Ambopakhyana Parva — Marching of soldiers

Vaishampayana said In the same way the virtuous king Yudhishthira, son of Kunti, urged the warriors headed by Dhrishtadyumna, O Bharata.

He ordered the leaders and commander of the Chedis, Kashis, and Karushas, Dhrishtaketu, of steady prowess, and the slayer of foes,

And Virata, and Drupada and Yuyudhana and Shikhandin, and the mighty archers, rulers of Panchalas, the two Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas (to advance).

Those warriors, clad in variegated armours, and bearing golden ear-rings shone like clarified butter is poured (or them).

Those mighty archers shone beautiful like burning constellations. At length having paid due homage to the army, that best among men,

The ruler of the earth, ordered those forces to advance. And king Yudhishthira ordered for those high-souled (warriors) with forces, consisting of infantry.

Together with elephants and steeds and other followers, provisions of the best kind, as well as for those who lived by means of mechanical arts.

And the son of Pandu ordered Abhimanyu and Brihanta and all Draupadeyas, (the five sons of Draupadi), headed by Dhrishtadyumna, to advance.

And then he sent forth the second division of the army with Bhima, Yuyudhana and Dhananjaya, the son of Pandu.

And the noise of the warriors as they put on the equipment's of war, and moved and ran about, cheered as they were, reached the very heavens.

Last of all, that ruler of the earth himself went forth in the rear, with other rulers of the earth, accompanied by Virata and Drupada.

Then that army, of terrible archers commanded by Dhrishtadyumna, as it moved to and fro, looked like the full Ganga, silently rushing on.

Then the intelligent (Yudhishthira) again arranged his troops (in a different order), confounding the knowledge of the sons of Dhritarashtra.

And the son of Pandu ordered the five sons of Draupadi who were mighty bowmen, and Abhimanyu Nakula and Sahadeva, and all the Prabhadraka, and ten thousand horses and elephants; and ten thousand foot-soldiers, and five hundred chariots, to be the first division of the ariny, under the irresistible Bhimasena. And the son of Pandu (ordered) in the middle (division of his army) Virata and Jayatsena,

And the two Maharathas, the ruler of Panchala, Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas, who were high-souled (warriors) of great prowess holding clubs and bows.

And in this middle division followed Vasudeva and Dhananjaya. And these were men well-accomplished in arms, burning with anger.

Amongst them were twenty thousand horses ridden by brave warriors, and five thousand elephants and cars on all sides round.

Those warriors who composed the infantry, armed with bows, swords, and maces, followed by thousands in the vanguard, and thousands in the rear.

And in that part of that ocean of forces, where Yudhishthira himself (was), stationed a large number of rulers of the earth.

And in that part (were) thousands of elephants, and ten thousands of steeds, as well as thousands of cars and foot-soldiers O Bharata.

And Chekitana, with his own mighty force, O best among kings, and king Dhrishtaketu, the leader of the Chedis, marched forth.

And there (was) also Satyaki, that archer and the best of the car-warriors among the Vrishnis, surrounded by hundreds and thousands of chariots, and leading (them) forward, powerful as he was.

And those foremost among men, seated on their chariots, Kshatradeva and Brahmadeva, followed behind, protecting the rear.

And there were (in the rear) carts shops, vehicles, and beast of burden of all kinds and thousands of elephants and ten thousands of steeds. And all the children and women, and those who were emaciated and weak.

And with the animals carrying his treasures, and his granaries and uniting all these by means of an army of elephants, king Yudhishthira slowly marched forward.

Him (Yudhishthira) followed Suchitta, an unswerving adherent of truth, and who was invincible in battle, and Shrenimat and Vasudeva, and Vibhu, the son of the Kashis.

And they followed him, with twenty thousand chariots, and a hundred million steeds (of that mighty army) with great bells,

And twenty thousand elephants who smote with their tusks resembling plowshares all of good breed, and with spit temples and moving about like masses of clouds.

And besides these, O Bharata, thousand elephants which were in the seven divisions of the army of Yudhishthira in that battle,

With temporal juice flowing down and with the temples rent, followed the king like so many moving mountains.

Such was the terrible array of forces of that wise son of Kunti, relying on the help of which he fought with Suyodhana, the son of Dhritarashtra.

And above these, other men, by hundreds and thousands and tens of thousands of groups o thousands, followed their (sons of Pandu) forces, roaring loudly.

And those men by thousands and tens of thousand, filled with joy, beat their drums by thousands, and blew their conches by tens of thousands.