Bhishma-Vadha Parva — Krauncha Vyuha making of the Pandavas

Sanjaya said O best of the Bharata race, when the troops were withdrawn on the first day (of battle) and when Duryodhana was exceedingly glad in seeing Bhishma angry in the field of battle.

Dharmaraja Yudhishthira soon went to Janardana with all his brothers and with all the kings of his side.

Being greatly afflicted with the defeat and seeing Bhishma's prowess, O king, he thus spoke to the Vrishni chief (Krishna).

O Krishna, behold the greatly powerful and mighty bowman Bhishma. He consumes my troops with his arrows as fire consumes dry grass.

How shall we even look at that illustrious one who is consuming my troops like fire fed with Ghee..

Seeing that foremost of men, that great warrior, armed with bow, my troops afflicted with his arrows, fly away (in all directions).

Even angry Yama himself, or the wielder of the thunder-bolt (Indra) or the wielder of the noose, Varuna, or the holder of the mace, Kubera, may be defeated in battle.

But the greatly effulgent and mighty carwarrior Bhishma is incapable of being defeated. Such being the case, I am sinking in the fathomless ocean (Bhishma) without a boat.

O Keshava, O Govinda, when Bhishma is my foe, it is preferable for me to entire into the forest and live there. It is wrong to sacrifice these rulers of earth to death in the person of Bhishma. Learned as he is in all weapons. O Krishna, he will annihilate my army.

As insects rush into the blazing fire for their own destruction, so do my troops in this fearful battle.

O Vrishni chief, using prowess for the sake of acquiring a kingdom, I am being (unconsciously) led to destruction. My heroic brothers are all wounded with arrows for my sake. They are deprived of both sovereignty and happiness only through the great love they bear for their eldest brother. We highly regard life, for, under the circumstances. Life is very precious. During the reminder of my days I will practice the severest asceticism. O Keshava, I shall not bring about the destruction of my friends.

The mighty Bhishma continuously kills with his celestial weapons many thousands of my car-warriors who are foremost of heroes.

O Madhava, tell me soon what should be done for my good. As regards Arjuna, I see he is indifferent in this battle, he behaves like a spectator.

The greatly powerful Bhishma alone, remembering Kshatriya duties, fights with all the prowess of his arms and to the utmost of his Power.

With his great mace that kills the heroes, this illustrious one (Bhishma), with the best of his powers, achieves the most difficult feats on foot-soldiers, horses, car and elephants.

O sire, this hero, however, is incapable of destroying in a fair fight the troops of our army if he tries for one hundred years.

This your friend (Arjuna) alone is learned in all weapons. Seeing us consumed by Bhishma and the illustrious Drona, he only looks on us with indifference.

The celestial weapons of Bhishma and those of the illustrious Drona are continuously consuming all the Kshatriyas.

OKrishna, such is the prowess of Bhishma; if he is angry, he will, with the help of the kings (on his side), certainly annihilate us.

O lord of Yoga, search out that great bowman, that mighty car-warriors who will be able to extinguish Bhishma's prowess, as rain charged clouds extinguish a forest-fire.

0 Govinda, through your grace the Pandavas will recover their kingdom when their enemies will be killed and they will be happy with their kinsmen.

Having said this, the high-souled son of Pritha, in great grief, remained silent for a long time in a reflected mood.

Seeing the Pandava (Yudhishthira) afflicted with grief and deprived of his senses by sorrow, Govinda thus spoke giving excessive delight to all.

"O best of the Bharata race, do not grieve. You would not grieve, when all your brothers are heroes and illustrious bow-men.

I am also engaged in doing good to you, so are the great car-warriors Satyaki, the revered Virata and Drupada and also the descendant of Prishata, Dhrishtadyumna.

O best of kings, O monarch, all these kings with their troops are all in your favour. They are all devoted to you.

This great car-warrior, this descendant of Prishata, this Dhrishtadyumna, who had been placed in command of your troops, is always desirous of your welfare. He is ever engaged in doing what is agreeable to you.

O mighty armed hero, so also is Shikhandin who is certain to be the slayer of Bhishma”. Having heard this the king (Yudhishthira) thus spoke to that great warrior Dhrishtadyumna. car

In that assembly and in the hearing of Vasudeva. "O Dhrishtadyumna, O descendant of Prishata, mark the words I speak to you.

The words uttered by me should not be transgressed. You have been appointed to commander of our force with the approval of Vasudeva.

O foremost of men, as in the days of yore, Kartikeya was the commander of the celestial army, so are you commander of the Pandava army.

O foremost of men, putting forth your prowess, kill of Kurus, O sire, I shall follow you Bhima and Krishna,

The sons of Madri, the sons of Draupadi clad in armour and also all the other foremost of kings, O best of men, (will also follow you)"

Then giving delight to all who heard him, Dhrishtadyumna thus spoke; “O son of Pritha, I am the ordained slayer of Drona."

O king! I shall now fight with Bhishma. Drona, Kripa, Shalya, Jayadratha and all the other proud kings.

When the chastiser of foes, that foremost of princes, that descendant of Pritha (Dhrishtadyumna) defiantly spoke thus, the Pandava warriors, who were all greatly powerful, who were all incapable of being defeated, sent forth a loud shout. Then the son of Pritha, Yudhishthira, thus spoke to the descendant of Prishat (Dhrishtadyumna), the commander of his army, "A Vyuha called Krauncharuna which is destructive of all foes.

and which was spoken of by Brihaspati to Indra in the days of old when the celestial and the Asuras fought, kindly now from that Vyuha destructive of the hostile troops.

It was never before seen by any one. Now let the kings see it with the Kurus”. Having been thus addressed by that foremost of men, as Vishnu is addressed by the wielder of thunder bolt.

He (Dhrishtadyumna) placed Dhananjaya in front of the whole army in the next morning. The standard of Dhananjaya, (Arjuna) which had been made by the celestial artificial at the command of Indra, looked exceedingly beautiful when it moved through the sky. Adorned with banners of the rain-bow colours, when it coursed through the air like a arranger of the skies, loO king like a fleeting vapoury mansion in the sky. O sire, it appeared to glide dancingly along the path by which the car went.

Arjuna was graced by that flag studded with gems and that flag was graced by Arjuna by that flag studded with gems and that flag was graced by Arjuna holding Gandiva bow. It was just the same as sun god is graced by Meru mountain and Meru mountain receives grandeur from the presence of sun god.

The king Drupada, surrounded by a large number of troops, stood at the head of that Vyuha, becoming as if its head. The two kings Kuntibhoja and Shaivya became its two eyes.

O best of the Bharata race, the ruler of the Dasharhas, the Prayagas, the Dasherakas, the Anupakas and the Kiratas were placed in its neck.

O king, Yudhishthira with the Patachcharas, the Pundras, the Puravakas and the Nishadas, became its back.

Bhimasena, the descendant of Prishat Dhrishtadyumna, the sons of Draupadi, Abhimanyu, and that great car-warrior Satyaki became its two wings.

They were backed, (descendant of Bharata, by the Pishachas, the Daradas, the Pundras, the Kundivishas, the Marulas, the Dhenukas, the Tanganas, the further Tanganas, the Balhikas, the Tittiras, the Chola, the Pandyas, the Udbhas, the Shabaras, Tumbhumas, the Vatsas, and the Nakula's.

Nakula and Sahadeva stood in the left wing. O the joints of the wings stood ten thousand car-warriors and on the head stood one hundred thousand and on the back one hundred millions and on the neck one hundred and seventy thousand.

On the joints of the wings, on the wings and the extremities of the wings, stood innumerable elephants loO king like so many blazing mountains.

The rear was protected by Virata's backed by the Kaikeyas, the ruler of the Kashi's, and with the king of the Chedi, with thirty thousand cars.

O descendant of Bharata, thus forming this great Vyuha the Pandavas, all clad in armour waited for the morning.

Their clean, costly and white umbrellas, as brilliant as the sun, shone on the back of their elephants and over their chariots.