भीष्म उवाच कलाः काष्ठाश्च युज्यन्ते मुहूर्ताश्च दिनानि च। अर्धमासाश्च मासाश्च नक्षत्राणि ग्रहास्तथा॥ ऋतक्श्चापि युज्यन्ते तथा संवत्सरा अपि।
Bhishma said The wheel of time revolves with various divisions such as Kalas, Kashthas, Muhurtas, days, fortnights months, stars, planets, seasons and years.
एवं कालविभागेन कालचक्र प्रवर्तते॥ तेषां कालातिरेकेण ज्योतिषां च व्यतिक्रमात्। पञ्चमे पञ्चमे वर्षे द्वौ मासावुपजायतः॥
On account of the excess of time and the constellations going on their courses there is an increase of two months in every five years.
एषामभ्यधिका मासाः पञ्च च द्वादश क्षपाः। त्रयोदशानां वर्षाणामिति मे वर्तते मतिः॥
I think, calculating in this way, there will be an addition of five months and twelve nights within thirteen vears.
सर्वं यथावच्चरितं यद् यदेभिः प्रतिश्रुतम्। एवमेतद् ध्रुवं ज्ञात्वा ततो बीभत्सुरागतः॥
They all have duly acted up to what they promised. Knowing all for certain Arjuna has come here.
सर्वे चैव महात्मानः सर्वे धर्मार्थकोविदाः। येषां युधिष्ठिरो राजा कस्माद् धर्मेऽपराध्नुयुः॥
All of them are noble and well acquainted with virtue and worldly profit. They have Yudhishthira as their king. How can they injure virtue?
अलुब्धाश्चैव कौन्तेयाः कृतवन्तश्च दुष्करम्। न चापि केवलं राज्यमिच्छेयुस्तेऽनुपयतः॥
The sons of Kunti are not avaricious and they have performed a work which it is greatly difficult to do. They do not wish to acquire kingdom by unfair means.
तदैव ते हि विक्रान्तुमीषुः कौरवनन्दनाः। धर्मपाशनिबद्धास्तु न चेलुः क्षत्रियव्रतात्॥
(If so) the descendants of Kuru would have liked to show their prowess at that time; virtuous as they are, they did not deviate from the duties of the Kshatriyas.
यच्चानृत इति ख्यायाद् यः स गच्छेत् पराभवम्। णुयुर्मरणं पार्था नानृतत्वं कथंचन॥
Whoever will regard them as dishonest will meet with discomfiture today. The sons of Pritha will rather invite death but will never speak an untruth.
प्राप्तकाले तु प्राप्तव्यं नोत्सृजेयुनरर्षभाः। अपि वज्रभृता गुप्तं तथावीर्या हि पाण्डवाः॥
Those great men, the Pandavas, powerful like him (Indra), will never part with a thing that comes to them in due time even if it is protected by the holder of thunder (Indra).
प्रतियुध्येम समरे सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरम्। तस्माद् यदत्र कल्याणं लोके सिद्धिरनुष्ठितम्। तत् संविधीयतां शीघ्रं मा वो ह्यर्थोऽभ्यगात् परम्।। न हि पश्यामि संग्रामे कदाचिदपि कौरव। एकान्तसिद्धिं राजेन्द्र सम्प्राप्तश्च धनंजयः॥ सम्प्रवृत्ते तु संग्रामे भावाभावौ जयाजयौ। अवश्यमेकं स्पृशतो दृष्टमेतदसंशयम्॥
We shall have to content against, in battle, the foremost of all of all heroes; let such arrangements be made speedily, which are good and approved by the honest so that our properties may not pass into the hands of the enemies. O Kaurava, O emperor, I have never seen a battle in which one party is sure to come off victorious. (Besides) Arjuna has come. When a battle begins there is victory and defeat, prosperity and adversity. Therefore one must have either of the two. I have observed it without doubt.
तस्माद् युद्धोचितं कर्म कर्म वा धर्मसंहितम्। क्रियतामाशु राजेन्द्र सम्प्राप्तश्च धनंजयः॥
Whether it is right or not you should, O king, make arrangements speedily for the battle for Arjuna has come.
दुर्योधन उवाच नाहं राज्यं प्रदास्यामि पाण्डवानां पितामह। युद्धोपचारिक यत् तु तच्छीघ्रं प्रविधीयताम्॥
Duryodhana said I shall not, O grandfather, give back their kingdom to Pandavas. Therefore without delay, make arrangements for the battle.
भीष्म उवाच अत्र या मामिका बुद्धिः श्रूयतां यदि रोचते। सर्वथा हि मया श्रेयो वक्तव्यं कुरुनन्दन॥
Bhishma said Hear what I think about this, if you like. I should always speak what is good, O descendant of Kuru.
क्षिप्रं बलचतुर्भागं गृह्य गच्छ पुरं प्रति। ततोऽपरश्चतुर्भागो गाः समादाय गच्छतु॥
Quickly proceed towards the city with onefourth of the army. Let the other fourth part go away with the kine.
वयं चार्धन सैन्यस्य प्रतियोत्स्याम पाण्डवम्। अहं द्रोणश्च कर्णश्च अश्वत्थामा कृपस्तथा। प्रतियोत्स्याम बीभत्सुमागतं कृतनिश्चयम्॥ मत्स्यं वा पुनरायातमागतं वा शतक्रतुम्। अहमावारयिष्यामि वेलेव मकरालयम्॥
With half the army we shall fight with Arjuna. Myself, Drona, Karna, the son of Drona, as well as Sharadvata's son, Shall firmly fight with Arjuna or the king of Matsya if he has come back or even with the performer of hundred sacrifices. I shall face them like the bank (obstructing the motion of the) ocean.
वैशम्पायन उवाच तद वाक्यं रुरुचे तेषां भीष्मेणोक्तं महात्मना। तथा हि कृतवान् राजा कौरवाणामनन्तरम्।॥
Vaishampayana said These words of the great Bhishma found favour with them and the king of Kauravas immediately carried them out.
भीष्मः प्रस्थाप्य राजानं गोधनं तदनन्तरम्। सेनामुख्यान् व्यवस्थाप्य व्यूहितुं सम्प्रचक्रमे॥
Having sent away the king and thereafter the precious kine Bhishma addressed himself for arranging his troops in battle array.
भीष्म उवाच आचार्य मध्ये तिष्ठ त्वमश्वत्थामा तु सव्यतः। कृपः शारद्वतो धीमान् पार्श्व रक्षतु दक्षिणम्॥
Bhishma said Stand you, O preceptor, in the middle; let Ashvathama defend the left wing and the intelligent son of Sharadvata Kripa protect the right wing.
अग्रतः सूतपुत्रस्तु कर्णस्तिष्ठतु दंशितः। अहं सर्वस्य सैन्यस्य पश्चात् स्थास्यामि पालयन्।।२३
Let Karna, the son of charioteer, clad in a coat of mail, stand in the front. And I shall command the entire army in the rear.