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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 LIII

Dhritarashtra said, "Tell me, O Sanjaya, how that great bowman Drona and
the Panchala prince of Prishata's race encounter each other in battle,
each striving his best. I regard destiny to be superior, O Sanjaya, to
exertion, when Santanu's son Bhishma (even) could not escape Pandu's son
in battle. Indeed, Bhishma, when enraged in battle could destroy all
mobile and immobile creatures, why, O Sanjaya, could he not then by his
prowess, escape the son of Pandu in battle?"

Sanjaya said, 'Listen, O king, quietly to this terrific battle. The son
of Pandu is incapable of being vanquished by the very gods with Vasava.
Drona with diverse arrows pierced Dhrishtadyumna and felled the latter's
charioteer from his niche in the car.[362] And, O sire, the enraged hero
also afflicted Dhrishtadyumna's four steeds with four excellent shafts.
And the heroic Dhrishtadyumna too pierced Drona in the combat with nine
sharp arrows and addressed him, saying, 'Wait--Wait'. 'Then, again,
Bharadwaja's son of great prowess and immeasurable soul, covered with his
arrows the wrathful Dhrishtadyumna. And he took up a dreadful arrow for
the destruction of Prishata's son whose force resembled that of Sakra's
bolt and which was like a second rod of death. And beholding that arrow
aimed by Bharadwaja in battle, loud cries of oh and alas arose, O
Bharata, among all the combatants. And then we beheld the wonderful
prowess of Dhrishtadyumna insomuch that the hero stood alone, immovable
like a mountain. And he cut off that terrible and blazing arrow coming
towards him like his own Death, and also showered an arrowy downpour on
Bharadwaja's son. And beholding that difficult feat achieved by
Dhrishtadyumna, the Panchalas with the Pandavas, filled with delight, set
up loud shouts. And that prince, endued with great prowess, desirous of
slaying Drona hurled at him a dart of great impetuosity, decked with gold
and stones of lapis lazuli. Thereupon the son of Bharadwaja, smiling the
while, cut off into three fragments that dart decked with gold that was
coming towards him impetuously. Beholding his dart thus baffled,
Dhrishtadyumna of great prowess rained arrowy downpours on Drona, O king.
Then that mighty car-warrior Drona, baffling that arrowy shower, cut off
when the opportunity presented, the bow of Drupada's son. His bow (thus)
cut off in the combat, that mighty warrior of great fame hurled at Drona
a heavy mace endued with the strength of the mountain. And hurled from
his hands, that mace coursed through the air for Drona's destruction. And
then we beheld the wonderful prowess of Bharadwaja's son. By (the)
lightness (of his car's motion), he baffled that mace decked with gold,
and having baffled it, he shot at Prishata's son many shafts of sharp
edge, well-tempered, furnished with golden wings, and whetted on stone.
And these, penetrating through Prishata's coat of mail, drank his blood
in that battle. Then the high-souled Dhrishtadyumna, taking up another
bow, and putting forth his prowess pierced Drona in that encounter with
five shafts. And then those two bulls among men, both covered with blood,
looked beautiful like two blossoming Kinsukas in spring variegated with
flowers. Then, O king, excited with wrath and putting forth his prowess
at the head of his division, Drona once more cut off the bow of Drupada's
son. And then that hero of immeasurable soul covered that warrior whose
bow was cut off, with innumerable straight arrows like the clouds
showering rain on a mountain. And he also felled his foe's charioteer
from his niche in the car. And his four steeds, too, with four sharp
arrows, Drona felled in that combat that set up a leonine roar. And with
another shaft he cut off the leathern fence that cased Dhrishtadyumna's
hand. His bow cut off, deprived of car, his steeds slain, and charioteer
overthrown, the prince of Panchala alighted from his car, mace in hand,
displaying great prowess. But before he could come down from his car, O
Bharata, Drona with his shafts cut off that mace into fragments. This
feat seemed wonderful to us. And then the mighty prince of the Panchalas
of strong arms, taking a large and beautiful shield decked with a hundred
moons, and a large scimitar of beautiful make, rushed impetuously from
desire of slaying Drona, like a hungry lion in the forest towards an
infuriate elephant. Then wonderful was the prowess that we behold of
Bharadwaja's son, and his lightness (of hand) in the use of weapons, as
also the strength of his arms, O Bharata, in as much as, alone, he
checked Prishata's son with a shower of arrows. And although possessed of
great might in battle, he was unable to proceed further. And we behold
the mighty car-warrior Dhrishtadyumna staying where he did and warding
off those clouds of arrows with his shield, using his arms with great
dexterity. Then the mighty-armed Bhima endued with great strength quickly
came there, desirous of aiding in battle the high-souled son of Prishata.
And he pierced Drona, O king, with seven sharp-pointed arrows, and
speedily caused Prishata's son to be taken up on another car. Then king
Duryodhana urged the ruler of the Kalingas supported by a large division,
for the protection of Bharadwaja's son. Then that terrible and mighty
division of the Kalingas, O ruler of men, rushed against Bhima at the
command of thy son. And Drona then, that foremost of car-warriors,
abandoning the prince of Panchala, encountered Virata and Drupada
together. And Dhrishtadyumna also proceeded to support king Yudhishthira
in battle. And then commenced a fierce battle, making the hair stand on
end, between the Kalingas and the high-souled Bhima, a battle that was
destructive of the universe, terrific, and awful."



SECTION LIV

Dhritarashtra said, "How did the ruler of the Kalingas, that commander of
a large division, urged by my son, and supported by his troops, fight in
battle with the mighty Bhimasena of wonderful feats, that hero wandering
over the field of battle with his mace like Death himself club in hand?"

Sanjaya said, "Thus urged by thy son, O great king, the mighty king of
the Kalingas, accompanied by a large army advanced towards Bhima's car.
And Bhimasena, then, O Bharata, supported by the Chedis, rushed towards
that large and mighty army of the Kalingas, abounding with cars, steeds,
and elephants, and armed with mighty weapons, and advancing towards him
with Ketumat, the son of the king of the Nishadas. And Srutayus also,
excited with wrath, accoutred in mail, followed by his troops in
battle-array, and, accompanied by king Ketumat, came before Bhima in
battle. And the ruler of the Kalingas with many thousands of cars, and
Ketumat with ten thousand elephants and the Nishadas, surrounded
Bhimasena, O king, on all sides. Then the Chedis, the Matsyas, and
Karushas, with Bhimasena at their head, with many kings impetuously
rushed against the Nishadas. And then commenced the battle, fierce and
terrible, between the warriors rushing at one another from desire of
slaughter. And terrific was the battle that suddenly took place between
Bhima and his foes, resembling the battle, O great king, between Indra
and the mighty host of Diti's sons. And loud became the uproar, O
Bharata, of that mighty army struggling in battle, that resembled the
sound of the roaring ocean. And the combatants, O king, cutting one
another, made the whole field resemble a crematorium strewn with flesh
and blood. And combatants, impelled by the desire of slaughter could not
distinguish friend from foe. And those brave warriors, incapable of being
easily defeated in battle, even began to strike down their own friend.
And terrific was the collision that took place between the few and many,
between the Chedis (on the one side) and the Kalingas and the Nishadas, O
king, (on the other). Displaying their manliness to the best of their
power, the mighty Chedis, abandoning Bhimasena, turned back, and when the
Chedis ceased to follow him, the son of Pandu, encountering all the
Kalingas, did not turn back, depending upon the might of his own arms.
Indeed, the mighty Bhimasena moved not, but from the terrace of his car
covered the division of the Kalingas with showers of sharp arrows. Then
that mighty bowman, the king of the Kalingas, and that car-warrior, his
son known by the name of Sakradeva, both began to strike the son of Pandu
with their shafts. And the mighty-armed Bhima, shaking his beautiful bow,
and depending on the might of his own arms, fought with Kalinga, and
Sakradeva, shooting in that battle innumerable arrows, slew Bhimasena's
steeds with them. And beholding that chastiser of foes Bhimasena deprived
of his car, Sakradeva rushed at him, shooting sharp arrows. And upon
Bhimasena, O great king, the mighty Sakradeva showered arrowy downpours
like the clouds after summer is gone. But the mighty Bhimasena, staying
on his car whose steeds had been slain, hurled at Sakradeva a mace made
of the hardest iron. And slain by that mace, O king, the son of the ruler
of the Kalingas, from his car, fell down on the ground, with his standard
and charioteer. Then that mighty car-warrior, the king of the Kalingas
beholding his own son slain, surrounded Bhima on all sides with many
thousands of cars. Then the mighty-armed Bhima endued with great
strength, abandoning mace, took up a scimitar, desirous of achieving a
fierce feat. And that bull among men also took up, O king, crescents made
of gold. And the ruler of the Kalingas also, excited with wrath, and
rubbing his bowstring, and taking up a terrible arrow (deadly) as poison
of the snake, shot it at Bhimasena, desirous at that monarch was of
slaying (the Pandava). That sharp arrow, thus shot and coursing
impetuously, Bhimasena, O king, cut in twain with his huge sword. And
filled with delight he set up a loud shout, terrifying the troops. And
the ruler of the Kalingas, excited with rage in that combat with
Bhimasena, quickly hurled at him fourteen bearded darts whetted on stone.
The mighty-armed son of Pandu, however, with that best of scimitars,
fearlessly cut into fragments in a trice, O king, those darts while
coursing through the welkin and before they could reach him. And having
in that battle (thus) cut off those fourteen darts Bhima, that bull among
men, beholding Bhanumat, rushed at him. Bhanumat then covered Bhima with
a shower of arrows, and set up a loud shout, making the welkin resound
with it. Bhima, however, in that fierce battle, could not bear that
leonine shout. Himself endued with a loud voice, he also shouted very
loudly. And at these shouts of his, the army of the Kalingas became
filled with fear. In that battle they no longer regarded Bhima, O bull
among men, as a human being. Then, O great king, having uttered a loud
shout, Bhima, sword in hand impetuously jumping on (Bhanumat's) excellent
elephant aided by the latter's tusks, gained, O sire, the back of that
prince of tuskers, and with his huge sword cut Bhanumat, dividing him in
the middle. That chastiser of foes, then, having (thus) slain in battle
the prince of the Kalingas, next[363] made his sword which was capable of
bearing a great strain, to descend upon the neck of that elephant. His
head cut off, that prince of elephants fell down with a loud roar, like a
crested mountain (whose base is) eaten away by the impetuous (surges of
the) sea. And jumping down, O Bharata, from that failing elephant, the
prince of Bharata's race, of undepressed soul, stood on the ground, sword
in hand and accoutred in mail (as before). And felling numerous elephants
on all sides, he wandered (over the field), making many paths (for
himself). And then he seemed to be like a moving wheel of fire
slaughtering whole divisions of cavalry, of elephants, and cars, and
large bodies of infantry. And that lord among men, the mighty Bhima, was
seen to move over the field with the activity of the hawk, quickly
cutting off in that battle, with his sharp-edged sword, their bodies and
heads, as also those of the combatants on elephant. And combatant on
foot, excited with rage, all alone, and like Yama at the season of
universal dissolution, he struck terror into his foes and confounded
those brave warriors. Only they that were senseless rushed with loud
shouts at him wandering in that great battle with impetuosity, sword in
hand. And that grinder of foes, endued with great strength, cutting off
the shafts and yokes of warriors on their cars, slew those warriors also.
And Bhimasena was seen, O Bharata, to display diverse kinds of motions
there. He wheeled about, and whirled about on high, and, made
side-thrusts, and jumped forward, and ran above, and leapt high. And, O
Bharata, he was also seen to rush forward and rush upward. And some
mangled by the high-souled son of Pandu by means of his excellent sword,
shrieked aloud, struck at their vitals or fell down deprived of life. And
many elephants, O Bharata, some with trunks and the extremities of their
tusks cut off, and others having their temporal globes cut open, deprived
of riders, slew their own ranks and fell down uttering loud cries. And
broken lances, O king, and the head of elephant drivers, and beautiful
housings of elephants, and chords resplendent with gold, and collars, and
darts and mallets and quivers, diverse kinds of machines, and beautiful
bows, short arrows with polished heads, with hooks and iron crows for
guiding elephants, bells of diverse shape, and hilts decked with gold,
were seen by us falling down or (already) fallen along with riders of
steeds. And with elephants (lying down) having the fore parts and hind
parts of their bodies and their trunks cut off, or entirely slain, the
field seemed to be strewn with fallen cliffs. That bull among men, having
thus crushed the huge elephants, next crushed the steeds also. And, O
Bharata, that hero also felled the foremost of cavalry soldiers. And the
battle, O sire, that took place between him and them was fierce in the
extreme. And hilts and traces, and saddle girths resplendent with gold,
and covers for the back of steeds, and bearded darts, and costly swords,
and coats of mail, and shields, and beautiful ornaments, were seen by us
strewn over the ground in that great battle. And he caused the earth to
be strewn over (with blood) as if it were variegated with lilies. And the
mighty son of Pandu, jumping high and dragging some car-warriors down
with his sword felled them along with (their) standards. Frequently
jumping up or rushing on all sides, that hero endued with great activity,
wandering along many routes, caused the combatants to be amazed. And some
he slew by his legs, and dragging down others he pressed them down under
the earth. And others he cut off with his sword, and others he frightened
with his roars. And others he threw down on the ground by the force of
his thighs (as he ran). And others, beholding him, fled away in terror.
It was thus that that vast force of the Kalingas endued with great
activity, surrounding the terrible Bhimasena in battle, rushed at him.
Then, O bull of Bharata's race, beholding Srutayush at the head of
Kalinga troops, Bhimasena rushed at him. And seeing him advancing the
ruler of the Kalingas, of immeasurable soul, pierced Bhimasena between
his breasts with nine arrows. Struck with those shafts shot by the ruler
of the Kalingas, like an elephant pierced with the hook, Bhimasena blazed
up with wrath like fire fed with fuel. Then Asoka, that best of
charioteers, bringing a car decked with gold, caused Bhima to mount on
it. And thereupon that slayer of foes, the son of Kunti, speedily mounted
on that car. And then he rushed at the ruler of the Kalingas,
saying,--'Wait, Wait'. And then the mighty Srutayush excited with wrath,
shot at Bhima many sharp arrows, displaying his lightness of hand, and
that mighty warrior, Bhima, forcibly struck with those nine sharp arrows
shot by Kalinga from his excellent bow, yielded to great wrath, O king,
like a snake struck with a rod. Then that foremost of mighty men, Bhima,
the son of Pritha, excited with rage and drawing his bow with great
strength, slew the ruler of the Kalingas with seven shafts made wholly of
iron. And with two shafts he slew the two mighty protectors of the
car-wheels of Kalinga. And he also despatched Satyadeva and Satya to the
abode of Yama. Of immeasurable soul, Bhima also, with many sharp arrows
and long shafts, caused Ketumat to repair unto Yama's abode. Then the
Kshatriyas of the Kalinga country, excited with rage and supported by
many thousands of combatants, encountered the wrathful Bhimasena in
battle. And armed with darts and maces and scimitars and lances and
swords and battle-axes, the Kalingas, O king, hundreds upon hundreds
surrounded Bhimasena. Baffling that risen shower of arrows, that mighty
warrior then took up his mace and jumped down (from his car) with great
speed.[364] And Bhima then despatched seven hundred heroes to Yama's
abode. And that grinder of foes despatched, in addition, two thousand
Kalingas to the region of death. And that feat seemed highly wonderful.
And it was thus that the heroic Bhima of terrible prowess repeatedly
felled in battle large bands of the Kalingas. And elephants deprived by
Pandu's son, in that battle, of their riders, and afflicted with arrows
wandered on the field, treading down their own ranks and uttering loud
roars like masses of clouds driven by the wind. Then the mighty-armed
Bhima, scimitar in hand, and filled with delight, blew his conch of
terrible loudness. And with that blare he caused the hearts of all the
Kalinga troops to quake with fear. And, O chastiser of foes, all the
Kalingas seemed at the same time to be deprived of their senses. And all
the combatants and all the animals shook with terror. And in consequence
of Bhimasena wandering in that battle through many paths or rushing on
all sides like a prince of elephants, or frequently jumping up, a trance
seemed to be engendered there that deprived his foes of their senses. And
the whole (Kalinga) army shook with terror of Bhimasena, like a large
lake agitated by an alligator. And struck with panic in consequence of
Bhima of wonderful achievements, all the Kalinga combatants fled away in
all directions. When, however, they were rallied again, the commander of
the Pandava army (Dhrishtadyumna), O Bharata, ordered his own troops,
saying,--'Fight'. Hearing the words of their commander, many leaders (of
the Pandava army) headed by Sikhandin approached Bhima, supported by many
car-divisions accomplished in smiting. And Pandu's son, king Yudhishthira
the just, followed all of them with a large elephant force of the colour
of the clouds. And thus urging all his divisions, the son of Prishata,
surrounded by many excellent warriors, took upon himself the protection
of one of the wings of Bhimasena.[365] There exists nobody on earth, save
Bhima and Satyaki, who to the prince of the Panchalas is dearer than his
very life. That slayer of hostile heroes, the son of Prishata, beheld the
mighty-armed Bhimasena, that slayer of foes, wandering among the
Kalingas. He set up many shouts, O king, and was filled with delight, O
chastiser of foes. Indeed, he blew his conch in battle and uttered a
leonine roar. And Bhimasena also, beholding the red standard of
Dhrishtadyumna on his car decked with gold and unto which were yoked
steeds white as pigeons, became comforted.[366] And Dhrishtadyumna of
immeasurable soul, beholding Bhimasena encountered by the Kalingas rushed
to the battle for his rescue. And both those heroes. Dhrishtadyumna and
Vrikodara, endued with great energy, beholding Satyaki at a distance,
furiously encountered the Kalingas in battle. And that bull among men,
the grand son of Sini, that foremost of victorious warriors, quickly
advancing to the spot took up the wing of both Bhima and Prishata's son.
Bow in hand creating a great havoc there and making himself fierce in the
extreme, he began to slay the enemy in battle. And Bhima caused a river
to flow there of bloody current, mingled with the blood and flesh of the
warriors born in Kalinga. And beholding Bhimasena then, the troops cried
aloud, O king, saying. 'This is Death himself that is fighting in Bhima's
shape with the Kalingas.' Then Santanu's son Bhishma, hearing those cries
in battle, quickly proceeded towards Bhima, himself surrounded on all
sides with combatants in army. Thereupon, Satyaki and Bhimasena and
Dhrishtadyumna of Prishata's race, rushed towards that car of Bhima
decked with gold. And all of them quickly surrounding Ganga's son in
battle, pierced Bhishma, each with three terrible shafts, without losing
a moment. Thy sire Devavrata, however, in return pierced each of those
mighty bowmen striving (in battle) with three straight shafts. And
checking those mighty car-warriors, with thousands of arrows he Slew with
his shafts the steeds of Bhima decked with golden armour. Bhima, however,
endued with great energy, staying on that car whose steeds had been
slain, with great impetuosity hurled a dart at Bhishma's car. Thy sire
Devavrata then, in that battle, cut off that dart in twain before it
could reach him, and thereupon it fell down on the earth. Then that bull
among men, Bhimasena, taking up a heavy and mighty mace made of Saikya
iron speedily jumped down from his car. And Dhrishtadyumna quickly taking
up that foremost of car-warriors on his own car, took away, in the very
sight of all the combatants, that renowned warrior. And Satyaki then from
desire of doing what was agreeable to Bhima, felled with his shaft the
charioteer of the reverend Kuru grand-sire. Upon his charioteer being
slain, that foremost of car-warriors, Bhishma, was borne away from the
field of battle by his steeds with the speed of the wind. And when that
mighty car-warrior was (thus) taken away from the field, Bhimasena then,
O monarch, blazed up like a mighty fire while consuming dry grass. And
slaying all the Kalingas, he stayed in the midst of the troops, and none,
O bull of Bharata's race, of thy side ventured to withstand him. And
worshipped by the Panchalas and the Matsyas, O bull of Bharata's race, he
embraced Dhrishtadyumna and then approached Satyaki. And Satyaki, the
tiger among the Yadus, of prowess incapable of being baffled, then
gladdening Bhimasena, said unto him, in the presence of Dhrishtadyumna,
(these words). 'By good luck the king of the Kalingas, and Ketumat, the
prince of the Kalingas, and Sakradeva also of that country and all the
Kalingas, have been slain in battle. With the might and prowess of thy
arms, by thee alone, hath been crushed the very large division of the
Kalingas that abounded with elephants and steeds and cars, and with noble
warriors, and heroic combatants.' Having said this, the long-armed
grandson of Sini, that chastiser of foes, quickly getting upon his car,
embraced the son of Pandu. And then that mighty car-warrior, coming back
to his own car, began to slay thy troops excited with rage and
strengthening (the hands of) Bhima.



SECTION LV

Sanjaya said, "When the forenoon of that day had passed away, O Bharata,
and when the destruction of cars, elephants, steeds, foot-soldiers and
horse-soldiers, proceeded on, the prince of Panchala engaged himself in
battle with these three mighty car-warriors, viz., Drona's son, Salya,
and the high-souled Kripa. And the mighty heir of Panchala's king with
many sharp shafts, slew the steeds of Drona's son that were celebrated
over all the world. Deprived then of his animals, Drona's son quickly
getting up on Salya's car, showered his shafts on the hair of the
Panchala king. And beholding Dhrishtadyumna engaged in battle with
Drona's son, the son of Subhadra, O Bharata, quickly came up scattering
his sharp arrows. And, O bull of Bharata's race, he pierced Salya with
five and twenty, and Kripa with nine arrows, and Aswatthaman with eight.
Drona's son, however, quickly pierced Arjuna's son with many winged
arrows, and Salya pierced him with twelve, and Kripa with three sharp
arrows. Thy grandson Lakshmana then, beholding Subhadra's son engaged in
battle, rushed at him, excited with rage. And the battle commenced
between them. And the son of Duryodhana, excited with rage, pierced
Subhadra's son with sharp shafts in that combat. And that (feat), O king,
seemed highly wonderful. The light-handed Abhimanyu then, O bull of
Bharata's race, excited with rage, quickly pierced his cousin with five
hundred arrows. Lakshmana also, with his shafts, then cut off his
(cousin's) bow-staff at the middle, at which, O monarch, all the people
sent forth a loud shout. Then that slayer of hostile heroes, the son of
Subhadra, leaving aside that broken bow, took up another that was
beautiful and tougher.[367] And thereupon those two bulls among men, thus
engaged in combat and desirous of counteracting each other's feats,
pierced each other with sharp shafts. King Duryodhana then, O monarch,
beholding his mighty son thus afflicted by thy grandson (Abhimanyu),
proceeded to that spot. And when thy son turned (towards that spot), all
the kings surrounded the son of Arjuna on every side with crowds of cars.
Incapable of being defeated in battle and equal in prowess unto Krishna
himself, that hero, O king, thus surrounded by those heroes, was not
agitated in the least. Then Dhananjaya, beholding Subhadra's son engaged
in battle, rushed to that spot, excited with wrath, desirous of rescuing
his own son. Thereupon the kings (on the Kuru side), headed by Bhishma
and Drona and with cars, elephants and steeds, rushed impetuously at
Savyasachin. Then a thick earthly dust, suddenly raised by foot-soldiers
and steeds and cars and cavalry troopers, covering the sky appeared on
the view. And those thousands of elephants and hundreds of kings, when
they came within reach of Arjuna's arrows, were all unable to make any
further advance. And all creatures there set up loud wails, and the
points of the compass became dark. And then the transgression of the
Kurus assumed a fierce and dreadful aspect as regards its consequences.
Neither the welkin, nor the cardinal points of the compass nor the earth,
nor the sun, could be distinguished, O best of men, in consequence of the
arrows shot by Kiritin.[368] And many were the elephants there deprived
of the standards (on their backs), and many car-warriors also, deprived
of their steeds. And some leaders of car divisions were seen wandering,
having abandoned their cars. And other car-warriors, deprived of their
cars, were seen to wander hither and thither, weapon in hand and their
arms graced with Angadas. And riders of steeds abandoning their steeds
and of elephants abandoning their elephants from fear of Arjuna, O king,
fled away in all directions. And kings were seen felled or falling from
cars and elephants and steeds in consequence of Arjuna's shafts. And
Arjuna, assuming a fierce countenance, cut off with his terrible shafts,
the upraised arms of warriors, mace in grasp, and arms bearing swords, O
king, or darts, or quivers, or shafts, or bows, or hooks, or standards,
all over the field. And spiked maces broken in fragments, and mallets, O
sire, and bearded darts, and short arrows, and swords also, in that
battle, and sharp-edged battle-axes, and lances, O Bharata, and shields
broken into pieces, and coats of mail also, O king,[369] and standards,
and weapons of all kinds thrown away and umbrellas furnished with golden
staves, and iron hooks also, O Bharata, and goads and whips, and traces
also, O sire, were seen strewn over the field of battle in heaps. There
was no man in thy army, O sire, who could advance against the heroic
Arjuna in battle. Whoever, O king, advanced against Pritha's son in
battle, pierced by sharp shafts was despatched to the other world. When
all these combatants of thine broke had fled away, Arjuna and Vasudeva
blew their excellent conches. Thy sire Devavrata then, beholding the
(Kuru) host routed, smilingly addressed the heroic son of Bharadwaja in
the battle and said, "This mighty and heroic son of Pandu, viz.,
Dhananjaya, accompanied by Krishna, is dealing with (our) troops as he
alone is competent to deal with them. He is incapable of being vanquished
in battle today by any means, judging by his form that we see now so like
unto that of the Destroyer himself at the end of the Yuga. This vast host
again (of ours) is incapable of being rallied. Behold, looking at one
another, our troops are flying away. Yon Sun, robbing in every way the
vision of the whole world, is about to reach that best of mountains
called Asta.[370] For this, O bull among men, I think that the hour is
come for the withdrawal (of the army). The warriors, who have all been
tired and struck with panic, will never fight. Having said this unto
Drona that best of preceptors, Bhishma, that mighty car-warrior, caused
thy army to be withdrawn. And then when the sun set, the withdrawal of
both thy army and theirs took place, O sire, and twilight set in."

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John Hunter - "An Historical Journal of the Transactions at Port Jackson and Norfolk Island"

Mary Stewart Cutting - "The Blossoming Rod"

Emile Joseph Dillon - "The Inside Story Of The Peace Conference"

Various - "Notes and Queries, Number 32, June 8, 1850"

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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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