सैन्यनिर्याण पर्व — शिविरों की व्यवस्था

Vaishampayana said Then in a part of the field which was level, shady and where there was plenty of fodder's and fuel the king Yudhishthira had his army encamped.

Avoiding cremation grounds other sacred places and horses consecrated to the gods, and the hermitages of the great Rishis and also other holy places,

Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, of great intelligence, ordered his army to be encamped, in a part of the field which was delightful and grassy and which was open.

Then his army, which was weary and tried, having rested, again set out surrounded by hundred and thousands of rulers of the earth.

Routing hundreds of groups of soldiers of the son of Dhritarashtra Keshava wandered about in company with the son of Pritha.

Dhrishtadyumna, the son of the Prishata race, and the car-warrior Satyaki endued with prowess, otherwise called Yuyudhana, had the land of encampment measured.

Reaching, in the field of Kurukshetra the holy lake Hiranvati which was a place of hermitage, the water of which was pure and the bed free from stones and mire,

Keshava had a trench dug there, O Bharata and for the protection thereof posted a body of soldiers with instructions to them.

The rulers, that were in force in connection with the encampment of the great souled Pandavas, were ordered also to be followed by Keshava in regard the encampment of other chiefs of men.

There were plenty of tents, by hundred and thousands, hard to be captured and provided with abundance of foods, eatables, solid food, drink and fuels.

Separate tents of great value were fixed there on the face of the earth, one for each; and they looked like so many palaces, O chief among kings.

And there were engaged many skillful workmen and experienced, to whom were given regular salaries, as also physicians, familiar with the science, furnished with all the necessary articles and ingredients of their respective professions.

Bowstrings bows, coats of mail, and weapons as also honey and clarified butter, water, pounded lac, in heaps resembling hills,

And plenty of water and fodder for cattle and chaff and fire, the king Yudhishthira placed in each tent.

Large machines, long shafts, to maras, and battle-axes, bows, coats of mail, breast-plates and quivers were also there.

Elephants having coats of steel with prickles thereon and huge as mountain, were seen there, each capable of fighting with a hundred thousand warriors.

Knowing that the sons of Pandu were encamped there, O Bharata, his friends came from their respective countries along with their own forces and armies.

By them had been observed Brahmacharya vows, drunk the Soma juice; and liberal presents had also been made by them to the Brahmanas in sacrifices; these kings came for ensuring victory to the sons of Pandu.