sanjaya uvaca
drishtva tu pandavanikam
vyudham duryodhanas tada
acaryam upasangamya
raja vacanam abravit

"Sanjaya said: O King, after looking over the army arranged in military formation by the sons of Pandu, King Duryodhana went to his teacher and spoke the following words."

pasyaitam pandu-putranam
acarya mahatim camum
vyudham drupada-putrena
tava sisyena dhimata

"O my teacher, behold the great army of the sons of Pandu, so expertly arranged by your intelligent disciple the son of Drupada."

atra sura mahesv-asa
bhimarjuna-sama yudhi
yuyudhano viratas ca
drupadas ca maha-rathah

"Here in this army are many heroic bowmen equal in fighting to Bhima and Arjuna: great fighters like Yuyudhana, Virata and Drupada."

dhrishtaketus cekitanah
kasirajas ca viryavan
purujit kuntibhojas ca
saibyas ca nara-pungavah

"There are also great, heroic, powerful fighters like Dhrishtaketu, Cekitana, Kasiraja, Purujit, Kuntibhoja and Saibya."

yudhamanyus ca vikranta
uttamaujas ca viryavan
saubhadro draupadeyas ca
sarva eva maha-rathah

"There are the mighty Yudhamanyu, the very powerful Uttamauja, the son of Subhadra and the sons of Draupadi. All these warriors are great chariot fighters."

asmakam tu visista ye
tan nibodha dvijottama
nayaka mama sainyasya
samjnartham tan bravimi te

"But for your information, O best of the brahmanas, let me tell you about the captains who are especially qualified to lead my military force."

bhavan bhismas ca karnas ca
kripas ca samitim-jayah
ashvatthama vikarnas ca
saumadattis tathaiva ca

"There are personalities like you, Bhishma, Karna, Kripa, Asvatthama, Vikarna and the son of Somadatta called Bhurisrava, who are always victorious in battle."

anye ca bahavah sura
mad-arthe tyakta-jivitah
nana-shastra-praharanah
sarve yuddha-visaradah

"There are many other heroes who are prepared to lay down their lives for my sake. All of them are well equipped with different kinds of weapons, and all are experienced in military science."

aparyaptam tad asmakam
balam bhismabhiraksitam
paryaptam tv idam etesam
balam bhimabhiraksitam

"Our strength is immeasurable, and we are perfectly protected by Grandfather Bhishma, whereas the strength of the Pandavas, carefully protected by Bhima, is limited."

ayanesu ca sarveshu
yatha-bhagam avasthitah
bhismam evabhirakshantu
bhavantah sarva eva hi

"All of you must now give full support to Grandfather Bhishma, as you stand at your respective strategic points of entrance into the phalanx of the army."

tasya sanjanayan harsam
kuru-vrddhah pitamahah
simha-nadam vinadyoccaih
sankham dadhmau pratapavan

"Then Bhishma, the great valiant grandsire of the Kuru dynasty, the grandfather of the fighters, blew his conchshell very loudly, making a sound like the roar of a lion, giving Duryodhana joy."

tatah sankhas ca bheryas ca
panavanaka-gomukhah
sahasaivabhyahanyanta
sa shabdas tumulo ’bhavat

"After that, the conchshells, drums, bugles, trumpets and horns were all suddenly sounded, and the combined sound was tumultuous."

tatah svetair hayair yukte
mahati syandane sthitau
madhavah pandavas caiva
divyau sankhau pradadhmatuh

"On the other side, both Lord Krishna and Arjuna, stationed on a great chariot drawn by white horses, sounded their transcendental conchshells."

pancajanyam hrsikeso
devadattam dhananjayah
paundram dadhmau maha-sankham
bhima-karma vrkodarah

"Lord Krishna blew His conchshell, called Pancajanya; Arjuna blew his, the Devadatta; and Bhima, the voracious eater and performer of herculean tasks, blew his terrific conchshell, called Paundra."

anantavijayam raja
kunti-putro yudhisthirah
nakulah sahadevas ca
sughosa-manipuspakau

kasyas ca paramesv-asah
sikhandi ca maha-rathah
dhrishtadyumno viratas ca
satyakis caparajitah

drupado draupadeyas ca
sarvasah prithivi-pate
saubhadras ca maha-bahuh
sankhan dadhmuh prithak prithak

"King Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, blew his conchshell, the Ananta-vijaya, and Nakula and Sahadeva blew the Sughosa and Manipuspaka. That great archer the King of Kasi, the great fighter Sikhandi, Dhrishtadyumna, Virata, the unconquerable Satyaki, Drupada, the sons of Draupadi, and the others, O King, such as the mighty-armed son of Subhadra, all blew their respective conchshells."

sa ghoso dhartarastranam
hridayani vyadarayat
nabhas ca prithivim caiva
tumulo ’bhyanunadayan

"The blowing of these different conchshells became uproarious. Vibrating both in the sky and on the earth, it shattered the hearts of the sons of Dhritarashtra."

atha vyavasthitan drishtva
dhartarastran kapi-dhvajah
pravrtte shastra-sampate
dhanur udyamya pandavah
hrishikesham tada vakyam
idam aha mahi-pate

"At that time Arjuna, the son of Pandu, seated in the chariot bearing the flag marked with Hanuman, took up his bow and prepared to shoot his arrows. O King, after looking at the sons of Dhritarashtra drawn in military array, Arjuna then spoke to Lord Krishna these words."

arjuna uvaca
senayor ubhayor madhye
ratham sthapaya me ’cyuta
yavad etan nirikse ’ham
yoddhu-kaman avasthitan

kair maya saha yoddhavyam
asmin rana-samudyame

"Arjuna said: O infallible one, please draw my chariot between the two armies so that I may see those present here, who desire to fight, and with whom I must contend in this great trial of arms."

yotsyamanan avekse ’ham
ya ete ’tra samagatah
dhartarastrasya durbuddher
yuddhe priya-cikirsavah

"Let me see those who have come here to fight, wishing to please the evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra."