Shalya Parva — The arrangement of Kuru troops under Shalya and the preparation of both parties for a first battle

Sanjaya said After the termination of the night king Duryodhana addressed all your soldiers, saying-Arm, you mighty car-warriors!

Hearing the orders of the king, the warriors began to put on their armours. Some began to yoke horses to their card quickly, others ran about hither and thither.

The elephants were also got ready. The infantry began to arm themselves. Thousands of attendants began to spread carpets on the cars.

The sound of musical instruments, O king, arose there, for exciting the war-like spirit of the soldiers.

Then all the troops, stationed in their proper posts, were seen, O Bharata, to stand, clad in mail and determined to die.

Having made the king of the Madras their leader, the great car-warriors, of the Kauravas, made detachments of their soldiers.

Then all warriors, with Kripa and Kritavarman and Drona's son and Shalya, Subala's son and the other kings that were yet। alive, met your son and settled, that none of them would individually fight with the Pandavas.

And they said-"He who will fight alone with the Pandavas or he that will leave a comrade engaged in fight, will be visited by the five grave and all the minor sins.”—–And they said-"Do not fight Ashvatthama alone, son of Drona. All of us, unitedly will fight with the enemy.

Having made this contact those great carworriers placed the king of the Madras at their head and speedily ran against their foes.

Similarly, all the Pandavas, having arranged their soldiers in that great battle, proceeded against the Kauravas, O king, fighting with them.

Soon, O chief of the Bharatas, that army, whose noise resembled that of the agitated ocean and which seemed wondrous for its cars and elephants, shone like the deep with heaving billows.

Dhritarashtra said I have heard the fall of Drona, of Bhishma and the son of Radha. Tell me now of the fall of Shalya and of my son.

How, O Sanjaya, was Shalya killed by the . righteous king Yudhishthira? And how was my son Duryodhana slain by the powerful Bhimasena?

Sanjaya said Hear, O king, patiently of the destruction of human beings, elephants and horses as I describe the battle.

O king, your sons became very sanguine that, after Drona and Bhishma and the Suta's son had been killed, Shalya would kill all the sons of Pritha in battle.

Cherishing that hope in his heart and being comforted, O Bharata, your son Duryodhana, relying in battle upon that great car-carrier, the ruler of the Madras, thought himself as having a protector.

When after Karna's fall the Pandavas roared a great fear, O king, possessed the hearts of your sons.

Assuring him the valiant king of the Madras, having formed, O king, a grand array, proceeded against the Parthas in battle. And the brave king of the Madras possessed, shaking his beautiful and strong bow capable of shooting arrows with great force.

And that mighty car-warrior drove an excellent car having horses of the Sindhu breed yoked to it. Riding upon his car, his driver made the car resplendent.

Protected by that car, that hero, that brave destroyer of foes, stood, O king dissipating the fears of your sons.

The king of the Madras, clad in mail, proceeded at the head of the army accompanied by the brave Madrakas and the invincible sons of Karna.

On the left stood Kritavarman, surrounded by the Trigartas. On the right was (Kripa) with the Sakas and the Yavanas.

In the rear was Ashvathaman surrounded by the Kambojas. In the centre was Duryodhana, protected by the best of Kuru warriors.

Surrounded by a large army of cavalry and other troops, Subala's son, Sakuni, as also the great car-warrior, Uluka, proceeded with others.

The great bowmen amongst the Pandavas, those chastisers of foes, dividing themselves, O king, into three divisions, rushed against your troops.

Dhrishtadyumna and Shikhandin and the great car-warrior Satyaki proceeded quickly against the army of Shalya.

Then king Yudhishthira, accompanied by his soldiers, rushed against Shalya alone, with a view to kill him, O best of Bharata's race.

Arjuna, the slayer of foes, rushed against that great bowman, Kritavarman and the Samsaptakas.

Bhimasena and the great car-warriors among the Somakas rushed, O monarch, against Kripa, desirous of killing their enemies in battle.

The two sons of Madri, accompanied by their soldiers, proceeded against Sakuni and the great car-warrior Uluka at the head of their forces.

Similarly, thousands of warriors, of your army, armed with various weapons and filled with anger, proceeded against the Pandavas in that battle.

Dhritarashtra said After the fall of the great bowmen Bhishma and Drona and the great car-warrior Karna and after both the Kurus and the Pandavas had been lessened in numbers and when the powerful Parthas became once more angry in battle, what, O Sanjaya, was the strength of each of the armies.

Sanjaya said Hear, O king, how we and the enemy both stood for battle on that occasion and what was then the relative strength of the two armies.

Eleven thousand cars, O best of Bharata's race, ten thousand and seven hundred elephants and two hundred horse and three millions of foot, formed our army.

Six thousand cars, six thousand elephants, ten thousand horse and one million of foot, O Bharata, war the remnant of the Pandava force in that battle. These, O best of Bharata's race, met each other for battle.

Having divided our armies in this way, O) king, we, worked up with wrath and filled with the desire of victory, rushed against the Pandavas, under the command of the king of the Madras.

Similarly, the brave Pandavas, those foremost of men, desirous of killing their enemies, encountered one another early in the morning, O king.

Then took place a dreadful encounter between your soldiers and the enemy, the warriors being all engaged in striking and slaughtering one another.