शठं नैकृतिकं पापं दुराचारं सुयोधनम् ।। गृध्रोदरे वा वस्तव्यं पुरे वा नागसाह्वये
'To that deceitful, wicked, evil-doer, Suyodhana, who behaves badly: it is better to live in a vulture's belly or in the city of the Nāgas than with him.'
प्रतिज्ञातं मया यच्च सभामध्ये नराधम ।। कर्ताहं तद्वचः सत्यं सत्येनैव शपामि ते
'What I vowed in the middle of the assembly, O lowest of men, I will do; that word is true, and I swear it to you by truth itself.'
दुःशासनस्य रुधिरं हत्वा पास्याम्यहं मृधे ।। सक्थिनी तव भंक्त्वैव हत्वा हि तव सोदनान्
I will drink the blood of Duḥśāsana, having slain him in battle; and I will break your thighs and kill your brothers as well.
सर्वेषां राजपुत्राणामभिमन्युरसंशयम् । कर्मणा तोषयिष्यामि भूयश्चैव वचः श्रृणु
I will surely satisfy the wrath of all the princes by my deeds; and now, listen again to my words.
हत्वा सुयोधन त्वां वै सहितं सर्वसोदरैः । आक्रमिष्ये पदा मूर्ध्नि धर्मराजस्य पश्यतः
Having slain you, Suyodhana, together with all your brothers, I will trample upon your head with my foot in the presence of King Yudhishthira.
नकुलस्तु ततो वाक्यमिदमाह महीपते। उलूक ब्रूहि कौरव्यं धार्तराष्ट्रं सुयोधनम्
Then Nakula spoke these words, O king: 'Ulūka, say this to the Kaurava, Duryodhana, son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra.'
श्रुतं ते गदतो वाक्यं सर्वमेव यथातथम्। तथा कर्तास्मि कौरव्य यथा त्वमनुशासि मां
'All that you have said has been heard by me exactly as it is; so, Kaurava, I will act just as you instruct me.'
सहदेवोऽपि नृपते इदमाह वचोऽर्थवत् । सुयोधन मतिर्या ते वृथैषा ते भविष्यति
Sahadeva also, O king, spoke these meaningful words: 'Suyodhana, the intention you have will be in vain.'
शोचिष्यसे महाराज सपुत्रज्ञातिबान्धवः । इमं च क्लेशमस्माकं हृष्टो यत्त्वं विकत्थसे
'You will grieve, O great king, along with your sons, kinsmen, and relatives; and you boast joyfully about this hardship of ours.'
विराटद्रुपदौ वृद्धावुलूकमिदमूचतुः । दासभावं नियच्छेव साधोरिति मतिः सदा। तौ च दासावदासौ वा पौरुषं यस्य यादृशम्
The aged Virāṭa and Drupada said this to Ulūka: 'Let the state of servitude be imposed on the wicked; this is always our view. Whether as servants or masters, a man's worth is as his manliness.'
शिखण्डी तु ततो वाक्यमुलूकमिदमब्रवीत् । वक्तव्यो भवता राजा पापेष्वभिरतः सदा
Then Śikhaṇḍin spoke these words to Ulūka: 'You must speak to the king who is always engaged in evil deeds.'
पश्य त्वं मां रणे राजन्कुर्वाणं कर्म दारुणम् । यस्य वीर्यं समासाद्य मन्यसे विजयं युधि
'See me in battle, O king, performing a terrible deed against the one whose strength you rely on for victory in war.'
तमहं पातयिष्यामि रथात्तव पितामहम्। अहं भीष्मवधात्सृष्टो नूनं धात्रा महात्मना
'I will bring down your grandsire Bhīṣma from his chariot; surely, I have been created by the great Creator for the slaying of Bhīṣma.'
सोऽहं भीष्मं हनिष्यामि मिषतां सर्वधन्विनाम् । धृष्टद्युम्नोऽपि कैतव्यमुलूकमिदमब्रवीत्
'I will slay Bhīṣma before the eyes of all bowmen.' Dṛṣṭadyumna also spoke these words to Ulūka.
सुयोधनो मम वचो वक्तव्यो नृपतेः सुतः। अहं द्रोणं हनिष्यामि सगणं सहबान्धवम्
'Say this to Suyodhana, the king's son, from me: I will slay Droṇa together with his followers and kinsmen.'
अवश्यं च मया कार्यं पूर्वेषां चरितं महत् । कर्ता चाहं तथा कर्म यथा नान्यः करिष्यति
'I must certainly perform the great deeds done by those before me; and I will accomplish such a deed as none other will do.'
तमब्रवीद्धर्मराजः कारुण्यार्थं वचो महत्। नाहं ज्ञातिवधं राजन्कामयेयं कथंचन
Then Yudhishthira, for the sake of compassion, spoke these great words: 'O king, I would never wish for the slaughter of relatives in any way.'
तवैव दोषाद्दुर्बुद्धे सर्वमेतत्त्वनावृतम् । स गच्छ माचिरं तात उलूक यदि मन्यसे
'All this has happened because of your fault, O wicked-minded one; now go quickly, Ulūka, if you think it proper.'
इह वा तिष्ठ भद्रं ते वयं हि तव बान्धवाः । उलूकस्तु ततो राजन्धर्मपुत्रं युधिष्ठिरम्
'Or stay here, may you be safe, for we are your kinsmen.' Then, O king, Ulūka addressed Yudhishthira, son of Dharma.
आमन्त्र्य प्रययौ तत्र यत्र राजा सुयोधनः । उलूकस्तत आगमक्य दुर्योधनममर्षणम्
Having taken leave, he went to where King Suyodhana was; thus Ulūka came to the wrathful Duryodhana.
अर्जुनस्य समादेशं यथोक्तं सर्वमब्रवीत् । वासुदेवस्य भीमस्य धर्मराजस्य पौरुषम्
He reported all of Arjuna’s instructions exactly as spoken, as well as the resolve of Vasudeva, Bhima, and Dharmaraja.
नकुलस्य विराटस्य द्रुपदस्य च भारत । सहदेवस्य च वचो धृष्टद्युम्नशिखण्डिनोः। केशवार्जुनयोर्वाक्यं यथोक्तं सर्वमब्रवीत्
He conveyed the words of Nakula, Virata, Drupada, Sahadeva, Dhrishtadyumna, Shikhandin, and all that was said by Keshava and Arjuna, exactly as spoken.
कैतव्यस्य तु तद्वाक्यं निशम्य भरतर्षभः । दुःशासनं च कर्णं च शकुनिं चापि भारत
Hearing those words of the son of Kunti, the bull among the Bharatas summoned Duhshasana, Karna, and also Shakuni, O Bharata.
आज्ञपयत राज्ञश्च बलं मित्रबलं तथा। यथा प्रागुदयात्सर्वे युक्तास्तिष्ठन्त्यनीकिनः
He ordered both the royal army and the allied forces to be ready, so that all the divisions would be assembled and prepared before sunrise.
ततः कर्णसमादिष्टा दूताः सन्त्वरिता रथैः । उष्ट्रवामीभिरप्यन्ये सदश्वैश्च महाजवैः
Then, messengers dispatched by Karna hurried forth in chariots, some with swift camels, others with fast horses.
तूर्णं परिययुः सेनां कृत्स्नां कर्णस्य शासनात्। आज्ञापयन्तो राज्ञश्च योगः प्रागुदयादिति
Quickly they went around the entire army at Karna’s command, instructing the kings to assemble at dawn.
उलूकस्य वृत्तः श्रुत्वा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। सेनां नियापयामास धृष्टद्युम्नपुरोगमाम्
Hearing Uluka’s report, Yudhishthira, son of Kunti, ordered the army to march out, with Dhrishtadyumna at its head.
पदातिनीं नागवतीं रथिनीमश्वबृन्दिनीम् । चतुर्विधबलां भीमामकम्पां पृथिवीमिव
He arranged the fourfold army—infantry, elephants, chariots, and cavalry—mighty and unshakable like the earth itself.
भीमसेनादिभिर्गुप्तां सार्जुनैश्च महारथैः । धृष्टद्युम्नवशां दुर्गां सागरस्तिमितोपमाम्
Protected by Bhimasena and other heroes, and by the great charioteers allied with Arjuna, it was under Dhrishtadyumna’s command, formidable and like a calm ocean.
तस्यास्त्वग्रे महेष्वासः पाञ्चाल्यो युद्धदुर्मदः। द्रोणप्रेप्सुरनीकानि धृष्टद्युम्नो व्यकर्षत
At its front stood Dhrishtadyumna, the Panchala prince, mighty with his bow and fierce in battle, drawing up the divisions to confront Drona.