वैशम्पायन उवाच ततः शान्तनवं भीष्मं प्राञ्जलिधृतराष्ट्रजः। सह सर्वैर्महीपालैरिदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥
Vaishampayana said Then did the son of Dhritarashtra, with clasped hands, along with all these rulers of the earth, say these words to Bhishma, the son of Shantanu.
ऋते सेनाप्रणेतारं पृतना सुमहत्यपि। दीर्यते युद्धमासाद्य पिपीलिकपुटं यथा॥
“Without a (suitable) leader of the army even a large army is broken up when engaged in battle like a swarm of ants.
न हि जातु द्वयोर्बुद्धिः समा भवति कर्हिचित्। शौर्यं च बलनेतृणां स्पर्धते च परस्परम्॥
The opinions of two seldom agree besides the leaders of hosts are jealous of one another regarding their own prowess.
श्रूयते च महाप्राज्ञ हैहयानमितौजसः। अभ्ययुर्ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे समुच्छ्रितकुशध्वजाः॥
It is heard, O you of great wisdom, that all the Brahmanas having assembled together, hoisted up their flag of Kusha and proclaimed war with the Haihayas of immeasurable energy.
तानभ्ययुस्तदा वैश्याः शूद्राश्चैव पितामह। एकतस्तु त्रयो वर्णा एकतः क्षत्रियर्षभाः॥
They were joined. O grandfather, by the Vaishyas and Sudras. There were thus on one side three orders and those best among the Kshatriyas on the other.
ततो युद्धेष्वभज्यन्त त्रयो वर्णाः पुनः पुनः। क्षत्रियाच जयन्त्येव बहुलं चैकतो बलम्॥
The three orders broke up again and again in the battle that followed and the Kshatriyas were victorious over that large army though they were alone.
ततस्ते क्षत्रियानेव पप्रच्छुर्द्विजसत्तमाः। तेभ्यः शशंसुर्धर्मज्ञा याथातथ्यं पितामह॥
Then did these best among the twice-born asked the Kshatriya the cause of his and O grandfather, and those men conversant with virtue told them the truth.
वयमेकस्य शृण्वानां महाबुद्धिमतो रणे। भवन्तस्तु पृथक् सर्वे स्वबुद्धिवशवर्तिनः॥
"In battle we listen to the commands of any one person who is the wisest among us, but you are separated and follow your individual whims,
ततस्ते ब्राह्मणाश्चनुरेकं सेनापतिं द्विजम्। नये सुकुशलं शूरमजयन् क्षत्रियांस्ततः॥
Then did those best among the Brahmanas make one among the twice-born the leader of their army, who was skillful in diplomacy and then did they win a victory ever the Kshatriyas
एवं ये कुशलं शूरं हितेप्सितमकल्मषम्। सेनापतिं प्रकुर्वन्ति ते जयन्ति रणे रिपून्॥
In the same way those, who appoint a skillful hero who has the good of his party at heart as the leader of the army, vanquish their enemies in battle.
भवानुशनसा तुल्यो हितैषी च सदा मम। असंहार्यः स्थितो धर्म स नः सेनापतिर्भव॥
You are equal to Ushanas himself and over wish me well and follow a righteous course from which you never fall off. Therefore do you become a general.
रश्मिवतामिवादित्यो वीस्थामिव चन्द्रमाः। कुबेर इव यक्षाणां देवानामिव वासवः॥
You are as the sun is among the luminous bodies, the moon among deciduous herbs, Kubera among the Yakshas, Vasava among the gods,
पर्वतानां यथा मेरुः सुपर्णः पक्षिणां यथा। कुमार इव देवानां वसूनामिव हव्यवाट्॥
Meru among the mountains, Suparna among the birds, Kumara among the gods, Indra among the Vasus.
भवता हि वयं गुप्ताः शक्रेणेव दिवौकसः। अनाधृष्या भविष्यामस्त्रिदशानामपि ध्रुवम्॥
Protected by you we will be as the gods protected by Shakra and we shall surely be invincible even by the denizens of heaven.
प्रयातु नो भवानग्रे देवानामिव पावकिः। वयं त्वामनुयास्यामः सौरभेया इवर्षभम्॥
You march in our front as the son of Agni (Kumara) among the gods and we shall follow you like calves following a cow.
भीष्म उवाच एवमेतन्महाबाहो यथा वदसि भारत। यथैव हि भवन्तो मे तथैव मम पाण्डवाः॥
Bhishma said It is as you say, O Bharata, O you of long arms but as you are to me so are the Pandavas.
अपि चैव मया श्रेयो वाच्यं तेषां नराधिप। संयोद्धव्यं तवार्थाय यथा मे समयः कृतः॥
And it is also my duty to look after their welfare, O ruler of men; but I shall fight on your behalf since I have promised it.
न तु पश्यामि योद्धारमात्मन: सदृशं भुवि। ऋते तस्मान्नरव्याघ्रात् कुन्तीपुत्राद् धनंजयात्॥
I do not see any soldier equal to me in this world save that best among men Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti.
स हि वेद महाबुद्धिर्दिव्यान्यस्त्राण्यनेकशः। न तु मां विवृतो युद्धे जातु युध्येत पाण्डवः॥
He (Arjuna) is a man of great wisdom and knows the use of celestial weapons and many other weapons but that son of Pandu will never encounter me in open fight.
अहं चैव क्षणेनैव निर्मनुष्यमिदं जगत्। कुर्यां शस्त्रबलेनैव ससुरासुरराक्षसम्॥
I, in a moment, shall make this world destitute of men, gods, Asuras and Rakshasas by the strength of my weapons.
न त्वेवोत्सादनीया मे पाण्डोः पुत्रा जनाधिप। तस्माद् योधान् हनिष्यामि प्रयोगेणायुतं सदा॥
But these sons of Pandu ought not to be slain by me, O ruler of men; therefore shall I slay ten thousand warriors every day.
एवमेषां करिष्यामि निधनं कुरुनन्दन। न चेत् ते मां हनिष्यन्ति पूर्वमेव समागमे॥
In this way, shall I bring on their end o delighter of the Kuru race, if indeed they do not kill me before I have time to carry out my desire in the battle.
सेनापतिस्त्वहं राजन् समये नापरेण ते। भविष्यामि यथाकामं तन्मे श्रोतुमिहार्हसि॥
But there is another condition on which I shall be the leader of your army; that desire which I have in my heart it is proper that you should hear of.
कर्णो वा युध्यतां पूर्वमहं वा पृथिवीपते। स्पर्धते हि सदात्यर्थं सूतपुत्रो मया रणे॥
Either let Karna fight first or myself, O lord of the earth. The son of the Suta always compares his prowess in battle with mine,
कर्ण उवाच नाहं जीवति गाङ्गेये राजन् योत्स्ये कथंचन। हते भीष्मे तु योत्स्यामि सह गाण्डीवधन्वना॥
Karria said So long as the son of Ganga is alive I shall never fight, O king; when Bhishma is slain, I shall fight with him who wields the Gandiva bow.
वैशम्पायन उवाच ततः सेनापतिं चक्रे विधिवद् भूरिदक्षिणम्। धृतराष्ट्रात्मजो भीष्मं सोऽभिषिक्तो व्यरोचत॥
Vaishampayana said Then did the son of Dhritarashtra make Bhishma, who had made liberal gifts, the commander of his army, and he too being duly installed blazed forth.
ततो भेरीश्च शङ्खांश्च शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः। वादयामासुरव्यग्रा वादका राजशासनात्॥
Drums and conches were then sounded by hundreds and thousands by eager musicians by command of the king,
सिंहनादाश्च विविधा वाहनानां च निःस्वनाः। प्रादुरासन्ननभ्रे च वर्षं रुधिरकर्दमम्॥
There were also roars like those of lions and several other sorts of roars among the army; and though there were no clouds in the sky there was a down pour of blood which made the ground full of mire.
निर्घाताः पृथिवीकम्पा कजबंहितनिःस्वनाः। आसंश्च सर्वयोधानां पातयन्तो मनांस्युत॥
There were also earthquakes and whirlwinds and roars made by elephants which succeeded in casting a shade on the minds of all warriors.
वाचश्चाप्यशरीरिण्यो दिवश्चोल्काः प्रपेदिरे। शिवाश्च भयवेदिन्यो नेदुर्दीप्ततरा भृशम्॥
There were also incorporeal voices and meteors shot forth the heavens and jackals began to make frightful howls and the cardinal points seemed ablaze.
सैनापत्ये यदा राजा गाङ्गेयमभिषिक्तवान्। तदैतान्युग्ररूपाणि बभूवुः शतशो नृप।॥
When the king installed the son of Ganga in the generalship these frightful sights appeared in hundreds, O ruler of men.
ततः सेनापति कृत्वा भीष्मं परबलार्दनम्। वाचयित्वा द्विजश्रेष्ठान् गोभिर्निष्कैश्च भूरिश;॥
Then having appointed, Bhishma the grinder of the enemies' hosts, as the general and having made liberal presents of cows and gold to the foremost among the twice born.
वर्धमानो जयाशीभिर्निर्ययौ सैनिकैर्वृतः। आपगेयं पुरस्कृत्य भ्रातृभिः सहितस्तदा।॥
He marched forth with the blessings of those Brahmanas glorifying him, surrounded by his army placing Bhishma at the head of his host and accompanied by his brothers.
स्कन्धावारेण महता कुरुक्षेत्रं जगाम ह॥
And with a large army he went to Kurukshetra.
परिक्रम्य कुरुक्षेत्रं कर्णेन सह कौरवः। शिबिरं मापयामास समे देशे जनाधिप।॥
The of Kuru having traversed Kurukshetra in company with Karna placed his camps in a plain, O ruler of men,
मधुरानूषरे देशे प्रभूतयवसेन्धने। यथैव हास्तिनपुरं तद्वच्छिबिरमाबभौ॥
In a part which was also charming and without sands and abounded, fuel and fodder. The encampment then shone forth as the city of Hastina. son