च पार्थेन सह केशवः
Driving away hundreds of detachments of Dhritarashtra’s soldiers, Keshava and Partha moved all around.
शिबिरं मापयामास धृष्टद्युम्नश्च पार्षतः। सात्यकिश्च रथोदारो युयुधानश्च वीर्यवान्
Drupada’s son Dhrishtadyumna, Satyaki the great charioteer, and the valiant Yuyudhana constructed the camp.
आसाद्य सरितं पुण्यां कुरुक्षेत्रे हिरण्वतीम् । सूपतीर्थां शुचिजलां शर्करापङ्कवर्जिताम्
Reaching the sacred river Hiranvati in Kurukshetra, with good fords, pure water, and free from gravel and mud—
खानयामास परिखां केशवस्त्रत्र भारत । गुप्त्यर्थमपि चादिश्य बलं तत्र न्यवेशयत्
There, O Bharata, Keshava dug a moat, and, for the sake of protection, stationed the army as well.
विधिर्यः शिबिरस्यासीत्पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम् । तद्विधानि नरेन्द्राणां कारयामास केशवः
The arrangements that were made for the Pandavas’ camp, Keshava made the same for the camps of the other kings.
प्रभूततरकाष्ठानि दुराधर्षतराणि च। भक्ष्यभोज्यान्नपानानि शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
There were abundant stores of wood, most difficult to obtain, and hundreds and thousands of provisions, food, and drink.
शिबिराणि महार्हाणि राज्ञां तत्र पृथक्पृथक् । विमानानीव राजेन्द्र निविष्टानि महीतले
The splendid encampments of the kings, each separate, were set upon the earth, O king, like celestial palaces.
तत्रासञ्शिल्पिनः प्राज्ञाः शतशो दत्तवेतनाः। सर्वापकरणैर्युक्ता वैद्याः शास्त्रविशारदाः
There, hundreds of skilled craftsmen, well-paid, were present, equipped with all tools, along with physicians learned in the sciences.
ज्याधनुर्वर्मशस्त्राणां तथैव मधुसर्पिषोः । ससर्जरकसपांसूनां राशयः पर्वतोपमाः
Heaps of bows, arrows, armor, weapons, as well as honey, clarified butter, and jars of curd and sand, rose up like mountains.
बहूदकं सुयवसं तुषाङ्गारसमन्वितम् । शिबिरे शिबिरे राजा सञ्चकार युधिष्ठिरः
In every camp, Yudhishthira arranged abundant water, fine grass, and supplies of husks and charcoal.