Mahabharata on War

Behold those iron Kuntas, those short clubs exceedingly heavy, those beautiful rockets, those huge bludgeons with spiked heads, those discs displaced from the arms of their wielders, and those spears (that have been used) in this dreadful battle. Endued (while living) with great activity, warriors that came to battle, having taken up diverse weapons, are lying, though deprived of life, as if still alive. Behold, thousands of warriors lying on the field, with limbs crushed by means of maces, or heads broken by means of heavy clubs, or torn and mangled by elephants and steeds and cars. The field of battle is covered with shafts and darts and swords and axes and scimitars and spiked maces and lances and iron Kuntas and battle-axes, and the bodies of men and steeds and elephants, hacked with many wounds and covered with streams of blood and deprived of life, O slayer of foes. The Earth looks beautiful, O Bharata, with arms smeared with sandal, decked with Angadas of gold and with Keyuras, and having their ends cased in leathern fences. With hands cased in leathern fences, with displaced ornaments, with severed thighs looking like elephants' trunks of many active warriors, with fallen heads, decked with costly gems and earrings, of heroes having large expansive eyes, the Earth looks exceedingly beautiful. With headless trunks smeared all over with blood with severed limbs and heads and hips, the Earth looks, O best of the Bharatas, like an altar strewn with extinguished fires. Behold those beautiful cars with rows of golden bells, broken in diverse ways, and those slain steeds lying scattered on the field, with arrows yet sticking to their bodies. Behold those bottoms of cars, those quivers, those banners, those diverse kinds of standards, those gigantic conchs of car-warriors, white in hue and scattered all over the field.

"Sanjaya said, 'Beholding Vrishasena slain, Karna, filled with grief and rage, shed tears from his eyes for the death of his son. Endued with great energy, with eyes red as copper from rage, Karna proceeded in the face of his foe, having summoned Dhananjaya to battle. Then those two cars, both possessed of solar effulgence and covered with tiger-skins, when they came together, looked like two suns close to each other. Both having white steeds and both crushers of foes, those two great bowmen, those two warriors possessed of solar effulgence, looked resplendent like the sun and the moon in the firmament. Beholding those two warriors that resembled Indra and Virochana's son (Vali) carefully preparing for battle for the conquest of the three worlds, all creatures were filled with wonder. Seeing those two warriors rushing towards each other with the clatter of car-wheels, the twang of bows, the sound of palms, the whizz of arrows, and leonine shouts, and seeing also their standards, viz., that of Karna bearing the elephant's rope and that of Partha bearing the ape, approach each other, all the lords of the earth became filled with wonder. Seeing those two car-warriors engaged with each other, O Bharata, all the kings uttered leonine shouts and cheered them repeatedly with applause. Beholding that single combat between Partha and Karna, thousands of combatants there slapped their armpits and waved their garments in the air. The Kauravas beat their musical instruments and blew their numerous conchs for gladdening Karna. Similarly, all the Pandavas, for gladdening Dhananjaya, caused every point of the compass to resound with the blasts of their trumpets and conchs. With those leonine shouts and slaps on armpits and other loud cries and roars of brave warriors, tremendous became the noise there on the occasion of that encounter between Karna and Arjuna.

Sanjaya said,--“Having said this unto Hrishikesa, that chastiser of foes--Gudakesa--(once more) addressed Govinda, saying,--‘I will not fight,’--and then remained silent.[137] Unto him overcome by despondency, Hrishikesa, in the midst of the two armies, said:”

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Even that is my boon, O Salya, which was solicited by me during the preparations (for the fight). The energy of the Suta’s son (Karna) should be weakened by thee in battle.’

“Hearing these words of Duryodhana, all surrounded Ganga’s son with a large division of cars. And thy sons also, taking up their position around Bhishma, proceeded to battle. And they all went, shaking the earth and the welkin, and causing fear in the hearts of the Pandavas. The mighty car-warriors (of the Kaurava army), supported by those cars and elephants, and clad in mail, stood in battle, surrounding Bhishma. And all of them took up their positions for protecting that mighty car-warrior like the celestials in the battle between themselves and the Asuras for protecting the wielder of the thunder-bolt. Then king Duryodhana once more addressing his brother, said, ‘Yudhamanyu protects the left wheel of Arjuna’s car, and Uttamaujas his right wheel. And (thus protected) Arjuna protects Sikhandin. O Dussasana, adopt such steps that, protected by Partha, Sikhandin may not be able to slay Bhishma left unprotected by us.’ Hearing these words of his brother, thy son Dussasana, accompanied by the troops, advanced for battle, placing Bhishma in the van. Beholding Bhishma (thus surrounded by a large number of cars), Arjuna, that foremost of car-warriors, addressed Dhrishtadyumna and said, ‘O prince, place that tiger among men, Sikhandin, today in front of Bhishma. I myself will be his protector, O prince of Panchala.’”

After the retreat, O monarch, of that mighty car-warrior of the Panchalas, the (Kaurava) army, on that terrible night, rushed furiously against Drupada’s troops whose coats of mail had been cut off by means of the arrows of the foe. In consequence of the blazing lamps dropped by the combatants all around, the earth, O king, looked beautiful like the cloudless firmament bespangled with planets and stars. With the fallen Angadas of the combatants, the earth looked resplendent, O king, like a mass of clouds in the rainy season with flashes of lightning. Afflicted with the fear of Karna’s son, the Panchalas fled away on all sides, like the Danavas from fear of Indra in the great battle of yore between the gods and the Asuras. Thus afflicted in battle by Vrishasena, the Panchalas and the Somakas, O monarch, illumined by lamps, looked exceedingly beautiful.[225] Having vanquished them in battle, Karna’s son looked beautiful like the sun, O Bharata, when he reaches the meridian. Amongst all those thousands of kings of thy side and theirs the valiant Vrishasena then seemed to be the only resplendent luminary. Having defeated in battle many heroes and all the mighty car-warriors among the Somakas, he quickly proceeded, O king, to the spot where king Yudhishthira was stationed.

“‘After, O king, the ruler of the Sindhus had been slain by the diadem-decked Arjuna, that darkness, O bull of Bharata’s race, was withdrawn by Vasudeva. Thy sons with their followers, O king, thus came to know subsequently that the darkness, they had seen, had all been an illusion produced by Vasudeva. Even thus, O king, was thy son-in-law, the ruler of the Sindhus, having caused eight Akshauhinis to be slaughtered, himself slain by Partha of inconceivable energy. Beholding Jayadratha, the ruler of the Sindhus slain, tears of sorrow fell from the eyes of thy sons. After Jayadratha, O king, had been slain by Partha, Kesava blew his conch and that scorcher of foes, viz., the mighty-armed Arjuna also blew his; Bhimasena also, in that battle, as if for sending a message to Yudhishthira, filled the welkin with a tremendous leonine shout. Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, hearing that tremendous shout understood that the ruler of the Sindhus had been slain by the high-souled Phalguna. With sounds of drums and other instruments he gladdened the warriors of his own army, and proceeded against the son of Bharadwaja from desire of battle. Then commenced, O king, after the sun had set, a fierce battle between Drona and the Somakas, that made the very hair stand on end. Desirous of slaying him, those mighty car-warriors after the fall of Jayadratha, fought with the son of Bharadwaja, exerting themselves to their utmost. Indeed, the Pandavas, having got the victory by slaying the ruler of the Sindhus fought with Drona, intoxicated with success. Arjuna, also, O king, having slain king Jayadratha, fought with many mighty car-warriors of thy army. Indeed, that hero decked with diadem and garlands, having accomplished his former vow, began to destroy his foes like the chief of the celestials destroying the Danavas, or the sun destroying darkness.’”

“Sanjaya said, ‘In that fierce and terrible battle, Dhrishtadyumna, O king, proceeded against Drona. Holding his formidable bow and repeatedly stretching his bowstring, the Panchala prince rushed towards Drona’s car decked with gold. And as Dhrishtadyumna proceeded for accomplishing the destruction of Drona, the Panchalas and the Pandavas, O king, surrounded him. Beholding Drona, that foremost of preceptors, thus assailed, thy son, resolutely contending in battle, protected Drona on all sides. Then those two oceans of troops encountered each other on that night, looked like two terrible oceans lashed into fury by tempest, with all living creatures within them exceedingly agitated. Then the prince of the Panchalas, O king, quickly pierced Drona in the chest with five arrows and uttered a leonine roar. Drona, however, O Bharata, piercing his foe in return with five and twenty arrows in that battle, cut off, with another broad-headed arrow, his bright bow. Forcibly pierced by Drona, O bull of Bharata’s race, Dhrishtadyumna, quickly casting aside his bow, bit his (nether) lip in rage. Indeed, O monarch, the valiant Dhrishtadyumna, excited with wrath, took up another formidable bow for accomplishing the destruction of Drona. That slayer of hostile heroes, that warrior endued with great beauty, stretching that formidable bow to his ear, shot a terrible shaft capable of taking Drona’s life. That shaft, thus sped by the mighty prince in that fierce and dreadful battle, illumined the whole army like the risen sun. Beholding that terrible shaft, the gods, the Gandharvas, and the Danavas, said these words, O king, viz., “Prosperity to Drona!” Karna, however, O king, displaying great lightness of hand cut off into dozen fragments that shaft as it coursed towards the preceptor’s car. Thus cut off into many fragments, O king, that shaft of Dhrishtadyumna, O sire, quickly fell down on the earth like a snake without poison.

"Sanjaya said, 'Then Kritavarma, and Kripa, and the son of Drona and the Suta's son, O sire, and Uluka, and Subala's son (Shakuni), and the king himself, with his uterine brothers, beholding the (Kuru) army afflicted with the fear of Pandu's son, unable to stand together, like a vessel wrecked on the ocean, endeavoured to rescue it with great speed. For a short space of time, O Bharata, the battle that once more took place became exceedingly fierce, enhancing as it did the fears of timid and the joy of the brave. The dense showers of arrows shot in battle by Kripa, thick, as flights of locusts, covered the Srinjayas. Then Shikhandi, filled with rage, speedily proceeded against the grandson of Gautama (Kripa) and poured upon that bull amongst Brahmanas his arrowy downpours from all sides. Acquainted with the highest weapons Kripa then checked that arrowy downpour, and wrathfully pierced Shikhandi with ten arrows in that battle. Then Shikhandi filled with rage, deeply pierced Kripa, in that encounter, with seven straight arrows equipped with Kanka feathers. The twice-born Kripa then, that great car-warrior, deeply pierced with those keen arrows, deprived Shikhandi of his steeds, driver and car. Jumping down from his steedless vehicle, the mighty car-warrior (Shikhandi) rushed impetuously at the Brahmana, having taken up a sword and a shield. As the Pancala prince advanced, Kripa quickly covered him with many straight arrows in that encounter, which seemed exceedingly wonderful. Indeed, exceedingly wonderful was the sight that we then beheld, even like the flying of rocks, for Shikhandi, O king, (thus assailed) remained perfectly inactive in that battle. Beholding Shikhandi covered (with arrows) by Kripa, O best of the kings, the mighty car-warrior Dhrishtadyumna speedily proceeded against Kripa. The great car-warrior Kritavarma, however, rushing impetuously received Dhrishtadyumna as the latter proceeded against the son of Sharadvata (Kripa).

Blood constituted its water, and cars its eddies; and elephants were the alligators with which it teemed. Men were its fishes, and steeds its sharks, and the hair of animals formed its woods and moss. Arms lopped off from trunks formed its foremost of snakes. Innumerable jewels and gems were carried along by the current. Thighs constituted its gravels, and marrow its mire. And it was covered with heads forming its rocks. And bows and arrows constituted the rafts by which men sought to cross that terrible river, and maces and spiked bludgeons formed its snakes. And umbrellas and standards formed its swans, and head-gears its foam. Necklaces constituted its lotuses, and the earthy dust that arose formed its waves. Those endued with noble qualities could cross it with ease, while those that were timid and affrighted found it exceedingly difficult to cross. Warriors constituting its crocodiles and alligators, it ran towards the region of Yama. Very soon, indeed, did that tiger among men cause that river to flow. Even as the terrible Vaitarani is difficult of being crossed by persons of unrefined souls, that bloody river, terrible and enhancing the fears of the timid, was difficult to cross. Thither where that best of car-warriors, the son of Pandu, penetrated, thither he felled hostile warriors in hundreds and thousands. Seeing those feats achieved in battle by Bhimasena, Duryodhana, O monarch, addressing Shakuni, said, "Vanquish, O uncle, the mighty Bhimasena in battle. Upon his defeat the mighty host of the Pandavas may be regarded as defeated." Thus addressed, O monarch, the valiant son of Subala, competent to wage dreadful battle, proceeded, surrounded by his brothers. Approaching in that battle Bhima of terrible prowess, the heroic Shakuni checked him like the continent resisting the ocean. Though resisted with keen shafts, Bhima, disregarding them all, proceeded against the sons of Subala.

Fools in reality though boasting of their wisdom, alas, my children do not listen to me even though I cry out. Beholding only the honey they do not see the terrible fall that is before them. They that will rush to battle with Death himself in that human shape, are certainly doomed to destruction by the Supreme Ordainer, like animals within the lion’s view. Full four cubits in length, endued with six sides and great might, and having also a deadly touch, when he will hurl his mace from the sling, how shall my sons, O child, bear its impetus? Whirling his mace and breaking therewith the heads of (hostile) elephants, licking with his tongue the corners of his mouth and drawing long breaths, when he will rush with loud roars against mighty elephants, returning the yells of those infuriated beasts that might rush against him, and when entering the close array of cars he will slay, after taking proper aim, the chief warriors before him, what mortal of my party will escape from him looking like a blazing flame? Crushing my forces and cutting a passage through them, that mighty armed hero, dancing with mace in hand, will exhibit the scene, witnessed during the universal Dissolution at the end of a Yuga. Like an infuriated elephant crushing trees adorned with flowers, Vrikodara, in battle will furiously penetrate the ranks of my sons. Depriving my warriors of their cars, drivers, steeds, and flag-staff, and afflicting all warriors fighting from cars and the backs of elephants, that tiger among men will, O Sanjaya, like the impetuous current of Ganga throwing down diverse trees standing on its banks, crush in battle the troops of my sons. Without doubt, O Sanjaya, afflicted by the fear of Bhimasena, my sons and their dependents and all the allied kings will fly in different directions.

“Then when cavalry and foot-soldiers were falling fast, and elephants and steeds and cars were flying away in fear, Bhishma, surrounded by many mighty car-warriors, obtained sight of him who had the prince of apes on his standard. And the palmyra-bannered warrior, viz. the son of Santanu, having five palmyras on his standard, then rushed against the diadem-decked (Arjuna) whose car, in consequence of the fleetness of the excellent steeds attached to it was endued with wonderful energy and which blazed like the very lightning in consequence of the energy of his mighty weapons. And so against that son of Indra who was like unto Indra himself, rushed many (other) warriors headed by Drona and Kripa and Salya and Vivinsati and Duryodhana and also Somadatta’s son, O king. Then the heroic Abhimanyu, the son of Arjuna, conversant with all weapons and cased in a handsome and golden coat of mail, rushing out of the ranks, quickly proceeded against all those warriors. And that son of Krishna of feats incapable of being borne, baffling the mighty weapons of all those warriors of great strength, looked resplendent like the adorable Agni himself, on the sacrificial altar, of blazing flames, invoked with high mantras. Then Bhishma of mighty energy, creating in that battle a very river whose waters were the blood of foes, and quickly avoiding Subhadra’s son, encountered that mighty car-warrior, viz., Partha himself. Then Arjuna decked with diadem and garlands with his Gandiva of wonderful mien and twang loud as the roar of the thunder, shooting showers of arrows, baffled that shower of mighty weapons (shot by Bhishma). And that high-souled warrior having the prince of apes on his banner, of feats incapable of being borne, then poured in return upon Bhishma, that best of all wielders of bows a shower of sharp-edged arrows and polished shafts of broad heads.

Hearing that roar of his and beholding those battling elephants, Santanu’s son Bhishma once again addressed Bharadwaja’s son and said, ‘I do not like to fight (to-day) with the wicked-souled son of Hidimva. Endued with great might and energy, he is at present well-supported. He is incapable of being vanquished now by the wielder of the thunder-bolt himself. Of sureness of aim, he is a great smiter. As regards ourselves, our animals are tired (today). We have also been greatly mangled by Panchalas and the Pandavas. I do not like fresh encounter with the victorious Pandavas. Let the withdrawal of our army, therefore, be proclaimed today. Tomorrow we will fight with the foe.’ Hearing these words of the grandsire, the Kauravas, afflicted with the fear of Ghatotkacha, and availing of the advent of night as a pretext, gladly did what the grandsire said. And after the Kauravas had withdrawn, the Pandavas, crowned with victory uttered leonine roars, mingling them with the blare of conches and the notes of pipes. Thus did the battle take place that day, O Bharata, between the Kurus and the Pandavas headed by Ghatotkacha. And the Kauravas also, vanquished by the Pandavas and overcome with shame, retired to their own tents when night came. And those mighty car-warriors, the sons of Pandu, their bodies mangled with shafts and themselves filled with (the result of) the battle, proceeded, O king, towards their encampment, with Bhimasena and Ghatotkacha, O monarch, at their head. And filled with great joy, O king, they worshipped those heroes. And they uttered diverse kinds of shouts which were mingled with the notes of trumpets. And those high-souled warriors shouted making the very earth tremble therewith, and grinding as it were, O sire, the hearts of thy sons. And it was thus that those chastisers of foes, when night came, proceeded towards their tents.

And beholding that mighty array of thy forces, that great car-warrior Yudhishthira, speedily addressed the generalissimo (of his forces), viz., Prishata’s son saying, ‘Behold, O great bowman, that array, already formed, resembling the ocean. Do thou also, O son of Prishata, form without delay thy counter-array.’ (Thus addressed), the heroic son of Prishata, O great king, formed that terrible array called Sringataka that is destructive of all hostile arrays. At the horns were Bhimasena and that mighty car-warrior, viz., Satyaki, with many thousands of cars as also of horse and infantry. Next to them was that foremost of men, (viz., Arjuna) of white steeds and having Krishna for his charioteer.[427] In the centre were king Yudhishthira and the twin sons of Pandu by Madri. Other royal bowmen, conversant with the science of arrays, with their troops, filled up that array. In the rear were ordered Abhimanyu, and that mighty car-warrior, Virata, and the sons of Draupadi and the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha. Thus, O Bharata, having formed their mighty array, the heroic Pandavas waited on the field, longing for battle and desirous of victory. And the loud noise of drums mingling with the blare of conches and leonine roars and shouts (of the combatants) and the slapping of their armpits, became terrible and filled all the points of the compass. Then those brave warriors, approaching one another for battle, looked at one another, O king, with winkless eyes. Then O ruler of men, the warriors, first challenging each other by name, engaged with each other.[428] Then commenced a fierce and terrible battle between thy troops and those of the foe striking one another. And in that battle, O Bharata, whetted shafts fell in showers like terrible snakes with mouths wide open. And polished darts of impetuous force, washed with oil, O king, shone like the effulgent flashes of lightning from the clouds.

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, ‘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.

Like an immovable hill resisting the fiercest current of water, Drona, however, resisted in that battle the enraged Pandavas and Panchalas and Kekayas. Many other kings also, endued with great strength and courage, attacking them from all sides, began to resist the Pandavas. Then that tiger among men, viz., the son of Prishata, uniting with the Pandavas, began repeatedly to strike Drona, for piercing the hostile host. Indeed, as Drona showered his arrows on Prishata’s son, even so did the latter shower his on Drona. Having scimitars and swords for the winds that blew before it, well-equipped with darts and lances and sabres, with the bow-string constituting its lightning, and the (twang of the) bow for its roars, the Dhrishtadyumna-cloud poured on all sides torrents of weapons, as its showers of stones. Slaying the foremost of car-warriors and a large number of steeds, the son of Prishata seemed to deluge the hostile divisions (with his arrowy downpours). And the son of Prishata, by his arrows, turned Drona away from all those tracks amid the car-divisions of the Pandavas, through which that hero attempted to pass, striking the warriors there with his shafts. And although Drona struggled vigorously in that battle, yet his host, encountering Dhrishtadyumna, became divided into three columns. One of these retreated towards Kritavarman, the chief of the Bhojas; another towards Jalasandha; and fiercely slaughtered the while by the Pandavas, proceeded towards Drona himself. Drona, that foremost of car-warriors, repeatedly united his troops. The mighty warrior Dhrishtadyumna as often smote and separated them. Indeed, the Dhartarashtra force, divided into three bodies, was slaughtered by the Pandavas and the Srinjayas fiercely, like a herd of cattle in the woods by many beasts of prey, when unprotected by herdsmen. And people thought that in that dreadful battle, it was Death himself who was swallowing the warriors first stupefied by Dhrishtadyumna.

Who is there that will resist that Partha who gratified Rudra himself (in battle)?” Thus railed at by Saradwat’s son, Karna, that foremost of smiters, answered Kripa in the following strain, “Heroes always roar like clouds in the season of rains, and like steeds put in the soil, quickly yield fruits. I do not see any fault in heroes that take great burdens on their shoulders, indulging in boastful speeches on the field of battle. When a person mentally resolves to bear a burden, Destiny itself aids him in the execution. Wishing in my heart bear a great burden, I always summon sufficient resolution. If, slaying the sons of Pandu with Krishna and Satwatas in battle, I indulge in such roars, what is it to thee, O Brahmana? They that are heroes never roar fruitlessly like autumnal clouds. Conscious of their own might, the wise indulge in roars! In my heart I am determined to vanquish in battle today Krishna and Partha united together and fighting with resolution! It is for this that I roar, O son of Gotama! Behold the fruit of these my roars, O Brahmana! Slaying the son of Pandu in battle, with all their followers, Krishna and Satwatas, I will bestow on Duryodhana the whole earth without a thorn in it.”

“That prince of Rakshasa, the mighty son of Hidimva, on his car of solar effulgence furnished with a standard, rushed against Bhagadatta. The ruler of the Pragjyotishas was stationed on his prince of elephants like the wielder of the thunder-bolt in days of old in the battle occasioned by the ravishment of Taraka. The gods, the Gandharvas, and the Rishis had all come there. They could not, however, notice any distinction between Hidimva’s son and Bhagadatta. As the chief of the celestials, excited with wrath, had inspired the Danavas with fear, so did Bhagadatta, O king, frightened the Pandava warriors. And the warriors of the Pandava army, frightened by him on all sides, failed, O Bharata, to find among their ranks any protector. We beheld however, O Bharata, the son of Bhimasena there, on his car. The other mighty car-warriors fled away with cheerless hearts. When, however, O Bharata, the troops of the Pandavas rallied, in the battle that then ensued an awful uproar arose among thy troops. Then Ghatotkacha, O king, in that dreadful battle, covered Bhagadatta with his arrows like the clouds pouring rain on the breast of Meru. Baffling all those arrows shot from the Rakshasa’s bow, the king quickly struck the son of Bhimasena in all his vital limbs. That prince of the Rakshasa, however, though struck with innumerable straight shafts, wavered not at all (but stood still) like a mountain pierced (with shafts). Then the ruler of the Pragjyotishas, excited with wrath, hurled in that combat fourteen lances, all of which, however, were cut off by the Rakshasa. Cutting off by means of his sharp shafts those lances, the mighty-armed Rakshasa pierced Bhagadatta with seventy shafts, each resembling the thunder-bolt in force. Then the ruler of the Pragjyotishas, laughing the while, O Bharata, despatched in that combat the four steeds of the Rakshasa to Death’s domain.

Sanjaya said, “Having passed the night in sound sleep, those rulers of men, the Kauravas and the Pandavas, once more proceeded to battle. And when the troops of both armies were about to proceed to the field, great was the uproar heard there, resembling the loud uproar of the ocean itself. Then king Duryodhana, and Chitrasena, and Vivinsati, and that foremost of car-warriors, viz., Bhishma and Bharadwaja’s son possessed of great prowess,--those mighty car-warriors, clad in mail and uniting together, O King, formed with great care the array of the Kauravas against the Pandavas. Having formed that mighty array fierce as the ocean and having for its billows and current its steeds and elephants, thy sire Bhishma, the son of Santanu, then, O king, proceeded in the van of the whole army, supported by the Malavas, and the inhabitants of the southern countries, and the Avantis. Next to him was the valiant son of Bharadwaja, accompanied by the Pulindas, the Paradas, and the Kshudraka-Malavas. Next to Drona was the valiant Bhagadatta, O king, firmly resolved on fight, accompanied by the Magadhas, the Kalingas, and the Pisachas. Behind Bhagadatta was Vrihadvala the king of the Kosalas accompanied by the Melakas, the Tripuras, and the Chichilas. Next to Vrihadvala was the brave Trigarta, the ruler of the Prasthala, accompanied by a large number of the Kamvojas, and by Yavanas in thousands. Next to the ruler of the Trigartas, O Bharata, proceeded that mighty hero, viz., the son of Drona, uttering leonine roars and filling the earth with those shouts. Next to Drona’s son proceeded king Duryodhana with the whole army, surrounded by his uterine brothers. Behind Duryodhana proceeded Kripa the son of Saradwat. It was thus that that mighty array, resembling the very ocean, advanced (to battle). And standards and white umbrellas, O lord, and beautiful bracelets and costly bows shed their effulgence there.

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.

Beholding him thus put forth his prowess, the slayer of Madhu, viz., the son of Devaki, cheerfully addressing Dhananjaya, said, ‘There, Bhishma, the son of Santanu, stayeth between the two armies. Slaying him by putting forth thy might, thou mayst win victory. There, at that spot, whence he breaketh our ranks, check him, putting forth thy strength. O lord, none else, save thee, ventureth to bear the arrows of Bhishma.’ Thus urged, the ape-bannered Arjuna at that moment made Bhishma with his car, steeds, and standard, invisible by means of his arrows. That bull, however, among the foremost of Kurus, by means of his own arrowy showers, pierced those showers of shafts shot by the son of Pandu. Then the king of the Panchalas the valiant Dhrishtaketu, Bhimasena the son of Pandu, Dhrishtadyumna of Prishata’s race, the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva), Chekitana, and the five Kaikaya brothers, and the mighty-armed Satyaki and Subhadra’s son, and Ghatotkacha, and the (five) sons of Draupadi, and Sikhandin, and the valiant Kuntibhoja, and Susarman, and Virata, these and many other powerful warriors of the Pandava army, afflicted by the shafts of Bhishma, seemed to sink in an ocean of grief. Phalguni, however, rescued them all. Then Sikhandin, taking up a mighty weapon and protected by Kiritin, rushed impetuously towards Bhishma alone. The unvanquished Vibhatsu then, knowing what should be done after what, slew all those that followed Bhishma, and then himself rushed at him. And Satyaki, and Chekitana, and Dhristadyumna of Prishata’s race, and Virata, and Drupada, and the twin sons of Madri by Pandu, all protected by that firm bowman (viz., Arjuna) rushed against Bhishma alone in that battle. And Abhimanyu, and the five sons of Draupadi also, with mighty weapons upraised, rushed against Bhishma in battle. All those firm bowmen, unretreating from battle, pierced Bhishma in diverse parts of his body with well-aimed shafts.

“Sanjaya said, ‘Indeed, O king, Karna and Bhima, both endued with great prowess, continued in that battle to pour their arrowy showers like two rain-charged clouds. The arrows, winged with gold and whetted on stone and marked with Bhima’s name, approaching Karna, penetrated into his body, as if piercing into his very life. Similarly, Bhima also, in that battle was shrouded with the shafts of Karna in hundreds and thousands, resembling snakes of virulent poison. With their arrows, O king, falling on all sides, an agitation was produced among the troops resembling that of the very ocean. Many were the combatants, O chastiser of foes, in thy host that were deprived of life by arrows, resembling snakes of virulent poison shot from Bhima’s bow. Strewn with fallen elephants and steeds mixed with the bodies of men, the field of battle looked like one covered with trees broken by a tempest. Slaughtered in battle with the arrows from Bhima’s bow, thy warriors fled away, saying, “What is this?” Indeed, that host of the Sindhus, the Sauviras, and the Kauravas, afflicted with the impetuous shafts of both Karna and Bhima, was removed to a great distance. The remnant of those brave soldiers, with their steeds and elephants killed, leaving the vicinity of both Karna and Bhima, fled away in all directions. (And they cried out), “Verily, for the sake of the Parthas, the gods are stupefying us, since those arrows shot by both Bhima and Karna are slaying our forces.” Saying those words, these troops of thine afflicted with fear avoiding the range of (Karna’s and Bhima’s) arrows, stood at a distance for witnessing that combat. Then, on the field of battle there began to flow a terrible river enhancing the joy of the heroes and the fears of the timid. And it was caused by the blood of elephants and steeds and men.

“Sanjaya said, ‘Having slain the ruler of the Sindhus in the evening, Partha, after his meeting with Yudhishthira and the great bowman, viz., Satyaki, both proceeded towards Drona. Then Yudhishthira, and Bhimasena, the son of Pandu, each with a separate division of the army, quickly proceeded against Drona. Similarly, the intelligent Nakula, and the invincible Sahadeva, and Dhrishtadyumna with his own division, and Virata, and the ruler of the Salwas, with a large force, proceeded against Drona in battle. Similarly, king Drupada, the father of Dhrishtadyumna, protected by the Panchalas proceeded, O king, against Drona. And the sons of Draupadi, and the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha, accompanied by their forces, proceeded against Drona of great splendour. The Prabhadraka-Panchalas also six thousand strong, and all effectual smiters, proceeded against Drona placing Sikhandin at their head. Other foremost of men and mighty car-warriors among the Pandavas, uniting together, O bull among men, proceeded against Drona. When those heroic warriors, O bull among the Bharatas, proceeded to battle, the night became pitch dark, enhancing the terrors of the timid. And during that hour of darkness, O king, many were the warriors that laid down their lives. And that night also proved the death of many elephants and steeds and foot-soldiers. On that night of pitch darkness, yelling jackals everywhere inspired great fear with their blazing mouths. Fierce owls, perching on the standards of Kauravas and hooting therefrom, foreboded fears. Then, O king, a fierce uproar arose among the troops. Mingling with the loud beat of drums and cymbals, grunts of elephants, neighings of steeds, and stampings of horse-hoofs, that uproar spread everywhere. Then, in that hour of evening, fierce was the battle that took place between Drona, O king, and all of the Srinjayas. The world having been enveloped in darkness, nothing could be noticed. The welkin was covered with the dust raised by the combatants.

"Sanjaya said, 'Those Kshatriyas, O monarch, harbouring feelings of animosity against one another and longing to take one another's life, began to slay one another in that battle. Throngs of cars, and large bodies of horses, and teeming divisions of infantry and elephants in large numbers mingled with one another, O king, for battle. We beheld the falling of maces and spiked bludgeons and Kunapas and lances and short arrows and rockets hurled at one another in that dreadful engagement. Arrowy showers terrible to look at coursed like flights of locusts. Elephants approaching elephants routed one another. Horsemen encountering horsemen in that battle, and car-warriors encountering car-warriors, and foot-soldiers encountering foot-soldiers, and foot-soldiers meeting with horsemen, and foot-soldiers meeting with cars and elephants, and cars meeting with elephants and horsemen, and elephants of great speed meeting with the three other kinds of forces, began, O king, to crush and grind one another. In consequence of those brave combatants striking one another and shouting at the top of their voices, the field of battle became awful, resembling the slaughter-ground of creatures (of Rudra himself). The Earth, O Bharata, covered with blood, looked beautiful like a vast plain in the season of rains covered with the red coccinella. Indeed, the Earth assumed the aspect of a youthful maiden of great beauty, attired in white robes dyed with deep red. Variegated with flesh and blood, the field of battle looked as if decked all over with gold. Large numbers of heads severed from trunks and arms and thighs and earrings and other ornaments displaced from the bodies of warriors, O Bharata, and collars and cuirasses and bodies of brave bowmen, and coats of mail, and banners, lay scattered on the ground. Elephants coming against elephants tore one another with their tusks, O king. Struck with the tusks of hostile compeers, elephants looked exceedingly beautiful.

After that, other elephants, and car-warriors, by hundreds, have been destroyed by Bhima in that exercise of his might. Even thus, O Partha, during the progress of this awful battle, the Kauravas, with their steeds and car-warriors and elephants, encountering Bhimasena and thee, O son of Pandu, have from hence repaired to the region of Death. The van of the Kaurava army, O Partha, having been struck down by the Pandavas, Bhishma shot showers of fierce shafts, O sire! Conversant with the highest weapons, he shrouded the Cedis, the Pancalas, the Karushas, the Matsyas, and the Kaikayas with the shafts, and deprived them of life! The welkin became filled with gold-winged and straight coursing shafts, capable of piercing the bodies of all foes, that issued out of his bow. He slew thousands of car-warriors, shooting showers of shafts at a time. In all, he slew a 100,000 men and elephants of great might. Abandoning the diverse motions, each of a new kind, in which they careered, those wicked kings and elephants, while perishing, destroyed many steeds and cars and elephants. Indeed, numberless were the shafts that Bhishma shot in battle. Slaughtering the Pandava host for ten days together, Bhishma made the terraces of numberless cars empty and deprived innumerable elephants and steeds of life. Having assumed the form of Rudra or of Upendra in battle, he afflicted the Pandava divisions and caused a great carnage amongst them. Desirous of rescuing the wicked Suyodhana who was sinking in a raftless sea, he slaughtered many lords of Earth among the Cedis, the Pancalas, and the Kaikayas, and caused a great massacre of the Pandava army teeming with cars and steeds and elephants. Innumerable foot-soldiers among the Srinjayas, all well-armed, and other lords of earth, were incapable of even looking at that hero when he careered in battle like the Sun himself of scorching splendour.

"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.

"Vaisampayana said, 'There occurred a great battle between the diadem-decked Arjuna and the hundreds of Saindhavas who still lived after the slaughter of their clan (on the field of Kurukshetra). Hearing that he of white steeds had entered their territories, those Kshatriyas came out against him, unable to bear that foremost one of Pandu's race. Those warriors who were as terrible as virulent poison, finding the horse within their dominion, seized it without being inspired with any fear of Partha who was the younger brother of Bhimasena. Advancing against Vibhatsu who waited on foot, armed with his bow, upon the sacrificial steed, they assailed him from a near point. Defeated in battle before, those Kshatriyas of mighty energy, impelled by the desire of victory, surrounded that foremost of men. Proclaiming their names and families and their diverse feats, they showered their arrows on Partha. Pouring showers of arrows of such fierce energy as were capable of impeding the course of hostile elephants, those heroes surrounded the son of Kunti, desirous of vanquishing him in battle. Themselves seated on cars, they fought Arjuna of fierce feats who was on foot. From every side they began to strike that hero, that slayer of the Nivatakavachas, that destroyer of the Samasaptakas, that killer of the king of the Sindhus. Surrounding him on every side as within a cage by means of a thousand cars and ten thousand horses, those brave warriors expressed their exaltation. Recollecting the slaughter by Dhananjaya of Jayadratha in battle, O thou of Kuru's race, they poured heavy showers of arrows on that hero like a mass of clouds showering a heavy downpour. Overwhelmed with that arrowy shower, Arjuna looked like the sun covered by a cloud. That foremost son of Pandu, in the midst of that cloud of arrows, resembled a bird in the midst of an iron cage, O Bharata.

As regards ourselves, we have not a bow of that kind, or a warrior like Arjuna, or a charioteer like Krishna. The foolish followers of Duryodhana are not aware of this. O Sanjaya, the blazing thunderbolt falling on the head leaveth something undestroyed, but the arrows, O child, shot by Kiritin leave nothing undestroyed. Even now I behold Dhananjaya shooting his arrows and committing havoc around, picking off heads from bodies with his arrowy showers! Even now I behold the arrowy conflagration, blazing all around, issuing from the Gandiva, consuming in battle the ranks of my sons. Even now it seemeth to me that, struck with panic at the rattle of Savyasachin’s car, my vast army consisting of diverse forces is running away in all directions. As a tremendous conflagration, wandering in all directions, of swelling flames and urged by the wind, consumeth dry leaves and grass, so will the great fame of Arjuna’s weapons consume all my troops. Kiritin, appearing as a foe in battle, will vomit innumerable arrows and become irresistible like all destroying Death urged forward by the Supreme Ordainer. When I shall constantly hear of evil omens of diverse kinds happening in the homes of the Kurus, and around them and on the field of battle, then will destruction, without doubt, overtake the Bharats.’”

“Sanjaya continued, ‘Having said these words, the mighty son of Drupada owning steeds of the hue of pigeons, scattering his shafts, rushed himself at Drona. Beholding that (to him) evil omen in the form of Dhrishtadyumna stationed before him, Drona soon became exceedingly cheerless. Beholding this, that crusher of foes, viz., thy son Durmukha, desirous of doing what was agreeable to Drona, began to resist Dhrishtadyumna. Then a terrible and a fierce battle took place, O Bharata, between the brave son of Prishata and thy son, Durmukha. Then Prishata’s son, quickly covering Durmukha, with a shower of arrows, checked Bharadwaja’s son also with a thick arrowy downpour. Beholding Drona checked, thy son Durmukha quickly rushed at Prishata’s son and confounded him with clouds of arrows of diverse kinds. And while the prince of the Panchalas and that foremost one of Kuru’s race were thus engaged in battle, Drona consumed many sections of Yudhishthira’s host. As a mass of clouds is dispersed in different directions by the wind, even so was Yudhishthira’s host, in many parts of the field, scattered by Drona. For only a short while did that battle look like an ordinary combat. And then, O king, it became an encounter of infuriated persons in which no consideration was shown for anybody. And the combatants could no longer distinguish their own men from the foe. And the battle raged on, the warriors being guided by inferences and watch-words. Upon the gems on their headgears, upon their necklaces and other ornaments, and upon their coats of mail, rays of light like those of the Sun seemed to fall and play. And cars and elephants and steeds, decked with streaming banners, seemed in that battle to resemble masses of clouds with flocks of cranes under them. And men slew men, and steeds of fiery metal slew steeds, and car-warriors slew car-warriors and elephants slew elephants.

Meanwhile Yudhishthira, O thou of Kuru's race, quickly riding on the car of Srutakirti, began to behold the prowess of Karna. Then king Yudhishthira, the just, seeing his troops fast slaughtered, became filled with rage, and addressing his warriors, commanded them, saying, "Slay these enemies. Why are ye inactive?" Then the mighty car-warriors of the Pandavas, headed by Bhimasena, thus commanded by the king, all rushed against thy sons. The shouts then, O Bharata, of the warriors (of both hosts), and the noise made by cars and elephants and steeds and foot-soldiers, and the clash of weapons, became tremendous. "Exert," "Strike," "Face the foe," were the words that the combatants addressed to one another as they began to slay one another in that dreadful battle. And in consequence of the showers of shafts shot by them a shadow as that of the clouds seemed to spread over the field. And in consequence of those rulers of men, covered with arrows, striking one another, they became divested of banners and standards and umbrellas and steeds and drivers and weapons in that battle. Indeed, those lords of Earth, deprived of life and limbs, fell down on the Earth. Looking like the mountain-summits in consequence of their uneven backs, huge elephants with their riders, deprived of life, fell down like mountains riven by thunder. Thousands of steeds, with their armour, equipments, and adornments all torn and broken and displaced, fell down, along with their heroic riders, deprived of life. Car-warriors with weapons loosened from their grasp, and deprived by (hostile) car-warriors of cars and life, and large bands of foot-soldiers, slain by hostile heroes in that dreadful clash, fell down in thousands. The Earth became covered with the heads of heroic combatants intoxicated with battle, heads that were adorned with large and expansive eyes of coppery hue and faces as beautiful as the lotus or the moon.

Cherishest thou, O son of Pritha, with paternal affection the foe that hath been weakened, or him also that hath sought thy shelter, having been vanquished in battle? O lord of Earth, art thou equal unto all men, and can every one approach thee without fear, as if thou wert their mother and father? And O bull of the Bharata race, marchest thou, without loss of time, and reflecting well upon three kinds of forces, against thy foe when thou hearest that he is in distress? O subjugator of all foes beginnest thou thy march when the time cometh, having taken into consideration all the omens you might see, the resolutions thou hast made, and that the ultimate victory depends upon the twelve mandalas (such as reserves, ambuscades, &c, and payment of pay to the troops in advance)? And, O persecutor of all foes, givest thou gems and jewels, unto the principal officers of enemy, as they deserve, without thy enemy’s knowledge? O son of Pritha, seekest thou to conquer thy incensed foes that are slaves to their passions, having first conquered thy own soul and obtained the mastery over thy own senses? Before thou marchest out against thy foes, dost thou properly employ the four arts of reconciliation, gift (of wealth) producing disunion, and application of force? O monarch, goest thou out against thy enemies, having first strengthened thy own kingdom? And having gone out against them, exertest thou to the utmost to obtain victory over them? And having conquered them, seekest thou to protect them with care? Are thy army consisting of four kinds of forces, viz., the regular troops, the allies, the mercenaries, and the irregulars, each furnished with the eight ingredients, viz., cars, elephants, horses, offices, infantry, camp-followers, spies possessing a thorough knowledge of the country, and ensigns led out against thy enemies after having been well trained by superior officers?

“Vasudeva said,--‘Arjuna hath indicated what the inclination should be of one that is born in the Bharata race, especially of one who is the son of Kunti. We know not when death will overtake us, in the night or in the day. Nor have we ever heard that immortality hath been achieved by desisting from fight. This, therefore, is the duty of men, viz., to attack all enemies in accordance with the principles laid down in the ordinance. This always gives satisfaction to the heart. Aided by good policy, if not frustrated by Destiny, an undertaking becomes crowned with success. If both parties aided by such means encounter each other, one must obtain ascendency over the other, for both cannot win or lose. A battle however, if directed by bad policy which again is destitute of the well-known arts, ends in defeat or destruction. If, again, both parties are equally circumstanced, the result becomes doubtful. Both, however, cannot win. When such is the case, why should we not, aided by good policy, directly approach the foe; and destroy him, like the current of the river uprooting a tree? If, disguising our own faults, we attack the enemy taking advantage of his loopholes, why should we not succeed? Indeed, the policy of intelligent men, is that one should not fight openly with foes that are exceedingly powerful and are at the head of their well-arrayed forces. This too is my opinion. If, however, we accomplish our purpose secretly entering the abode of our foe and attacking his person, we shall never earn obloquy. That bull among men--Jarasandha--alone enjoyeth unfaded glory, like unto him who is the self in the heart of every created being. But I see his destruction before me. Desirous of protecting our relatives we will either slay him in battle or shall ascend to heaven being ourselves slain in the end by him.’

“‘Bhishma continued, “While, O king, Rama and Amva were talking thus with each other, the Rishi (Akritavrana) of highly virtuous soul said these words, ‘It behoveth thee not, O mighty-armed one, to desert this girl that seeketh thy protection! If summoned to battle, Bhishma cometh to the encounter and sayeth--“I am vanquished,” or, if he obeyeth thy words, then that which this maiden seeketh will be accomplished, O son of Bhrigu’s race, and the words spoken by thee, O hero, will also, O lord, be true! This also was, O great Muni, the vow then made by thee, O Rama,--the vow made by thee before Brahmanas after thou hadst conquered all the Kshatriyas, viz., that thou wouldst slay in battle the person, be he a Brahmana, a Kshatriya, a Vaisya, or a Sudra, who would be a foe to the Brahmanas. Thou hadst further promised that as long as thou wouldst live thou wouldst not abandon those that would come to thee in fright and seek thy protection, and that thou wouldst, O Bhargava, slay that proud warrior who would vanquish in battle all the assembled Kshatriyas of the earth! O Rama, even Bhishma, that perpetuator of Kuru’s race, hath achieved such success (over all the Kshatriyas)! Approaching him, O son of Bhrigu’s race, encounter him now in battle!’

Beholding the grandsire then turned off by Sweta, the Pandavas were filled with joy, while thy son became cheerless. Duryodhana then, with wrath excited and surrounded by many kings, rushed with his troops against the Pandava host in battle. Then Sweta, abandoning the son of Ganga, slaughtered thy son’s host with great impetuosity like the wind (uprooting) trees with violence. And the son of Virata, senseless with wrath, having routed thy army, advanced (once more), O king, to the place where Bhishma was stationed. And those two high-souled and mighty warriors then, both blazing with their arrows, battled with each other like Vritra and Vasava (of old), desirous, O king, of slaying each other. Drawing (his) bow to the fullest stretch, Sweta pierced Bhishma with seven arrows. The valourous (Bhishma) then, putting forth his prowess, quickly checked his foe’s valour, like an infuriate elephant checking an infuriate compeer. And Sweta then, that delighter of Kshatriyas struck Bhishma, and Bhishma the son of Santanu also pierced him in return with ten arrows. And though pierced by him (thus), that mighty warrior stood still like a mountain. And Sweta again pierced Santanu’s son with five and twenty straight arrows, at which all wondered. Then smiling and licking with his tongue the corners of his mouth, Sweta in that combat cut off Bhishma’s bow into ten fragments with ten arrows. Then aiming a plumed arrow made wholly of iron, (Sweta) crushed the palmyra on the top of the standard of the high-souled (Bhishma). And beholding the standard of Bhishma cut down, thy sons thought that Bhishma was slain, having succumbed to Sweta. And the Pandavas also filled with delight, blew their conches all around. And beholding the palmyra standard of the high-souled Bhishma laid low, Duryodhana, from wrath, urged his own army to the battle. And they all began very carefully to protect Bhishma who was in great distress.

Sanjaya said, “Beholding his brothers and the other kings engaged in battle with Bhishma, Dhananjaya, with weapons upraised, rushed against the son of Ganga. Hearing the blare of Panchajanya and the twang of the bow Gandiva, and seeing also the standard of Pritha’s son, a great fear entered our hearts. And the standard that we beheld, O king, of the wielder of Gandiva bore the device of lion’s tail and looked like a blazing mountain in the welkin. Beautiful and of celestial workmanship, it was variegated with diverse hues, and looking like a risen comet it could not be obstructed by trees. And in that great battle, the warriors beheld Gandiva, the back of whose staff was decked with pure gold, and which looked beautiful like a flash of lightning in the midst of a mass of clouds in the firmament. And while slaying the combatants of thy army, the shouts we heard uttered by Arjuna seemed to resemble the loud roars of Indra himself, and the slaps also of his palms were frightfully loud. Like a roaring mass of clouds charged with lightning and aided by a raging tempest, Arjuna incessantly poured his arrowy showers on all sides, completely shrouding the ten points of the compass. Dhananjaya then possessed of terrible weapons, quickly proceeded towards the son of Ganga. Deprived of four senses in consequence of his weapons, we could not then distinguish the East from the West. And thy warriors, then, O bull of Bharata’s race,--their animals tired, steeds slain, and hearts depressed,--thoroughly confounded[396] and huddling close to one another, sought Bhishma’s protection along with all thy sons. And in that battle Bhishma the son of Santanu became their protector. Struck with fear, car-warriors jumping down from their cars, cavalry soldiers jumping down from the backs of their steeds, and the foot-soldiers where they stood, all began to fall down on the earth.

Dhritarashtra said, “How did those bulls among men, viz., that great bowman Drona, and Dhananjaya the son of Pandu, encounter each other in battle? The son of Pandu is ever dear to the wise son of Bharadwaja. The preceptor also is ever dear to Pritha’s son, O Sanjaya. Both of those car-warriors delight in battle, and both of them are fierce like lions. How therefore, did Bharadwaja’s son and Dhananjaya, both fighting with care encounter each other in battle?”

“Sanjaya said, ‘When the ruler of the Sindhus checked the Pandavas, desirous of success, the battle that took place then between thy troops and the enemy became awful. The invincible son of Arjuna, of sure aim and mighty energy, having penetrated in the (Kaurava) array agitated it like a Makara agitating the ocean. Against that chastiser of foes then, viz., the son of Subhadra, who was thus agitating the hostile host with his arrowy showers, the principal warriors of the Kaurava army rushed, each according to his rank and precedence. The clash between them of immeasurable energy, scattering their arrowy showers with great force, on the one side and Abhimanyu alone on the other, became awful. The son of Arjuna, encompassed on all sides by those enemies with crowds of cars, slew the charioteer of Vrishasena and also cut off his bow. And the mighty Abhimanyu then pierced Vrishasena’s steeds with his straight shafts, upon which those coursers, with the speed of the wind, bore Vrishasena away from the battle. Utilizing that opportunity, Abhimanyu’s charioteer freed his car from that press by taking it away to another part of the field. Those numerous car-warriors then, (beholding this feat) were filled with joy and exclaimed, “Excellent! Excellent!” Seeing the lion-like Abhimanyu angrily slaying the foe with his shafts and advancing from a distance, Vasatiya, proceeding towards him quickly fell upon him with great force. The latter pierced Abhimanyu with sixty shafts of golden wings and addressing him, said, “As long as I am alive, thou shalt not escape with life.” Cased though he was in an iron coat of mail, the son of Subhadra pierced him in the chest with a far-reaching shaft. Thereupon Vasatiya fell down on the earth, deprived of life. Beholding Vasatiya slain, many bulls among Kshatriyas became filled with wrath, and surrounded thy grandson, O king, from a desire of slaying him.

“Sanjaya said, ‘Listen, O thou of great wisdom, to the account of that battle, that makes the hair stand on end, between Drona and the Pandavas headed by Yuyudhana. Beholding the (Kuru) army slaughtered, O sire, by Yuyudhana, Drona himself rushed towards that warrior of unbaffled prowess, called also by the name of Satyaki. Satyaki pierced that mighty car-warrior, viz., the son of Bharadwaja, thus advancing against him, with five and twenty small arrows. Drona also, possessed of great prowess in battle, with deliberate aim, quickly pierced Yuyudhana, with five whetted arrows, equipped with wings of gold. Those arrows, piercing the hard mount of the foe and drinking his life-blood, entered the earth, O king, like hissing snakes. The long-armed Satyaki then, inflamed with rage like an elephant struck with the hook, pierced Drona with fifty long arrows that resembled flames of fire. Then Bharadwaja’s son, thus quickly pierced in battle by Yuyudhana, pierced carefully exerting Satyaki in return with many arrows. Then that great bowman, endued with great might, and filled with rage, once more afflicted that hero of the Satwata race with many straight shafts. Thus struck in that battle by the son of Bharadwaja, Satyaki, O monarch, knew not what to do. Then, O king, Yuyudhana’s face became cheerless, seeing the son of Bharadwaja shoot countless keen arrows. Beholding Satyaki thus situated, thy sons and troops, O king, becoming exceedingly cheerful, repeatedly uttered leonine roars. Hearing that terrible uproar and beholding that hero of Madhu’s race thus afflicted, king Yudhishthira, O monarch, addressing all his soldiers, said, “That foremost one among the Vrishnis, viz., the brave Satyaki, of prowess incapable of being baffled, is about to be devoured by the heroic Drona, like the sun by Rahu. Go and rush ye to the spot where Satyaki is battling.” The king, addressing Dhrishtadyumna of the Panchala race, said, “Rush thou with speed at Drona.

Thou canst not, therefore, frighten me with only words smacking of battle or with speeches that insult the good. If, O king, thou wishest to fight with me today, be cruel and strike me with keen shafts and I will also strike thee. Thy son, the mighty car-warrior Bhurisravas, O king, had been slain. Sala also, and Vrishasena, have been crushed by me. Thee also today I shall slay, with thy sons and kinsmen. Stay with resolution in battle, for thou, O Kaurava, art endued with great strength. Thou art already slain in consequence of the energy of that drum-bannered king Yudhishthira in whom are always charity, and self-restraint, and purity of heart, compassion, and modesty, and intelligence, and forgiveness, and all else that is indestructible. Thou shalt meet with destruction along with Karna and Suvala’s son. I swear by Krishna’s feet and by all my good acts that, filled with rage, I shall, with my shafts, slay thee with thy sons in battle. If thou fliest away from battle, then mayst thou have safety.” Having thus addressed each other, with eyes red in wrath, those foremost of men began to shoot their shafts at each other. Then with a thousand cars and ten thousand horses, Duryodhana took his station, encompassing Somadatta. Sakuni also, filled with rage, and armed with every weapon and surrounded by his sons and grandsons as also by his brothers, that were equal to Indra himself in prowess (did the same). Thy brother-in-law, O king, young in years and of body hard as the thunder-bolt and possessed of wisdom, had a hundred thousand horses of the foremost valour with him. With these he encompassed the mighty bowman Somadatta. Protected by those mighty warriors, Somadatta covered Satyaki (with clouds of shafts). Beholding Satyaki thus covered with clouds of straight shafts, Dhrishtadyumna proceeded towards him in rage and accompanied by a mighty force.

Other Kshatriyas, who were exceedingly mangled, who had lost many of their kinsmen, and who were still being afflicted with the arrows of the enemy, said these words in indistinct tones, "Let us slay these forces by whom we are encompassed! Behold, the Pandavas are coming hither, after having slain the elephants!" Hearing these words of theirs, the mighty Ashvatthama, piercing through that irresistible force of the Pancala king, proceeded with Kripa and Kritavarma to the spot where Subala's son was. Indeed, those heroes, those firm bowmen, leaving the car-force, repaired (in search of Duryodhana). After they had gone away, the Pandavas, headed by Dhrishtadyumna, advanced, O king, and began to slay their enemies. Beholding those valiant and heroic and mighty car-warriors cheerfully rushing towards them, thy troops, amongst whom the faces of many had turned pale, became hopeless of their lives. Seeing those soldiers of ours almost deprived of weapons and surrounded (by the foe), I myself, O king, having only two kinds of forces, and becoming reckless of life, joined the five leaders of our army, and fought with the forces of the Pancala prince, posting our men on that spot where Saradwat's son was stationed. We had been afflicted with the shafts of Kiritin. Nevertheless, a fierce battle took place between us and the division of Dhrishtadyumna. At last, vanquished by the latter, all of us retreated from that encounter. I then beheld the mighty car-warrior Satyaki rushing against us. With four hundred cars that hero pursued me in battle. Having escaped with difficulty from Dhrishtadyumna whose steeds had been tired, I fell among the forces of Madhava even as a sinner falleth into hell. There a fierce and terrible battle took place for a short while. The mighty-armed Satyaki, having cut off my armour, became desirous of taking me alive. He seized me while I lay down on the ground insensible.

“‘“Thou must also say unto Vasudeva in the presence of the Pandavas these words,--For thy own sake, as also for the sake of the Pandavas, withstand me in battle to the best of thy power! Assuming once more that form which thou hadst assumed before in the Kuru court, rush thou with Arjuna against me (on the field)! A conjuror’s tricks or illusions may (sometimes) inspire fright. But as regards the person that stands armed for fight, such deceptions (instead of inspiring fight) only provoke anger! We also are competent, by our powers of illusion, to ascend to heaven or the firmament, or penetrate into the nether region, or the city of Indra! We also can display various forms in our own body! The great Ordainer bringeth all creatures to subjection by a fiat of His will (and never by such conjuror’s tricks)! Thou always sayest, O thou of Vrishni’s race, these words, viz.,--Causing the sons of Dhritarashtra to be slain in battle, I will confer undisputed sovereignty on the sons of Pritha!--These words of thine were brought to me by Sanjaya. Thou hadst also said, ‘Know, ye Kauravas that it is with Arjuna, having me for his second, ye have provoked hostilities!’ Truthfully adhering to that pledge, put forth thy energy for the Pandavas and fight now in battle to the best of thy power! Show us that thou canst be a man! He is said to be truly alive, who, having ascertained (the might of his) foes inspireth grief in them by resorting to true manliness! Without any reason, O Krishna, great hath been thy fame spread in the world! It will, however, presently be known that there are many persons in the world that are really eunuchs though possessed of the signs of manhood. A slave of Kansa, especially as thou art, a monarch like me should not cover himself in mail against thee!

Then the son of Bharadwaja, desirous of rescuing the princes, speedily left that part of the field where he was and proceeded to the place where thy sons were. And that mighty bowman viz., Bharadwaja’s son of great prowess, there beheld Dhrishtadyumna and Bhima careering through the field in that dreadful conflict. And that mighty car-warrior beheld thy sons deprived of their senses. Taking up then the weapon called Prajna, he neutralised the Pramohana weapon (that Dhrishtadyumna had shot). Then thy sons those mighty car-warriors, when their senses returned, once more proceeded to battle with Bhima and Prishata’s son. Then Yudhishthira, addressing his own troops said, ‘Let twelve brave car-warriors cased in mail and headed by Subhadra’s son, follow, to the utmost of their might, the track of Bhima and Prishata’s son in battle. Let intelligence be had (of those two warriors). My heart is very uneasy.’ Thus ordered by the king, those heroes possessed of great prowess in battle and proud of their manliness, saying ‘Yes,’ all proceeded forward when the sun had reached the meridian. And those chastisers of foes then, viz., the Kaikeyas and the sons of Draupadi, and Dhrishtaketu of great prowess, supported by a large force and with Abhimanyu at their head, and disposing themselves in the array called Suchimukha,[405] penetrated into that car-division of the Dhartarashtras in battle. And thy troops, O king, struck with the fear of Bhimasena and deprived of their senses by Dhrishtadyumna, were unable to resist (the rush of) those mighty bowmen headed by Abhimanyu. And they were quite helpless, like a lady in the streets. And those mighty bowmen with standards variegated with gold cutting through (the Kaurava ranks), proceeded with great speed for rescuing Dhrishtadyumna and Vrikodara. And the latter, beholding those mighty bowmen headed by Abhimanyu, became filled with delight and continued to smite down thy ranks. And the heroic prince of Panchala, viz.

Without doubt, under those circumstances, the Panchala prince determined to make an end of that foremost of preceptors, that high-souled warrior. Sometimes sheltering himself in his car-box and sometimes riding on his car-shafts, the prince moved about, uplifting his swords and whirling his bright shield. The mighty car-warrior Dhrishtadyumna, desirous of achieving, from folly, a difficult feat, hoped to pierce the chest of Bharadwaja’s son in that battle. Sometimes, he stayed upon the yoke, and sometimes under the haunches of Drona’s red steeds. These movements of his were highly applauded by all the troops. Indeed, while he stayed amid the trappings of the yoke or behind those red steeds, Drona found no opportunity to strike him. All this seemed exceedingly wonderful. The movements of both Drona and Prishata’s son in that battle resembled the fight of hawk careering through the welkin for a piece of meat. Then Drona, by means of a dart pierced the white steeds of his antagonist, one after another, not striking, however, the red ones amongst them (that belonged to himself)[254]. Deprived of life, those steeds of Dhrishtadyumna fell down upon the earth. Thereupon, the red steeds of Drona himself, O king, were freed from the entanglements of Dhrishtadyumna’s car. Beholding his steeds slain by that foremost of Brahmanas, Prishata’s son, that mighty car-warrior, that foremost of fighters, could not brook it. Though deprived of his car, still that foremost of all swordsmen, armed with his sword, sprang towards Drona, O monarch, like Vinata’s son (Garuda) making a swoop at a snake. The form, O king, of Dhrishtadyumna at that time, when he sought to slay the son of Bharadwaja, resembled the form of Vishnu himself in days of yore when at the point of slaying Hiranyakasipu. He performed diverse evolutions, in fact. O Kauravya, the son of Prishata, careering in that battle, exhibited the well-known one and twenty different kinds of motion.

The burden of his slaughter rests upon thee.” Thus addressed by Bhima, the mighty-armed Dhrishtadyumna speedily took up a strong, a new and a superb bow capable of bearing a great strain. Filled with rage, and shooting his arrows in that battle at the irresistible Drona, Dhrishtadyumna covered the preceptor, desirous of withstanding him. Those two ornaments of battle then, both foremost of fighters and both filled with rage, invoked into existence the Brahma and diverse other celestial weapons. Indeed, O king, Dhrishtadyumna covered Drona with many mighty weapons in that encounter. Destroying all the weapons of Bharadwaja’s son, the Panchala prince, that warrior of unfading glory, began to slay the Vasatis, the Sivis, the Valhikas and the Kurus, that is, them, who protected Drona in that battle. Indeed, O king, shooting showers of arrows on all sides, Dhrishtadyumna at that time looked resplendent like the sun himself shedding his thousands of rays. Drona, however, once more cut off the prince’s bow and pierced the vitals of the prince himself with many arrows. Thus pierced, the prince felt great pain. Then Bhima, of great wrath, holding the car of Drona, O monarch, slowly said these words unto him: “If wretches amongst Brahmanas, discontented with the avocations of their own order, but well-versed in arms, did not fight, the Kshatriya order then would not have been thus exterminated. Abstention from injury to all creatures hath been said to be the highest of all virtues. The Brahmana is the root of that virtue. As regards thyself, again, thou art the foremost of all persons acquainted with Brahma. Slaying all those Mlecchas and other warriors, who, however, are all engaged in the proper avocations of their order, moved thereto by ignorance and folly, O Brahmana, and by the desire of wealth for benefiting sons and wives; indeed, for the sake of an only son, why dost thou not feel ashamed?

Then the mighty car-warrior Susharma, O monarch, beholding his army thus paralysed, quickly invoked the weapon called Sauparna. Thereupon numerous birds began to come down and devour those snakes. The latter again, at the sight of rangers of the sky, began, O king, to fly away. Freed from that foot-tying weapon, the Samsaptaka force, O monarch, looked like the Sun himself giving light unto all creatures, when freed from clouds. Thus liberated, those warriors once more shot their arrows, O sire, and hurled their weapons at Arjuna's car. And all of them pierced Partha with numerous weapons. Cutting off with his own arrowy downpour that shower of mighty weapons Vasava's son, that slayer of hostile heroes, began to slaughter those warriors. Then Susharma, O king, with a straight arrow, pierced Arjuna in the chest, and then he pierced him with three other shafts. Deeply pierced therewith, and feeling great pain, Arjuna sat down on the terrace of his car. Then all the troops loudly cried out, saying, "Partha is slain." At this the blare of conchs, and the peal of drums, and the sound of diverse musical instruments, and loud leonine shouts, arose there. Recovering his senses, Partha of immeasurable soul, owning white steeds and having Krishna for his driver, speedily invoked the Aindra weapon. Then thousands of arrows, O sire, issuing from that weapon, were seen on all sides to slay kings and elephants. And steeds and warriors, in hundreds and thousands, were also seen to be slaughtered in that battle, with these weapons. Then while the troops were thus being slaughtered, a great fear entered the hearts of all the samsaptakas and Gopalas, O Bharata. There was no man amongst them that could fight with Arjuna. There in the very sight of all the heroes, Arjuna began to destroy thy troops. Beholding that slaughter, all of them remained perfectly inactive, without putting forth their prowess.

Vaisampayana continued, “Thus raged that conflict with weapons between those warriors conversant with all weapons. And when that conflict of celestial weapons ceased, then commenced a conflict with arrows. And Jishnu approaching his opponent, cut off with an arrow sharp like a razor the gold-decked bow of Bhishma. Within the twinkling of the eye, however, Bhishma, that mighty-armed and great car-warrior, took up another bow and stringed it. And inflamed with wrath, he showered upon Dhananjaya a cloud of arrows. And Arjuna, too, endued with great energy, rained upon Bhishma innumerable sharp-pointed and keen-edged arrows. And Bhishma also shot clouds of arrows upon Pandu’s son. And conversant with celestial weapons and engaged in shooting at each other, arrows of keen points, no distinction, O king, could then be perceived between those illustrious warriors. And that mighty car-warrior, Kunti’s son, covered with a diadem, and the heroic son of Santanu, obscured the ten directions with their arrows. And the Pandava covered Bhishma, and Bhishma also covered the Pandava, with clouds of shafts. And, O king, wonderful was this combat that took place in this world of men. And the heroic warriors that protected Bhishma’s car, slain by the son of Pandu, fell prostrate, O monarch, beside the car of Kunti’s son. And the feathery arrows of Swetavahana, shot from the Gandiva, fell in all directions as if with the object of making a wholesale slaughter of the foe. And issuing forth from his car those blazing arrows furnished with golden wings looked like rows of swans in the sky. And all the celestials with Indra, stationed in the firmament, gazed with wonder upon another celestial weapon hurled with great force by that wonderful archer Arjuna. And beholding that wonderful weapon of great beauty, the mighty Gandiva, Chitrasena, highly pleased, addressed the lord of celestials, saying, ‘Behold these arrows shot by Partha coursing through the sky in one continuous line.

I shall now fight in battle against Bhishma, and Drona and Kripa and Salya and Jayadratha and all the proud monarchs (on the Kuru side)’. When that foremost of princes, that slayer of foes, the son of Prishata, said this defiantly, the Pandava warriors, endued with great energy and incapable of being defeated in battle, all set up a loud shout. And then Pritha’s son Yudhishthira said unto the commander of his army, the son of Prishata, (these words), ‘An array known by the name of Krauncharuma, that is destructive of all foes, and that was spoken of by Vrihaspati unto Indra in days of old when the gods and the Asuras fought,--that array destructive of hostile divisions, do thou form. Unseen before, the kings behold it, along with the Kurus.’ Thus addressed by that god among men, like Vishnu addressed by the wielder of the thunderbolt,[354] he (Dhrishtadyumna), when morning dawned, placed Dhananjaya in the van of the whole army. And Dhananjaya’s standard, created at Indra’s command by the celestial artificer, while moving through the skies, seemed wonderfully beautiful. Decked with banners bearing hues resembling those of Indra’s bow,[355] coursing through the air like a ranger of the skies, and looking like the fleeting edifice of vapour in the welkin, it seemed, O sire to glide dancingly along the track of the car (to which it was attached). And the bearer of Gandiva with that (standard) graced with gems, and that standard itself with the bearer of Gandiva, looked highly adorned, like the Self-create with the Sun (and the Sun with the Self-create).[356] And king Drupada, surrounded by a large number of troops, became the head (of that array). And the two kings Kuntibhoja and Saivya became its two eyes. And the ruler of the Dasarnas, and the Prayagas, with the Dasarakas, and the Anupakas, and the Kiratas were placed in its neck, O bull of Bharata’s race.

Sanjaya said, “I will presently describe to thee, O sire, the awful battle that took place between that foremost of the Rakshasas and the son of Subhadra. I will also describe to thee the prowess that Arjuna put forth in battle, and Bhimasena the son of Pandu, and Nakula, and Sahadeva, as also the warriors of thy army headed by Bhishma and Drona, all of whom fearlessly achieved wonderful feats of diverse kinds. Alamvusha, uttering loud shouts and repeatedly roaring at Abhimanyu, rushed impetuously against that mighty car-warrior in battle, saying, ‘Wait, Wait’--Abhimanyu also, repeatedly roaring like a lion, rushed with a great force at that mighty bowman, viz., the son of Rishyasringa, who was an implacable foe of the former’s sire. Soon then those two foremost of car-warriors, man and Rakshasa, on their cars, encountered each other, like a god and Danava. That best of Rakshasa were endued with powers of illusion, while Phalguni’s son was acquainted with celestial weapons. Then Abhimanyu, O king, pierced Rishyasringa’s son in that battle with three sharp shafts and once more with five. Alamvusha, also, excited with wrath, speedily pierced Abhimanyu in the chest with nine shafts like a guide piercing an elephant with hooks. Then, O Bharata, that wanderer of the night, endued with great activity, afflicted Arjuna’s son in that combat with a thousand arrows. Then Abhimanyu excited with rage, pierced that prince of the Rakshasas in his wide chest with nine straight shafts of great sharpness. Piercing through his body these penetrated into his very vitals. And that best of Rakshasas, his limbs mangled by them, looked beautiful like a mountain overgrown with flowering Kinsukas. Bearing those shafts of golden wings on his body, that mighty prince of Rakshasas looked radiant like a mountain on fire. Then the vindictive son of Rishyasringa, inflamed with wrath, covered Abhimanyu, who was equal unto Mahendra himself, with clouds of winged arrows.

“Sanjaya said, ‘Then all those kings of thy army, incapable of being easily defeated in battle, angrily proceeded against Yuyudhana’s car, unable to brook (his feats). Mounting on their well-equipped cars, O king, that were decked with gold and jewels, and accompanied also by cavalry and elephants, they encompassed the Satwata hero. Hemming him on all sides those mighty car-warriors, challenging that hero, uttered loud leonine roars. Those great heroes, desirous of slaying him of Madhu’s race, poured their keen arrows on Satyaki of invincible prowess. Beholding them thus advancing with speed towards him, that slayer of hostile hosts, viz., the mighty-armed grandson of Sini, took up and shot many shafts. The heroic and great bowman Satyaki, invincible in battle, cut off many heads with his fierce and straight arrows. And he of Madhu’s race also cut off the trunks of many elephants, the necks of many steeds, and arms decked with Angadas of many warriors, by means of razor-faced arrows. With the fallen yak-tails and white umbrellas, O Bharata, the field of battle became almost full, and resembled the firmament, O lord, with stars. The wails of the host thus slaughtered in battle, O Bharata, by Yuyudhana, became as loud as those of shrieking ghosts (in hell). With that loud uproar the earth became filled, and the night became fiercer and more terrible. Beholding his host, afflicted with Yuyudhana’s arrows breaking, and hearing that tremendous uproar at dead of night making the hair stand on end, thy son, that mighty car-warrior, addressing his driver, repeatedly said, “Urge the steeds to that spot whence this uproar cometh.” Then king Duryodhana, that firm bowman, above all modes of warfare, rushed against Yuyudhana. Madhava pierced Duryodhana with a dozen blood-drinking shafts, sped from his bow drawn to its fullest stretch. Thus afflicted with arrows by Yuyudhana first, Duryodhana, excited with rage, pierced the grandson of Sini in return with ten arrows.

"Sanjaya said, 'Then those two vast armies, teeming with rejoicing men and steeds and elephants, resembling in splendour the celestial and the Asura hosts, meeting together, began to strike each other. Men, cars, steeds, elephants, and foot-soldiers of fierce prowess, made sturdy strokes destructive of bodies and sin. Lion-like men strewed the Earth with the heads of lion-like men, each resembling the full moon or the sun in splendour and the lotus in fragrance. Combatants cut off the heads of combatants, with crescent-shaped and broad-headed shafts and razor-faced arrows and axes, and battle-axes. The arms of men of long and massive arms, cut off by men of long and massive arms, falling upon the Earth, shone, decked with weapons and bracelets. With those writhing arms adorned with red fingers and palms, the Earth looked resplendent as if strewn with fierce five-headed snakes slain by Garuda. From elephants and cars and steeds, brave warriors fell down, struck by foes, like the denizens of heaven from their celestial cars on the exhaustion of their merits. Other brave warriors fell down by hundreds, crushed in that battle by brave combatants with heavy maces spiked clubs and short bludgeons. Cars also, in that tumultuous fight, were crushed by cars, and infuriate elephants by infuriate compeers, and horsemen by horsemen. Men destroyed by cars, and cars by elephants, and horsemen by foot-soldiers, and foot-soldiers by horsemen, dropped down on the field, as also cars and steeds and foot-soldiers destroyed by elephants and cars and steeds and elephants by foot-soldiers, and cars and foot-soldiers and elephants by steeds and men and elephants by cars. Great was the carnage made of car-warriors and steeds and elephants and men by men and steeds and elephants and car-warriors, using their hands and feet and weapons and cars. When that host was being thus struck and slain by heroic warriors the Parthas, headed by Vrikodara, advanced against us.

"Sanjaya said, 'Once more Keshava of immeasurable soul said these words unto Arjuna, who, O Bharata, was advancing (to battle), firmly resolved upon slaying Karna, "Today is the seventeenth day, O Bharata, of this terrible massacre of men and elephants and steeds. At the outset vast was the host that belonged to you. Encountering the foe in battle, that host has been very much reduced in numbers, O king! The Kauravas also, O Partha, were numerous at first, teeming with elephants and steeds. Encountering thee, however, as their foe, they have been nearly exterminated in the van of battle! These lords of Earth and these Srinjayas, united together, and these Pandava troops also, obtaining thy invincible self as their leader, are maintaining their ground on the field. Protected by thee, O slayer of foes, the Pancalas, the Matsyas, the Karushas, and the Cedis, have caused a great destruction of thy foes. Who is there that can vanquish the assembled Kauravas in battle? On the other hand, who is there that can vanquish the mighty car-warriors of the Pandavas protected by thee? Thou, however, art competent to vanquish in battle the three worlds consisting of the gods, the Asuras, and human beings, united together. What need I say then of the Kaurava host? Save thee, O tiger among men, who else is there, even if he resemble Vasava himself in prowess, that could vanquish king Bhagadatta? So also, O sinless one, all the lords of earth, united together, are incapable, O Partha, of even gazing at this vast force that is protected by thee. So also, O Partha, it is owing to their having been always protected by thee that Dhrishtadyumna and Shikhandi succeeded in slaying Drona and Bhishma. Who, indeed, O Partha, could vanquish in battle those two mighty car-warriors of the Bharatas, Bhishma and Drona, both of whom were endued with prowess equal to that of Sakra himself?

Elephant divisions, O monarch, slaughtered by high-souled warriors, dispersed in all directions like wind-tossed clouds. Those elephants, looking like clouds, fell down on the Earth, like mountains riven with thunder, O lord, on the occasion of the dissolution of the world at the end of the Yuga. Heaps upon heaps, looking like mountains, were seen, lying on the ground, of fallen steeds with their riders. A river appeared on the field of battle, flowing towards the other world. Blood formed its waters and cars its eddies. Standards formed its trees, and bones its pebbles. The arms (of combatants) were its alligators, bows its current, elephants its large rocks, and steeds its smaller ones. Fat and marrow formed its mire, umbrellas its swans, and maces its rafts. Abounding with armour and head-gears, banners constituted its beautiful trees. Teeming with wheels that formed its swarms of Chakravakas, it was covered with Trivenus and Dandas. Inspiring the brave with delight and enhancing the fears of the timid, that fierce river set in, whose shores abounded with Kurus and Srinjayas. Those brave warriors, with arms resembling spiked bludgeons, by the aid of their vehicles and animals serving the purposes of rafts and boats, crossed that awful river which ran towards the region of the dead. During the progress of that battle, O monarch, in which no consideration was shown by anybody for anyone, and which, fraught with awful destruction of the four kinds of forces, therefore, resembled the battle between the gods and the Asuras in days of old, some among the combatants, O scorcher of foes, loudly called upon their kinsmen and friends. Some, called upon by crying kinsmen, returned, afflicted with fear. During the progress of that fierce and awful battle, Arjuna and Bhimasena stupefied their foes. That vast host of thine, O ruler of men, thus slaughtered, swooned away on the field, like a woman under the influence of liquor.

“Sanjaya said, ‘O Bharata, Dhrishtadyumna is always urging the Pandavas to war, saying, “Fight ye, best among the Bharatas. Do not entertain the least fear. All those rulers of the earth, who, courted by Dhritarashtra’s son, will become in that fierce encounter targets of showers of weapons,--indeed, I alone will encounter all those angry kings assembled together with their relatives, like a whale seizing little fishes from the water. Bhishma and Drona and Kripa and Karna and Drona’s son and Salya and Suyodhana,--them all I withstand, like the bank resisting the swelling sea.” Unto him saying thus, the virtuous king Yudhishthira said, “The Panchalas and the Pandavas wholly depend upon thy prowess and steadiness. Rescue us safely from the war. I know, O mighty-armed one, that thou art firm in the duties of the Kshatriya order. Thou art, indeed, quite competent to smite alone the Kauravas. When the latter, eager for fight, will stand before us, what thou, O repressor of foes, wilt arrange, will certainly be for our good. Even this is the opinion of those acquainted with the scriptures, that the hero, who, displaying his prowess, relieth on those that after the rout run away from the battle-field, seeking for protection, is to be bought with a thousand. Thou, O bull among men, art brave, mighty, and powerful. Without doubt, thou art that deliverer of those that are over-powered with fear on the field of battle.” And when the righteous Yudhishthira the son of Kunti said this, Dhrishtadyumna fearlessly addressed me in these words, “Go thou, O Suta, without delay, and say unto all those that have come to fight for Duryodhana, say unto the Kurus of the Pratipa dynasty with the Vahlikas, the son of Saradwata and Karna and Drona, and Drona’s son, and Jayadratha, and Dussasana, and Vikarna and king Duryodhana, and Bhishma,--Do not suffer yourselves to be slain by Arjuna, who is protected by the celestials.

“Kripa said, ‘If having resolved on fight, thou hadst not come to me (thus), I would have cursed thee, O king, for thy complete overthrow. A man is the slave of wealth, but wealth is no one’s slave. This is very true, O king, and bound I have been with wealth by the Kauravas. I must, O king, fight for their sake. This is my opinion. I therefore, speak like a eunuch in asking thee,--“Battle excepted, what dost thou desire?”’

“On the forenoon of that day, O king, great was the carnage that ensued, resembling what occurred in the battle between the gods and the Asuras (of old). Listen to it, O monarch, with undivided attention. The two princes of Avanti, those great bowmen endued with exceeding might, those excellent warriors fierce in battle, beholding Iravat, advanced against him. The battle that took place between them was fierce, making the hair stand on end. Then Iravat, excited with rage, quickly pierced those two brothers of celestial forms with many sharp and straight shafts. Those two, however, conversant with all modes of warfare, pierced him in return in that battle. Struggling their best to slaughter the foe, and desirous of counteracting each other’s feats, no distinction, O king, could be observed between them as they fought. Iravat then, O monarch, with four shafts, despatched the four steeds of Anuvinda to the abode of Yama. And with a couple of sharp, broad-headed shafts, O sire, he cut off the bow and standard also of Anuvinda. And this feat, O king, seemed highly wonderful. Then Anuvinda, leaving his own car, mounted on the car of Vinda. Taking up an excellent and strong bow capable of bearing a great strain, Anuvinda, as also his brother Vinda, those foremost of car-warriors hailing from Avanti, both stationed on the same car, quickly shot many shafts at the high-souled Iravat. Shot by them, those shafts of great impetuosity decked with gold, while coursing through the air, covered the welkin.[414] Then Iravat, excited with rage, showered on those mighty car-warriors, those two brothers (of Avanti) his arrowy down-pours, and felled their charioteer. When the charioteer, deprived of life, fell down on the ground, the horses, no longer restrained, ran away with the car. Having vanquished those two warriors, that daughter’s son of the king of the Nagas, displaying his prowess, then began to consume with great activity thy ranks.

“Dhritarashtra said, ‘Hearing, O Sanjaya, of the slaughter, by unrighteous means, of his aged sire, by Dhrishtadyumna, what did the valiant Aswatthaman say, he, that is, in whom human and Varuna and Agneya and Brahma and Aindra and Narayana weapons are always present? Indeed, learning that the preceptor, that foremost of virtuous men, had been unrighteously slain by Dhrishtadyumna in battle, what did Aswatthaman say? The high-souled Drona, having obtained the science of weapons from Rama have imparted (a knowledge of) all the celestial weapons unto his son desirous of seeing the latter adorned with all the accomplishments (of a warrior). There is only one person in this world, viz., the son, and none else, whom people desire to become superior to themselves. All high-souled preceptors have this characteristic, viz., that they impart all the mysteries of their science unto either sons or devoted disciples. Becoming his sire’s pupil, O Sanjaya, and obtaining all those mysteries with every detail, the son of Saradwat’s daughter has become a second Drona, and a great hero. Aswatthaman is equal to Karna in knowledge of weapons, to Purandara in battle, to Kartavirya in energy, and Vrihaspati in wisdom. In fortitude, that youth is equal to a mountain, and in energy to fire. In gravity, he is equal to an ocean, and in wrath, to the poison of the snake. He is the foremost of all car-warriors in battle, a firm bowman, and above all fatigue. In speed he is equal to the wind itself and he careens in the thick of fight like Yama in rage. While his engaged in shooting arrows in battle, the very earth becomes afflicted. Of prowess incapable of being baffled, that hero is never fatigued by exertions. Purified by the Vedas and by vows, he is a thorough master of the science of arms, like Rama, the son of Dasaratha. He is like the ocean, incapable of being agitated.

The mighty Jayatsena the son of Jarasandha, the prince of the Magadhas, O king, hath been slain in battle by the high-souled son of Subhadra. Thy son Durmukha, O king, as also thy other son Dussaha, that mighty car-warrior, both of whom were regarded as heroes, have been slain by Bhimasena with his mace. Durmarshana and Durvisaha and the mighty car-warrior Durjaya, having achieved the most difficult feats, have gone to Yama's abode. The two brothers Kalinga and Vrishaka, who were invincible in battle, having achieved very difficult feats have gone to Yama's abode. Thy counsellor Vrishavarman of the Suta caste, endued with great energy, hath been despatched to Yama's abode by Bhimasena exerting himself with prowess. So also king Paurava who was endued with the might of 10,000 elephants, hath, with all his followers, been slain by Pandu's son Arjuna. The Vasatis, O king, numbering 2,000, effectual smiters of all, as also the Surasenas endued with prowess, have all been slain in battle. The Abhishahas, clad in mail, capable of smiting effectually, and fierce in battle, also the Sivis, those foremost of car-warriors, with the Kalingas, have all been slain. Those other heroes also, (the Narayana Gopas) who live and grew in Gokula, who were exceedingly wrathful in battle, and who never retreated from the field have been slain by Savyasaci. Many thousands of Srenis, as also the samsaptakas, approaching Arjuna, have all repaired to the abode of Yama. Thy two brothers-in-law, viz., the princes Vrishaka and Achala, who were endued with great prowess, have for thy sake been slain by Savyasaci. King Shalva of mighty arms and fierce deeds, who was a great bowman both in name and feats, hath been slain by Bhimasena. Oghavat, O king, and Vrishanta, fighting together in battle and exerting themselves with great vigour for the sake of their ally, have both repaired to Yama's abode. So also that foremost of car-warriors, viz.

, Krishna and Dhananjaya, coming towards him, the mighty Ashvatthama made great efforts for slaying Dhrishtadyumna soon. Seeing Dhrishtadyumna dragged, O ruler of men, by his enemy, the mighty Partha sped many arrows at the son of Drona. Those arrows, decked with gold and sped from Gandiva, approached the son of Drona and pierced him deeply like snakes penetrating into an ant-hill. Thus pierced with those terrible arrows, the valiant son of Drona, O king, abandoned the Pancala prince of immeasurable energy. Indeed, the hero, thus afflicted with Dhananjaya's shafts, mounted on his car, and taking up his own excellent bow, began to pierce Partha with many shafts. Meanwhile, the heroic Sahadeva, O ruler of men, bore away on his car the son of Prishata, that scorcher of foes. Arjuna then, O king, pierced Drona's son with many arrows. Filled with rage, Drona's son struck Arjuna in the arms and the chest. Thus provoked, Partha, in that battle, sped at Drona's son, a long shaft that resembled a second rod of Death, or rather, Death himself. That arrow of great splendour fell upon the shoulder of the Brahmana hero. Exceedingly agitated, O monarch, in that battle, by the violence of the stroke, he sat down on the terrace of his car and swooned away. Then Karna, O monarch, shook his bow Vijaya and, filled with rage, repeatedly eyed Arjuna in that battle, desiring a single combat with him. Meanwhile the driver of Drona's son, beholding the latter senseless, quickly bore him away on his car from the field of battle. Beholding Prishata's son rescued and Drona's son afflicted, the Pancalas, O king, expectant of victory, began to utter loud shouts. Thousands of sweet instruments began to be sounded. Seeing such wonderful feats in battle, the combatants uttered leonine roars. Having achieved that feat, Partha addressed Vasudeva, saying "Proceed, O Krishna, towards the samsaptakas, for this is greatly desired by me."

"Sanjaya said, 'Hearing the roars of cars and the leonine shouts (of the warriors) in battle, Arjuna addressed Govinda, saying, "Urge the steeds to greater speed." Hearing these words of Arjuna, Govinda said unto him, "I am proceeding with great speed to the spot where Bhima is stationed." Then many lions among men (belonging to the Kaurava army), excited with wrath and accompanied by a large force of cars and horse and elephants and foot-soldiers and making the earth resound with the whizz of their arrows, the rattle of their car wheels, and the tread of their horses' hoofs, advanced against Jaya (Arjuna) as the latter proceeded for victory, borne by his steeds white as snow or conchs and decked in trappings of gold and pearls and gems like the chief of the celestials in great wrath proceeding, armed with the thunder, against (the asura) Jambha for slaying him. Between them and Partha, O sire, occurred a great battle destructive of body, life, and sin, like the battle between the Asuras and the god Vishnu, that foremost of victors for the sake of the three worlds. Alone, Partha, decked with diadem and garlands, cut off the mighty weapons sped by them, as also their heads and arms in diverse ways, with his razor-faced and crescent-shaped and broad-headed arrows of great keenness. Umbrellas, and yak-tails for fanning, and standards, and steeds, and cars, and bands of foot-soldiers, and elephants, fell down on the earth, mutilated in diverse ways, like a forest broken down by a tempest. Huge elephants, decked in caparisons of gold and equipped with triumphal standards and warriors (on their backs), looked resplendent, as they were pierced with shafts of golden wings, like mountains ablaze with light. Piercing elephants and steeds and cars with excellent shafts resembling Vasava's thunder, Dhananjaya proceeded quickly for the slaughter of Karna, even as Indra in days of yore for riving (the asura) Vala.