TEXT 5
धृष्टकेतुश्चेकितानः काशिराजश्च वीर्यवान् ।
पुरुजित्कुन्तिभोजश्च शैब्यश्च नरपुङ्गवः ।। 5 ।।
dhṛṣṭaketuś cekitānaḥ
kāśirājaś ca vīryavān
purujit kuntibhojaś ca
śaibyaś ca nara-puṅgavaḥ
dhṛṣṭaketuḥ – Dhṛṣṭaketu; cekitānaḥ – Cekitāna; kāśirājaḥ – Kāśirāja; ca – also; vīrya-vān – very powerful; purujit – Purujit; kuntibhojaḥ – Kuntibhoja; ca – and; śaibyaḥ – Śaibya; ca – and; nara-puṅgavaḥ – hero in human society.
There are also great heroic, powerful fighters like Dhṛṣṭaketu, Cekitāna, Kāśirāja, Purujit, Kuntibhoja and Śaibya.
TEXT 6
युधामन्युश्च विक्रान्त उत्तमौजाश्च वीर्यवान् ।
सौभद्रो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्व एव महारथाः ।। 6 ।।
yudhāmanyuś ca vikrānta
uttamaujāś ca vīryavān
saubhadro draupadeyāś ca
sarva eva mahā-rathāḥ
yudhāmanyuḥ – Yudhāmanyu; ca – and; vikrāntaḥ – mighty; uttamaujāḥ – Uttamaujā; ca – and; vīrya-vān – very powerful; saubhadraḥ – the son of Subhadrā; draupadeyāḥ – the sons of Draupadī; ca – and; sarve – all; eva – certainly; mahā-rathāḥ – great chariot fighters.
There are the mighty Yudhāmanyu, the very powerful Uttamaujā, the son of Subhadrā and the sons of Draupadī. All these warriors are great chariot fighters.
TEXT 7
अस्माकं तु विशिष्टा ये तान्निबोध द्विजोत्तम ।
नायका मम सैन्यस्य संज्ञार्थं तान् ब्रवीमि ते ।। 7 ।।
asmākaṁ tu viśiṣṭā ye
tān nibodha dvijottama
nāyakā mama sainyasya
saṁjñārthaṁ tān bravīmi te
asmākam – our; tu – but; viśiṣṭāḥ – especially powerful; ye – who; tān – them; nibodha – just take note of, be informed; dvija-uttama – O best of the brāhmaṇas; nāyakāḥ – captains; mama – my; sainyasya – of the soldiers; saṁjñā-artham – for information; tān – them; bravīmi – I am speaking; te – to you.
But for your information, O best of the brāhmaṇas, let me tell you about the captains who are especially qualified to lead my military force.
TEXT 8
भवान् भीष्मश्च कर्णश्च कृपश्च समितिञ्जयः ।
अश्वत्थामा विकर्णश्च सौमदत्तिस्तथैव च ।। 8 ।।
bhavān bhīṣmaś ca karṇaś ca
kṛpaś ca samitiṁ-jayaḥ
aśvatthāmā vikarṇaś ca
saumadattis tathaiva ca
bhavān – your good self; bhīṣmaḥ – Grandfather Bhīṣma; ca – also; karṇaḥ – Karṇa; ca – and; kṛpaḥ – Kṛpa; ca – and; samitim-jayaḥ – always victorious in battle; aśvatthāmā – Aśvatthāmā; vikarṇaḥ – Vikarṇa; ca – as well as; saumadattiḥ – the son of Somadatta; tathā – as well as; eva – certainly; ca – also.
There are personalities like you, Bhīṣma, Karṇa, Kṛpa, Aśvatthāmā, Vikarṇa and the son of Somadatta called Bhūriśravā, who are always victorious in battle.
Duryodhana mentions the exceptional heroes in the battle, all of whom are ever victorious. Vikarṇa is the brother of Duryodhana, Aśvatthāmā is the son of Droṇācārya, and Saumadatti, or Bhūriśravā, is the son of the King of the Bāhlīkas. Karṇa is the half brother of Arjuna, as he was born of Kuntī before her marriage with King Pāṇḍu. Kṛpācārya’s twin sister married Droṇācārya.
TEXT 9
अन्ये च बहवः शूरा मदर्थे त्यक्तजीविताः ।
नानाशस्त्रप्रहरणाः सर्वे युद्ध -विशारदाः ।। 9 ।।
anye ca bahavaḥ śūrā
mad-arthe tyakta-jīvitāḥ
nānā-śastra-praharaṇāḥ
sarve yuddha-viśāradāḥ
anye – others; ca – also; bahavaḥ – in great numbers; śūrāḥ – heroes; mat-arthe – for my sake; tyakta-jīvitāḥ – prepared to risk life; nānā – many; śastra – weapons; praharaṇāḥ – equipped with; sarve – all of them; yuddha-viśāradāḥ – experienced in military science.
There are many other heroes who are prepared to lay down their lives for my sake. All of them are well equipped with different kinds of weapons, and all are experienced in military science.
As far as the others are concerned – like Jayadratha, Kṛtavarmā and Śalya – all are determined to lay down their lives for Duryodhana’s sake. In other words, it is already concluded that all of them would die in the Battle of Kurukṣetra for joining the party of the sinful Duryodhana. Duryodhana was, of course, confident of his victory on account of the above-mentioned combined strength of his friends.
TEXT 10
अपर्याप्तं तदस्माकं बलं भीष्माभिरक्षितम् ।
पर्याप्तं त्विदमेतेषां बलं भीमाभिरक्षितम् ।। 10 ।।
aparyāptaṁ tad asmākaṁ
balaṁ bhīṣmābhirakṣitam
paryāptaṁ tv idam eteṣāṁ
balaṁ bhīmābhirakṣitam
aparyāptam – immeasurable; tat – that; asmākam – of ours; balam – strength; bhīṣma – by Grandfather Bhīṣma; abhirakṣitam – perfectly protected; paryāptam – limited; tu – but; idam – all this; eteṣām – of the Pāṇḍavas; balam – strength; bhīma – by Bhīma; abhirakṣitam – carefully protected.
Our strength is immeasurable, and we are perfectly protected by Grandfather Bhīṣma, whereas the strength of the Pāṇḍavas, carefully protected by Bhīma, is limited.
Herein an estimation of comparative strength is made by Duryodhana. He thinks that the strength of his armed forces is immeasurable, being specifically protected by the most experienced general, Grandfather Bhīṣma. On the other hand, the forces of the Pāṇḍavas are limited, being protected by a less experienced general, Bhīma, who is like a fig in the presence of Bhīṣma. Duryodhana was always envious of Bhīma because he knew perfectly well that if he should die at all, he would only be killed by Bhīma. But at the same time, he was confident of his victory on account of the presence of Bhīṣma, who was a far superior general. His conclusion that he would come out of the battle victorious was well ascertained.
TEXT 11
अयनेषु च सर्वेषु यथाभागमवस्थिताः ।
भीष्ममेवाभिरक्षन्तु भवन्तः सर्व एव हि ।। 11 ।।
ayaneṣu ca sarveṣu
yathā-bhāgam avasthitāḥ
bhīṣmam evābhirakṣantu
bhavantaḥ sarva eva hi
ayaneṣu – in the strategic points; ca – also; sarveṣu – everywhere; yathā-bhāgam – as differently arranged; avasthitāḥ – situated; bhīṣmam – unto Grandfather Bhīṣma; eva – certainly; abhirakṣantu – should give support; bhavantaḥ – you; sarve – all respectively; eva hi – certainly.
All of you must now give full support to Grandfather Bhīṣma, as you stand at your respective strategic points of entrance into the phalanx of the army.
Duryodhana, after praising the prowess of Bhīṣma, further considered that others might think that they had been considered less important, so in his usual diplomatic way, he tried to adjust the situation in the above words. He emphasized that Bhīṣmadeva was undoubtedly the greatest hero, but he was an old man, so everyone must especially think of his protection from all sides. He might become engaged in the fight, and the enemy might take advantage of his full engagement on one side. Therefore, it was important that other heroes not leave their strategic positions and allow the enemy to break the phalanx. Duryodhana clearly felt that the victory of the Kurus depended on the presence of Bhīṣmadeva. He was confident of the full support of Bhīṣmadeva and Droṇācārya in the battle because he well knew that they did not even speak a word when Arjuna’s wife Draupadī, in her helpless condition, had appealed to them for justice while she was being forced to appear naked in the presence of all the great generals in the assembly. Although he knew that the two generals had some sort of affection for the Pāṇḍavas, he hoped that these generals would now completely give it up, as they had done during the gambling performances.
TEXT 12
तस्य सञ्जनयन् हर्षं कुरुवृद्धः पितामहः ।
सिंहनादं विनद्योच्चैः शङ्खं दध्मौ प्रतापवान् ।। 12 ।।
tasya sañjanayan harṣaṁ
kuru-vṛddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ
siṁha-nādaṁ vinadyoccaiḥ
śaṅkhaṁ dadhmau pratāpavān
tasya – his; sañjanayan – increasing; harṣam – cheerfulness; kuru-vṛddhaḥ – the grandsire of the Kuru dynasty (Bhīṣma); pitāmahaḥ – the grandfather; siṁha-nādam – roaring sound, like that of a lion; vinadya – vibrating; uccaiḥ – very loudly; śaṅkham – conchshell; dadhmau – blew; pratāpa-vān – the valiant.
Then Bhīṣma, the great valiant grandsire of the Kuru dynasty, the grandfather of the fighters, blew his conchshell very loudly, making a sound like the roar of a lion, giving Duryodhana joy.
The grandsire of the Kuru dynasty could understand the inner meaning of the heart of his grandson Duryodhana, and out of his natural compassion for him he tried to cheer him by blowing his conchshell very loudly, befitting his position as a lion. Indirectly, by the symbolism of the conchshell, he informed his depressed grandson Duryodhana that he had no chance of victory in the battle, because the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa was on the other side. But still, it was his duty to conduct the fight, and no pains would be spared in that connection.
TEXT 13
ततः शङ्खाश्च भेर्यश्च पणवानकगोमुखाः ।
सहसैवाभ्यहन्यन्त स शब्दस्तुमुलोऽभवत् ।। 13 ।।
tataḥ śaṅkhāś ca bheryaś ca
paṇavānaka-gomukhāḥ
sahasaivābhyahanyanta
sa śabdas tumulo ’bhavat
tataḥ – thereafter; śaṅkhāḥ – conchshells; ca – also; bheryaḥ – large drums; ca – and; paṇava-ānaka – small drums and kettledrums; go-mukhāḥ – horns; sahasā – all of a sudden; eva – certainly; abhyahanyanta – were simultaneously sounded; saḥ – that; śabdaḥ – combined sound; tumulaḥ – tumultuous; abhavat – became.
After that, the conchshells, drums, bugles, trumpets and horns were all suddenly sounded, and the combined sound was tumultuous.
TEXT 14
ततः रवेतैर्हयैर्युक्ते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ ।
माधवः पाण्डवश्चैव दिव्यौ शङ्खौ प्रदध्मतुः ।। 14 ।।
tataḥ śvetair hayair yukte
mahati syandane sthitau
mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaś caiva
divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ
tataḥ – thereafter; śvetaiḥ – with white; hayaiḥ – horses; yukte – being yoked; mahati – in a great; syandane – chariot; sthitau – situated; mādhavaḥ – Kṛṣṇa (the husband of the goddess of fortune); pāṇḍavaḥ – Arjuna (the son of Pāṇḍu); ca – also; eva – certainly; divyau – transcendental; śaṅkhau – conchshells; pradadhmatuḥ – sounded.
On the other side, both Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, stationed on a great chariot drawn by white horses, sounded their transcendental conchshells.
In contrast with the conchshell blown by Bhīṣmadeva, the conchshells in the hands of Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna are described as transcendental. The sounding of the transcendental conchshells indicated that there was no hope of victory for the other side because Kṛṣṇa was on the side of the Pāṇḍavas. Jayas tu pāṇḍu-putrāṇāṁ yeṣāṁ pakṣe janārdanaḥ. Victory is always with persons like the sons of Pāṇḍu because Lord Kṛṣṇa is associated with them. And whenever and wherever the Lord is present, the goddess of fortune is also there because the goddess of fortune never lives alone without her husband. Therefore, victory
