पञ्चभिर् भ्रातृभिः पार्थैर् द्रोणः परिवृतो बभौ ॥
पञ्चतारेण संयुक्तः सावित्रेणेव चन्द्रमाः ॥
अश्वत्थाम्ना च सहितं भ्रातॄणां शतम् ऊर्जितम् ॥
दुर्योधनम् अमित्रघ्नम् उत्थितं पर्यवारयत् ॥
स तैस् तदा भ्रातृभिर् उद्यतायुधैर्; वृतो गदापाणिर् अवस्थितैः स्थितः ॥
बभौ यथा दानवसंक्षये पुरा; पुरंदरो देवगणैः समावृतः ॥
pañcabhir bhrātṛbhiḥ pārthair droṇaḥ parivṛto babhau ||
pañcatāreṇa saṃyuktaḥ sāvitreṇeva candramāḥ ||
aśvatthāmnā ca sahitaṃ bhrātṝṇāṃ śatam ūrjitam ||
duryodhanam amitraghnam utthitaṃ paryavārayat ||
sa tais tadā bhrātṛbhir udyatāyudhair; vṛto gadāpāṇir avasthitaiḥ sthitaḥ ||
babhau yathā dānavasaṃkṣaye purā; puraṃdaro devagaṇaiḥ samāvṛtaḥ ||
Surrounded by his five brother-Parthas, Drona shone like the moon joined with the five-starred constellation. And a hundred mighty brothers together with Ashvatthaman surrounded Duryodhana, slayer of foes, who had risen; and he, surrounded by those brothers with weapons raised, himself mace in hand, stood shining as once, at the destruction of the Danavas, Indra stood surrounded by hosts of gods.
30e77409543a · published Jul 12, 2026, 4:53:32 PM UTC
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Here the two camps already take visible shape — a foreshadowing of the war to come. Telling is the formation: the five Pandavas around Drona, the hundred Kauravas around Duryodhana; the arena has divided itself of its own accord, as the whole kingdom will divide later. Here one sees that the enmity, smoldering until now, takes on the visible outline of two armies. Telling is the comparison of Duryodhana to Indra at the destruction of the Danavas: outwardly he is majestic and formidable, but the comparison is double-edged — Indra destroyed demons, while Duryodhana himself will become the champion of adharma. Here it is seen that outward splendor and strength do not testify to righteousness: a hero's form may cloak a demon's cause. Thus the scripture, breaking off the narrative on the two camps arrayed against each other, shows in miniature — on the arena — the whole Kurukshetra to come.