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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 XCV

Sanjaya said, "Beholding his own troops slain, king Duryodhana then
excited with wrath, rushed towards Bhimasena, that chastiser of foes.
Taking up a large bow whose effulgence resembled that of Indra's bolt, he
covered the son of Pandu with a thick shower of arrows. And filled with
rage, and aiming a sharp crescent-shaped shaft winged with feathers, he
cut off Bhimasena's bow. And that mighty car-warrior, noticing an
opportunity, quickly aimed at his adversary a whetted shaft capable of
riving the very hills. With that (shaft), that mighty-armed (warrior)
struck Bhimasena in the chest. Deeply pierced with that arrow, and
exceedingly pained, and licking the corners of his mouth, Bhimasena of
great energy caught hold of his flag-staff decked with gold. Beholding
Bhimasena in that cheerless state, Ghatotkacha blazed up with wrath like
an all-consuming conflagration. Then many mighty car-warriors of the
Pandava army, headed by Abhimanyu and with wrath generated (in their
bosoms), rushed at the king shouting loudly. Beholding them (thus)
advancing (to the fight) filled with wrath and in great fury,
Bharadwaja's son addressing the mighty car-warriors (of thy side), said
these words,--'Go quickly, blessed be ye, and protect the king. Sinking
in an ocean of distress, he is placed in a situation of great danger.
These mighty car-warriors of the Pandava army, these great bowmen,
placing Bhimasena at their head, are rushing towards Duryodhana, shooting
and hurling diverse kinds of weapons, resolved upon winning success,
uttering terrible shouts, and frightening the kings (on your side)'.
Hearing these words of the preceptor, many warriors of thy side headed by
Somadatta rushed upon the Pandava ranks. Kripa and Bhurisravas and Salya,
and Drona's son and Vivingsati, and Chitrasena and Vikarna, and the ruler
of the Sindhus, and Vrihadvala, and those two mighty bowmen, viz., the
two princes of Avanti, surrounded the Kuru king. Advancing only twenty
steps, the Pandavas and the Dhartarashtras began to strike, desirous of
slaughtering each other. The mighty-armed son of Bharadwaja also, having
said those words (unto the Dhartarashtra warriors), stretched his own
large bow and pierced Bhima with six and twenty arrows. And once again
that mighty car-warrior speedily covered Bhimasena with a shower of
arrows like a mass of clouds dropping torrents of rain on the
mountain-breasts in the rainy season. That mighty bowman Bhimasena,
however, of great strength, speedily pierced him in return with ten
shafts on the left side. Deeply pierced with those arrows and exceedingly
pained, O Bharata, the preceptor, enfeebled as he is with age, suddenly
sat down on the terrace of his car, deprived of consciousness. Beholding
him thus pained, king Duryodhana himself, and Aswatthaman also, excited
with wrath, both rushed towards Bhimasena. Beholding those two warriors
advance, each like Yama as he shows himself at the end of the Yuga, the
mighty-armed Bhimasena, quickly taking up a mace, and jumping down from
his car without loss of time, stood immovable like a hill, with that
heavy mace resembling the very club of Yama, upraised in battle.
Beholding him with mace (thus) upraised and looking (on that account)
like the crested Kailasa, both the Kuru king and Drona's son rushed
towards him. Then the mighty Bhimasena himself rushed impetuously at
those two foremost of men thus rushing together towards him with great
speed. Beholding him thus rushing in fury and with terrible expression of
face, many mighty car-warriors of the Kaurava army speedily proceeded
towards him. Those car-warriors headed by Bharadwaja's son, impelled by
the desire of slaughtering Bhimasena, hurled at his breast diverse kinds
of weapons, and thus all of them together afflicted Bhima from all sides.
Beholding that mighty car-warrior thus afflicted and placed in a
situation of great peril, many mighty car-warriors of the Pandava army,
headed by Abhimanyu, and prepared to lay down dear life itself, rushed to
the spot, desirous of rescuing him. The heroic ruler of the low country,
the dear friend of Bhima, viz., Nila, looking like a mass of blue clouds,
rushed at Drona's son, filled with wrath. A great bowman, Nila always
desired an encounter with Drona's son. Drawing his large bow, he pierced
the son of Drona with many winged arrows, like Sakra in days of old, O
king, piercing the invincible Danava Viprachitti, that terror of the
celestials, who, moved by anger frightened the three worlds by his
energy. Pierced after the same way by Nila with his well-shot arrows
winged with feathers, Drona's son, covered with blood and exceedingly
pained, was filled with wrath. Drawing then his large bow, of twang loud
as the roar of Indra's thunder, that foremost of intelligent persons set
his heart upon the destruction of Nila. Aiming then a few bright shafts
of broad heads and sharpened by the hands of their forger, he slew the
four steeds of his adversary and overthrew also his standard. And with
the seventh shaft he pierced Nila himself in the chest. Deeply pierced
and exceedingly pained, he sat down on the terrace of his car. Beholding
king Nila, who looked like a mass of blue clouds, in a swoon,
Ghatotkacha, filled with wrath and surrounded by his kinsmen, rushed
impetuously towards Drona's son, that ornament of battle. Similarly many
other Rakshasas, incapable of being easily defeated in battle, rushed at
Aswatthaman. Beholding then that Rakshasa of terrible mien coming towards
him, the valiant son of Bharadwaja impetuously rushed towards him. Filled
with wrath he slew many Rakshasas of formidable visage, that is, those
wrathful ones amongst them who were in Ghatotkacha's van. Beholding them
repulsed from the encounter by means of the shafts shot from the bow of
Drona's son, Bhimasena's son Ghatotkacha of gigantic size was filled with
rage. He then exhibited a fierce and awful illusion. Therewith that
prince of the Rakshasas, endued with extraordinary powers of illusion,
confounded the son of Drona in that battle. Then all thy troops, in
consequence of that illusion, turned their backs upon the field. They
beheld one another cut down and lying prostrate on the surface of the
earth, writhing convulsively, perfectly helpless, and bathed in blood.
Drona and Duryodhana and Salya and Aswatthaman, and other great bowmen
that were regarded as foremost among the Kauravas, also seemed to fly
away. All the car-warriors seemed to be crushed, and all the kings seemed
to be slain. And horses and horse-riders seemed to be cut down in
thousands. Beholding all this, thy troops fled away towards their tents.
And although, O king, both myself and Devavrata cried out at the top of
our voices, saying, 'Fight, do not fly away, all this is Rakshasa
illusion in battle, applied by Ghatotkacha.' Yet they stopped not, their
senses having been confounded. Although both of us said so, still struck
with panic, they gave no credit to our words. Beholding them fly away the
Pandavas regarded the victory to be theirs. With Ghatotkacha (among them)
they uttered many leonine shouts. And all around they filled the air with
their shouts mingled with the blare of their conches and the beat of
their drums. It was thus that thy whole army, routed by the wicked
Ghatotkacha, towards the hour of sunset, fled away in all directions.'"



SECTION XCVI

Sanjaya said, "After that great battle, king Duryodhana, approaching
Ganga's son and saluting him with humility, began to narrate to him all
that had happened about the victory won by Ghatotkacha and his own
defeat. That invincible warrior, O king, sighing repeatedly, said these
words unto Bhishma, the grandsire of the Kurus, 'O lord, relying upon
thee, as Vasudeva hath been (relied upon) by the foe, a fierce war hath
been commenced by me with the Pandavas. These eleven Akshauhinis of
celebrated troops that I have, are, with myself, obedient to thy command,
O chastiser of foes. O tiger among the Bharatas, though thus situated,
yet have I been defeated into battle by the Pandava warriors headed by
Bhimasena relying upon Ghatotkacha. It is this that consumeth my limbs
like fire consuming dry tree. O blessed one, O chastiser of foes, I
therefore, desire, through thy grace, O grandsire, to slay Ghatotkacha
myself, that worst of Rakshasas, relying upon thy invincible self. It
behoveth thee to see that wish of mine may be fulfilled.' Hearing these
words of the king, that foremost one among the Bharatas, viz., Bhishma,
the son of Santanu, said these words unto Duryodhana, 'Listen, O king, to
these words of mine that I say unto thee, O thou of Kuru's race, about
the way in which thou, O chastiser of foes, shouldst always behave. One's
own self, under all circumstances, should be protected in battle, O
repressor of foes. Thou shouldst always, O sinless one, battle with king
Yudhishthira--the Just, or with Arjuna, or with the twins, or with
Bhimasena. Keeping the duty of a king before himself, a king striketh a
king. Myself, and Drona, and Kripa, and Drona's son, and Kritavarman of
the Satwata race, and Salya, and Somadatta's son, and that mighty
car-warrior Vikarna, and thy heroic brothers headed by Dussasana, will
all, for thy sake, battle against that mighty Rakshasas. Or if thy grief
on account of that fierce prince of the Rakshasas be too great, let this
one proceed in battle against that wicked warrior, that is to say, king
Bhagadatta who is equal unto Purandara himself in fight'. Having said
this much unto the king, the grandsire skilled in speech then addressed
Bhagadatta in the presence of the (Kuru) king, saying, 'Proceed quickly,
O great monarch, against that invincible warrior, viz., the son of
Hidimva. Resist in battle, with care, and in view of all the bowmen, that
Rakshasa of cruel deeds, like Indra in days of old resisting Taraka. Thy
weapons are celestial. Thy prowess also is great, O chastiser of foes. In
days of old many have been the encounters that thou hadst with Asura, O
tiger among kings, thou art that Rakshasa's match in great battle.
Strongly supported by thy own troops, slay, O king, that bull among
Rakshasas'. Hearing these words of Bhishma the generalissimo (of the
Kaurava army), Bhagadatta specially set out with a leonine roar facing
the ranks of the foe. Beholding him advance towards them like a mass of
roaring clouds, many mighty car-warriors of the Pandava army proceeded
against him, inflamed with wrath. They were Bhimasena, and Abhimanyu and
the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha; and the sons of Draupadi, and Satyadhriti, and
Kshatradeva, O sire, and the rulers of the Chedis, and Vasudana, and the
king of the Dasarnas. Bhagadatta then, on his elephant named Supratika,
rushed against them. Then commenced a fierce and awful battle between the
Pandavas and Bhagadatta, that increased the population of Yama's kingdom.
Shafts of terrible energy and great impetuosity, shot by car-warriors,
fell, O king, on elephants and cars. Huge elephants with rent temples and
trained (to the fight) by their guides, approaching fell upon one another
fearlessly. Blind (with fury) in consequence of the temporal juice
trickling down their bodies, and excited with rage, attacking one another
with their tusks resembling stout bludgeons, they pierced one another
with the points of those weapons.[453] Graced with excellent tails, and
ridden by warriors armed with lances, steeds, urged by those riders fell
fearlessly and with great impetuosity upon one another. And
foot-soldiers, attacked by bodies of foot-soldiers with darts and lances,
fell down on the earth by hundreds and thousands. And car-warriors upon
their cars, slaughtering heroic adversaries in that battle by means of
barbed arrows and muskets and shafts, uttered leonine shouts.[454] And
during the progress of the battle making the hair stand on end, that
great bowman, viz., Bhagadatta, rushed towards Bhimasena, on his elephant
of rent temples and with juice trickling down in seven currents and
resembling (on that account) a mountain with (as many) rillets flowing
down its breast after a shower. And he came, O sinless one, scattering
thousands of arrows from the head of Supratika (whereon he stood) like
the illustrious Purandara himself on his Airavata. King Bhagadatta
afflicted Bhimasena with that arrowy shower like the clouds afflicting
the mountain breast with torrents of rain on the expiry of summer. That
mighty bowman Bhimasena, however, excited with rage, slew by his arrowy
showers the combatants numbering more than a hundred, that protected the
flanks and rear of Bhagadatta.[455] Beholding them slain, the valiant
Bhagadatta, filled with rage, urged his prince of elephants towards
Bhimasena's car. That elephant, thus urged by him, rushed impetuously
like an arrow propelled from the bowstring towards Bhimasena, that
chastiser of foes. Beholding that elephant advancing, the mighty
car-warriors of the Pandava army, placing Bhimasena at their head,
themselves rushed towards it. Those warriors were the (five) Kekaya
princes, and Abhimanyu, and the (five) sons of Draupadi and the heroic
ruler of the Dasarnas, and Kshatradeva also, O sire, and the ruler of the
Chedis, and Chitraketu. And all these mighty warriors came, inflamed with
anger, and exhibiting their excellent celestial weapons. And they all
surrounded in anger that single elephant (on which their adversary rode).
Pierced with many shafts, that huge elephant, covered with gore flowing
from his wounds, looked resplendent like a prince of mountain variegated
with (liquified) red chalk (after a shower). The ruler of the Dasarnas
then, on an elephant that resembled a mountain, rushed towards
Bhagadatta's elephant. That prince of elephants, however, viz.,
Supratika, bore (the rush of) that advancing compeer like the continent
bearing (the rush of) the surging sea. Beholding that elephant of the
high souled king of the Dasarnas thus resisted, even the Pandava troops,
applauding, cried out 'Excellent, excellent!' Then that best of kings,
viz., the ruler of the Pragjyotishas, excited with rage, sped four and
ten lances at that elephant. These, speedily penetrating through the
excellent armour, decked with gold, that covered the animal's body,
entered into it, like snakes entering anthills. Deeply pierced and
exceedingly pained, that elephant, O chief of the Bharatas, its fury
quelled, speedily turned back with great force. And it fled away with
great swiftness, uttering frightful shrieks, and crushing the Pandava
ranks like the tempest crushing trees with its violence. After that
elephant was (thus) vanquished, the mighty car-warriors of the Pandava
army, uttering loud leonine shouts, approached for battle. Placing Bhima
at their head, they rushed at Bhagadatta scattering diverse kinds of
arrows and diverse kinds of weapons. Hearing the fierce shouts, O king,
of those advancing warriors swelling with rage and vengeance, that great
bowman Bhagadatta, filled with rage and perfectly fearless, urged his own
elephant. That prince of elephants then, thus urged with the hook and the
toe, soon assumed the form of the (all-destructive) Samvarta fire (that
appears at the end of the Yuga). Crushing crowds of cars and (hostile)
compeers and steeds with riders, in that battle, it began, O king, to
turn hither and thither. Filled with rage it also crushed foot-soldiers
by hundreds and thousands. Attacked and agitated by that elephant, that
large force of the Pandavas shrank in dimensions, O king, like a piece of
leather exposed to the heat of fire. Beholding, then the Pandava array
broken by the intelligent Bhagadatta, Ghatotkacha, of fierce mien, O
king, with blazing face and eyes red as fire, filled with rage, rushed
towards him. Assuming a terrible form and burning with wrath, he took up
a bright dart capable of riving the very hills. Endued with great
strength, he forcibly hurled that dart that emitted blazing flames from
every part desirous of slaying that elephant. Beholding it coursing
towards him with great impetuosity, the ruler of the Pragjyotishas sped
at it a beautiful but fierce and sharp arrow with a crescent head.
Possessed of great energy he cut off that dart with that arrow of his.
Thereupon that dart, decked with gold, thus divided in twain, dropped
down on the ground, like the bolt of heaven, hurled by Indra, flashing
through the welkin. Beholding that dart (of his adversary), O king,
divided in twain and fallen on the ground, Bhagadatta took up a large
javelin furnished with a golden staff and resembling a flame of fire in
effulgence, and hurled it at the Rakshasa, saying, 'Wait, Wait'. Seeing
it coursing towards him like the bolt of heaven through the welkin, the
Rakshasa jumped up and speedily seizing it uttered a loud shout. And
quickly placing it against his knee, O Bharata, he broke it in the very
sight of all the kings. All this seemed exceedingly wonderful. Beholding
that feat achieved by the mighty Rakshasa, the celestials in the
firmament, with the Gandharvas and the Munis, were filled with wonder.
And the Pandava warriors also, headed by Bhimasena, filled the earth with
cries of 'Excellent, Excellent'. Hearing, however, those loud shouts of
the rejoicing Pandavas, that great bowman, viz., the valiant Bhagadatta,
could not bear it (coolly). Drawing his large bow whose effulgence
resembled that of Indra's bolt, he roared with great energy at the mighty
car-warriors of the Pandava army, shooting at the same time many bright
arrows of great sharpness and possessed of the effulgence of fire. And he
pierced Bhima with one arrow, and the Rakshasa with nine. And he pierced
Abhimanyu with three, and the Kekaya brothers with five. And with another
straight arrow shot from his bow drawn to its fullest stretch, he
pierced, in that battle, the right arm of Kshatradeva. Thereupon the
latter's bow with arrow fixed on the bowstring dropped down from his
hand. And he struck the five sons of Draupadi with five arrows. And from
wrath, he slew the steeds of Bhimasena. And with three shafts winged with
feathers, he cut down Bhimasena's standard bearing the device of a lion.
And with three other shafts he pierced Bhima's charioteer. Deeply pierced
by Bhagadatta in that battle, and exceedingly pained, Visoka thereupon, O
chief of the Bharatas, sat down on the terrace of the car. Then, O king,
that foremost of car-warriors, viz., Bhima, thus deprived of his car,
quickly jumped down from his large vehicle taking up his mace. Beholding
him with mace upraised and looking like a crested hill, all thy troops, O
Bharata, became filled with great fear. Just at this time that son of
Pandu who had Krishna for his charioteer, O king, slaughtering the foe on
all sides as he came, appeared at that spot where those tigers among men,
those mighty car-warriors, viz., Bhimasena and Ghatotkacha, sire and son,
were engaged with the ruler of the Pragjyotishas. Beholding his brothers,
those mighty car-warriors, engaged in battle, that son of Pandu quickly
commenced to fight, profusely scattering his shafts, O chief of the
Bharatas. Then that mighty car-warrior, viz., king Duryodhana, speedily
urged on a division of his troops abounding with cars and elephants.
Towards that mighty division of the Kauravas thus advancing with
impetuosity, Arjuna of white steeds rushed with great impetuosity.
Bhagadatta also, upon that elephant of his, O Bharata, crushing the
Pandava ranks, rushed towards Yudhishthira. Then commenced a fierce
battle between Bhagadatta, O sire, and the Panchalas, the Srinjayas, and
the Kekayas, with upraised weapons. Then Bhimasena, in that battle told
both Kesava and Arjuna in detail about the slaughter of Iravat as it had
occurred."



SECTION XCVII

Sanjaya said, "Hearing that his son Iravat had been slain, Dhananjaya was
filled with great grief and sighed like a snake. And addressing Vasava in
the midst of battle, he said these words, 'Without doubt, the high-souled
Vidura of great wisdom had before seen (with his mind's eye) this awful
destruction of the Kurus and the Pandavas. It was for this that he
forbade king Dhritarashtra.[456] In this battle, O slayer of Madhu, many
other heroes have been slain by the Kaurava and many amongst the Kauravas
have similarly been slain by ourselves. O best of men, for the sake of
wealth vile acts are being done. Fie upon that wealth for the sake of
which such slaughter of kinsmen is being perpetrated. For him that hath
no wealth, even death would be better than the acquisition of wealth by
the slaughter of kinsmen. What, O Krishna, shall we gain by slaying our
assembled kinsmen? Alas, for Duryodhana's, fault, and also of Sakuni the
son of Suvala, as also through the evil counsels of Karna, the Kshatriya
race is being exterminated, O slayer of Madhu, I now understand, O
mighty-armed one, that the king acted wisely by begging of Suyodhana[457]
only half the kingdom, or, instead, only five villages. Alas, even that
was not granted by that wicked-souled wight. Beholding so many brave
Kshatriyas lying (dead) on the field of battle, I censure myself,
(saying) fie upon the profession of a Kshatriya. The Kshatriyas will
regard me powerless in battle. For this alone, I am battling. Else, O
slayer of Madhu, this battle with kinsmen is distasteful to me. Urge the
steeds on with speed towards the Dhartarashtra army, I will, with my two
arms, reach the other shore of this ocean of battle that is so difficult
to cross. There is no time, O Madhava, to lose in action'. Thus addressed
by Partha, Kesava, that slayer of hostile heroes, urged those steeds of
white hue endued with the speed of the wind. Then, O Bharata, loud was
the noise that was heard among thy troops, resembling that of the ocean
itself at full tide when agitated by the tempest.[458] In the afternoon,
O king, the battle that ensued between Bhishma and the Pandavas was
marked by noise that resembled the roar of the clouds. Then, O king, thy
sons, surrounding Drona like the Vasus surrounding Vasava, rushed in the
battle against Bhimasena. Then Santanu's son, Bhishma, and that foremost
of car-warriors, viz., Kripa, and Bhagadatta, and Susarman, all went
towards Dhananjaya. And Hridika's son (Kritavarman) and Valhika rushed
towards Satyaki. And king Amvashta placed himself before Abhimanyu. And
other great car-warriors, O king, encountered other great car-warriors.
Then commenced a fierce battle that was terrible to behold. Bhimasena
then, I O king, beholding thy sons, blazed up with wrath in that battle,
like fire with (a libation of) clarified butter. Thy sons, however, O
monarch, covered that son of Kunti with their arrows like the clouds
drenching the mountain-breast in the season of rains. While being (thus)
covered in diverse ways by thy sons, O king, that hero, possessed of the
activity of the tiger, licked the corners of his mouth.[459] Then, O
Bharata, Bhima felled Vyudoroska with a sharp horse-shoe-headed arrow.
Thereupon that son of thine was deprived of life. With another
broad-headed arrow, well-tempered and sharp, he then felled Kundalin like
a lion overthrowing a smaller animal. Then, O sire, getting thy (other)
sons (within reach of his arrows), he took up a number of shafts, sharp
and well-tempered, and with careful aim speedily shot these at them.
Those shafts, sped by that strong bowman, viz., Bhimasena, felled thy
sons, those mighty car-warriors, from their vehicles. (These sons of
thine that were thus slain were) Anadhriti, and Kundabhedin, and Virata,
and Dirghalochana, and Dirghavahu, and Suvahu, and Kanykadhyaja. While
falling down (from their cars), O bull of Bharata's race, those heroes
looked resplendent like falling mango trees variegated with blossoms in
the spring. Then thy other sons, O monarch, fled away, regarding the
mighty Bhimasena as Death himself. Then like the clouds pouring torrents
of rain on the mountain breast, Drona in that battle covered with arrows
from every side that hero who was thus consuming thy sons. The prowess
that we then beheld of Kunti's son was exceedingly wonderful, for though
held in check by Drona, he still slew thy sons. Indeed, as a bull beareth
a shower of rain falling from above. Bhima cheerfully bore that shower of
arrows shot by Drona. Wonderful, O monarch, was the feat that Vrikodara
achieved there, for he slew thy sons in that battle and resisted Drona
the while. Indeed, the elder brother of Arjuna sported amongst those
heroic sons o thine, like a mighty tiger, O king, among a herd of deer.
As a wolf, staying in the midst of a herd of deer, would chase and
frighten those animals, so did Vrikodara, in that battle chase and
frighten thy sons.

"Meanwhile, Ganga's son, and Bhagadatta, and that mighty car-warrior,
viz., Gautama, began to resist Arjuna, that impetuous son of Pandu. That
Atiratha, baffling with his weapons the weapons of those adversaries of
his in that battle, despatched many prominent heroes of thy army to the
abode of Death. Abhimanyu also, with his shafts, deprived that renowned
and foremost of car-warriors, viz., king Amvashta, of his car. Deprived
of his car and about to be slain by the celebrated son of Subhadra, that
king quickly jumped down from his car in shame, and hurled his sword in
that battle at the high-souled Abhimanyu. Then, that mighty monarch got
up on the car of Hridika's son, conversant with all movements in battle,
Subhadra's son, that slayer of hostile heroes, beholding that sword
coursing towards him, baffled it by the celerity of his movements. Seeing
that sword thus baffled in that battle by Subhadra's son, loud cries of
'well done' 'well done' were, O king, heard among the troops. Other
warriors headed by Dhrishtadyumna battled with thy troops, while thy
troops, also, all battled with those of the Pandavas. Then, O Bharata,
fierce was the engagement that took place between thine and theirs, that
combatants smiting one another with great force and achieving the most
difficult feats. Brave combatants, O sire, seizing one another by the
hair, fought using their nails and teeth, and fists and knees, and palms
and swords, and their well-proportioned arms. And seizing one another's
laches, they despatched one another to the abode of Yama. Sire slew son,
and son slew sire. Indeed, the combatants fought with one another, using
every limb of theirs. Beautiful bows with golden staves, O Bharata,
loosened from the grasp of slain warriors, and costly ornaments, and
sharp shafts furnished with wings of pure gold or silver and washed with
oil, looked resplendent (as they lay scattered on the field), the latter
resembling, in particular, snakes that had cast off their slough. And
swords furnished with ivory handles decked with gold, and the shield also
of bowmen, variegated with gold, lay on the field, loosened from their
grasp. Bearded darts and axes and swords and javelins, all decked with
gold, beautiful coats of mail, and heavy and short bludgeons, and spiked
clubs, and battle-axes, and short arrows, O sire, and elephants' housings
of diverse shapes, and yak tails, and fans, lay scattered on the field.
And mighty car-warriors lay on the field with diverse kinds of weapons in
their hands or beside them, and looking alive, though the breath of life
had gone.[460] And men lay on the field with limbs shattered with maces
and heads smashed with clubs, or crushed by elephants, steeds, and cars.
And the earth, strewn in many places with the bodies of slain steeds,
men, and elephants, looked beautiful, O king, as if strewn with hills.
And the field of battle lay covered with fallen darts and swords and
arrows and lances and scimitars and axes and bearded darts and iron crows
and battle-axes, and spiked clubs and short arrows and Sataghnis[461] and
bodies mangled with weapons. And, O slayer of foes, covered with blood,
warriors lay prostrate on the field, some deprived of life and therefore,
in the silence of death, and others uttering low moans. And the earth,
strewn with those bodies, presented a variegated sight. And strewn with
the arms of strong warriors smeared with sandal paste and decked with
leathern fences and bracelets, with tapering thighs resembling the trunks
of elephants, and with fallen heads, graced with gems attached to turbans
and with earrings of large-eyed combatants, O Bharata, the earth assumed
a beautiful sight. And the field of battle, overspread with blood, dyed
coats of mail and golden ornaments of many kinds, looked exceedingly
beautiful as if with (scattered) fires of mild flames. And with ornaments
of diverse kinds fallen off from their places, with bows lying about,
with arrows of golden wings scattered around, with many broken cars
adorned with rows of bells, with many slain steeds scattered about
covered with blood and with their tongues protruding, with bottoms of
cars, standards, quivers, and banners, with gigantic conches, belonging
to great heroes, of milky whiteness lying about, and with trunkless
elephants lying prostrate, the earth looked beautiful like a damsel
adorned with diverse kinds of ornaments. And there, with other elephants
pierced with lances and in great agony, and frequently uttering low moans
with their trunks, the field of battle looked beautiful as if with moving
hills. With blankets of diverse hue, and housings of elephants, with
beautiful hooks falling about having handles decked with stones of lapis
lazuli, with bells lying about that had adorned gigantic elephants, with
clean and variegated cloths as also skins of the Ranku deer, with
beautiful neck-chains of elephants, with gold-decked girths, with broken
engines of diverse kinds, with bearded darts decked with gold, with
embroidered housings of steeds, embrowned with dust, with the lopped off
arms of cavalry soldiers, decked with bracelets and lying about, with
polished and sharp lances and bright swords, with variegated head-gears
fallen off (from heads) and scattered about, with beautiful
crescent-shaped arrows decked with gold, with housings of steeds, with
skins of the Ranku deer, torn and crushed, with beautiful and costly gems
that decked the head-gears of kings, with their umbrellas lying about and
yak tails and fans, with faces, bright as the lotus or the moon, of
heroic warriors, decked with beautiful ear-rings and graced with well-cut
beards, lying about and radiant with other ornaments of gold, the earth
looked like the firmament besmangled with planets and stars. Thus, O
Bharata, the two armies, viz., thine and theirs, encountering each other
in battle, crushed each other. And after the combatants had been
fatigued, routed, and crushed, O Bharata, dark night set in and the
battle could no longer be seen. Thereupon both the Kurus and the Pandavas
withdrew their armies, when that awful night of pitchy darkness came. And
having withdrawn their troops, both the Kurus and the Pandavas took rest
for the night, retiring to their respective tents.

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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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