| BHISHMA PARV MAHABHARAT BOOK 6 CHAPTER 46 Mahabharat
Book 6 Chapter 46 : English
Mentions
Krishna, Yudhisthir and his brothers looking for arrangements of
the war
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dry grass. How shall we even look at that high-souled (warrior) who is licking up my troops like fire fed with clarified butter? Beholding; that tiger among men, that mighty warrior armed with the bow, my troops fly away, afflicted with arrows. Enraged Yam himself, or He armed with the thunder, or even Varun noose in hand, or Kuvera armed with mace, may be vanquished in battle but the mighty car-warrior Bhishma, of great energy is incapable of being vanquished. Such being the case, I am sinking in the fathomless ocean represented by Bhishma, without a boat (to rescue me). 1 In consequence, O Keshav, of the weakness of my understanding, having obtained Bhishma (for a foe in battle), I shall, O Govinda, retire into woods. To live there is preferable to devoting these lords of earth to Death in the form of Bhishma. Conversant with mighty weapons, Bhishma, O Krishna, will annihilate my army. As insects rush into the blazing fire for their own destruction, the combatants of my army are even so. In putting forth prowess for the sake of kingdom, O thou of Vrishni's race, I am being led to destruction. My heroic brothers also are pained and afflicted with arrows for my sake, having been deprived of both sovereignty and happiness in consequence of their love for their eldest brother. We regard life very highly, for, under these circumstances, life is too precious (to be sacrificed). During the remainder of my days I will practise the severest of ascetic austerities. I will not, O Keshav, cause these friends of mine to be slain. 2 The mighty Bhishma incessantly stays, with his celestial weapon, many thousands of my car-warriors who are foremost of smiters. Tell me, O Madhav, without delay, what should be done that might do me good. As regards Arjun, I see that he is an indifferent spectator in this battle. Endued with great might, this Bhima alone, remembering Kshatriya duties, fighteth putting forth the prowess of his arms and to the utmost of his power. With his hero-slaying mace, this high-souled (warrior), to the full measure of his powers, achieveth the most difficult feats upon foot-soldiers and steeds and cars and elephants. This hero, however, is incapable, O sire, of destroying in fair fight the hostile host in even a century. This thy friend (Arjun) alone (amongst) is conversant with (mighty) weapons. He, however, beholding us consumed by Bhishma and the high-souled Drona, looketh indifferently on us. The celestial weapons of Bhishma and the high-souled Drona, incessantly applied, are consuming all the Kshatriyas. O Krishna, such is his prowess, that Bhishma, with wrath excited, aided by the kings (on his side), will, without doubt annihilate us. O Lord of Yoga, look for that great bowman, that mighty car-warrior, who will give Bhishma his quietus like rain-charged clouds quenching a forest conflagration. (Then) through thy grace, O Govinda, the son of Pandu, their foes being slain, will, after recovery of their kingdom, be happy with their kinsmen.
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"Having said this, the high-souled son of Pritha, with heart afflicted by grief and mind turned within, remained silent for a long while in a reflected mood. Beholding the son of Pandu stricken with grief and deprived of his senses by sorrow, Govinda then gladdening all the Pandavs said, 'Do not grieve, O chief of the Bharats. It behoveth thee not to grieve, when thy brothers are all heroes and renowned bowmen in the world. I also am employed in doing thee good, as also that mighty car-warrior Satyaki and Virat and Drupad, both reverend in years, and Dhrishtadyumn of Prishat's line. And so also, O best of kings, all these monarchs with their (respective) troops are expectant of thy favour and devoted to thee, O king. This mighty car-warrior Dhrishtadyumn of Prishat's race placed in command of thy army is always desirous of thy welfare and engaged in doing that which is agreeable to thee, as also this Sikhandin, O thou of mighty arms, who is certainly the slayer of Bhishma. Hearing these words, the king (Yudhishthira), said, unto that mighty car-warrior Dhrishtadyumn, in that very assembly and in the hearing of Vasudeva, these words, O Dhrishtadyumn, mark these words that I say unto thee, O thou of Prishata's line. The words uttered by me should not be transgressed. Approved by Vasudeva, thou hast been the commander of our forces. As Kartikeya, in days of old, was ever the commander of the celestial host, so also art thou, O bull among men, the commander of the Pandava host. Putting forth thy prowess, O tiger among men, slay the Kauravs. I will follow thee, and Bhim, and Krishna also, O sire, and the sons of Madri united together, and the sons of Draupadi accoutred in mail, and all the other foremost of kings, O bull among men. Then gladdening (the listeners) Dhrishtadyumn said, 'Ordained of old by Sambhu himself, I am, O son of Pritha, the slayer of Dron. I shall now fight in battle against Bhishma, and Dron and Kripacharya and Shalya and Jayadrath and all the proud monarchs (on the Kuru side)'. When that foremost of princes, that slayer of foes, the son of Prishat, said this defiantly, the Pandav warriors, endued with great energy and incapable of being defeated in battle, all set up a loud shout. And then Pritha's son Yudhishthira said unto the commander of his army, the son of Prishata, (these words), 'An array known by the name of Krauncharuma, that is destructive of all foes, and that was spoken of by Vrihaspati unto Indra in days of old when the gods and the Asuras fought,--that array destructive of hostile divisions, do thou form. Unseen before, the kings behold it, along with the Kurus.' Thus addressed by that god among men, like Vishnu addressed by the wielder of the thunderbolt, 1 he (Dhrishtadyumna), when morning dawned, placed Dhananjaya in the van of the whole army. And Dhananjaya's standard, created at Indra's command by the celestial artificer, while moving through the skies, seemed wonderfully beautiful. Decked with banners bearing hues resembling
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those of Indra's bow, 1 coursing through the air like a ranger of the skies, and looking like the fleeting edifice of vapour in the welkin, it seemed, O sire to glide dancingly along the track of the car (to which it was attached). And the bearer of Gandiv with that (standard) graced with gems, and that standard itself with the bearer of Gandiva, looked highly adorned, like the Self-create with the Sun (and the Sun with the Self-create). 2 And king Drupad, surrounded by a large number of troops, became the head (of that array). And the two kings Kuntibhoj and Saivya became its two eyes. And the ruler of the Dasharnas, and the Prayagas, with the Dasherakas, and the Anupakas, and the Kirats were placed in its neck, O bull of Bharat's race. And Yudhishthir, O king, with the Patachchars, the Huns, the Pauravaks and the Nishads, became its two wings, so also the Pisachs, with the Kundivishs, and the Mandaks, Madak, Kadak and Tangans other Tangans, Balhiks, Tittiras, and Cholas Pandya. O Bharat, and the Saravs, the Tumbhumas, the Vats, and the Nakuls. And Nakul and Sahdev placed themselves on the left wing. And on the joints of the wings were placed ten thousand cars and on the head a hundred thousand, and on the back a hundred millions and twenty thousand and on the neck a hundred and seventy thousand. And on the joints of the wings, the wings and the extremities of the wings proceeded elephants in large bodies, looking, O king, like blazing mountains. And the rear was protected by Virata aided by the Kekayas, and the ruler of Kasi and the king of the Chedis, with thirty thousand cars. 3 Forming, O Bharat, their mighty array thus, the Pandavas, expectant of sunrise, waited for battle, all cased in armour. And their white umbrellas, clean and costly, and brilliant as the sun, shone resplendent on their elephants and cars."
Footnotes :
125:1 Aplavas and Alpave are both correct.
125:2 In the first line of the 14th verse Aviseshana seems to be incorrect. The Bombay text reads Avaseshena which I adopt.
126:1 The correct reading is Vishnu, and not Jishnu as in many of the Bengal texts.
127:1 Indrayudha is Indra's bow or the rainbow. Akasaga (literally a ranger of the skies) is a bird. The vapoury edifices and forms, constantly melting away and reappearing in new shapes, are called Gandharvanagar as (lit. towns of the Gandharvas or celestial choiristers).
127:2 The Bengal reading is Savayambhuriva bhanuna which I have adopted. The Bombay reading is Merurivabhanuna, which means "like the mountain Meru with Sun." It is difficult to make a choice between the two.
127:3 The Bombay text differs in many respects from the Bengal texts as regards the positions assigned to the several warriors and races in the Pandava host. It is impossible to settle the true readings. I have, therefore, without any attempt at correction, followed the Bengal text.
127:4 The last word of the 28th verse is 'Ratheshu cha', and not 'Dhajeshu cha' for umbrellas could not possibly be fastened to standards.
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