केशवार्जुनयोर् वाक्यं निशम्य भरतर्षभः ॥
दुःशासनं च कर्णं च शकुनिं चाभ्यभाषत ॥
आज्ञापयत राज्ञश् च बलं मित्रबलं तथा ॥
यथा प्राग् उदयात् सर्वा युक्ता तिष्ठत्य् अनीकिनी ॥
ततः कर्णसमादिष्टा दूताः प्रत्वरिता रथैः ॥
उष्ट्रवामीभिर् अप्य् अन्ये सदश्वैश् च महाजवैः ॥
तूर्णं परिययुः सेनां कृत्स्नां कर्णस्य शासनात् ॥
आज्ञापयन्तो राज्ञस् तान् योगः प्राग् उदयाद् इति ॥
keśavārjunayor vākyaṃ niśamya bharatarṣabhaḥ ||
duḥśāsanaṃ ca karṇaṃ ca śakuniṃ cābhyabhāṣata ||
ājñāpayata rājñaś ca balaṃ mitrabalaṃ tathā ||
yathā prāg udayāt sarvā yuktā tiṣṭhaty anīkinī ||
tataḥ karṇasamādiṣṭā dūtāḥ pratvaritā rathaiḥ ||
uṣṭravāmībhir apy anye sadaśvaiś ca mahājavaiḥ ||
tūrṇaṃ pariyayuḥ senāṃ kṛtsnāṃ karṇasya śāsanāt ||
ājñāpayanto rājñas tān yogaḥ prāg udayād iti ||
Having returned from the Pandavas, the son of Kitava came to the son of Dhritarashtra and, in the assembly of the Kurus, related everything just as it had been said. Having heard the words of Keshava and Arjuna, the best of the Bharatas addressed Duhshasana, Karna, and Shakuni: "Command the royal army, and likewise the forces of the allies, that the whole host stand ready before sunrise." Then messengers, at Karna's command, hastened forth on chariots, others on she-camels and on fine, swift horses. By Karna's order they swiftly rode around the entire army, proclaiming the king's command: "Readiness before sunrise!"
7297c408c343 · published Jul 17, 2026, 6:17:52 AM UTC
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Arjuna answers not on the level of insult but on the level of the kshatriya standard: a man relies on his own strength, not on hiding behind another's. His decisive blow strikes at the very foundation of Duryodhana's confidence: Bhishma, on whose might that confidence rests, will fall first. After the words of Krishna and Arjuna, war becomes an inevitable morning's business, and the order to stand ready already sounds like the opening of battle.