RATHATIRATHA SANKHYANA PARVA: Chapter 166

Description of Rathas and Atirathas

भीष्म उवाच सुदक्षिणस्तु काम्बोजो रथ एकगुणो मतः तवार्थसिद्धिमाकाङ्क्षन् योत्स्यते समरे परैः॥
Bhishma said In my opinion Sudakshina, of Kamboja, is equal to one Ratha and he will fight in the battle with the enemy desiring the success of your objects.

एतस्य रथसिंहस्य तवार्थं राजसत्तम। पराक्रमं यथेन्द्रस्य द्रक्ष्यन्ति कुरवो युधि॥
The prowess of this best among car warriors excited on your behalf, O best among kings, the Kurus in battle with see equal to that of Indra himself.

एतस्य रथवंशे हि तिग्मवेगप्रहारिणः। काम्बोजानां महाराज शलभानामिवायतिः॥
The best of car warriors under him are strikers with fierce force. The Kambojas, o great king, will cover like the land like a swarm of locusts.

नीलो माहिष्मतीवासो नीलवर्मा रथस्तव। रथवंशेन कदनं शत्रूणां वै करिष्यति॥
Nil of Mahishmati clad in a blue coat of mail is a Ratha of your army and with the car warriors under him he will work havoc among the enemy.

कृतवैरः पुरा चैव सहदेवेन मारिष। योत्स्यते सततं राजंस्तवार्थं कुरुनन्दन॥
My child, in former days, he was made an enemy by Sahadeva, and he will ever fight on your behalf, O you delighter of the Kuru race.

विन्दानुविन्दावावन्त्यौ संमतौ रथसत्तमौ। कृतिनौ समरे तात दृढवीर्यपराक्रमौ॥
In my opinion Vindu and Anuvindu, the princes of Avanti, accomplished in battle and of firm strength and prowess are two of the best Rathas.

एतौ तौ पुरुषव्याघ्रौ रिपुसैन्यं प्रधक्ष्यतः। गदाप्रासासिनाराचैस्तोमरैश्च करच्युतैः॥
These two best among men will consume the army of enemy with maces, bearded darts, swords, muskets and long shafts hurled from their hands.

युद्धाभिकामौ समरे क्रीडन्ताविव यूथपौ। यूथमध्ये महाराज विचरन्तौ कृतान्तवत्॥
Desirous of war they will act in battle each like Yama like two sporting elephants moving in the midst of a herd, O king.

त्रिगर्ता भ्रातरः पञ्च रथोदारा मता मम। कृतवैराश्च पार्थस्ते विराटनगरे तदा॥
In my opinion, the five Trigarta brothers are Rathas and they were made enemies by the sons of Pritha while in the city of Virata.

मकरा इव राजेन्द्र समुद्धततरङ्गिणीम्। गङ्गा विक्षोभयिष्यन्ति पार्थानां युधि वाहिनीम्॥
In the battle, they will agitate the army of the son of Pritha like Makaras agitating the Ganga swollen with its waves.

ते रथाः पञ्च राजेन्द्र येषां सत्यरथो मुखम्। एते योत्स्यन्ति संग्रामे संस्मरन्तः पुराकृतम्॥
They are Rathas, O chief among kings, at whose head is Satyaratha and they will fight in the battle remembering the former wrongs.

व्यलीकं पाण्डवेयेन भीमसेनानुजेन ह। दिशो विजयता राजन् श्वेतवाहेन भारत॥
They were injured by Bhima's younger brother Arjuna, the son of Pandu, O king, when on a car drawn by white steeds, O Bharata, he went out to conquer all the quarters.

ते हनिष्यन्ति पार्थानां तानासाद्य महारथान्। वरान् वरान् महेष्वासान् क्षत्रियाणां धुरन्धरान्॥
Having encountered many car warriors, chiefs of bowmen and leaders of Kshatriyas on the side of Parthas they will forsooth kill them

लक्ष्मणस्तव पुत्रश्च तथा दुःशासनस्य च। उभौ तौ पुरुषव्याघ्रौ संग्रामेष्वपलायिनौ॥
Your son Lakshmana and the son of Dushasana, both these foremost among men can never fly back from the battle.

तरुणौ सुकुमारौ च राजपुत्रौ तरस्विनौ। युद्धानां च विशेषज्ञौ प्रणेतारौ च सर्वशः॥
The two young and delicate princes are of light hand and know all the details of fighting and are in every way fit to be leaders.

रथौ तौ कुरुशार्दूल मतौ मे रथसत्तमौ। क्षत्रधर्मरतौ वीरौ महत् कर्म करिष्यतः॥
These two, O foremost among the Kurus, i am of opinion, are Rathas, and the heroes attached as they are to the duties of the Kshatriya will perform noble deeds.

दण्डधारौ महाराज रथ एको नरर्षभ। योत्स्यते तव संग्रामे स्वेन सैन्येन पालितः॥
That foremost among men, Dandadhara, O great king, is a Ratha and he will fight in your battle protected by his own army.

बृहद्बलस्तथा राजा कौसल्यो रथसत्तमः। रथो मम मतस्तात महावेगपराक्रमः॥
Brihadbala, too, O king, the prince of the Shalyas, is one of the best among car warriors and is a Ratha, in my opinion, of great impetuosity and prowess.

एष योत्स्यति संग्रामे स्वान् बन्धून् सम्प्रहर्षयन्। उग्रायुधो महेष्वासो धार्तराष्ट्रहिते रतः॥
He will fight in the battle delighting his own friends, a wielder of terrible weapons as he is and a mighty bowman devoted to the good of the son of Dhritarashtra.

कृपः शारद्वतो राजन् रथयूथपयूथपः। प्रियान् प्राणान् परित्यज्य प्रधक्ष्यति रिपूंस्तव॥
Kripa, the son of Sharadvata, Oking, is the general of the commanders of the Rathas, and careless of his dear life he will consume your enemies.

गौतमस्य महर्षर्य आचार्यस्य शरद्वतः। कार्तिकेय इवाजेयः शरस्तम्बात् सुतोऽभवत्॥
The son of the great Rishi Gautama, or the preceptor Sharadvata, born on a clump of health, is invincible as the war god Kartikeya himself.

एष सेना: सुबहुला विविधायुधकार्मुकाः। अग्निवत् समरे तात चरिष्यति विनिर्दहन्॥
Destroying this army strong in numbers and furnished with diverse weapons and bows he will roll in the battle like blazing fire.