Mahabharata on Anger

Those sharp shafts resembling the rods of Yama himself, shot by him, pierced Abhimanyu through and entered the earth. And similarly the gold-decked arrows shot by Arjuna’s son, piercing Alamvusha through, entered the earth. The son of Subhadra then, in that battle, with his straight shafts, obliged the Rakshasa to turn his back upon the field, like Sakra repulsing Maya in days of old. That scorcher of foes, the Rakshasa, then, thus repulsed and struck repeatedly by his adversary, exhibited his great powers of illusion by causing a thick darkness to set in. Then all the combatants there, O king, were covered by that darkness. Neither could Abhimanyu be seen, nor could friends be distinguished from foes in that battle. Abhimanyu, however, beholding that thick and awful gloom, invoked into existence, O son of Kuru’s race, the blazing solar weapon. Thereupon, O king, the universe once more became visible. And thus he neutralised the illusion of that wicked Rakshasa. Then that prince of men, excited with wrath and endued with great energy, covered that foremost of Rakshasa in that battle with many straight shafts. Diverse other kinds of illusion were conjured up there by that Rakshasa. Conversant with all weapons, the son of Phalguni however, neutralised them all. The Rakshasa then, his illusions all destroyed, and himself struck with shafts, abandoned his car even there, and fled away in great fear. After that Rakshasa addicted to unfair fight had been thus vanquished, the son of Arjuna began to grind thy troops in battle, like a juice-blind prince of wild elephants agitating a lake overgrown with lotus.[465] Then Bhishma the son of Santanu, beholding his troops routed, covered Subhadra’s son with a thick shower of arrows. Then many mighty car-warriors of the Dhartarashtra army, standing in a ring round that single hero, began to strike him forcibly with their shafts.

Sanjaya said, “Beholding Bhishma excited with wrath in battle, surrounded on all sides by the Pandavas like the Sun in the firmament, O king, by the clouds at the end of summer, Duryodhana, O monarch, addressed Dussasana, saying, ‘This heroic and great bowman Bhishma, this slayer of heroes, hath, O bull of Bharata’s race, been surrounded on all sides by the brave Pandavas. It is thy duty, O hero, to protect that illustrious one. Protected by us in battle, our grandsire Bhishma will slay all the Panchalas along with the Pandavas. The protection of Bhishma, therefore, I think, is our highest duty, for this great bowman of his vows, viz., Bhishma, is our protector in return. Therefore, surrounding the grandsire with all our troops, do thou protect him, who always achieveth the most difficult feats in battle.’ Thus addressed by Duryodhana, thy son Dussasana, surrounding Bhishma with a large force on all sides took up his position. Then Suvala’s son Sakuni, with hundreds and thousands of horsemen having bright spears and swords and lances in hand, and who formed a proud, well-dressed, and strong body bearing standards, and who were mingled with excellent foot-soldiers that were all well-trained and skilled in battle began to cheek Nakula, and Sahadeva, and Yudhishthira the son of Pandu, surrounding those foremost of men on all sides. Then king Duryodhana despatched ten thousand (other) brave horsemen for resisting the Pandavas. When these rushed like so many Garudas towards the enemy with great impetuosity, the earth, O king, struck with their horse-hoofs, trembled and uttered a loud noise. And the loud clatter of their hoofs was heard resembling the noise made by a large forest of bamboos, in conflagration on a mountain. And as these dashed over the field, there rose a cloud of dust, which rising to the welkin shrouded the very Sun.

Sanjaya said, “While they were battling, the Sun set, O Bharata, and there came the dreadful hour of twilight and the battle could no longer be seen. Then king Yudhishthira, seeing that twilight had come and that his own troops, slaughtered by Bhishma, had thrown aside their weapons, and that stricken with fear, and turned off the field, they were seeking to flee away, and beholding Bhishma also, that mighty car-warrior, excited with wrath and afflicting everybody in fight, and noticing that the mighty car-warriors of the Somakas, having been vanquished, had all become cheerless, reflected a little, and then ordered the troops to be withdrawn. Then king Yudhishthira withdrew his forces. And similarly, the withdrawal of thy forces also took place at the same time. Then those mighty car-warriors, O chief of the Kurus, having withdrawn their forces, entered their tents, themselves mangled in battle. Afflicted by the shafts of Bhishma and reflecting upon that hero’s feats in battle, the Pandavas obtained no peace of mind. Bhishma also, having vanquished the Pandavas and the Srinjayas in battle, was worshipped by thy sons and glorified by them, O Bharata. Accompanied by the rejoicing Kurus, he then entered his tent. Night then set in, that deprives all creatures of their senses. Then in that fierce hour of night, the Pandavas, the Vrishnis and the invincible Srinjayas sat down for a consultation. All those mighty persons, skilled in arriving at conclusions in council, coolly deliberated about that which was beneficial for them in view of their immediate circumstances. Then king Yudhishthira, having reflected for a long while, said these words, casting his eyes on Vasudeva, ‘Behold, O Krishna, the high-souled Bhishma of fierce prowess. He crusheth my troops like an elephant crushing a forest of reeds. We dare not even look at that high-souled warrior. Like a raging conflagration he licketh up my troops.

Sanjaya said, “Hearing these words of the high-souled Drona, Bhagadatta and Kripa and Salya and Kritavarman, and Vinda and Anuvinda of Avanti, and Jayadratha the ruler of the Sindhus, and Chitrasena and Vikarna and Durmarshana and others, these ten warriors of thy army, supported by a large host consisting of many nationalities, fought with Bhimasena, desirous of winning high renown in the battle for Bhishma’s sake. And Salya struck Bhima with nine arrows, and Kritavarman struck him with three, and Kripa with nine. And Chitrasena and Vikarna and Bhagadatta, O sire, each struck him with ten arrows. And the ruler of the Sindhus struck him with three, and Vinda and Anuvinda of Avanti each struck him with five arrows. And Duryodhana struck that son of Pandu with twenty sharp arrows. Bhimasena, O king, pierced in return every one of those kings, those foremost of men in the world, those mighty car-warriors of the Dhartarashtra army, one after another. The brave Pandava, that slayer of hostile heroes, pierced Salya with seven arrows, and Kritavarman with eight. And he cut off Kripa’s bow with arrow fixed thereon, O Bharata, in the middle, dividing it in twain. And after thus cutting off his bow, he pierced Kripa once more with seven arrows. And he struck Vinda and Anuvinda with three arrows each. And he pierced Durmarshana with twenty arrows, and Chitrasena with five, and Vikarna with ten, and Jayadratha with five. And once more striking the ruler of the Sindhus with three arrows, he uttered a loud shout, filled with joy. Then Gautama, that foremost of car-warriors, taking up another bow, angrily pierced Bhima with ten sharp shafts. Pierced with those ten shafts like a huge elephant with the hook, the valiant Bhimasena, O king, filled with wrath, struck Gautama in that battle with many shafts.

“Karna said, ‘I know this, O thou of mighty arms! All this without doubt, is (as thou sayest)! As thou tellest me, O, Bhishma, I am Kunti’s son, and not the son of a Suta! I was, however, abandoned by Kunti, and I have been reared by a Suta. Having (so long) enjoyed the wealth of Duryodhana, I dare not falsify it now. Like Vasudeva’s son who is firmly resolved for the sake of the Pandavas, I also, O thou that makest profuse presents to Brahmanas, am prepared to cast away my possessions, my body itself, my children, and my wife, for Duryodhana’s sake! Death from disease, O thou of Kuru’s race, doth not become a Kshatriya! Relying upon Suyodhana I have always offended the Pandavas! This affairs is destined to take its course. It is incapable of being prevented. Who was there that would venture to overcome Destiny by exertion? Various omens indicating the destruction of the Earth, O grandsire, were noticed by thee and declared in the assembly. It is well known to me that the son of Pandu, and Vasudeva, are incapable of being conquered by other men. Even with them we venture to fight! I will vanquish the son of Pandu in battle! Even this is my firm resolve! I am not capable, of casting off this fierce animosity (that I cherish against the Pandavas)! With a cheerful heart, and keeping the duties of my order before my eye, I will contend against Dhananjaya. Firmly resolved that I am on battle, grant me thy permission, O hero! I will fight. Even this is my wish. It behoveth thee to forgive me also any harsh words that I may have at any time uttered against thee or any act that I may have done against thee from anger or inconsiderateness!--’

“Sanjaya said, ‘Beholding that army of thine exceedingly broken, the valiant Vrishasena, single-handed, began to protect it, O king, displaying the illusion of his weapons. Shot by Vrishasena in that battle, thousands of arrows coursed in all directions, piercing through men and steeds and cars and elephants. Mighty arrows, of blazing effulgence, shot by him, coursed in thousands, like the rays, O monarch, of the sun, in the summer season. Afflicted and crushed therewith, O king, car-warriors and horse-men, suddenly fell down on the earth, like trees broken by the wind. The mighty car-warrior Vrishasena, O king, felled large bodies of steeds, of cars and of elephants, in that battle, by thousands. Beholding that single warrior coursing fearlessly on the field, all the kings (of the Pandava army) uniting together, surrounded him on all sides. Nakula’s son, Satanika, rushed at Vrishasena and pierced him with ten arrows capable of penetrating into the vitals. The son of Karna, however, cutting off his bow, felled then his standard. Thereupon, the other sons of Draupadi, desirous of rescuing that brother of theirs, rushed at him. And soon they made Karna’s son invisible by means of their arrowy showers. Against them thus smiting (the son of Karna), many car-warriors headed by Drona’s son (Aswatthaman) rushed. And those, O monarch, quickly covered those mighty car-warriors, viz., the sons of Draupadi, with diverse kinds of arrows like clouds pouring rain on mountain breasts. Thereupon, the Pandavas, from affection for their sons, quickly encountered those assailants. The battle then that took place between thy troops and those of the Pandavas, was exceedingly fierce and made the hairs stand on their ends, resembling as it did that between the Gods and the Danavas. Even thus did the heroic Kauravas and the Pandavas, excited with rage, fight, eyeing one another (furiously) and having incurred one another’s animosity for past offences.

“‘When those troops, thus broken, fled away in all directions, the ruler of the Pragjyotishas then advanced against Bhima, upon his elephant.[50] With its two (fore) legs and trunk contracted, filled with rage, and with eyes rolling, that elephant seemed to consume the son of Pandu (like a blazing fire). And it pounded Vrikodara’s car with the steed yoked thereto into dust. Then Bhima ran forward and got under the elephant’s body, for he knew the science called Anjalikabedha. Indeed, the son of Pandu fled not. Getting under the elephant’s body, he began to strike it frequently with his bare arms. And he smote that invincible elephant which was bent upon slaying him. Thereupon, the latter began to quickly turn round like a potter’s wheel. Endued with the might of ten thousand elephants, the blessed Vrikodara, having struck that elephant thus, came out from under Supratika’s body and stood facing the latter. Supratika then, seizing Bhima by its trunk, threw him down by means of its knees. Indeed, having seized him by the neck, that elephant wished to slay him. Twisting the elephant’s trunk, Bhima freed himself from its twine, and once more got under the body of that huge creature. And he waited there, expecting the arrival of a hostile elephant of his own army. Coming out from under the beast’s body, Bhima then ran away with great speed. Then a loud noise was heard, made by all the troops, to the effect, “Alas, Bhima hath been slain by the elephant!” The Pandava host, frightened by that elephant, suddenly fled away, O king, to where Vrikodara was waiting. Meanwhile, king Yudhishthira, thinking Vrikodara to have been slain, surrounded Bhagadatta on all sides, aided by the Panchalas. Having surrounded him with numerous cars, king Yudhishthira that foremost of car-warriors, covered Bhagadatta with keen shafts by hundreds and thousands.

“Sanjaya said, ‘Having slain Bhagadatta who was ever the favourite and friend of Indra and who was possessed of great energy, Partha circumambulated him. Then the two sons of the king of Gandhara viz., the brothers Vrishaka and Achala, those subjugators of hostile towns, began to afflict Arjuna in battle. Those two heroic bowmen, uniting together, began to deeply pierce Arjuna from the front and from behind with whetted shafts of great impetuosity. Arjuna then with sharp shafts cut off the steeds and driver and bow and umbrella and standard and car of Vrishaka, the son of Suvala, into atoms. With clouds of arrows and diverse other weapons, Arjuna then once more severely afflicted the Gandhara troops headed by Suvala’s son. Then Dhananjaya, filled with rage, despatched to Yama’s abode, with his shafts, five hundred heroic Gandharas with upraised weapons. The mighty-armed hero then, quickly alighting from that car whose steeds had been slain, mounted upon the car of his brother and took up another bow. Then those two brothers, viz., Vrishaka and Achala, both mounted on the same car, began incessantly to pierce Vibhatsu with showers of arrows. Indeed, those high-souled princes, those relatives of thine by marriage, viz., Vrishaka and Achala, struck Partha very severely, like Vritra or Vala striking Indra of old. Of unfailing aim, these two princes of Gandhara, themselves unhurt, began once more to strike the son of Pandu, like the two months of summer afflicting the world with sweat-producing rays.[57] Then Arjuna slew those princes and tigers among men, viz., Vrishaka and Achala, staying on one car side by side, with, O monarch, a single arrow. Then those mighty-armed heroes, with red eyes and looking like lions, those uterine brothers having similar features, together fell down from that car. And their bodies, dear to friends, falling down upon the earth, lay there, spreading sacred fame all around.

“‘Beholding their brave and unretreating maternal uncles thus slain by Arjuna, thy sons, O monarch, rained many weapons upon him. Sakuni also, conversant with a hundred different kinds of illusions, seeing his brothers slain, created illusions for confounding the two Krishnas. Then clubs, and iron balls, and rocks and Sataghnis and darts, and maces, and spiked bludgeons, and scimitars, and lances, mallets, axes, and Kampanas, and swords, and nails, and short clubs, and battle-axes, and razors, and arrows with sharp broad heads, and Nalikas, and calf-tooth headed shafts, and arrows having bony heads and discs and snake-headed shafts, and spears, and diverse other kinds of weapons, fell upon Arjuna from all sides. And asses, and camels, and buffaloes, and tigers, and lions, and deer, and leopards, and bears, and wolves and vultures, and monkeys, and various reptiles, and diverse cannibals, and swarms of crows, all hungry, and excited with rage, ran towards Arjuna. Then Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti, that hero conversant with celestial weapons, shooting clouds of arrows, assailed them all. And assailed by that hero with those excellent and strong shafts, they uttered loud cries and fell down deprived of life. Then a thick darkness appeared and covered Arjuna’s car, and from within that gloom harsh voices rebuked Arjuna. The latter, however, by means of the weapons called Jyotishka, dispelled that thick and awful darkness. When that darkness was dispelled frightful waves of water appeared. For drying up those waters, Arjuna applied the weapon called Aditya. And in consequence of that weapon, the waters were almost dried up. These diverse illusions, repeatedly created by Sauvala, Arjuna destroyed speedily by means of the force of his weapons, laughing the while. Upon all his illusions being destroyed, afflicted with Arjuna’s shafts and unmanned by fear, Sakuni fled away, aided by his fleet steeds, like a vulgar wretch.

And with those arms dyed with gore and looking bright the field of battle became beautiful, as if strewn, O sire, with five-headed snakes slain by Garuda. And Phalguni’s son also scattered over the field of battle countless heads of foes, heads graced with beautiful noses and faces and locks, without pimples, and adorned with ear-rings. Blood flowed from those heads copiously, and the nether-lips in all were bit with wrath. Adorned with beautiful garlands and crowns and turbans and pearls and gems, and possessed of splendour equal to that of the sun or the moon, they seemed to be like lotuses severed from their stalks. Fragrant with many perfumes, while life was in them, they could speak words both agreeable and beneficial. Diverse cars, well-equipped, and looking like the vapoury edifices in the welkin, with shafts in front and excellent bamboo poles and looking beautiful with the standards set up on them, were deprived of their Janghas, and Kuvaras, and Nemis, and Dasanas, and wheels, and standards and terraces. And the utensils of war in them were all broken.[64] And the rich clothes with which they were overlaid, were blown away, and the warriors on them were slain by thousands. Mangling everything before him with his shafts, Abhimanyu was seen coursing on all sides. With his keen-edged weapons, he cut into pieces elephant-warriors, and elephants with standards and hooks and banners, and quivers and coats of mail, and girths and neck-ropes and blankets, and bells and trunks and tusks as also the foot-soldiers that protected those elephants from behind. And many steeds of the Vanayu, the hilly, the Kamvoja, and the Valhika breeds, with tails and ears and eyes motionless and fixed, possessed of great speed, well-trained, and ridden by accomplished warriors armed with swords and lances, were seen to be deprived of the excellent ornaments on their beautiful tails.

“Sanjaya said, ‘Then the younger brother of Karna, uttering loud roars, bow in hand, and repeatedly stretching the bow-string, quickly placed himself between those two illustrious warriors. And Karna’s brother, with ten shafts, pierced invincible Abhimanyu and his umbrella and standard and charioteer and steeds, smiling the while. Beholding Abhimanyu thus afflicted with those arrows, although he had achieved those superhuman feats in the manner of his sire and grandsire, the warriors of thy army were filled with delight. Then Abhimanyu, forcibly bending the bow and smiling the while, with one winged arrow cut off his antagonist’s head. That head, severed from the trunk, fell down on the earth. Beholding his brother slain and overthrown, like a Karnikara tree shaken and thrown down by the wind from the mountain top, Karna, O monarch, was filled with pain. Meanwhile, the son of Subhadra, causing Karna by means of his arrows to turn away from the field, quickly rushed against the other great bowmen. Then Abhimanyu of fierce energy and great fame, filled with wrath, broke that host of diverse forces abounding with elephants and steeds and cars and infantry. As regards Karna, afflicted by Abhimanyu with countless shafts, he fled away from the field borne by swift steeds. The Kaurava array then broke. When the welkin was covered with Abhimanyu’s shafts, like flights of locusts or thick showers of rain, nothing, O monarch, could be distinguished. Amongst thy warriors thus slaughtered by Abhimanyu with sharp shafts, none, O monarch, stayed any longer on the field of battle except the ruler of the Sindhus. Then that bull among men, viz., the son of Subhadra, blowing his conch, speedily fell upon the Bharata host, O bull of Bharata’s race! Like a burning brand thrown into the midst of dry grass, Arjuna’s son began to consume his foes, quickly careering through the Kaurava army.

“‘“Narada continued, ‘Thus addressed, that lady became very much affrighted.[85] Looking at Brahma’s face, she stood with joined hands. From desire of doing good to creatures, she did not set her heart upon their destruction. The divine Brahma also, that Lord of the lord of all creatures, remained silent. And soon the Grandsire became gratified in his own self. And casting his eyes upon all the creation he smiled. And, thereupon, creatures continued to live as before i.e., unaffected by premature death. And upon that invincible and illustrious Lord having shaken off his wrath, that damsel left the presence of that wise Deity. Leaving Brahma, without having agreed to destroy creatures, the damsel called Death speedily proceeded to the retreat called Dhenuka. Arrived there, she practised excellent and highly austere vows. And she stood there on one leg for sixteen billions of years, and five times ten billions also, through pity for living creatures and from desire of doing them good, and all the time restraining her senses from their favourite objects. And once again, O king she stood there on one leg for one and twenty times ten billions of years. And then she wandered for ten times ten thousand billions of years with the creatures (of the earth). Next, repairing to the sacred Nanda that was full of cool and pure water, she passed in those waters eight thousand years. Observing rigid vows at Nanda, she cleansed herself of all her sins. Then she proceeded, first of all, to the sacred Kausiki, observant of vow. Living upon air and water only, she practised austerities there. Repairing then to Panchaganga and next to Vetasa, that cleansed damsel, by diverse kinds of especial austerities, emaciated her own body. Going next to the Ganga and thence to the great Meru, she remained motionless like a stone, suspending her life-breath.

“‘“Narada continued, ‘That damsel, seeing that she was (persistently) called by the name of Death, feared (to act otherwise). And in terror also of Brahma’s curse, she said, “Yes!” Unable to do otherwise, she began, casting off desire and wrath, to take the lives of living creatures when the time came (for their dissolution). It is only living creatures that die. Diseases spring from living creatures themselves. Disease is the abnormal condition of creatures. They are pained by it. Therefore, indulge not in fruitless grief for creatures after they are dead. The senses, upon the death of creatures, go with the latter (to the other world), and achieving their (respective) functions, once more come back (with creatures when the latter are reborn). Thus all creatures, O lion among beings, the very gods included, going thither, have to act, like mortals.[86] The wind, that is awful, of terrible roars and great strength, omnipresent and endued with infinite energy, it is the wind that will rive the bodies of living creatures. It will, in this matter put forth no active energy, nor will it suspend its functions; (but do this naturally). Even all the gods have the appellation of mortals attached to them. Therefore, O lion among kings, do not grieve for thy son! Repairing to heaven, the son of thy body is passing his days in perpetual happiness, having obtained those delightful regions that are for heroes. Casting off all sorrows, he hath attained to the companionship of the righteous. Death hath been ordained by the Creator himself for all creatures! When their hour comes, creatures are destroyed duly. The death of creatures arises from the creatures themselves. Creatures kill themselves. Death doth not kill any one, armed with her bludgeon! Therefore, they that are wise, truly knowing death to be inevitable, because ordained by Brahma himself, never grieve for creatures that are dead.

And arrived at that mountain, he beheld on its top, the high-souled god having the bull for his mark, and ever engaged in ascetic penances, like a thousand suns collected together, and blazing with his own effulgence. Trident in hand, matted locks on the head, of snow-white colour, he was robed in bark and skin. Endued with great energy, his body seemed to be flaming with a thousand eyes. And he was seated with Parvati and many creatures of brilliant forms (around him). And his attendants were engaged in singing and playing upon musical instruments, in laughing and dancing, in moving and stretching their hands, and in uttering loud shouts. And the place was perfumed with fragrant odours, and Rishis that worshipped Brahma adored with excellent hymns of unfading glory, that God who was the protector of all creatures, and wielded the (great) bow (called Pinaka). Beholding him, Vasudeva of righteous soul, with Partha, touched the earth with his head, uttering the eternal words of the Veda. And Krishna adored, with speech, mind, understanding, and acts, that God who is the first source of the universe, himself uncreate, the supreme lord of unfading glory: who is the highest cause of the mind, who is space and the wind, who is the cause of all the luminous bodies (in the firmament), who is the creator of the rain, and the supreme, primordial substance of the earth, who is the object of adoration, with the gods, the Danavas, the Yakshas, and human beings; who is the supreme Brahma that is seen by Yogins and the refuge of those acquainted with Shastras, who is the creator of all mobile and immobile creatures, and their destroyer also; who is the Wrath that burns everything at the end of the Yuga; who is the supreme soul; who is the Sakra and Surya, and the origin of all attributes.

“Dhritarashtra said, ‘After Abhimanyu’s slaughter when the next day came, what did the Pandavas, afflicted with grief and sorrow do? Who amongst my warriors fought with them? Knowing, as they did, the achievements of Savyasachin, O tell me, how the Kauravas could, having perpetrated such a wrong, remain fearlessly. How could they in battle venture even to gaze at that tiger among men (viz., Arjuna), as he advanced like the all-destroying Death himself in fury, burning with grief on account of the slaughter of his son? Beholding that warrior having the prince of apes on his banner, that hero grieved on account of his son’s death shaking his gigantic bow in battle, what did my warriors do? What, O Sanjaya, hath befallen unto Duryodhana? A great sorrow hath overtaken us today. I do not any longer hear the sounds of joy. Those charming sounds, highly agreeable to the ear, that were formerly heard in the abode of the Sindhu king, alas those sounds are no longer heard today. Alas, in the camp of my sons, the sounds of countless bards and panegyrists singing their praises, and of dances are no longer heard. Formerly, such sounds used to strike my ears incessantly. Alas, as they are plunged into grief I do not any longer hear those sounds uttered (in their camp). Formerly, O Sanjaya, while sitting in the abode of Somadatta who was devoted to truth, I used to hear such delightful sounds. Alas, how destitute of (religious) merit I am, for I observe the abode of my sons today to be echoing with sounds of grief and lamentations and destitute of every noise betokening life and energy. In the houses of Vivinsati, Durmukha, Chitrasena, Vikarna, and other sons of mine, I do not hear the sounds I used to hear formerly. That great bowman, viz.

And he struck Vasudeva with seventy arrows on the chest and arms. Partha then, of great intelligence, smiling the while resisted the preceptor in that battle who was incessantly shooting sharp arrows. Then those two foremost of car-warriors, while thus struck by Drona, avoided that invincible warrior, who resembled the raging Yuga fire. Avoiding those sharp shafts shot from Drona’s bow, the diadem-decked son of Kunti, adorned with garlands of flowers, began to slaughter the host of the Bhojas. Indeed, avoiding the invincible Drona who stood immovable like the Mainaka mountain, Arjuna took up his position between Kritavarman and Sudakshina the ruler of the Kamvojas. Then that tiger among men, viz., the ruler of the Bhojas, coolly pierced that invincible and foremost descendant of Ruru with ten arrows winged with Kanka feathers. Then Arjuna pierced him, O monarch, in that battle with a hundred arrows. And once more he pierced him with three other arrows, stupefying that hero of the Satwata race. The ruler of the Bhojas then, laughing the while, pierced Partha and Vasudeva each with five and twenty arrows. Arjuna then, cutting off Kritavarman’s bow, pierced him with one and twenty arrows resembling blazing flames of fire or angry snakes of virulent poison. Then Kritavarman, that mighty car-warrior, taking up another bow, pierced Arjuna in the chest, O Bharata, with five arrows. And once more he pierced Partha with five sharp arrows. Then Partha struck him in return in the centre of the chest with nine arrows. Beholding the son of Kunti obstructed before the car of Kritavarman, he of Vrishni’s race thought that no time should be wasted. Then Krishna addressing Partha, said, “Do not show any mercy to Kritavarman! Disregarding thy relationship (with him), crush and slay him!” Then Arjuna, stupefying Kritavarman with his arrows, proceeded, on his swift steeds, to the division of the Kamvojas.

Beholding then that superhuman feat of Yuyudhana in battle, Drona, O monarch, thought in his mind, “This force of weapons that I see in this foremost one among the Satwatas exists in Rama and Dhananjaya and was seen also in Kartavirya and that tiger among men, viz., Bhishma.” The son of Bharadwaja, therefore, mentally applauded the prowess of Satyaki. Beholding that lightness of hand equal unto that of Vasava himself, that foremost of regenerate ones, that first of all persons conversant with weapons, was highly gratified with Madhava. And the gods also, with Vasava at their head, were gratified with it. The gods and the Gandharvas, O monarch, had never before witnessed that lightness of hand of the quickly moving Yuyudhana, although they and the Siddhas and the Charanas had been acquainted with the feats of which Drona was capable. Then Drona, that foremost of persons acquainted with weapons, that grinder of Kshatriyas, taking up another bow, aimed some weapons. Satyaki, however, baffling those weapons with the illusion of his own weapon struck him with some sharp shafts. All this seemed highly wonderful. Beholding that superhuman feat of his in battle, that feat of which nobody else was capable, and which displayed very great skill, those amongst thy warriors that were judges of skill, applauded it. Satyaki shot the same weapons that Drona shot. Beholding this, that scorcher of foes, viz., the preceptor, fought with a little less boldness, than usual. Then that master of military science, O king, filled with wrath, invoked celestial weapons for the destruction of Yuyudhana. Beholding that terrible foe-slaughtering Agneya weapon, Satyaki, that mighty bowman, invoked another celestial weapon, viz., the Varuna. Seeing them both take up celestial weapons, loud cries of Oh and Alas arose there. The very creatures having the sky for their element ceased to range through it.

And he pierced Sikhandin at first with three, and then with five shafts. Then the illustrious Sikhandin, taking up another bow, checked the son of Hridika with many swift-flying shafts, furnished with heads like tortoise nails. Then, O king, the son of Hridika, inflamed with rage in that battle, rushed impetuously at that mighty car-warrior, viz., the son of Yajnasena, that warrior, O monarch, who was the cause of the illustrious Bhishma’s fall in battle. Indeed, the heroic Kritavarman rushed at Sikhandin, displaying his might, like a tiger at an elephant. Then those two chastisers of foes, who resembled a couple of huge elephants or two blazing fires, encountered each other with clouds of shafts. And they took their best of bows and aimed their arrows, and shot them in hundreds like a couple of suns shedding their rays. And those two mighty car-warriors scorched each other with their keen shafts, and shone resplendent like two Suns appearing at the end of the Yuga. And Kritavarman in that battle pierced that mighty car-warrior viz., Yajnasena’s son, with three and seventy shafts and once more with seven. Deeply pierced therewith, Sikhandin sat down in pain on the terrace of his car, throwing aside his bow and arrows, and was overtaken by a swoon. Beholding that hero in a swoon, thy troops, O bull among men, worshipped the son of Hridika, and waved their garments in the air. Seeing Sikhandin thus afflicted with the shafts of Hridika’s son his charioteer quickly bore that mighty car-warrior away from the battle. The Parthas, beholding Sikhandin lying senseless on the terrace of his car, soon encompassed Kritavarman in that battle with crowds of cars. The mighty car-warrior, Kritavarman, then achieved a most wonderful feat there, inasmuch as, alone, he held in check all the Parthas with their followers.

Pierced with arrows by that foe of great activity, the king could not brook this indication of the enemy’s success. Duryodhana then, taking up another formidable bow, the back of whose staff was decked with gold, speedily pierced Satyaki with a hundred arrows. Deeply pierced by thy mighty son armed with the bow, Yuyudhana became inflamed with wrath and began to afflict thy son. Beholding the king thus afflicted, thy sons, those mighty car-warriors, shrouded Satyaki with dense showers of arrows, shot with great force. Whilst being thus shrouded by those mighty car-warriors, viz., thy multitude of sons, Yuyudhana pierced each of them with five arrows, and once more with seven. And soon he pierced Duryodhana with eight swift arrows and, smiling the while, cut off the latter’s bow that frightened all foes. And with a few arrows he also felled the king’s standard adorned with a jewelled elephant. And slaying then the four steeds of Duryodhana with four arrows, the illustrious Satyaki felled the king’s charioteer with a razor-faced shaft. Meanwhile, Yuyudhana, filled with joy, pierced the mighty car-warrior, viz., the Kuru king, with many arrows capable of penetrating into the very vitals. Then, O king, thy son Duryodhana, while being thus struck in that battle with those excellent arrows of Sini’s grandson, suddenly fled away. And the king, quickly mounted the car of Chitrasena, armed with the bow. Beholding the king thus attacked by Satyaki in battle, and reduced to the position of Soma in the firmament while seized by Rahu, cries of woe arose from every section of the Kuru host. Hearing that uproar, the mighty car-warrior Kritavarman quickly proceeded to that spot where the puissant Madhava was battling. And Kritavarman proceeded, shaking his bow, and urging his steeds, and urging his charioteer with the words, “Go with speed, Go with speed!”

Beholding the lightness of hand displayed by Yuyudhana, the mighty car-warrior Drona piercing Yuyudhana’s driver with seventy shafts, and each of his (four) steeds with three, cut off with a single arrow the standard that stood on Madhava’s car. With another broad-headed arrow, equipped with feathers and with wings of gold, he cut off in that battle the bow of that illustrious hero of Madhu’s race. Thereupon, the mighty car-warrior Satyaki, excited with wrath, laid aside that, taking up a huge mace, hurled it at the son of Bharadwaja. Drona, however, with many arrows of diverse forms, resisted that mace, made of iron and twined round with strings, as it coursed impetuously towards him. Then Satyaki, of prowess incapable of being baffled, took up another bow and pierced the heroic son of Bharadwaja with many arrows whetted on stone. Piercing Drona thereby in that battle, Yuyudhana uttered a leonine shout. Drona, however, that foremost of all wielders of weapons, was unable to brook that roar. Taking up a dart made of iron and equipped with golden staff Drona sped it quickly at the car of Madhava. That dart, however, fatal as Death, without touching the grandson of Sini, pierced through the latter’s car and entered the earth with a fierce noise. The grandson of Sini then, O king, pierced Drona with many winged arrows. Indeed, striking him on the right arm, Satyaki, O bull of Bharata’s race, afflicted him greatly. Drona also, in that battle, O king, cut off the huge bow of Madhava with a crescent-shaped arrow and smote the latter’s driver with a dart. Struck with that dart, Yuyudhana’s driver swooned away and for a while lay motionless on the terrace of the car. Then, O Monarch, Satyaki, acting as his own driver, achieved a superhuman feat, inasmuch as he continued to fight with Drona and hold the reins himself.

“Sanjaya said, ‘Having vanquished Drona and other warriors of thy army, headed by the son of Hridika, that foremost of men, viz., that bull amongst the Sinis, O foremost one of the Kurus, laughing said unto his charioteer, “Our foes, O Suta, had already been consumed by Kesava and Phalguna. In vanquishing them (again), we have only been the (ostensible) means. Already slain by that bull among men, viz., the son of the celestial chief, we have but slain the dead.” Saying these words unto his charioteer, that bull amongst the Sinis, that foremost of bowmen, that slayer of hostile heroes, that mighty warrior, scattering with great force his arrows all around in that dreadful battle, proceeded like a hawk in search of prey. The Kuru warriors, although they attacked him from all sides, succeeded not in resisting that foremost of car-warriors, resembling the sun himself of a thousand rays, that foremost of men, who, having pierced the Kaurava ranks, was proceeding, borne by those excellent steeds of his that were white as the moon or a conch. Indeed, O Bharata, none amongst those that fought on thy side could resist Yuyudhana of irresistible prowess, of might incapable of impairment, of valour equal to that of him of a thousand eyes, and looking like the autumnal sun in the firmament. Then that foremost of kings, viz., Sudarsana, conversant with all modes of warfare, clad in golden coat of mail, armed with bow and arrows and filled with rage, advanced against the rushing Satyaki and endeavoured to check his course. Then the encounter that took place between them was fierce in the extreme. And both thy warriors and the Somakas, O king highly applauded the encounter as between Vritra and Vasava. Sudarsana endeavoured to pierce that foremost one of the Satwata’s in that battle with hundreds of keen shafts before they could reach him.

“Sanjaya said, ‘All this, O king, has been brought about by thy evil counsels and the acts of Duryodhana. Listen attentively to what, O Bharata, I say unto thee. At the command of thy son, the Samsaptakas, rallying, all resolved upon fighting fiercely. Three thousand bowmen headed by Duryodhana, with a number of Sakas and Kamvojas and Valhikas and Yavanas and Paradas, and Kalingas and Tanganas and Amvashtas and Pisachas and Barbaras and mountaineers, O monarch, inflamed with rage and armed with stone, all rushed against the grandson of Sini like insects against a blazing fire. Five hundred other warriors, O king, similarly rushed against Satyaki. And another mighty body consisting of a thousand cars, a hundred great car-warriors, a thousand elephants, two thousand heroes, and countless foot-soldiers, also rushed against the grandson of Sini. Duhsasana, O Bharata, urging all those warriors, saying, “Slay him,” surrounded Satyaki therewith. Grand and wonderful was the conduct that we then beheld of Sini’s grandson, inasmuch as alone he fought fearlessly with those innumerable foes. And he slew that entire body of car-warriors and that elephant force, and all those horsemen and that entire body of robbers. Like the autumnal firmament bespangled with stars, the field of battle there became strewn with car-wheels broken and crushed by means of his mighty weapons with innumerable Akshas and beautiful cart-shafts reduced to fragments, with crushed elephants and fallen standards, with coats of mail and shields scattered all about, with garlands and ornaments and robes and Anuskarshas, O sire! Many foremost of elephants, huge as hills, and born of the race of Anjana or Vamana, O Bharata, or of other races, many foremost of tuskers, O king, lay there on the ground, deprived of life. And Satyaki slew, O monarch, many foremost of steeds of the Vanayu, the mountain, the Kamvoja and the Valhika breeds.

“‘While Bhimasena, that leader of leaders of car-divisions, was engaged in such carnage, Bharadwaja’s son, O king, rushed at him. And Drona, checking Bhima by means of his arrowy showers, suddenly uttered a leonine roar that inspired the Pandavas with fear. The battle that took place between Drona and the high-souled Bhima was, O king, furious and terrible and resembled the encounter between the gods and the Asuras of old. Heroic warriors by hundreds and thousands in that battle slain by the keen shafts shot from the bow of Drona. The son of Pandu then, jumping down from his car shut his eyes, O king, and rushed on foot with great speed towards the car of Drona. Indeed, as a bovine bull easily bears a heavy shower of rain, even so that tiger among men, viz., Bhima, bore that arrowy downpour from Drona’s bow. Struck in that battle, O sire, by Drona, the mighty Bhima, seizing Drona’s car by the shaft, threw it down with great force. Thus thrown down in battle, O king, Drona, however, quickly mounting another car, proceeded towards the gate of the array, his driver urging his steeds at that time with great speed. That feat, O thou of Kuru’s race, achieved by Bhimasena, seemed exceedingly wonderful. The mighty Bhima, then, mounting upon his own car, rushed impetuously towards the army of thy son. And he crushed the Kshatriyas in battle, like a tempest crushing rows of trees. Indeed, Bhima proceeded, resisting the hostile warriors like the mountain resisting the surging sea. Coming then upon the Bhoja-troops that were protected by the son of Hridika, Bhimasena, O king, ground it greatly, and passed through it. Frightening the hostile soldiers with the sound of his palms, O sire, Bhima vanquished them all like a tiger vanquishing a herd of bovine bulls.

Without slaying Arjuna he would not abstain from battle. Even this is what Vrisha told me.” Meanwhile, O monarch, beholding the prowess of Karna, Arjuna, of white steeds, with four shafts shot from the bow-string drawn to the ear, despatched the four steeds of Karna to Yama’s domain. And he also felled with a broad-headed arrow, Karna’s charioteer from his niche in the car. And he covered Karna himself with clouds of shafts in the very sight of thy son. Thus shrouded with arrows the steedless and driverless Karna, stupefied by that arrowy shower, knew not what to do. Beholding him made carless, Aswatthaman, O king, caused him to ride on his car, and continued to fight with Arjuna. Then the ruler of the Madras pierced the son of Kunti with thirty arrows. Saradwata’s son pierced Vasudeva with twenty arrows. And he struck Dhananjaya also with a dozen shafts. And the ruler of the Sindhus pierced each with four arrows, and Vrishasena also pierced each of them, O king, with seven arrows. Kunti’s son, Dhananjaya, pierced all of them in return. Indeed, piercing Drona’s son with four and sixty shafts, and the ruler of the Madras with a hundred, and the Sindhu king with ten broad-headed arrows, and Vrishasena with three arrows and Saradwata’s son with twenty, Partha uttered a loud shout. Desirous of baffling the vow of Savyasachin, thy warriors, excited with wrath, quickly rushed at Dhananjaya from all sides. Then Arjuna, frightening the Dhartarashtras, invoked into existence the Varuna weapon on all sides. The Kauravas, however, on their costly cars, pouring showers of arrows, advanced against the son of Pandu. But, O Bharata, in course of that stupefying and fierce engagement, fraught with the greatest confusion, that prince, viz., Arjuna, decked with diadem and gold chain never lost his senses. On the other hand, he continued to pour showers of arrows.

All of them began to strike Bhimasena with keen shafts resembling snakes of virulent poison. Abandoning then that car of the foe (upon which he stood), Bhima proceeded to the car of Dhruva,[195] and crushed, by a blow of his fist, that prince who had been striking him incessantly. Thus struck by the mighty son of Pandu, Dhruva fell down. Having slain him, O king, Bhimasena of great strength, proceeding to the car of Jayarata, began to roar repeatedly like a lion. Dragging Jayarata then with his left arm, while, employed in roaring, he slew that warrior with a slap of his palm in the very sight of Karna. Then Karna hurled at the son of Pandu, a dart decked with gold. The Pandava, however, smiling the while, seized with his hand that dart. And the invincible Vrikodara in that battle hurled that very dart back at Karna. Then Sakuni, with a shaft that had drunk oil, cut off that dart as it coursed towards Karna. Having achieved these mighty feats in battle, Bhima, of wonderful prowess, came back to his own car and rushed against thy troops. And while Bhima was thus advancing, slaughtering (thy troops) like the Destroyer himself in rage, thy sons, O monarch, attempted to resist that mighty-armed hero. Indeed, those mighty car-warriors covered him with a dense shower of arrows. Then Bhima, smiling the while, despatched in that battle, with his shafts, the driver and the steeds of Durmada unto the abode of Yama. Durmada, at this, quickly mounted upon the car of Dushkarna. Then those scorchers of foes, viz., the two brothers, riding on the same car, both rushed against Bhima in the front rank of battle, like the Regent of the waters and Surya rushing against Taraka, that foremost of Daityas. Then thy sons, Durmada and Dushkarna, mounting on the same car, pierced Bhima with shafts.

Inflamed with wrath, O monarch, Kripa then sped at his antagonist a fierce dart, equipped with a golden shaft and keen point, and polished by the hands of the smith. Sikhandin, however, cut it off with ten shafts as it coursed towards him. That dart, then, decked with gold (thus cut off), fell down on the earth. Then Gautama, foremost of men, taking up another bow, O king, covered Sikhandin with a large number of whetted shafts. Thus covered in that battle by the illustrious son of Gotama, Sikhandin, that foremost of car-warriors sank on the terrace of his car. Beholding him thus weakened, Kripa in that encounter, struck him with many arrows, from desire of slaying him, O Bharata! (Sikhandin then was borne away by his driver). Beholding that mighty car-warrior, viz., the son of Yajnasena retreating from battle, the Panchalas and the Somakas surrounded him on all sides (for rescuing him). Similarly, thy sons also surrounded that foremost of Brahmans, Kripa, with a large force. Then commenced a battle once more, between car-warriors, O king, that struck one another. The uproar that rose became loud as the roaring of clouds, O Bharata, caused by rushing horsemen and elephants, O monarch, smiting one another down. Then, O king, the field of battle looked exceedingly fierce. With the tread of rushing infantry the earth began to tremble, O monarch, like a lady shaken with fear. Car-warriors, mounting on their cars, rushed impetuously, attacking compeers by their thousands, O king, like crows seizing winged insects (in the air). Similarly, mighty elephants with winy exudation down their bodies, pursuing similar elephants, encountered them, O Bharata, furiously. So also, horsemen coming upon horsemen, and foot-soldiers angrily encountered one another in that battle. At dead of night, the sound of retreating and the rushing of troops and of those coming again to the encounter became deafening.

“Sanjaya continued, ‘Thus rebuked and angered by thy son, Drona, O king, wrathfully addressed Duryodhana and said these words: “Although I am so old, O Duryodhana, I am still exerting myself in battle to the utmost extent of might. All these men are unacquainted with weapons. I am, however, well-versed in them. If, from desire of victory, I slay these men, there can be no more ignoble act for me to do. That, however, which is in thy mind, be it good or bad, I will accomplish, O Kaurava, at thy command. It will not be otherwise. Putting forth my prowess in battle and slaying all the Panchalas, I will doff my armour, O king! I swear this to thee truly. Thou thinkest that Arjuna, the son of Kunti, was worn out in battle. O mighty-armed Kaurava! Listen to what I truly say regarding his prowess. If Savyasachin’s wrath is excited, neither Gandharvas, nor Yakshas nor Rakshasas can venture to bear him. At Khandavas, he encountered the divine chief of the celestials himself. The illustrious Arjuna, with his shafts baffled the pouring Indra. Yakshas, and Nagas, and Daityas, and all others proud of their might, were slain by that foremost of men. That also is known to thee. On the occasion of the tale of cattle, the Gandharvas headed by Chitrasena and others were vanquished by him. That firm bowman rescued you, while you were being carried away by those Gandharvas. Nivatakavachas also, those enemies of the celestials, that were unslayable in battle by the celestials, themselves, were vanquished by that hero. Thousands of Danavas dwelling in Hiranyapura, that tiger among men vanquished. How can human beings then withstand him? O monarch, thou hast seen with thy own eyes how this host of thine, although exerting themselves so heroically, hath been destroyed by the son of Pandu.”’

Remembering all those acts of unrighteousness, I came here with thee for avenging myself of them. (When, however, I see that thou art so indifferent, why), I myself will slay those low wretches that despoiled us of our kingdom. Thou hadst formerly said these words, viz., ‘Addressing ourselves to battle, we will exert to the utmost extent of our abilities.’ Today, however, thou reproachest us. Thou now seekest virtue. Those words, therefore, that thou saidst formerly were untrue. We are already afflicted with fear. Thou cuttest, however, the very core of our hearts with these thy words, O crusher of foes, like one pouring acid upon the sores of wounded men. Afflicted with thy wordy darts, my heart is breaking. Thou art virtuous, but thou dost not know in what righteousness truly consists, since thou applaudest neither thyself nor us, though all of us are worthy of applause. When Kesava himself is here, praisest thou the son of Drona, a warrior that does not come up to even a sixteenth part of thyself, O Dhananjaya, confessing thy own faults, why dost thou not feel shame? I can rend asunder this earth in rage, or split the very mountains in whirling that terrible and heavy mace of mine, decked with gold. Like the tempest, I can break down gigantic trees looking like hills. I can, with my arrows, rout the united celestials with Indra at their head, together with all the Rakshasas, O Partha, and the Asuras, the Uragas and human beings. Knowing me, thy brother, to be such, O bull among men, it behoveth thee not, O thou of immeasurable prowess, to entertain any fear about Drona’s son. Or, O Vibhatsu, stand thou here, with all these bulls amongst men. Alone and unsupported, I shall, armed with my mace, vanquish this one in great battle.”

“Sanjaya continued, ‘When, by this means, the unbearable energy of that weapon became stilled, all the points of the compass, cardinal and subsidiary, became clear. Sweet breezes began to blow and birds and animals all became quiet. The steeds and elephants became cheerful, as also all the warriors, O ruler of men! Indeed, when the terrible energy of that weapon, O Bharata, became stilled, Bhima, of great intelligence, shone resplendent like the morning sun. The remnant of the Pandava host, beholding the pacification of the Narayana weapon, once more stood prepared on the field for compassing the destruction of thy sons. When, after that weapon had been baffled, the Pandava host, stood arrayed, Duryodhana, O king, addressing Drona’s son, said, “O Aswatthaman, once more use that weapon speedily since the Panchalas are once more arrayed, desirous of victory.” Then addressed by thy son, O sire, Aswatthaman, sighing cheerlessly, replied unto the king in these words, “That weapon, O king, cannot be brought back. It cannot be used twice. If brought back, it will without doubt, slay the person calling it back. Vasudeva hath, by what means thou hast seen, caused it to be baffled. For this, O ruler of men, the destruction of the foe hath not been compassed in battle. Defeat and death, however, are the same. Rather, defeat is worse than death. Lo, the enemy, vanquished and compelled to lay down his arms, looks as if deprived of life”. Duryodhana then said, “O preceptor’s son, if it be so, if this weapon cannot be used twice, let those slayers of their preceptor be slain with other weapons then, O foremost one of all persons acquainted with weapons! In thee are all celestial as well as in the Three eyed (Siva) of immeasurable energy. If thou wishest it not, even Purandara in rage cannot escape thee.”

And once more striking that angry warrior with twenty shafts of diverse kinds, he pierced Aswatthaman’s driver, and then his four steeds with four shafts. With great deliberations and displaying a wonderful lightness of hand, he cut off Aswatthaman’s bow and standard, Satyaki then cut into fragments the gold-decked car of this foe together with its steeds. And then he deeply pierced Aswatthaman in the chest with thirty arrows in that battle. Thus afflicted, O king, (by Satyaki), and shrouded with arrows, the mighty Aswatthaman knew not what to do. When the preceptor’s son had fallen into that plight, thy son, that car-warrior, accompanied by Kripa and Karna and others began to cover the Satwata hero with arrows. All of them began quickly to pierce Satyaki from every side with keen shafts, Duryodhana pierced him with twenty, Saradwat’s son, Kripa, with three. And Kritavarman pierced him with ten, and Karna with fifty. And Duhsasana pierced him with a hundred arrows, and Vrishasena with seven. Satyaki, however, O king, soon made all those great car-warriors fly away from the field, deprived of their cars. Meanwhile, Aswatthaman, O bull of Bharata’s race, recovering consciousness, and sighing repeatedly in sorrow, began to think of what he should do. Riding then upon another car, that scorcher of foes, viz., the son of Drona, began to resist Satyaki, shooting hundreds of arrows. Beholding Aswatthaman once more approaching him in battle, the mighty car-warrior, Satyaki, once more made him carless and caused him to turn back. Then the Pandavas, O king, beholding the prowess of Satyaki, blew their conchs with great force and uttered loud leonine roars. Having deprived Aswatthaman of his car thus, Satyaki, of unbaffled prowess, then slew three thousand mighty car-warriors of Vrishasena’s division. And then he slew fifteen thousand elephants of Kripa’s force and fifty thousand horses of Sakuni.

Bowing unto him with their heads, they addressed Brahma with joined hands and said, ‘Some wonderful creature, O Brahma, lying on the lap of Parvati, in the form of a child, was behold by us but not saluted. We have all been vanquished by him. We, therefore, desire to ask thee as to who he may be. Indeed, that boy, without fighting, hath with the greatest ease vanquished us all with Purandara at our head.’ Hearing these words of theirs, Brahma, that foremost of all persons, acquainted with Brahma, reflected for a moment and understood that boy of immeasurable energy to be none else than the divine Sambhu. Addressing then, those foremost of celestials with Sakra at their head, Brahma said, ‘That child is the divine Hara the Lord of the entire mobile and immobile universe. There is nothing superior to Maheswara. That Being of immeasurable splendour who was beheld by you all with Uma, that divine lord, had assumed the form of a child for Uma’s sake. Let us all go unto him. That divine and illustrious one is the Supreme Lord of the world. Ye gods, ye could not recognise that master of the universe.’ Then all the gods with the Grandsire repaired to that child, endued with the effulgence of the morning sun. Beholding Maheswara, and knowing that he was the Supreme Being, the Grandsire Brahma thus adored him: ‘Thou art Sacrifice, O lord, thou art the stay and refuge of the universe. Thou art Bhava, thou art Mahadeva, thou art the abode (of all things), and thou art the highest refuge. This whole universe with its mobile and immobile creatures, is pervaded by thee. O holy one, O lord of the past and the future, O lord of the world, O protector of the universe, let Sakra, afflicted with thy wrath, have thy grace.’”

Elephants, their vitals pierced with shafts resembling thunderbolts in impetuosity, fell down like mansions on mountain-tops overthrown by blasts of lightning. Large numbers of steeds with their riders, struck by Arjuna, fell down on the Earth, their tongues and entrails pressed out, themselves deprived of strength and bathed in blood, and presenting an awful sight. Men and steeds and elephants, pierced by Savyasaci (Arjuna) with his shafts, wondered and tottered and fell down and uttered cries of pain and looked pale, O sire. Like Mahendra smiting down the Danavas, Partha smote down large numbers of his foes, by means of shafts whetted on stone and resembling the thunder of poison in deadliness. Brave warriors, cased in costly coats of mail and decked with ornaments and armed with diverse kinds of weapons, lay on the field, with their cars and standards, slain by Partha. Vanquished (and deprived of life) persons of righteous deeds, possessed of noble birth and great knowledge, proceeded to heaven in consequence of those glorious deeds of theirs while their bodies only lay on Earth. Then the chief, belonging to thy army, of various realms, filled with wrath and accompanied by their followers, rushed against Arjuna, that foremost of car-warriors. Warriors borne on their cars and steeds and elephants, and foot-soldiers also, all desirous of slaying (Arjuna), rushed towards him, shooting diverse weapons with great speed. Then Arjuna like wind, by means of keen shafts, destroyed that thick shower of weapons dropped by those warriors constituting a mass of congregated clouds. People then beheld Arjuna crossing that raftless ocean constituted by steeds and foot-soldiers and elephants and cars, and having mighty weapons for its waves, on a bridge constituted by his own mighty weapons of offence and defence. Then Vasudeva, addressing Partha, said, "Why, O sinless one, dost thou sport in this way? Grinding these samsaptakas, haste thyself for Karna's slaughter."

"Sanjaya said, 'Bhishma and Drona and Kripa and Drona's son and Karna and Arjuna and Janardana, those thorough masters of the science of weapons, are regarded by thee as the foremost of car-warriors. Know, however, that Pandya regarded himself superior to all these foremost of car-warriors in energy. Indeed he never regarded any one amongst the kings as equal to himself. He never admitted his equality with Karna and Bhishma. Nor did he admit within his heart that he was inferior in any respect to Vasudeva or Arjuna. Even such was Pandya, that foremost of kings, that first of wielder of weapons. Filled with rage like the Destroyer himself, Pandya at the time was slaughtering the army of Karna. That force, swelling with cars and steeds and teeming with foremost of foot-soldiers, struck by Pandya, began to turn round like the potter's wheel. Like the wind dispersing a mass of congregated clouds, Pandya, with his well shot arrows, began to disperse that force, destroying its steeds and drivers and standards and cars and causing its weapons and elephants to fall down. Like the splitter of mountains striking down mountains with his thunder, Pandya overthrew elephants with their riders, having previously cut down the standards and banners and weapons with which they were armed, as also the foot-soldiers that protected those beasts. And he cut down horses, and horsemen with their darts and lances and quivers. Mangling with his shafts the Pulindas, the Khasas, the Bahlikas, the Nishadas, the Andhakas, the Tanganas, the Southerners, and the Bhojas, all of whom, endued with great courage, were unyielding and obstinate in battle, and divesting them of their weapons and coats of mail, Pandya deprived them of their lives. Beholding Pandya destroying with his shafts in battle that host consisting of four kinds of forces, the son of Drona fearlessly proceeded towards that fearless warrior.

Slaying then his foe's driver with a single shaft, and cutting off with a crescent-shaped arrow the bow also of that warrior whose twang resembled the roar of the clouds, Ashvatthama cut off his enemy's car into minute fragments. Checking with the weapons those of his enemy, and cutting off all the weapons of the latter, Drona's son, although he obtained the opportunity to do his enemy the crowning evil, still slew him not, from desire of battling with him for some time more. Meanwhile Karna rushed against the large elephant force of the Pandavas and began to rout and destroy it. Depriving car-warriors of their cars, he struck elephants and steeds and human warriors, O Bharata, with innumerable straight shafts. That mighty bowman, the son of Drona, although he had made Pandya, that slayer of foes and foremost of car-warriors, carless, yet he did not slay him from desire of fight. At that time a huge riderless elephant with large tusks, well-equipped with all utensils of war, treading with speed, endued with great might, quick to proceed against any enemy, struck with Ashvatthama's shafts, advanced towards the direction of Pandya with great impetuosity, roaring against a hostile compeer. Beholding that prince of elephants, looking like a cloven mountain summit, Pandya, who was well acquainted with the method of fighting from the neck of an elephant, quickly ascended that beast like a lion springing with a loud roar to the top of a mountain summit. Then that lord of the prince of mountains, striking the elephant with the hook, and inspired with rage, and with that cool care for which he was distinguished in hurling weapons with great force, quickly sped a lance, bright as Surya's rays, at the preceptor's son and uttered a loud shout. Repeatedly shouting in joy, "Thou art slain, Thou art slain!"

All those heroes endued with great impetuosity and desirous of compassing the destruction of one another, fought beautifully and with great activity and skill. Observing the (sanctioned) practices of warriors, they slew one another in battle. None of them fought from behind others. For only a very short time that battle presented a beautiful aspect. Soon it became an encounter of mad men, in which the combatants showed no regard for one another. The car-warrior, approaching the elephant, pierced the latter with keen shafts and despatched it to Yama's presence by means of straight arrows. Elephants, approaching steeds, dragged down many of them in that battle, and tore them (with their tusks) most fiercely in diverse places. Large numbers of horsemen also, encompassing many foremost of steeds, made a loud noise with their palms, and closed with them. And those horsemen slew those steeds as they ran hither and thither, as also many huge elephants as these wandered over the field, from behind and the flanks. Infuriate elephants, O king, routing large numbers of steeds, slew them with their tusks or crushed them with great force. Some elephants, filled with wrath pierced with their tusks horses with horsemen. Others seizing such with great force hurled them to the ground with violence. Many elephants, struck by foot-soldiers availing of the proper opportunities, uttered terrible cries of pain and fled away on all sides. Among the foot-soldiers that fled away in that great battle throwing down their ornaments, there were many that were quickly encompassed on the field. Elephant-warriors, riding on huge elephants, understanding indications of victory, wheeled their beasts and causing them to seize those beautiful ornaments, made the beasts to pierce them with their tusks. Other foot-soldiers endued with great impetuosity and fierce might, surrounding those elephant-warriors thus engaged in those spots began to slay them.

"Sanjaya said, 'Hear now of the formation of the arrays, the manner in which Arjuna came and how the battle was fought by both sides surrounding their respective kings. Sharadvata's son Kripa, O king, and the Magadhas endued with great activity, and Kritavarma of Satwata race, took up their position in the right wing. Shakuni, and the mighty car-warrior Uluka, standing on the right of these, and accompanied by many fearless Gandhara horsemen armed with bright lances, and many mountaineers difficult to defeat, numerous as flights of locusts, and grim looking as Pishacas, protected the (Kaurava) army. 34,000 unreturning cars of the samsaptakas, mad with desire of battle, with thy sons in their midst, and all desirous of slaying Krishna and Arjuna, protected the left side (of the Kaurava army). On their left, the Kambojas, the Sakas, and the Yavanas, with cars and horse and foot, at the command of the Suta's son, stood, challenging Arjuna and the mighty Keshava. In the centre, at the head of that host, stood Karna, clad in armour with beautiful coat of mail and adorned with Angadas and garlands, for protecting that point. Supported by his own angry sons, that foremost of all wielders of weapons, that hero, shone resplendent at the head of the army as he drew his bow repeatedly. The mighty-armed Duhshasana, possessed of the effulgence of the sun or fire with tawny eyes and handsome features, riding on the neck of a huge elephant, surrounded by many troops, and stationed at the rear of the army gradually approached for fight. Behind him came Duryodhana himself, O monarch, protected by his uterine brothers riding on beautiful steeds and cased in beautiful mail. Protected by the united Madrakas and the Kekayas of exceeding energy, the king, O monarch, looked resplendent like Indra of a hundred sacrifices when surrounded by the celestials.

While the Pancala heroes were thus being slaughtered with arrows in that great battle, loud cries of "Oh" and "Alas" arose from among the Pancala host. Then ten car-warriors among the Pancalas, O monarch, surrounded Karna. Them, too, Karna speedily slew with his shafts. The two protectors of Karna's car wheels, viz., his two invincible sons, O sire, that were named Sushena and Satyasena, began to fight, reckless of their very lives. The eldest son of Karna, viz., the mighty car-warrior Vrishasena, himself protected his father's rear. Then Dhrishtadyumna, Satyaki, and the five sons of Draupadi, and Vrikodara, Janamejaya, and Shikhandi, and many foremost warriors among the Prabhadrakas, and many amongst the Cedis, the Kaikayas, and the Pancalas, the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva), and the Matsyas, all clad in mail, rushed fiercely upon Radha's son, skilled in smiting, from desire of slaying him. Pouring upon him diverse kinds of weapons and thick showers of arrows, they began to afflict him like the clouds afflicting the mountain breast in the season of rains. Desirous of rescuing their father, the sons of Karna, all of whom were effectual smiters, and many other heroes, O king, of thy army, resisted those (Pandava) heroes. Sushena, cutting off with a broad-headed arrow the bow of Bhimasena, pierced Bhima himself with seven cloth-yard shafts in the chest, and uttered a loud roar. Then Vrikodara of terrible prowess, taking up another tough bow and stringing it quickly, cut off Sushena's bow. Excited with rage and as if dancing (on his car), he quickly pierced Sushena himself with ten arrows, and then pierced Karna, within the twinkling of an eye, with seventy sharp shafts. With ten other shafts, Bhima then felled Bhanusena, another son of Karna, with his steeds, driver, weapons, and standard, in the very sight of the latter's friends.

With a couple of razor-headed arrows he slew in that encounter Candradeva and Dandadhara, the two Pancala princes, that protected the two car wheels of the high-souled Yudhishthira. Each of those heroes, standing by the side of Yudhishthira's car, looked resplendent like the constellation Punarvasu by the side of the moon. Yudhishthira, however, once more pierced Karna with thirty arrows. And he struck Sushena and Satyasena, each with three arrows. And he pierced every one of the protectors of Karna with three straight arrows. The son of Adhiratha then, laughing and shaking his bow inflicted a cutting wound on the king's body with a broad-headed arrow, and again pierced him with sixty arrows and then uttered a loud shout. Then many foremost heroes amongst the Pandavas, desirous of rescuing the king, rushed in wrath towards Karna and began to grind him with their arrows. Satyaki and Chekitana and Yuyutsu and Shikhandi and the sons of Draupadi and the Prabhadrakas, and the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva) and Bhimasena and Shishupala and the Karushas, Matsyas, the Suras, the Kaikayas, the Kasis and the Kosalas, all these brave heroes, endued with great activity, assailed Vasusena. The Pancala prince Janamejaya then pierced Karna with many arrows. The Pandava heroes, armed with diverse kinds of arrows and diverse weapons and accompanied by cars and elephants and steeds, rushing towards Karna, encompassed him on all sides, from desire of slaying him. Thus assailed on all sides by the foremost of Pandava warriors, Karna invoked into existence the brahmastra and filled all the points of the compass with arrows. The heroic Karna then, like unto a blazing fire having shafts for its scorching flame, careered in battle, burning that forest of Pandavas troops. The high-souled Karna, that great bowman, aiming some mighty weapons, and laughing the while, cut off the bow of that foremost of men, Yudhishthira.

"Sanjaya said, 'Meanwhile Drona's son, surrounded by a large car-force, O king, suddenly proceeded to that spot where Partha was. Like the continent withstanding the surging ocean, the heroic Partha having Saurin (Krishna) for his help-mate withstood the impetuously rushing Ashvatthama. Then, O monarch, the valiant son of Drona, filled with rage, covered both Arjuna and Vasudeva with his shafts. Beholding the two Krishnas shrouded with arrows, the great car-warriors (of the Pandava army), as also the Kurus that witnessed it, wondered exceedingly. Then Arjuna, as if smiling, invoked into existence a celestial weapon. The Brahmana Ashvatthama, however, O Bharata, baffled that weapon in that battle. Indeed, all those weapons that Arjuna sped from desire of slaying the son of Drona were baffled by the latter, that great bowman, in that encounter. During the progress of that awful encounter of weapons, O king, we beheld the son of Drona to resemble the Destroyer himself, with gaping mouth. Having covered all the points of the compass, cardinal and subsidiary, with straight arrows, he pierced Vasudeva with three arrows in the right arm. Then Arjuna, slaying all the steeds of his high-souled assailant, caused the Earth in that battle to be covered with a river of blood that was exceedingly awful that led towards the other world, and that had diverse kinds of creatures floating on it. All the spectators beheld a large number of car-warriors along with their cars, belonging to the division of Ashvatthama, slain and destroyed by means of the arrows sped from Partha's bow. Ashvatthama also, slaying his enemies, caused a terrible river of blood to flow there that led to Yama's domains. During the progress of that fierce and awful battle between Drona's son and Partha, the combatants fought without showing any regard for one another, and rushed hither and thither.

O son of Indra, hath that Karna of little understanding been slain by thee today, that Suta's son who made the vow that he would not wash his feet as long as Partha lived? That Karna of wicked understanding who in the assembly before the Kuru chiefs, had addressed Krishna, saying, 'Why, O Krishna, dost thou not abandon the Pandavas that are divested of might, exceedingly weak, and fallen?' That Karna who had vowed for thy sake, saying that he would not return from battle without having slain Krishna and Partha. I ask, doth that Karna of sinful understanding lie today on the field, his body pierced with shafts? Thou knowest the nature of the battle that took place when the Srinjayas and the Kauravas encountered each other, the battle in which I was brought to that distressful plight. Encountering that Karna, hast thou slain him today? O Savyasaci, hast thou today, with blazing shafts sped from Gandiva, cut off from the trunk of that Karna of wicked understanding his resplendent head decked with earrings? Pierced with Karna's shafts today, I had, O hero, thought of thee (that thou wouldst slay him)! Hast thou then, by the slaughter of Karna, made that thought of mine true? In consequence of the protection granted him by Karna, Suyodhana, filled with pride, always recked us little. Displaying thy prowess, hast thou today destroyed that refuge of Suyodhana? That Suta's son of wicked soul, that Karna of great wrath, who had formerly, in the presence of the Kauravas and in the midst of the assembly called us sesame seeds without kernel, encountering that Karna in battle, hast thou slain him today? That Suta's son of wicked soul who had, laughing the while, commanded Duhshasana to forcibly drag Yajnasena's daughter won in gambling by Subala's son, hath he been slain today by thee?

Having said these words, the king, leaving that bed, suddenly stood up and desired to go to the woods. Then Vasudeva, bowing down, said unto him, "O king, the celebrated vow of the wielder of Gandiva who is ever devoted to truth about his Gandiva, is known to thee. That man in the world who would tell him, 'Give thy Gandiva to another', would be slain by him. Even those very words were addressed to him by you. Therefore, for keeping that earnest vow, Partha, acting also at my instance, inflicted you this insult, O lord of Earth. Insult to superiors is said to be their death. For this reason, O thou of mighty arms, it behoveth thee to forgive me that beseech and bow to thee this transgression, O king, of both myself and Arjuna, committed for maintaining the truth. Both of us, O great king, throw ourselves on thy mercy. The Earth shall today drink the blood of the wretched son of Radha. I swear truly to thee. Know the Suta's son as slain today. He, whose slaughter thou desirest, hath today lost his life." Hearing those words of Krishna, king Yudhishthira the just, in a great fury, raised the prostrate Hrishikesha and joining his hands, said in haste, "It is even so as thou hast said. I have been guilty of a transgression, I have now been awakened by thee, O Govinda. I am saved by thee, O Madhava. By thee, O Acyuta, we have today been rescued from a great calamity. Both of us stupefied by folly, viz., myself and Arjuna, have been rescued from an ocean of distress, having obtained thee as our lord. Indeed, having obtained the raft of thy intelligence today, we have, with our relatives and allies, passed over an ocean of sorrow and grief. Having obtained thee, O Acyuta, we are not masterless."'"

"Sanjaya said, 'During the progress of the fierce engagement, Bhima, while fighting along, being encompassed by innumerable foes, addressed his driver, saying, "Bear me into the midst of the Dhartarashtra host. Proceed, O charioteer, with speed, borne by these steeds. I will despatch all these Dhartarashtras to the presence of Yama." Thus urged by Bhimasena, the charioteer proceeded, quickly and with great impetuosity, against thy son's host to that spot whence Bhima desired to slaughter it. Then a large number of Kaurava troops, with elephants and cars and horse and foot, advanced against him from all sides. They then, from every side, began to strike that foremost of vehicles belonging to Bhima, with numerous arrows. The high-souled Bhima, however, with his own shafts of golden wings, cut off all those advancing arrows of his enemies. Thus cut off into two or three fragments with Bhima's arrows, those shafts, equipped with golden wings, of his enemies, fell down on the earth. Then, O king, amongst those foremost of Kshatriyas, struck with Bhima's shafts, the elephants and cars and horse and foot, set up a loud wail, O monarch, that resembled the din made by mountains when riven with thunder. Thus struck by Bhima, those foremost of Kshatriyas, their limbs pierced with Bhima's powerful shafts, rushed against Bhima in that battle from every side, like new-fledged birds towards a tree. When thy troops thus rushed against him, Bhima of furious impetuosity displayed all his vim like Destroyer himself armed with a mace when he burns and exterminates all creatures at the end of the Yuga. Thy soldiers were unable to resist in that battle that fierce forcible energy of Bhima endued with fierce impetuosity, like that of the Destroyer himself of wide open mouth when he rusheth at the end of the Yuga for exterminating all creatures.

The mighty car-warriors of the Pandavas, O monarch, were completely shrouded with shafts, decked with gold, that were sped from Karna's bow. Those mighty car-warriors of the Pandavas, O king, in that battle, though struggling vigorously, were repeatedly broken by the son of Radha, even as a herd of deer in the forest is routed by an angry lion. Routing the foremost of Pancala car-warriors and (other) foes, Karna of great fame, in that battle, slew the Pandava warriors like a wolf slaying smaller animals. Beholding the Pandava army turn away from battle, the Dhartarashtra bowmen of great might rushed against the retreating host uttering terrible shouts. Then Duryodhana, O monarch, filled with great delight, caused diverse musical instruments to be beaten and blown in all parts of the army. The great bowmen amongst the Pancalas, those foremost of men, though broken, returned heroically to the fight, making death their goal. The son of Radha, however, that bull among men and scorcher of foes, O monarch, in that battle, broke those returned heroes in diverse ways. There, O Bharata twenty car-warriors among the Pancalas and more than a hundred Cedi warriors were slain by Karna with his shafts. Making the terraces of cars and the backs of steeds empty, O Bharata, and slaying the combatants that fought from the necks of elephants, and routing the foot-soldiers, that scorcher of foes, the Suta's son of great bravery, became incapable of being gazed at like the mid-day sun and looked resplendent like the Destroyer himself at the end of the Yuga. Thus, O monarch, that slayer of foes, that mighty bowman, Karna, having slain foot, horse, car-warriors, and elephants, stood there on his car. Indeed, like the Destroyer himself of great might standing after slaying all creatures, the mighty car-warrior Karna stood alone, having slain the Somakas.

Possessed of prowess equal to that of the thousand-armed (Kartavirya), Partha then showered his shafts on Kripa's bow with arrow fixed on it, his steeds, his standard, and his driver, like the wielder of the thunder in days of yore showering his shafts on (the asura) Vali. His weapons destroyed by Partha's shafts, and his standard also having been crushed in that great battle, Kripa was afflicted with as many thousands of arrows by Arjuna as Ganga's son Bhishma before them (on the day of his fall) by the same diadem-decked warrior. The valiant Partha then, with his shafts, cut off the standard and the bow of thy roaring son. Destroying next the handsome steeds of Kritavarma, he cut off the latter's standard as well. He then began to destroy with great speed the elephants of the hostile force, as also its cars with their steeds and drivers and bows and standards. Thereupon that vast host of thine broke into a hundred parts like an embankment washed off by the waters. Then Keshava, quickly urging Arjuna's car, placed all his afflicted foes on his right side. Then other warriors, desirous of an encounter, with their well-equipped cars bearing lofty standards, followed Dhananjaya who was proceeding with great speed like Indra proceeding for the slaughter of Vritra. Then those mighty car-warriors, Shikhandi and Satyaki and the twins, proceeding in the direction of Dhananjaya, checked those foes and, piercing them with keen arrows, uttered terrible roars. Then the Kuru heroes and the Srinjayas, encountering one another with rage, slew one another with straight shafts of great energy, like the Asuras and the celestials in days of yore in great battle. Elephant-warriors and horsemen and car-warriors,--all chastisers of foes,--inspired with desire of victory or impatient of proceeding to heaven, fell fast on the field. Uttering loud shouts, they pierced one another vigorously with well-shot arrows.

Sped from Karna's arms, that shaft of awful whizz, resembling fire or the sun in splendour, as it left the bow-string, blazed up in the welkin and seemed to divide it by a line such as is visible on the crown of a woman dividing her tresses. Beholding that shaft blazing in the welkin, the slayer of Kamsa, Madhava, with great speed and the greatest ease, pressed down with his feet that excellent car, causing it to sink about a cubit deep. At this, the steeds, white as the rays of the moon and decked in trappings of gold, bending their knees, laid themselves down on the ground. Indeed, seeing that snake (in the form of an arrow) aimed by Karna, Madhava, that foremost of all persons endued with might, put forth his strength and thus pressed down with his feet that car into the earth, whereat the steeds, (as already said) bending down their knees, laid themselves down upon the earth when the car itself had sank into it. Then loud sounds arose in the welkin in applause of Vasudeva. Many celestial voices were heard, and celestial flowers were showered upon Krishna, and leonine shouts also were uttered. When the car had thus been pressed down into the earth through the exertions of the slayer of Madhu, the excellent ornament of Arjuna's head, celebrated throughout the earth, the welkin, heaven, and the waters, the Suta's son swept off from the crown of his rival, with that arrow, in consequence of the very nature of that snaky weapon and the great care and wrath with which it had been shot. That diadem, endued with the splendour of the sun or the moon or fire or a planet, and adorned with gold and pearls and gems and diamonds, had with great care been made by the puissant Self-born himself for Purandara.

"Sanjaya said, 'Beholding the troops crushed with arrows in that encounter between Karna and Arjuna, Shalya proceeded, filled with wrath, on that car divested of equipment. Beholding his army deprived of the Suta's son and its cars and steeds and elephants destroyed, Duryodhana, with eyes bathed in tears, repeatedly sighed the very picture of woe. Desirous of beholding the heroic Karna, pierced with arrows and bathed in blood, and stretched on the earth like the sun dropped from the skies at will, the warriors came there and stood surrounding the fallen hero. Amongst those belonging to the enemy and thy army that thus stood there, some showed signs of joy, some of fear, some of sorrow, some of wonder, and some gave themselves up to great grief, according to their respective natures. Others amongst the Kauravas, hearing that Karna of mighty energy had been slain by Dhananjaya, his armour, ornaments, robes, and weapons having all been displaced, fled in fear like a herd of kine afflicted with exceeding fear at losing its bull. Bhima then, uttering loud roars and causing the welkin to tremble with those awful and tremendous shouts, began to slap his armpits, jump, and dance, frightening the Dhartarashtras by those movements. The Somakas and the Srinjayas also loudly blew their conchs. All the Kshatriyas embraced one another in joy, upon beholding the Suta's son slain at that juncture. Having fought a dreadful battle, Karna was slain by Arjuna like an elephant by a lion. That bull among men, Arjuna, thus accomplished his vow. Indeed even thus, Partha reached the end of his hostility (towards Karna). The ruler of the Madras, with stupefied heart, quickly proceeding, O king, to the side of Duryodhana, on that car divested of standard said in sorrow these words, "The elephants, the steeds, and the foremost of car-warriors of thy army have been slain.

Rallying them then, O monarch, thy son, resolved on battle and desirous of gladdening them, addressed those warriors, saying, "I do not see that spot on plain or mountain whither, if you fly, the Pandavas will not slay you. What is the use then in flight? The Pandava army hath now been reduced to a small remnant. The two Krishnas have been exceedingly mangled. If all of us make a stand here, we are certain to have victory. If, however, you fly away, breaking your array, the Pandavas, pursuing your sinful selves, will slay all of you. Death in battle, therefore, is for our good. Death in the field of battle while engaged in fight according to Kshatriya practices is pleasant. Such death produces no kind of grief. By encountering such a death, a person enjoys eternal happiness in the other world. Let all the Kshatriyas assembled here listen to me. It were better that they should even submit to the power of the angry Bhimasena than that they should abandon the duties practised by them from the days of their ancestors. There is no act more sinful for a Kshatriya than flight from battle. You Kauravas, there is not a better path to heaven than the duty of battle. The warrior acquires in a day regions of bliss (in the other world) that take many long years for others to acquire." Fulfilling those words of the king, the great Kshatriya car-warriors once more rushed against the Pandavas, unable to endure their defeat and firmly resolved to put forth their prowess. Then commenced a battle once more, that was exceedingly fierce, between thy troops and the enemy, and that resembled the one between the gods and the Asuras. Thy son Duryodhana then, O monarch, with all his troops, rushed against the Pandavas headed by Yudhishthira.'"

"Sanjaya said, 'When king Yudhishthira the just was thus afflicted by the ruler of Madras, Satyaki and Bhimasena and the two sons of Madri by Pandu, encompassing Shalya with their cars, began to afflict him in that battle. Beholding the unsupported Shalya thus afflicted by those great car-warriors (and seeing him successfully repel those attacks), loud sounds of applause were heard, and the Siddhas (who witnessed the encounter) became filled with delight. The ascetics, assembled together (for witnessing the battle), declared it to be wonderful. Then Bhimasena in that encounter, having pierced Shalya who had become (as his name implied) an irresistible dart in prowess, with one arrow, next pierced him with seven. Satyaki, desirous of rescuing the son of Dharma, pierced Shalya with a hundred arrows and uttered a loud leonine roar. Nakula pierced him with five arrows, and Sahadeva with seven; the latter then once more pierced him with as many. The heroic ruler of the Madras, struggling carefully in that battle, thus afflicted by those mighty car-warriors, drew a formidable bow capable of bearing a great strain and of imparting great force to the shafts sped from it, and pierced Satyaki, O sire, with five and twenty shafts and Bhima with three and seventy and Nakula with seven. Then cutting off with a broad-headed arrow the bow, with shaft fixed on the string of Sahadeva, he pierced Sahadeva himself, in that battle, with three and seventy shafts. Sahadeva then, stringing another bow, pierced his maternal uncle of great splendour with five shafts that resembled snakes of virulent poison or blazing fire. Filled with great rage, he then struck his adversary's driver with a straight shaft in that battle and then Shalya himself once more with three. Then Bhimasena pierced the ruler of the Madras with seventy arrows, and Satyaki pierced him with nine, and king Yudhishthira with sixty.

Rolling his eyes that were wide open, he cast his glances on the ruler of the Madras, his heart filled with rage. Thus looked at, O god among men, by that king of cleansed soul and sins all washed away, the ruler of the Madras was not reduced to ashes. This appeared to us to be exceedingly wonderful, O monarch. The illustrious chief of the Kurus then hurled with great force at the king of the Madras that blazing dart of beautiful and fierce handle and effulgent with gems and corals. All the Kauravas beheld that blazing dart emitting sparks of fire as it coursed through the welkin after having been hurled with great force, even like a large meteor falling from the skies at the end of the Yuga. King Yudhishthira the just, in that battle, carefully hurled that dart which resembled kala-ratri (the Death Night) armed with the fatal noose or the foster-mother of fearful aspect of Yama himself, and which like the Brahmana's curse, was incapable of being baffled. Carefully the sons of Pandu had always worshipped that weapon with perfumes and garlands and foremost of seats and the best kinds of viands and drinks. That weapon seemed to blaze like Samvartaka-fire and was as fierce as a rite performed according to the Atharvan of Agnirasa. Created by Tvashtri (the celestial artificer) for the use of Ishana, it was a consumer of the life-breaths and the bodies of all foes. It was capable of destroying by its force the Earth and the welkin and all the receptacles of water and creatures of every kind. Adorned with bells and banners and gems and diamonds and decked with stones of lapis lazuli and equipped with a golden handle, Tvashtri himself had forged it with great care after having observed many vows. Unerringly fatal, it was destructive of all haters of Brahma.

Hearing the shouts of the Kauravas uttered in joy and the blare of their conchs, the commander of the Pandava and the Srinjaya forces, the Pancala prince (Dhrishtadyumna) could not, from wrath, endure it. The illustrious Dhrishtadyumna then, with great speed, proceeded for vanquishing the elephant, even as the Asura Jambha had proceeded against Airavata, the prince of elephants that Indra rode in the course of his encounter with Indra. Beholding the ruler of the Pandavas impetuously rushing against him, Salwa, that lion among kings, quickly urged his elephants, O king, for the destruction of Drupada's son. The latter, seeing the animal approaching with precipitancy, pierced it with three foremost of shafts, polished by the hands of the smith, keen, blazing, endued with fierce energy, and resembling fire itself in splendour and force. Then that illustrious hero struck the animal at the frontal globes with five other whetted and foremost of shafts. Pierced therewith, that prince of elephants, turning away from the battle, ran with great speed. Salwa, however, suddenly checking that foremost of elephants which had been exceedingly mangled and forced to retreat, caused it to turn back, and with hooks and keen lances urged it forward against the car of the Pancala king, pointing it out to the infuriate animal. Beholding the animal rushing impetuously at him, the heroic Dhrishtadyumna, taking up a mace, quickly jumped down on the Earth from his car, his limbs stupefied with fear. That gigantic elephant, meanwhile, suddenly crushing that gold-decked car with its steeds and driver, raised it up in the air with his trunk and then dashed it down on the Earth. Beholding the driver of the Pancala king thus crushed by that foremost of elephants, Bhima and Shikhandi and the grandson of Sini rushed with great speed against that animal. With their shafts they speedily checked the impetuosity of the advancing beast.

Satyaki struck the king with a single straight shaft; the sons of Draupadi struck him with three and seventy and king Yudhishthira struck him with five. And Bhimasena afflicted the king with eighty shafts. Though pierced thus from every side with numerous arrows by these illustrious warriors, Duryodhana still, O monarch, did not waver, in the presence of all the troops who stood there as spectators. The quickness, the skill, and the prowess of that illustrious warrior were seen by all the men there to exceed those of every creature. Meanwhile the Dhartarashtras, O monarch, who had not fled far from that spot, beholding the king, rallied and returned there, clad in mail. The noise made by them when they came back became exceedingly awful, like the roar of the surging ocean in the season of rains. Approaching their unvanquished king in that battle, those great bowmen proceeded against the Pandavas for fight. The son of Drona resisted in that battle the angry Bhimasena. With the arrows, O monarch, that were shot in that battle, all the points of the compass became completely shrouded, so that the brave combatants could not distinguish the cardinal from the subsidiary points of the compass. As regards Ashvatthama and Bhimasena, O Bharata, both of them were achievers of cruel feats. Both of them were irresistible in battle. The arms of both contained many cicatrices in consequence of both having repeatedly drawn the bow-string. Counteracting each other's feats, they continued to fight with each other, frightening the whole Universe. The heroic Shakuni assailed Yudhishthira in that battle. The mighty son of Subala, having slain the four steeds of the king, uttered a loud roar, causing all the troops to tremble with fear. Meanwhile, the valiant Sahadeva bore away the heroic and vanquished king on his car from that battle.

Thus addressed by Pandu's son of great force of mind, he of Dasarha's race urged his steeds, O king, towards the division of Duryodhana. Beholding that force (within which Duryodhana was), three mighty car-warriors prepared themselves for assailing it, for Bhimasena and Arjuna and Sahadeva, O sire, together proceeded against it with loud leonine roars from desire of slaying Duryodhana. Beholding those three warriors rushing quickly together with uplifted bows, Subala's son proceeded towards that spot against those Pandava foes. Thy son Sudarsana rushed against Bhimasena. Susarman and Shakuni encountered Kiritin. Thy son Duryodhana on horse-back proceeded against Sahadeva. Then thy son, O ruler of men, with great speed and care, forcibly struck Sahadeva's head with a lance. Thus assailed by thy son, Sahadeva sat down on the terrace of his car, all his limbs bathed in blood and himself sighing like a snake. Regaining his senses then, O king, Sahadeva, filled with rage, covered Duryodhana with keen arrows. Kunti's son, Dhananjaya, otherwise called Partha, putting forth his prowess, cut off the heads of many brave combatants on horse-back. Indeed, Partha, with many arrows, destroyed that (cavalry) division. Having felled all the steeds, he then proceeded against the cars of the Trigartas. At this, the great car-warriors of the Trigartas, uniting together, covered Arjuna and Vasudeva with showers of shafts. Assailing Satyakarman with a razor-headed arrow, the son of Pandu, possessed of great fame, cut off his adversary's car-shafts. With another razor-headed arrow, O lord, whetted on stone, that celebrated hero, smiling the while, cut off his antagonist's head adorned with bright gold. He next attacked Satyeshu in the sight of all the warriors, like a hungry lion, O king, in the forest, attacking a deer. Having slain him, Partha pierced Susarman with three arrows and then slew all those car-warriors adorned with ornaments of gold.

"'At the noise made, hundreds and thousands of Pandava bowmen in the camp awoke from their slumbers. Ashvatthama cut off the legs of some, and the hips of others, and pierced some in their flanks, careering like the Destroyer himself let loose by Time. The Earth, O lord, was soon covered with human beings that were crushed into shapelessness or trodden down by elephants and steeds and with others that roared in great affliction. Many of them loudly exclaimed, "What is this?" "Who is this one?" "What is this noise?" "Who is doing what?" While uttering such shrieks, Drona's son became their Destroyer. That foremost of smiters, the son of Drona, despatched to regions of Yama all those Pandus and Srinjayas who were without armour and weapons. Terrified at that noise, many awoke from sleep. Possessed with fear, blinded by sleep, and deprived of their senses, those warriors seemed to vanish (before the fury of Ashvatthama). The thighs of many were paralysed and many were so stupefied that they lost all their energy. Shrieking and possessed with fear, they began to slay one another. Drona's son once more got upon his car of terrible clatter and taking up his bow despatched many with his shafts to Yama's abode. Others awoke from sleep, brave warriors and foremost of men, as they came towards Ashvatthama, were slain before they could approach him and were thus offered up as victims unto that Death-Night. Crushing many with that foremost of cars, he careered through the camp, and covered his foes with repeated showers of arrows. Once again with that beautiful shield of his, adorned with hundred moons, and with that sword of his which was of the hue of the welkin, he careered amidst his enemies. Like an elephant agitating a large lake, Drona's son, irresistible in battle, agitated the camp of the Pandavas.

Beasts of prey are not mangling them, O Janardana, regarding them to be still alive. The beautiful garlands of pure gold on the necks of other illustrious heroes, as the latter are being dragged by carnivorous creatures, are scattered about on every side. There, those fierce wolves, numbering in thousands, are dragging the golden chains round the necks of many illustrious heroes stilled by death. Many, whom bards well-trained to their work formerly used, with their hymns and eulogies of grave import, to delight every morning, are now surrounded by fair ladies stricken with grief and weeping and crying around them in woe, O tiger of Vrishni's race! The faces of those beautiful ladies, O Keshava, though pale, look resplendent still, like an assemblage of red lotuses! Those Kuru ladies have ceased to weep, with their respective followers and companions. They are all filled with anxiety. Overwhelmed with sorrow, they are running hither and thither. The faces of those fair ones have, with weeping and anger, become resplendent as the morning sun or gold or burnished copper. Hearing each other's lamentations of incomplete sense, those ladies, in consequence of the loud wails of woe bursting from every side, are unable to catch each other's meaning. Some amongst them, drawing long sighs and indulging in repeated lamentations, are stupefied by grief and are abandoning their life-breaths. Many of them, beholding the bodies (of their sons, husbands, or sires), are weeping and setting up loud wails. Others are striking their heads with their own soft hands. The earth, strewn with severed heads and hands and other limbs mingled together and gathered in large heaps, looks resplendent with these signs of havoc! Beholding many headless trunks of great beauty, and many heads without trunks, those fair ones have been lying senseless on the ground for a long while.

"Gandhari said, 'There the mighty Karna, that great bowman, lieth on the ground! In battle he was like a blazing fire! That fire, however, hath now been extinguished by the energy of Partha. Behold, Vikartana's son Karna, after having slain many atirathas, has been prostrated on the bare ground, and is drenched with blood. Wrathful and possessed of great energy, he was a great bowman and a mighty car-warrior. Slain in battle by the wielder of Gandiva, that hero now sleepeth on the ground. My sons, those mighty car-warriors, from fear of the Pandavas, fought, placing Karna at their head, like a herd of elephants with its leader to the fore. Alas, like a tiger slain by a lion, or an elephant by an infuriated elephant, that warrior hath been slain in battle by Savyasaci. Assembled together, O tiger among men, the wives of that warrior, with dishevelled tresses and loud wails of grief, are sitting around that fallen hero! Filled with anxiety caused by the thoughts of that warrior, king Yudhishthira the just could not, for thirteen years, obtain a wink of sleep! Incapable of being checked by foes in battle like Maghavat himself who is invincible by enemies, Karna was like the all-destroying fire of fierce flames at the end of the yuga, and immovable like Himavat himself! That hero became the protector of Dhritarashtra's son, O Madhava! Alas, deprived of life, he now lieth on the bare ground, like a tree prostrated by the wind! Behold, the wife of Karna and mother of Vrishasena, is indulging in piteous lamentations and crying and weeping and falling upon the ground! Even now she exclaims, "Without doubt, thy preceptor's curse hath pursued thee! When the wheel of thy car was swallowed up by the Earth, the cruel Dhananjaya cut off thy head with an arrow! Alas, fie (on the heroism and skill)!"

"'Bhishma said, "I bow down to Dharma who is great, and to Krishna who is Brahma. Having bowed down also unto the Brahmanas (assembled here), I shall discourse on duties that are eternal. The suppression of wrath, truthfulness of speech, justice, forgiveness, begetting children upon one's own wedded wives, purity of conduct, avoidance of quarrel, simplicity, and maintenance of dependants, these nine duties belong to all the four orders (equally). Those duties, however, which belong exclusively to Brahmanas, I shall now tell thee. Self-restraint, O king, has been declared to be the first duty of Brahmanas. Study of the Vedas, and patience in undergoing austerities, (are also their other duties). By practising these two, all their acts are accomplished. If while engaged in the observance of his own duties, without doing any improper act, wealth comes to a peaceful Brahmana possessed of knowledge, he should then marry and seek to beget children and should also practise charity and perform sacrifices. It has been declared by the wise that wealth thus obtained should be enjoyed by distributing it (among deserving persons and relatives). By his study of the Vedas all the pious acts (laid down for the Brahmana) are accomplished. Whether he does or does not achieve anything else, if he devotes himself to the study of the Vedas, he becomes (by that) known as a Brahmana or the friend of all creatures. I shall also tell thee, O Bharata, what the duties are of a Kshatriya. A Kshatriya, O king, should give but not beg, should himself perform sacrifices but not officiate as a priest in the sacrifices of others. He should never teach (the Vedas) but study (them with a Brahmana preceptor). He should protect the people. Always exerting himself for the destruction of robbers and wicked people, he should put forth his prowess in battle.

"'"Indra said, 'Elephants constitute the Ritwijas of that sacrifice, and steeds are its Audharyus. The flesh of foes constitutes its libations, and blood is its liquid offering.[290] Jackals and vultures and ravens, as also winged shafts, constitute its Sadasyas. These drink the remnants left of the liquid offering in this sacrifice and eat the remnants of its libations. Heaps of lances and spears, of swords and darts and axes, blazing, sharp, and well-tempered, constitute the ladles of the sacrificer. Straight, sharp, and well-tempered arrows, with keen points and capable of piercing the bodies of foes, impelled from well-stretched bows, constitute its large double-mouthed ladles. Sheathed in scabbards made of tiger-skin and equipped with handles made of ivory, and capable of cutting off the elephant's trunk, the swords form the Sphises of this sacrifice.[291] The strokes inflicted with blazing and keen lances and darts and swords and axes, all made of hard iron, constitute its profuse wealth procured from the respectable people by agreement in respect of the amount and period. The blood that runs over the field in consequence of the fury of the attack, constitutes the final libation, fraught with great merit and capable of granting every wish, in the Homa of this sacrifice. Cut, Pierce, and such other sounds, that are heard in the front ranks of the array, constitute the Samans sung by its Vedic chanters in the abode of Yama. The front ranks of the enemy's array constitute the vessel for the keep of its libations. The crowd of elephants and steeds and men equipped with shields are regarded to constitute the Syenachit fire of that sacrifice. The headless trunks that rise up after thousands have been slaughtered constitute the octagonal stake, made of Khadira wood, for the hero who performs that sacrifice. The shrieks that elephants utter when urged on with hooks, constitute its Ida mantras.

He should be patient, forgiving, pure in conduct, severe when the occasion requires it, acquainted with the efficacy of exertion, respectful in his behaviour towards all his seniors, possessed of a knowledge of the scriptures, ready to listen to the instructions and counsels of those that are competent to instruct and give counsel, capable of judging correctly amid different or opposite courses of action suggested to him, intelligent, of a retentive memory, ready to do what is just, self-restrained, always sweet-speeched, forgiving even unto enemies, practising charity personally, possessed of faith, of agreeable features, ready to extend the hand of succour to persons plunged in distress, possessed of ministers that always seek his good, free from the fault of egoism, never without a wife,[352] and undisposed to do anything with haste. He should always reward his ministers when they achieve anything signal. He should love those that are devoted to him. Avoiding idleness, he should always attract men to himself by doing good to them. His face should always be cheerful. He should always be attentive to the wants of his servants and never give way to wrath. He should, besides, be magnanimous. Without laying aside the rod of chastisement, he should wield it with propriety. He should make all men about him act righteously. Having spies for his eyes, he should always supervise the concerns of his subjects, and should be conversant in all matters connected with virtue and wealth. A king that is possessed of these hundred qualifications earns the love of all. Every ruler should strive to be such. The king should also, O monarch, search for good warriors (to enlist in his army) that should all be possessed of the necessary qualifications, for aiding him in protecting his kingdom. A king that desires his own advancement should never disregard his army.

"'Bhishma said, "In this connection is cited the old story of a robber who having in this would been observant of restraints did not meet with destruction in the next. There was a robber of the name of Kayavya, born of a Kshatriya father and a Nishada mother. Kayavya was a practiser of Kshatriya duties. Capable of smiting, possessed of intelligence and courage, conversant with the scriptures, destitute of cruelty, devoted to the Brahmanas, and worshipping his seniors and preceptors with reverence, he protected the ascetics in the observance of their practices. Though a robber, he still succeeded in winning felicity in heaven. Morning and evening he used to excite the wrath of the deer by chasing them. He was well conversant with all the practices of the Nishadas as also of all animals living in the forest. Well acquainted with the requirements of time and place, he roved over the mountains. Acquainted as he was with the habits of all animals, his arrows never missed their aim, and his weapons were strong. Alone, he could vanquish many hundreds of troops. He worshipped his old, blind, and deaf parents in the forest every day. With honey and flesh and fruits and roots and other kinds of excellent food, he hospitably entertained all persons deserving of honour and did them many good offices. He showed great respect for those Brahmanas that had retired from the world for taking up their residence in the woods. Killing the deer, he often took flesh to them. As regards those that were unwilling, from fear of others, to accept gifts from him because of the profession he followed, he used to go to their abodes before dawn and leave flesh at their doors.[406] One day many thousands of robbers, destitute of compassion in their conduct and regardless of all restraints, desired to elect him as their leader.

"'Bhishma said, "A confusion of the duties of the four orders is never applauded. That which is called Truth always exists in a pure and unmingled state in every one of those four orders. With those that are good, Truth is always a duty. Indeed, Truth is an eternal duty. One should reverentially bow unto Truth. Truth is the highest refuge (of all). Truth is duty; Truth is penance; Truth is Yoga; and Truth is the eternal Brahma. Truth has been said to be Sacrifice of a high order.[464] Everything rests upon Truth. I shall now tell thee the forms of Truths one after another, and its indications also in due order. It behoveth thee to hear also as to how Truth may be acquired. Truth, O Bharata, as it exists in all the world, is of thirteen kinds. The forms that Truth assumes are impartiality, self control, forgiveness, modesty, endurance, goodness, renunciation, contemplation, dignity, fortitude, compassion, and abstention from injury. These, O great monarch, are the thirteen forms of Truth. Truth is immutable, eternal, and unchangeable. It may be acquired through practices which do not militate against any of the other virtues. It may also be acquired through Yoga. When desire and aversion, as also lust and wrath, are destroyed, that attribute in consequence of which one is able to look upon one's own self and one's foe, upon one's good and one's evil, with an unchanging eye, is called impartiality. Self-control consists in never wishing for another man's possessions, in gravity and patience and capacity to allay the fears of others in respect to one's own self, and immunity from disease. It may be acquired through knowledge. Devotion to the practice of liberality and the observance of all duties are regarded by the wise as constituting goodwill. One comes to acquire universal goodwill by constant devotion to truth.