SECTION LVI
Sanjaya said,--"When the night having passed away, the dawn came,
Santanu's son Bhishma, that chastiser of foes, gave the order for the
(Kuru) army to prepare for battle. And the son of Santanu, the old Kuru
grandsire, desirous of victory to your sons, formed that mighty array
known after the name of Garuda. And on the beak of that Garuda was thy
sire Devavrata himself. And its two eyes were Bharadwaja's son and
Kritavarman of Satwata's race. And those renowned warriors, Aswatthaman
and Kripa, supported by the Trigartas, the Matsyas, the Kekayas, and the
Vatadhanas, were in its head. And Bhurisravas and Sala, and Salya and
Bhagadatta, O sire, and the Madrakas, the Sindhu-Souviras, and they that
were called the Pancha-nodas, together with Jayadratha, were placed on
its neck. And on its back was king Duryodhana with all his followers. And
Vinda and Anuvinda of Avanti, and the Kamvojas with the Sakas, and the
Surasenas, O sire, formed its tail, O great king. And the Magadhas and
the Kalingas, with all the tribes of the Daserakas, accoutred in mail,
formed the right wing of that array. And the Karushas, the Vikunjas, the
Mundas, and the Kaundivrishas, with Vrithadvala, were stationed on the
left wing. Then that chastiser of foes, Savyasachin, beholding the host
disposed in battle-array, aided by Dhrishtadyumna, disposed his troops in
counter-array. And in opposition to that array of thine, the son of Pandu
formed fierce array after the form of the half-moon. And stationed on the
right horn, Bhimasena shone surrounded by kings of diverse countries
abundantly armed with various weapons. Next to him were those mighty
car-warriors Virata and Drupada; and next to them was Nila armed with
envenomed weapons. And next to Nila was the mighty car-warrior
Dhrishtaketu, surrounded by the Chedis, the Kasis, the Karushas, and the
Pauravas. And Dhrishtadyumna, and Sikhandin, with the Panchalas and the
Prabhadrakas, and supported by other troops, were stationed in the
middle, O Bharata, for battle. And thither also was king Yudhishthira the
just, surrounded by his elephant division. And next to him were Satyaki,
O king, and the five sons of Draupadi. And immediately next to them was
Iravan. And next to him were Bhimasena's son (Ghatotkacha) and those
mighty car-warriors, the Kekayas. And next, on the left horn (of that
array), was that best of men, viz., he who had for his protector,
Janardana--that protector of the whole Universe. It was thus that the
Pandavas formed their mighty counter-array for the destruction of thy
sons and of those who had sided with them. Then commenced the battle
between your troops and those of the foe striking one another, and in
which cars and elephants mingled in the clash of combat. Large numbers of
elephants and crowds of cars were seen everywhere, O king, to rush
towards one another for purposes of slaughter. And the rattle of
innumerable cars rushing (to join the fray), or engaged separately raised
a loud uproar, mingling with the beat of drums. And the shouts of the
heroic combatants belonging to your army and theirs, O Bharata, slaying
one another in that fierce encounter, reached the very heavens."
--------------------END OF PARVA 6 : UPA-PARVA 56 ---------------------
