धृतराष्ट्र उवाच एवं बहुगुणं सैन्यमेवं बहुविधं पुरा। व्यूढमेवं यथाशास्त्रममोघं चैव संजय॥
Dhritarashtra said Our army is endued with many excellent attributes and composed of various kinds of troops and its efficiency is great. O Sanjaya it is disposed of in perfect accordance to the rules of the military science; so it should to be ever crowned with success.
हृष्टमस्माकमत्यन्तमभिकामं च नः सदा। प्रह्वमव्यसनोपेतं पुरस्ताद् दृष्टविक्रमम्॥
The warriors therein are very much devoted to our interest, and are ever attached to us. They are disciplined and free from the vices of lust and anger. Their prowess has been tested before.
नातिवृद्धमबालं च न कृशं न च पीवरम्। लघुवृत्तायतप्रायं सारयोधमनामयम्॥
Thus are neither very old nor very young; they are neither lean nor very corpulent. They are of active habits, well-built, strong bodied, and free from any disease.
आत्तसंनाहशस्त्रं च बहुशस्त्रपरिग्रहम्। असियुद्धे नियुद्धे च गदायुद्धे च कोविदम्॥
They are clad in coats of mail and well furnished with offensive weapons they are accomplished in the use of all kinds of weapons and are masters in fighting with swords, with maces and even with bare arms.
प्रासर्धितोमरेष्वाजौ परिघेष्वायसेषु च। भिन्दिपालेषु शक्तीषु मुसलेषु च सर्वशः॥ कम्पनेषु च चापेषु कणपेषु च सर्वशः। क्षेपणीयेषु चित्रेषु मुष्टयुद्धेषु च क्षमम्॥
They are well practiced in the use of lances, sabers, darts, iron bludgeons, short shafts, javelins and mallets.
अपरोक्षं च विद्यासु व्यायामे च कृतश्रमम्। शस्त्रग्रहणविद्यासु सर्वासु परिनिष्ठितम्॥
They are well disciplined in the exercise of all kinds of weapons, and are experts in mounting on and descending from vehicles, in moving forward and in falling back,
आरोहे पर्यवस्कन्दे सरणे सान्तरप्लुते। सम्यक् प्रहरणे याने व्यपयाने च कोविदम्॥ नागाश्वरथयानेषु बहुशः सुपरीक्षितम्।
In striking down effectually, in marching forward, and in retreating back; they have been examined in the management of steeds, elephants, and chariots.
परीक्ष्य च यथान्यायं वेतनेनोपपादितम्॥ न गोष्ठ्या नोपकारेण न च बन्धुनिमित्ततः।
Being duly tested, they have been employed on pay and not for the sake of fainily relationship.
न सौहृदबलैर्वापि नाकुलीनपरिग्रहै: :॥ समृद्धजनमार्यं च तुष्टसम्बन्धिबान्धवम्। कृतोपकारभूयिष्ठं यशस्वि च मनस्वि च॥ स्वजनैस्तु नरैर्मुख्यैर्बहुशो दृष्टकर्मभिः। लोकपालोपमैस्तात पालितं लोकविश्रुतम्॥ बहुभिः क्षत्रियैर्गुप्तं पृथिव्यां लोकसम्मतैः। अस्मानभिगतैः कामात् सबलैः सपदानुगैः॥ महोदधिमिवापूर्णमापगाभिः समन्ततः।
Nor for the sake of friendship, nor for connections through marriage and birth. They are all honorable and prosperous and all their relatives have been honoured and well treated by ourselves. We have done many good services to them; they are also all illustrious men, possessed of great intelligence. They are again defended, O son, by many best of men endued with great lightness, of great achievements, of world-wide renown and resembling the protectors of the worlds themselves they are protected by numerous Kshatriya esteemed throughout the earth who have, out of their own accord, taken our side with their followers and force. Truly our army is like the vast ocean swelling with the waters of various streams flowing into it from all sides.
अपक्षैः पक्षिसंकाशै रथै गैश्च संवृतम्॥ नानायोधजलं भीमं वाहनोर्मितरङ्गिणम्।
Our army teems with chariots which though destitute of wings are capable of moving like the winged rangers of the sky; it abounds also in elephants. Myriads of fierce warriors constitute the waters of that ocean and the various vehicles constitute its numerous waves.
क्षेपण्यसिगदाशक्तिशरप्राससमाकुलम्॥ ध्वजभूषणसम्बाधं रत्नपट्टसुसंचितम्।
Innumerable maces, dares, arrows and lances form the oars plied on it. It abounds in standards and ornaments and is full of cloths of gold embossed with gems.
परिधावद्भिरश्वैश्च वायुवेगविकम्पितम्॥ अपारमिव गर्जन्तं सागरप्रतिमं महत्।
The running vehicles constitute the wind that lashes that ocean into fury. It really resembles the extensive and scoreless sea roaring (in fury).
द्रोणभीष्माभिसंगुप्तं गुप्तं च कृतवर्मणा॥ कृपदुःशासनाभ्यां च जयद्रथमुखैस्तथा।
That army of ours is again protected by Drona and Bhishma; so also it is defended by Kritavarma, Kripa and Dushasana and by others headed by Jayadratha.
भगदत्तविकर्णाभ्यां द्रौणिसौबलबाह्निकैः॥ गुप्तं प्रवीरैलॊकैश्च सारवद्भिर्महात्मभिः।
By Bhagadatta and Vikarna, by the son of Drona, by Subala and by the ruler of the Balhikas. Thus protected by many foremost of men, all endued with strength and possessed of generous souls.
यदहन्यत संग्रामे दैवमत्र पुरातनम्॥ नैतादृशं समुद्योगं दृष्टवन्तो हि मानुषाः। ऋषयो वा महाभागाः पुराणा भुवि संजय॥ ईदृशोऽपि बलौघस्तु संयुक्तः शस्त्रसम्पदा।
If that army be still slaughtered in battle, it is indeed due to predestined Fate. Neither man, nor illustrious and ancient sages, O Sanjaya, ever saw on earth such extensive preparations for battle. That such a large army well-supplied with the implements and sinews of war.
वध्यते यत्र संग्रामे किमन्यद् भागधेयतः॥ विपरीतमिदं सर्वं प्रतिभाति हि संजय।
Should be slain in battle, alas, what can it be due to but Destiny? All this appears to be unnatural, O Sanjaya.
यत्रेदृशं बलं घोरं पाण्डवान्नातरद् रणे॥ पाण्डवाार्थाय नियतं देवास्तत्र समागताः। युध्यन्ते मामकं सैन्यं यथाऽध्यत संजय॥
This all appears me reverse to listen that so vast army could not face and defeat Pandavas in battle. O Sanjaya! The gods come in support of Pandavas definitely and battle against my army. This is the reason, it is being slaughtered in uncountable numbers day-to-day.
उक्तो हि विदुरेणाहं हितं पथ्यं च नित्यशः। न च जग्राहः तन्मन्दः पुत्रो दुर्योधनो मम॥
Vidura had often advised what would have been beneficial and profitable; but my wicked son Duryodhana would not accept his counsel.
तस्य मन्ये मतिः पूर्वं सर्वज्ञस्य महात्मनः। आसीद् यथागतं तात येन दृष्टमिदं पुरा॥
I think the prophetic and high-souled Vidura had foreseen all that is happening at present; and hence his thought was so.
अथवा भाव्यमेवं हि संजयैतेन सर्वथा। पुरा धात्रा यथा सृष्टं तत् तथा नैतदन्यथा॥
Or it may be, O Sanjaya, that all this had been predestined by the Creator; and what is pre-ordained by him must happen as ordained and can not be other wise.