एतान्सप्त महाभागान्वीरान्युद्धाभिकाङ्क्षिणः । सेनाप्रणेतॄन्विधिवदभ्यषिञ्चद्युधिष्ठिरः
Yudhishthira duly anointed these seven illustrious warriors, eager for battle, as commanders of divisions.
सर्वसेनापतिं चात्र धृष्टद्युम्नं चकार ह । द्रोणान्तहेतोरुत्पन्नो य इद्धाञ्जातवेदसः
And here, he appointed Dhrishtadyumna as the commander-in-chief of all the forces—he who was born for the destruction of Drona, from the blazing sacrificial fire.
सर्वेषामेव तेषां तु समस्तानां महात्मनाम् । सेनापतिपतिं चक्रे गडाकेशं धनञ्जयम्
And among all those great souls, he made Dhananjaya, the curly-haired one, the commander over all the commanders.
अर्जुनस्यापि नेता च संयन्ता चैव वाजिनाम्। सङ्कर्णणानुजः श्रीमान्महाबुद्धिर्जनार्दनः
And for Arjuna, the leader and charioteer of his steeds was the illustrious, wise Janardana, younger brother of Sankarshana.
तद्दृष्ट्वोपस्थितं युद्धं समासन्नं महात्ययम् । प्राविशद्भवनं राज्ञः पाण्डवानां हलायुधः
Seeing that the war, bringing great calamity, was imminent, Halayudha entered the palace of the Pandava king.
सहाक्रूरप्रभृतिभिर्ददसाम्बोद्धवादिभिः । रौक्मिणेयाहुकसुतैश्चारुदेष्णपुरोगमैः
He was accompanied by Akrura and others, by Uddhava and the like, and by the sons of Rukmini and Ahuka, with Charudeshna at their head.
वृष्णिमुख्यैरधिगतैर्व्याघ्रैरिव बलोत्कटैः । अभिगुप्तो महाबाहुर्मरुद्भिरिव वासवः
Surrounded by the foremost of the Vrishnis, mighty as tigers, the strong-armed one was guarded like Indra by the Maruts.
नीलकौशेयवसनः कैलासशिखरोपमः । सिंहखेलगतिः श्रीमान्मदरक्तान्तलोचनः
Clad in blue silk, resembling the peak of Kailasa, with the gait of a lion at play, glorious, with eyes reddened by wine.
तं दृष्ट्वा धर्मराजश्च केशवश्च महाद्युतिः । उदतिष्ठत्ततः पार्थो भीमकर्मा वृकोदरः
Seeing him, the king of righteousness and the radiant Kesava, as well as Partha, the doer of mighty deeds, and Vrikodara, rose up.
गाण्डीवधन्वा ये चान्ये राजानस्तत्र केचन। पूजयाञ्चक्रिरे ते वै समायान्तं हलायुधम्
Those bearing the Gandiva bow and certain other kings there honored Halayudha as he entered.
ततस्तं पाण्डवो राजा करे पस्पर्श पाणिना । वासुदेवपुरोगास्तं सर्व एवाभ्यवादयन्
Then the Pandava king touched him with his hand, and all, led by Vasudeva, greeted him.
विराटद्रुपदौ वृद्धावभिवाद्य हलायुधः । युधिष्ठिरेण सहित उपाविशदरिन्दमः
Halayudha, having saluted the aged Virata and Drupada, sat down with Yudhishthira, the subduer of foes.
ततस्तेषूपविष्टेषु पार्थिवेषु समन्ततः । वासुदेवमभिप्रेक्ष्य रौहिणेयोऽभ्यभाषत
Then, as the kings sat all around, Rauhineya, looking at Vasudeva, spoke.
भवितायं महारौद्रो दारुणः पुरुषक्षयः । दिष्टमेतद्ध्रुवं मन्ये न शक्यमतिवर्तितुम्
This will be a most terrible and dreadful slaughter of men; I believe this is fate and cannot be avoided.
तस्माद्युद्धात्समुत्तीर्णानपि वः समुहृञ्जानान्। अरोगानक्षतैर्देहैर्द्रष्टास्मीति मतिर्मम
Therefore, even if you escape from the battle, I wish to see you all safe and unharmed in body.
समेतं पार्थिवं क्षत्रं कालपक्वमसंशयम् । विमर्दश्च महान्भावी मांसशोणितकदर्दमः
This assembled royal kshatriya host is surely ripe for destruction; a great clash will occur, a mire of flesh and blood.
उक्तो मया वासुदेवः पुनः पुनरुपह्वरे। संबन्धिषु समां वृत्तिं वर्तस्व मधुसूदन
I have repeatedly told Vasudeva in private: 'Madhusudana, maintain equal conduct towards both sides, since they are all kin.'
पाण्डवा हि यथास्माकं तथा दुर्योधनो नृपः। तस्यापि क्रियतां साह्यं स पर्येति पुनःपुनः
For, O Pandavas, just as you are ours, so too is King Duryodhana; let help be given to him as well, for he comes again and again.
तच्च मे नाकरोद्वाक्यं त्वदर्थे मधुसूदनः। निर्विष्टः सर्वभावेन धनञ्जयमवेक्ष्य ह
But Madhusudana did not act according to my words for your sake, for, seeing Dhananjaya with all his heart, he became disinclined.
ध्रुवो जयः पाण्डवानामिति मे निश्चिता मतिः। तथा ह्यभिनिवेशोऽयं वासुदेवस्य भारत
My mind is firmly convinced that victory belongs to the Pandavas, for such is the devotion of Vasudeva, O Bharata.
न चाहमृत्सहे कृष्णमृते लोकमुदीक्षितुम् । ततोऽहमनुवर्तामि केशवस्य चिकीर्षितम्
Nor can I bear to look upon the world without Krishna; therefore, I follow whatever Keshava intends.
उभौ शिष्यौ हि मे वीरौ गदायद्धविशारदौ । तुल्यस्नेहोऽस्म्यतो भीते तथा दुर्योधने नृपे
Both these heroes, skilled in mace-fighting, are my disciples; my affection is equal, and so I am also anxious for King Duryodhana.
तस्माद्यास्यामि तीर्थानि सरस्वत्या निषेवितुम् । न हि शक्ष्यामि कौरव्यान्नश्यमानानवेक्षितुम्
Therefore, I shall go to the sacred fords of the Sarasvati to perform rites, for I cannot bear to witness the destruction of the Kauravas.
एवमुक्त्वा महाबाहुरनुज्ञातश्च पाण्डवैः। तीर्थयात्रां ययौ रामो निवर्त्य मधुसूदनम्
Having spoken thus, the mighty-armed Rama, permitted by the Pandavas, set out on pilgrimage, after bidding farewell to Madhusudana.
एतस्मिन्नैव काले तु भीष्मकस्य महात्मनः । हिरण्यरोम्णो नृपतेः साक्षादिन्द्रसखस्य वै
At that very time, the great-souled Bhishmaka, king Hiranaroma, who was indeed a friend of Indra,
आकूतीनामधिपतिर्भोजस्यातियशस्विनः । दाक्षिणात्यपतेः पुत्रो दिक्षु रुक्मीति विश्रुतः
The lord of the Akutis, the illustrious Bhoja, son of the southern king, renowned in all directions as Rukmi—
यः किंपुरुषसिंहस्य गन्धमादनवासिनः । कृत्स्नं शिष्यो धनुर्वेदं चतुष्पादमवाप्तवान्
He who was the disciple of the lion among Kimpurushas, dwelling on Gandhamadana, and who mastered the entire science of archery in its fourfold form,
यो माहेन्द्रं धनुर्लेभे तुल्यं गाण्डीवतेजसा। शार्ङ्गेण च महाबाहुः संमितं दिव्यलक्षणम्
He who obtained the Mahendra bow, equal in brilliance to Gandiva, and the mighty-armed one who possessed Sharnga, marked with divine signs,
त्रीण्येवैतानि दिव्यानि धनूंषि दिविचारिणाम् । वारुणं गाण्डिवं तत्र माहेन्द्रं विजयं धनुः । शार्ङ्ग तु वैष्णवं प्राहुर्दिव्यं तेजोमयं धनुः
These three are the divine bows of the celestial wanderers: Varuna's Gandiva, Mahendra's victorious bow, and Sharnga, called the Vaishnava bow, resplendent and divine.
धारयामास तत्कृष्णः परसेनाभयावहम्। गाण्डीवं पावकाल्लेभे खाण्डवे पाकशासनिः
Krishna bore that Gandiva, which brings fearlessness to allied armies; he received it from Agni at Khandava, the slayer of Paka.