The Sarvatobhadra Array and the Omens of the Ninth Day

Verse 1 (6.99.1)

ततः शान्तनवो भीष्मो निर्ययौ सह सेनया । व्यूहं चाव्यूहत महत्सर्वतोभद्रमात्मनः ॥

tataḥ śāntanavo bhīṣmo niryayau saha senayā | vyūhaṃ cāvyūhata mahatsarvatobhadramātmanaḥ

Then Bhishma, son of Shantanu, marched out with the army and drew up his own great array, the Sarvatobhadra.

Note on the text: Adhyaya note: checked against the raw Wikisource page (a table, rows 6-99-1 to 6-99-30 under one सञ्जय उवाच heading, ending with its colophon naming this the 99th adhyaya, on the ninth day of battle). Page and input agree on all 30 verses; together they correspond to the critical edition 6.95.26–53 with its star passage 6.95.37b*0384. The critical edition's star passage 6.95.35d*0383 is not on the page. सर्वतोभद्रमात्मनः (CE sarvatobhadram āhave) kept as a variant.

Verse 2 (6.99.2)

कृपश्च कृतवर्मा च शैब्यश्चैव महारथः । शकुनिः सैन्धवश्चैव काम्भोजश्च सुदक्षिणः ॥

kṛpaśca kṛtavarmā ca śaibyaścaiva mahārathaḥ | śakuniḥ saindhavaścaiva kāmbhojaśca sudakṣiṇaḥ

Kripa and Kritavarman, the great chariot-warrior Shaibya, Shakuni, the king of Sindhu and Sudakshina of Kamboja,

Verse 3 (6.99.3)

भीष्मेण सहिताः सर्वे पुत्रैश्च तव भारत । अग्रतः सर्वसैन्यानां व्यूहस्य प्रमुखे स्थिताः ॥

bhīṣmeṇa sahitāḥ sarve putraiśca tava bhārata | agrataḥ sarvasainyānāṃ vyūhasya pramukhe sthitāḥ

all of them, together with Bhishma and your sons, O Bharata, stood at the head of the array, in front of the whole army.

Verse 4 (6.99.4)

द्रोणो भूरिश्रवाः शल्यो भगदत्तश्च मारिष । दक्षिणं पक्षमाश्रित्य स्थिता व्यूहस्य दंशिताः ॥

droṇo bhūriśravāḥ śalyo bhagadattaśca māriṣa | dakṣiṇaṃ pakṣamāśritya sthitā vyūhasya daṃśitāḥ

Drona, Bhurishravas, Shalya and Bhagadatta, sir, stood in armour holding the right wing of the array.

Verse 5 (6.99.5)

अश्वत्थामा सोमदत्तश्चावन्त्यौ च महारथौ । महत्या सेनया युक्ता वामं पक्षमपालयन् ॥

aśvatthāmā somadattaścāvantyau ca mahārathau | mahatyā senayā yuktā vāmaṃ pakṣamapālayan

Ashvatthaman, Somadatta and the two great chariot-warriors of Avanti, with a large army, guarded the left wing.

Verse 6 (6.99.6)

दुर्योधनो महाराज त्रिगर्तैः सर्वतो वृतः । व्यूहमध्ये स्थितो राजन्पाण्डवान्प्रति भारत ॥

duryodhano mahārāja trigartaiḥ sarvato vṛtaḥ | vyūhamadhye sthito rājanpāṇḍavānprati bhārata

Duryodhana, great king, surrounded on all sides by the Trigartas, stood in the middle of the array facing the Pandavas, O king, O Bharata.

Verse 7 (6.99.7)

अलम्बुसो रथश्रेष्ठः श्रुतायुश्च महारथः । पृष्ठतः सर्वसैन्यानां स्थितौ व्यूहस्य दंशितौ ॥

alambuso rathaśreṣṭhaḥ śrutāyuśca mahārathaḥ | pṛṣṭhataḥ sarvasainyānāṃ sthitau vyūhasya daṃśitau

Alambusha, best of chariot-fighters, and the great chariot-warrior Shrutayus stood in armour at the rear of the array, behind the whole army.

Verse 8 (6.99.8)

एवं च तं तदा व्यूहं कृत्वा भारत तावकाः । सन्नद्धाः समदृश्यन्त प्रतपन्त इवाग्नयः ॥

evaṃ ca taṃ tadā vyūhaṃ kṛtvā bhārata tāvakāḥ | sannaddhāḥ samadṛśyanta pratapanta ivāgnayaḥ

Having formed that array, O Bharata, your men stood armed and ready, looking like blazing fires.

Verse 9 (6.99.9)

ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा भीमसेनश्च पाण्डवः । नकुलः सहदेवश्च माद्रीपुत्रावुभावपि ॥

tato yudhiṣṭhiro rājā bhīmasenaśca pāṇḍavaḥ | nakulaḥ sahadevaśca mādrīputrāvubhāvapi

Then King Yudhishthira, Bhimasena the son of Pandu, and Nakula and Sahadeva, both sons of Madri,

Note on the text: The critical edition's 6.95.34ab–cd (ततो for tathā). From here to verse 18 Wikisource divides the lines of the critical edition's 6.95.34–41, several of which have three lines, into couplets.

Verse 10 (6.99.10)

अग्रतः सर्वसैन्यानां स्थिता व्यूहस्य दंशिताः । धृष्टद्युम्नो विराटश्च सात्यकिश्च महारथः ॥

agrataḥ sarvasainyānāṃ sthitā vyūhasya daṃśitāḥ | dhṛṣṭadyumno virāṭaśca sātyakiśca mahārathaḥ

stood in armour at the head of the array, in front of the whole army. Dhrishtadyumna, Virata and the great chariot-warrior Satyaki

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 6.95.34ef; line 2 is 6.95.35ab.

Verse 11 (6.99.11)

स्थिताः सैन्येन महता परानीकविनाशनाः । शिखण्डी विजयश्चैव राक्षसश्च घटोत्कचः ॥

sthitāḥ sainyena mahatā parānīkavināśanāḥ | śikhaṇḍī vijayaścaiva rākṣasaśca ghaṭotkacaḥ

stood with a great army, destroyers of hostile hosts. Shikhandi, Vijaya (Arjuna), the rakshasa Ghatotkacha,

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 6.95.35cd; line 2 is 6.95.36ab.

Verse 12 (6.99.12)

चेकितानो महाबाहुः कुन्तिभोजश्च वीर्यवान् । स्थिता रणे महाराज महत्या सेनया वृताः ॥

cekitāno mahābāhuḥ kuntibhojaśca vīryavān | sthitā raṇe mahārāja mahatyā senayā vṛtāḥ

mighty-armed Chekitana and valiant Kuntibhoja stood in the battle, great king, surrounded by a large army.

Note on the text: The critical edition's 6.95.36cd–ef.

Verse 13 (6.99.13)

अभिमन्युर्महेष्वासो द्रुपदश्च महाबलः । युयुधानो महेष्वासो युधामन्युश्च वीर्यवान् ॥

abhimanyurmaheṣvāso drupadaśca mahābalaḥ | yuyudhāno maheṣvāso yudhāmanyuśca vīryavān

The great archer Abhimanyu, mighty Drupada, the great archer Yuyudhana and valiant Yudhamanyu,

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 6.95.37ab (महाबलः for mahārathaḥ); line 2 is not in its constituted text (vulgate) but is its star passage 6.95.37b*0384.

Verse 14 (6.99.14)

केकया भ्रातरश्चैव स्थिता युद्धाय दंशिताः । एवं तेऽपि महाव्यूहं प्रतिव्यूह्य सुदुर्जयम् ॥

kekayā bhrātaraścaiva sthitā yuddhāya daṃśitāḥ | evaṃ te'pi mahāvyūhaṃ prativyūhya sudurjayam

and the Kekaya brothers stood armed for battle. So the Pandavas too drew up against it a great counter-array, very hard to overcome,

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 6.95.37cd (भ्रातरश्चैव for bhrātaraḥ pañca); line 2 is 6.95.38ab.

Verse 15 (6.99.15)

पाण्डवाः समरे शूराः स्थिता युद्धाय दंशिताः । तावकास्तु रणे यत्ताः सहसेना नराधिपाः ॥

pāṇḍavāḥ samare śūrāḥ sthitā yuddhāya daṃśitāḥ | tāvakāstu raṇe yattāḥ sahasenā narādhipāḥ

and the heroic Pandavas stood in armour, ready for battle. Then the kings on your side, alert in the fight, with their armies,

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 6.95.38cd (दंशिताः for māriṣa); line 2 is 6.95.39ab.

Verse 16 (6.99.16)

अभ्युद्ययू रणे पार्थान्भीष्मं कृत्वाऽग्रतो नृप । तथैव पाण्डवा राजन्भीमसेनपरोगमाः ॥

abhyudyayū raṇe pārthānbhīṣmaṃ kṛtvā'grato nṛpa | tathaiva pāṇḍavā rājanbhīmasenaparogamāḥ

advanced against the Parthas in battle, O king, with Bhishma at their head. Likewise the Pandavas, O king, led by Bhimasena,

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 6.95.39cd; line 2 is 6.95.40ab.

Verse 17 (6.99.17)

भीष्मं योद्धुमभीप्सन्तः संग्रामे विजयैषिणः । क्ष्वेलाः किलकिलाः शङ्खान्क्रकचान्गोविषाणिकाः ॥

bhīṣmaṃ yoddhumabhīpsantaḥ saṃgrāme vijayaiṣiṇaḥ | kṣvelāḥ kilakilāḥ śaṅkhānkrakacāngoviṣāṇikāḥ

eager to fight Bhishma and bent on victory in the battle, with war-cries and shouts of 'kilakila', sounding conches, rattles, horns,

Note on the text: Line 1 is a variant of the critical edition's 6.95.40cd (bhīṣmaṃ yuddhapariprepsuṃ saṃgrāme vijigīṣavaḥ); line 2 is 6.95.41ab (क्ष्वेलाः किलकिलाः शङ्खान् for kṣveḍāḥ kilikilāśabdān).

Verse 18 (6.99.18)

भेरीमृदङ्गपणवान्नादयन्तश्च पुष्करान् । पाण्डवा अभ्यवर्तन्त नदन्तो भैरवान्रवान् ॥

bherīmṛdaṅgapaṇavānnādayantaśca puṣkarān | pāṇḍavā abhyavartanta nadanto bhairavānravān

kettledrums, mridangas, panavas and pushkara drums, charged forward, roaring terrible roars.

Note on the text: The critical edition's 6.95.41cd–ef (अभ्यवर्तन्त for abhyadhāvanta).

Verse 19 (6.99.19)

भेरीमृदङ्गशङ्खानां दुन्दुभीनां च निःस्वनैः । उत्कृष्टसिंहनादैश्च वल्गितैश्च पृथग्विधैः ॥

bherīmṛdaṅgaśaṅkhānāṃ dundubhīnāṃ ca niḥsvanaiḥ | utkṛṣṭasiṃhanādaiśca valgitaiśca pṛthagvidhaiḥ

With the sound of kettledrums, mridangas, conches and dundubhis, with loud lion-roars and with leaps and shouts of every kind,

Note on the text: Corrected भेरीमृद्गशङ्खानां → भेरीमृदङ्गशङ्खानां (misprint in Wikisource; dropped दङ् leaves a non-word and a seven-syllable quarter; critical edition bherīmṛdaṅgaśaṅkhānāṃ). उत्कृष्ट- (CE utkruṣṭa-) kept.

Verse 20 (6.99.20)

वयं प्रतिनदन्तस्तानगच्छाम त्वरान्विताः । सहसैवाभिसंक्रुद्धास्तदासीत्तुमुलं महत् ॥

vayaṃ pratinadantastānagacchāma tvarānvitāḥ | sahasaivābhisaṃkruddhāstadāsīttumulaṃ mahat

we roared back at them and went forward in haste, suddenly enraged; and a tumultuous uproar arose.

Note on the text: Corrected अभिसंक्रद्धास् → अभिसंक्रुद्धास् (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign ु, critical edition abhisaṃkruddhāḥ). अगच्छाम त्वरान्विताः (CE abhyagacchāma satvarāḥ) kept.

Verse 21 (6.99.21)

ततोऽन्योन्यं प्रधावन्तः संप्रहारं प्रचक्रिरे । ततः शब्देन महता प्रचकम्पे वसुंधरा ॥

tato'nyonyaṃ pradhāvantaḥ saṃprahāraṃ pracakrire | tataḥ śabdena mahatā pracakampe vasuṃdharā

Then, rushing at one another, they joined in combat, and the earth shook with the great noise.

Verse 22 (6.99.22)

पक्षिणश्च महाघोरं व्याहरन्तो विबभ्रमुः । सप्रभश्चोदितः सूर्यो निष्प्रभः समपद्यत ॥

pakṣiṇaśca mahāghoraṃ vyāharanto vibabhramuḥ | saprabhaścoditaḥ sūryo niṣprabhaḥ samapadyata

Birds wheeled about, screeching most dreadfully, and the sun, which had risen bright, grew dim.

Verse 23 (6.99.23)

ववुश्च वातास्तुमुलाः शंसन्तः सुमहद्भयम् । घोराश्च घोरनिर्ह्रादाः शिवास्तत्र ववाशिरे ॥

vavuśca vātāstumulāḥ śaṃsantaḥ sumahadbhayam | ghorāśca ghoranirhrādāḥ śivāstatra vavāśire

Tumultuous winds blew, foretelling great danger, and dreadful jackals howled there with fearful cries,

Note on the text: The critical edition's 6.95.46ab–cd (ववुश्च वातास्तुमुलाः for vavuś ca tumulā vātāḥ). From here to verse 28 Wikisource again divides the critical edition's 6.95.46–51 into couplets.

Verse 24 (6.99.24)

वेदयन्त्यो महाराज महद्वैशसमागतम् । दिशः प्रज्वलिता राजन्पांसुवर्षं पपात च ॥

vedayantyo mahārāja mahadvaiśasamāgatam | diśaḥ prajvalitā rājanpāṃsuvarṣaṃ papāta ca

announcing, great king, that a great slaughter was at hand. The quarters blazed, O king, and a rain of dust fell,

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 6.95.46ef; line 2 is 6.95.47ab.

Verse 25 (6.99.25)

रुधिरेण समुन्मिश्रमस्थिवर्षं पपात च । रुदतां वाहनानां च नेत्रेभ्यः प्रापतञ्जलम् ॥

rudhireṇa samunmiśramasthivarṣaṃ papāta ca | rudatāṃ vāhanānāṃ ca netrebhyaḥ prāpatañjalam

and a rain of bones mixed with blood fell as well. Tears flowed from the eyes of the weeping beasts of burden,

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 6.95.47cd (पपात च for tathaiva ca); line 2 is 6.95.48ab.

Verse 26 (6.99.26)

सुस्रुवुश्च शकृन्मूत्रं प्रध्यायन्तो विशांपते । अन्तर्हिता महानादाः श्रूयन्ते भरतर्षभ ॥

susruvuśca śakṛnmūtraṃ pradhyāyanto viśāṃpate | antarhitā mahānādāḥ śrūyante bharatarṣabha

and, as if brooding, they voided dung and urine, lord of the people. Great cries were heard from beings out of sight, bull of the Bharatas,

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 6.95.48cd; line 2 is 6.95.49ab.

Verse 27 (6.99.27)

रक्षसां पुरुषादानां नदतां भैरवान्रवान् । संपतन्तश्च दृश्यन्ते गोमायुबलवायसाः ॥

rakṣasāṃ puruṣādānāṃ nadatāṃ bhairavānravān | saṃpatantaśca dṛśyante gomāyubalavāyasāḥ

the roars of man-eating rakshasas howling terribly. Jackals and great crows were seen swooping down,

Note on the text: Corrected गोमाय- → गोमायु- (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign ु leaves a non-word; critical edition gomāyu-). बलवायसाः is kept: the page's own commentary glosses it (बलोदग्राः काकाः, 'strong crows'), where the critical edition reads bakavāyasāḥ, 'herons and crows'. Line 1 is the critical edition's 6.95.49cd; line 2 is 6.95.50ab (संपतन्तश्च for saṃpatantaḥ sma).

Verse 28 (6.99.28)

श्वानश्च विविधैर्नादैर्भषन्तस्तत्र मारिष । ज्वलिताश्च महोल्का वै समाहत्य दिवाकरम् । निपेतुः सहसा भूमौ वेदयन्त्यो महद्भयम् ॥

śvānaśca vividhairnādairbhaṣantastatra māriṣa | jvalitāśca maholkā vai samāhatya divākaram | nipetuḥ sahasā bhūmau vedayantyo mahadbhayam

and dogs barked there with cries of many kinds, sir. Great blazing meteors struck the sun and fell suddenly to the earth, foretelling great danger.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 6.95.50cd (मारिष for tasthire); lines 2–3 are 6.95.51 (वेदयन्त्यो for vedayānā).

Verse 29 (6.99.29)

महान्त्यनीकानि महासमुच्छ्रये । ततस्तयोः पाण्डवधार्तराष्ट्रयोः । चकम्पिरे शङ्खमृदङ्गनिःस्वनैः । प्रकम्पितानीव वनानि वायुना ॥

mahāntyanīkāni mahāsamucchraye | tatastayoḥ pāṇḍavadhārtarāṣṭrayoḥ | cakampire śaṅkhamṛdaṅganiḥsvanaiḥ | prakampitānīva vanāni vāyunā

Then, in that great clash, the vast hosts of the Pandavas and of Dhritarashtra's sons shook with the sound of conches and drums, like forests shaken by the wind.

Note on the text: ततस्तयोः and चकम्पिरे (CE samāgame, prakāśire) kept as variants.

Verse 30 (6.99.30)

नरेन्द्रनागाश्वसमाकुलाना- । मभ्यायतीनामशिवे मुहूर्ते । बभूव घोषस्तुमुलश्चमूनां । वातोद्धुतानामिव सागराणाम् ॥

narendranāgāśvasamākulānā- | mabhyāyatīnāmaśive muhūrte | babhūva ghoṣastumulaścamūnāṃ | vātoddhutānāmiva sāgarāṇām

As those armies, crowded with kings, elephants and horses, advanced on each other in that inauspicious hour, a tumultuous roar rose from them like the roar of oceans whipped up by the wind.