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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




"'How, indeed, did the sons of Pandu oppose my father Bhishma, the son of
Santanu, that unvanquished hero endued with modesty, while he was engaged
in destroying the hostile ranks? How were the troops arrayed, and how did
he battle with high-souled foes? How, O Sanjaya, was my father Bhishma
slain by the enemy? Duryodhana and Karna and the deceitful Sakuni, the
son of Suvala, and Dussasana also,--what did they say when Bhishma was
slain? Thither where the dice-board is constituted by the bodies of men,
elephants, and steeds, and, where arrows and javelins and large swords
and bearded darts from the dice, entering that frightful mansion of
destructive battle's play, who were those wretched gamblers,--those bulls
among men,--that gambled, making their very lives the frightful stakes?
Who won, who were vanquished, who cast the dice successfully, and who
have been slain, besides Bhishma, the son of Santanu? Tell me all, O
Sanjaya, for peace cannot be mine, hearing that Devavrata hath been
slain,--that father of mine, of terrible deeds, that ornament of battle,
viz., Bhishma! Keen anguish had penetrated my heart, born of the thought
that all my children would die. Thou makest that grief of mine blaze
forth, O Sanjaya, like fire by pouring clarified butter on it. My sons,

I ween, are even now grieving, beholding Bhishma slain,--Bhishma
celebrated in all worlds and who had taken upon himself a heavy burden. I
will listen to all those sorrows arising from Duryodhana's act.
Therefore, tell me, O Sanjaya, everything that happened
there,--everything that happened in the battle, born of the folly of my
wicked son. Ill-ordered or well-ordered, tell me everything, O Sanjaya.
Whatever was achieved with the aid of energy in the battle by Bhishma
desirous of victory,--by that warrior accomplished in arms,--tell me all
fully and in detail. How, in fact, the battle took place between the
armies of the Kurus and the manner in which each happened.'"



SECTION XV

Sanjaya said,--"Deserving as thou art, this question is, indeed, worthy
of thee, O great king. It behoveth thee not, however, to impute this
fault to Duryodhana. The man who incurreth evil as the consequence of his
own misconduct, should not attribute that misconduct to others. O great
king, the man that doth every kind of injury to other men, deserveth to
be slain by all men in consequence of those censurable deeds of his. The
Pandavas unacquainted with the ways of wickedness had, for a long time,
with their friends and counsellors, looking up to thy face, borne the
injuries (done to them) and forgiven them, dwelling in the woods.

"Of steeds and elephants and kings of immeasurable energy that which hath
been seen by the aid of Yoga-power, hear, O lord of earth, and do not set
thy heart on sorrow. All this was pre-destined, O king. Having bowed down
to thy father, that (wise and high-souled[88]) son of Parasara, through
whose grace, (through whose boon bestowed on me,) I have obtained
excellent and celestial apprehension, sight beyond the range of the
visual sense, and hearing, O king, from great distance, knowledge of
other people's hearts and also of the past and the future, a knowledge
also of the origin of all persons transgressing the ordinances,[89] the
delightful power of coursing through the skies, and untouchableness by
weapons in battles, listen to me in detail as I recite the romantic and
highly wonderful battle that happened between the Bharatas, a battle that
makes one's hair stand on end.

"When the combatants were arrayed according to rule and when they were
addrest for battle. Duryodhana, O king, said these words to Dussasana,--O
Dussasana, let cars be speedily directed for the protection of Bhishma,
and do thou speedily urge all our divisions (to advance). That hath now
come to me of which I had been thinking for a series of years, viz., the
meeting of the Pandavas and the Kurus at the head of their respective
troops. I do not think that there is any act more important (for us) in
this battle than the protecting of Bhishma. If protected he will slay the
Pandavas, the Somakas, and the Srinjayas. That warrior of pure soul
said,--'I will not slay Sikhandin. It is heard that he was a female
before. For this reason he should be renounced by me in battle. For this,
Bhishma should be particularly protected. Let all my warriors take up
their positions, resolved to slay Sikhandin. Let also all the troops from
the east, the west, the south, and the north, accomplished in every kind
of weapon, protect the grandsire. Even the lion of mighty strength, if
left unprotected may be slain by the wolf. Let us not, therefore, cause
Bhishma to be slain by Sikhandin like the lion slain by the jackal.
Yudhamanyu protects the left wheel, and Uttamauja protects the right
wheel of Phalguni. Protected by those two, Phalguni himself protects
Sikhandin. O Dussasana, act in such a way that Sikhandin who is protected
by Phalguni and whom Bhishma will renounce, may not slay Ganga's son."



SECTION XVI

Sanjaya said,--"When the night had passed away, loud became the noise
made by the kings, all exclaiming, Array! Array! 'With the blare of
conches and the sound of drums that resembled leonine roars, O Bharata,
with the neigh of steeds, and the clatter of car-wheels, with the noise
of obstreperous elephants and the shouts, clapping of arm-pits, and cries
of roaring combatants, the din caused everywhere was very great. The
large armies of the Kurus and the Pandavas, O king, rising at sunrise,
completed all their arrangements. Then when the Sun rose, the fierce
weapons of attack and defence and the coats of mail of both thy sons and
the Pandavas, and the large and splendid armies of both sides, became
fully visible. There elephants and cars, adorned with gold, looked
resplendent like clouds mingled with lightning. The ranks of cars,
standing in profusion, looked like cities. And thy father, stationed
there, shone brilliantly, like the full moon. And the warriors armed with
bows and swords and scimitars and maces, javelins and lances and bright
weapons of diverse kinds, took up their positions in their (respective)
ranks. And resplendent standards were seen, set up by thousands, of
diverse forms, belonging to both ourselves and the foe. And made of gold
and decked with gems and blazing like fire, those banners in thousands
endued with great effulgence, looked beautiful like heroic combatants
cased in mail gazed at those standards, longing for battle.[90] And many
foremost of men, with eyes large as those of bulls endued with quivers,
and with hands cased in leathern fences, stood at the heads of their
divisions, with their bright weapons upraised. And Suvala's son Sakuni,
and Salya, Jayadratha and the two princes of Avanti named Vinda and
Anuvinda, and the Kekaya brothers, and Sudakshina the ruler of the
Kamvojas and Srutayudha the ruler of the Kalingas, and king Jayatsena,
and Vrihadvala the ruler of the Kosalas, and Kritavarman of Satwata's
race,--these ten tigers among men, endued with great bravery and
possessing arms that looked like maces,--these performers of sacrifices
with plentiful gifts (to Brahmanas), stood each at the head of an
Akshauhini of troops. These and many other kings and princes, mighty
car-warriors conversant with policy, obedient to the commands of
Duryodhana, all cased in mail, were seen stationed in their respective
divisions. All of them, cased in black deer-skins, endued with great
strength, accomplished in battle, and cheerfully prepared, for
Duryodhana's sake, to ascend to the region of Brahma,[91] stood there
commanding ten efficient Akshauhinis. The eleventh great division of the
Kauravas, consisting of the Dhartarashtra troops, stood in advance of the
whole army. There in the van of that division was Santanu's son. With his
white head-gear, white umbrella, and white mail, O monarch, we beheld
Bhishma of unfailing prowess look like the risen moon. His standard
bearing the device of a palmyra of gold himself stationed on a car made
of silver, both the Kurus and the Pandavas beheld that hero looking like
the moon encircled by white clouds. The great bowmen amongst the
Srinjayas headed by Dhrishtadyumna, (beholding Bhishma) looked like
little animals when they would behold a mighty yawning lion. Indeed, all
the combatants headed by Dhrishtadyumna repeatedly trembled in fear.
These, O king, were the eleven splendid divisions of thy army. So also
the seven divisions belonging to the Pandavas were protected by foremost
of men. Indeed, the two armies facing each other looked like two oceans
at the end of the Yuga agitated by fierce Makaras, and abounding with
huge crocodiles. Never before, O king, did we see or hear of two such
armies encountering each other like these of the Kauravas.'



SECTION XVII

Sanjaya said,--"Just as the holy Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa had said, in
that very manner the kings of the Earth, mustered together, came to the
encounter. On that day on which the battle commenced Soma approached the
region of Pitris.[92] The seven large planets, as they appeared in the
firmament, all looked blazing like fire.[93] The Sun, when he rose,
seemed to be divided in twain. Besides, that luminary, as it appeared in
the firmament, seemed to blaze forth in flames.[94] Carnivorous jackals
and crows, expecting dead bodies to feast upon, began to utter fierce
cries from all directions that seemed to be ablaze. Every day the old
grandsire of the Kurus, and the son of Bharadwaja, rising from bed in the
morning, with concentrated mind, said,--'Victory to the sons of
Pandu'--while those chastisers of foes used (at the same time) yet to
fight for thy sake according to the pledge they had given. Thy father
Devavrata, fully conversant with every duty, summoning all the kings,
said these words (unto them). 'Ye Kshatriyas, this broad door is open to
you for entering heaven. Go ye through it to the region of Sakra and
Brahman. The Rishis of olden times have showed you this eternal path.[95]
Honour ye yourselves by engaging in battle with attentive minds. Nabhaga,
and Yayati, and Mandhatri, and Nahusa, and Nriga, were crowned with
success and obtained the highest region of bliss by feats like these. To
die of disease at home is sin for a Kshatriya. The death he meets with in
battle is his eternal duty.'--Thus addressed, O bull of Bharata's race,
by Bhishma, the kings, looking beautiful in their excellent cars,
proceeded to the heads of their respective divisions. Only Vikartana's
son Karna, with his friends and relatives, O bull of Bharata's race, laid
aside his weapons in battle for the sake of Bhishma. Without Karna then,
thy sons and all the kings on thy side proceeded, making the ten points
of the horizon resound with their leonine roars. And their divisions
shone brightly, O king, with white umbrellas, banners, standards,
elephants, steeds, cars, and foot-soldiers. And the Earth was agitated
with the sounds of drums and tabors and cymbals, and the clatter of
car-wheels. And the mighty car-warriors, decked with their bracelets and
armlets of gold and with their bows (variegated with gold), looked
resplendent like hills of fire. And with his large palmyra-standard
decked with five stars, Bhishma, the generalissimo of the Kuru army,[96]
looked like the resplendent Sun himself. Those mighty bowmen of royal
birth, O bull of Bharata's race, that were on thy side, all took up their
positions, O king, as Santanu's son ordered. (King) Saivya of the country
of the Govasanas, accompanied by all the monarchs, went out on a princely
elephant worthy of royal use and graced with a banner on its back. And
Aswatthaman, of the complexion of the lotus, went out ready for every
emergency, stationing himself at the very head of all the divisions, with
his standard bearing the device of the lion's tail. And Srutayudha and
Chitrasena and Purumitra and Vivinsati, and Salya and Bhurisravas, and
that mighty car-warrior Vikarna,--these seven mighty bowmen on their
carts and cased in excellent mail, followed Drona's son behind but in
advance of Bhishma. The tall standards of these warriors, made of gold,
beautifully set up for adorning their excellent cars, looked highly
resplendent. The standard of Drona, the foremost of preceptors, bore the
device of a golden altar decked with a water-pot and the figure of a bow.
The standard of Duryodhana guiding many hundreds and thousands of
divisions bore the device of an elephant worked in gems. Paurava and the
ruler of the Kalingas, and Salya, these Rathas took up their position in
Duryodhana's van. On a costly car with his standard bearing the device of
a bull, and guiding the very van (of his division), the ruler of the
Magadhas marched against the foe.[97] That large force of the Easterners
looking like the fleecy clouds of autumn[98] was (besides) protected by
the chief of the Angas (Karna's son Vrishaketu) and Kripa endued with
great energy. Stationing himself in the van of his division with his
beautiful standard of silver bearing the device of the boar, the famous
Jayadratha looked highly resplendent. A hundred thousand cars, eight
thousand elephants, and sixty thousand cavalry were under his
command.[99] Commanded by the royal chief of the Sindhus, that large
division occupying the very van (of the army) and abounding with untold
cars, elephants, and steeds, looked magnificent. With sixty thousand cars
and ten thousand elephants, the ruler of the Kalingas, accompanied by
Ketumat, went out. His huge elephants, looking like hills, and adorned
with Yantras,[100] lances, quivers and standards, looked exceedingly
beautiful. And the ruler of the Kalingas, with his tall standard
effulgent as fire, with his white umbrella, and golden curass, and
Chamaras (wherewith he was fanned), shone brilliantly. And Ketumat also,
riding on an elephant with a highly excellent and beautiful hook, was
stationed in battle, O King, like the Sun in the midst of (black) clouds.
And king Bhagadatta, blazing with energy and riding on that elephant of
his, went out like the wielder of the thunder. And the two princes of
Avanti named Vinda and Anuvinda, who were regarded as equal to
Bhagadatta, followed Ketumat, riding on the necks of their elephants.
And, O king, arrayed by Drona and the royal son of Santanu, and Drona's
son, and Valhika, and Kripa, the (Kaurava) Vyuha[101] consisting of many
divisions of cars was such that the elephants formed its body; the kings,
its head; and the steeds, its wings. With face towards all sides, that
fierce Vyuha seemed to smile and ready to spring (upon the foe)."



SECTION XVIII

Sanjaya said,--"Soon after, O king, a loud uproar, causing the heart to
tremble was heard, made by the combatants ready for the fight. Indeed,
with the sounds of conches and drums, the grunts of elephants, and the
clatter of car-wheels, the Earth seemed to rend in twain. And soon the
welkin and the whole Earth was filled with the neigh of chargers and the
shouts of combatants. O irresistible one, the troops of thy sons and of
the Pandavas both trembled when they encountered each other. There (on
the field of battle) elephants and cars, decked in gold, looked beautiful
like clouds decked with lightning. And standards of diverse forms, O
king, belonging to the combatants on thy side, and adorned with golden
rings, looked resplendent like fire. And those standards of thy side and
theirs, resembled, O Bharata, the banners of Indra in his celestial
mansions. And the heroic warriors all accoutred and cased in golden coats
of mail endued with the effulgence of the blazing Sun, themselves looked
like blazing fire or the Sun. All the foremost warriors amongst the
Kurus, O king, with excellent bows, and weapons upraised (for striking),
with leathern fences on their hands, and with standards,--those mighty
bowmen, of eyes large as those of bulls, all placed themselves at the
heads of their (respective) divisions. And these amongst thy sons, O
king, protected Bhishma from behind, viz.. Dussasana, and Durvishaha, and
Durmukha, and Dussaha and Vivinsati, and Chitrasena, and that mighty
car-warrior Vikarna. And amongst them were Satyavrata, and Purumitra, and
Jaya, and Bhurisravas, and Sala. And twenty thousand car-warriors
followed them. The Abhishahas, the Surasenas, the Sivis, and the Vasatis,
the Swalyas, the Matsyas, the Amvashtas, the Trigartas, and the Kekayas,
the Sauviras, the Kitavas, and the dwellers of the Eastern, Western, and
the Northern countries,--these twelve brave races were resolved to fight
reckless of the lives. And these protected the grandsire with a
multitudinous array of cars. And with a division that consisted of ten
thousand active elephants, the king of Magadha followed that large car
division. They that protected the wheels of the cars and they that
protected the elephants, numbered full six millions. And the
foot-soldiers that marched in advance (of the army), armed with bows,
swords, and shields, numbered many hundreds of thousands. And they fought
also using their nails and bearded darts. And the ten and one Akshauhinis
of thy son, O Bharata, looked, O mighty king, like Ganga separated from
Yamuna.[102]"



SECTION XIX

Dhritarashtra said,--"Beholding our ten and one Akshauhinis arrayed in
order of battle, how did Yudhishthira, the son of Pandu, make his
counter-array with his forces smaller in number? How did Kunti's son, O
Sanjaya, form his counter-array against that Bhishma who was acquainted
with all kinds of arrays, viz., human, celestial, Gandharva, and Asura?"

Sanjaya said,--"Seeing the Dhritarashtra divisions arrayed in order of
battle, Pandu's son of virtuous soul, king Yudhishthira the just,
addressed Dhananjaya, saying,--'Men are informed from the words of that
great Rishi Vrihaspati that the few must be made to fight by condensing
them, while the many may be extended according to pleasure. In encounters
of the few with the many, the array to be formed should be the
needle-mouthed one. Our troops compared with the enemy's are few. Keeping
in view this precept of the great Rishi, array our troops, O son of
Pandu.' Hearing this, that son of Pandu answered king Yudhishthira the
just, saying,--That immovable array known by the name of Vajra, which was
designed by the wielder of the thunder-bolt,--that invincible array is
the one that I will make for thee, O best of kings. He who is like the
bursting tempest, he who is incapable of being borne in battle by the
foe, that Bhima the foremost of smiters, will fight at our head. That
foremost of men, conversant with all the appliances of battle, becoming
our leader, will fight in the van, crushing the energy of the foe. That
foremost of smiters, viz., Bhima, beholding whom all the hostile warriors
headed by Duryodhana will retreat in panic like smaller animals beholding
the lion, all of us, our fears dispelled, will seek his shelter as if he
were a wall, like the celestial seeking the shelter of Indra. The man
breathes not in the world who would bear to cast his eyes upon that bull
among men, Vrikodara of fierce deeds, when he is angry.'--Having said
this, Dhananjaya of mighty arms did as he said. And Phalguni, quickly
disposing his troops in battle-array, proceeded (against the foe). And
the mighty army of the Pandavas beholding the Kuru army move, looked like
the full, immovable, and quickly rolling[103] current of Ganga. And
Bhimasena, and Dhrishtadyumna endued with great energy, and Nakula, and
Sahadeva, and king Dhrishtaketu, became the leaders of that force. And
king Virata, surrounded by an Akshawhini of troops and accompanied by his
brothers and sons, marched in their rear, protecting them from behind.
The two sons of Madri, both endued with great effulgence, became the
protectors of Bhima's wheels; while the (five) sons of Draupadi and the
son of Subhadra all endued with great activity, protected (Bhima) from
behind. And that mighty car-warrior, Dhrishtadyumna, the prince of
Panchala, with those bravest of combatants and the foremost of
car-warriors, viz., the Prabhadrakas, protected those princes from
behind. And behind him was Sikhandin who (in his turn) was protected by
Arjuna, and who, O bull of Bharata's race, advanced with concentrated
attention for the destruction of Bhishma. Behind Arjuna was Yuyudhana of
mighty strength; and the two princes of Panchala, viz., Yudhamanyu and
Uttamaujas, became protectors of Arjuna's wheels, along with the Kekaya
brothers, and Dhrishtaketu, and Chekitana of great valour--This
Bhimasena, wielding his mace made of the hardest metal, and moving (on
the field of battle) with fierce speed, can dry up the very ocean. And
there also stay, with their counsellors looking on him. O king, the
children[104] of Dhritarashtra.--Even this, O monarch, was what Vibhatsu
said, pointing out the mighty Bhimasena (to Yudhishthira).[105] And while
Partha was saying so, all the troops, O Bharata, worshipped him on the
field of battle with gratulatory words. King Yudhishthira, the son of
Kunti, took up his position in the centre of his army, surrounded by huge
and furious elephants resembling moving hills. The high-souled Yajnasena,
the king of the Panchalas, endued with great prowess, stationed himself
behind Virata with an Akshauhini of troops for the sake of the Pandavas.
And on the cars of those kings, O monarch, were tall standards bearing
diverse devices, decked with excellent ornaments of gold, and endued with
the effulgence of the Sun and the Moon. Causing those kings to move and
make space for him, that mighty car-warrior Dhrishtadyumna, accompanied
by his brothers and sons protected Yudhishthira from behind. Transcending
the huge standards on all the cars on thy side and that of the enemy, was
the one gigantic ape on Arjuna's car. Foot-soldiers, by many hundreds of
thousands, and armed with swords, spears, and scimitars, proceeded ahead
for protecting Bhimasena. And ten thousand elephants with (temporal)
juice trickling down their cheek and mouth, and resembling (on that
account) showering clouds,[106] endued with great courage, blazing with
golden armour, huge hills, costly, and emitting the fragrance of lotuses,
followed the king behind like moving mountains.[107] And the high-souled
and invincible Bhimasena, whirling his fierce mace that resembled a
parigha[108] seemed to crush the large army (of thy son). Incapable of
being looked at like the Sun himself, and scorching as it were, the
hostile army (like fire), none of the combatants could bear to even look
at him from any neat point. And this array, fearless and having its face
turned towards all sides called Vajra, having bows for its lightning
sign,[109] and extremely fierce, was protected by the wielder of Gandiva.
Disposing their troops in this counter-array against thy army, the
Pandavas waited for battle. And protected by the Pandavas, that array
became invincible in the world of men.

"'And as (both) the armies stood at dawn of day waiting for sunrise, a
wind began to blow with drops of water (falling), and although there were
no clouds, the roll of thunder was heard. And dry winds began to blow all
around, bearing a shower of pointed pebbles along the ground. And as
thick dust arose, covering the world with darkness. And large meteors
began to fall east-wards, O bull of Bharata's race, and striking against
the rising Sun, broke in fragments with loud noise. When the troops stood
arrayed, O bull of Bharata's race, the Sun rose divested of splendour,
and the Earth trembled with a loud sound, and cracked in many places, O
chief of the Bharatas, with loud noise. And the roll of thunder, O king,
was heard frequently on all sides. So thick was the dust that arose that
nothing could be seen. And the tall standards (of the combatants),
furnished with strings of bells, decked with golden ornaments, garlands
of flowers, and rich drapery, graced with banners and resembling the Sun
in splendour, being suddenly shaken by the wind, gave a loud jingling
noise like that of a forest of palmyra trees (when moved by the wind). It
was thus that those tigers among men, the sons of Pandu, ever taking
delight in battle, stood having disposed their troops in counter-array
against the army of thy son, and sucking as it were, the marrow, O bull
of Bharata's race, of our warriors, and casting their eyes on Bhimasena
stationed at their head, mace in hand."



SECTION XX

Dhritarashtra said,--"When the Sun rose, O Sanjaya, of my army led by
Bhishma and the Pandava army led by Bhima, which first cheerfully
approached the other, desirous of fight? To which side were the Sun, the
Moon and the wind hostile, and against whom did the beasts of prey utter
inauspicious sounds? Who were those young men, the complexions of whose
faces were cheerful? Tell me all these truly and duly."

Sanjaya said,--"Both armies, when arrayed, were equally joyful, O king.
Both armies looked equally beautiful, assuming the aspect of blossoming
woods, and both armies were full of elephants, cars and horses. Both
armies were vast and terrible in aspect; and so also, O Bharata, none of
them could bear the other. Both of them were arrayed for conquering the
very heavens, and both of them consisted of excellent persons. The
Kauravas belonging to the Dhritarashtra party stood facing the west,
while the Parthas stood facing the east, addrest for fight. The troops of
the Kauravas looked like the army of the chief of the Danavas, while that
of the Pandavas looked like the army of the celestials. The wind began to
blow from behind the Pandavas (against the face of the Dhartarashtras),
and the beasts of prey began to yell against the Dhartarashtras. The
elephants belonging to thy sons could not bear the strong odour of the
temporal juice emitted by the huge elephants (of the Pandavas). And
Duryodhana rode on an elephant of the complexion of the lotus, with rent
temples, graced with a golden Kaksha (on its back), and cased in an
armour of steel net-work. And he was in the very centre of the Kurus and
was adored by eulogists and bards. And a white umbrella of lunar
effulgence was held over his head graced with a golden chain. Him Sakuni,
the ruler of the Gandharas, followed with mountaineers of Gandhara placed
all around. And the venerable Bhishma was at the head of all the troops,
with a white umbrella held over his head, armed with bow and sword, with
a white headgear, with a white banner (on his car), and with white steeds
(yoked thereto), and altogether looking like a white mountain. In
Bhishma's division were all the sons of Dhritarashtra, and also Sala who
was a countryman of the Valhikas, and also all those Kshatriyas called
Amvastas, and those called Sindhus, and those also that are called
Sauviras, and the heroic dwellers of the country of the five rivers. And
on a golden car unto which were yoked red steeds, the high-souled Drona,
bow in hand and with never-failing heart, the preceptor of almost all the
kings, remained behind all the troops, protecting them like Indra. And
Saradwat's son, that fighter in the van,[110] that high-souled and mighty
bowman, called also Gautama, conversant with all modes of warfare,
accompanied by the Sakas, the Kiratas, the Yavanas, and the Pahlavas,
took up his position at the northern point of the army. That large force
which was well protected by mighty car-warriors of the Vrishni and the
Bhoja races, as also by the warriors of Surashtra well-armed and
well-acquainted with the uses of weapons, and which was led by
Kritavarman, proceeded towards the south of the army. Ten thousand cars
of the Samasaptakas who were created for either the death or the fame of
Arjuna, and who, accomplished in arms, intended to follow Arjuna at his
heels[111] all went out as also the brave Trigartas. In thy army, O
Bharata, were a thousand elephants of the foremost fighting powers. Unto
each elephant was assigned a century of cars; unto each car, a hundred
horsemen; unto each horseman, ten bowmen; and unto each bowman ten
combatants armed with sword and shield. Thus, O Bharata, were thy
divisions arrayed by Bhishma. Thy generalissimo Bhishma, the son of
Santanu, as each day dawned, sometimes disposed thy troops in the human
army, sometimes in the celestial, sometimes in the Gandharva, and
sometimes in the Asura. Thronged with a large number of Maharathas, and
roaring like the very ocean, the Dhartarashtra army, arrayed by Bhishma,
stood facing the west for battle. Illimitable as thy army was, O ruler of
men, it looked terrible; but the army of the Pandavas, although it was
not such (in number), yet seemed to me to be very large and invincible
since Kesava and Arjuna were its leader."

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Roger Casement - "The Crime Against Europe"

Max Beerbohm - "A Christmas Garland"

William Carleton - "Ellen Duncan; And The Proctor's Daughter"

Various - "Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 152, April 11, 1917"

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Theatre review: Three Women, Jermyn Street, London
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We do not know the women's names, but their voices are quite distinct. All are pregnant. But while the first woman awaits the birth of her baby with a moon-like serenity, the other two are not so lucky. One, whose previous pregnancies have failed to go to term, is experiencing a heartbreaking late miscarriage; the other is a young student whose accidental pregnancy will end in her child being put up for adoption.

Sylvia Plath's only play was never intended for the stage, being broadcast instead on BBC radio in August 1962. Less than six months later, Plath killed herself, but not before the burst of astonishing creative energy that produced her extraordinary, terrifying Ariel poems.

Anyone who knows Plath's poetry will see the connection between Three Women and Plath's subsequent poems, particularly in the way she talks about the agony of childbirth, the rush of love for this tiny alien being, and both the wonder and wounded rawness of motherhood. It is a beautiful piece, full of startling imagery that draws you in through the sheer intensity of its femaleness, and because it so precisely articulates the emotions that are often thought but seldom voiced by women - certainly not in the early 1960s - about men, motherhood and our relationship to our bodies.

It's been 20 years since there has been an attempt at a professional stage version and - in a theatre world that happily accepts the poetic offerings of Sarah Kane and Debbie Tucker Green, or the staged possibilities of The Waves, one of Plath's own inspirations for the piece, I see no reason why it shouldn't be brought to life. Sadly, it doesn't breathe here, in a production by Robert Shaw that is clearly a labour of love, but which never finds a way to give the internal a physical reality. Plath's poetry, like most babies, is more robust than it appears - and won't break if treated with a little less reverence and considerably more grit.

Instead, what we are offered is tinkling piano music, mournful mood lighting, an innocuous pale setting, as well as three perfectly good but indisputably ladylike performances that capture none of the wounded redness of Plath's poetry, and do her the disservice of making her sound bleached and somewhat prissy. It's a pity. What might have been a wonder ends up a mere curiosity.

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