चक्रव्यूह की रचना

Sanjaya said The five Pandavas brothers, all of fierce deeds in battle and all incapable of being overcome by fatigue as is apparent from their achievements, when aided by Krishna, could not be vanquished even by the celestials.

In righteousness, in deeds, in lineage, in intelligence, in renown, in fame and in prosperity-in all these virtues, there neither was nor is, nor will be, a person equal to Yudhishthira.

King Yudhishthira is constantly in the enjoyment of heavenly bliss, in consequence of his devotion to truth, righteousness, control passions, worship of the Vipras and such other qualities.

The Destroyer at the end of a Yuga, the highly puissant son of Jamadagni and Bhimasena on his car, O king, these three are held to be equal (in prowess).

Of the wielder of Gandiva ever competent to fulfil his vows in battle, of that son of Pritha, I do see no equal on the face of the earth.

Devotion to the elders, secrecy of counsels, modesty, self-control, beauty of person and heroism, these six virtues are ever present in Nakula.

In knowledge of the Shrutis, in gravity, in humility, in righteousness, in personal beauty and in prowess, the heroic Sahadeva equals the two immortals viz., the twin Asvinis.

All those illustrious qualities that are present mostly in Krishna and in the Pandavas, all those qualities were to be seen combined in Abhimanyu.

Abhimanyu was equal to Yudhishthira in patience, to Krishna in conduct, to Bhima of terrible deeds in his achievements.

He was equal to Dhananjaya in beauty of person, prowess and scriptural knowledge and to Nakula and Sahadeva in humility.

Dhritarashtra said O Suta, I desire to hear in detail how the invincible son of Subhadra, viz., Abhimanyu was slain in battle.

Sanjaya said Be patient, O mighty monarch. Bear your unbearable burden of grief. I shall speak of the dreadful carnage of your relations. Now hear be attentively.

The circular array, O monarch, was then formed by the preceptor, in which were duly stationed kings, each equal to Indra himself.

At the head of the array (entrance) were stationed all the princes of the effulgence of the sun. Then there was a veritable assembly of princes.

All of them sword to help one another, all owned standards decked with gold; all wore red raiment's and all were decorated with crimson ornaments.

All of them possessed crimson flags, all had golden garlands; all were smeared with sandalpaste and other perfumed unguents and all of them wore floral garlands and fine attires.

In a serried file, they rushed against Krishna's nephew. desirous of fighting with him. All of them firm bowmen, then numbered no less then ten thousand strong in all.

Placing at their head your handsome grandson Lakshmana, they proceeded to battle, resolved to share one another's grief, emulating one another in deeds of valour.

Striving to out view one another's and intent on one another's good. O foremost of kings, Duryodhana was stationed in the very centre of your troops.

The king then was surrounded by such mighty warriors as Karna, Dushasana and Kripa, with a white umbrella held over his head, he appeared beautiful like the king of the celestials.

Fanned by the moving yak-tails, he appeared like the sun himself. In the very van of those troops was stationed Drona the generalissimo of the Kuru hosts.

There also was stationed the handsome ruler of the Sindhus, immovable like the mount Meru itself. By the side of the ruler of the Sindhus, headed Ashvatthaman.

Stood, O mighty monarch, your thirty sons, all resembling the celestials themselves. That gamester, the ruler of the Gandharas, Shalya and Bhurishravas.

These mighty car-warriors shone in the flank of the king of the Sindhus. Then raged a combat between your troops and those of the enemy, combat, that was fierce in the extreme and horripilating and in which the warriors regarded Death to be their goal.

Stood, O mighty monarch, your thirty sons, all resembling the celestials themselves. That gamester, the ruler of the Gandharas, Shalya and Bhurishravas.

These mighty car-warriors shone in the flank of the king of the Sindhus. Then raged a combat between your troops and those of the enemy, combat, that was fierce in the extreme and horripilating and in which the warriors regarded Death to be their goal.