Satyaki and Vrikodara? Them that have Arjuna for
their warrior, them that have Janardana for their
counsellor, them that have Satyaki and Vrikodara for
their protectors, what mortal bowman is there that
would dare fight with, save the Kauravas and those
that are following their lead? All that is capable
of being achieved by friendly kings endued with heroism
and observant of the duties of Kshatriyas, all that
is being done by the warriors on the Kauravas side.
Listen now, therefore, to everything that hath taken
place in the terrible battle between those tigers
among men
viz., the Kurus and the Pandavas.’”
“Sanjaya said, ’After that fight had passed
away, Drona, that foremost of all wielders of weapons,
began to array all his divisions for battle.
Diverse sounds were heard, O monarch of angry heroes
shouting in wrath and desirous of slaying one another.
And some stretched their bows, and some rubbed with
their hands their bow-strings. And drawing deep
breaths, many of them shouted, saying, Where is that
Dhananjaya? And some began to throw upwards (and
again seize) their naked swords, unyielding, well-tempered,
of the colour of the sky, possessed of great sharpness,
and furnished with beautiful hilts. And brave
warriors, desirous of battle, by thousands, were seen
to perform the evolutions of swordmen and of bowmen,
with skill acquired by practice. Some whirling
their maces decked with bells, smeared with sandal
paste, and adorned with gold and diamonds enquired
after the sons of Pandu. Some intoxicated with
the pride of strength, and possessed of massive arms,
obstructed the welkin with their spiked clubs that
resembled (a forest of flag) staff raised in honour
of Indra. Others, brave warriors all, adorned
with beautiful garlands of flowers, desirous of battle,
occupied diverse portions of the field, armed with
diverse weapons. ’Where is Arjuna?
Where is that Govinda? Where is proud Bhima?
Where also are those allies of their?’ Even
thus did they call upon them in battle. Then blowing
his conch and himself urging the horses to great speed,
Drona moved about with great celerity, arraying his
troops. After all those divisions that delight
in battle had taken up their stations, Bharadwaja’s
son, O king, said these words unto Jayadratha.
’Thyself, Somadatta’s son, the mighty car-warrior
Karna, Aswatthaman, Salya, Vrishasena and Kripa, with
a hundred thousand horse, sixty thousand cars, four
and ten thousand elephants with rent temples, one
and twenty thousand foot-soldiers clad in mail take
up your station behind me at the distance of twelve
miles. There the very gods with Vasava at their
head will not be able to attack thee, what need be
said, therefore, of the Pandavas? Take comfort,
O ruler of the Sindhus. Thus addressed (by Drona),
Jayadratha, the ruler of the Sindhus, became comforted.
And he proceeded to the spot indicated by Drona, accompanied
by many Gandhara warriors, and surrounded by those
great car-warriors, and with many foot-soldiers clad
in mail, prepared to fight vigorously and armed with
nooses. The steeds of Jayadratha, well-skilled
in bearing of drawing were all, O monarch, decked
with yalk-tails and ornaments of gold. And seven
thousand such steeds, and three thousand other steeds
of the Sindhu breed were with him.’
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