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Authors: Bibek Debroy
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elephants and the soldiers were filled with joy.”’
Chapter 883(23)
‘Dhritarashtra asked,
“O Sanjaya! Having gathered on the holy plains of Kurukshetra, wanting to
fight, what did my sons and the sons of Pandu do?”
‘Sanjaya said, “At
that time, on seeing the Pandava soldiers assembled in battle formation, King
Duryodhana went to the preceptor 71 and spoke the following words. ‘O preceptor! Look at this great army
of the Pandavas, assembled in battle formation by the son of Drupada, 72 your talented student. Here there are courageous warriors with mighty bows, the
equals of Bhima and Arjuna in battle—Yuyudhana, 73 Virata, Drupada and other maharathas, Dhristaketu 74 and Chekitana, 75 the valiant king of Kashi, Purujit from the Kuntibhoja clan andShaibya, greatest among men, the powerful Yudhamanyu, 76 the brave Uttamouja, 77 the son of Subhadra, 78 the sons of Droupadi—all of them are maharathas. O best among
brahmanas! Now you should know the main warriors and leaders in my army. For your
knowledge, I am naming them. You yourself, and Bhishma, and Karna, and Kripa, who
wins battles, Ashvatthama, and Vikarna 79 and the son of Somadatta. 80 There are many other brave warriors, ready to give up their lives for my sake.
All of them are skilled in battle and they are armed with various weapons of
attack. 81 That army of ours, protected by Bhishma, is unlimited. But this army of theirs,
protected by Bhima, is limited. 82 All of you occupy your respective positions at all the entry points to the army
formations. It is Bhishma who must be protected.’
‘“Creating happiness
in his 83 heart, the powerful eldest of the Kuru clan and the grandfather roared loudly
like a lion and blew his conch shell. Then, suddenly, conch shells and kettledrums,
other kinds of drums and trumpets began to blare. That sound became tremendous.
Then, seated in a great chariot to which white horses were harnessed, Madhava 84 and Pandava 85 blew their divine conchshells. Hrishikesha 86 blew the conch shell named Panchajanya and Dhananjaya 87 blew the conch shell named Devadatta. Vrikodara, 88 whose deeds give rise to fear, blew the giant conch shell named Poundra. King
Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, blew the conch shell named Anantavijaya. Nakula blew
the conch shell named Sughosha and Sahadeva blew the conch shell named Manipushpaka.
The king of Kashi, with the great bow, and maharatha Shikhandi, Dhristadyumna,
Virata and Satyaki, who is never defeated, Drupada, the sons of Droupadi, and the
mighty-armed son of Subhadra, all of them blew their separate conch shells, O lord
of the earth! That tremendous sound echoed in the sky and on earth and pierced the
hearts of those who were on the side of the sons of Dhritarashtra. Then, the son of
Pandu, 89 with the monkey on his banner, saw the friends of Dhritarashtra thus arranged
in battle formation and got ready to use his weapons. O lord of the earth! He raised
his bow and told Hrishikesha the following words. ‘O Achyuta! 90 Place my chariot in between the two armies, while I look at those who are
desirous of battle and are assembled here. Let me see with whom I will have to fight
in this war-related business. In a desire to do good to the evil-hearted son of
Dhritarashtra, they have gathered here, desirous of fighting. I want to see
them.’ O, descendant of the Bharata lineage! Thus spoken to by
Gudakesha, 91 Hrishikesha placed that magnificent chariot between the two armies, in front of
Bhishma, Drona and all the other rulers of the earth and said, ‘O Partha!
Look at those of the Kuru clan who are assembled here.’ There, Partha saw
fathers and grandfathers, teachers and maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons
and friends, 92 fathers-in-law and well-wishers in those two assembled armies.
‘“Seeing them, all
the friends and relatives assembled there, the son of Kunti was overcome with great
pity. 93
Chapter 883(23)
‘Dhritarashtra asked,
“O Sanjaya! Having gathered on the holy plains of Kurukshetra, wanting to
fight, what did my sons and the sons of Pandu do?”
‘Sanjaya said, “At
that time, on seeing the Pandava soldiers assembled in battle formation, King
Duryodhana went to the preceptor 71 and spoke the following words. ‘O preceptor! Look at this great army
of the Pandavas, assembled in battle formation by the son of Drupada, 72 your talented student. Here there are courageous warriors with mighty bows, the
equals of Bhima and Arjuna in battle—Yuyudhana, 73 Virata, Drupada and other maharathas, Dhristaketu 74 and Chekitana, 75 the valiant king of Kashi, Purujit from the Kuntibhoja clan andShaibya, greatest among men, the powerful Yudhamanyu, 76 the brave Uttamouja, 77 the son of Subhadra, 78 the sons of Droupadi—all of them are maharathas. O best among
brahmanas! Now you should know the main warriors and leaders in my army. For your
knowledge, I am naming them. You yourself, and Bhishma, and Karna, and Kripa, who
wins battles, Ashvatthama, and Vikarna 79 and the son of Somadatta. 80 There are many other brave warriors, ready to give up their lives for my sake.
All of them are skilled in battle and they are armed with various weapons of
attack. 81 That army of ours, protected by Bhishma, is unlimited. But this army of theirs,
protected by Bhima, is limited. 82 All of you occupy your respective positions at all the entry points to the army
formations. It is Bhishma who must be protected.’
‘“Creating happiness
in his 83 heart, the powerful eldest of the Kuru clan and the grandfather roared loudly
like a lion and blew his conch shell. Then, suddenly, conch shells and kettledrums,
other kinds of drums and trumpets began to blare. That sound became tremendous.
Then, seated in a great chariot to which white horses were harnessed, Madhava 84 and Pandava 85 blew their divine conchshells. Hrishikesha 86 blew the conch shell named Panchajanya and Dhananjaya 87 blew the conch shell named Devadatta. Vrikodara, 88 whose deeds give rise to fear, blew the giant conch shell named Poundra. King
Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, blew the conch shell named Anantavijaya. Nakula blew
the conch shell named Sughosha and Sahadeva blew the conch shell named Manipushpaka.
The king of Kashi, with the great bow, and maharatha Shikhandi, Dhristadyumna,
Virata and Satyaki, who is never defeated, Drupada, the sons of Droupadi, and the
mighty-armed son of Subhadra, all of them blew their separate conch shells, O lord
of the earth! That tremendous sound echoed in the sky and on earth and pierced the
hearts of those who were on the side of the sons of Dhritarashtra. Then, the son of
Pandu, 89 with the monkey on his banner, saw the friends of Dhritarashtra thus arranged
in battle formation and got ready to use his weapons. O lord of the earth! He raised
his bow and told Hrishikesha the following words. ‘O Achyuta! 90 Place my chariot in between the two armies, while I look at those who are
desirous of battle and are assembled here. Let me see with whom I will have to fight
in this war-related business. In a desire to do good to the evil-hearted son of
Dhritarashtra, they have gathered here, desirous of fighting. I want to see
them.’ O, descendant of the Bharata lineage! Thus spoken to by
Gudakesha, 91 Hrishikesha placed that magnificent chariot between the two armies, in front of
Bhishma, Drona and all the other rulers of the earth and said, ‘O Partha!
Look at those of the Kuru clan who are assembled here.’ There, Partha saw
fathers and grandfathers, teachers and maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons
and friends, 92 fathers-in-law and well-wishers in those two assembled armies.
‘“Seeing them, all
the friends and relatives assembled there, the son of Kunti was overcome with great
pity. 93
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