[6-1] Janamejaya asked - "Then how did those two armies gather in the battlefield and fight?" Vaishampaayan said - "Listen, How did those people fight on the sacred land of Kurukshetra. All from Paandav's side were very happy. Yudhishthir got tents pitched beyond Samantpanchak area. It seemed that people of the whole Earth have come there. They had covered many Yojan area over rivers, trees, hills etc. Yudhishthir set different watch-words for his people so that they could be identified belonging to Paandav. Duryodhan also did the same for his army.

Then both parties set some rules:-

1. Those who are at equal status can fight each other fairly.
2. Those who are fighting with words, they should be fought with words only.
3. Chariot warriors should fight only with chariot warriors, horseman should fight only with horseman.
4. Considering everything one should attack only after noticing the other. No one should strike other who is unprepared.
5. One engaged with another, one seeking shelter, one running back, one whose weapon is unfit, one who is not in armor should never be struck.
6. Charioteers, animals, drum players, conch blowers should never be struck.

Seeing the two armies standing on the east and west, Vyaas Jee came to Hastinaapur and said to Dhritraashtra in private - "O king, Now the time has come of your sons and other kings. All will fight and will kill each other. This is all because of Time so don't grieve for them. If you want to see them fighting then I can give you eyes to see them in the battle field." Dhritraashtra said - "I wouldn't like to see this destruction, I may only hear the account of this fight." So Vyaas Jee gave the Var to Sanjaya and said to Dhritraashtra - "This Sanjaya will describe the battle to you. Nothing in the whole battle will be hidden from him. He has Divine sight to see it. He will have the knowledge of everything - manifested or hidden, happening in the day or night, even in the thoughts of mind. Sanjaya will know everything, Weapons will not be able to cut him, and exertion will not fatigue him. This son of Gavalgan will come out of the battle alive and unharmed. Do not grieve for them because it is their destiny. It cannot be prevented. As far as victory is concerned, it is there where righteousness is.

On the 15th night of the Shukl Paksh (lighted fortnight ie full moon night) of Kaarttik Maas the Moon will be invisible. Many heroes will be lying dead on the ground on that day. Even Arundhatee Nakshatra keeps her Lord (Vashishth) at her back. Shani (Saturn) afflicts Rohinee Nakshatra. They are indicating a great terror. Raahu is approaching Sun. White planet Ketu stays having passed beyond the constellation Chitraa. All this shows the destruction of Kuru.

A fierce comet rises afflicting Pushya Nakshatra. Mars wheels towards Maghaa Nakshatra; and Brihaspati (Jupiter) towards Shravan Nakshatra. Shani is approaching Bhag Nakshatra and afflicts it. Shukra is ascending towards Poorv-Bhadraa wheeling towards Uttar-Bhadraa. Dhruv is wheeling towards right. Sun and Moon are afflicting Rohinee. Raahu is in between Chitraa and Swaati Nakshatra.

Constellations are divided in three classes. Upon one or another in each class an evil planet is shedding its influence. A lunar fortnight consisted of 14, or 15, or 16 days; but this time I never knew that the New Moon (Amaavasyaa) will be on 13th day from the first day of the fortnight; or the Full Moon on the 13th day of the fortnight. In course of the same month both the Sun and the Moon have undergone eclipses on 13th day. Therefore the Sun and the Moon eclipses occurring on unusual days will cause a great slaughter on the Earth."

Hearing this from his father Dhritraashtra said - "I think it has been ordained before." Vyaas Jee concentrated his mind for a short time and then said again - "You are competent to stop your kinsmen from fighting, stop them now, show them the right path. Death himself is born in the form of your son. If you could stop them from fighting you will have a good fame. Let Paandav have their kingdom and Kaurav will have peace." Dhritraashtra again said - "I am only an ordinary person. You have immeasurable power, extend some to us. My sons are not obedient to me. My understanding is not of committing sin." Vyaas said - "O Dhritraashtra, tell me what are you thinking, I will remove your doubts." Dhritraashtra said - "I want to hear all those omens which indicate victory." Vyaas told him so and then he went away.

Sanjaya Tells Dhritraashtra About the Earth

[This description is given in Bhaagvat Puraan also. One can read this description here and then may compare to the description given in Bhaagvat Puraan, 5/5 here.]

After Vyaas had left, Dhritraashtra took a great sigh and said - "O Sanjaya, Tell me about the countries from where all these brave people have gathered with the desire of killing each other."

Sanjaya said - "I will tell you first the merits of Earth according to my knowledge. Creatures on the Earth are of two types - mobile and immobile. Mobile creatures are of three kinds according to their birth - oviparous, viviparous and those appeared by heat and damp. Of these three the viviparous are the foremost. And of viviparous men and animals are the foremost. Animals are of 14 types - seven are that live in woods, and seven of these are domestic. Lions, tigers, boars, buffaloes, elephants, bears and apes are counted as wild. Kine, goats, sheep, men, horses, mules and asses - these seven are counted as domestic. This suffices the category of wild and domestic animals mentioned in Ved on whom the sacrifices base. Among the domestic animals men are foremost and among the wild animals lions are the foremost. All creatures support their living on one another.

Vegetables are considered as immobile creatures. They are of four types - trees, shrubs, creepers and creeping plants existing only for a year, and all stemless plants of grass species. Mobile and immobile creatures are thus 19 types and their universal constituents are of five types. Thus 24 in all, they are described as Gayatri (Brahm) and are well-known to all. He who knows these as sacred Gayatri is not liable to destruction. Everything is created from Earth, and hen destroyed merges in Earth. Earth is eternal. He who has the Earth, has the entire mobile and immobile population, that is why to possess this Earth kings kill each other."

Dhritraashtra said - "Sanjaya, You know everything, tell me in detail about rivers, mountains, provinces etc." Sanjaya said - "Hey Raajan, In all the things present on the Earth, there are five things - space, air, fire, water and earth. Their respective attributed are sound, touch, vision, taste and scent. Every one of these possesses the attribute of the element coming before it. The earth is the foremost of all of them, because it possesses the attributes of all the other four, besides what is especially of its own. Hey Raajan, Thus there are four attributes in water - sound, touch, vision and taste, there is no scent in it. There are three attributes in fire - sound, touch and vision, no taste and scent. There are two attributes in air - sound and touch, no vision, taste and scent. And space has only of its own attribute - sound.

These five attributes of five elements exist in all creatures depending upon the creatures. They exist separately and independently when there is homogeneity in the Universe. When, however, they do not exist in their natural state, but with one another, then only creature spring up into life furnished with bodies. This never happens otherwise. The elements are destroyed in the order of the one succeeding, merging into the one that proceeds. And they spring also into existence one arising from the one before it. (The order of destruction is that earth merges into water, water into fire, fire into air, air into space; and so is the order of their birth - Air arises from space, fire arises from air, water arises from fire and earth arises from water.) All of these are immeasurable - their forms being Brahm itself.

In the Universe creatures are seen consisting of the five elements. Men try to ascertain their proportions by exercising their reason. Those matters which are inconceivable, should never be sought to be solved by reason. What is inconceivable? That which is above the nature of human being is an indication of the inconceivable.

Hay Raajan, Now I will tell you about the island of Sudarshan. It is circular in the form of a wheel. It is covered with rivers, mountains and cities. It is full of flowering and fruit trees and various kinds of crops. It is surrounded with salt ocean. It can be seen on the Moon disc. Two of its parts seem to be Peepal tree (a sacred tree of India), while the other two look like a large hare. Besides these portions, the rest is all water. What it remains, I will tell you later, listen to what I say to you now."