ध्वजा बहुविधाकारास्तावकानां नराधिप । काञ्चनाङ्गदिनो रेजुर्ज्वलिता इव पावकाः
The banners of your warriors, O king, of many shapes, with golden armlets, gleamed as if they were blazing fires.
स्वेषां चैव परेषां च समदृश्यन्त भारत। महेन्द्रकेतवः शुभ्रा महेन्द्रसदनेष्विव
Both among their own and the enemy's ranks, O Bharata, splendid standards were seen, like those in the palace of Indra.
काञ्चनैः कवचैर्वीरा ज्वलनार्कसमप्रभैः। सन्नद्धाः समदृश्यन्त ज्वलनार्कसमप्रभाः
Heroes clad in golden armor, radiant like fire and the sun, were seen shining with that same brilliance.
कुरुयोधवरा राजन्विचित्रायुधकार्मुकाः । उद्यतैरायुथैश्चित्रैस्तलबद्धाः पताकिनः
The foremost Kuru warriors, O king, with diverse weapons and bows, raised their arms, adorned with banners and shields.
ऋषभाक्षा महेष्वासाश्चमूमुखगता बभुः । पृष्ठगोपास्तु भीष्मस्य पुत्रास्तव नराधिप । दुःशासनो दुर्विषहो दुर्मुखो दुःसहस्तथा
With bull-like eyes and mighty bows, they stood at the front of the divisions; behind Bhishma were your sons, O king: Duhshasana, Durvishaha, Durmukha, and Duhsaha.
विविंशतिश्चित्रसेनो विकर्णश्च महारथः । सत्यव्रतः पुरुमित्रो जयो भूरिश्रवाः शलः
Vivinshati, Citrasena, the great charioteer Vikarna, Satyavrata, Purumitra, Jay, Bhurishrava, and Shala.
रथा विंशतिसाहस्रास्तथैषामनुयायिनः। अभीषाहाः शूरसेनाः शिबयोऽथ वसातयः
Twenty thousand chariots followed them, fearless warriors: Shurasenas, Shibis, and Vasatas.
शाल्वा मत्स्यास्तथाम्बष्ठास्त्रैगर्ताः केकयास्तथा। सौवीराः कैतवाः प्राच्याः प्रतीच्येदीच्यवासिनः
Shalvas, Matsyas, Ambasthas, Trigartas, Kekayas, Sauviras, Kaitavas, those from the east, west, and north.
द्वादशैते जनपदाः सर्वे शूरास्तनुत्यजः । महता रथवंशेन ते ररक्षुः पितामहम्
These twelve peoples, all valiant and steadfast, with a great lineage of chariots, protected the grandsire.
अनीकं दशसाहस्रं कुञ्जराणां तरस्विनाम् । मागधो यत्र नृपतिस्तद्रथानीकमन्वयात्
A division of ten thousand swift elephants, where the king of Magadha was, followed that chariot division.
रथानां चक्ररक्षाश्च पादरक्षाश्च दन्तिनाम्। अभवन्वाहिनीमध्ये शतानामयुतानि षट्
The wheel-guards of chariots, foot-guards of elephants, were in the midst of the army, numbering six hundred thousand.
पादाताश्चाग्रतो गच्छन्धनुश्चर्मासिपाणयः । अनेकशतसाहस्रा नखरप्रासयोधिनः
Infantry advanced at the front, holding bows, shields, and swords; countless thousands fought with nails and spears.
अक्षौहिण्यो दशैका च तव पुत्रस्य भारत। अदृश्यत महाराज गङ्गेव यमुनान्तरा
Eleven divisions of your son, O Bharata, were seen, O king, like the Ganges with the Yamuna between them.
अर्क्षांहिणीं दशैकां च व्यूढां दृष्ट्वा युधिष्ठिरः। कथमल्पेन सैन्येन प्रत्यव्यूहत पाण्डवः
Seeing eleven divisions arrayed, Yudhishthira wondered how the Pandava could oppose them with his small army.
यो वेद मानुषं व्यूहं दैवं गान्धर्वमासुरम् । कथं भीष्मं स कौन्तेयः प्रत्ययूहत सञ्जय
He who knows the human, divine, Gandharva, and Asura formations—how did that son of Kunti array his forces against Bhishma, O Sanjaya?
धार्तराष्ट्राण्यनीकानि दृष्ट्वा व्यूढानि पाण्डवः। अभ्यभाषत धर्मात्मा धर्मराजो धनञ्जयम्
Seeing the divisions of the Dhartarashtras arrayed, the righteous king, Dharma-raja, addressed Dhananjaya.
महर्षेर्वचनात्तात वेदयन्ति बृहस्पतेः । संहतान्योधयेदल्पान्कामं विस्तारयेद्बहून्
O dear one, following the words of the great sage Bṛhaspati: unite your forces to attack the few, and, if you wish, spread out against the many.
सूचीमुखमनीकं स्यादल्पानां बहुभिः सह। अस्माकं च तथा सैन्यमल्पीयः सुतरां परैः
The formation for the few should be needle-pointed, facing the many; and so too should our smaller army be arranged, especially against the larger enemy.
एतद्वचनमाज्ञाय महर्षेर्व्यूह पाण्डव । एतच्छ्रुत्वा धर्मराजं प्रत्यभाषत पाण्डवः
Hearing this instruction from the great sage, O Pāṇḍava, arrange the troops; having listened, Dharmarāja spoke to the Pāṇḍava.
एष व्यूहामि ते व्यूहं राजसत्तम दुर्जयम्। अचलं नाम वज्राख्यं विहितं वज्रपाणिना
O best of kings, I will array for you this unconquerable formation, called the 'Immovable' or 'Diamond', established by the wielder of the thunderbolt.
यः स वात इवोद्भूतः समरे दुःसहः परैः। स नः पुरो योत्सयते वै भीमः प्रहरतां वरः
This formation, which rises like the wind and is unbearable for the enemy in battle, will be led at the front by Bhīma, the foremost of fighters.
तेजांसि रिपुसैन्यानां मृद्गन्पुरुषसत्तमः। अग्नेऽग्रणीर्योत्स्यति नो युद्धोपायविचक्षणः
The mighty Bhīma, crusher of enemy forces, will fight at the front for us, like Agni himself, skilled in the arts of war.
यं दृष्ट्वा कुरवः सर्वे दुर्योधनपुरोगमाः। निवर्तिष्यन्ति संत्रस्ताः सिंहं क्षुद्रमृगा यथा
Seeing him, all the Kurus, with Duryodhana at their head, will turn back in fear, just as small animals flee from a lion.
तं सर्वे संश्रयिष्यामः प्राकारमकुतोभयाः । भीमं प्रहरतां श्रेष्ठं देवाराजमिवामराः
We shall all take refuge in him, our unassailable rampart—Bhīma, best among warriors—just as the gods rely on their king.
न हि सोऽस्ति पुमाँल्लोके यः संक्रुद्धं वृकोदरम्। द्रष्टुमत्युग्रकर्माणं विषहेत नरर्षभम्
For there is no man in this world who, seeing the enraged Vṛkodara, fierce in action and a bull among men, could withstand him.
भीमसेनो गदां बिभ्रद्वज्रसारमयीं दृढाम् । चरन्वेगेन महता समुद्रमपि शोषयेत्
Bhīmasena, wielding his mighty, adamantine mace, could, with his great speed, even dry up the ocean.
भीमसेनं तदा राजन्दर्शयस्व महाबलम् । केकया धृष्टकेतुश्च चेकितानश्च वीर्यवान्
O King, display mighty Bhīmasena there; let Kekaya, Dhṛṣṭaketu, and the valiant Cekitāna be shown as well.
एते गच्छन्तु सामात्याः प्रकर्षन्तो जनाधिप । धृतराष्ट्रस्य दायादानिति बीभत्सुरब्रवीत्
Let these kings, with their ministers, advance, drawing forth the heirs of Dhṛtarāṣṭra—so spoke Bhīmasena.
ब्रुवाणं तु तथा पार्थं सर्वसैन्यानि भारत । अपूजयंस्तदा वाग्भिरनुकूलाभिराहवे
As Pārtha spoke thus, O Bhārata, all the armies honored him with words of praise suited to the battlefield.
एवमुक्त्वा महाबाहुस्तथा चक्रे धनञ्जयः। व्यूह्य तानि बलान्याशु प्रययौ फल्गुनस्तथा
Having spoken thus, the mighty-armed Dhanañjaya arranged the forces accordingly and swiftly set out, as did Phalguna.