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The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2 by or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli

o >> or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli >> The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2






SECTION CLXVI

'Sanjaya said, 'Karna, the son of Vikartana,[222] O king, resisted the
mighty car-warrior Sahadeva in that battle, who advanced from desire of
getting at Drona. Piercing the son of Radha with nine shafts, Sahadeva
once more pierced that warrior with nine straight arrows. Karna then
pierced Sahadeva in return with a hundred straight shafts, and displaying
great lightness in hand, cut off the latter's stringed bow. Then the
valiant son of Madri, taking up another bow, pierced Karna with twenty
arrows. This feat of his seemed exceedingly wonderful. Then Karna,
slaying Sahadeva's steeds with many straight shafts, speedily despatched
the latter's driver with a broad-headed shaft, to Yama's abode. This
carless Sahadeva then took up a sword and a shield. Even those weapons
were cut off by Karna smiling the while. Then the mighty Sahadeva, in
that encounter, sped towards the car of Vikartana's son, a heavy and
terrible mace decked with gold. Karna, then with his shafts, quickly cut
off that mace which hurled by Sahadeva, coursed towards him impetuously,
and caused it to fall down on the earth. Beholding his mace cut off,
Sahadeva quickly hurled a dart at Karna. That dart also was cut off by
Karna. The son of Madri, then, quickly jumping down from his excellent
car, and blazing with wrath upon beholding Karna stationed before him,
took up a car-wheel and hurled it at the son of Adhiratha. The Suta's
son, however, with many thousands of arrows, cut off that wheel coursing
towards him like the uplifted wheel of Death. When that wheel had been
cut off, Sahadeva, O sire, aiming at Karna, hurled at him the shafts of
his car, the traces of his steeds, the yokes of his cars, the limbs of
elephants and steeds and dead human bodies. Karna cut off all these with
his shafts. Seeing himself deprived of all weapons, Madri's son,
Sahadeva, struck by Karna with many shafts, left the battle. Pursuing him
for a while, the son of Radha, O bull of Bharata's race, smilingly
addressed Sahadeva and said these cruel words, 'Do not, O hero, fight in
battle with those that are superior to thee. Fight with thy equals, O son
of Madri! Do not mistrust my words.' Then touching him with the horn of
his bow, he once more said, 'Yonder, Arjuna is fighting resolutely with
the Kurus in battle. Go there, O son of Madri, or return home if thou
likest.' Having said those words, Karna, that foremost of car-warriors,
smilingly proceeded on his car against the troops of the king of the
Panchalas. The slayer of foes, that mighty car-warrior, devoted to truth,
slew not the son of Madri although he had got the opportunity,
recollecting the words of Kunti. Sahadeva, then, heartless and afflicted
with arrows, and pierced with the wordy darts of Karna, no longer
cherished any love for life. That mighty car-warrior then quickly
ascended the car of Janamejaya, the illustrious prince of the Panchalas.'"



SECTION CLXVII

"Sanjaya said, 'The ruler of the Madras shrouded on all sides, with
clouds of shafts, Virata with his troops, who was proceeding quickly for
getting at Drona. The battle that took place between those two great
bowmen resembled, O king, that between Vala and Vasava in days of yore.
The ruler of the Madras, O monarch, with great activity, struck Virata,
that commander of a large division, with a hundred straight shafts. King
Virata, in return, pierced the ruler of the Madras with nine keen arrows,
and once more with three and seventy, and once again with a hundred. The
ruler of the Madras, then, slaying the four steeds yoked unto Virata's
car, cut down with a couple of shafts, the latter's umbrella and
standard. Quickly jumping down from that steedless car, the king stood,
drawing his bow and shooting keen shafts. Beholding his brother deprived
of his steeds, Satanika quickly approached him on his car in the very
sight of all the troops. The ruler of the Madras, however, piercing the
advancing Satanika with many shafts, despatched him to the abode of Yama.
Upon the fall of the heroic Satanika, Virata, that commander of a large
division, ascended the fallen hero's car, decked with standard and
garlands.[223] opening his eyes wide, and with prowess doubled by wrath,
Virata quickly covered the car of the ruler of the Madras with winged
arrows. The ruler of the Madras then, excited with rage, deeply pierced
Virata, that commander of a large division, in the chest, with a hundred
straight shafts. Deeply pierced by the mighty ruler of the Madras, that
great car-warrior, viz., Virata, sat down on the terrace of his car and
swooned away. His driver, then, beholding him mangled with shafts in that
encounter, bore him away. Then that vast force, O Bharata, fled away on
that night, oppressed by hundreds of arrows of Salya, that ornament of
battle. Beholding the troops flying away, Vasudeva and Dhananjaya quickly
advanced to that spot, O monarch, where Salya was stationed. Then that
prince of the Rakshasas, viz., Alamvusha, O king, riding upon a foremost
car, harnessed with eight steeds, having terrible-looking Pisachas of
equine faces yoked unto it, furnished with blood-red banners, decked with
floral garlands made of black iron, covered with bear-skins, and
possessing a tall standard over which perched a terrible, fierce-looking,
and incessantly shrieking vulture, of spotted wings and wide-open eyes,
proceeded against those advancing heroes. That Rakshasa, O king, looked
beautiful like a loose heap of antimony, and he withstood the advancing
Arjuna, like Meru withstanding a tempest, scattering showers of arrows, O
monarch, upon Arjuna's head. The battle then that commenced between the
Rakshasa and that human warrior, was exceedingly fierce. And it filled
all the spectators there, O Bharata, with wonder. And it conduced to the
joy also of vultures and crows, of ravens and owls and Kanakas and
jackals. Arjuna struck Alamvusha with six shafts and then cut off his
standard with ten sharp arrows. With a few other arrows, he cut off his
driver, and with some others his Trivenu, and with one more, his bow, and
with four others his four steeds. Alamvusha strung another bow, but that
also Arjuna cut off in two fragments. Then, O bull of Bharata's race,
Partha pierced that prince of the Rakshasas with four keen arrows. Thus
pierced, the Rakshasas fled away in fear. Having vanquished him, Arjuna
quickly proceeded towards the spot where Drona was, shooting as he went,
many shafts, O king, at men, elephants, and steeds. Slaughtered O
monarch, by the illustrious son of Pandu, the combatants fell down on the
ground, like trees laid low by a tempest. Thus treated by the illustrious
son of Pandu, all of them fled like a frightened herd of deer.'"



SECTION CLXVIII

"Sanjaya said, 'Thy son, Chitrasena, O Bharata, resisted (Nakula's son)
Satanika who was engaged in scorching thy host with his keen shafts.
Nakula's son pierced Chitrasena with five arrows. The letter then pierced
the former in return with ten whetted shafts. And once more Chitrasena, O
monarch, in that battle, pierced Satanika in the chest with nine keen
shafts. Then the son of Nakula with many straight shafts cut Chitrasena's
armour from off his body. This feat of his seemed exceedingly wonderful.
Divested of his armour, thy son, O king, looked exceedingly beautiful,
like a snake, O monarch, having cast off his slough at the proper season.
Then Nakula's son, with many keen shafts, cut off the struggling
Chitrasena's standard, and then his bow, O monarch, in that encounter.
His bow cut off in that combat, and deprived also of his armour, that
mighty car-warrior, then, O king, took up another bow capable of piercing
every foe. Then Chitrasena, that mighty car-warrior amongst the
Bharata's, quickly pierced the son of Nakula with many straight arrows.
Then mighty Satanika, excited with rage, O Bharata, slew the four steeds
of Chitrasena and then his driver. The illustrious Chitrasena, endued
with great strength, jumping down from that car, afflicted the son of
Nakula with five and twenty arrows. Then Nakula's son with a
crescent-shaped arrow, cut off in that combat the gold-decked bow of
Chitrasena while the latter was engaged in thus striking him. Bowless and
carless and steedless and driverless, Chitrasena then quickly ascended
the car of the illustrious son Hridika.

"Vrishasena, O king, rushed with great speed, scattering shafts in
hundreds, against the mighty car-warrior Drupada, advancing at the head
of his troops against Drona.[224] Yajnasena, in that encounter pierced
that mighty car-warrior, viz., the son of Karna in the arms and the
chest, O lord, with sixty arrows. Vrishasena, then, excited with rage,
quickly pierced Yajnasena, standing on his car, with many shafts in the
centre of the chest. Those two warriors mangled by arrows, and with
shafts sticking to their bodies, looked beautiful like a couple of
porcupines with their quills erect. Bathed in blood in consequence of the
wounds caused by those straight arrows of keen points and golden wings,
they looked exceedingly beautiful in that dreadful encounter. Indeed, the
spectacle they presented was that of a couple of beautiful and radiant
Kalpa trees or of a couple of Kinsukas rich with their flowery burthens.
Then Vrishasena, O king, having pierced Drupada with nine arrows, once
more pierced him with seventy, and then again with three other arrows.
Then shooting thousands of arrows, Karna's son, O monarch, looked
beautiful in that battle, like a cloud pouring torrents of rain. Then
Drupada, inflamed with wrath, cut off Vrishasena's bow into two
fragments, with a broad-headed arrow, sharp and well-tempered. Taking,
then, another gold-decked bow that was new and strong, and drawing out of
his quiver a strong, whetted, well-tempered, sharp and broad-headed
arrow, and fixing it on his string, and carefully aiming it-at Drupada,
he let it off with great force, inspiring all the Somakas with fear. That
arrow, piercing through the breast of Drupada, fell on the surface of the
earth. The king (of the Panchalas), then, thus pierced through with
Vrishasena's arrow, swooned away. His driver, then, recollecting his own
duty, bore him away from the field. 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 son, O Bharata,
when he reaches the meridian. Amongst all those thousands of kings of thy
side and their 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.

"Thy son Duhsasana proceeded against that mighty car-warrior, viz.,
Prativindhya, who was advancing (against Drona), scorching his foes in
battle. The encounter that took place between them, O king, looked
beautiful, like that of Mercury and Venus in the cloudless firmament.
Duhsasana pierced Prativindhya, who was accomplishing fierce feats in
battle, with three arrows on the forehead. Deeply pierced by that mighty
bowman, thy son, Prativindhya, O monarch, looked beautiful like a crested
hill. The mighty car-warrior Prativindhya, then, piercing Duhsasana with
three arrows, once more pierced him with seven, Thy son, then, O Bharata,
achieved there an exceedingly difficult feat, for he felled
Prativindhya's steeds with many arrows. With another broad-headed arrow
he also felled the latter's driver, and then his standard. And then he
cut off, O king, into a thousand fragments the car of Prativindhya, armed
with the bow. Excited with rage, O lord, thy son also cut off, with his
straight shafts, into numberless fragments the banner, the quivers, the
strings, and the traces (of his antagonist's car). Deprived of his car,
the virtuous Prativindhya stood, bow in hand, and contended with thy son
scattering numberless arrows. Then Duhsasana, displaying great lightness
of hand, cut off Prativindhya's bow. And then he afflicted his bowless
antagonist with ten shafts. Beholding their brother, (Prativindhya) in
that plight, his brothers, all mighty car-warriors, rushed impetuously to
that spot with a large force. He then ascended the resplendent of
Sutasoma. Taking up another bow, he continued, O king, to pierce thy son.
Then many warriors on thy side, accompanied by a large force, rushed
impetuously and surrounded thy son (for rescuing him). Then commenced a
fierce battle between thy troops and theirs, O Bharata, at that dreadful
hour of midnight, increasing the population of Yama's kingdom.'"



SECTION CLXIX

"Sanjaya said, 'Against Nakula who was engaged in smiting thy host,
Suvala's son (Sakuni) in wrath, rushed with great impetuosity and
addressing him, said, 'Wait! Wait!' Each enraged with the other and each
desirous of slaying the other, those two heroes struck each other with
shafts sped from their bows drawn to their fullest stretch. Suvala's son
in that encounter displayed the same measure of skill that Nakula
displayed, O king, in shooting showers of arrows. Both pierced with
arrows, O king, in that battle, they looked beautiful like a couple of
porcupines with quills erect on their bodies. The armour of each cut off
by means of shafts with straight points and golden wings, and each bathed
in blood, those two warriors looked resplendent in that dreadful battle
like two beautiful and brilliant Kalpa trees, or like two flowering
Kinsukas on the field of battle. Indeed, O king, those two heroes in that
encounter, both pierced with arrows, looked beautiful like a couple of
Salmali trees with prickly thorns on them. Casting oblique glances at
each other, with eyes expanded in rage, whose corners had become red,
they seemed to scorch each other by those glances. Then thy
brother-in-law, excited with wrath, and smiling the while, pierced
Madri's son in the chest with a barbed arrow of keen point. Deeply
pierced by that great bowman, viz., thy brother-in-law, Nakula sat down
on the terrace of his car and swooned away. Beholding his proud foe, that
mortal enemy of his in that plight, Sakuni uttered a roar loud as that of
the clouds at the end of summer. Recovering consciousness, Nakula, the
son of Pandu, once more rushed against Suvala's son, like the Destroyer
himself of wide-open mouth. Inflamed with rage, O bull of Bharata's race,
he pierced Sakuni with sixty arrows, and more with a hundred long shafts
at the centre of his chest. He then cut off Sakuni's bow with arrow fixed
thereon, into two fragments, at the handle. And then cutting off in a
trice Sakuni's standard, he caused it to fall down on the earth. Piercing
next Sakuni's thigh with keen, sharp, and well-tempered shafts, Nakula,
the son of Pandu, caused him to fall down on the terrace of his car,
clasping his flag-staff, like an amorous man clasping his mistress.
Beholding that brother-in-law of thine laid low and deprived of
consciousness, O sinless one, his driver quickly bore him away from the
van of battle. The Parthas, then, and all their followers, uttered a loud
roar. Having vanquished his foes, Nakula, that scorcher of foes,
addressing his driver, said, 'Beat me to the host commanded by Drona.'
Hearing these words of Madri's son, his driver proceeded to the spot, O
king, where Drona was stationed.[226] Against mighty Sikhandin proceeding
towards Drona, Kripa resolutely advanced with great impetuosity. That
chastiser of foes, viz., Sikhandin, then, smiling the while, pierced with
nine arrows the son of Gotama thus advancing against him towards the
vicinity of Drona. Then the preceptor, Kripa, that benefactor of thy
sons, piercing Sikhandin first with five arrows, once more pierced him
with twenty. The combat that took place, O monarch, between them, was
exceedingly dreadful, like that between Samvara and the chief of the
celestials in the battle between the gods and the Asuras. Those heroic
and mighty car-warriors, both invincible in battle, covered the welkin
with their arrows, like clouds covering the welkin on the expiry or
summer. Terrible of itself, that night, O chief of the Bharatas, became
more terrible still to the heroic combatants engaged in battle. Indeed,
of terrible aspects and inspiring all sorts of fear, that night became,
as it were, death-night (of all creatures). Then Sikhandin, O king, cut
off, with a crescent-shaped arrow, the large bow of Gotama's son and shot
at the latter many whetted shafts. Inflamed with wrath, O monarch, Kripa
then sped at his antagonist a fierce dart, equipped with a golden shaft
and keen point, and polished by the hands of the smith. Sikhandin,
however, cut it off with ten shafts as it coursed towards him. That dart,
then, decked with gold (thus cut off), fell down on the earth. Then
Gautama, foremost of men, taking up another bow, O king, covered
Sikhandin with a large number of whetted shafts. Thus covered in that
battle by the illustrious son of Gotama, Sikhandin, that foremost of
car-warriors sank on the terrace of his car. Beholding him thus weakened,
Kripa in that encounter, struck him with many arrows, from desire of
slaying him, O Bharata! (Sikhandin then was borne away by his driver).
Beholding that mighty car-warrior, viz., the son of Yajnasena retreating
from battle, the Panchalas and the Somakas surrounded him on all sides
(for rescuing him). Similarly, thy sons also surrounded that foremost of
Brahmans, Kripa, with a large force. Then commenced a battle once more,
between car-warriors, O king, that struck one another. The uproar that
rose became loud as the roaring of clouds, O Bharata, caused by rushing
horsemen and elephants, O monarch, smiting one another down. Then, O
king, the field of battle looked exceedingly fierce. With the tread of
rushing infantry the earth began to tremble, O monarch, like a lady
shaken with fear. Car-warriors, mounting on their cars, rushed
impetuously, attacking compeers by their thousands, O king, like crows
seizing winged insects (in the air). Similarly, mighty elephants with
winy exudation down their bodies, pursuing similar elephants, encountered
them, O Bharata, furiously. So also, horsemen, coming upon horsemen, and
foot-soldiers angrily encountered one another in that battle. At dead of
night, the sound of retreating and the rushing of troops and of those
coming again to the encounter became deafening. The blazing lamps also,
placed on cars and elephants and steeds, seemed, O king, large meteors
falling from the firmament. That night, O chief of the Bharatas,
lightened up by those lamps looked like day, O king, on the field of
battle. As the sun, encountering the thick gloom, destroys it completely,
even so the thick gloom of the battle was destroyed by those blazing
lamps. Indeed, the welkin, the earth, the cardinal and the subsidiary
points of the compass, enveloped by dust and darkness, became once more
illuminated by that light. The splendour of weapons and coats of mail,
and of the jewels of illustrious heroes, became overshadowed, by the
light of those blazing lamps. During the progress of that fierce battle
at night, none of the combatants, O Bharata, could know the warriors of
his own side. Sire, O chief of the Bharatas, slew son, and son, from
ignorance, slew sire, and friend slew friend. And relatives slew
relatives, and maternal uncles slew sisters' sons, and warriors slew
warriors of their own side, and foes slew their own men, in that battle,
O Bharata. In that dreadful nocturnal encounter, O king, all fought
furiously, ceasing to have any regard for one another.'"



SECTION CLXX

"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. Having cut off with his own straight
shafts those of Dhrishtadyumna in that battle, Karna then pierced
Dhrishtadyumna himself with many sharp arrows. And Drona's son pierced
him with five, and Drona himself with five, and Salya pierced him with
nine, and Duhsasana with three. And Duryodhana pierced him with twenty
arrows and Sakuni with five. Indeed, all those mighty car-warriors
quickly pierced the prince of the Panchalas. Thus was he pierced by these
seven heroes in that battle exerting themselves for the rescue of Drona.
The prince of the Panchalas, however, pierced every one of these heroes
with three arrows. Indeed, O king, Dhrishtadyumna, in that dreadful
battle, quickly pierced Drona himself, and Karna, and Drona's son, and
thy son. Thus pierced by that bowman, those warriors, fighting together,
pierced Dhrishtadyumna again in that encounter, uttering loud roars the
while. Then Drumasena, excited with wrath, O king, pierced the Panchala
prince with a winged arrow, and once again quickly with three other
arrows. And addressing the prince, he said, 'Wait! Wait!' Dhrishtadyumna
then pierced Drumasena in return with three straight arrows, in the
encounter, which were equipped with wings of gold, steeped in oil, and
capable of taking the life of him at whom they are sped. With another
broad-headed shaft, the prince of the Panchalas then, in that battle, cut
off from Drumasena's trunk the latter's head decked with bright ear-rings
of gold. That head, with (the lower) lip bit (in rage), fell on the
ground like a ripe palmyra fruit separated from the stalk by the action
of a strong wind. Once again, piercing all those warriors with keen
shafts, that hero, with some broad-headed shafts, cut off the bow of
Radha's son, that warrior conversant with all modes of warfare. Karna
could not book that cutting off of his bow, like a fierce lion incapable
of brooking the cutting off of his tail. Taking up another bow, Karna,
with eyes red in rage, and breathing hard, covered mighty Dhrishtadyumna
with clouds of arrows. Beholding Karna excited with rage, those heroes,
viz., those six bulls among car-warriors, quickly encompassed the prince
of the Panchalas from desire of slaying him. Seeing the latter in front
of those six foremost warriors of thy side, all thy troops, O lord,
regarded him to be already within the jaws of the Destroyer. Meanwhile,
Satyaki, of the Dasarha race, scattering his shafts as he proceeded,
reached the spot where, the valiant Dhrishtadyumna was battling.
Beholding that invincible warrior of the Satwata race advancing, Radha's
son pierced him in that battle with ten arrows. Satyaki, then, O king,
pierced Karna with ten shafts in the very sight of all those heroes, and
addressing him, said, 'Do not fly away but stay before me.' The encounter
then, that took place between mighty Satyaki and the industrious Karna,
resembled, O king, that between Vali and Vasava (in the days of yore).
That bull among Kshatriyas, viz., Satyaki, terrifying all the Kshatriyas
with the rattle of his car, pierced the lotus-eyed Karna in return (with
many arrows). Making the earth tremble with the twang of his bow, the
mighty son of the Suta, O monarch, contended with Satyaki. Indeed, Karna
pierced the grandson of Sini in return with hundreds of long, and barbed,
and pointed, and tall-toothed, and razor-headed arrows and diverse other
shafts. Similarly, that foremost one of Vrishni's race, Yuyudhana, in
that battle, shrouded Karna with his arrows. For a time that battle
proceeded equally. Then thy son, O monarch, placing Karna at their head,
all pierced Satyaki from every side with keen arrows. Resisting with his
own weapons those of them all and of Karna also, O lord, Satyaki quickly
pierced Vrishasena in the centre of the chest. Pierced with that arrow,
the valiant Vrishasena, of great splendour, quickly fell down on his car,
casting aside his bow. Then Karna, believing that mighty car-warrior,
viz., Vrishasena, slain, became scorched with grief on account of the
death of his son and began to afflict Satyaki with great force. Thus
afflicted by Karna, the mighty car-warrior Yuyudhana, with great speed,
repeatedly pierced Karna with many shafts. Once more piercing Karna with
ten arrows, and Vrishasena with five, the Satwata hero cut off the
leathern fences and the bows of both sire and son. Then those two
warriors, stringing two other bows, capable of inspiring enemies with
terror, began to pierce Yuyudhana from every side with keen shafts.
During the progress of that fierce conflict that was so destructive of
heroes the loud twang of Gandiva, O king, was heard over every other
sound. Hearing then the rattle of Arjuna's car as also that twang of
Gandiva, the Suta's son, O king, said these words unto Duryodhana,
'Slaughtering our entire army and the foremost of heroic warriors and
many mighty bowmen among the Kauravas, Arjuna is loudly twanging his bow.
The rattle also of his car is heard, resembling the roar of the thunder.
It's evident, the son of Pandu is achieving feats worthy of his own self
This son of Pritha, O monarch, will grind our large host. Many of our
troops are already breaking. No one stays in battle. Indeed, our army is
being dispersed like a risen mass of clouds dispersed by the wind.
Encountering Arjuna, our host breaks like a boat on the ocean. The loud
wails, O king, of the foremost of warriors, O monarch, flying away from
the field, or falling down in consequence of the arrows sped from
Gandiva, are being heard. Hear, O tiger among car-warriors, the sound of
drums and cymbals near Arjuna's car at dead of night, resembling the deep
roll of thunder in the welkin. Hear also the loud wails (of afflicted
combatants) and the tremendous leonine shouts, and diverse other noises
in the vicinity of Arjuna's car. Here, however, this Satyaki, this
foremost one of the Satwata race, stayeth amid us. If this object of our
aim can be struck down, we can then vanquish all our foes. Similarly, the
son of the Panchala king is engaged with Drona. He is encompassed on all
sides by many heroic and foremost of car-warriors. If we can slay Satyaki
and Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Prishata without doubt, O king, victory
will be ours. Surrounding these two heroes, these two mighty
car-warriors, as we did the son of Subhadra we will strive, O king, to
slay them, viz., this son of Vrishni's race and this son of Prishata.
Savyasachin, O Bharata, is before us, coming towards this division of
Drona, knowing that Satyaki is engaged here with many chief among the
Kurus. Let a large number of our foremost of car-warriors proceed
thither, so that Partha may not be able to come to the rescue of Satyaki,
now encompassed by many. Let these great heroes speedily shoot clouds of
shafts with great force, so that Satyaki of Madhu's race may by speedily
despatched to Yama's abode.' Ascertaining this to be the opinion of
Karna, thy son, addressing Suvala's son in the battle, like the
illustrious Indra addressing Vishnu, said these words, Surrounded by ten
thousand unretreating elephants and ten thousand cars also, proceed
against Dhananjaya! Duhsasana and Durvishaha and Suvahu and
Dushpradharshana--these will follow thee, surrounded by a large number of
foot-soldiers. O uncle, slay those great bowmen, viz., the two Krishnas,
and Yudhishtira, and Nakula, and Sahadeva, and Bhima, the son of Pandu My
hope of victory resteth on thee, like that of the gods on their chief
Indra. O uncle, slay the son of Kunti, like (Kartikeya) slaying the
Asuras.' Thus addressed and urged by thy son, Sakuni, clad in mail,
proceeded against the Parthas, accompanied by a large force as also by
thy sons, in order to consume the sons of Pandu. Then commenced a great
battle between the warriors of thy army and the foe. When Suvala's son, O
king, (thus) proceeded against the Pandavas, the Suta's son, accompanied
by a large force, quickly advanced against Satyaki, shooting many
hundreds of shafts. Indeed, thy warriors, combining together, encompassed
Satyaki. Then Bharadwaja's son, proceeding against the car of
Dhrishtadyumna, fought a wonderful and fierce battle at dead of night, O
bull of Bharata's race, with the brave Dhrishtadyumna and the Panchalas.'"

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