Duryodhana while witnessing the strength of the Pāṇḍavas army supported by the might of Bhīmā weighed his own armies strength under the command of Bhīshma

and perceiving the mood of his preceptor Droṇāchārya, he could understand the inadequacy in his own troops and the perfection of strength on the Pāṇḍavas side to be victorious and internally this aggrieved him heavily.

Bhīshma seeing all this gave a roar like a lion and blew a mighty, reverberating blast on his conch-shell which was followed by a tumultuous beating of drums, blaring of horns and blasting of conch-shells as if indicative of the victory in order to cheer up Duryodhana.

Immediately upon hearing this Lord Krishna and Arjuna seated in their majestic chariot capable of conquering all the worlds; both seized their conch-shells and reverberated a sound that shook all the worlds.

Thereafter Bhīmā, Yudhisṭhīra, Nākula and Sahadeva and the rest of the mahā-rathas of the Pāṇḍava army blew their conch-shells

and the roar which was heard cleaved the hearts of Duryodhana and the army of the Kaurāvas and in their hearts they felt that the battle was already lost.

Thus did Sanjaya narrate to Dhritarāshtra whose only concern was for the success of his son Duryodhana and the Kaurāvas in the battle.

4 “Herein (are) valorous wielders of mighty bows, the equals of Bhīma and Arjuna in battle: (to wit,) Yuyudhāna (= Sātyaki), Virāṭa, and Drupada the great car-warrior: (96)

“There are also present here more warriors uncommon and well-versed in the art of using weapons and expert in war work. I first describe with ardour such warriors as possess strength and valour just like Bhīma and Arjuna. Here are Yuyudhāna, so also Virāteshwar, great warrior Drupada who is greatly superior.

‘Atra śūrā maheṣvāsā bhīmārjunasamā yudhi’—Those who possess large bows and shoot with bows and arrows, are called ‘Maheṣvāsā (the mighty archers). They are very valiant and extraordinary warriors. In warfare, they are as strong as Bhīma, and in the use of weapons and missiles such as bows and arrows etc., as good as Arjuna.

‘Yuyudhānaḥ’—Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki), learnt the science of warfare, from Arjuna. Thus he was obliged to him, that he did not go to the side of Duryodhana, even though Lord Kṛṣṇa had given Duryodhana, his Nārāyaṇī army. In order to arouse malice in the mind of Droṇācārya, Duryodhana, first of all, mentions

the name of Yuyudhāna, the disciple to Arjuna. He means to say, 'You have taught Arjuna archery and granted him the boon that you would try that he would be a matchless archer, in this world (Mahābhārata, Ādi. 131/27). Thus you have so much love for him. But he is so ungrateful, that he is arrayed in the army against you, while Arjuna's disciple Yuyudhāna is arrayed on his side.'

[Yuyudhāna was not killed in the warfare but in a mutual fight among the Yādavas.]

'*Virāṭaśca*'—Duryodhana says, 'It was Virāṭa, who was responsible for insulting the warrior, Suśarmā. Again, it was because of him, that you became unconscious with the Sammohana (beguiling) weapon, and we had to flee from the battlefield, leaving behind his cows. The same king Virāṭa is opposing you.'

Droṇācārya had no enmity or malice against king Virāṭa. But Duryodhana thinks that if he names Drupada after Yuyudhāna, Droṇācārya may think, that Duryodhana is instigating him to fight against the Pāṇḍavas, and he is arousing feelings of enmity with them. So Duryodhana names Virāṭa before Drupada, so that Droṇācārya may not see through his trick, and may fight bravely.

[King Virāṭa and his three sons, named Uttara, Śveta, Śaṅkha were killed, in the war of Mahābhārata.]

'*Drupadaśca mahārathaḥ*'—Duryodhana says, 'You reminded Drupada of your old friendship but he insulted you in the assembly, saying that he was a king and you a beggar, and thus there was no question of any friendship between him and you, and beget a son who would kill you. The same great chariot-warrior, named Drupada is arrayed to fight against you.'

[King Drupada, was killed in the warfare by Droṇācārya.]

'*Dhṛṣṭaketuḥ*'—How foolish this Dhṛṣṭaketu is, that he is fighting on the side of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who killed his father Śiṣupāla,

with a disc, in the assembly.

[Dhṛṣṭaketu was killed by Droṇācārya.]

‘Cekitānaḥ’—The entire yādava-army is ready to fight on our side, but that solitary yādava is fighting on the side of Pāṇḍavas.

[Cekitāna was killed by Duryodhana.]

‘Kāśirājaśca vīryavān’—This king of Kāśī is very valiant, a great chariot-warrior and is fighting on the side of the Pāṇḍavas, so be careful, as you have a very formidable foe to deal with.

[The king of Kāśī was killed, in the battle of Mahābhārata.]

‘Purujitkuntibhojaśca’—Though both Purujit and Kuntibhoja, being Kuntī’s brothers, are maternal uncles to us and the Pāṇḍavas, yet being partial, they are arrayed to fight against us.

[Purujit and Kuntibhoja—both were killed at the hands of Droṇācārya.]

‘Śaibyaśca narapuṅgavaḥ’—Śaibya is the father-in-law to Yudhiṣṭhira. He is noble and very powerful. He is also our relative, but he is on the side of the Pāṇḍavas.

Yudhāmanyuśca vikrānta uttamaujāśca vīryavān’—Yudhāmanyu and Uttamaujā, who are very strong and valiant warriors of Pāñcāla country, have been assigned the task of protecting the wheels of my enemy Arjuna’s chariot. So keep an eye on them.

[Yudhāmanyu and Uttamaujā, were slain in their sleep, by Aśvatthāmā.]

‘Saubhadraḥ’—He is Abhimanyu, the son to Kṛṣṇa’s sister named Subhadrā. He is very brave. He learnt the art of piercing an array of soldiers, standing in the form of a circle, while he was in his mother’s womb. So beware of him.

[Abhimanyu was killed by Duḥśāsana’s son, when he unjustly hit him, with a mace on the head.]

‘Draupadeyāśca’—Draupadī, gave birth to five sons named

Prativindhya, Sutasoma, Śrutakarma, Śatānika and Śrutasena respectively, from Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva. Watch her five sons, carefully. She openly insulted me in the assembly. So avenge that insult, by killing her five sons.

[Aśvatthāmā killed the five sons, while they were asleep at night.]

‘Sarva eva mahārathāḥ’—All of them are great chariot-warriors. They are well-versed in the scripture and in the use of arms (A great chariot-warrior is, one who can manage ten thousand archers). There is a large number of such great chariot-warriors, in the army of the Pāṇḍavas.

Link:—Duryodhana described valour, bravery and skill of the army of the Pāṇḍavas, in warfare so that hatred might be aroused in Droṇācārya, against the Pāṇḍavas, and he might be full of greater zeal. But, then a second thought came to his mind, that Droṇa was at heart partial to the Pāṇḍavas. So he might make a peace-treaty, with the Pāṇḍavas. As soon as, this thought came to his mind, he described the heroes of his side, who were very well trained in warfare, in the next three verses.

आणिकही असाधारण । जे शस्त्रास्त्रीं प्रवीण । जे क्षात्रधर्मीं निपुण । वीर आहाती ॥ ९६॥

जे बळें प्रौढी पौरुषें । भीमार्जुनांसारिखे । ते सांगेन कौतुकें । प्रसंगेचि ॥ ९७॥

एथ युयुधानु सुभटु । आला असे विराटु । महारथी श्रेष्ठु । द्रुपद वीरु ॥ ९८ ॥

(1.96) तथा यहाँ और भी शस्त्रास्त्र में प्रवीण और क्षात्रधर्म में निपुण बड़े-बड़े वीर आये हैं। (1.97) जो बल, प्रौढ़ता और पुरुषार्थ में भीम और अर्जुन के समान है। उनका मैं प्रसंगानुसार कुतूहल से वर्णन करता हूँ।

(1.98) ये वीर महायोद्धा युयुधान राजा, विराट राजा और श्रेष्ठ महारथी द्रुपद राजा है।

‘अत्र शूरा महेष्वासा भीमार्जुनसमा युधि’— जिनसे बाण चलाये जाते हैं, फेंके जाते हैं, उनका नाम ‘इष्वास’ अर्थात् धनुष है। ऐसे बड़े-बड़े इष्वास (धनुष) जिनके पास हैं, वे सभी ‘महेष्वास’ हैं। तात्पर्य है कि बड़े धनुषोंपर बाण चढ़ाने एवं प्रत्यंचा खींचनेमें बहुत बल लगता है। जोरसे खींचकर छोड़ा गया बाण विशेष मार करता है। ऐसे बड़े-बड़े धनुष पासमें होनेके कारण ये सभी बहुत बलवान् और शूरवीर हैं। ये मामूली योद्धा नहीं हैं। युद्धमें ये भीम और अर्जुनके समान हैं अर्थात् बलमें ये भीमके समान और अस्त्र-शस्त्रकी कलामें ये अर्जुनके समान हैं।

**‘युयुधानः’—**युयुधान-(सात्यकि-) ने अर्जुनसे अस्त्र-शस्त्रकी विद्या सीखी थी। इसलिये भगवान् श्रीकृष्णके द्वारा दुर्योधनको नारायणी सेना देनेपर भी वह कृतज्ञ होकर अर्जुनके पक्षमें ही रहा, दुर्योधनके पक्षमें नहीं गया। द्रोणाचार्यके मनमें अर्जुनके प्रति द्वेषभाव पैदा करनेके लिये दुर्योधन महारथियोंमें सबसे पहले अर्जुनके शिष्य युयुधानका नाम लेता है। तात्पर्य है कि इस अर्जुनको तो देखिये! इसने आपसे ही अस्त्र-शस्त्र चलाना सीखा है और आपने अर्जुनको यह वरदान भी दिया है कि संसारमें तुम्हारे समान और कोई धनुर्धर न हो, ऐसा प्रयत्न करूँगा। इस तरह आपने तो अपने शिष्य अर्जुनपर इतना स्नेह रखा है, पर वह कृतज्ञ होकर आपके विपक्षमें लड़नेके लिये खड़ा है, जबकि अर्जुनका शिष्य युयुधान उसीके पक्षमें खड़ा है।

[युयुधान महाभारतके युद्धमें न मरकर यादवोंके आपसी युद्धमें मारे गये।]

**‘विराटश्च’—**जिसके कारण हमारे पक्षका वीर सुशर्मा अपमानित किया गया, आपको सम्मोहन-अस्त्रसे मोहित

होना पड़ा और हमलोगोंको भी जिसकी गायें छोड़कर युद्धसे भागना पड़ा, वह राजा विराट आपके प्रतिपक्षमें खड़ा है।

राजा विराटके साथ द्रोणाचार्यका ऐसा कोई वैरभाव या द्वेषभाव नहीं था; परन्तु दुर्योधन यह समझता है कि अगर युयुधानके बाद में द्रुपदका नाम लूँ तो द्रोणाचार्यके मनमें यह भाव आ सकता है कि दुर्योधन पाण्डवोंके विरोधमें मेरेको उकसाकर युद्धके लिये विशेषतासे प्रेरणा कर रहा है तथा मेरे मनमें पाण्डवोंके प्रति वैरभाव पैदा कर रहा है। इसलिये दुर्योधन द्रुपदके नामसे पहले विराटका नाम लेता है, जिससे द्रोणाचार्य मेरी चालाकी न समझ सकें और विशेषतासे युद्ध करें।

[राजा विराट उत्तर, श्वेत और शंख नामक तीनों पुत्रोंसहित महाभारत-युद्धमें मारे गये।]

**‘द्रुपदश्च महारथः’—**आपने तो द्रुपदको पहलेकी मित्रता याद दिलायी, पर उसने सभामें यह कहकर आपका अपमान किया कि मैं राजा हूँ और तुम भिक्षुक हो; अतः मेरी-तुम्हारी मित्रता कैसी? तथा वैरभावके कारण आपको मारनेके लिये पुत्र भी पैदा किया, वही महारथी द्रुपद आपसे लड़नेके लिये विपक्षमें खड़ा है।

[राजा द्रुपद युद्धमें द्रोणाचार्यके हाथसे मारे गये।]

**‘धृष्टकेतुः’—**यह धृष्टकेतु कितना मूर्ख है कि जिसके पिता शिशुपालको कृष्णने भरी सभामें चक्रसे मार डाला था, उसी कृष्णके पक्षमें यह लड़नेके लिये खड़ा है!

[धृष्टकेतु द्रोणाचार्यके हाथसे मारे गये।]

**‘चेकितानः’—**सब यादवसेना तो हमारी ओरसे लड़नेके लिये तैयार है और यह यादव चेकितान पाण्डवोंकी सेनामें खड़ा है!

* प्रयतिष्ये तथा कर्तुं यथा नान्यो धनुर्धरः। त्वत्समो भविता लोके सत्यमेतद् ब्रवीमि ते॥

(महाभारत, आदि० १३१। २७)

[चिकितान दुर्योधनके हाथसे मारे गये।]

‘काशिराजश्च वीर्यवान्’—यह काशिराज बड़ा ही शूरवीर और महारथी है। यह भी पाण्डवोंकी सेनामें खड़ा है। इसलिये आप सावधानीसे युद्ध करना; क्योंकि यह बड़ा पराक्रमी है।

[काशिराज महाभारत-युद्धमें मारे गये।]

‘पुरुजित्कुन्तिभोजश्च’—यद्यपि पुरुजित् और कुन्तिभोज—ये दोनों कुन्तीके भाई होनेसे हमारे और पाण्डवोंके मामा हैं, तथापि इनके मनमें पक्षपात होनेके कारण ये हमारे विपक्षमें युद्ध करनेके लिये खड़े हैं।

[पुरुजित् और कुन्तिभोज—दोनों ही युद्धमें द्रोणाचार्यके हाथसे मारे गये।]

‘शैब्यश्च नरपुङ्गवः’—यह शैब्य युधिष्ठिरका श्वशुर है। यह मनुष्योंमें श्रेष्ठ और बहुत बलवान् है। परिवारके नाते यह भी हमारा सम्बन्धी है। परन्तु यह पाण्डवोंके ही पक्षमें खड़ा है।

‘युधामन्युश्च विक्रान्त उत्तमौजाश्च वीर्यवान्’—पांचालदेशके बड़े बलवान् और वीर योद्धा युधामन्यु तथा उत्तमौजा मेरे वैरी अर्जुनके रथके पहियोंकी रक्षामें नियुक्त किये गये हैं। आप इनकी ओर भी नजर रखना।

सम्बन्ध—द्रोणाचार्यके मनमें पाण्डवोंके प्रति द्वेष पैदा करने और युद्धके लिये जोश दिलानेके लिये दुर्योधनने पाण्डव-सेनाकी विशेषता बतायी। दुर्योधनके मनमें विचार आया कि द्रोणाचार्य पाण्डवोंके पक्षपाती हैं ही; अतः वे पाण्डव-सेनाकी महत्ता सुनकर मेरेको यह कह सकते हैं कि जब पाण्डवोंकी सेनामें इतनी विशेषता है, तो उनके साथ तू सन्धि क्यों नहीं कर लेता? ऐसा विचार आते ही दुर्योधन आगेके तीन श्लोकोंमें अपनी सेनाकी विशेषता बताता है।