संजय उवाच
उभे सेने तुल्यम् इवोपयाते; उभे व्यूहे हृष्टरूपे नरेन्द्र ॥
उभे चित्रे वनराजिप्रकाशे; तथैवोभे नागरथाश्वपूर्णे ॥
उभे सेने बृहती भीमरूपे; तथैवोभे भारत दुर्विषह्ये ॥
तथैवोभे स्वर्गजयाय सृष्टे; तथा ह्य् उभे सत्पुरुषार्यगुप्ते ॥
पश्चान्मुखाः कुरवो धार्तराष्ट्राः; स्थिताः पार्थाः प्राङ्मुखा योत्स्यमानाः ॥
दैत्येन्द्रसेनेव च कौरवाणां; देवेन्द्रसेनेव च पाण्डवानाम् ॥
शुक्रो वायुः पृष्ठतः पाण्डवानां; धार्तराष्ट्राञ् श्वापदा व्याभषन्त ॥
गजेन्द्राणां मदगन्धांश् च तीव्रान्; न सेहिरे तव पुत्रस्य नागाः ॥
saṃjaya uvāca
ubhe sene tulyam ivopayāte; ubhe vyūhe hṛṣṭarūpe narendra ||
ubhe citre vanarājiprakāśe; tathaivobhe nāgarathāśvapūrṇe ||
ubhe sene bṛhatī bhīmarūpe; tathaivobhe bhārata durviṣahye ||
tathaivobhe svargajayāya sṛṣṭe; tathā hy ubhe satpuruṣāryagupte ||
paścānmukhāḥ kuravo dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ; sthitāḥ pārthāḥ prāṅmukhā yotsyamānāḥ ||
daityendraseneva ca kauravāṇāṃ; devendraseneva ca pāṇḍavānām ||
śukro vāyuḥ pṛṣṭhataḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ; dhārtarāṣṭrāñ śvāpadā vyābhaṣanta ||
gajendrāṇāṃ madagandhāṃś ca tīvrān; na sehire tava putrasya nāgāḥ ||
Sanjaya said: "O lord of men, both armies advanced almost equally; both formations looked exultant. Both armies were radiant, like rows of forest, and both were filled with elephants, chariots, and horses. O Bharata, both hosts were enormous, fearsome, and hard to withstand; both seemed created for the conquest of heaven, for both were guarded by noble heroes. The Kurus, sons of Dhritarashtra, stood facing west, while the sons of Pritha, ready for battle, stood facing east. The army of the Kauravas was like the army of the lord of the daityas, and the army of the Pandavas was like the army of Indra. A favorable wind blew at the Pandavas' backs, while the beasts of prey howled at the sons of Dhritarashtra. Your son's elephants could not bear the pungent scent of mada from the great elephants of the opposing side."
82f72bf25c72 · published Jul 17, 2026, 8:47:28 PM UTC
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Sanjaya honestly acknowledges the greatness of both armies, but then distinguishes the signs: the Pandavas stand facing east, a favorable wind at their backs, while around the Kauravas sound unfavorable cries. The comparison to the army of Indra and the army of the daityas underscores a contrast that is not merely military but moral.