युधिष्ठिरो यत्र सैन्ये स्वयमेव बलार्णवे । तत्र ते पृथिवीपाला भूयिष्ठं पर्यवस्थिताः
Where Yudhishthira himself, in the ocean of his army, was present, there the kings of the earth mostly took their positions.
तत्र नागसहस्राणि हयानामयुतानि च । तथा रथसहस्राणि पदातीनां च भारत
There were thousands of elephants, tens of thousands of horses, and likewise thousands of chariots and foot-soldiers, O Bharata.
चेकितानः स्वसैन्येन महता पार्थिवर्षभ । धृष्टकेतुश्च चेदीनां प्रणेता पार्थिवो ययौ
Cekitana, the bull among kings, with his great army, and Dhrishtaketu, the ruler of the Cedis, both advanced.
सात्यकिश्च महेष्वासो वृष्णीनां प्रवरो रथः । वृतः शतसहस्रेण रथानां प्रमुदन्बली
Satyaki, the mighty archer, foremost among the Vrishnis, riding in his chariot, surrounded by a hundred thousand chariots, joyful and strong.
क्षत्रदेवब्रह्मदेवौ रथस्थौ पुरुषर्षभौ । जघनं पालयन्तौ च पृष्ठतोऽनुप्रजग्मतुः
Kshatradeva and Brahmadeva, both best of men, standing on their chariots, guarded the rear and followed from behind.
शकटापणवेशाश्च यानं युग्यं च सर्वशः । तत्र नागसहस्राणि हयानामयुतानि च । फल्गु सर्वं कलत्रं च यत्किंचित्कृशदुर्बलम्
The wagons, shops, and all the vehicles fit for yoking, along with thousands of elephants and tens of thousands of horses, and all the women and whatever was weak or infirm, followed behind.
कोशसञ्चयवाहांश्च कोष्ठागारं तथैव च। गजानीकेन संगृह्य शनैः प्रायाद्युधिष्ठिरः
The treasure-carrying vehicles and the storehouses as well, all gathered together by Gajānīka, Yudhishthira slowly led forward.
तमन्वयात्सत्यधृतिः सौचित्तिर्युद्धदुर्मदः। श्रेणिमान्वसुदानश्च पुत्रः काश्यस्य वा विभुः
Following him were Satyadhriti, Saucitti, Yuddhadurmada, Shreniman, Vasudana, and the illustrious son of the king of Kashi.
रथा विंशतिसाहस्रा ये तेषामनुयायिनः । हयानां दश कोट्यश्च महतां किंकिणीकिनाम्
Twenty thousand chariots followed them, and one hundred million great horses adorned with bells.
गजा विंशतिसाहस्रा ईषादन्ताः प्रहारिणः। कुलीना भिन्नकरटा मेघा इव विसर्पिणः
Twenty thousand elephants, with slightly curved tusks and skilled in battle, noble, with broken chains, moved like clouds.
षष्टिर्नागसहस्राणि दशान्यानि च भारत । युधिष्ठिरस्य यान्यासन्युधि सेना महात्मनः
Sixty thousand elephants, and ten thousand more, O Bharata, were present in the army of the great-souled Yudhishthira.
क्षरन्त इव जीमूताः प्रभिन्नकरटामुखाः । राजानमन्वयुः पश्चाच्चलन्त इव पर्वताः
With mouths like broken clouds, as if pouring forth, they followed the king from behind, moving like mountains.
एवं तस्य बलं भीमं कुन्तीपुत्रस्य धीमतः । यदाश्रित्याथ युयुधे धार्तराष्ट्रं सुयोधनम्
Thus was the formidable army of the wise son of Kunti, by which he fought against Suyodhana, son of Dhritarashtra.
ततोऽन्ये शतशः पश्चात्सहस्रायुतशो नराः। नर्दन्तः प्रययुस्तेषाणनीकानि सहस्रशः
Then, hundreds and thousands, and tens of thousands of other men, roaring, advanced; their divisions were in the thousands.
तत्र भेरीसहस्राणि शङ्खानामयुतानि च । न्यवादयन्त संहृष्टाः सहस्रायुतशो नराः
There, thousands of drums and tens of thousands of conches were sounded joyfully by men in their thousands and tens of thousands.
ततः पूर्वापरे सैन्ये समीक्ष्य भगवानृषिः। सर्ववेदविदां श्रेष्ठो व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः
Then, observing both armies, the venerable sage Vyāsa, son of Satyavatī, foremost knower of all the Vedas, spoke.
भविष्यति रणे घोरे भरतानां पितामहः । प्रत्यक्षदर्शी भगवान्भूतभव्यभविष्यवित्
He, the divine seer who knows the past, present, and future, saw that Bhīṣma, the grandsire of the Bharatas, would fall in the terrible battle.
वैचित्रवीर्यं राजानं रहस्स्थमिदमब्रवीत् । शोचन्तमार्तं ध्यायन्तं पुत्राणामनयं तदा
He spoke these words in secret to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, son of Vicitravīrya, who was grieving, afflicted, and reflecting on the misfortune of his sons.
राजन्परिकालास्ते पुत्राश्चान्ये च पार्थिवाः। ते हिंसन्तीव सङ्ग्रामे समासाद्येतरेतरम्
O King, your sons and other princes have reached their destined end; in battle, they are harming each other as if driven by fate.
तेषु कालपरीतेषु विनश्यत्स्वेव भारत । कालपर्यायमाहाय मा स्म शोके मनः कृथा
As these, overtaken by time, are perishing, O Bhārata, do not let your mind be consumed by sorrow, having understood the course of time.
यदि चेच्छसि संग्रामं द्रुष्टुमेनं विशांपते । चक्षुर्ददानि ते पुत्र युद्धमेतन्निशामया
If you wish to see this battle, O lord of men, I will grant you sight; behold your sons' war.
न रोचये ज्ञातिवधं द्रष्टुं ब्रह्मर्षिसत्तम
O best of Brahmarṣis, I do not wish to witness the slaughter of my kinsmen.
तस्मिन्ननिच्छति द्रष्टुं संग्रामं श्रोतुमिच्छति। वराणामीश्वरो व्यासः संजयाय वरं ददौ
Since he did not wish to see the battle but wanted to hear of it, Vyāsa, lord of boons, granted a boon to Saṃjaya.
एष ते संजयो राजन्युद्धमेतद्वदिष्यति। एतस्य सर्वं संग्रामे न परोक्षं भविष्यति
This Saṃjaya will recount this battle to you, O King; for him, nothing in the battle will be hidden.
चक्षुषा संजयो राजन्दिव्येनैव समन्वितः । कथयिष्यति ते युद्धं सर्वज्ञश्च भविष्यति
Endowed with divine vision, Saṃjaya will describe the battle to you, O King, and he will know everything.
प्रकाशं वाऽप्रकाशं वा दिवा वा यदि वा निशि । मनसा चिन्तितमपि सर्वं वेत्स्यति संजयः
Whether openly or secretly, by day or by night, even what is thought in the mind—Saṃjaya will know it all.
नैनं शस्त्राणि भेत्स्यन्ति नैनं बाधिष्यते श्रमः । गावल्गणिरयं जीवन्युद्धादस्माद्विमोक्ष्यते
Weapons will not harm him, nor will fatigue trouble him; this Gāvalgaṇa will survive the war unharmed.
अहं तु कीर्तिमेतेषां करूणां भरतर्षभ । पाण्डवानां च सर्वेषां प्रथयिष्यामि मा शुचः
But I myself, O bull among the Bharatas, will proclaim the fame of these great ones, both the Pāṇḍavas and all the others; do not grieve.
दिष्टमेतन्नरव्याघ्र नाभिशोचितुमर्हसि । न चैव शक्यं संयन्तुं यतो धर्मस्ततो जयः
This is fate, O tiger among men; you should not lament. Indeed, victory is where righteousness is.
एवमुक्त्वा स भगवान्कुरूणां प्रतितामहः । पुनरेव महाभागो धृतराष्ट्रमुवाच ह
Having spoken thus, the venerable grandsire of the Kurus again addressed Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the illustrious king.