Adhyāya 78 — Bhīṣma’s Advance, Duryodhana’s Rally, and Concurrent Duels (भीष्मस्याभ्युद्यमः, दुर्योधनस्योत्साहवचनम्, विविधयुद्धवर्णनम्)
ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा धृष्टद्युम्मनम भाषत । व्यूहं व्यूह महाबाहो मकरं शत्रुनाशनम्,तदनन्तर राजा युधिष्ठिरने धृष्टद्युम्नसे कहा--“महाबाहो! तुम शत्रुनाशक मकरव्यूहकी रचना करो”
tato yudhiṣṭhiro rājā dhṛṣṭadyumnam abhāṣata | vyūhaṃ vyūha mahābāho makaraṃ śatrunāśanam ||
แล้วพระราชายุธิษฐิระตรัสแก่ธฤษฏทยุมน์ว่า “โอ ผู้มีพาหาอันเกรียงไกร จงจัดกระบวนทัพ—ตั้งมกรพยุหะ อันเป็นรูปขบวนเพื่อทำลายศัตรู”
संजय उवाच
Even in warfare, action is framed by duty and disciplined order: a ruler must make strategic decisions to safeguard his forces and fulfill kṣatriya responsibility, rather than act from mere rage or cruelty.
Sañjaya reports that Yudhiṣṭhira instructs the commander Dhṛṣṭadyumna to arrange the Pāṇḍava army in the Makara-vyūha, a specific tactical formation intended to counter and break the enemy’s strength.