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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




"'Beholding Karna thus slaughtering the Pancalas in that dreadful battle,
King Yudhishthira the just rushed in wrath towards him; Dhrishtadyumna
and the sons of Draupadi also, O sire, and hundreds of warriors,
encompassed that slayer of foes viz., the son of Radha. And Shikhandi,
and Sahadeva, and Nakula, and Nakula's son, and Janamejaya, and the
grandson of Sini, and innumerable Prabhadrakas, all endued with
immeasurable energy, advancing with Dhrishtadyumna in their van, looked
magnificent as they struck Karna with shafts and diverse weapons. Like
Garuda falling upon a large number of snakes, the son of Adhiratha,
singlehanded, fell upon all those Cedis and Pancalas and Pandavas in that
encounter. The battle that took place between them and Karna, O monarch,
became exceedingly fierce like that which had occurred in days of old
between the gods and the Danavas. Like the Sun dispelling the surrounding
darkness, Karna fearlessly and alone encountered all those great bowmen
united together and pouring upon him repeated showers of arrows. While
the son of Radha was thus engaged with the Pandavas, Bhimasena, filled
with rage, began to slaughter the Kurus with shafts, every one of which
resembled the lord of Yama. That great bowman, fighting single-handed
with the Bahlikas, and the Kaikayas, the Matsyas, the Vasatas, the
Madras, and Saindhavas, looked exceedingly resplendent. There, elephants,
assailed in their vital limbs by Bhima with his cloth-yard shafts fell
down, with their riders slain, making the Earth tremble with the violence
of their fall. Steeds also, with their riders slain, and foot-soldiers
deprived of life, lay down, pierced with arrows and vomiting blood in
large quantities. Car-warriors in thousands fell down, their weapons
loosened from their hands. Inspired with the fear of Bhima, they lay
deprived of life, their bodies mangled with sounds. The Earth became
strewn with car-warriors and horsemen and elephant-men and drivers and
foot-soldiers and steeds and elephants all mangled with the shafts of
Bhimasena. The army of Duryodhana, O king, cheerless and mangled and
afflicted with the fear of Bhimasena, stood as if stupefied. Indeed that
melancholy host stood motionless in that dreadful battle like the Ocean,
O king, during a calm in autumn. Stupefied, that host stood even like the
Ocean in calm. However endued with wrath and energy and might, the army
of thy son then, divested of its pride, lost all its splendour. Indeed,
the host, whilst thus being slaughtered became drenched with gore and
seemed to bathe in blood. The combatants, O chief of the Bharatas,
drenched with blood, were seen to approach and slaughter one another. The
Suta's son, filled with rage, routed the Pandava division, while
Bhimasena in rage routed the Kurus. And both of them, while thus
employed, looked exceedingly resplendent. During the progress of that
fierce battle filling the spectators with wonder, Arjuna, that foremost
of various persons, having slain a large number of samsaptakas in the
midst of their array, addressed Vasudeva, saying, "This struggling force
of samsaptakas, O Janardana, is broken. Those great car-warriors amongst
the samsaptakas are flying away with their followers, unable to bear my
shafts, like deer unable to bear the roar of the lion. The vast force of
the Srinjayas also seems to break in this great battle. There that banner
of the intelligent Karna, bearing the device of the elephant's rope, O
Krishna, is seen in the midst of Yudhishthira's division, where he is
careering with activity. The other great car-warriors (of our army) are
incapable of vanquishing Karna. Thou knowest that Karna is possessed of
great energy as regards prowess in battle. Proceed thither where Karna is
routing our force. Avoiding (other warriors) in battle, proceed against
the Suta's son, that mighty car-warrior. This is what I wish, O Krishna.
Do, however, that which thou likest." Hearing these words of his, Govinda
smiled, and addressing Arjuna, said, "Slay the Kauravas, O son of Pandu,
without delay." Then those steeds, white as swans, urged by Govinda, and
bearing Krishna and the son of Pandu penetrated thy vast force. Indeed,
thy host broke on all sides as those white steeds in trappings of gold,
urged by Keshava, penetrated into its midst. That ape-bannered car, the
clatter of whose wheels resembled the deep roar of the clouds and whose
flags waved in the air, penetrated into the host like a celestial car
passing through the welkin. Keshava and Arjuna, filled with rage, and
with eyes red as blood, as they penetrated, piercing through thy vast
host, looked exceedingly resplendent in their splendour. Both delighting
in battle, as those two heroes, challenged by the Kurus, came to the
field, they looked like the twin Ashvinis invoked with proper rites in a
sacrifice by the officiating priests. Filled with rage, the impetuosity
of those two tigers among men increased like that of two elephants in a
large forest, enraged at the claps of hunters. Having penetrated into the
midst of that car-force and those bodies of horse, Phalguna careered
within those divisions like the Destroyer himself, armed with the fatal
noose. Beholding him put forth such prowess within his army, thy son, O
Bharata, once more urged the samsaptakas against him. Thereupon, with a
1,000 cars, and 300 elephants, and 14,000 horses, and 200,00 of
foot-soldiers armed with the bow, endued with great courage, of sureness
of aim and conversant with all the ways of battle, the leaders of the
samsaptakas rushed (from every side) towards the son of Kunti (in the
great battle) covering the Pandava, O monarch, with showers of arrows
from all sides. Thus covered with shafts in that battle, Partha, that
grinder of hostile forces, exhibited himself in a fierce form like the
Destroyer himself, armed with the noose. While engaged in slaughtering
the samsaptakas, Partha became a worthy object of sight to all. Then the
welkin became filled with shafts decked with gold and possessed of the
effulgence of lightning that were ceaselessly short by the diadem-decked
Arjuna. Indeed, everything completely shrouded with mighty shafts sped
from Arjuna's arms and falling ceaselessly all around, looked
resplendent, O lord, as if covered with snakes. The son of Pandu, of
immeasurable soul, shot on all sides his straight shafts equipped with
wings of gold and furnished with keen points. In consequence of the sound
of Partha's palms, people thought that the Earth, or the vault of the
welkin, or all the points of the compass, or the several oceans, or the
mountains seemed to split. Having slain 10,000 kshatriyas, Kunti's son,
that mighty car-warrior, then quickly proceeded to the further wing of
the samsaptakas. Repairing to that further wing which was protected by
the Kambojas, Partha began to grind it forcibly with his arrows like
Vasava grinding the Danavas. With broad-headed arrows he began to quickly
cut off the arms, with weapons in grasp, and also the heads of foes
longing to slay him. Deprived of diverse limbs, and of weapons, they
began to fall down on the Earth, like trees of many boughs broken by a
hurricane. While he was engaged in thus slaughtering elephants and steeds
and car-warriors and foot-soldiers, the younger brother of Sudakshina
(the chief of the Kambojas) began to pour showers of arrows on him. With
a couple of crescent-shaped arrows, Arjuna cut off the two arms, looking
like spiked maces, of his striking assailant, and then his head graced
with a face as beautiful as the full moon, with a razor-headed arrow.
Deprived of life, he fell down from his vehicle, his body bathed in
blood, like the thunder-riven summit of a mountain of red arsenic.
Indeed, people saw the tall and exceedingly handsome younger brother of
Sudakshina, the chief of the Kambojas, of eyes resembling lotus petals,
slain and fall down like a column of gold or like a summit of the golden
Sumeru. Then commenced a battle there once more that was fierce and
exceedingly wonderful. The condition of the struggling combatants varied
repeatedly. Each slain with a single arrow, and combatants of the
Kamboja, the Yavana, and the Saka races, fell down bathed in blood, upon
which the whole field of battle became one expanse of red, O monarch. In
consequence of car-warriors deprived of steeds and drivers, and steeds
deprived of riders, and elephants deprived of riders, and riders deprived
of elephants, battling with one another, O king, a great carnage took
place. When the wing and the further wing of the samsaptakas had thus
been exterminated by Savyasaci, the son of Drona quickly proceeded
against Arjuna, that foremost of victorious warriors. Indeed, Drona's son
rushed, shaking his formidable bow, and taking with him many terrible
arrows like the Sun himself appearing with his own rays. With mouth wide
open from rage and with the desire to retaliate, and with red eyes, the
mighty Ashvatthama looked formidable like death himself, armed with his
mace and filled with wrath as at the end of the Yuga. He then shot
showers of fierce shafts. With those shafts sped by him, he began to rout
the Pandava army. As soon as he beheld him of Dasharha's race (Keshava)
on the car, O king, he once more sped at him, and repeated showers of
fierce shafts. With those falling shafts, O monarch, sped by Drona's son,
both Krishna and Dhananjaya were completely shrouded on the car. Then the
valiant Ashvatthama, with hundreds of keen arrows, stupefied both Madhava
and the son of Pandu in that battle. Beholding those two protectors of
all mobile and immobile creatures thus covered with arrows, the universe
of mobile and immobile beings uttered cries of "Oh!" and "Alas!" Crowds
of Siddhas and Charanas began to repair to that spot from every side,
mentally uttering this prayer, viz., "Let good be to all the worlds."
Never before, O king, did I see prowess like that of Drona's son in that
battle while he was engaged in shrouding the two Krishnas with shafts.
The sound of Ashvatthama's bow, inspiring foes with terror, was
repeatedly heard by us in that battle, O king, to resemble that of a
roaring lion. While careering in that battle and striking right and left
the string of his bow looked beautiful like flashes of lightning in the
midst of a mass of clouds. Though endued with great firmness and
lightness of hand the son of Pandu, for all that, beholding the son of
Drona then, became greatly stupefied. Indeed, Arjuna then regarded his
own prowess to be destroyed by his high-souled assailant. The form of
Ashvatthama became such in that battle that men could with difficulty
gaze at it. During the progress of that dreadful battle between Drona's
son and the Pandava, during that time when the mighty son of Drona, O
monarch, thus prevailed over his antagonist and the son of Kunti lost his
energy, Krishna became filled with rage. Inspired with wrath he drew deep
breaths, O king, and seemed to burn with his eyes both Ashvatthama and
Phalguna as he looked at them repeatedly. Filled with rage, Krishna
addressed Partha in an affectionate tone, saying, "This, O Partha, that I
behold in battle regarding thee, is exceedingly strange, since Drona's
son, O Partha, surpasseth thee today! Hast thou not now the energy and
the might of thy arms thou hadst before? Hast thou not that Gandiva still
in thy hands, and dost thou not stay on thy car now? Are not thy two arms
sound? Hath thy fist suffered any hurt? Why is it then that I see the son
of Drona prevail over thee in battle? Do not, O Partha, spare thy
assailant, regarding him as the son of thy preceptor, O bull of Bharata's
race. This is not the time for sparing him." Thus addressed by Krishna,
Partha speedily took up four and ten broad-headed arrows at a time, when
speed was of the highest moment, and with them he cut off Ashvatthama's
bow and standard and umbrella and banners and car and dart and mace. With
a few calf-toothed arrows he then deeply struck the son of Drona in the
latter's shoulder. Thereupon overcome with a deep swoon, Ashvatthama sat
down, supporting himself on his flagstaff. The latter's driver then, O
monarch, desirous of protecting him from Dhananjaya, bore him away
insensible and thus deeply afflicted by the foe. Meanwhile that scorcher
of foes, viz., Vijaya, slaughtered thy troops by hundreds and thousands,
in the very sight of that hero, viz., thy son, O sire. Thus, O king, in
consequence of thy evil counsels, a cruel and awful destruction and
carnage commenced as thy warriors were engaged with the enemy. Within a
short time Vibhatsu routed the samsaptakas: Vrikodara, the Kurus, and
Vasusena, the Pancalas. During the progress of the battle destructive of
great heroes, there rose many headless trunks all around. Meanwhile
Yudhishthira, O chief of the Bharatas, in great pain owing to his wounds,
retreating about two miles from the battle, rested himself for some
time.'"



57

"Sanjaya said, 'Then Duryodhana, O chief of Bharatas, repairing to Karna,
said unto him as also unto the ruler of the Madras and the other lords of
Earth present there, these words, "Without seeking hath this occasion
arrived, when the gates of heaven have become wide open. Happy are those
Kshatriyas, O Karna, that obtain such a battle. Brave heroes fighting in
battle with brave Kshatriyas equal to them in might and prowess, obtain
great good, O son of Radha. The occasion that hath come is even such.
Either let these brave Kshatriyas, slaying the Pandavas in battle, obtain
the broad Earth, or let them, slain in battle by the foe, win the blessed
region reserved for heroes." Hearing these words of Duryodhana, those
bulls among Kshatriyas cheerfully uttered loud shouts and beat and blew
their musical instruments. When Duryodhana's force became thus filled
with joy, the son of Drona, gladdening all thy warriors further said, "In
the very sight of all the troops, and before the eyes of you all, my
father after he had laid aside his weapons, was slain by Dhrishtadyumna.
By that wrath which such an act might kindle, and for the sake also of my
friend, ye kings, I swear truly before you all. Listen then to that oath
of mine. Without slaying Dhrishtadyumna I shall not doff my armour. If
this vow of mine be not fulfilled, let me not go to heaven. Be it Arjuna,
be it Bhimasena, or be it anybody else, whoever will come against me I
will crush him or all of them. There is no doubt in this." After
Ashvatthama had uttered these words, the entire Bharata army, united
together, rushed against the Pandavas, and the latter also rushed against
the former. The collision of brave leaders of car-divisions, O Bharata,
became exceedingly awful. A destruction of life then set in at the van of
the Kurus and the Srinjayas, that resembled what takes place at the last
great universal dissolution. Upon the commencement of that
passage-at-arms, various (superior) beings, with the gods, came there
accompanied by the Apsaras, for beholding those foremost of men. Filled
with joy, the Apsaras began to cover those foremost of men devoted to the
duties of their order, with celestial garlands, with diverse kinds of
celestial perfumes, and with diverse species of gems. Soft winds bore
those excellent odours to the nostrils of all the foremost of warriors.
Having smelt those perfumes in consequence of the action of the wind, the
warriors once more engaged in battle, and striking one another began to
fall down on the Earth. Strewn with celestial flowers, with beautiful
shafts equipped with wings of gold, and with many foremost of warriors,
the Earth looked beautiful like the firmament bespangled with myriads of
stars. Then in consequence of cheers coming from the welkin and the noise
of musical instruments, the furious passage-at-arms distinguished by
twang of bows and clatter of car-wheels and shouts of warriors became
exceedingly fierce.'"



58

"Sanjaya said, 'Thus raged that great battle between those lords of Earth
when Arjuna and Karna and Bhimasena, the son of Pandu became angry.
Having vanquished the son of Drona, and other great car-warriors, Arjuna,
O king, addressing Vasudeva, said, "Behold, O Krishna of mighty arms, the
Pandava army is flying away. Behold, Karna is slaying our great
car-warriors in this battle. I do not, O thou of Dasaratha's race, see
king Yudhishthira the just. Nor is the standard of Dharma's son, foremost
of warriors, visible. The third part of the day still remaineth,
Janardana. No one amongst the Dhartarashtras cometh against me for fight.
For doing, therefore, what is agreeable to me, proceed to the spot where
Yudhishthira is. Beholding Dharma's son safe and sound with his younger
brothers in battle, I will again fight with the foe, O thou of Vrishni's
race." At these words of Vibhatsu, Hari (Krishna) quickly proceeded on
that car to that spot where king Yudhishthira, along with the mighty
Srinjaya car-warriors of great strength, were fighting with the foe,
making death their goal. During the progress of that great carnage,
Govinda, beholding the field of battle, addressed Savyasaci, saying,
"Behold, O Partha, how great and awful is this carnage, O Bharata, of
Kshatriyas on Earth for the sake of Duryodhana. Behold, O Bharata, the
gold-backed bows of slain warriors, as also their costly quivers
displaced from their shoulders. Behold those straight shafts equipped
with wings of gold, and those clothyard arrows washed with oil and
looking like snakes freed from their sloughs. Behold, O Bharata, those
scimitars, decked with gold, and having ivory handles, and those
displaced shields embossed with gold. Behold those lances decked with
gold, those darts having golden ornaments, and those huge maces twined
round with gold. Behold those swords adorned with gold, those axes with
golden ornaments, and the heads of those battle-axes fallen off from
their golden handles. Behold those iron Kuntas, those short clubs
exceedingly heavy, those beautiful rockets, those huge bludgeons with
spiked heads, those discs displaced from the arms of their wielders, and
those spears (that have been used) in this dreadful battle. Endued (while
living) with great activity, warriors that came to battle, having taken
up diverse weapons, are lying, though deprived of life, as if still
alive. Behold, thousands of warriors lying on the field, with limbs
crushed by means of maces, or heads broken by means of heavy clubs, or
torn and mangled by elephants and steeds and cars. The field of battle is
covered with shafts and darts and swords and axes and scimitars and
spiked maces and lances and iron Kuntas and battle-axes, and the bodies
of men and steeds and elephants, hacked with many wounds and covered with
streams of blood and deprived of life, O slayer of foes. The Earth looks
beautiful, O Bharata, with arms smeared with sandal, decked with Angadas
of gold and with Keyuras, and having their ends cased in leathern fences.
With hands cased in leathern fences, with displaced ornaments, with
severed thighs looking like elephants' trunks of many active warriors,
with fallen heads, decked with costly gems and earrings, of heroes having
large expansive eyes, the Earth looks exceedingly beautiful. With
headless trunks smeared all over with blood with severed limbs and heads
and hips, the Earth looks, O best of the Bharatas, like an altar strewn
with extinguished fires. Behold those beautiful cars with rows of golden
bells, broken in diverse ways, and those slain steeds lying scattered on
the field, with arrows yet sticking to their bodies. Behold those bottoms
of cars, those quivers, those banners, those diverse kinds of standards,
those gigantic conchs of car-warriors, white in hue and scattered all
over the field. Behold those elephants, huge as hills, lying on the
Earth, with tongues lolling out, and those other elephants and steeds,
deprived of life and decked with triumphal banners. Behold those housings
of elephants, and those skins and blankets, and those other beautiful and
variegated and torn blankets. Behold those rows of bells torn and broken
in diverse ways in consequence of falling elephants of gigantic size, and
those beautiful goads set with stones of lapis lazuli, and those hooks
falling upon the ground. Behold those whips, adorned with gold, and
variegated with gems, still in the grasp of (slain) horsemen, and those
blankets and skins of the Ranku deer falling on the ground but which had
served for seats on horse back. Behold those gems for adorning the
diadems of kings, and those beautiful necklaces of gold, and those
displaced umbrellas and yak-tails for fanning. Behold the Earth, miry
with blood, strewn with the faces of heroes, decked with beautiful
earrings and well-cut beards and possessed of the splendour of the moon
and stars. Behold those wounded warriors in whom life is not yet extinct
and who, lying all around, are uttering wails of woe. Their relatives, O
prince, casting aside their weapons are tending them, weeping
incessantly. Having covered many warriors with arrows and deprived them
of life, behold those combatants, endued with activity longing for
victory, and swelling with rage, are once more proceeding for battle
against their antagonists. Others are running hither and thither on the
field. Being begged for water by fallen heroes, others related to them
have gone in quest of drink. Many, O Arjuna, are breathing their last
meanwhile. Returning their brave relatives, seeing them become senseless
are throwing down the water they brought and are running wildly, shouting
at one another. Behold, many have died after having slaked their thirst,
and many, O Bharata, are dying while drinking. Others, though
affectionate towards relatives, are still seen to rush towards foes in
great battle deserting their dear relatives. Others, again, O best of
men, biting their nether lips, and with faces rendered terrible in
consequence of the contraction of their brows, are surveying the field
all around." While saying these words unto Arjuna, Vasudeva proceeded
towards Yudhishthira. Arjuna also, beholding the king in that great
battle, repeatedly urged Govinda, saying, "Proceed, Proceed." Having
shown the field of battle to Partha, Madhava, while proceeding quickly,
slowly said unto Partha once more, "Behold those kings rushing towards
king Yudhishthira. Behold Karna, who resembles a blazing fire, on the
arena of the battle. Yonder the mighty-bowman Bhima is proceeding to
battle. They that are the foremost among the Pancalas, the Srinjayas, and
the Pandavas--they, that is, that have Dhrishtadyumna for their head, are
following Bhima. The vast army of the enemy is again broken by the
rushing Parthas. Behold, O Arjuna, Karna is trying to rally the flying
Kauravas. Resembling the Destroyer himself in impetuosity and Indra
himself in prowess, yonder proceedeth Drona's son, O thou of Kuru's race,
that hero who is the foremost of all wielders of weapons. The mighty
carwarrior Dhrishtadyumna is rushing against that hero. The Srinjayas are
following the lead of Dhristadyumna. Behold, the Srinjayas are falling."
Thus did the invincible Vasudeva describe everything unto the
diadem-decked Arjuna. Then, O king, commenced a terrible and awful
battle. Loud leonine shouts arose as the two hosts encountered each
other, O monarch, making death their goal. Even thus, O king, in
consequence of thy evil counsels, did that destruction set in on Earth, O
lord of Earth, of both thy warriors and those of the enemy.'"



59

"Sanjaya said, 'Then the Kurus and the Srinjayas once more fearlessly
encountered each other in battle, the Parthas being headed by
Yudhishthira, and ourselves headed by the Suta's son. Then commenced a
terrible battle, making the hair to stand on end, between Karna and the
Pandavas, that increased the population of Yama's kingdom. After that
furious battle, producing rivers of blood, had commenced, and when a
remnant only of the brave samsaptakas, O Bharata, were left
unslaughtered, Dhrishtadyumna, O monarch, with all the kings (on the
Pandava side) and those mighty car-warriors--the Pandavas themselves, all
rushed against Karna only. Like the mountain receiving a vast body of
water, Karna, unaided by anyone, received in that battle all those
advancing warriors filled with joy and longing for victory. Those mighty
car-warriors encountering Karna, were beat off and broken like a mass of
water, and beat back on all sides when it encounters a mountain. The
battle, however, that took place between them and Karna made the hair
stand on end. Then Dhrishtadyumna assailed the son of Radha with a
straight shaft in that battle, and addressing him said, "Wait, Wait." The
mighty car-warrior Karna, filled with rage, shook his foremost of bows
called Vijaya, and cutting off the bow of Dhrishtadyumna, as also his
arrows resembling snakes of virulent poison assailed Dhrishtadyumna
himself with nine arrows. Those arrows, O sinless one, piercing through
the gold-decked armour of the high-souled son of Prishata, became bathed
in blood and looked beautiful like so many cochineal. The mighty
car-warrior Dhrishtadyumna, casting aside that broken bow, took up
another bow and a number of shafts resembling snakes of virulent poison.
With those straight shafts numbering seventy, he pierced Karna.
Similarly, O king, Karna, in that battle, covered Prishata's son, that
scorcher of foes, with many shafts resembling snakes of virulent poison.
The slayer of Drona, that great bowman, retaliated by piercing Karna with
many keen shafts. Filled with rage, Karna then, O monarch, sped at his
antagonist a gold-decked shaft that resembled a second rod of death. That
terrible shaft, O monarch, as it coursed impetuously towards Prishata's
son, the grandson of Sini, O king, cut off into seven fragments,
displaying great lightness of hand. Beholding his shaft baffled by the
arrows of Satyaki, O king, Karna resisted Satyaki with showers of arrows
from every side. And he pierced Satyaki in that encounter with seven
clothyard shafts. The grandson of Sini, however, pierced him in return
with many arrows decked with gold. The battle then that took place, O
king, between those two warriors was such as to fill both spectators and
listeners with fear. Though awful, soon it became beautiful and deserving
objects of sight. Beholding the feats, in that encounter, of Karna and
the grandson of Sini, the hair of all the creatures there present seemed
to stand on end. Meanwhile the mighty son of Drona rushed against
Prishata's son, that chastiser of foes and queller of the prowess of all
enemies. Filled with rage, Drona's son, that subjugator of hostile towns,
addressing Dhrishtadyumna, said, "Wait, wait, O slayer of a Brahmana,
thou shalt not escape me today with life." Having said these words, that
mighty car-warrior of great lightness of hand striving resolutely, deeply
pierced the brave son of Prishata, who also strove to the utmost of his
prowess, with many keen and terrible shafts endued with great
impetuosity. As Drona (while alive), beholding the son of Prishata, O
sire, had become cheerless and regarded him as his death, even so the son
of Prishata, that slayer of hostile heroes, beholding Drona's son in that
battle, now regarded him as his death. Soon, however, remembering that he
was unslayable in battle by means of weapons, he rushed with great speed
against Drona's son, like the Destroyer running against the Destroyer at
the time of the universal dissolution. Drona's heroic son, however, O
monarch, beholding Dhrishtadyumna stationed before him, drew deep
breaths, in wrath, and rushed towards him. Both of them were filled with
great rage at the sight of each other. Endued with great activity, the
valiant son of Drona then, O monarch, said these words unto
Dhrishtadyumna staying not far from him, "O wretch amongst the Pancalas,
I shall today despatch thee to Yama. The sin thou hast committed before
by slaying Drona will fill thee today with regret, to thy great evil, if
thou stayest in battle without being protected by Partha, or if thou dost
not fly away, O fool, I tell thee truly." Thus addressed, the valiant
Dhrishtadyumna replied, saying, "That same sword of mine which answered
thy sire, resolutely engaged in battle, will today answer this speech of
thine. If Drona could be slain by me, O thou that art a Brahmana in name
only, why should I not then, putting forth my prowess, slay thee also in
battle today?" Having said these words, the wrathful commander of the
Pandava forces, viz., the son of Prishata, pierced Drona's son with a
keen arrow. Then Drona's son filled with great rage, shrouded every side
of Dhrishtadyumna, O king, in that battle, with straight arrows. Shrouded
with thousands of arrows, neither the welkin, nor the points of the
compass, nor the combatants all around, could, O monarch, be any longer
seen. Similarly, the son of Prishata, O king, shrouded Drona's son, that
ornament of battle, with arrows, in the very sight of Karna. The son of
Radha, too, O monarch, singly resisted the Pancalas and the Pandavas and
the (five) sons of Draupadi and Yudhamanyu and the mighty car-warrior
Satyaki, in consequence of which feat he became the cynosure of all eyes.
Then Dhrishtadyumna in that battle cut off the very tough and formidable
bow of Drona's son, as also all his arrows resembling snakes of virulent
poison. Drona's son, however, with his arrows, destroyed within the
twinkling of an eye the bow, the dart, the mace, the standard, the
steeds, the driver, and the car of Prishata's son. Bowless and carless
and steedless and driverless, the son of Prishata then took up a huge
scimitar and a blazing shield decked with a hundred moons. Endued with
great lightness of hand, and possessed of mighty weapons, that mighty
car-warrior, viz., the heroic son of Drona, O king, quickly cut off, in
that battle, with many broad-headed arrows, those weapons also of
Dhrishtadyumna before the latter could come down from his car. All this
seemed exceedingly wonderful. The mighty car-warrior Ashvatthama,
however, though struggling vigorously, could not, O chief of the
Bharatas, slay the carless and steedless and bowless Dhrishtadyumna,
although pierced and exceedingly mangled with many arrows. When,
therefore, O king, the son of Drona found that he could not slay his
enemy with arrows, he laid aside his bow and quickly proceeded towards
the son of Prishata. The impetuosity of that high-souled one, as he
rushed towards his foe, resembled that of Garuda swooping down for
seizing a large snake. Meanwhile Madhava, addressing Arjuna, said,
"Behold, O Partha, how the son of Drona is rushing with great speed
towards the car of Prishata's son. Without doubt, he will slay the
prince. O mighty-armed one, O crusher of foes, rescue the son of
Prishata, who is now within the jaws of Drona's son as if within the jaws
of Death himself." Having said these words, the valiant Vasudeva urged
the steeds towards that spot where Drona's son was. Those steeds, of the
splendour of the moon, urged by Keshava, proceeded towards the car of
Drona's son, devouring the very skies. Beholding those two of great
energy, viz., Krishna and Dhananjaya, coming towards him, the mighty
Ashvatthama made great efforts for slaying Dhrishtadyumna soon. Seeing
Dhrishtadyumna dragged, O ruler of men by his enemy, the mighty Partha
sped many arrows at the son of Drona. Those arrows, decked with gold and
sped from Gandiva, approached the son of Drona and pierced him deeply
like snakes penetrating into an ant-hill. Thus pierced with those
terrible arrows, the valiant son of Drona, O king, abandoned the Pancala
prince of immeasurable energy. Indeed, the hero, thus afflicted with
Dhananjaya's shafts, mounted on his car, and taking up his own excellent
bow, began to pierce Partha with many shafts. Meanwhile, the heroic
Sahadeva, O ruler of men, bore away on his car the son of Prishata, that
scorcher of foes. Arjuna then, O king, pierced Drona's son with many
arrows. Filled with rage, Drona's son struck Arjuna in the arms and the
chest. Thus provoked, Partha, in that battle, sped at Drona's son, a long
shaft that resembled a second rod of Death, or rather, Death himself.
That arrow of great splendour fell upon the shoulder of the Brahmana
hero. Exceedingly agitated, O monarch, in that battle, by the violence of
the stroke, he sat down on the terrace of his car and swooned away. Then
Karna, O monarch, shook his bow Vijaya and, filled with rage, repeatedly
eyed Arjuna in that battle, desiring a single combat with him. Meanwhile
the driver of Drona's son, beholding the latter senseless, quickly bore
him away on his car from the field of battle. Beholding Prishata's son
rescued and Drona's son afflicted, the Pancalas, O king, expectant of
victory, began to utter loud shouts. Thousands of sweet instruments began
to be sounded. Seeing such wonderful feats in battle, the combatants
uttered leonine roars. Having achieved that feat, Partha addressed
Vasudeva, saying "Proceed, O Krishna, towards the samsaptakas, for this
is greatly desired by me." Hearing those words of Pandu's son, he of
Dasharha's race proceeded on that car graced with many banners and whose
speed resembled that of the wind or the mind.'"

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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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