शारद्वतश्चोत्तरधूर्महात्मा महेष्वासो गौतमश्चित्रयोधी। शकैः किरातैर्यवनैः पह्लवैश्च सार्धं चमूमुत्तरतोऽभियाति
The great-souled Sharadvata's son, a mighty archer and a distinguished warrior of the Gautama lineage, advances from the north with his troops, together with Shakas, Kiratas, Yavanas, and Pahlavas.
महारथैर्वष्णिभोजैः सुगुप्तं सुराष्ट्रकैर्विदितैरात्तशस्त्रैः । बृहद्बलं कृतवर्माभिगुप्तं बलं त्वदीयं दक्षिणेनाभियाति
Your army, well-guarded by the mighty chariot-warriors of the Vrishnis and Bhojas, and by the renowned Surashtras armed with weapons, and protected by Kritavarma and Brihadbala, advances from the south.
संशप्तकानामयुतं रथानां मृत्युर्जयो वार्जुनस्येति सृष्टाः। येनार्जुनस्तेन राजन्कृतास्त्राः प्रयातारस्ते त्रिगर्ताश्च शूराः
Ten thousand chariots of the Samsaptakas have been set against Arjuna, as if they were death or victory itself; O King, those valiant Trigartas, skilled in weapons, have gone forth to face Arjuna.
साग्रं शतसहस्रं तु नागानां तव भारत । नागेनागे रथशतं शतमश्वा रथेरथे
O Bharata, your force includes a full hundred thousand elephants, with an elephant for every elephant, a hundred chariots for every chariot, and a hundred horses for every horse.
अश्वेऽश्वे दश धानुष्का धानुष्के शत चर्मिणः। एवं व्यूढान्यनीकानि भीष्मेण तव भारत
For every horse, there are ten bowmen; for every bowman, a hundred shield-bearers; thus, O Bharata, Bhishma has arrayed your divisions in this manner.
संव्यूह्य मानुषं व्यूहं दैवं गान्धर्वमासुरम्। दिवसेदिवसे प्राप्ते भीष्मः शान्तनवोऽग्रणीः
Bhishma, son of Shantanu, the foremost, arranged the army in human, divine, Gandharva, and Asura formations, day after day as each day arrived.
महारथौघविपुलः समुद्र इव घोषवान्। भीष्मेण धार्तराष्ट्राणां व्यूहः प्रत्यङ्मुखो युधि
Vast as a sea and resounding with tumult, the formation of the Dhartarashtras, led by Bhishma and filled with mighty chariot-warriors, faced the battle.
अनन्तरूपा ध्वजिनी नरेन्द्र भीमा त्वदीया न तु पाण्डवानाम्। तां चैव मन्ये बृहतीं दुष्प्रघर्षां यस्या नेता केशवश्चार्जुनश्च
O King, your army, immense and of many forms, is fierce—not that of the Pandavas; yet I consider that army, whose leaders are Keshava and Arjuna, to be vast and hard to overcome.
बृहतीं धार्तराष्ट्रस्य सेनां दृष्ट्वा समुद्यताम्। विषादमगमद्राजा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः
Seeing the vast army of the Dhartarashtras drawn up for battle, King Yudhishthira, son of Kunti, fell into despondency.
व्यूहं भीष्मेण चाभेद्यं कल्पितं प्रेक्ष्य पाण्डवः। अभेद्यमिव संप्रेक्ष्य विवर्णोऽर्जुनमब्रवीत्
Beholding the impenetrable formation arranged by Bhishma, the Pandava, pale and anxious, spoke to Arjuna as if the formation were unbreakable.
धनञ्जय कथं शक्यमस्माभिर्योद्धुमाहवे । धार्तराष्ट्रैर्महाबाहो येषां योद्धा पितामहः
"Dhananjaya, how can we possibly fight in this battle against the Dhartarashtras, whose champion is our grandsire, the mighty-armed Bhishma?"
अक्षोभ्योऽयमभेद्यश्च भीष्मेणामित्रकर्षिणा । कल्पितः शास्त्रदृष्टेन विधिना भूरिवर्चसा
"This formation, devised by Bhishma, the subduer of foes, is unshakable and impenetrable, arranged according to the science and with great skill."
ते वयं संशय्नं प्राप्ताः ससैन्याः शत्रुकर्षण । कथमस्मान्महाव्यूहादुत्थानं नो भविष्यति
"We, along with our army, have fallen into doubt, O subduer of enemies; how will we ever emerge from this great array?"
अथार्जुनोऽब्रवीत्पार्थं युधिष्ठिरममित्रहा । विषण्णमिव संप्रेक्ष्य तव राजन्ननीकिनीम्
Then Arjuna spoke to Yudhishthira, the subduer of foes, seeing him despondent as he looked upon your army, O King.
प्रज्ञयाभ्यधिकाञ्शूरान्गुणयुक्तान्बहूनपि । जयन्त्यल्पतरा येन तन्निबोध विशांपते
"O lord of the people, know this: even those who are fewer in number but endowed with wisdom and virtues can overcome many valiant warriors."
तत्र ते कारणं राजन्प्रवक्ष्याम्यनसूयवे । नारदस्तमृषिर्वेद भीष्मद्रोणौ च पाण्डव
"O King, I will tell you the reason for this, without envy; the sage Narada knows it, as do Bhishma and Drona, O Pandava."
एनमेवार्थमाश्रित्य युद्धे देवासुरेऽब्रवीत्। पितामहः किल पुरा महेन्द्रादीन्दिवौकसः
"Relying on this very principle, the grandsire once spoke to the gods, including Indra, during the battle between the gods and the asuras."
न तथा बलवीर्याभ्यां जयन्ति विजिगीषवः । यथा सत्यानृशंस्याभ्यां धर्मेणैवोद्यमेन च
"Those who seek victory do not prevail so much by strength and valor as they do by truth, compassion, righteousness, and effort."
त्वक्त्वाऽधर्मं तथा सर्वे धर्मं चोत्तममास्थिताः । युध्यध्वमतहंकारा यतो धर्मस्ततो जयः
Having abandoned unrighteousness, all have taken up the highest righteousness; fight without arrogance, for where there is righteousness, there is victory.
एवं राजन्विजानीहि ध्रुवोऽस्माकं रणे जयः। यथा तु नारदः प्राह यतः कृष्णस्ततो जयः
Thus, O King, know for certain that victory in battle is ours; just as Nārada has said: where Krishna is, there is victory.
गुणभूतो जयः कृष्णे पृष्ठतोऽभ्येति माधवम् । तद्यथा विजयश्चास्य सन्नतिश्चापरो गुणः
Victory, being a quality, follows Krishna, Madhava; just as success is his, so too is humility another of his virtues.
अनन्ततेजा गोविन्दः शत्रुपूगेषु निर्व्यथः। पुरुषः सनातनमयो यतः कृष्णस्ततो जयः
Govinda, of infinite energy, is unshaken among hosts of enemies; he is the eternal person, and where Krishna is, there is victory.
पुरा ह्येष हरिर्भूत्वा विकुण्ठोऽकुण्ठसायकः। सुरासुरानवस्फूर्जन्नब्रवीत्के जयन्त्विति
Long ago, this Hari, having become Viṣṇu, the unwearied archer, thundered among gods and demons, saying: 'Let those who follow me be victorious.'
अनु कृष्णं जयेमेति यैरुक्तं तत्र तैर्जितम् । तत्प्रसादाद्धि त्रैलोक्यं प्राप्तं शक्रादिभिः सुरैः
Those who declared, 'We shall conquer with Krishna,' they indeed were victorious there; by his grace, the gods led by Indra obtained the three worlds.
तस्य ते न व्यथां कांचिदिह पश्यामि भारत । यस्य ते यजमाशास्ते विश्वभुक् त्रिदिवेश्वरः
For you, O Bhārata, I see no cause for any anxiety here, since your priest is the lord of the three worlds, the all-consuming ruler of heaven.
ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा स्वां सेनां समचोदयत् । प्रतिव्यूहन्ननीकानि भीष्मस्य भरतर्षभ
Then King Yudhishthira urged his army forward, arranging his divisions in opposition to Bhishma's, O best of the Bharatas.
यथोद्दिष्टान्यनीकानि प्रत्यव्यूहन्त पाण्डवाःक । स्वर्गं परममिच्छन्तः सुयुद्धेन कुरूद्वहाः
The Pandavas arrayed their divisions as prescribed, desiring the highest heaven through noble battle, O best of the Kurus.
मध्ये शिखण्डिनोऽनीकं रक्षितं सव्यसाचिना । धृष्टद्युम्नश्चरन्नग्रे भीमसेनेन पालितः
In the center was Shikhandin's division, protected by Savyasācin; Dhṛṣṭadyumna moved at the front, guarded by Bhīmasena.
अनीकं दक्षिणं राजन्युयुधानेन पालितम् । श्रीमता सात्वताग्र्येण शक्रेणेव धनुष्मता
The right wing was guarded by the royal Yuyudhāna, foremost among the Sātvatas, resplendent like Indra, the wielder of the bow.
महेन्द्रयानप्रतिमं रथं तु सोपस्करं हाटकरत्नचित्रम्। युधिष्ठिरः काञ्चनभाण्डयोक्रं समास्थितो नागबलस्य मध्ये
Yudhishthira, seated in the midst of the elephant division, mounted a chariot adorned with gold and gems, equipped with all weapons, shining like the car of Mahendra and furnished with golden fittings.