Devanagari
अथ व्यवस्थितान्दृष्ट्वा धार्तराष्ट्रान्कपिध्वजः ।
प्रवृत्ते शस्त्रसम्पाते धनुरुद्यम्य पाण्डवः ।
हृषीकेशं तदा वाक्यमिदमाह महीपते ॥ २० ॥
Verse text
atha vyavasthitān dṛṣṭvā
dhārtarāṣṭrān kapi-dhvajaḥ
pravṛtte śastra-sampāte
dhanur udyamya pāṇḍavaḥ
hṛṣīkeśaṁ tadā vākyam
idam āha mahī-pate
Synonyms
atha
—
thereupon
;
vyavasthitān
—
situated
;
dṛṣṭvā
—
looking upon
;
dhārtarāṣṭrān
—
the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra
;
kapi-dhvajaḥ
—
he whose flag was marked with Hanumān
;
pravṛtte
—
while about to engage
;
śastra-sampāte
—
in releasing his arrows
;
dhanuḥ
—
bow
;
udyamya
—
taking up
;
pāṇḍavaḥ
—
the son of Pāṇḍu (Arjuna)
;
hṛṣīkeśam
—
unto Lord Kṛṣṇa
;
tadā
—
at that time
;
vākyam
—
words
;
idam
—
these
;
āha
—
said
;
mahī-pate
—
O King.
Translation
At that time Arjuna, the son of Pāṇḍu, seated in the chariot bearing the flag marked with Hanumān, took up his bow and prepared to shoot his arrows. O King, after looking at the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra drawn in military array, Arjuna then spoke to Lord Kṛṣṇa these words.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
20-23. O King, then, as the armies prepared to fight, Arjuna with Hanumān’s insignia on his flag, seeing the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra standing there, taking his bow in hand, spoke to Hṛṣīkeśa: O Acyuta please station my chariot between the two armies, so I can view at the commencement of the war those situated with a desire to fight, and those with whom I should fight. I see that those who have gathered here, desiring to please the foolish sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, are intent on fighting.
Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
20-23. O King, then, as the armies prepared to fight, Arjuna with Hanuman insignia on his flag, seeing the sons of Dhṛtrāṣṭra standing there, taking his bow in hand, spoke to Hṛṣīkeśa: O Acyuta, please station my chariot between the two armies, so I can view at the commencement of the war those standing desirous of fighting, and those with whom I should fight. I believe that those who have gathered here, desiring to please the foolish sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, are intent on fighting.
Translation (Bhurijana Dasa)
At that time Arjuna, the son of Pandu, seated in the chariot bearing the flag marked with Hanuman, took up his bow and prepared to shoot his arrows. O King, after looking at the sons of Dhrtarastra drawn in military array, Arjuna then spoke to Lord Krsna these words.
(cn/DS) The same points are mentioned again, indicating the Pandavas' victory:
‑ The name Hrsikesa for Krsna,
‑ Hanuman is in the flag of Arjuna's chariot,
‑ Krsna also means Rama ‑ where is Rama, there is Sita, the
goddess of fortune.
‑ "And above all, the Lord of the senses, Lord Krsna, was personally present to give him (Arjuna) direction. Thus, all good counsel was available to Arjuna in the matter of executing the battle. In such auspicious conditions, arranged by the Lord for His eternal devotee, lay the signs of assured victory."
Purport
The battle was just about to begin. It is understood from the above statement that the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra were more or less disheartened by the unexpected arrangement of military force by the Pāṇḍavas, who were guided by the direct instructions of Lord Kṛṣṇa on the battlefield. The emblem of Hanumān on the flag of Arjuna is another sign of victory because Hanumān cooperated with Lord Rāma in the battle between Rāma and Rāvaṇa, and Lord Rāma emerged victorious. Now both Rāma and Hanumān were present on the chariot of Arjuna to help him. Lord Kṛṣṇa is Rāma Himself, and wherever Lord Rāma is, His eternal servitor Hanumān and His eternal consort Sītā, the goddess of fortune, are present. Therefore, Arjuna had no cause to fear any enemies whatsoever. And above all, the Lord of the senses, Lord Kṛṣṇa, was personally present to give him direction. Thus, all good counsel was available to Arjuna in the matter of executing the battle. In such auspicious conditions, arranged by the Lord for His eternal devotee, lay the signs of assured victory.
Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
Mahīpate means “O Dhṛtarāstra.”
Arjuna then spoke.
“O Acyuta, you do not deviate from your innate nature—from your affection for your devotee, or from your supreme power. Controlled by this quality, without fear, place my chariot according my words, the words of your devotee.” He then speaks of the purpose of doing so. ‘Place the chariot so that I can see who are situated firmly, not trembling in fear (avasthitān), who are desirous of fighting (yoddu kamān), with no desire for compromise.”
“But you are fighter, not a spectator. What will be accomplished by viewing this?”
“I wish to see at the beginning of the battle those friends and relatives in whose company I will fight, and those friends and relatives against whom I will fight. For that purpose, place my chariot between the two armies. ”
“Out of friendship they will make peace.”
“No, there will be no conciliation between the two sides. I believe (avekṣe) that they are intent on fighting (yotsyamānām). They are intent on fighting, desiring to please the son of Dhṛtarāstra who is unintelligent (durbuddheḥ), ignorant of means for his own survival (ignorant that he is going to die), even in face of this war, which does not sober his intelligence. Therefore my viewing the rival party in war has been justified. ”