Adhyaya 18

Verse 1

इस प्रकार श्रीमहाभारत भीष्मपर्वके अन्तर्गत श्रीमद्भगवद््‌गीतापर्वमें सैन्यवर्णणनविषयक सत्रहवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ ॥/ १७ ॥। ऑपनआक्रात बछ। अ-काज जा अष्टादशो< ध्याय: कौरवसेनाका कोलाहल तथा भीष्मके रक्षकोंका वर्णन संजय उवाच ततो मुहूर्तात्‌ तुमुलः शब्दो हृदयकम्पन: । अश्रूयत महाराज योधानां प्रयुयुत्मताम्‌

Sañjaya said: Then, after a short while, O King, there arose a tumultuous roar—so intense it made the heart tremble—heard from the warriors eager for battle. The verse sets the moral weight of the coming conflict: outward martial clamor answered by inward shaking, even before weapons meet.

Verse 2

शड्खदुन्दुभिघोषैश्न वारणानां च बूंहितै: । नेमिघोषै रथानां च दीर्यतीव वसुंधरा,शंख और दुन्दुभियोंके घोष; गजराजोंकी गर्जना तथा रथोंके पहियोंकी घरघराहटसे सारी पृथ्वी विदीर्ण-सी हो रही थी

Sañjaya said: With the blare of conches and kettledrums, with the trumpeting roars of mighty elephants, and with the grinding rumble of chariot-wheels, the very earth seemed to be torn apart. The verse deepens the moral gravity of the battle to come: the instruments of royal duty and martial order become thunder of collective resolve, and a portent of the immense human cost a dharma-war demands.

Verse 3

हयानां ह्रेषमाणानां योधानां चैव गर्जताम्‌ | क्षणेनैव नभो भूमि: शब्देनापूरितं तदा,घोड़ोंके हींसने और योद्धाओंके गर्जनेके शब्दोंसे एक ही क्षणमें वहाँकी पृथ्वी और आकाशका सारा प्रदेश गूँज उठा

Sañjaya said: “With the neighing of horses and the roaring cries of warriors, in a single instant the whole expanse of earth and sky there was filled with sound.” The verse marks the overwhelming surge of war, as collective will and martial fervor drown the world in noise, foreshadowing the ethical gravity of the conflict about to unfold.

Verse 4

पुत्राणां तव दुर्धर्ष पाण्डवानां तथैव च । समकम्पन्त सैन्यानि परस्परसमागमे,दुर्धष नरेश! आपके पुत्रों और पाण्डवोंकी सेनाएँ एक-दूसरीके निकट आनेपर काँप उठीं

Sañjaya said: “O unassailable king, when your sons’ forces and the Pāṇḍavas’ forces drew close to one another, the armies trembled at their mutual encounter.”

Verse 5

तत्र नागा रथाश्वैव जाम्बूनदविभूषिता: । भ्राजमाना व्यदृश्यन्त मेघा इव सविद्युत:,उस रणक्षेत्रमें स्वर्णभूषित रथ और हाथी बिजलियोंसे युक्त मेघोंके समान सुशोभित दिखायी देते थे

There, elephants and chariots, adorned with Jāmbūnada gold, were seen gleaming on the battlefield—like clouds lit up with flashes of lightning.

Verse 6

ध्वजा बहुविधाकारास्तावकानां नराधिप । काज्चनाड्दिनो रेजुज्वलिता इव पावका:,नरेश्वरर! आपकी सेनाके नाना प्रकारके ध्वज और सोनेके अंगद (बाजूबन्द) पहने हुए सैनिक प्रज्वलित अग्निके समान प्रकाशित हो रहे थे

Sañjaya said: “O king, the many-shaped banners of your forces shone forth; and your warriors, adorned with golden armlets, blazed like kindled fires.”

Verse 7

स्वेषां चैव परेषां च समदृश्यन्त भारत । महेन्द्रकेतव: शुभ्रा महेन्द्रसदनेष्विव,भारत! अपनी और शत्रुकी सेनाके चमकीले ध्वज इन्द्रभवनमें फहरानेवाले देवेन्द्रके ध्वजोंके समान दिखायी देते थे

O Bhārata, the bright, gleaming banners of both our army and the enemy’s appeared alike—like the radiant standards of Indra fluttering in Indra’s own celestial hall.

Verse 8

काज्चनै: कवचैर्वीरा ज्वलनार्कसमप्रभै: । संनद्धा: समदृश्यन्त ज्वलनार्कसमप्रभा:,अग्नि और सूर्यके समान कान्तिमान्‌ कांचनमय कवच धारण किये वीर सैनिक अग्नि और सूर्यके ही तुल्य प्रकाशित दीख रहे थे

Sañjaya said: The heroic warriors, clad in golden cuirasses radiant like fire and the sun, appeared fully armed—shining forth with the very brilliance of flame and sunlight.

Verse 9

कुरुयोधवरा राजन्‌ विचित्रायुधकार्मुका: । उद्यतैरायुधैश्ित्रैस्तलबद्धा: पताकिन:

Sañjaya said: O King, the foremost warriors of the Kurus, bearing wondrous weapons and bows, stood resplendent. Their varied arms were lifted aloft, their hands secured with protective straps, and their banners streamed high—an image of martial pride and the ominous resolve of the Kaurava host as the battle is about to begin.

Verse 10

ऋषभाक्षा महेष्वासाश्वमूमुखगता बभु: | पृष्ठगोपास्तु भीष्मस्य पुत्रास्तव नराधिप । दुःशासनो दुर्विषहो दुर्मुखो दुःसहस्तथा

Sañjaya said: Those great bowmen, with bull-like large eyes, stood facing the enemy’s front and appeared splendid. O king, guarding Bhīṣma’s rear were your sons—Duḥśāsana, Durviṣaha, Durmukha, Duḥsaha—along with Vivimśati, Citrasena, the great chariot-warrior Vikarṇa, Satyavrata, Purumitra, Jaya, Bhūriśravā, Śala, and their followers: twenty thousand chariot-fighters.

Verse 11

विविंशतिक्षित्रसेनो विकर्णश्र महारथ: । सत्यव्रत: पुरुमित्रो जयो भूरिश्रवा: शल:

Sañjaya said: “There were also Viviṁśati, Kṣitraseṇa, and Vikarṇa—the great chariot-warrior; likewise Satyavrata, Purumitra, Jaya, Bhūriśravā, and Śala.”

Verse 12

अभीषाहा: शूरसेना: शिबयो5थ वसातय:

Sañjaya said: The warriors of the Abhīṣāhas, the Śūrasenas, the Śibis, and the Vasātis—along with the Śālvas, Matsyas, Ambaṣṭhas, Trigartas, Kekayas, Sauvīras, and Kaitavas, and also fighters from the eastern, western, and northern regions—these heroes from twelve realms, resolved to lay down their bodies, were guarding Grandfather Bhīṣma with a vast mass of chariots.

Verse 13

शाल्वा मत्स्यास्तथाम्बष्ठास्त्रैगर्ता: केकयास्तथा । सौवीरा: कैतवाः प्राच्या: प्रतीच्योदीच्यवासिन:

Sañjaya said: The Śālvas, the Matsyas, the Ambaṣṭhas, the Trigartas, and the Kekayas; likewise the Sauvīras and the Kaitavas; and the warriors dwelling in the eastern, western, and northern regions—all these were standing ready to lay down their bodies (their very lives), and with a vast ocean of chariots they were guarding Grandfather Bhīṣma.

Verse 14

द्वादशैते जनपदा: सर्वे शूरास्तनुत्यज: । महता रथवंशेन ते ररक्षु: पितामहम्‌

Sañjaya said: “These twelve realms—Abhīṣāha, Śūrasena, Śibi, Vasāti, Śālva, Matsya, Ambaṣṭha, Trigarta, Kekaya, Sauvīra, Kaitava, and the peoples of the eastern, western, and northern regions—were all filled with heroes ready to lay down their bodies. Forming a vast mass of chariots, they stood guarding the grandsire Bhīṣma.”

Verse 15

अनीकं दशसाहस्र॑ कुझ्जराणां तरस्विनाम्‌ | मागधो यत्र नृपतिस्तद्‌ रथानीकमन्वयात्‌

Sañjaya said: “There was a battle-array of ten thousand powerful elephants; and the chariot-division where the king of Magadha was stationed advanced in support of it.”

Verse 16

दस हजार वेगवान्‌ हाथियोंकी सेना साथ लेकर मगधराज उपर्युक्त रथसेनाके पीछे- पीछे चल रहे थे ।।

The king of Magadha marched close behind the aforesaid chariot force, bringing with him an army of ten thousand swift elephants. Within that vast host there were sixty million soldiers appointed to guard the wheels of the chariots and the feet of the elephants.

Verse 17

पादाताश्षाग्रतो5गच्छन्‌ धनुश्चर्मासिपाणय: । अनेकशतसाहस्रा नखरप्रासयोधिन:

Sañjaya said: “In the van there advanced foot-soldiers—numbering many hundreds of thousands—bearing bow, shield, and sword in their hands. They were also trained to fight with nakhara weapons (claw-like blades) and with spears.”

Verse 18

अक्षौहिण्यो दशैका च तव पुत्रस्य भारत । अदृश्यन्त महाराज गड़ेव यमुनान्तरा

Sañjaya said: “O Bharata (Dhṛtarāṣṭra), O great king, your son’s forces—eleven akṣauhiṇīs—appeared like the Gaṅgā when joined with the Yamunā: a vast, continuous, and seemingly irresistible flood of armed might.”

Verse 116

रथा विंशतिसाहस्रास्तथैषामनुयायिन: । सेनाके मुहानेपर खड़े हुए

Sañjaya said: “There were twenty thousand chariots, along with their followers. These warriors—mighty archers with large, bull-like eyes—stood at the very front of the army, lending it splendor. O king, guarding Bhīṣma’s rear were your sons and their allies—Duḥśāsana, Durviṣaha, Durmukha, Duḥsaha, Viviṃśati, Citrasena, the great chariot-warrior Vikarṇa, Satyavrata, Purumitra, Jaya, Bhūriśravas, Śala—and the twenty thousand chariot-fighters who followed them.”