Gyaneshwari Geeta-6

Gyaneshwari Geeta-6

10. Unlimited is the army of ours, guarded by Bhishma; limited is this army of theirs, guarded by Bhima. We have also entrusted the office of the General to Bhishma, foremost among veterans, world conqueror and mighty warrior (111-115). Backed by his prowess, the army looks like a fortress, before which even the three worlds look small. As if the impervious sea has received the help
of sub-marine fire, or the world destroying fire is aided by a hurricane, our army has as its General Bhishma, the son of Ganga. Who then can resist it? This Pandava army is too small in comparison with ours as stated before. Moreover this bumptious Bhima has become their general. After saying this, he stopped talking (116-120).

11. Taking up your respective positions on all fronts, all of you support Bhishma alone from all sides. Then he addressed his officers thus: “Keep the army under you in a state of readiness. Those who are the captains of the army units should remain in the front and distribute the tasks among the car-warriors. They should keep their units under control and remain near Bhishma.” Then he said to Drona, “You should oversee all this. You should support Bhishma alone and hold him in my place. For now our army entirely depends upon him.”

12. In order to cheer him up, the aged Kuru Lord, his valiant grandsire, roared aloud like a lion and blew the conch. Hearing this address of the King, the General was overjoyed, and he gave out the lion’s roar (121-105). This war-cry resounded in both armies with such force, that the echo which arose could not be contained. His heroic nature being excited by that echo, Bhishma blew his divine conch. The two sounds mingled, deafening the three worlds, and it seemed as if the sky would come down with a crash. The heavens thundered and the seas swelled upwards, and the moving and stationary things became stirred up and shaken. The hills and caves resounded with that great noise, and war drums began to beat in both armies (126-130).

13. Conches and kettledrums, drums, tabors and horns blared forth all of a sudden, and the noise became tumultuous. The sound of all the musical instruments was so harsh and terrific, that it seemed like the end of the world even to the brave. Kettledrums, tabors, conches, cymbals and trumpets blared forth, followed by a terrible war-cry of the great warriors. Some patted their arms and challenged others with frenzy, and the rutting elephants could not be controlled. What can one say about the cowards? They were scattered like saw-dust. Even the god of death withdrew from the fray in panic. Some breathed their last standing; others who were brave had locked-jaw; and even warriors of proved merit started shaking with fright (131-135). Hearing the strange blare of martial music even god Brahma became agitated; and the other gods thought that the end of the world had come now.

14. Then standing in a mighty chariot with white horses yoked thereto, Krishna and Arjuna blew their conches Divine.

15. Krishna blew the Panchajanya, Arjuna the Devadatta, and the wolf-bellied Bhima of terrible deeds blew his mighty conch Paundra.

16. Yudhishthira, son of Kunti, blew the conch Anantavijaya; Nakula and Sahadeva blew their conches, Sughosha and Manipushpaka. While the heaven was thus in turmoil, see what happened in the Pandava army. Arjuna arrived there in a chariot, which was the basis of victory and the seat of heroic lustre, and to which were yoked four horses as swift as the eagles. The chariot looked superb like the Meru mountain with wings, and because of it all the ten quarters were filled with brightness. How can one describe the merits of this chariot, of which the Lord of Vaikuntha (Vishnu) was the charioteer (136-140)? Hanuman, who was God Shankara incarnate, was seated on his flag-staff and Lord Krishna was driving his chariot. See how wondrous are the ways of the Lord; because of his love for his devotee, he worked as the charioteer of Partha. Keeping his page behind him, he took the frontal position and with great ease blew his conch Panchajanya. His blowing of the conch made a rumbling sound; and as the stars are bedimmed by the rising sun, in that sound was lost the din made by the martial music of Kaurava army (141-145). Then Arjuna blew his conch Devadatta, making a resounding sound. When these two sounds mingled, it seemed as if the universe was being blown to smithereens. Then Bhima too got excited like the god of death in fury and blew his great conch Paundra. When it emitted a deep roaring sound like a cloud at world-dissolution, Yudhishthira blew his conch Anantavijaya. Then Nakula blew his conch Sughosha and Sahadeva Manipushpaka, as a result of which even the god of death became panic-stricken (146-150).

Om Namah Shivay