Yanasandhi Parva — The speech of Sanjaya

Dhritarashtra said Whom have you, O Sanjaya, seen there coming out of love and who will fight with the army of my sons on behalf of the sons of Pandu?

Sanjaya said The chief of the Andhakas and Vrishnis, Krishna have I seen come there; as also Chekitana, Yuyudhana and Satyaki.

The two famous and great car-warriors, proud among men, each with a separate Akshauhini of soldiers, have gone to the side of the Pandavas.

And the king of the Panchalas Drupada, surrounded by his ten heroic sons, headed by Dhrishtadyumna, with an Akshauhini.

And protected by Shikhandin has joined them after well protecting the limbs of his soldiers, enhancing the honour of the Pandavas.

Virata, too, with his two sons Shankha and Uttara and with the heroes Suryadatta and others headed by Madiraksha and with his brother and sons, surrounded by an Akshauhini of troops, has joined the son of Pritha.

The king of Magadha, the of Jarasandha, too and Dhrishtaketu, the king of the Chedis-these two have come separately each surrounded by an Akshauhini.

The five brothers of Kaikeya, all having red flags, surrounded by an Akshauhini, have joined the sons of Pandu.

These parties and of their respective numbers have I seen come there, who will fight with the army of Dhritarashtra, on behalf of the sons of Pandu. son

He, who is acquainted with the human system of fight, is celestial and is followed by the Gandharvas and by the Asuras that great car-warrior, Dhrishtadyumna, is at the head of that army.

Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, O king, has been reserved as the share of Shikhandin. Virata will help him (the latter) along with the soldiers from Matsya.

The ruler of the Madras, endued with strength, has been reserved as the share of the eldest son of Pandu, through somebody in their party said that he was of opinion that the two did match very well.

Duryodhana with his son and his hundred brothers and the soldiers coming from the castern and southern countries have fallen to the share of Bhimasena.

Arjuna has for his share Karna the son of Vikartana, Ashvathaman, Vikarna and the king of Sindhu Jayadratha.

Whoever there is in this world who boasts that he is invincible. Arjuna, the son Pritha, has accepted all of them also as his share.

The great bowmen, the five Kaikeya princes, brothers to one another, taking the Kaikeya warriors (on the Kurus side) for his share, will fight in the battle. same sons

In their share have also fallen the Malavas, the Shalvakas and the two foremost of the Trigartas, who have resolved to win or to die.

In the way all the sons of Duryodhana and Dushasana have been accepted by the son of Subhadra as his share, as also the king Brihadbala.

The mighty bowmen, the of Draupadi, having their flag ornamented with gold, with Dhrishtadyumna at their head, will fight with Drona, O Bharata.

Chekitana desires to fight with Somadatta in single combat, each seated on his own car; and Yuyudhana is desirous of fighting against Kritavarma of the Bhoja tribe.

The son of Madri, the hero Sahadeva, who makes loud roars in battle, has accepted as his own share your brother the son of Subala.

Uluka, the deceitful one and hordes of Sarasvata tribes have been accepted by Nakula, the son of Madravati; as his own share.

The other rulers, too, Oking, who will fight in the battle, have been assigned to the share of some one on their side by the sons of Pandu.

In this way has this army been divided into batches. Do whatever is to be done by you, along with your son, speedily.

Dhritarashtra said All my foolish sons, those addicted to the wicked dice who have taken it in their hand to fight with the powerful Bhima, have ceased to exist already.

The kings and the rulers, too, all consecrated by the king of death himself shall enter the Gandiva bow as moths fall on fire.

I see in my mind my army already routed by these large minded ones, whom I converted into enemies, who will follow them to battle, who have been routed by the Pandavas in fight.

All of them are extremely good carwarriors, heroes, famous and powerful having might like that of the sun or fire and victorious in battle.

son Those whose leader is Yudhishthira and whose protector is the slayer of Madhu and whose warriors are the heroic sons of Pandu, Savyasachin and Vrikodara and Nakula, Sahadeva, Dhrishtadyumna, the of Prishata, Satyki, Drupada, with his brother and the king of the Panchalas, endued with excellent prowess and the invincible Yudhamanyu and Shikhandin and Kshatradeva and Uttra and the son Virata and the Kashis, the Chedis, the Matsyas and all the Srinjayas, the son of Virata, Babhru, the Panchalas and the Prabhadrakas. From these even Indra himself cannot wrest this Earth, if they are not so willing-the heroes, who are cool and composed in battle and who are capable even of breaking the mountains, my wicked son desires to fight, O Sanjaya-these endued with all the virtues and endued with superhuman strength, disregard me me who am loudly protesting.

Duryodhana said Both the parties are of the same race and both roam about on the earth; why then do you regard victory as coming solely to the Pandavas.

Our grandfather Bhishma, Drona, Kripa and Karna hard to be vanquished, Jayadratha, Somadatta and Ashvathama, Indra even, united with the gods, is incapable of defeating these great bowmen endued with great energy in battle. How can the Pandavas do it, O sire.

All the rulers of the earth, too, leading honourable lives, the heroes capable of wielding weapons can for my sake, O sire, oppose the Pandavas.

These Pandavas are not even able to gaze on my soldiers. I am sufficiently powerful to challenge the Pandus with their sons to fight.

Those rulers of the earth, who wish me well, O Bharata, will get hold of them, as deer are caught by means of a trap.

By means of our large number of cars and our net of arrows, the Panchalas along with the Pandavas will be vanquished.

Dhritarashtra said My son raves like a maniac, O Sanjaya; he is not capable of defeating in battle Yudhishthira the king of Dharma.

Bhishma knows the truth of the sons of Pandu and their sons of great fame and prowess, conversant with the code of morality and having large minds.

Since he does not desire fight with those ones of great soul; but, O Sanjaya, tell me again of their doings.

Who among them are endued with activity and who are inciting the Pandavas. These great bowinen are like those pouring clarified butter on fire.

Sanjaya said Dhritarashtra is ever inciting them, O Bharata, saying, “Fight and do not fear a fight, you best among the race of Bharata.

The few rulers of the earth, who are surrounded by the sons of Dhritarashtra, will engage in fierce fight with marks of numberless weapons on their bodies.

All these wrathful kings who have assembled on the other side, with their friends and followers, I alone will capture like a big fish, seizing small ones from the water.

Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, Karna, the son of Drona, Shalya and Suyodhana-these I will opposed like the shore, resisting the flow of the swelling waters.

King Yudhishthira of a virtuous soul said to him who was thus speaking-'The Panchalas along with the Pandavas all depend on your wisdom and prowess.

Rescue us from this fight; I am aware that you, O you with long arms, are established on the virtue of a Kshatriya.

Alone you are quite capable of effecting the overthrow of the Kauravas. To meet the Kauravas, desirous of war and standing in front of us.

What ever will be decided on by you will conduce to our good, O subduer of foes, why those fly from the field of battle out of the original army and are at our mercy.

The hero, who after showing forth his strength himself helps such men (those flying, referred to in the last Sloka), is worth purchasing for a thousand. Such is the opinion of those who are conversant with the code of morality.

O you bull among men, you are just such a hero, brave and powerful. There is no doubt that in battle you are the rescuer of those struck with fear.

The son of Kunti, Yudhishthira, of virtuous soul having said this Dhrishtadyumna without the least fear said these words to me-O Suta, all the men that have come to fight for Duryodhana, tell them and the Kurus who have descended from the Pratipas with the Bahlika's, son of Sharadvata and Drona with his son, as also Jayadratha with his son and Dushasana and Vikarna and also the king Duryodhana and Bhima-go to them and tell them go just now, without delay.

Yudhishthira should be approached by an honourable man, let not Arjuna, protected by the gods, kill you and the king of virtue the son of Pandu-that hero among men should be forthwith asked to accept the kingdom surrender to him.

There is no warrior in this world as the son of Pandu, Savyasachin of true strength.

By the gobs themselves in the heavenly car of the wielder of the Gandiva bow protected; he cannot be defeated by men; do not think in mind even of a fight with him.