Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 5.156
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5.156.1
ततः शान्तनवं भीष्मं प्राञ्जलिर्धृतराष्ट्रजः ।
सह सर्वैर्महीपालैरिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ ५.१५६.१ ॥
Then the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, with folded hands, spoke these words to Bhīṣma, the son of Śantanu, together with all the kings.
5.156.2
ऋते सेनाप्रणेतारं पृतना सुमहत्यपि ।
दीर्यते युद्धमासाद्य पिपीलिकपुटं यथा ॥ ५.१५६.२ ॥
Even a very large army, without a leader, is torn apart when it meets battle, like an ant-hill.
5.156.3
नहि जातु द्वयोर्बुद्धिः समा भवति कर्हिचित् ।
शौर्यं च वलनेतॄणां स्पर्धते च परस्परम् ॥ ५.१५६.३ ॥
The judgment of two men is never at any time equal, and the valour of army-leaders also competes with each other.
5.156.4
श्रूयते च महाप्राज्ञ हैहयानमितौजसः ।
अभ्ययुर्ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे समुच्छ्रितकुशध्वजाः ॥ ५.१५६.४ ॥
And, O greatly wise one, it is heard that all the brahmins, with their banners of kuśa grass raised high, attacked the Haihayas of immeasurable might.
5.156.5
तानभ्ययुस्तदा वैश्याः शूद्राश्चैव पितामह ।
एकतस्तु त्रयो वर्णा एकतः क्षत्रियर्षभाः ॥ ५.१५६.५ ॥
Then the vaiśyas and śūdras also attacked them. O grandfather, on one side were the three social orders, and on the other the bulls among kṣatriyas.
5.156.6
ते स्म युद्धे प्रभज्यन्ते त्रयो वर्णाः पुनः पुनः ।
क्षत्रियाश्च जयन्त्येव बहुलं चैकतो बलम् ॥ ५.१५६.६ ॥
In battle those three social orders are routed again and again, but the kṣatriyas win, for their strength is united and abundant.
5.156.7
ततस्ते क्षत्रियानेव पप्रच्छुर्द्विचसत्तमाः ।
तेभ्यः शशंसुर्धर्मज्ञा याथातथ्यं पितामह ॥ ५.१५६.७ ॥
Then those best of twice-born asked the kṣatriyas themselves, and the grandfather, knower of dharma, told them the truth of the matter.
5.156.8
वयमेकस्य श्रृणुमो महाबुद्धिमतो रणे ।
भवन्तस्तु पृथक्सर्वे स्वबुद्धिवशवर्तिनः ॥ ५.१५६.८ ॥
In battle we listen to the counsel of one greatly wise man, but all of you, separately, follow the dictates of your own judgment.
5.156.9
ततस्ते ब्राह्मणाश्चक्रुरेकं सेनापतिं द्विजम् ।
नये सुकुशलं शूरमजयन्क्षत्रियांस्ततः ॥ ५.१५६.९ ॥
Then those brahmins made a single twice-born man, very skilled in policy and heroic, their commander, and thereafter they conquered the kṣatriyas.
5.156.10
एवं ये कुशलं शूरं हितेप्सितमकल्पषम् ।
सेनापतिं प्रकुर्वन्ति ते जयन्ति रणे रिपून् ॥ ५.१५६.१० ॥
Those who appoint as commander a skilled, heroic, well-wishing and blameless man conquer their enemies in battle.
5.156.11
भवानुशनसा तुल्यो हितैषी च सदा मम ।
असंहार्थः स्थितो धर्मे स नः सेनापतिर्भव ॥ ५.१५६.११ ॥
You are equal to Uśanas and always well-wishing toward me; you stand firm in dharma and are not for destruction. Be our commander.
5.156.12
रश्मीवतामिवादित्यो वीरुधामिव चन्द्रमाः ।
कुबेर इव यक्षाणां देवानामिव वासवः ॥ ५.१५६.१२ ॥
As the sun among the rays-bearers, as the moon among the herbs, as Kubera among the yakṣas, as Vāsava (Indra) among the gods.
5.156.13
पर्वतानां यथा मेरुः सुपर्णः पक्षिणां यथा ।
कुमार इव देवानां वसूनामिव हव्यवाट् ॥ ५.१५६.१३ ॥
As Meru among mountains, Suparṇa (Garuḍa) among birds, Kumāra among the gods, and Agni among the Vasus.
5.156.14
भवता हि वयं गुप्ताः शत्रेणेव दिवौकसः ।
अनाधृष्या भविष्यामस्त्रिदशानामपि ध्रुवम् ॥ ५.१५६.१४ ॥
Protected by you, we shall surely be unassailable, even by the thirty gods, as the dwellers of heaven are guarded against an enemy.
5.156.15
प्रयातु नो भवानग्रे देवानामिव पावकिः ।
वयं त्वामनुयास्यामः सौरभेया इवर्षभम् ॥ ५.१५६.१५ ॥
Let you go before us, as Pāvaki goes before the gods; we shall follow you, as the calves of Surabhi follow the bull.
5.156.16
एवमेतन्महाबाहो यथा वदसि भारत ।
यथैव हि भवन्तो मे तथैव मम पाण्डवाः ॥ ५.१५६.१६ ॥
So it is, O mighty-armed Bhārata, as you say; as you are to me, so too are the Pāṇḍavas to me.
5.156.17
अपि चैव मया श्रोयो वाच्यं तेषां नराधिप ।
संयोद्धव्यं तवार्थाय यथा मे समयः कृतः ॥ ५.१५६.१७ ॥
And I shall also speak to them what is good; I must fight for your sake, as the agreement I made requires.
5.156.18
न तु पश्यामि योद्धारमात्मनः सदृशं भुवि ।
ऋते तस्मान्नरव्याघ्रात्कुन्तीपुत्राद्धनञ्जयात् ॥ ५.१५६.१८ ॥
Yet on earth I see no warrior equal to myself, except that tiger among men, Dhanañjaya, son of Kuntī.
5.156.19
स हि वेद महाबुद्धिर्दिव्यान्यस्त्राण्यनेकशः ।
न तु मां विवृतो युद्धे जातु युध्येत पाण्डवः ॥ ५.१५६.१९ ॥
He, of great intellect, knows many divine weapons; yet the Pāṇḍava would never fight against me while I am unguarded in battle.
5.156.20
अहं स च क्षणेनैव निर्मनुष्यमिदं जगत् ।
कुर्यावास्त्रबलेनैव ससुरासुरराक्षसम् ॥ ५.१५६.२० ॥
He and I could in a moment, by the might of our weapons, make this world devoid of men, along with gods, asuras and rākṣasas.
5.156.21
न त्वेवोत्सादनीया मे पाण्डोः पुत्रा जनाधिप ।
तस्माद्योधान्हनिष्यामि प्रयोगेणायुतं सदा ॥ ५.१५६.२१ ॥
But I must not destroy the sons of Pāṇḍu, O lord of men; therefore I will always slay ten thousand warriors by the use of weapons.
5.156.22
एवमेषां फरिष्यामि निधनं कुरुनन्दन ।
न चेत्ते मां हनिष्यन्ति पूर्वमेव समागमे ॥ ५.१५६.२२ ॥
Thus, O joy of the Kurus, I will bring death upon them, unless they slay me first in the encounter.
5.156.23
सेनापतिस्त्वहं राजन्समयेनापरेण ते ।
भविष्यामि यथाकामं तन्मे श्रोतुमिहार्हसि ॥ ५.१५६.२३ ॥
But, O king, I will become your commander-in-chief on another condition; you should hear from me here what that condition is, as you wish.
5.156.24
कर्णो वा युध्यतां पूर्वमहं वा पृथिवीपते ।
स्पर्धते हि सदात्यर्थं सूतपुत्रो मया रणे ॥ ५.१५६.२४ ॥
O lord of the earth, whether Karṇa or I should fight first among those who fight; for the son of a charioteer always vies exceedingly with me in battle.
5.156.25
नाहं जीवति गाङ्गेये राजन्योत्स्ये कथंचन ।
हते भीष्मे तु योत्स्यामि सह गाण्डीवधन्वना ॥ ५.१५६.२५ ॥
O king, while Gāṅgeya (Bhīṣma) lives I will not fight in any way. Only when Bhīṣma is slain will I fight alongside the wielder of the Gāṇḍīva.
5.156.26
ततः सेनापतिं चक्रे विधिवद्भूरिदक्षिणम् ।
धृतराष्ट्रात्मजो भीष्मं सोऽभिषिक्तो व्यरोचत ॥ ५.१५६.२६ ॥
Then the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Duryodhana), duly, with abundant sacrificial gifts, appointed Bhīṣma as commander of the army. Anointed, he shone forth.
5.156.27
ततो भेरीश्च शङ्खांश्च शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः ।
वादयामासुव्यग्रा वादका राजशासनात् ॥ ५.१५६.२७ ॥
Then, at the king's command, the busy musicians sounded hundreds and thousands of kettledrums and conches.
5.156.28
सिंहनादाश्च विविधा वाहनानां च निःस्वनाः ॥ ५.१५६.२८ ॥
Lion-like roars and the various sounds of the mounts arose.
5.156.29
निर्घार्ताः पृथिवीकम्पा गजबृंहितनिःस्वनाः ।
आसंश्च सर्वयोधानां पातयन्तो मनांस्युत ॥ ५.१५६.२९ ॥
Terrible crashing sounds, earthquakes, and the trumpeting of elephants arose, shaking the hearts of all the warriors.
5.156.30
वाचश्चाप्यशरीरिण्यो दिवश्चोल्काः प्रपेदिरे ।
शिवाश्च भयवेदिन्यो नेदुर्दीप्ततरा भृशम् ॥ ५.१५६.३० ॥
Incorporeal voices arose, and meteors fell from the sky; jackals, portending fear, howled with ever more blazing cries.
5.156.31
सैनापत्ये यदा राजा गाङ्गेयमभिषिक्तवान् ।
तदैतान्युग्ररूपाणि बभूवुः शतशो नृप ॥ ५.१५६.३१ ॥
O king, when the king consecrated Gāṅgeya (Bhīṣma) as commander of the army, then hundreds of these fierce omens appeared.
5.156.32
ततः सेनापतिं कृत्वा भीष्मं परबलार्दनम् ।
वाचयित्वा द्विजश्रेष्ठान्गोभिर्निष्कैश्च भूरिशः ॥ ५.१५६.३२ ॥
Then, having made Bhīṣma, the crusher of enemy forces, commander of the army, and having had the best of brahmins recite blessings, and having given cows and gold coins in abundance.
5.156.33
वर्धमानो जयाशीर्भिर्निर्ययौ सैनिकैर्वृतः ।
आपगेयं पुरस्कृत्य भ्रातृभिः सहितस्तदा ॥ ५.१५६.३३ ॥
Growing in glory with blessings of victory, surrounded by soldiers, placing the son of Āpagā (Bhīṣma) in front, then he set out together with his brothers.
5.156.34
स्कन्धावारेण महता कुरुक्षेत्रं जगाम ह ॥ ५.१५६.३४ ॥
With the great encampment he indeed went to Kurukṣetra.
5.156.35
परिक्रम्य कुरुक्षेत्रं कर्णेन सह कौरवः ।
शिबिरं मापयामास समे देशे जनाधिप ॥ ५.१५६.३५ ॥
Having circled Kurukṣetra, the Kaurava together with Karṇa had the camp measured out on level ground, O lord of men.
5.156.36
मधुरानूषरे देशे प्रभूतयवसेन्धने ।
यथैव हास्तिनपुरं तद्वच्छिबिरमाबभौ ॥ ५.१५६.३६ ॥
In a sweet and salt-barren land abounding in fodder and fuel, the camp shone just as Hāstinapura did.