द्रोणस्याथ विकर्णस्य बाह्लीकस्य कृपस्य च। अन्येषां चैव वृद्धानां भरतानां महात्मनाम्। त्वदर्थमब्रवं तात न जहुर्वचनानि ते
Drona, Vikarna, Bahlika, Kripa, and other elders of the Bharatas, all great souls—I spoke to them for your sake, but they did not disregard my words.
कं वा त्वं मन्यसे तेषां यस्त्वां ब्रूयादतोऽन्यथा। कृष्णो न धर्मं सञ्जह्यात्सर्वे ते हि तदन्वयाः
Whom among them do you think would speak otherwise to you? Krishna would never abandon dharma, and all of them follow him.
मयाऽपि चोक्तास्ते वीरा वचनं धर्मसंहितम्। नान्यथा प्रकरिष्यन्ति धर्मात्मानो हि पाण्डवाः
Even I spoke to those heroes words in accord with righteousness; the righteous Pandavas will not act otherwise.
इत्यहं विलपन्सूत बहुशः पुत्रमुक्तवान्। न च मे श्रुतवान्मूढो मन्ये कालस्य पर्ययम्
Thus, lamenting again and again, I spoke to my son, O charioteer, but in his delusion he did not heed me, nor did he recognize the turn of fate.
वृकोदरार्जुनौ यत्र वृष्णिवीरश्च सात्यकिः। उत्तमौजाश्च पाञ्चाल्यो युधामन्युश्च दुर्जयः
Where Bhima and Arjuna are, and the valiant Satyaki of the Vrishni clan, and Uttamaujas of Panchala, and the unconquerable Yudhamanyu—
धृष्टद्युम्नश्च दुर्धर्षः शिखण्डी चापराजितः। अश्मकाः केकयाश्चैव क्षत्रधर्मा च सौमकिः
And where the formidable Dhrishtadyumna is, and the undefeated Shikhandi, and the Ashmakas, and the Kekayas, and Saumaki, steadfast in the warrior’s code—
चैद्यश्च चेकितानश्च पुत्रः काश्यस्य चाभिभूः। द्रौपदेया विराटश्च द्रुपदश्च महारथः
And where the Chedi king, Chekitana, Abhibhu the son of the Kashi king, the sons of Draupadi, Virata, and Drupada, the great chariot-warrior, are—
यमौ च पुरुषव्याघ्रौ मन्त्री च मधुसूदनः। क एताञ्जातु युध्येत लोकेऽस्मिन्वै जिजीविषुः
And where the two tigers among men, the twins, are, and Krishna the counselor—who in this world, wishing to live, would dare fight against them?
दिव्यमस्त्रं विकुर्वाणान्प्रसहेद्वा परान्मम। अन्यो दुर्योधनात्कार्णाच्छकुनेश्चापि सौबलात्। दुःशासनचतुर्थानां नान्यं पश्यामि पञ्चमम्
Who could withstand Arjuna, wielding his celestial weapons, except Duryodhana, Karna, Shakuni son of Subala, and Duhshasana? I see no fifth equal to them.
येषां वचनकृत्स स्याद्विष्वक्सेनो रथे स्थितः। सन्नद्धश्चार्जुनो योद्धा तेषां नास्ति पराजयः
For those whose charioteer is Vishvaksena, and who have Arjuna, armored and ready for battle, defeat is not possible.
तथा मम विलापानां नायं दुर्योधनः स्मरेत्। हतौ हि पुरुषव्याघ्रौ भीष्मद्रोणौ त्वमात्थ वै
Thus, Duryodhana does not remember my lamentations; for you have said, Bhishma and Drona, tigers among men, have been slain.
तेषां विदुरवाक्यानामुक्तानां दीर्घदर्शनात्। दृष्ट्वेमां फलनिर्वृत्तिं मन्ये शोचन्ति पुत्रकाः
Hearing the wise words spoken by Vidura, and seeing this outcome, I think my sons now grieve.
सेनां दृष्ट्वाऽभिभूतां मे शैनेयेनार्जुनेन च। शून्यान्दृष्ट्वा रथोपस्थान्मन्ये शोचन्ति पुत्रकाः
Seeing my army overwhelmed by Shalya and Arjuna, and the empty seats on the chariots, I believe my sons now grieve.
हिमात्यये यथा कक्षं शुष्कं वातेरितो महान्। अग्निर्दहेत्तथा सेनां मामिकां स धनञ्जयः
Just as a great wind burns dry grass at winter’s end, so does Dhananjaya consume my army.
आचक्ष्व मम तत्सर्वं कुशलो ह्यसि सञ्जय। यदोपयाताः सायाह्ने कृत्वा पार्थस्य किल्बिषं
Tell me everything, Sanjaya, for you are skilled; what happened when, at day’s end, they committed that offense against Partha?
अभिमन्यौ हते तात कथमासीन्मनो हि वः
When Abhimanyu was slain, my son, what was in your hearts?
न जातु तस्य कर्माणि युधि गाण्डीवधन्वनः। अपकृत्य महत्तात सोढुं शक्ष्यन्ति मामकाः
Never, my dear, will my men be able to endure, in battle, the mighty deeds of Arjuna, wielder of Gandiva.
किन्नुः दुर्योधनः कृत्यं कर्णः कृत्यं किमब्रवीत्। दुःशासनः सौबलश्च तेषामेवं गते सति
What did Duryodhana do? What did Karna do? What did Duhshasana and the son of Subala say, when things had come to this?
सर्वेषां समवेतानां पुत्राणां मम सञ्जय। यद्वृत्तं तात सङ्ग्रामे मन्दस्यापनयैर्भृशम्
Tell me, Sanjaya, what happened in the battle among all my assembled sons, when their wits were so clouded.
लोभानुगस्य दुर्बुद्धेः क्रोधेन विकृतात्मनः। राज्यकामस्य मूढस्य रागोपहतचेतसः। दुर्नीतं वा सुनीतं वा तन्ममाचक्ष्व सञ्जय
Whether their conduct was evil or good, tell me, Sanjaya, of my foolish son, led by greed, warped by anger, longing for the kingdom, and blinded by passion.
यावत्तु शक्यते कर्तुमन्तरज्ञैर्जनाधिपैः। क्षत्रधर्मरतैः शूरैस्तावत्कुर्वन्ति कौरवाः
As long as it is possible for kings, skilled in counsel and devoted to the warrior’s code, to act, so long do the Kauravas strive.
यथा तु पुरुषव्याघ्रैर्युद्धं परमसङ्कटम्। कुरूणां पाण्डवैः सार्धं तत्सर्वं शृणु तत्त्वतः
Now hear in truth how the Kurus, with the Pandavas, fought that most terrible battle, O tiger among men.
ते चैकसप्तसाहस्रास्त्रिसाहस्राश्च सैन्धवाः
And there were seventeen thousand and three thousand Sindhu warriors.
मत्तानां सुविरूढानां हस्त्यारोहैर्विशारदैः। हस्तिनां भीमरूपाणां वर्मिणां रौद्रकर्मिणाम्
Of intoxicated, well-trained elephants, with skilled riders, fierce in form, armored and performing dreadful deeds—
अध्यर्धेन सहस्रेण पुत्रो दुर्मर्षणस्तव। अग्रतः सर्वसैन्यानां योत्स्यमानो व्यवस्थितः
With an additional one and a half thousand, your son Durmarshana stood at the front of all the armies, ready to fight.
ततो दुःशासनश्चैव विकर्णश्च तवात्मजौ। सिन्धुराजार्थसिद्ध्यर्थमग्रानीके व्यवस्थितौ
Then Duḥśāsana and Vikarna, your sons, took position at the forefront for the sake of the Sindhu king’s success.
दीर्घो द्वादशगव्यूतिः पश्चार्धे पञ्चविस्तृतः। व्यूहस्तु चक्रशकटो भारद्वाजेन निर्मितः
The formation, crafted by Bhāradvāja, stretched twelve gavutas long and five wide at the rear, in the shape of a wheel and cart.
नानानृपतिभिर्वीरैस्तत्रतत्र व्यवस्थितैः। रथाश्वगजपत्त्योघैर्द्रोणेन विहितः स्वयम्
It was arranged by Droṇa himself, with various heroic kings stationed throughout, and composed of chariots, horses, elephants, and infantry.
पश्चार्धे तस्य पद्मस्तु गर्भव्यूहः पुनः कृतः। सूचीपद्मस्य गर्भस्थो गूढो व्यूहः कृतः पुनः
At the rear of that formation, a lotus-shaped array was again made, with a concealed core within the needle-lotus.
एवमेतं महाव्यूहं व्यूह्य द्रोणो व्यवस्थितः। सूचीमुखे महेष्वासः कृतवर्मा व्यवस्थितः
Thus, having arrayed this great formation, Droṇa took his stand; at the needle’s point, the mighty archer Kṛtavarman was stationed.