तं व्यालनानाविधगूढसारं; गजाश्वपादातरथौघपक्षम् ॥
व्यूहं महामेघसमं महात्मा; ददर्श दूरात् कपिराजकेतुः ॥
स निर्ययौ केतुमता रथेन; नरर्षभः श्वेतहयेन वीरः ॥
वरूथिना सैन्यमुखे महात्मा; वधे धृतः सर्वसपत्नयूनाम् ॥
सूपस्करं सोत्तरबन्धुरेषं; यत्तं यदूनाम् ऋषभेण संख्ये ॥
कपिध्वजं प्रेक्ष्य विषेदुर् आजौ; सहैव पुत्रैस् तव कौरवेयाः ॥
प्रकर्षता गुप्तम् उदायुधेन; किरीटिना लोकमहारथेन ॥
तं व्यूहराजं ददृशुस् त्वदीयाश्; चतुश्चतुर्व्यालसहस्रकीर्णम् ॥
यथा हि पूर्वे ऽहनि धर्मराज्ञा; व्यूहः कृतः कौरवनन्दनेन ॥
तथा तथोद्देशम् उपेत्य तस्थुः; पाञ्चालमुख्यैः सह चेदिमुख्याः ॥
ततो महावेगसमाहतानि; भेरीसहस्राणि विनेदुर् आजौ ॥
शङ्खस्वना दुन्दुभिनिस्वनाश् च; सर्वेष्व् अनीकेषु ससिंहनादाः ॥
ततः सबाणानि महास्वनानि; विस्फार्यमाणानि धनूंषि वीरैः ॥
क्षणेन भेरीपणवप्रणादान्; अन्तर्दधुः शङ्खमहास्वनाश् च ॥
तच् छङ्खशब्दावृतम् अन्तरिक्षम्; उद्धूतभौमद्रुतरेणुजालम् ॥
महावितानावततप्रकाशम्; आलोक्य वीराः सहसाभिपेतुः ॥
taṃ vyālanānāvidhagūḍhasāraṃ; gajāśvapādātarathaughapakṣam ||
vyūhaṃ mahāmeghasamaṃ mahātmā; dadarśa dūrāt kapirājaketuḥ ||
sa niryayau ketumatā rathena; nararṣabhaḥ śvetahayena vīraḥ ||
varūthinā sainyamukhe mahātmā; vadhe dhṛtaḥ sarvasapatnayūnām ||
sūpaskaraṃ sottarabandhureṣaṃ; yattaṃ yadūnām ṛṣabheṇa saṃkhye ||
kapidhvajaṃ prekṣya viṣedur ājau; sahaiva putrais tava kauraveyāḥ ||
prakarṣatā guptam udāyudhena; kirīṭinā lokamahārathena ||
taṃ vyūharājaṃ dadṛśus tvadīyāś; catuścaturvyālasahasrakīrṇam ||
yathā hi pūrve 'hani dharmarājñā; vyūhaḥ kṛtaḥ kauravanandanena ||
tathā tathoddeśam upetya tasthuḥ; pāñcālamukhyaiḥ saha cedimukhyāḥ ||
tato mahāvegasamāhatāni; bherīsahasrāṇi vinedur ājau ||
śaṅkhasvanā dundubhinisvanāś ca; sarveṣv anīkeṣu sasiṃhanādāḥ ||
tataḥ sabāṇāni mahāsvanāni; visphāryamāṇāni dhanūṃṣi vīraiḥ ||
kṣaṇena bherīpaṇavapraṇādān; antardadhuḥ śaṅkhamahāsvanāś ca ||
tac chaṅkhaśabdāvṛtam antarikṣam; uddhūtabhaumadrutareṇujālam ||
mahāvitānāvatataprakāśam; ālokya vīrāḥ sahasābhipetuḥ ||
The great-souled bearer of the banner with the king of monkeys saw from afar this battle formation like a great cloud: with a hidden serpentine core and flanks made of streams of elephants, horses, foot-soldiers, and chariots. Then the hero, bull among men, on his banner-bearing chariot with white horses, went forth in the front line of the army to meet him, resolved to destroy all his enemies. The Kauravas, together with your sons, fell into despondency in battle upon seeing the chariot with the monkey banner, excellently equipped and commanded by the best of the Yadus. Your warriors saw this king of formations, protected by the world's greatest mahāratha, Kiritin, weapon raised, filled with serpent-groups. Just as on the previous day the Dharma-king, the delight of the Kurus, had arranged the battle formation, so now the chiefs of Chedi together with the leaders of the Panchalas took up their positions. Then in the battle thousands of bheris, struck with great force, resounded; in all the hosts arose the sounds of conches, the roar of dundubhis, and lion-cries. But in an instant the loud-sounding bows, drawn by heroes, with their arrows, drowned out the sounds of the bheris, panavas, and the great roar of the conches. Beholding the sky covered with the sound of conches, with webs of fine dust raised from the earth, and shining with a vast, spread-out radiance, the heroes rushed suddenly together.'
7735eef910b4 · published Jul 17, 2026, 9:22:45 PM UTC
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Arjuna enters the scene through the sign of Hanuman and through the presence of Krishna as charioteer. For the Kurus, the mere sight of this chariot already becomes a trial of the heart: outward military might collides with the inner certainty of those led by the Lord.