The Two Armies Exult and Close for Battle

Verse 1 (6.24.1)

केषां प्रहृष्टास्तत्राग्रे योधा युध्यन्ति सञ्जय । उदग्रमनसः के वा के वा दीना विचेतसः ॥

keṣāṃ prahṛṣṭāstatrāgre yodhā yudhyanti sañjaya | udagramanasaḥ ke vā ke vā dīnā vicetasaḥ

Sanjaya, whose warriors fought there in the forefront in high spirits? Who were exultant at heart, and who were dejected and dismayed?

Note on the text: Matches the critical edition's 6.22.17 (Wikisource begins a new adhyaya here); के वा for its ke 'tra kept as a variant.

Verse 2 (6.24.2)

के पूर्वं प्राहरंस्तत्र युद्धे हृदयकम्पने । मामकाः पाण्डवेया वा तन्ममाचक्ष्व सञ्जय ॥

ke pūrvaṃ prāharaṃstatra yuddhe hṛdayakampane | māmakāḥ pāṇḍaveyā vā tanmamācakṣva sañjaya

Who struck first in that heart-shaking battle — my men or the Pandavas? Tell me that, Sanjaya.

Note on the text: पाण्डवेया for the critical edition's pāṇḍavānāṃ kept as a variant.

Verse 3 (6.24.3)

कस्य सेनासमुदये गन्धो माल्यसमुद्भवः । वायुः प्रदक्षिणश्चैव योधानामभिगर्जताम् ॥

kasya senāsamudaye gandho mālyasamudbhavaḥ | vāyuḥ pradakṣiṇaścaiva yodhānāmabhigarjatām

In whose gathered host did a fragrance of garlands arise, and for whose roaring warriors did the wind blow favourably from the right?

Note on the text: Line 1 ends गन्धो माल्यसमुद्भवः and line 2 begins वायुः प्रदक्षिणः where the critical edition has gandhamālyasamudbhavaḥ and vācaḥ pradakṣiṇāḥ ("auspicious cries"); kept as recension variants.

Verse 4 (6.24.4)

उभयोः सेनयोस्तत्र योधा जहृषिरे तदा । स्रजः समाः सुगन्धानामुभयत्र समुद्भवः ॥

ubhayoḥ senayostatra yodhā jahṛṣire tadā | srajaḥ samāḥ sugandhānāmubhayatra samudbhavaḥ

The warriors of both armies there rejoiced alike. The garlands were the same on both sides, and fragrances arose on both sides.

Note on the text: Line 2 differs from the critical edition (6.22.20cd sragdhūpapānagandhānām ubhayatra samudbhavaḥ, "garlands, incense, drink and perfumes arose on both sides"), and तदा stands for its mudā; kept as recension variants.

Verse 5 (6.24.5)

संहतानामनीकानां व्यूढानां भरतर्षभ । संसर्गात्समुदीर्णानां विमर्दः सुमहानभूत् ॥

saṃhatānāmanīkānāṃ vyūḍhānāṃ bharatarṣabha | saṃsargātsamudīrṇānāṃ vimardaḥ sumahānabhūt

O bull of the Bharatas, as the massed and arrayed divisions, roused to fury, came into contact, a very great clash arose.

Note on the text: संसर्गात्समुदीर्णानां for the critical edition's saṃsarpatām udīrṇānāṃ kept as a variant.

Verse 6 (6.24.6)

वादित्रशब्दस्तुमुलः शङ्खभेरीविमिश्रितः । शूराणां रणशूराणां गर्जतामितरेतरम् ॥

vāditraśabdastumulaḥ śaṅkhabherīvimiśritaḥ | śūrāṇāṃ raṇaśūrāṇāṃ garjatāmitaretaram

There was the tumultuous sound of instruments, mingled with conches and kettledrums, and of heroes, champions in battle, roaring at one another.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 6.22.22a; line 2 is not in its text (vulgate recension) but is recorded in its apparatus as the star passage 6.22.22b*0084, line 1.

Verse 7 (6.24.7)

उभयोः सेनयो राजन्महान्व्यतिकरोऽभवत् । अन्योन्यं वीक्षमाणानां योधानां भरतर्षभ । कुञ्जराणां च नदतां सैन्यानां च प्रहृष्यताम् ॥

ubhayoḥ senayo rājanmahānvyatikaro'bhavat | anyonyaṃ vīkṣamāṇānāṃ yodhānāṃ bharatarṣabha | kuñjarāṇāṃ ca nadatāṃ sainyānāṃ ca prahṛṣyatām

O king, between the two armies there was a great tumult, O bull of the Bharatas, as the warriors eyed one another, the elephants trumpeted and the troops exulted.

Note on the text: A three-line verse as the page prints it (7a–c). Lines 1–2 are not in the critical edition's text (vulgate recension) but are recorded in its apparatus as the star passage 6.22.22b*0084, lines 2–3; line 3 is 6.22.22c.