divisions, with their bright weapons upraised. And Suvala's son Sakuni,
and Salya, Jayadratha and the two princes of Avanti named Vinda and
Anuvinda, and the Kekaya brothers, and Sudakshina the ruler of the
Kamvojas and Srutayudha the ruler of the Kalingas, and king Jayatsena,
and Vrihadvala the ruler of the Kosalas, and Kritavarman of Satwata's
race,--these ten tigers among men, endued with great bravery and
possessing arms that looked like maces,--these performers of sacrifices
with plentiful gifts (to Brahmanas), stood each at the head of an
Akshauhini of troops. These and many other kings and princes, mighty
car-warriors conversant with policy, obedient to the commands of
Duryodhana, all cased in mail, were seen stationed in their respective
divisions. All of them, cased in black deer-skins, endued with great
strength, accomplished in battle, and cheerfully prepared, for
Duryodhana's sake, to ascend to the region of Brahma,[91] stood there
commanding ten efficient Akshauhinis. The eleventh great division of the
Kauravas, consisting of the Dhartarashtra troops, stood in advance of the
whole army. There in the van of that division was Santanu's son. With his
white head-gear, white umbrella, and white mail, O monarch, we beheld
Bhishma of unfailing prowess look like the risen moon. His standard
bearing the device of a palmyra of gold himself stationed on a car made
of silver, both the Kurus and the Pandavas beheld that hero looking like
the moon encircled by white clouds. The great bowmen amongst the
Srinjayas headed by Dhrishtadyumna, (beholding Bhishma) looked like
little animals when they would behold a mighty yawning lion. Indeed, all
the combatants headed by Dhrishtadyumna repeatedly trembled in fear.
These, O king, were the eleven splendid divisions of thy army. So also
the seven divisions belonging to the Pandavas were protected by foremost
of men. Indeed, the two armies facing each other looked like two oceans
at the end of the Yuga agitated by fierce Makaras, and abounding with
huge crocodiles. Never before, O king, did we see or hear of two such
armies encountering each other like these of the Kauravas."
SECTION XVII
Sanjaya said,--"Just as the holy Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa had said, in
that very manner the kings of the Earth, mustered together, came to the
encounter. On that day on which the battle commenced Soma approached the
region of Pitris.[92] The seven large planets, as they appeared in the
fi
|