17. kagyas ca paramesveisah
sibkhandi ca maharathah
dhrstadyumno viratas ca
satyakis cã 'parajitah
(17) And the king of Kasi, the Chief of archers, Sikhandin, the great warrior, Dhrstadyumna and Virata and the invincible Satyaki.
18. drupado draupadeyas ca
sarvasah prthivipate saubhadras
ca mandbahuh sankhan dadhmuh
prthak- prthak
(18) Drupada and the sons of Draupadi, 0 Lord of earth, and the strong-armed son of Subhadra, on all sides blew their respective conches.
19 sa ghoso dhartarastranam
hrdayam vyadarayat
nabhas ca prthivim cat 'va
tumult) vyanunadayai
(19) The tumultuous uproar resounding through earth and sky rent the hearts of Dhrtarastra's sons.
Arjuna Surveys the Two Armies
20. atha vyavasthitan drstva
dhartarasran kapidhvajah
pravrtte sastrasampate
dhanur udyamya pandavah
(20) Then Arjuna, whose banner bore the crest of Hanuman looked at the sons of Dhrtarastra drawn up in battle order; and as the flight of missiles (almost) started, he took up his bow.
pravrtte sastrasmpate: as the flight of missiles started. The crisis throws Arjuna into great anguish. The opposing hosts are drawn up in battle array, the conches are blown, the thrill of anticipated battle is on them all, when, suddenly in a moment of self-analysis, Arjuna realizes that the struggle means that the whole scheme of life, the great ideals of race and family, of law and order, of patriotism and reverence for the teacher, which he had loyally carried out till then, will have to be abandoned.
