Critical Edition
संजय उवाच अथ शूरा महाराज परस्परकृतागसः जग्मुः स्वशिबिराण्येव रुधिरेण समुक्षिताः
M. N. Dutt: Sanjaya said Then, O mighty monarch, those heroes literally bespattered with blood, keeping alive their enmity for one another, retired to their respective tents.
विश्रम्य च यथान्यायं पूजयित्वा परस्परम् संनद्धाः समदृश्यन्त भूयो युद्धचिकीर्षया
M. N. Dutt: Thereafter having rested awhile, and having duly praised one another (for the feats achieve), they again were seen clad in coats of mail, standing desirous of battle.
ततस्तव सुतो राजंश्चिन्तयाभिपरिप्लुतः विस्रवच्छोणिताक्ताङ्गः पप्रच्छेदं पितामहम्
M. N. Dutt: Then, O monarch, your son Duryodhana, covered with stains of blood all over the body, and overwhelmed with anxious thought, from confidence, asked the grandsire Bhishma saying;
सैन्यानि रौद्राणि भयानकानि; व्यूढानि सम्यग्बहुलध्वजानि विदार्य हत्वा च निपीड्य शूरा;स्ते पाण्डवानां त्वरिता रथौघाः
M. N. Dutt: "Our troops are fierce and formidable and duly arranged; and they carry mighty standards, and yet those heroic and fleet host of car-warrior belonging to the Pandava army, penetrating and slaughtering and crushing.
संमोह्य सर्वान्युधि कीर्तिमन्तो; व्यूहं च तं मकरं वज्रकल्पम् प्रविश्य भीमेन निबर्हितोऽस्मि; घोरैः शरैर्मृत्युदण्डप्रकाशैः
M. N. Dutt: and confounding us all, has earned great fame in battle. I have also been wounded deeply by those dreadful shafts resembling the club of Death himself, that have been shot by Bhima who broke through our Makara-array that was strong as the thunder bolt itself.
क्रुद्धं तमुद्वीक्ष्य भयेन राज;न्संमूर्छितो नालभं शान्तिमद्य इच्छे प्रसादात्तव सत्यसंध; प्राप्तुं जयं पाण्डवेयांश्च हन्तुम्
M. N. Dutt: Beholding Bhima, I have been, O sire, unmanned with fear, even now I can not regain the equilibrium of my mind, O you of neverfalling aim, I desire, through your grace, to obtain victory and to slay the sons of Pandava”.
तेनैवमुक्तः प्रहसन्महात्मा; दुर्योधनं जातमन्युं विदित्वा तं प्रत्युवाचाविमना मनस्वी; गङ्गासुतः शस्त्रभृतां वरिष्ठः
M. N. Dutt: Thus addressed by Duryodhana and knowing him to be possessed by great grief, that high-souled son of Ganga that foremost of all wielders of weapons, endued with intelligence, smiling, replied to the former with a cheerless heart:
परेण यत्नेन विगाह्य सेनां; सर्वात्मनाहं तव राजपुत्र इच्छामि दातुं विजयं सुखं च; न चात्मानं छादयेऽहं त्वदर्थे
M. N. Dutt: "Breaking through the hostile ranks with the greatest exertions and with all my power, O prince, I wish to give you victory and joy. For your sake, I do never dissemble.
एते तु रौद्रा बहवो महारथा; यशस्विनः शूरतमाः कृतास्त्राः ये पाण्डवानां समरे सहाया; जितक्लमाः क्रोधविषं वमन्ति
M. N. Dutt: These mighty car-warrior, who have sided with the Pandavas in this battle, innumerable, formidable, all foremost horses, endued with renown and accomplished in the use of weapons; they are indefatigable and are seem to vomit forth the venom of their wrath in battle.
ते नेह शक्याः सहसा विजेतुं; वीर्योन्नद्धाः कृतवैरास्त्वया च अहं ह्येतान्प्रतियोत्स्यामि राज;न्सर्वात्मना जीवितं त्यज्य वीर
M. N. Dutt: These heroes are not to be so easily vanquished; they entertain feelings of the bitterest hostility for you, and are more ever swelling with their powers. Yet O monarch, I will, with all my soul fight these heroes to the bitter end.
रणे तवार्थाय महानुभाव; न जीवितं रक्ष्यतमं ममाद्य सर्वांस्तवार्थाय सदेवदैत्याँ;ल्लोकान्दहेयं किमु शत्रूंस्तवेह
M. N. Dutt: For your sake, O generous hero this day will I have no regard for my life in battle. For your sake, will I consume all the regions with their myriad celestial and Daityas, what to speak of your enemies?
तत्पाण्डवान्योधयिष्यामि राज;न्प्रियं च ते सर्वमहं करिष्ये श्रुत्वैव चैतत्परमप्रतीतो; दुर्योधनः प्रीतमना बभूव
M. N. Dutt: I will encounter, O king, the Pandavas, and there by encompass all that is agreeable to you”. Hearing these words Duryodhana became inspired with confidence, and his heart swelled in joy.
सर्वाणि सैन्यानि ततः प्रहृष्टो; निर्गच्छतेत्याह नृपांश्च सर्वान् तदाज्ञया तानि विनिर्ययुर्द्रुतं; रथाश्वपादातगजायुतानि
M. N. Dutt: Then with a delighted heart, he gave the word of command to the troops and all the assembled kings, saying Proceed. At his command the army consisting of chariots, steeds, foot-soldiers and elephant-riders, began to advance (in battle array).
प्रहर्षयुक्तानि तु तानि राज;न्महान्ति नानाविधशस्त्रवन्ति स्थितानि नागाश्वपदातिमन्ति; विरेजुराजौ तव राजन्बलानि
M. N. Dutt: That extensive army of yours, O king, equipped with various sorts of implements of war, was filled with delight. O king, your army, teeming with elephant-riders, cavalrysoldiers and foot-soldiers arranged in battle order, appeared exceedingly beautiful.
वृन्दैः स्थिताश्चापि सुसंप्रयुक्ता;श्चकाशिरे दन्तिगणाः समन्तात् शस्त्रास्त्रविद्भिर्नरदेव योधै;रधिष्ठिताः सैन्यगणास्त्वदीयाः
AI Translation: The troops were well-equipped and stood in groups, and the masses of elephants shone all around. The armies of yours, led by warriors who were skilled in weapons and missiles, were
रथैश्च पादातगजाश्वसंघैः; प्रयाद्भिराजौ विधिवत्प्रणुन्नैः समुद्धतं वै तरुणार्कवर्णं; रजो बभौ छादयत्सूर्यरश्मीन्
AI Translation: With chariots, foot soldiers, elephants, and horses, the army, properly arranged, was moving out. The dust, raised high, the color of the rising sun, obscured the sun's rays.
रेजुः पताका रथदन्तिसंस्था; वातेरिता भ्राम्यमाणाः समन्तात् नानारङ्गाः समरे तत्र राज;न्मेघैर्युक्ता विद्युतः खे यथैव
AI Translation: Banners were fluttering, being tossed about by the wind, from chariots and elephants, all around. In that battle, they were of various colors, like lightning in the sky with clouds.
धनूंषि विस्फारयतां नृपाणां; बभूव शब्दस्तुमुलोऽतिघोरः विमथ्यतो देवमहासुरौघै;र्यथार्णवस्यादियुगे तदानीम्
M. N. Dutt: A dreadful and deafening din was created by monarchs stretching and twanging their bows-din that resembled the roar of the ocean, when in the Satya era, it was churned by the hosts of celestial and Asuras.
तदुग्रनादं बहुरूपवर्णं; तवात्मजानां समुदीर्णमेवम् बभूव सैन्यं रिपुसैन्यहन्तृ; युगान्तमेघौघनिभं तदानीम्
M. N. Dutt: At the moment, that army of your sons, uttering fierce war-cries, comprising in it combatants of divers hues, loO king so resplendent, and capable of slaughtering the enemy's host , appcared like the clan of clouds that are seen at the expiration of a Yuga.