Duryodhana Entreats Drona to Lead the Army

Verse 1 (7.6.1)

कर्णस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा राजा दुर्योधनस्तदा । सेनामध्यगतं द्रोणमिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

karṇasya vacanaṃ śrutvā rājā duryodhanastadā | senāmadhyagataṃ droṇamidaṃ vacanamabravīt

Having heard Karna's words, King Duryodhana then spoke these words to Drona, who stood in the midst of the army.

Verse 2 (7.6.2)

वर्णश्रैष्ठ्यात्कुलोत्पत्त्या श्रुतेन वयसा धिया । वीर्याद्दाक्ष्यादधृष्यत्वादर्थज्ञानान्नयाज्जयात् ॥

varṇaśraiṣṭhyātkulotpattyā śrutena vayasā dhiyā | vīryāddākṣyādadhṛṣyatvādarthajñānānnayājjayāt

By the eminence of your class, your birth in a noble family, your learning, your years and your wisdom, by your valor, your skill, your invincibility, your knowledge of what matters, your statecraft and your victories,

Verse 3 (7.6.3)

तपसा च कृतज्ञत्वाद्वृद्धः सर्वगुणैरपि । युक्तो भवत्समो गोप्ता राज्ञामन्यो न विद्यते ॥

tapasā ca kṛtajñatvādvṛddhaḥ sarvaguṇairapi | yukto bhavatsamo goptā rājñāmanyo na vidyate

and by your austerity and your gratitude, you are an elder endowed with every virtue; there is no other protector of kings who is your equal.

Note on the text: Corrected भवत्सश्रो → भवत्समो (misprint in Wikisource; श्र for म, critical edition bhavatsamo).

Verse 4 (7.6.4)

स भवान्पातु नः सर्वान्देवानिव शतक्रतुः । भवन्नेत्राः पराञ्जेतुमिच्छामो द्विजसत्तम ॥

sa bhavānpātu naḥ sarvāndevāniva śatakratuḥ | bhavannetrāḥ parāñjetumicchāmo dvijasattama

So may you protect all of us, as Shatakratu protects the gods. We wish to conquer our foes with you as our leader, O best of the twice-born.

Verse 5 (7.6.5)

रुद्राणामिव कापालिर्वसूनामिव पावकः । कुबेर इव यक्षाणां मरुतामिव वासवः ॥

rudrāṇāmiva kāpālirvasūnāmiva pāvakaḥ | kubera iva yakṣāṇāṃ marutāmiva vāsavaḥ

As Kapali among the Rudras, as Pavaka among the Vasus, as Kubera among the Yakshas, as Vasava among the Maruts,

Verse 6 (7.6.6)

वसिष्ठ इव विप्राणां तेजसामिव भास्करः । पितॄणामिव धर्मेन्द्रो यादसामिव चाम्बुराट् ॥

vasiṣṭha iva viprāṇāṃ tejasāmiva bhāskaraḥ | pitṝṇāmiva dharmendro yādasāmiva cāmburāṭ

as Vasishtha among brahmins, as the sun among radiant things, as Dharma-Indra (Yama) among the ancestors, and as the lord of the waters (Varuna) among the creatures of the water,

Verse 7 (7.6.7)

नक्षत्राणामिव शशी दितिजानामिवोशनाः । सर्वेषामिव लोकानां विश्वस्य च यथा क्षयः ॥

nakṣatrāṇāmiva śaśī ditijānāmivośanāḥ | sarveṣāmiva lokānāṃ viśvasya ca yathā kṣayaḥ

as the moon among the stars, as Ushanas among the sons of Diti, and as the final dissolution of all the worlds and of the whole universe,

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 7.5.27ab; line 2 is its star passage 7.5.27b*0041_01, not in the constituted text (the page marks it off with a backtick and a closing quote mark, its sign for an interpolated line; both marks were removed). The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 8 (7.6.8)

विश्वोत्पत्तिस्थितिलये श्रेष्ठो नारायणः प्रभुः । एवं सेनाप्रणेतॄणां मम सेनापतिर्भव ॥

viśvotpattisthitilaye śreṣṭho nārāyaṇaḥ prabhuḥ | evaṃ senāpraṇetṝṇāṃ mama senāpatirbhava

as the lord Narayana is supreme in the creation, preservation and dissolution of the universe — so, among leaders of armies, be my commander.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's star passage 7.5.27b*0041_02, not in the constituted text; line 2 corresponds to 7.5.27c (CE śreṣṭhaḥ senāpraṇetṝṇāṃ sa naḥ senāpatir bhava), kept as a variant. The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 9 (7.6.9)

अक्षौहिण्यो दशैका च वशगाः सन्तु तेऽनघ । ताभिः शत्रून्प्रतिव्यूह्य जहीन्द्रो दानवानिव ॥

akṣauhiṇyo daśaikā ca vaśagāḥ santu te'nagha | tābhiḥ śatrūnprativyūhya jahīndro dānavāniva

Let eleven akshauhinis be subject to your will, sinless one. With them array our forces against the enemy and destroy them, as Indra destroys the Danavas.

Verse 10 (7.6.10)

प्रयातु नो भवानग्रे देवानामिव पावकिः । अनुयास्यामहे त्वाऽऽजौ सौरभेया इवर्षभम् ॥

prayātu no bhavānagre devānāmiva pāvakiḥ | anuyāsyāmahe tvā''jau saurabheyā ivarṣabham

Go before us, as Pavaki (Skanda) goes before the gods; we shall follow you in battle, as cows follow a bull.

Verse 11 (7.6.11)

उग्रधन्वा महेष्वासो दिव्यं विष्फारयन्धनुः । दृष्ट्वा भवन्तं सङ्ग्रामे नार्जुनः प्रहरिष्यति ॥

ugradhanvā maheṣvāso divyaṃ viṣphārayandhanuḥ | dṛṣṭvā bhavantaṃ saṅgrāme nārjunaḥ prahariṣyati

Arjuna, of the fierce bow, the great archer, who twangs his divine bow — seeing you in the battle, he will not strike.

Verse 12 (7.6.12)

ध्रुवं युधिष्ठिरं सङ्ख्ये सानुबन्धं सबान्धवम् । जेष्यामि पुरुषव्याघ्र भवान्सेनापतिर्यदि ॥

dhruvaṃ yudhiṣṭhiraṃ saṅkhye sānubandhaṃ sabāndhavam | jeṣyāmi puruṣavyāghra bhavānsenāpatiryadi

I shall surely conquer Yudhishthira in battle, together with his followers and kinsmen, O tiger among men, if you are our commander.

Verse 13 (7.6.13)

एवमुक्ते ततो द्रोणं जयेत्यूचुर्नराधिपाः । सिंहनादेन महता हर्षयन्तस्तवात्मजम् ॥

evamukte tato droṇaṃ jayetyūcurnarādhipāḥ | siṃhanādena mahatā harṣayantastavātmajam

When he had spoken thus, the kings shouted "Victory!" to Drona, delighting your son with a great lion's roar.

Verse 14 (7.6.14)

सैनिकाश्च मुदा युक्ता वर्धयन्ति द्विजोत्तमम् । दुर्योधनं पुरस्कृत्य प्रार्थयन्तो महद्यशः । दुर्योधनं ततो राजन्द्रोणो वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

sainikāśca mudā yuktā vardhayanti dvijottamam | duryodhanaṃ puraskṛtya prārthayanto mahadyaśaḥ | duryodhanaṃ tato rājandroṇo vacanamabravīt

And the soldiers, full of joy, cheered the best of the twice-born, putting Duryodhana in front and seeking great fame. Then, O king, Drona spoke to Duryodhana.

Note on the text: The automatic alignment found no match. Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 7.5.33ac; line 3 is its star passage 7.5.33d*0043_01 (ततः for tadā), not in the constituted text. The star passage 7.5.33d*0042_01 is not on the page.