चिन्त्यतामिदमेकाग्रं मम निःश्रेयसं परम्। उभावपि भवन्तौ मे महत्कर्म करिष्यतः
Let this, my highest welfare, be considered with single-minded attention; for both of you will accomplish a great deed for me.
भूयश्च श्रोतुमिच्छामि परेषां रथसत्तमान् । ये चैवातिथास्तत्र ये चैव रथयूथपाः
Again, I wish to hear of the foremost chariot-warriors among the enemy, as well as the guests present there and the leaders of charioteers.
बलाबलममित्राणां श्रोतुमिच्छामि कौरव । प्रभातायां रजन्यां वै इदं युद्धं भविष्यति
I wish to hear, O Kaurava, of the strength and weakness of the enemies; for at dawn, this battle will take place.
एते रथास्तवाख्यातास्तथैवातिरथा नृप। ये चाप्यर्धरथा राजन्पाण्डवानामतः श्रृणु
These chariot-warriors and great chariot-warriors have been named, O king; now hear of the half-chariot-warriors among the Pandavas.
यदि कौतूहलं तेऽद्य पाण्डवानां बले नृप । रथसंख्यां शृणुष्व त्वं सहैभिर्वसुधाधिपैः
If you are curious today about the strength of the Pandavas, O king, listen to the count of their chariots, along with these lords of the earth.
स्वयं राजा रथोदारः पाण्डवः कुन्तनन्दनः । अग्निवत्समरे तात चरिष्यति न संशयः
The Pandava, son of Kunti, is himself a noble chariot-warrior and king; in battle, father, he will act like fire—of this there is no doubt.
भीमसेनस्तु राजेन्द्र रथोऽष्टगुणसंमितः । न तस्यास्ति समो युद्धे गदया सायकैरपि
Bhimasena, O king of kings, is a chariot-warrior equal to eight; in battle, none is his equal with mace or arrows.
नागायुतबलो मानी तेजसा न स मानुषः । माद्रीपुत्रो च रथिनौ द्वावेव पुरुषर्षभौ
Possessed of the strength of ten thousand elephants, proud, and in brilliance not human, the son of Madri is also a chariot-warrior—indeed, two best of men.
अश्विनाविव रूपेण तेजसा च समन्वितौ। एते चमूमुखगताः स्मरन्तः क्लेशमुत्तमम्
In beauty and brilliance, they are like the Ashvins; these, standing at the head of the army, remember their great hardship.
रुद्रवत्प्रचरिष्यन्ति तत्र मे नास्ति संशयः । सर्व एव महात्मानः सालस्तम्भा इवोद्गताः
They will act like Rudra in battle—of this I have no doubt; all are great-souled, rising like sala trees with their branches.
प्रादेशेनाधिकाः पुंभिरन्यैस्ते च प्रमाणतः। सिंहसंहननाः सर्वे पाण्डुपुत्रा महाबलाः
In stature and measure, they surpass other men; all the sons of Pandu are lion-limbed and mighty.
चरितब्रह्मचर्याश्च सर्वे तात तपस्विनः। ह्रीमन्तः पुरुषव्याघ्रा व्याघ्रा इव बलोत्कटाः
All are disciplined in brahmacharya, father, devoted to austerity, modest, tigers among men, fierce as tigers in strength.
जवे प्रहारे संमर्दे सर्व एवातिमानुषाः । सर्वैर्जिता महीपाला दिग्जये भरतर्षभ
In speed, in striking, in the tumult of battle, all of them are beyond human; all the kings were conquered by them in the conquest of the quarters, O bull of the Bharatas.
न चैषां पुरुषाः केचिदायुधानि गदाः शरान्। विषहन्ति सदा कर्तुमधिज्यान्यपि कौरव
Nor can any men among them, O Kaurava, always endure to wield weapons, maces, or arrows, or even to string their bows.
उद्यन्तुं वा गदा गुर्वीः शरान्वा क्षेप्तुमाहवे । जवे लक्ष्यस्य हरणे भोज्ये पांसुविकर्षणे
Whether to lift heavy maces or to shoot arrows in battle, in speed, in hitting a target, in eating, or in dragging sand, they surpass all.
बालैरपि भवन्तस्तैः सर्व एव विशेषिताः। एतत्सैन्यं समासाद्य सर्व एव बलोत्कटाः
Even by those boys, all of you are surpassed; encountering this army, all are exceedingly mighty.
विध्वंसयिष्यन्ति रणे मा स्म तैः सह संगमः । एकैकशस्त संमर्दे हन्युः सर्वान्महीक्षितः
They will destroy in battle; do not engage with them. In the tumult, each one of them could slay all the kings.
प्रत्यक्षं तव राजेन्द्र राजसूये यथाभवत् । द्रौपद्याश्च परिक्लेशं द्यूते च परुषा गिरः
You saw it yourself, O king, at the Rājasūya sacrifice: the hardship of Draupadī, and the harsh words spoken in the dice game.
ते स्मरन्तश्च सङ्ग्रामे चरिष्यन्ति च रुद्रवत् । लोहिताक्षो गुडाकेशो नारायणसहायवान्
Remembering these, they will fight in battle like Rudra: the red-eyed one, Guḍākeśa, aided by Nārāyaṇa.
उभोयोः सेनयोर्वीरो रथो नास्तीति तादृशः । न हि देवेषु वा पूर्वं मनुष्येषूरगेषु च
There is no warrior in either army with such a chariot; never among gods, men, serpents—
राक्षसेष्वथ यक्षेषु नरेषु कुत एव तु । भूतोथ वा भविष्यो वा रथः कश्चिन्मया श्रुतः
Nor among Rākṣasas, Yakṣas, or men, nor among beings of the past or future, have I heard of any chariot like that.
समायुक्तो महाराज रथः पार्थस्य धीमतः। वासुदेवश्च संयन्ता योद्धा चैव धनञ्जयः
That chariot of wise Pārtha is equipped, O great king: Vāsudeva is the charioteer, and Dhanañjaya the warrior.
गाण्डीवं च धनुर्दिव्यं ते चाश्वा वातरंहसः । अभेद्यं कवचं दिव्यमक्षय्यौ च महेषुधी
He has the divine bow Gāṇḍīva, horses swift as the wind, an invulnerable divine armor, and inexhaustible great quivers.
अस्त्रग्रामश्च माहेन्द्रो रौद्रः कौबेर एवच । याम्यश्च वारुणश्चैव गदाश्चोग्रप्रदर्शनाः
He possesses the weapons of Indra, Rudra, Kubera, Yama, and Varuṇa, and maces of terrifying aspect.
वज्रादीनि च मुख्यानि नानाप्रहरणानि च । दानवानां सहस्राणि हिरण्यपुरवासिनाम्
He has the chief weapons like the thunderbolt and various other arms; thousands of Dānavas dwelling in Hiraṇyapura—
हतान्येकरथेनाजौ कस्तस्य सदृशो रथः। एष हन्याद्धि संरम्भी बलवान्सत्यविक्रमः
Were slain in battle by him alone on one chariot; who has a chariot equal to his? In wrath, strong and true to his vow, he would slay.
तव सेनां महाबाहुः स्वां चैव परिपालयन्। अहं चैनं प्रत्युदियामाचार्यो वा धनञ्जयम्
That mighty-armed one, protecting your army and his own, I or the teacher alone could face Dhanañjaya.
न तृतीयोऽस्ति राजेन्द्र सेनयोरुभयोरपि । य एनं शरवर्षाणि वर्षन्तमुदियाद्रथी
There is no third, O king, in either army, who could advance against him as he pours down showers of arrows.
जीमूत इव घर्मान्ते महावातसमीरितः । समायुक्तस्तु कौन्तेयो वासुदेवसहायवान् । तरुणश्च कृती चैव जीर्णावावामुभावपि
Like a rain-cloud at summer's end driven by a great wind, Pārtha, aided by Vāsudeva, is young and accomplished, while we both are old.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु भीष्मस्य राज्ञां दध्वंसिरे तदा। काञ्चनाङ्गदिनः पीना भुजाश्चन्दनरूषिताः
Hearing this from Bhīṣma, the kings then despaired; their strong arms adorned with golden bracelets, smeared with sandal.