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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






60

"Sanjaya said, 'Meanwhile Krishna, pointing out king Yudhishthira the
just, unto Kunti's son Partha, addressed him in these words: "Yonder, O
son of Pandu, your brother (Yudhishthira) is being pursued by many mighty
and great bowmen amongst the Dhartarashtras, all inspired with the desire
of slaughtering him. The mighty Pancalas, difficult of defeat in battle,
are proceeding after the high-souled Yudhishthira from desire of rescuing
him. Yonder, Duryodhana, O Partha, the king of the whole world, clad in
mail and accompanied by a large car force, is pursuing the Pandava king.
Impelled by the desire of slaughtering his rival, the mighty Duryodhana,
O tiger among men, is pursuing him, accompanied by his brothers, the
touch of whose weapons is as fatal as that of poisonous snakes and who
are all conversant with every mode of warfare. Those Dhartarashtra
elephants and horses and car-warriors and foot-soldiers are advancing to
seize Yudhishthira like poor men after a precious gem. Behold, checked by
Satyaki and Bhima, they have again been stupefied, like the Daityas, that
desired to take away the Amrita, made motionless by Sakra and Agni. The
mighty car-warriors (of the Kuru army), however, in consequence of the
vastness of their numbers, are again proceeding towards Yudhishthira like
a vast quantity of water in the season of rains rushing towards the
ocean. Those mighty bowmen are uttering leonine roars, blowing their
conchs, and shaking their bows. I regard Kunti's son Yudhishthira, thus
brought under the influence of Duryodhana, to be already within the jaws
of Death or already poured as a libation on the sacrificial fire. The
army of Dhritarashtra's son, O Pandava, is arrayed and equipped duly.
Sakra himself, coming within the range of its arrows, can scarcely
escape. Who will in battle bear the impetuosity of the heroic Duryodhana
who shoots showers of arrows with the greatest celerity and who, when
angry, resembles the Destroyer himself? The force of the heroic
Duryodhana's shafts, or Drona's son's or Kripa's or Karna's would break
down the very mountains. That scorcher of foes, viz., king Yudhishthira,
was once compelled by Karna to turn his back upon the field. The son of
Radha is endued with great might and great lightness of hand. Possessed
of great skill, he is accomplished in battle. He is competent to afflict
the eldest son of Pandu in fight, specially when he is united with the
mighty and brave son of Dhritarashtra. Of rigid vows, when the son of
Pritha (Yudhishthira) had been engaged in battle with all those warriors,
other great car-warriors had struck him and contributed to his defeat.
The king, O best of the Bharatas, is exceedingly emaciated in consequence
of his fasts. He is endued with Brahma-force, but the puissant one is not
endued with much of Kshatriya-might. Assailed, however, by Karna, the
royal son of Pandu, Yudhishthira, that scorcher of foes, hath been placed
in a situation of great peril. I think, O Partha, that king Yudhishthira
has fallen. Indeed, since that chastiser of foes, the wrathful Bhimasena,
coolly heareth the leonine roars of the frequently shouting
Dhartarashtra's longing for victory and blowing their conchs, I think, O
bull among men, that Pandu's son Yudhishthira is dead. Yonder Karna urges
forward the mighty car-warriors of the Dhartarashtras towards the son of
Pritha with the weapons called Sthunakarna, Indrasjaha and Pasupata, and
with clubs and other weapons. The king, O Bharata, must be deeply
afflicted and exceedingly weakened, because the Pancalas and the
Pandavas, those foremost of all wielders of weapons, are seen to proceed
with great speed towards him at a time when speed is of the highest
moment like strong men rushing to the rescue of a person sinking in a
bottomless sea. The king's standard is no longer visible. It has probably
been struck down by Karna with his shafts. In the very sight of the
twins, O Partha, and of Satyaki and Shikhandi, and Dhrishtadyumna and
Bhima and Satanika, O lord, as also of all the Pancalas and the Cedis, O
Bharata, yonder Karna is destroying the Pandava division with his arrows,
like an elephant destroying an assemblage of lotuses. There, those
car-warriors of thy army, O son of Pandu, are flying away. See, see, O
Partha, how those great warriors are retreating. Those elephants, O
Bharata, assailed by Karna in battle, are flying away in all directions,
uttering cries of pain. There those crowds of car-warriors, routed in
battle, O Partha, by Karna, that crusher of foes, are flying away in all
directions. Behold, O Partha, that foremost of standards, of the Suta's
son, on his car, bearing the device of the elephant's rope, is seen to
move all over the field. There, the son of Radha is now rushing against
Bhimasena, scattering hundreds of shafts as he proceeds and slaughtering
thy army therewith. There, those mighty car-warriors of the Pancalas are
being routed (by Karna) even as the Daityas had been routed by Sakra in
dreadful battle. There, Karna, having vanquished the Pancalas, the
Pandus, and the Srinjayas, is casting his eyes on all sides, I think, for
seeking thee. Behold, O Partha, Karna, as he beautifully draws his
foremost of bows, looketh exceedingly beautiful even as Sakra in the
midst of the celestials, after vanquishing his foes. There the Kauravas,
beholding the prowess of Karna, are roaring and inspiring the Pandus and
the Srinjayas with fear on every side. There, Karna himself, terrifying
the Pandus with his whole soul, in dreadful battle, is addressing all the
troops, O giver of honours, saying, 'Blessed be ye, advance, ye Kauravas
and rush with such speed that no Srinjaya may, in this battle escape with
life. United together, do this all of you. As regards ourselves, we will
follow behind you.' Saying these words, he is advancing behind (his
troops), scattering his shafts. Behold Karna, adorned with his white
umbrella in this battle and looking like the Udaya hills adorned by the
moon. With his beautiful umbrella of a hundred ribs, resembling the moon
in full, held over his head, O Bharata, in this battle, Karna, O prince,
is casting his glances after thee. Without doubt, he will, in this
battle, come hither, with great speed. Behold him, O mighty-armed one, as
he shaketh his formidable bow and shooteth, in this dreadful battle, his
shafts resembling snakes of virulent poison. There, the son of Radha
turneth towards this direction, beholding thy banner bearing the ape, and
desiring, O Partha, an encounter with thee, O scorcher of foes. Indeed,
he cometh for his own destruction, even like an insect into the mouth of
a lamp. Wrathful and brave, he is ever engaged in the good of
Dhritarashtra's son. Of wicked understanding, he is always unable to put
up with thee. Beholding Karna alone and unsupported, Dhritarashtra's son,
O Bharata, turneth towards him with great resolution, accompanied by his
car-force, for protecting him. Let that wicked-souled one, along with all
those allies of his, be slain by thee, putting forth thy vigour, from
desire of winning fame, kingdom and happiness. Both of you are endued
with great strength. Both of you are possessed of great celebrity. When
encountering each other in battle, O Partha, like a celestial and a
Danava in the great battle between the gods and the Asuras, let all the
Kauravas behold thy prowess. Beholding thee filled with great rage and
Karna also excited to fury, O bull of Bharata's race, Duryodhana in wrath
will not be able to do anything. Remembering thyself to be of purified
soul, O bull of Bharata's race, and remembering also that the son of
Radha harboureth a great animosity for the virtuous Yudhishthira, achieve
that, O son of Kunti, which should now be achieved. Righteously setting
thy heart on battle, advance against that leader of car-warriors. There,
five hundred foremost of car-warriors, O thou best of car-warriors, that
are endued with great might and fierce energy, and 5,000 elephants, and
twice as many horses, and innumerable foot-soldiers, all united together,
O son of Kunti, and protecting one another, O hero, are advancing against
thee. Show thyself, of thy own will, unto that great bowman, viz., the
Suta's son. Advance, O bull of Bharata's race, towards him with great
speed. There, Karna, filled with great wrath is rushing against the
Pancalas. I see his standard approaching towards the car of
Dhrishtadyumna. I think he will exterminate the Pancalas. I will tell
thee, O bull of Bharata's race, some good news, O Partha. King
Yudhishthira the just is living. There, the mighty-armed Bhima, having
returned, is stationed at the head of the army, supported by the
Srinjayas and by Satyaki, O Bharata. There, the Kauravas are being
slaughtered with keen shafts by Bhimasena, O son of Kunti, and the
high-souled Pancalas. The troops of Dhritarashtra's son, with their faces
turned from the field, and with blood streaming down from their wounds,
are speedily flying away from battle, struck by Bhima with his shafts.
Bathed in blood, the Bharata army, O chief of Bharata's race, presents an
exceedingly cheerless aspect like that of the Earth when divested of
crops. Behold, O son of Kunti, Bhimasena, that foremost of combatants,
filled with rage like a snake of virulent poison, and engaged in routing
the (Kaurava) host. Yellow and red and black and white banners, adorned
with stars and moons and suns as also many umbrellas, O Arjuna, lie
scattered about. Made of gold or silver or brass and other metals,
standards are lying about, and elephants and steeds also, scattered all
over the field. There, those car-warriors are falling from their cars,
deprived of life by the unreturning Pancalas with shafts of diverse
kinds. There the Pancalas of great speed, O Dhananjaya, are rushing
against the riderless Dhartarashtra elephants and steeds and cars.
Reckless of their very lives, O chastiser of foes, those warriors,
difficult of defeat in battle aided by the might of Bhimasena are
crushing, O tiger among men, the hostile force. There, the Pancalas are
uttering loud roars and blowing their conchs as they are rushing against
their foes and crushing them with their shafts in battle. Behold their
great energy and power. Through sheer valour, the Pancalas are
slaughtering the Dhartarashtras like angry lions slaying elephants.
Unarmed they are snatching the weapons of their armed foes and with those
weapons thus snatched, they are slaying their foes that are effectual
smiters, and uttering loud roars. The heads and arms of their foes are
being struck off and felled on the field. The Pancala cars and elephants
and horses are all worthy of the highest praise. Like swans of great
speed leaving the Manasa lake and rushing into the Ganga, the Pancalas
are rushing against the Kauravas, and every part of the vast
Dhartarashtra force is assailed by them. Like bulls resisting bulls, the
heroic Kripa and Karna and other leaders are putting forth all their
valour for resisting the Pancalas. The Pancala heroes headed by
Dhrishtadyumna are slaying thousands of their foes, viz., the great
car-warriors of the Dhartarashtra army already sinking in the ocean of
Bhima's weapons. Beholding the Pancalas overwhelmed by their foes, the
fearless son of the Wind-god, assailing the hostile force, is shooting
his shafts and uttering loud roars. The greater portion of the vast
Dhartarashtra army has become exceedingly frightened. Behold those
elephants, pierced by Bhima with his cloth-yard shafts, are falling down
like mountain summits riven by the thunderbolt of Indra. There, those
huge elephants, deeply pierced with the straight shafts of Bhimasena are
flying away, crushing their own ranks. Dost thou not recognise the
unbearable leonine shouts, O Arjuna, of the terribly-roaring Bhimasena
inspired with desire of victory in battle? There, the prince of the
Nishadas, filled with rage, is coming against the son of Pandu, on his
foremost of elephants, from desire of slaying him with his lances, even
like Destroyer himself armed with his bludgeon. Struck by Bhima with ten
keen cloth-yard shafts endued with the splendour of the fire or the Sun,
the two arms of the roaring prince, with lances in grasp, are lopped off.
Staying the prince, Bhima proceedeth against other elephants looking like
masses of blue clouds and ridden by riders guiding them with skill.
Behold those riders striking Vrikodara with darts and lances in
profusion. Slaying with his keen shafts those elephants, seven at a time,
their triumphal standards also, O Partha, are cut down by thy elder
brother. As regards those other elephants, each of them is being slain
with ten shafts by him. The shouts of the Dhartarashtras are no longer
heard, now that Bhima, O bull of Bharata's race, who is equal to
Purandara himself, is engaged in battle. Full three akshauhinis of
Duryodhana's soldiers had been assembled together (in front of Bhima).
They have all been checked by that lion among men, Bhimasena, in wrath.'"

"Sanjaya continued, 'Behold that feat, difficult of accomplishment,
achieved by Bhimasena. Arjuna, with his keen shafts, destroyed the
remnant of his foes. The mighty samsaptakas, O lord, slaughtered in
battle and routed (by Arjuna), fled away in all directions, overcome with
fear. Many amongst them (that fell) became the guests of Shakra and
attained to great happiness. As regards Partha, that tiger among men, he
continued, with his straight shafts, to slaughter the Dhartarashtra host
consisting of four kinds of forces.'"



61

"Dhritarashtra said, 'When Bhima and Pandu's son Yudhishthira were
engaged in battle, when my troops were being slaughtered by the Pandus
and the Srinjayas, when, indeed, my vast army being broken and routed
repeatedly became cheerless, tell me, O Sanjaya, what the Kauravas did.'

"Sanjaya said, 'Beholding the mighty-armed Bhima, the Suta's son of great
valour, with eyes red in wrath, O king, rushed towards him. Seeing thy
army fly away from Bhimasena, the mighty Karna, O king, rallied it with
great efforts. The mighty-armed Karna, having rallied thy son's host,
proceeded against the Pandavas, those heroes difficult of defeat in
battle. The great car-warriors of the Pandavas also, shaking their bows
and shooting their shafts, proceeded against the son of Radha. Bhimasena,
and the grandson of Sini, and Shikhandi and Janamejaya, and
Dhrishtadyumna of great strength, and all the Prabhadrakas, and those
tigers among men, the Pancalas, filled with rage and inspired with desire
of victory, rushed in that battle from every side against thy army.
Similarly, the great car-warriors of thy army, O king, quickly proceeded
against the Pandava host, desirous of slaughtering it. Teeming with cars
and elephants and horses, and abounding with foot-soldiers and standards,
the two armies then, O tiger among men, assumed a wonderful aspect.
Shikhandi proceeded against Karna, and Dhrishtadyumna proceeded against
thy son Duhshasana, accompanied by a large force. Nakula proceeded
against Vrishasena, while Yudhishthira against Citrasena. Sahadeva, O
king, in that battle, proceeded against Uluka. Satyaki proceeded against
Shakuni, and the sons of Draupadi against the other Kauravas. The mighty
car-warrior Ashvatthama proceeded, with great care, against Arjuna.
Sharadvata's son Kripa proceeded against the mighty bowman Yudhamanyu,
while Kritavarma of great strength proceeded against Uttamauja. The
mighty-armed Bhimasena, O sire, alone and unsupported, resisted all the
Kurus and thy sons at the head of their division. The slayer of Bhishma,
Shikhandi, then, O monarch, with his winged arrows, resisted Karna,
careering fearlessly in that battle. Held in check, Karna then, his lips
trembling in rage, assailed Shikhandi with three arrows in the midst of
his eyebrows. With those three arrows sticking on his forehead, Shikhandi
looked highly beautiful like a silver mountain with three elevated
crests. Deeply pierced by the Suta's son in that encounter, the mighty
bowman Shikhandi pierced Karna, in return, with ninety keen shafts. The
mighty car-warrior Karna then, slaying Shikhandi's steeds and next his
driver with three arrows, cut off his standard with a razor-faced arrow.
That mighty car-warrior then, that scorcher of foes, filled with rage,
jumped down from his steedless car and hurled a dart at Karna. Cutting
off that dart with three shafts in that encounter, Karna then, O Bharata,
pierced Shikhandi with nine keen arrows. Avoiding then the shafts sped
from Karna's bow, that best of men, Shikhandi, exceedingly mangled,
retreated speedily from that spot. Then Karna, O monarch, began to
scatter the troops of the Pandavas, like a mighty wind scattering a heap
of cotton. Meanwhile Dhrishtadyumna, O monarch, afflicted by thy son,
pierced Duhshasana, in return, with three arrows in the centre of the
chest. Then Duhshasana, O sire, pierced his assailant's left arm with a
broad-headed shaft, sharp and straight and equipped with wings of gold.
Thus pierced, Dhrishtadyumna, filled with wrath and the desire to
retaliate, sped a terrible shaft, O Bharata, at Duhshasana. Thy son,
however, O king, with three shafts of his, cut off that impetuous arrow
sped by Dhrishtadyumna as it coursed towards him. Approaching
Dhrishtadyumna then, he struck him in the arms and the chest with
seventeen other broad-headed shafts adorned with gold. Thereat Prishata's
son, filled with rage, cut off Duhshasana's bow, O sire, with a sharp
razor-headed arrow, at which all the troops there uttered a loud shout.
Taking up then another bow, thy son, as if smiling, held Dhrishtadyumna
in check with showers of arrows from every side. Beholding the prowess of
that high-souled son of thine, the combatants, as also the siddhas and
the apsaras, became all filled with wonder. We then saw the mighty
Dhrishtadyumna thus assailed by Duhshasana to resemble a huge elephant,
held in check by a lion. Then many Pancala car-warriors and elephants and
horses, O elder brother of Pandu, desirous of rescuing the commander (of
the Pandava army) encompassed thy son. The battle that commenced, O
scorcher of foes, between thy warriors and the enemy, presented as
frightful a sight as that which may be seen at the destruction of all
creatures at the end of the Yuga.

"'Vrishasena, staying by the side of his father, having pierced Nakula
with five arrows made wholly of iron, pierced him once again with three
other arrows. The heroic Nakula then, as if smiling, deeply pierced
Vrishasena in the chest with a cloth-yard shaft of great keenness. Thus
pierced by his mighty foe, that scorcher of foes, viz., Vrishasena,
pierced his assailant with twenty arrows and was himself pierced by him
with five. Then those two bulls among men shrouded each other with
thousands of arrows, at which the divisions that supported them broke.
Beholding the troops of Dhritarashtra's son flying away, the Suta's son,
following them, O king, began to forcibly stop them. After Karna had gone
away, Nakula proceeded against the Kauravas. Karna's son also, avoiding
Nakula, proceeded quickly, O sire, to where his father, the son of Radha,
was for protecting his car-wheel.

"'The angry Uluka was held in check by Sahadeva. Having slain his four
steeds, the valiant Sahadeva then despatched his foe's driver to the
abode of Yama. Uluka then, that delighter of his father, jumping down
from his car, O king, quickly proceeded and entered the division of the
Trigartas. Satyaki, having pierced Shakuni with twenty keen arrows,
easily cut off the standard of Subala's son with a broad-headed arrow.
The valiant son of Subala, filled with rage, O king, in that encounter,
pierced Satyaki's armour and then cut off his golden standard. Then
Satyaki pierced him in return with many keen arrows, and struck his
driver, O monarch, with three arrows. With great speed then, he
despatched with other shafts the steeds of Shakuni to Yama's abode.
Speedily alighting then, O bull among men, from his car, Shakuni, that
mighty car-warrior, quickly ascended the car of Uluka. The latter then
bore away with great speed his father from Sini's grandson, that warrior
skilled in battle. Then Satyaki, O king, rushed in that battle against
thy army with great impetuosity, at which that army broke. Shrouded with
the arrows of Sini's grandson, thy army, O monarch, fled away on all
sides with great speed, and fell down deprived of life.

"'Thy son resisted Bhimasena in that battle, in a trice Bhima made that
ruler of men steedless and driverless and carless and standardless, at
which the (Pandava) troops became highly glad. Then thy son, O king, went
away from Bhimasena's presence. The whole Kuru army, at this, rushed
against Bhimasena. Tremendous became the din made by those combatants
inspired with the desire of slaying Bhimasena. Yudhamanyu, piercing
Kripa, quickly cut off his bow. Then Kripa, that foremost of all wielders
of weapons, taking up another bow, felled Yudhamanyu's standard and
driver and umbrella on the Earth. At this, the mighty car-warrior
Yudhamanyu retreated on his car, driving it himself. Uttamauja covered
the terrible son of Hridika, endued with terrible prowess, with a thick
shower of arrows like a cloud pouring torrents of rain on a mountain. The
battle between them, O scorcher of foes, became so awful that its like, O
monarch, I had never seen before. Then Kritavarma, O king, in that
encounter, suddenly pierced Uttamauja in the chest, at which the latter
sat down on the terrace of his car. His driver then bore away that
foremost of car-warriors. Then the whole Kuru army rushed at Bhimasena.
Duhshasana and Subala's son, encompassing the son of Pandu with a large
elephant force, began to strike him with small arrows. Then Bhima,
causing the wrathful Duryodhana to turn his back on the field by means of
hundreds of arrows, quickly rushed towards that elephant force. Beholding
that elephant-force advance impetuously against him, Vrikodara became
filled with great rage and invoked his celestial weapons. And he began to
strike elephants with elephants like Indra striking the Asuras. While
engaged in slaughtering those elephants, Vrikodara, in that battle,
covered the welkin with his shafts like myriads of insects covering a
fire. Like the wind scattering masses of clouds, Bhima quickly scattered
and destroyed crowds of elephants united together in thousands. Covered
all over with networks of gold, as also with many gems, the elephants
looked exceedingly beautiful in that battle like clouds charged with
lightning. Slaughtered by Bhima, those elephants, O king, began to fly
away. Some amongst them, with their hearts pierced, fell down on the
Earth. With those fallen and failing elephants adorned with gold, the
Earth looked beautiful there, as if strewn with broken mountains. With
the fallen elephant-warriors of blazing resplendence and adorned with
gems, the Earth looked beautiful as if strewn with planets of exhausted
merit. Then elephants, with their temples, frontal globes, and trunks
deeply pierced, fled in hundreds in that battle, afflicted with the
shafts of Bhimasena. Some amongst them, huge as hills, afflicted with
fear and vomiting blood, ran away, their limbs mangled with arrows, and
looked on that account, like mountains with liquid metals running down
their sides. People then beheld the two arms of Bhima, resembling two
mighty snakes, smeared with sandal-paste and other pounded unguents,
continually employed in drawing the bow. Hearing the sound of his
bow-string and palms that resembled the peal of thunder, those elephants,
ejecting urine and excreta, ran away in fear. The feats of the
single-handed Bhima of great intelligence, on that occasion, shone like
those of Rudra, himself, while engaged in destroying all creatures.'"



62

"Sanjaya said, 'The handsome Arjuna then, on that foremost car of his,
unto which were yoked white steeds, and which was urged by Narayana
himself, appeared on the scene. Like the tempest agitating the ocean,
Vijaya, O foremost of kings, in that battle, agitated that host of thine
teeming with horsemen. When the white-steeded Arjuna was otherwise
engaged, thy son Duryodhana, filled with rage and surrounded by half his
troops, approached suddenly, and encompassed the advancing Yudhishthira
inspired with the desire of revenge. The Kuru king then pierced the son
of Pandu with three and seventy razor-headed arrows. At this,
Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, became inflamed with ire, and quickly
struck thy son with thirty broad-headed arrows. The Kaurava troops then
rushed impetuously for seizing Yudhishthira. Understanding the wicked
intentions of the enemy, the great car-warriors of the Pandava army,
uniting together, rushed towards Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, for
rescuing him. Indeed, Nakula and Sahadeva and Dhrishtadyumna, the son of
Prishata, surrounded by a full Akshauhini of troops, thus proceeded
towards Yudhishthira. Bhimasena also, in that battle, crushing the great
car-warriors of thy army, proceeded towards the king surrounded by foes.
Karna, otherwise called Vaikartana, O king, shooting dense showers of
arrows, checked, single-handed, all those mighty bowmen thus advancing
(to the rescue). Though they shot dense showers of arrows and hurled
innumerable lances, fighting with determination, yet they were unable
even to look at the son of Radha. Indeed, the son of Radha, that master
of all weapons offensive and defensive, by shooting dense showers of
shafts checked all those great bowmen. The high-souled Sahadeva, however,
quickly approaching (the spot where Duryodhana was), and invoking without
loss of time a (celestial) weapon, pierced Duryodhana with twenty arrows.
Thus pierced by Sahadeva, the Kuru king, covered with blood, looked
beautiful, like a huge elephant of split temples. Beholding thy son
deeply pierced with many arrows of great energy, that foremost of
car-warriors, viz., the son of Radha, filled with rage, rushed to that
spot. Seeing Duryodhana reduced to that plight, Karna, invoking his
weapons quickly, began to slaughter the troops of Yudhishthira and
Prishata's son. Thus slaughtered by the high-souled Karna, Yudhishthira's
troops, O king, afflicted with the arrows of the Suta's son, soon fled
away. Showers of shafts fell together. Indeed, those sped subsequently
from the bow of the Suta's son touched with their heads the wings of
those sped before. In consequence of those falling showers, of shafts, O
monarch, colliding with one another, a conflagration seemed to blaze
forth in the welkin. Soon Karna shrouded the ten points of the compass, O
king, with arrows capable of piercing the bodies of foes, as if with
advancing flights of locusts. Displaying the highest weapons, Karna began
to wave with great force his two arms smeared with red sandal-paste and
adorned with jewels and gold. Then stupefying all sides, O king, with his
shafts, Karna deeply afflicted Yudhishthira the just. Filled with rage at
this, Dharma's son Yudhishthira struck Karna with fifty keen shafts. In
consequence then of the darkness caused by those showers of arrows, the
battle became awful to look at. Loud cries of woe arose from among thy
troops, O monarch, whilst they were being slaughtered by Dharma's son, O
sire, with diverse kinds of keen shafts equipped with Kanka feathers and
whetted on stone, with numerous broad-headed arrows, and with diverse
kinds of darts and swords and clubs. Thither where Pandu's son of
virtuous soul cast his eyes with the desire of producing evil, thither
thy army broke, O bull of Bharata's race. Inflamed with great rage, Karna
also, of immeasurable soul, inspired with the desire of retaliating, his
face flushed in anger, rushed in that battle against Pandu's son, king
Yudhishthira the just, shooting cloth-yard shafts and crescent-shaped
arrows and those equipped with heads like the calf's tooth. Yudhishthira
also pierced him with many whetted arrows equipped with wings of gold. As
if smiling the while, Karna pierced the royal son of Pandu in the chest
with three broad-headed arrows, whetted on stone, and equipped with Kanka
feathers. Deeply afflicted therewith, king Yudhishthira the just, sitting
down on the terrace of his car, ordered his driver to retreat. Thereupon
all the Dhartarashtras, with their king, set up a loud shout, saying,
"Seize! Seize!" and all of them then pursued the (Pandava) king. Then
seventeen hundred Kekaya troops, skilled in smiting, united with a body
of the Pancala troops, O king, checked the Dhartarashtras. During the
progress of that fierce and terrible battle, Duryodhana and Bhima, those
two warriors endued with great might, encountered each other.'"

Copyright (c) 2007. bestextbooks.com. All rights reserved.

Henry Van Dyke - "The Spirit of Christmas"

Robert Grant - "Unleavened Bread"

Various - "The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 27, May 13, 1897"

Alice Hegan Rice - "Miss Mink's Soldier and Other Stories"

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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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