शङ्खदुन्दुभिघोषैश्च सिंहनादैश्च भारत। हयहेषितनादैश्च रथनेमिस्वनैस्तथा
With the blaring of conches and drums, with lion-roars, O Bhārata, with the neighing of horses and the rumble of chariot wheels as well,
गाजानां बृहतां चैव योधानां चापि गर्जताम्। क्ष्वेलितास्फोटितोत्क्रुष्टैस्तुमुलं सर्वतोऽभवत्
With the trumpeting of mighty elephants and the roaring of warriors, with shouts, slaps, and battle cries, a tumult arose on all sides.
उदतिष्ठन्महाराज सर्वं युक्तमशेषतः । सूर्योदये महत्सैन्यं कुरुपाण्डवसेनयोः
O great king, at sunrise, all the vast armies of the Kurus and Pāṇḍavas stood fully arrayed and ready.
राजेन्द्र तव पुत्राणां पाण्डवानां तथैव च। दुष्प्रधृष्याणि चास्त्राणि सशस्रकवचानि च
O king, your sons and the Pāṇḍavas, with their formidable weapons and armor, appeared invincible.
ततः प्रकाशे सैन्यानि समदृश्यन्त भारत। त्वदीयानां परेषां च शस्त्रवन्ति महान्ति च
Then, in the clear light, the armies were seen—yours and the enemy's—mighty and bristling with weapons.
तत्र नागा रथाश्चैव जाम्बूनदपरिष्कृताः। विभ्राजमाना दृश्यन्ते मेघा इव सविद्युतः
There, elephants and chariots adorned with gold shone forth, gleaming like clouds lit by lightning.
रथानीकान्यदृश्यन्त नगराणीव भूरिशः । अतीव शुशुभे तत्र पिता ते पूर्णचन्द्रवत्
The chariot divisions appeared in great numbers, like cities; and there, your father shone exceedingly, like the full moon.
धनुर्भिर्ऋष्टिभिः खङ्गैर्गदाभिः शक्तितोमरैः । योधाः प्रहरणैः शुभ्रैस्तेष्वनीकेष्ववस्थिताः
Warriors armed with bows, spears, swords, maces, lances, and javelins, stood in those divisions, equipped with shining weapons.
गजाः पदाता रथिनस्तुरगाश्च विशांपते । व्यतिष्ठन्वागुराकाराः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
Elephants, foot soldiers, charioteers, and horsemen, O lord of men, stood in hundreds and thousands, arrayed like nets.
ध्वजा बहुविधाकारा व्यदृश्यन्त समुच्छ्रिताः। स्वेषां चैव परेषां च द्युतिमन्तः सहस्रशः
Banners of many shapes were seen raised high, shining by the thousands, both of your side and the enemy's.
काञ्चना मणिचित्राङ्गा ज्वलन्त इव पावकाः। अर्चिष्मन्तो व्यरोचन्त गजारोहाः सहस्रशः
Golden, gem-studded, blazing like fire, the elephant riders shone forth by the thousands, radiant as flames.
महेन्द्रकेतवः शुभ्रा महेन्द्रसदनेष्विव। सन्नद्धास्ते प्रवीराश्च ददृशुर्युद्धकाङ्क्षिणः
White standards of Indra, as if in Indra's own palace, and those valiant warriors, fully armored, were seen longing for battle.
उद्यतैरायुधैश्चित्रास्तलबद्धाः कलापिनः । ऋषभाक्षा मनुष्येन्द्राश्चमूमुखगता बभुः
With raised weapons, their quivers adorned with colored straps, the best of men, with bull-like eyes, stood at the head of the divisions.
शकुनिः सौबलः शल्य आवन्त्योऽथ जयद्रथः । विन्दानुविन्दौ कैकेयाः काम्भोजश्च सुदक्षिणः
Shakuni, son of Subala, Shalya, the king of Avanti, Jayadratha, Vinda and Anuvinda of Kekaya, and Sudakshina of Kamboja—
श्रुतायुधश्च कालिङ्गो जयत्सेनश्च पार्थिवः । बृहद्बलश्च कौशल्यः कृतवर्मा च सात्वतः
Śrutāyudha the Kaliṅga, Jayatsena the king, Bṛhadbala of Kosala, and Kṛtavarmā of the Sātvata clan—
दशैते पुरुषव्याघ्राः शूराः परिघबाहवः । अक्षौहिणीनां पतयो यज्वानो भूरिदक्षिणाः
These ten, tigers among men, heroes with iron-clad arms, are lords of divisions, performers of sacrifices, and generous with gifts.
एते चान्ये च बहवो दुर्योधनवशानुगाः । राजानो राजपुत्राश्च नीतिमन्तो महारथाः
Along with these, many other kings and princes, wise and mighty chariot-warriors, follow Duryodhana’s command.
सन्नद्धाः समदृश्यन स्वेष्वनीकेष्ववस्थिताः । बद्धकृष्णाजिनाः सर्वे बलिनो युद्धशालिनः
All of them, armored and appearing equal, stand firm in their own ranks, each wearing black antelope skins, strong and skilled in battle.
हृष्टा दुर्योधनस्यार्थे ब्रह्मलोकाय दीक्षिताः। समर्था दश वाहिन्यः परिगृह्य व्यवस्थिताः
Joyful for Duryodhana’s sake, consecrated as if for the world of Brahmā, ten capable armies have assembled and taken their positions.
एकादशी धार्तराष्ट्री कौरवाणां महाचमूः । अग्रतः सर्वसैन्यानां यत्र शान्तनवोऽग्रणीः
The eleventh great army of the Kauravas, sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, stood at the front of all the troops, where Bhīṣma, son of Śāntanu, was the leader.
श्वेतोष्णीषं श्वेतहयं श्वेतवर्माणमच्युतम् । अपश्याम महाराज भीष्मं चन्द्रमिवोदितम्
We saw Bhīṣma, O King, with white turban, white horses, and white armor, shining like the risen moon.
हेमतालध्वजं भीष्मं राजते स्यन्दते स्थितम् । श्वेताभ्र इव तीक्ष्णांशुं ददृशुः कुरुपाण्डवाः
Bhīṣma stood on his chariot with a golden palm-banner, gleaming; the Kurus and Pāṇḍavas beheld him like a bright cloud with sharp rays.
दृष्ट्वा चमूमुखे भीष्मं समकम्पन्त पाण्डवाः । सृञ्जयाश्च महेष्वासा धृष्टद्युम्नपुरोगमाः । जृम्भमाणं महासिंहं दृष्ट्वा क्षुद्रमृगा यथा
Seeing Bhīṣma at the head of the army, the Pāṇḍavas and the mighty bowmen of the Sṛñjayas, led by Dhṛṣṭadyumna, trembled, like small animals before a roaring lion.
धृष्टद्युम्नमुखाः सर्वे समुद्विविजिरे मुहुः । एकादशैताः श्रीजुष्टा वाहिन्यस्तव पार्थिव
All those led by Dhṛṣṭadyumna were repeatedly shaken; these eleven splendid armies, O King, are yours.
पाण्डवानां तथा सप्त महापुरुषपालिताः । उन्मत्तमकरावर्तौ महाग्राहसमाकुलौ
Likewise, the Pāṇḍavas have seven armies, guarded by great men, swirling like seas with mad makaras and crowded with mighty monsters.
युगान्ते समवेतौ द्वौ दृश्येते सागराविव । नैव नस्तादृशो राजन्दृष्टपूर्वो न च श्रुतः । अनीकानां समेतानां कौरवाणां तथाविधः
At the end of an age, these two armies appear like oceans meeting; never before, O King, have we seen or heard of such an assembly of forces as the Kauravas have gathered.
यथा स भगवान्व्यासः कृष्णद्वैपायनोऽब्रवीत्। तथैव सहिताः सर्वे समाजग्मुर्महीक्षितः
Just as the venerable Vyāsa, Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana, had spoken, so all the kings assembled together.
मघाविषयगः सोमस्तद्दिनं प्रत्यपद्यत। दीप्यमानाश्च संपेतुर्दिवि सप्त महग्रहाः
On that day, the moon entered the constellation Maghā, and seven great planets blazed in the sky.
द्विधाभूत इवादित्य उदये प्रत्यदृश्यत। ज्वलन्त्या शिखया भूयो भानुमानुदितो रविः
At sunrise, the sun appeared as if split in two, with a blazing crest, and the radiant orb rose again.
ववाशिरे च दीप्तायां दिशि गोमायुवायसाः । लिप्समानाः शरीराणि मांसशोणितभोजनाः
In the shining quarter, jackals and crows howled, eager for bodies, feasting on flesh and blood.