वैशंपायन उवाच
आपद्धर्मार्थकुशलो महाबुद्धिर् युधिष्ठिरः ॥
सर्वान् भ्रातॄन् समानीय वासुदेवं च सात्वतम् ॥
उवाच वदतां श्रेष्ठः सान्त्वपूर्वम् इदं वचः ॥
पर्याक्रामत सैन्यानि यत्तास् तिष्ठत दंशिताः ॥
पितामहेन वो युद्धं पूर्वम् एव भविष्यति ॥
तस्मात् सप्तसु सेनासु प्रणेतॄन् मम पश्यत ॥
वासुदेव उवाच
यथार्हति भवान् वक्तुम् अस्मिन् काल उपस्थिते ॥
तथेदम् अर्थवद् वाक्यम् उक्तं ते भरतर्षभ ॥
रोचते मे महाबाहो क्रियतां यद् अनन्तरम् ॥
नायकास् तव सेनायाम् अभिषिच्यन्तु सप्त वै ॥
वैशंपायन उवाच
ततो द्रुपदम् आनाय्य विराटं शिनिपुंगवम् ॥
धृष्टद्युम्नं च पाञ्चाल्यं धृष्टकेतुं च पार्थिवम् ॥
शिखण्डिनं च पाञ्चाल्यं सहदेवं च मागधम् ॥
vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
āpaddharmārthakuśalo mahābuddhir yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||
sarvān bhrātṝn samānīya vāsudevaṃ ca sātvatam ||
uvāca vadatāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ sāntvapūrvam idaṃ vacaḥ ||
paryākrāmata sainyāni yattās tiṣṭhata daṃśitāḥ ||
pitāmahena vo yuddhaṃ pūrvam eva bhaviṣyati ||
tasmāt saptasu senāsu praṇetṝn mama paśyata ||
vāsudeva uvāca
yathārhati bhavān vaktum asmin kāla upasthite ||
tathedam arthavad vākyam uktaṃ te bharatarṣabha ||
rocate me mahābāho kriyatāṃ yad anantaram ||
nāyakās tava senāyām abhiṣicyantu sapta vai ||
vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
tato drupadam ānāyya virāṭaṃ śinipuṃgavam ||
dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ ca pāñcālyaṃ dhṛṣṭaketuṃ ca pārthivam ||
śikhaṇḍinaṃ ca pāñcālyaṃ sahadevaṃ ca māgadham ||
Vaishampayana said: Yudhishthira, great in intellect, skilled in the duty and advantage of adversity, gathered all his brothers and Vasudeva of the Satvatas. The foremost of speakers uttered these words, preceded by gentle consolation: 'Go around the troops; stand ready and armed. Your first battle will be with the grandfather; therefore choose leaders for my seven armies.' Vasudeva said: 'O foremost of the Bharatas, you have spoken this useful speech exactly as befits the time now at hand. This seems right to me, O mighty-armed one. Let this be done: let seven leaders be consecrated in your army.' Vaishampayana said: Then Yudhishthira summoned Drupada, Virata, the bull of the Shini line, Dhrishtadyumna the Panchala, King Dhrishtaketu, Shikhandin the Panchala, and Sahadeva of Magadha.
8e1d69daccf3 · published Jul 17, 2026, 6:17:52 AM UTC
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The chapter contrasts two forms of faithfulness: the Pandavas organize their army under Krishna's guidance, while Balarama, equally bound to both Bhima and Duryodhana, chooses not to take part in the fratricidal war. His departure does not diminish the rightness of the Pandavas' cause, but it underscores the gravity of the moment: even one who accepts Keshava's will is not always able to watch the destruction of his own kin.