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The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3 by or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli

o >> or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli >> The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3






53

"Sanjaya said, 'During the progress of that battle in which so many
Kshatriyas sank down, the loud twang of Gandiva, O sire, was heard above
the din on that spot, O king, where the son of Pandu was engaged in
slaughtering the samsaptakas, the Kosalas, and the Narayana forces.
Filled with rage and longing for victory, the samsaptakas, in that
battle, began to pour showers of arrows on Arjuna's head. The puissant
Partha, however, quickly checking those arrowy showers, O king, plunged
into that battle, and began to slay many foremost of car-warriors.
Plunging into the midst of that division of cars with the aid of his
whetted shafts equipped with Kanka feathers, Partha came upon Susharma of
excellent weapons. That foremost of car-warriors poured on Arjuna thick
showers of arrows. Meanwhile the samsaptakas also covered Partha with
their shafts. Then Susharma, piercing Partha with ten shafts, struck
Janardana with three in the right arm. With a broad-headed arrow then, O
sire, he pierced the standard of Arjuna. Thereupon that foremost of apes,
of huge dimensions, the handiwork of the celestial artificer himself,
began to utter loud sounds and roared very fiercely, affrighting thy
troops. Hearing the roars of the ape, thy army became inspired with fear.
Indeed, under the influence of a great fear, that army became perfectly
inactive. That army then, as it stood inactive, O king, looked beautiful
like the Citraratha forest with its flowery burthen of diverse kinds.
Then those warriors, recovering their senses, O chief of the Kurus, began
to drench Arjuna with their arrowy downpours like the clouds drenching
the mountains. Then all of them encompassed the great car of the Pandava.
Assailing him, they uttered loud roars although all the while they were
being struck and slaughtered with sharp shafts. Assailing his steeds, his
car-wheels, his car-shaft, and every other limb of his vehicle, with
great force, O sire, they uttered many leonine roars. Some among them
seized the massive arms of Keshava, and some among them, O king, seized
Partha himself with great joy as he stood on his car. Then Keshava,
shaking his arms on the field of battle, threw down all those that had
seized them, like a wicked elephant shaking down all the riders from his
back. Then Partha, encompassed by those great car-warriors, and beholding
his car assailed and Keshava attacked in that manner became filled with
rage, and overthrew a large number of car-warriors and foot-soldiers. And
he covered all the combatants that were close to him with many arrows,
that were fit for close encounters. Addressing Keshava then, he said,
"Behold, O Krishna, O thou of mighty arms, these countless samsaptakas
engaged in accomplishing a fearful task although slaughtered in
thousands. O bull amongst the Yadus, there is none on Earth, save myself,
that would be able to bear such a close attack on his car." Having said
these words, Vibhatsu blew his conch. Then Krishna also blew his conch
filling the welkin with its blare. Hearing that blare the army of the
samsaptakas began to waver, O king, and became inspired with great
fright. Then that slayer of hostile heroes, viz., the son of Pandu,
paralysed the legs of the samsaptakas by repeatedly invoking, O monarch,
the weapon called Naga. Thus tied with those foot-tying bands by the
high-souled son of Pandu, all of them stood motionless, O king, as if
they had been petrified. The son of Pandu then began to slay those
motionless warriors like Indra in days of yore slaying the Daityas in the
battle with Taraka. Thus slaughtered in that battle, they set the car
free, and commenced to throw down all their weapons. Their legs being
paralysed, they could not, O king, move a step. Then Partha slew them
with his straight arrows. Indeed, all these warriors in that battle,
aiming at whom Partha had invoked that foot-tying weapon, had their lower
limbs encircled with snakes. Then the mighty car-warrior Susharma, O
monarch, beholding his army thus paralysed, quickly invoked the weapon
called Sauparna. Thereupon numerous birds began to come down and devour
those snakes. The latter again, at the sight of rangers of the sky,
began, O king, to fly away. Freed from that foot-tying weapon, the
Samsaptaka force, O monarch, looked like the Sun himself giving light
unto all creatures, when freed from clouds. Thus liberated, those
warriors once more shot their arrows, O sire, and hurled their weapons at
Arjuna's car. And all of them pierced Partha with numerous weapons.
Cutting off with his own arrowy downpour that shower of mighty weapons
Vasava's son, that slayer of hostile heroes, began to slaughter those
warriors. Then Susharma, O king, with a straight arrow, pierced Arjuna in
the chest, and then he pierced him with three other shafts. Deeply
pierced therewith, and feeling great pain, Arjuna sat down on the terrace
of his car. Then all the troops loudly cried out, saying, "Partha is
slain." At this the blare of conchs, and the peal of drums, and the sound
of diverse musical instruments, and loud leonine shouts, arose there.
Recovering his senses, Partha of immeasurable soul, owning white steeds
and having Krishna for his driver, speedily invoked the Aindra weapon.
Then thousands of arrows, O sire, issuing from that weapon, were seen on
all sides to slay kings and elephants. And steeds and warriors, in
hundreds and thousands, were also seen to be slaughtered in that battle,
with these weapons. Then while the troops were thus being slaughtered, a
great fear entered the hearts of all the samsaptakas and Gopalas, O
Bharata. There was no man amongst them that could fight with Arjuna.
There in the very sight of all the heroes, Arjuna began to destroy thy
troops. Beholding that slaughter, all of them remained perfectly
inactive, without putting forth their prowess. Then the son of Pandu
having slain full 10,000 combatants in that battle, looked resplendent, O
monarch, like a blazing fire without smoke. And then he slew full 14,000
warriors, and 3,000 warriors, and 3,000 elephants. Then the samsaptakas
once more encompassed Dhananjaya, making death or victory their goal. The
battle then that took place there between thy warriors and that mighty
hero, viz., the diadem-decked son of Pandu became awful.'"



54

"Sanjaya said, 'Then Kritavarma, and Kripa, and the son of Drona and the
Suta's son, O sire, and Uluka, and Subala's son (Shakuni), and the king
himself, with his uterine brothers, beholding the (Kuru) army afflicted
with the fear of Pandu's son, unable to stand together, like a vessel
wrecked on the ocean, endeavoured to rescue it with great speed. For a
short space of time, O Bharata, the battle that once more took place
became exceedingly fierce, enhancing as it did the fears of timid and the
joy of the brave. The dense showers of arrows shot in battle by Kripa,
thick, as flights of locusts, covered the Srinjayas. Then Shikhandi,
filled with rage, speedily proceeded against the grandson of Gautama
(Kripa) and poured upon that bull amongst Brahmanas his arrowy downpours
from all sides. Acquainted with the highest weapons Kripa then checked
that arrowy downpour, and wrathfully pierced Shikhandi with ten arrows in
that battle. Then Shikhandi filled with rage, deeply pierced Kripa, in
that encounter, with seven straight arrows equipped with Kanka feathers.
The twice-born Kripa then, that great car-warrior, deeply pierced with
those keen arrows, deprived Shikhandi of his steeds, driver and car.
Jumping down from his steedless vehicle, the mighty car-warrior
(Shikhandi) rushed impetuously at the Brahmana, having taken up a sword
and a shield. As the Pancala prince advanced, Kripa quickly covered him
with many straight arrows in that encounter, which seemed exceedingly
wonderful. Indeed, exceedingly wonderful was the sight that we then
beheld, even like the flying of rocks, for Shikhandi, O king, (thus
assailed) remained perfectly inactive in that battle. Beholding Shikhandi
covered (with arrows) by Kripa, O best of the kings, the mighty
car-warrior Dhrishtadyumna speedily proceeded against Kripa. The great
car-warrior Kritavarma, however, rushing impetuously received
Dhrishtadyumna as the latter proceeded against the son of Sharadvata
(Kripa). Then Drona's son checked Yudhishthira as the latter, with his
son and troops, was rushing towards the car of Sharadvata's son. Thy son
Duryodhana, shooting a shower of arrows, received and checked Nakula and
Sahadeva, those two great car-warriors endued with celerity. Karna too,
otherwise called Vaikartana, O Bharata, in that battle, resisted
Bhimasena, and the Karushas, the Kaikayas, and the Srinjayas. Meanwhile
Sharadvata's son, in that battle, O sire, with great activity, sped many
arrows at Shikhandi, as if for the purpose of burning him outright. The
Pancala prince, however, whirling his sword repeatedly, cut off all those
arrows, decked with gold, that had been sped at him by Kripa from all
sides. The grandson of Gautama (Kripa) then quickly cut off with his
arrows the shield of Prishata's son, that was decked with hundred moons.
At this feat of his, the troops made a loud uproar. Deprived of his
shield, O monarch, and placed under Kripa's power Shikhandi still rushed,
sword in hand, (towards Kripa), like a sick man towards the jaws of
Death. Then Suketu, the son of Citraketu, O king, quickly proceeded
towards the mighty Shikhandi plunged into such distress and assailed in
that manner by Kripa with his arrows. Indeed, the young prince of
immeasurable soul rushed towards the car of Sharadvata's son and poured
upon that Brahmana, in that battle, innumerable shafts of great keenness.
Beholding that Brahmana observant of vows thus engaged in battle (with
another), Shikhandi, O best of kings, retreated hastily from that spot.
Meanwhile Suketu, O king, piercing the son of Gautama with nine arrows,
once more pierced him with seventy and again with three. Then the prince,
O sire, cut off Kripa's bow with arrow fixed thereon, and with another
shaft struck hard the latter's driver in a vital limb. The grandson of
Gautama then, filled with rage, took up a new and very strong bow and
struck Suketu with thirty arrows in all his vital limbs. All his limbs
exceedingly weakened, the prince trembled on his excellent car like a
tree trembling exceedingly during an earthquake. With a razor-headed
arrow then, Kripa struck off from the prince's trunk, while the latter
was still trembling, his head decked with a pair of blazing earrings and
head-protector. That head thereupon fell down on the Earth like a piece
of meat from the claws of a hawk, and then his trunk also fell down, O
thou of great glory. Upon the fall of Suketu, O monarch, his troops
became frightened, and avoiding Kripa, fled away on all sides.

"'Encompassing the mighty Dhrishtadyumna, Kritavarma cheerfully addressed
him saying, "Wait, Wait!" The encounter then that took place between the
Vrishni and the Pancala warriors in that battle became exceedingly
fierce, like that between two hawks, O king, for a piece of meat. Filled
with rage, Dhrishtadyumna, in that battle, struck the son of Hridika
(Kritavarma, the ruler of Bhoja) with nine arrows in the chest, and
succeeded in afflicting him greatly. Then Kritavarma, thus deeply struck
by Prishata's son in that encounter, covered his assailant, his steeds,
and his car with his shafts. Thus shrouded, O king, along with his car,
Dhrishtadyumna became invisible, like the Sun shrouded by rain-charged
clouds. Baffling all those shafts decked with gold, Dhrishtadyumna, O
king, looked resplendent in that battle in his wounds. The commander of
the Pandava forces, viz., the son of Prishata, then, filled with rage,
approached Kritavarma and poured upon him a fierce shower of arrows. The
son of Hridika, however, in that battle, with many thousands of his own
arrows, destroyed that fierce arrowy shower coursing towards him with
great impetuosity. Beholding his irresistible shower of arrows checked in
that battle by Kritavarma, the son of Prishata, approaching his
antagonist, began to resist him. And soon he despatched Kritavarma's
driver to Yama's abode with a broad-headed arrow of great sharpness.
Deprived of life, the driver fell down from the car. The mighty
Dhrishtadyumna, having vanquished his mighty antagonist, began then to
resist the Kauravas with shafts, without losing a moment. Then thy
warriors, O king, rushed towards Dhrishtadyumna, uttering loud leonine
roars. At this a battle once more took place between them.'"



55

"Sanjaya said, 'Meanwhile the son of Drona (Ashvatthama), beholding
Yudhishthira protected by the grandson of Sini (Satyaki) and by the
heroic sons of Draupadi, cheerfully advanced against the king, scattering
many fierce arrows equipped with wings of gold and whetted on stone, and
displaying diverse manoeuvres of his car and the great skill he had
acquired and his exceeding lightness of hands. He filled the entire
welkin with shafts inspired with the force of celestial weapons.
Conversant with all weapons, Drona's son encompassed Yudhishthira in that
battle. The welkin being covered with the shafts of Drona's son, nothing
could be seen. The vast space in front of Ashvatthama became one expanse
of arrows. The welkin then, thus covered with that dense shower of arrows
decked with gold, looked beautiful, O chief of the Bharatas, as if a
canopy embroidered with gold had been spread there. Indeed, the
firmament, O king, having been covered with that bright shower of arrows,
a shadow, as that of the clouds, appeared there on the occasion.
Wonderful was the sight that we then beheld when the sky had thus become
one expanse of arrows, for not one creature ranging the sky could course
through his element. Then Satyaki, though struggling resolutely, and
Pandu's son king Yudhishthira the just, as also all the other warriors,
could not display their prowess. Beholding the great lightness of hands
displayed by the son of Drona, the mighty car-warriors (of the Pandava
army) were filled with wonder. All the kings became incapable of even
looking at Ashvatthama, O monarch, who then resembled the scorching Sun
himself in the sky. While the Pandava troops were thus being slaughtered,
those mighty car-warriors, viz., the sons of Draupadi, and Satyaki, and
king Yudhishthira the just, and the Pancala warriors, all uniting
together, cast off their fears of death and rushed against the son of
Drona. Then Satyaki, piercing the son of Drona with seventy arrows, once
more pierced him with seven long shafts decked with gold. And
Yudhishthira pierced him with three and seventy arrows, and Prativindya
with seven, and Srutakarman pierced him with three arrows and Srutakirti
with five. And Sutasoma pierced him with nine arrows, and Satanika with
seven. And many other heroes pierced him with many arrows from every
side. Filled then with rage and breathing, O king, like a snake of
virulent poison, Drona's son pierced Satyaki in return with five and
twenty arrows whetted on stone. And he pierced Srutakirti with nine
arrows and Sutasoma with five, and with eight arrows he pierced
Srutakarman, and Prativindya with three. And he pierced Satanika with
nine arrows, and Dharma's son (Yudhishthira) with five. And each of the
other warriors he pierced with a couple of shafts. With some keen arrows
he then cut off the bow of Srutakirti. The latter then, that great
car-warrior, taking up another bow, pierced Drona's son, first with three
arrows and then with many others equipped with sharp points. Then, O
monarch, the son of Drona covered the Pandava troops, O sire, with thick
showers of arrows, O bull of Bharata's race. Of immeasurable soul, the
son of Drona, next smiling the while, cut off the bow of king
Yudhishthira the just, and then pierced him with three arrows. The son of
Dharma then, O king, taking up another formidable bow, pierced Drona's
son with seventy arrows in the arms and the chest. Then Satyaki, filled
with rage in that battle, cut off the bow of Drona's son, that great
smiter, with a sharp crescent-shaped arrow and uttered a loud roar. His
bow cut off, that foremost of mighty men viz., the son of Drona, quickly
felled Satyaki's driver from his car with a dart. The valiant son of
Drona then, taking up another bow, covered the grandson of Sini, O
Bharata, with a shower of arrows. His driver having been slain, Satyaki's
steeds were seen to run hither and thither, O Bharata, in that battle.
Then the Pandava warriors headed by Yudhishthira, shooting sharp shafts,
all rushed with impetuosity towards Drona's son, that foremost of all
wielders of weapons. That scorcher of foes, however, viz., the son of
Drona, beholding those warriors wrathfully advancing against him received
them all in that dreadful battle. Then like a fire in the forest
consuming heaps of dry grass and straw, that mighty car-warrior, viz.,
Drona's son, having showers of arrows for his flames, consumed the
Pandava troops in that battle, who resembled a heap of dry grass and
straw. That army of Pandu's son, thus scorched by the son of Drona,
became exceedingly agitated, O chief of the Bharatas, like the mouth of a
river by a whale. People then, O monarch, beholding the prowess of
Drona's son, regarded all the Pandavas as already slain by him. Then
Yudhishthira, that great car-warrior and disciple of Drona, filled with
rage and the desire to retaliate, addressed Drona's son, saying "O tiger
among men, thou hast no affection, thou hast no gratitude, since thou
desirest to slay me today. The duties of a Brahmana are asceticism and
gift and study. The bow should be bent by the Kshatriya only. It seems,
therefore, that thou art a Brahmana in name only. In thy very sight,
however. O thou of mighty arms, I will vanquish the Kauravas in battle.
Do what thou canst in battle. I tell thee that thou art a wretch amongst
Brahmanas." Thus addressed, the son of Drona. smiling, and reflecting
upon what was proper and true, gave no reply. Without saying anything, he
covered the son of Pandu in that battle with a shower of arrows like the
destroyer himself in wrath while engaged in annihilating creatures. Thus
covered by Drona's son. O sire, the son of Pritha quickly went away from
that spot, leaving that large division of his. After Yudhishthira, the
son of Dharma, had gone away, the high-souled son of Drona also, O king,
left that spot. Then Yudhishthira, O king, avoiding the son of Drona in
that great battle proceeded against thy army, resolved to achieve the
cruel task of slaughter.'"



56

"Sanjaya said, 'Meanwhile Vikartana himself, resisting Bhimasena
supported by the Pancalas and the Cedis and the Kaikayas, covered him
with many arrows. In the very sight of Bhimasena, Karna, slew in that
battle many mighty car-warriors among the Cedis, the Karushas, and the
Srinjayas. Then Bhimasena, avoiding Karna, that best of car-warriors,
proceeded against the Kaurava troops like a blazing fire towards a heap
of dry grass. The Suta's son also in that battle, began to slay the
mighty bowmen amongst the Pancalas, the Kaikayas, and the Srinjayas, in
thousands. Indeed, the three mighty car-warriors viz., Partha and
Vrikodara and Karna, began to exterminate the samsaptakas, the Kauravas,
and the Pancalas, respectively. In consequence of thy evil policy, O
king, all these Kshatriyas, scorched with excellent shafts by those three
great warriors, began to be exterminated in that battle. Then Duryodhana,
O chief of the Bharatas, filled with rage, pierced Nakula and his four
steeds with nine arrows. Of immeasurable soul, thy son next, O ruler of
men, cut off the golden standard of Sahadeva with a razor-faced shaft.
Filled with wrath, Nakula then, O king, struck thy son with three and
seventy arrows in that battle, and Sahadeva struck him with five. Each of
those foremost warriors of Bharata's race and foremost of all bowmen, was
struck by Duryodhana in rage with five arrows. With a couple of
broad-headed arrows, then, he cut off the bows of both those warriors;
and then he suddenly pierced each of the twins with three and seventy
arrows. Taking up then two other beautiful and foremost of bows each of
which resembled the bow of Indra himself, those two heroes looked
beautiful like a pair of celestial youths in that battle. Then those two
brothers, both endued with great activity in battle, poured upon their
cousin, O king, ceaseless showers of terrible shafts like two masses of
clouds, pouring rain upon a mountain breast. Thereupon thy son, that
great car-warrior, O king filled with rage, resisted those two great
bowmen, viz., the twin sons of Pandu, with showers of winged arrows. The
bow of Duryodhana in that battle, O Bharata, seemed to be continuously
drawn into a circle, and shafts seemed to issue from it ceaselessly on
all sides. Covered with Duryodhana's shafts the two sons of Pandu ceased
to shine brightly, like the Sun and the Moon in the firmament, divested
of splendour, when shrouded by masses of clouds. Indeed, those arrows, O
king, equipped with wings of gold and whetted on stone, covered all the
points of the compass like the rays of the Sun, when the welkin was thus
shrouded and all that was seen was one uniform expanse of the Destroyer
himself, at the end of the Yuga. Beholding on the other hand, the prowess
of thy son, the great car-warriors all regarded the twin sons of Madri to
be in the presence of Death. The commander then, O king, of the Pandava
army, viz., the mighty car-warrior Parshata (Son of Prishata) proceeded
to that spot where Duryodhana was. Transgressing those two great
car-warriors, viz., the two brave sons of Madri, Dhrishtadyumna began to
resist thy son with his shafts. Of immeasurable soul, that bull among
men, viz., thy son, filled with the desire to retaliate, and smiling the
while, pierced the prince of Pancala with five and twenty arrows. Of
immeasurable soul and filled with the desire to retaliate, thy son once
more pierced the prince of Pancala with sixty shafts and once again with
five, and uttered a loud roar. Then the king, with a sharp razor-faced
arrow, cut off, in that battle, O sire, the bow with arrow fixed thereon
and the leathern fence of his antagonist. Casting aside that broken bow,
the prince of Pancala, that crusher of foes, quickly took up another bow
that was new and capable of bearing a great strain. Blazing with
impetuosity, and with eyes red as blood from rage, the great bowman
Dhrishtadyumna, with many wounds on his person looked resplendent on his
car. Desirous of slaying Duryodhana, O chief of the Bharatas, the Pancala
hero sped five and ten cloth-yard shafts that resembled hissing snakes.
Those shafts, whetted on stone and equipped with the feathers of Kankas
and peacocks, cutting through the armour decked with gold of the king
passed through his body and entered the Earth in consequence of the force
with which they had been shot. Deeply pierced, O monarch, thy son looked
exceedingly beautiful like a gigantic Kinsuka in the season of spring
with its flowery weight. His armour pierced with those shafts, and all
his limbs rendered exceedingly infirm with wounds, he became filled with
rage and cut off Dhrishtadyumna's bow, with a broad-headed arrow. Having
cut off his assailant's bow the king then, O monarch, with great speed,
struck him with ten shafts on the forehead between the two eyebrows.
Those shafts, polished by the hands of the smith, adorned
Dhrishtadyumna's face like a number of bees, desirous of honey, adorning
a full-blown lotus. Throwing aside that broken bow, the high-souled
Dhrishtadyumna quickly took up another, and with it, sixteen broad-headed
arrows. With five he slew the four steeds and the driver of Duryodhana,
and he cut off with another his bow decked with gold. With the remaining
ten shafts, the son of Prishata cut off the car with the upashkara, the
umbrella, the dart, the sword, the mace, and the standard of thy son.
Indeed, all the kings beheld the beautiful standard of the Kuru king,
decked with golden Angadas and bearing the device of an elephant worked
in jewels, cut off by the prince of the Pancalas. Then the uterine
brothers of Duryodhana, O bull of Bharata's race, rescued the carless
Duryodhana who had all his weapons, besides, cut off in that battle. In
the very sight of Dhrishtadyumna, Durdhara, O monarch, causing that ruler
of men to ride upon his car quickly bore him away from the battle.

"'Meanwhile the mighty Karna, having vanquished Satyaki and desirous of
rescuing the (Kuru) king, proceeded straight against the face of Drona's
slayer, that warrior of fierce shafts. The grandson of Sini, however,
quickly pursued him from behind, striking him with his arrows, like an
elephant pursuing a rival and striking him at the hinder limbs with his
tusks. Then, O Bharata, fierce became the battle that raged between the
high-souled warriors of the two armies, in the space that intervened
between Karna and the son of Prishata. Not a single combatant of either
the Pandavas nor ourselves turned his face from the battle. Then Karna
proceeded against the Pancalas with great speed. At that hour when the
Sun had ascended the meridian, great slaughter, O best of men, of
elephants and steeds and men, took place on both sides. The Pancalas, O
king, inspired with the desire of victory, all rushed with speed against
Karna like birds towards a tree. The son of Adhiratha, of great energy,
filled with rage, began from their front to strike those Pancalas, with
the keen points of his shafts, singling out their leaders, viz.,
Vyaghraketu and Susharma and Citra and Ugrayudha and Jaya and Sukla and
Rochamana and the invincible Singhasena. Those heroes, speedily advancing
with their cars, encompassed that foremost of men, and poured their
shafts upon that angry warrior, viz., Karna, that ornament of battle.
That foremost of men endued with great valour, viz., the son of Radha,
afflicted those eight heroes engaged in battle with eight keen shafts.
The Suta's son possessed of great prowess, O king, then slew many
thousands of other warriors skilled in fight. Filled with rage, the son
of Radha then slew Jishnu, and Jishnukarman, and Devapi, O king, in that
battle, and Citra, and Citrayudha, and Hari, and Singhaketu and Rochamana
and the great car-warrior Salabha, and many car-warriors among the Cedis
bathed the form of Adhiratha's son in blood, while he himself was engaged
in taking the lives of those heroes. There, O Bharata, elephants,
assailed with arrows by Karna, fled away on all sides in fear and caused
a great agitation on the field of battle. Others assailed with the shafts
of Karna, uttered diverse cries, and fell down like mountains riven with
thunder. With the fallen bodies of elephants and steeds and men and with
fallen cars, the Earth became strewn along the track of Karna's car.
Indeed, neither Bhishma, nor Drona, nor any other warrior of thy army had
ever achieved such feats as were then achieved by Karna in that battle.
Amongst elephants, amongst steeds, amongst cars and amongst men, the
Suta's son caused a very great carnage, O tiger among men. As a lion is
seen to career fearlessly among a herd of deer, even so Karna careered
fearlessly among the Pancalas. As a lion routeth a herd of terrified deer
to all points of the compass, even so Karna routed those throngs of
Pancala cars to all sides. As a herd of deer that have approached the
jaws of a lion can never escape with life, even so those great
car-warriors that approached Karna could not escape with their lives. As
people are certainly burnt if they come in contact with a blazing fire,
even so the Srinjayas, O Bharata, were burnt by the Karna-fire when they
came in contact with it. Many warriors among the Cedis and the Pancalas,
O Bharata, that were regarded as heroes, were slain by the single-handed
Karna in that battle who fought with them, proclaiming his name, in every
instance. Beholding the prowess of Karna, O king, I thought that a single
Pancala even would not, in that battle, escape from the son of Adhiratha.
Indeed, the Suta's son in that battle repeatedly routed the Pancalas.

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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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