SECTION 11
"Dhritarashtra said, 'After having obtained the command of the army, and
after he had been addressed by the king himself in those sweet and
brotherly words, and after he had ordered the troops to be arrayed at the
hour of sunrise, tell me, O Sanjaya, what did Vikartana's son Karna do?'
"Sanjaya said, 'Having learnt Karna's wishes, your sons, O bull of
Bharata's race, ordered the troops to be arrayed with joyful music. While
it still wanted a long period for the coming of the dawn, a loud noise of
"Array, Array!" O king, suddenly arose among your troops. And the uproar
that arose, became tremendous and touched the very heavens, of foremost
of elephants and fenced cars while under process of equipment, of
foot-soldiers and steeds, O monarch, while putting on their armour or in
course of being harnessed, and of combatants moving with activity and
shouting unto one another! Then the Suta's son bearing a gold-backed bow
appeared (on the field) in his car possessed of the splendour of the
radiant Sun, crowned with many banners, equipped with a white standard,
with steeds of the hue of cranes, bearing the device of the elephants'
rope, filled with a hundred quivers, furnished with mace and wooden
fence, freighted with shataghnis and rows of bells and darts and lances
and spears, and supplied with many bows. And the Suta's son appeared on
the field, blowing his conch, O king; decorated with a net-work of gold,
and shaking his formidable bow adorned with pure gold. Beholding the
mighty bowman Karna, that foremost of car-warriors, seated on his car,
difficult of approach and resembling the risen Sun that destroys the
gloom, none amongst the Kauravas, O tiger among men, recked, O sire, the
loss of Bhishma or Drona or other men! Speeding the warriors, O sire,
with the blasts of his conch, Karna caused the vast army of the Kauravas
to be drawn out. Having arrayed the troops in the makara array, that
mighty bowman, that scorcher of foes, viz., Karna, proceeded against the
Pandavas from desire of victory. In the tip of the beak of that makara, O
king, was stationed Karna himself. In the two eyes were the brave Shakuni
and the mighty car-warrior Uluka. In the head was Drona's son and in the
neck were all the uterine brothers. In the middle was king Duryodhana
supported by a large force. In the left foot, O monarch, was stationed
Kritavarma accompanied by the Narayana troops, and those invincible
warriors, the gopalas. In the right foot, O king, was Gotama's son of
prowess incapable of being baffled, surrounded by those mighty bowmen
viz., the Trigartas and by the Southerners. In the left hind-foot was
stationed Shalya with a large force raised in the country of Madras. In
the right (hind-foot), O monarch, was Sushena of true vows, surrounded by
a 1,000 cars and 300 elephants. In the tail were the two royal brothers
of mighty energy, viz., Citra and Citrasena surrounded by a large force.
"'When, O great king, that foremost of men, Karna, thus came out, king
Yudhishthira the just, casting his eyes on Arjuna, said these words:
"Behold, O Partha, how the Dhartarashtra force, O hero, in this battle,
protected by heroes and mighty car-warriors, hath been arrayed by Karna!
This vast Dhartarashtra force hath lost its bravest warriors. They that
remain, O mighty-armed one, are feeble, equal, as I think, to straw! Only
one great bowman, viz., the Suta's son, shineth in it! That foremost of
car-warriors is incapable of being vanquished by the three worlds with
their mobile and immobile creatures, including the gods, Asuras and
Gandharvas, and the Kinnaras and great serpents! If you slayest him
today, O mighty-armed one, the victory will be thine, O Phalguna! The
thorn also which for twelve years hath been planted in my heart will then
be plucked out! Knowing this, O you of mighty arms, form you the array
that you wishest!" Hearing those words of his brother, that Pandava of
the white steeds disposed his army in counter array after the form of the
half moon. On the left side was stationed Bhimasena, and on the right was
stationed the great bowman Dhrishtadyumna. In the middle of the array
were the king and Dhananjaya the son of Pandu. Nakula and Sahadeva were
at the rear of king Yudhishthira the just. The two Pancala princes,
Yudhamanyu and Uttamauja, became the protectors of (Arjuna's) car wheels.
Protected by the diadem-decked Arjuna himself, they did not quit Arjuna
for a moment. The remaining kings, possessed of great courage, clad in
mail, stood in the array, each in the position assigned to him, according
to the measure of his enthusiasm and resolution, O Bharata. Having thus
formed their great array, O Bharata, the Pandavas, and the mighty bowmen
of your army set their hearts on battle. Beholding your army disposed into
battle array by the Suta's son in battle Duryodhana with all his brethren
regarded the Pandavas to be already slain. Similarly Yudhishthira, O
king, beholding the Pandava army disposed in array, regarded the
Dhartarashtras with Karna to be already slain. Then conches, and
kettle-drums, and tabours, and large drums, and cymbals, and Dindimas,
and Jharjharas, were loudly blown and beaten on all sides! Indeed, those
loud-sounding instruments were blown and beaten, O king, among both the
armies. Leonine roars also arose, uttered by brave warriors for victory.
And there also arose, O king, the noise of neighing steeds and grunting
elephants, and the fierce clatter of car-wheels. None, O Bharata, (in the
Kaurava army), at that time, felt the loss of Drona, seeing the great
bowman Karna clad in mail and stationed at the head of the array. Both
armies, O monarch, teeming with joyous men, stood, eager for battle and
(ready) to destroy each other without delay. There, the two heroes, viz.,
Karna and the son of Pandu, excited with wrath at sight of each other,
and both firmly resolved, stood or careered, O king, through their
respective divisions. The two armies, as they advanced to meet each
other, seemed to dance (in joy). From the wings and the side-wings of
both, warriors desirous of battle came forth. Then commenced the battle,
O monarch, of men, elephants, steeds, and cars, engaged in destroying one
another.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 8 : UPA-PARVA 11 ---------------------
