वैशम्पायन उवाच तथा व्यूढेष्वनीकेषु कौरवेयेषु भारत। उपायादर्जुनस्तूर्णं रथघोषेण नादयन्॥
Vaishampayana said After the mighty car-warriors of the Kurus had arrayed themselves in battle, sending out the rattle of their chariots, he quickly proceeded towards them.
ददृशुस्ते ध्वजाग्रं वै शुश्रुवुश्च महास्वनम्। दोधूयमानस्य भृशं गाण्डीवस्य च निस्वनम्॥
They saw the top of his banner, heard the rattle of his car and the twang of his Gandiva bow, stretched greatly by him.
ततस्तु सर्वमालोक्य द्रोणो वचनमब्रवीत्। महारथमनुप्राप्तं दृष्ट्वा गाण्डीवधन्विनम्॥
Observing all this and that the great carwarrior, the holder of the Gandiva bow has come, Drona said:
द्रोण उवाच एतद् ध्वजाग्रं पार्थस्य दूरतः सम्प्रकाशते। एष घोषः स रथजो रोरवीति च वानरः॥
The top of the banner which shines at a distance belongs to Arjuna; this is the rattle of his chariot and this is the monkey which is roaring.
एष तिष्ठन् रथश्रेष्ठे रथे च रथिनां वरः। उत्कर्षति धनुः श्रेष्ठं गाण्डीवमशनिस्वनम्॥
The monkey strikes great terror into the hearts of all the soldiers. And sitting on that best of cars, the foremost of car-warriors.
इमौ च बाणौ सहितौ पादयोर्मे व्यवस्थतौ। अपरौ चाप्यतिक्रान्तौ कर्णौ संस्पृश्य मे शरौ॥
Draws his best of bows Gandiva, that emits the sound of thunder. Those two arrows coming together touch my feet.
निरुष्य हि वने वासं कृत्वा कर्मातिमानुषम्। अभिवादयते पार्थः श्रोत्रे च परिपृच्छति॥
Passing by others they touch my ears. Having completed the term of his exile in the forest and performed superhuman deeds,
चिरदृष्टोऽयमस्माभिः प्रज्ञावान् बान्धवप्रियः। अतीव ज्वलितो लक्ष्म्या पाण्डुपुत्रो धनंजयः॥
Partha salutes me and speaks to my ears. After a long time we have seen the wise son of Pandu, Dhananjaya, ever a favourite to his friends and greatly shining in prosperity.
रथी शरी चारुतली निषङ्गी शङ्खी पताकी कवची किरीटी। खड्गी च धन्वी च विभाति पार्थः शिखी वृतः स्रुग्भिरिवाज्यसिक्तः॥
Possessed of chariot and shafts, beautiful gloves and quivers, conch, flag, armour; and adorned with a crest, scimitar and bow Partha shines like fire fed with clarified butter and sacrificial laddles.
अर्जुन उवाच इषुपाते च सेनाया हयान् संयच्छ सारथे। यावत् समीक्षे सैन्येऽस्मिन् क्वासौ कुरुकुलाधमः॥१०
“O charioteer, stop your horses at a place from which my arrows may reach the soldiers so long I do not single out from among them the wretch of the Kuru race (Duryodhana).
सर्वानेताननादृत्य दृष्ट्वा तमतिमानिनम्। तस्य मूर्ध्नि पतिष्यामि तत एते पराजिताः॥
Disregarding all these I shall find that vain wretch out and strike him down and then all these will be defeated.
एष व्यवस्थितो द्रोणो द्रौणिश्च तदनन्तरम्। भीष्मः कृपश्च कर्णश्च महेष्वासाः समागताः॥
There stands Drona and thereafter his son and then those great bowmen Bhishma, Kripa and Karna.
राजानं नात्र पश्यामि गाः समादाय गच्छति। दक्षिणं मार्गमास्थाय शङ्के जीवपरायणः॥ उत्सृजैतद् रथानीकं गच्छ यत्र सुयोधनः। तत्रैव योत्स्ये वैराटे नास्ति युद्धं निरामिषम्। तु तं जित्वा विनिवर्तिष्ये गा: समादाय वै पुनः॥
I do not see the king, I am afraid, anxious to save his life he is going by the southern road. Leaving the car-warriors here go where Suyodhana is. I shall fight there, O son of Virata, for it will not be without result. Vanquishing him I will come back with the kine.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तः स वैराटिर्हयान् संयम्य यत्नतः। नियम्य च ततो रश्मीन् यत्र ते कुरुपुङ्गवाः। अचोदयत् ततो वाहान् यत्र दुर्योधनो गतः॥ उत्सृज्य रथवंशं प्रयाते श्वेतवाहने।
Thus addressed the son of Virata, carefully governing the horses and holding the reins, took the horses where the leading Kurus and the king Suyodhana were. As Arjuna, having white steeds, left that place,
अभिप्रायं विदित्वा च कृपो वचनमब्रवीत्॥ नैषोऽन्तरेण राजानं बीभत्सुः स्थातुमिच्छति।
Kripa, understanding his object, said: “Bibhatsu does not like to stand at a distance from the king."
तस्य पाणिं ग्रहीष्यामो जवेनाभिप्रयास्यतः॥ न ह्येनमतिसंक्रुद्धमेको युध्येत संयुगे।
We shall attach his sides who is advancing quickly. None can alone fight with him in battle when worked up with anger
अन्यो देवात् सहस्राक्षात् कृष्णाद् वा देवकीसुतात्। आचार्याश्च सपुत्राद् वा भारद्वाजान्महारथात्॥
Except the thousand-eyed Deity, Krishna, the son of Devaki, the preceptor his son, and the mighty car-warrior, the son of Bharadvaja.
किं नो गावः करिष्यन्ति धनं वा विपुलं तथा। दुर्योधनः पार्थजले पुरा नौरिव मज्जति॥
What shall we do with these kine or the vast wealth if Duryodhana were to sink like a bark in the Partha water.
तथैव गत्वा बीभत्सुर्नाम विश्राव्य चात्मनः। शलभैरिव तां सेनां शरैः शीघ्रमवाकिरत्॥
(In the mean time) going there ard announcing himself as Bibhatsu by name he speedily covered the soldiers with shafts like a swarm of locusts.
कीर्यमाणाः शरौघैस्तु योधास्ते पार्थचोदितैः। नापश्यन्नावृतां भूमिं नान्तरिक्षं च पत्रिभिः॥
Assailed by the mass of shafts discharged by Partha the warriors couldn't see anything, the sky and the earth being covered therewith.
तेषामापततां युद्धे नापयानेऽभवन्मतिः। शीघ्रत्वमेव पार्थस्य पूजयन्ति स्म चेतसा॥
They who came to fight were so confounded that they even could not prepare themselves to fly away and began quickly to adore Partha in their minds.
ततः शङ्ख प्रदध्मौ स द्विषतां लोमहर्षणम्। विस्फार्य च धनुःश्रेष्ठं ध्वजे भूतान्यचोदयत्॥
He then blew the conch which made the hairs of the enemies stand erect; then twanging his most excellent bow he made the creatures on his flag staff (to cry aloud).
तस्य शङ्खस्य शब्देन रथनेमिस्वनेन च। गाण्डीवस्य च घोषेण पृथिवी समकम्पत॥
The earth shook with the sound of his conch, the rattle of his chariot and the twang of his Gandiva bow,
अमानुषाणां भूतानां तेषां च ध्वजवासिनाम्। ऊर्ध्वं पुच्छान् विधुन्वाना रेभमाणाः समन्ततः। गावः प्रतिन्यवर्तन्त दिशमास्थाय दक्षिणाम्॥
As well as with the cries of all the superhuman creatures placed on the flag staff. Then raising up their tails and running to and fro the king came back by the southern road.