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.
यथाबलं यथोत्साहं रथिनः समुपादिशत् । अर्जुनं सूतपुत्राय भीमं दुर्योधनाय च
He assigned the chariot warriors according to their strength and enthusiasm: Arjuna against the son of the charioteer, Bhima against Duryodhana.
धृष्टकेतुं च शल्याय गौतमायोत्तमौजसम् । अश्वात्थाम्ने च नकुलं शैब्यं च कृतवर्मणे
He set Dhrishtaketu against Shalya, Uttamaujas against Kripa, Nakula against Ashvatthama, and Shaibya against Kritavarma.
सैन्धवाय च वार्ष्णेयं युयुधानं समादिशत्। शिखण्डिनं च भीष्माय प्रमुखे समकल्पयत्
He assigned Satyaki, the Vrishni hero, against the Sindhu king, and placed Shikhandin in front to face Bhishma.
सहदेवं शकुनये चेकितानं शलाय वै। द्रौपदेयांस्तथा पञ्च त्रिगर्तेभ्यः समादिशत्
He set Sahadeva against Shakuni, Chekitana against Shala, and the five sons of Draupadi against the Trigartas.
वृषसेनाय सौभद्रं शेषाणां च महीक्षिताम् । स समर्थं हि तं मेने पार्थादभ्यधिकं रणे
He assigned Abhimanyu to Vrishasena, and to the remaining kings he appointed those he deemed capable, even superior to Arjuna in battle.
एवं विभज्य योधांस्तान्पृथक्व सह चैव ह । ज्वालावर्णो महेष्वासो द्रोणमंशमकल्पयत्
Thus, dividing the warriors separately and together, the great bowman Dhrishtadyumna, blazing like fire, arrayed the troops to face Drona.
धृष्टद्युम्नो महेष्वासः सेनापतिपतिस्ततः । विधिवद्व्यूह्य मेधावी युद्धाय धृतमानसः
Then Dhrishtadyumna, the mighty archer and commander-in-chief, skillfully arrayed the army according to the rules, his mind set on battle.
यथोद्दिष्टानि सैन्यानि पाण्डवानामयोजयत्। जयाय पाण्डुपुत्राणां यत्तस्तस्थौ रणाजिरे
He deployed the Pandava forces as instructed, and stood ready in the field of battle, striving for the victory of the sons of Pandu.
प्रतिज्ञाते फाल्गुनेन वधे भीष्मस्य संयुगे। किमकुर्वत मे मन्दाः पुत्रा दुर्योधनादयः
When Arjuna vowed to slay Bhishma in battle, what did my foolish sons, Duryodhana and the others, do?
हतमेव हि पश्यामि गाङ्गेयं पितरं रणे। वासुदेवसहायेन पार्थेन दृढधन्वना
For I see Bhishma, the son of Ganga, already slain in battle by Partha, strong of bow, aided by Vasudeva.