एवम् उक्ता महीपाला भीष्मेण भरतर्षभ ॥
निर्ययुः स्वान्य् अनीकानि शोभयन्तो रथोत्तमैः ॥
स तु वैकर्तनः कर्णः सामात्यः सह बन्धुभिः ॥
न्यासितः समरे शस्त्रं भीष्मेण भरतर्षभ ॥
अपेतकर्णाः पुत्रास् ते राजानश् चैव तावकाः ॥
निर्ययुः सिंहनादेन नादयन्तो दिशो दश ॥
श्वेतैश् छत्रैः पताकाभिर् ध्वजवारणवाजिभिः ॥
तान्य् अनीकान्य् अशोभन्त रथैर् अथ पदातिभिः ॥
भेरीपणवशब्दैश् च पटहानां च निस्वनैः ॥
रथनेमिनिनादैश् च बभूवाकुलिता मही ॥
काञ्चनाङ्गदकेयूरैः कार्मुकैश् च महारथाः ॥
भ्राजमाना व्यदृश्यन्त जङ्गमाः पर्वता इव ॥
तालेन महता भीष्मः पञ्चतारेण केतुना ॥
विमलादित्यसंकाशस् तस्थौ कुरुचमूपतिः ॥
evam uktā mahīpālā bhīṣmeṇa bharatarṣabha ||
niryayuḥ svāny anīkāni śobhayanto rathottamaiḥ ||
sa tu vaikartanaḥ karṇaḥ sāmātyaḥ saha bandhubhiḥ ||
nyāsitaḥ samare śastraṃ bhīṣmeṇa bharatarṣabha ||
apetakarṇāḥ putrās te rājānaś caiva tāvakāḥ ||
niryayuḥ siṃhanādena nādayanto diśo daśa ||
śvetaiś chatraiḥ patākābhir dhvajavāraṇavājibhiḥ ||
tāny anīkāny aśobhanta rathair atha padātibhiḥ ||
bherīpaṇavaśabdaiś ca paṭahānāṃ ca nisvanaiḥ ||
rathanemininādaiś ca babhūvākulitā mahī ||
kāñcanāṅgadakeyūraiḥ kārmukaiś ca mahārathāḥ ||
bhrājamānā vyadṛśyanta jaṅgamāḥ parvatā iva ||
tālena mahatā bhīṣmaḥ pañcatāreṇa ketunā ||
vimalādityasaṃkāśas tasthau kurucamūpatiḥ ||
Thus addressed by Bhishma, O best of the Bharatas, the lords of the earth marched out, adorning their troops with the finest chariots. But Vaikartana Karna, together with his ministers and kinsmen, had laid down his weapon for the duration of the battle because of Bhishma. Your sons and the kings of your side, deprived of Karna, marched out with a lion's roar, making the ten quarters resound. White parasols, banners, elephants, horses, chariots, and foot soldiers adorned those battle ranks. From the sounds of the bheris and panavas, from the roar of the pataha drums and the rumbling of the chariot rims, the whole earth fell into turmoil. The great warriors, shining with golden armlets, bracelets, and bows, seemed like moving mountains. And Bhishma, the leader of the Kuru army, stood like the spotless sun, with a great palm emblem and a five-star banner.
bf214bfbd209 · published Jul 17, 2026, 8:47:27 PM UTC
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Right after the lofty speech on dharma, a political fracture becomes visible: Karna will not fight while Bhishma commands. The outward splendor of the Kauravas is immense, yet the army already goes forth without one of Duryodhana's chief defenders. Bhishma remains the sun at the center of the formation, and the whole account shows how the army's strength depends on his greatness.