Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच किंशीलाः किंसमुत्थानाः कथंरूपाश्च भारत किंसंनाहाः कथंशस्त्रा जनाः स्युः संयुगे नृप
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said Of what nature, of what conduct, of what form, how clad, and how armed should the warriors be in order that they may be competent for battle?
भीष्म उवाच यथाचरितमेवात्र शस्त्रपत्रं विधीयते आचारादेव पुरुषस्तथा कर्मसु वर्तते
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said The soldier should use those weapons and cars with which they have become familiar by use. Taking those weapons and vehicles, brave soldiers, engage in battle.
Supplementary Passages:
12.102.2 After 2, D4 ins.: *238 आदानार्थाय पुरुषैस्तथा कर्म विधीयते
गान्धाराः सिन्धुसौवीरा नखरप्रासयोधिनः आभीरवः सुबलिनस्तद्बलं सर्वपारगम्
M. N. Dutt: The Gandharas, the Sindhus, and the Sauviras fight best with their nails and lances. They are brave and very strong. Their armies are capable of defeating all forces.
सर्वशस्त्रेषु कुशलाः सत्त्ववन्तो ह्युशीनराः प्राच्या मातङ्गयुद्धेषु कुशलाः शठयोधिनः
M. N. Dutt: The Ushinaras are endued with great strength and skilled in all sorts of weapons. The Easterners are skilled in fighting from the backs of elephants and are masters of all the ways of unfair fight.
तथा यवनकाम्बोजा मथुरामभितश्च ये एते नियुद्धकुशला दाक्षिणात्यासिचर्मिणः
M. N. Dutt: The Yavanas, the Kamvojas, and those that live around Mathura are well skilled in fighting with bare arms. The Southerners are expert in fighting with bare arms. Southerners are expert in fighting swords in hand.
सर्वत्र शूरा जायन्ते महासत्त्वा महाबलाः प्राय एष समुद्दिष्टो लक्षणानि तु मे शृणु
M. N. Dutt: It is well known that persons endued with great strength and great courage are born in almost every country. Listen to me as I describe their characteristics.
Supplementary Passages:
12.102.6 After 6ab, D7 S ins.: *239 आवन्तिका महाशूराश्चतुरङ्गे च माळवाः एकोऽपि हि सहस्रस्य तिष्ठत्यभिमुखो रणे
सिंहशार्दूलवाङ्नेत्राः सिंहशार्दूलगामिनः पारावतकुलिङ्गाक्षाः सर्वे शूराः प्रमाथिनः
M. N. Dutt: Those, who have voices and eyes like those of the lion or the tiger, those who have a gait like that of the lion and the tiger, and those who have eyes like those of the pigeon or of the snake, are all heroes capable of grinding the enemies.
मृगस्वरा द्वीपिनेत्रा ऋषभाक्षास्तथापरे प्रवादिनः सुचण्डाश्च क्रोधिनः किंनरीस्वनाः
M. N. Dutt: Those, who have a voice like a deer, and eyes like those of the leopard or the bull, are highly active. Those, whose voice is like that of bells, are excitable, wicked, and wrathful.
मेघस्वनाः क्रुद्धमुखाः केचित्करभनिस्वनाः जिह्मनासानुजङ्घाश्च दूरगा दूरपातिनः
M. N. Dutt: Those, who have a voice deep like the muttering of the clouds, who have angry faces or faces like those of camels, those who have hooked noses and tongues, are gifted with great speed and can shoot or hurl their weapons to a great distance.
बिडालकुब्जास्तनवस्तनुकेशास्तनुत्वचः शूराश्चपलचित्ताश्च ते भवन्ति दुरासदाः
AI Translation: Their breasts are crooked like cats, their hair is thin, their skin is thin, They are brave, fickle-minded, and difficult to approach.
गोधानिमीलिताः केचिन्मृदुप्रकृतयोऽपि च तुरंगगतिनिर्घोषास्ते नराः पारयिष्णवः
M. N. Dutt: Some who have eyes closed like those of iguana, a mild disposition and speed and voice like the horse's are capable to fight all enemies,
सुसंहताः प्रतनवो व्यूढोरस्काः सुसंस्थिताः प्रवादितेन नृत्यन्ति हृष्यन्ति कलहेषु च
AI Translation: Well-knit, fresh, broad-chested, well-arranged, They dance to the sound of music, rejoice in quarrels.
गम्भीराक्षा निःसृताक्षाः पिङ्गला भ्रुकुटीमुखाः नकुलाक्षास्तथा चैव सर्वे शूरास्तनुत्यजः
AI Translation: Deep-eyed, released-eyed, tawny, frowning-faced, Slant-eyed, and likewise all the heroes who give up their bodies.
जिह्माक्षाः प्रललाटाश्च निर्मांसहनवोऽपि च वक्रबाह्वङ्गुलीसक्ताः कृशा धमनिसंतताः
AI Translation: Those with sunken eyes, protruding foreheads, and thin limbs, with crooked arms and fingers, emaciated, and covered with veins,
प्रविशन्त्यतिवेगेन संपरायेऽभ्युपस्थिते वारणा इव संमत्तास्ते भवन्ति दुरासदाः
AI Translation: When the time of death arrives, they enter with great force, like intoxicated elephants, difficult to approach.
दीप्तस्फुटितकेशान्ताः स्थूलपार्श्वहनूमुखाः उन्नतांसाः पृथुग्रीवा विकटाः स्थूलपिण्डिकाः
AI Translation: With hair that is bright and disheveled, with broad sides, jaws, and faces, With raised shoulders, broad necks, and protruding bellies, with large stomachs,
उद्वृत्ताश्चैव सुग्रीवा विनता विहगा इव पिण्डशीर्षाहिवक्त्राश्च वृषदंशमुखा इव
AI Translation: Their necks were raised, like birds with their wings spread. Their heads were round like snakes, their faces like bulls.
उग्रस्वना मन्युमन्तो युद्धेष्वारावसारिणः अधर्मज्ञावलिप्ताश्च घोरा रौद्रप्रदर्शिनः
AI Translation: Fierce in sound, angry, in battles, going to the sound of the conch, Covered with the knowledge of adharma, terrible, showing the terrible.
त्यक्तात्मानः सर्व एते अन्त्यजा ह्यनिवर्तिनः पुरस्कार्याः सदा सैन्ये हन्यन्ते घ्नन्ति चापि ते
AI Translation: All of them have given up their lives, and are of the lowest caste, and are not to be turned back. They should always be honoured in the army, and they kill and are killed.
अधार्मिका भिन्नवृत्ताः साध्वेवैषां पराभवः एवमेव प्रकुप्यन्ति राज्ञोऽप्येते ह्यभीक्ष्णशः
M. N. Dutt: Of wicked conduct and foreign manners, they consider soft speeches as marks of defeat. If treated leniently, they always show anger against their sovereign.