SECTION LXXXV
"Sanjaya said, 'After that fight had passed away, Drona, that foremost of
all wielders of weapons, began to array all his divisions for battle.
Diverse sounds were heard, O monarch of angry heroes shouting in wrath
and desirous of slaying one another. And some stretched their bows, and
some rubbed with their hands their bow-strings. And drawing deep breaths,
many of them shouted, saying, Where is that Dhananjaya? And some began to
throw upwards (and again seize) their naked swords, unyielding,
well-tempered, of the colour of the sky, possessed of great sharpness,
and furnished with beautiful hilts. And brave warriors, desirous of
battle, by thousands, were seen to perform the evolutions of swordmen and
of bowmen, with skill acquired by practice. Some whirling their maces
decked with bells, smeared with sandal paste, and adorned with gold and
diamonds enquired after the sons of Pandu. Some intoxicated with the
pride of strength, and possessed of massive arms, obstructed the welkin
with their spiked clubs that resembled (a forest of flag) staff raised in
honour of Indra. Others, brave warriors all, adorned with beautiful
garlands of flowers, desirous of battle, occupied diverse portions of the
field, armed with diverse weapons. 'Where is Arjuna? Where is that
Govinda? Where is proud Bhima? Where also are those allies of their?'
Even thus did they call upon them in battle. Then blowing his conch and
himself urging the horses to great speed, Drona moved about with great
celerity, arraying his troops. After all those divisions that delight in
battle had taken up their stations, Bharadwaja's son, O king, said these
words unto Jayadratha. 'Thyself, Somadatta's son, the mighty car-warrior
Karna, Aswatthaman, Salya, Vrishasena and Kripa, with a hundred thousand
horse, sixty thousand cars, four and ten thousand elephants with rent
temples, one and twenty thousand foot-soldiers clad in mail take up your
station behind me at the distance of twelve miles. There the very gods
with Vasava at their head will not be able to attack thee, what need be
said, therefore, of the Pandavas? Take comfort, O ruler of the Sindhus.
Thus addressed (by Drona), Jayadratha, the ruler of the Sindhus, became
comforted. And he proceeded to the spot indicated by Drona, accompanied
by many Gandhara warriors, and surrounded by those great car-warriors,
and with many foot-soldiers clad in mail, prepared to fight vigorously
and armed with nooses. The steeds of Jayadratha, well-skilled in bearing
of drawing were all, O monarch, decked with yalk-tails and ornaments of
gold. And seven thousand such steeds, and three thousand other steeds of
the Sindhu breed were with him.'
"Thy son Durmarshana, desirous of doing battle, stationed himself at the
head of all the troops, accompanied by a thousand and five hundred
infuriated elephants and awful size clad in mail and of fierce deeds, and
all ridden by well-trained elephant-riders. Thy two other sons, viz.,
Duhsasana and Vikarna, took up their position amid the advance-divisions
of the army, for the accomplishment of the objects of Jayadratha. The
array that Bharadwaja's son formed, part Sakata and part a circle, was
full forty-eight miles long and the width of its rear measured twenty
miles. Drona himself formed that array with countless brave kings,
stationed with it, and countless cars and steeds and elephants and
foot-soldiers. In the rear of that array was another impenetrable array
of the form of lotus. And within that lotus was another dense array
called the needle. Having formed his mighty array thus, Drona took up his
station. At the mouth of that needle, the great bowman Kritavarman took
up his stand. Next to Kritavarman, O sire, stood the ruler of the
Kamvojas and Jalasandha. Next to these, stood Duryodhana and Karna.
Behind them hundreds and thousands of unreturning heroes were stationed
in that Sakata for protecting its head. Behind them all, O monarch, and
surrounded by a vast force, was king Jayadratha stationed at one side of
that needle-shaped array. At the entrance of the Sakata, O king, was
Bharadwaja's son. Behind Drona was the chief of the Bhojas, who protected
him. Clad in white armour, with excellent head-gear, of broad chest and
mighty arms, Drona stood, stretching his large bow, like the Destroyer
himself in wrath. Beholding Drona's car which was graced with a beautiful
standard and had red sacrificial altar and a black deer-skin, the
Kauravas were filled with delight. Seeing that array formed by Drona,
which resembled the ocean itself in agitation, the Siddhas and the
Charanas were filled with wonder. And all creatures thought that array
would devour the whole earth with her mountains and seas and forests, and
abounding with diverse things. And king Duryodhana, beholding that mighty
array in the form of a Sakata, teeming with carts and men and steeds and
elephants, roaring dreadful of wonderful form, and capable of riving the
hearts of foes, began to rejoice.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 7 : UPA-PARVA 85 ---------------------
