स एष रथशार्दूलस्तद्वैरं संस्मरन्रणे। योत्स्यते पाण्डवैस्तात प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा सुदुस्त्यजान्
That tiger among charioteers, recalling that enmity in battle, will fight the Pandavas, ready to give up his life, though it is hard to abandon.
सुदक्षिणस्तु काम्भोजो रथ एकगुणो मतः। तवार्थसिद्धिमाकाङ्क्षन्योत्स्यते समरे परैः
Sudakshina, the Kamboja, is considered a single chariot-warrior; desiring your victory, he will fight the enemy in battle.
एतस्य रथसिंहस्य तवार्थे राजसत्तम। पराक्रमं यथेन्द्रस्य द्रक्ष्यन्ति कुरवो युधि
Of this lion among charioteers, for your sake, O best of kings, the Kurus will witness valor in battle like that of Indra.
एतस्य रथवंशे हि तिग्मवेगप्रहारिणः । काम्भोजानां महाराज शलभानामिवायतिः
In his line of chariot-warriors, O great king, the Kambojas are fierce attackers, swift as locusts in their advance.
नीलो माहिष्यतीवासी नीलवर्मा रथस्तव। रथवंशेन कदनं शत्रूणां वै करिष्यति
Nila, the king of the Mahishyas, clad in blue armor, will ride his chariot and, with his chariot line, will bring destruction upon your enemies.
कृतवैरः पुरा चैव सहदेवेन मारिष। योत्स्यते सततं राजंस्तवार्थे कुरुनन्दन
He, who once had enmity with Sahadeva, O prince, will now fight constantly, O joy of the Kurus, for your sake, O king.
विन्दानुविन्दावावन्त्यौ संमतौ रथसत्तमौ । कृतिनौ समरे तात दृढवीर्यपराक्रमौ
Vindya and Anuvindya, the two Avanti princes, esteemed among chariot-warriors, are skilled in battle, O father, and steadfast in courage and valor.
एतौ तौ पुरुषव्याघ्रौ रिपुसैन्यं प्रधक्ष्यतः। गदाप्रासासिनाराचैस्तोमरैश्च करच्यतैः
These two tigers among men will burn the enemy army with maces, spears, swords, arrows, javelins, and volleys of missiles.
युद्धाभिकामौ समरे क्रीडन्ताविव यूथपौ । यूथमध्ये महाराज विचरन्तौ कृतान्तवत्
Eager for battle, these two leaders will roam the field like lords of herds playing in the midst of their troop, moving among the ranks like Death itself, O great king.
त्रिगर्ता भ्रातरः पञ्च रथोदारा मता मम। कृतवैराश्च पार्थैस्ते विराटनगरे तदा
The five Trigarta brothers are, in my judgment, distinguished chariot-warriors; they became enemies of the Pandavas back then in the city of Virata.
मकरा इव राजेन्द्र समुद्धततरङ्गिणीम् । गङ्गां विक्षोभयिष्यन्ति पार्थानां युधि वाहिनी
Like crocodiles disturbing the Ganges with its surging waves, O king, they will agitate the army of the Pandavas in battle.
ते रथाः पञ्च राजेन्द्र येषां सत्यरथो मुखम्। एते योत्स्यन्ति सङ्ग्रामे संस्मरन्तः पुराकृतमक्
Those five charioteers, O king, with Satyaratha at their head, will fight in battle, recalling the wrongs done to them in the past.
व्यलीकं पाण्डवेयेन भीमसेनानुजेन ह। दिशो विजयता राजञ्श्वेतवाहेन भारत
The offense committed by Bhimasena's younger brother, the Pandava with white steeds, in his conquest of the directions, O Bharata, will be remembered.
ते हनिष्यन्ति पार्थानां तानासाद्य महारथान्। वरान्वरान्महेष्वासान्क्षत्रियाणां धुरंधरान्
They will slay the foremost warriors among the Pandavas, those great archers and mighty chariot-fighters, confronting the best of the Kshatriyas.
लक्ष्णणस्तव पुत्रश्च तथा दुःशासनस्य च। उभौ तौ पुरुषव्याघ्रौ संग्रामेष्वपलायिनौ
Lakshmana, your son, and likewise the son of Duhshasana—both these tigers among men are unyielding in battle.
तरुणौ सुकुमारौ च राजपुत्रौ रतस्विनौ । युद्धानां च विशेषज्ञौ प्रणेतारौ च सर्वशः
Young, delicate, royal princes, devoted to chariot warfare, they are well-versed in the distinctions of battle and skilled leaders in every way.
रथौ तौ कुरुशार्दूल मतौ मे रथसत्तमौ । क्षत्रधर्मरतौ वीरौ महत्कर्म करिष्यतः
These two chariot-warriors, O tiger among Kurus, are, in my view, foremost among charioteers, devoted to the duty of Kshatriyas, and will accomplish great deeds.
दण्डधारो महाराज रथ एको नरर्षभ । योत्स्यते तव सङ्ग्रामे स्वेन सैन्येन पालितः
Dandadhara, O great king, is a singular bull among men; he will fight in your battle, protected by his own army.
बृहद्बलस्तथा राजा कौसल्यो रथसत्तमः । रथो मम मतस्तात महावेगपराक्रमः
Likewise, King Brihadbala of Kosala, an eminent chariot-warrior, is, in my opinion, a charioteer of great speed and valor.
एष योत्स्यति सङ्ग्रामे स्वान्बन्धून्संप्रहर्षयन् । उग्रायुधो महेष्वासो धार्तराष्ट्रहिते रतः
He will fight in battle, delighting his own kinsmen, armed with fierce weapons, a mighty archer, devoted to the welfare of the Dhartarashtras.
कृपः शारद्वतो रजन्रथयूथपयूथपः। प्रियान्प्राणान्परित्यज्य प्रधक्ष्यति रिपूंस्तव
Kripa, son of Sharadvat, chief among chariot-warriors, will abandon even his dear life to burn your enemies, O king.
गौतमस्य महर्षेर्य आचार्यस्य शरद्वतः। कार्तिकेय इवाजयः शरस्तम्बात्सुतोऽभवत्
From Gautama, the great sage and teacher Sharadvata, was born a son from a pillar of arrows, invincible like Kartikeya.
एष सेनाः सुबहुला विविधायुधकार्मुकाः । अग्निवत्समरे तात चरिष्यति विनिर्दहन्
This army, vast and equipped with diverse weapons and bows, will move in battle, O dear one, burning all like fire.
शकुनिर्मातुलस्तेऽसौ रथ एको नराधिप। प्रयुज्य पाण्डवैर्वैरं योत्स्यते नात्र संशयः
That is your maternal uncle Shakuni, O king, alone on his chariot; he will surely fight, having incited enmity with the Pandavas—of this there is no doubt.
एतस्य सेना दुर्धर्षा समरे प्रतियायिनः। विकृतायुधभूयिष्ठा वायुवेगसमा जवे
His army is difficult to withstand in battle, advancing with strange and numerous weapons, swift as the wind in speed.
द्रोणपुत्रो महेष्वासः सर्वानेवातिधन्विनः । समरे चित्रयोधी च दृढास्त्रश्च महारथः
Drona's son, a mighty archer, surpasses all other bowmen; in battle he is a remarkable warrior, steadfast in his weapons, a great chariot-warrior.
एतस्य हि महाराज यथा गाण्डीवधन्वनः। शरासनविनिर्मुक्ताः संसक्ता यान्ति सायकाः
O great king, just as from Arjuna's Gandiva bow the arrows are released in a continuous stream, so too are his missiles loosed in battle.
नैष शक्यो मया वीरः संख्यातुं रथसत्तमः । निर्दहेदपि लोकांस्त्रीनिच्छन्नेष महारथः
This heroic chariot-warrior cannot be counted by me; if he wished, this great charioteer could burn up even the three worlds.
क्रोधस्तेजश्च तपसा संभृतोश्रमवासिनाम् । द्रोणेनानुगृहीतश्च दिव्यैरस्त्रैरुदारधीः
His wrath and energy, gathered through the austerities of forest-dwellers, have been favored by Drona, who endowed him with divine weapons and a noble mind.
दोषस्त्वस्य महानेको येनैव भरतर्षभ । न मे रथो नातिरथो मतः पार्थिवसत्तम
But he has one great fault, O best of Bharatas, for which, O foremost of kings, I do not consider him a ratha or an atiratha.