Chapter 1018

Om. Let us honor Narayana. Let us honor Him, the most honorable Nara. Let us honor Her, the goddess called Saraswati. Jayatu Bhava!

“Janamejaya said,

'When he heard that his father, Devavrata, one whose power, steadfastness, might, energy, and power was like no other, had been killed by Sikhandin, the Prince of the Panchalas, what really, O reborn rishi, did powerful King Dhritarashtra, his eyes bathed in tears, do? O noteworthy one, his son, Duryodhana, wanted to rule after defeating those mighty archers, the adopted sons of Pandu, by way of Bhishma, Drona, and other great chariot-warriors. Tell me, O one whose wealth comes from asceticism, everything the Kuru did once the archer-chief was dead.’"

"Vaisampayana said:

‘Hearing that his father had been slain, the Kuru, King Dhritarashtra, anxious and grievous, found no peace of mind. Whilst the Kuru brooded, sorrowful, the pure-souled son of Gavalgana went to him again. Dhritarashtra, Amvika’s son, spoke to Sanjaya, one who had gone that night from camp to the city named for the elephant. His heart exceedingly made miserable due to the news of Bhishma’s fall, wishing for his sons to win, he let himself grieve, quite troubled.

"Dhritarashtra said: Once he’d wept for the mahatma, the terribly powerful Bhishma, what, O son, did the Kauravas, driven by destiny, do next? Yes, once the mahatma, the invincible hero, was slain, what did the Kauravas do, sunken as they were in a sea of grief? Yes, the growing and quite competent army of mahatmas, the Pandavas, could, O Sanjaya, create fear beyond fear itself the three worlds over. So tell me, Sanjaya, what the assembled kings did after Devavrata, the taurine Kuru, fell.

"And Sanjaya said: Listen, O king, with undivided attention as I tell you what your sons did once Devavrata had been killed in battle. When Bhishma, O king, one whose power could not be baffled, was slain, your men, as well as the Pandavas, mulled over the situation. Reflecting on Kshatriya duties, they felt awe and joy, however, those duties made them honor the mahatma and warrior. Then, those tigrine men made the immeasurably powerful Bhishma a bed whose pillow was straight poles. Having arranged for Bhishma’s protection, they spoke to one another pleasantly. Bidding farewell to Ganga’s son and circling him, eyeing one another with reddened eyes due to anger, the Kshatriyas, driven by destiny, again went onto the battlefield to fight. Trumpets blasted and drums were beaten to signify the preparations of your side and theirs. When Ganga fell, O king, and the best part of the day had gone, the top Bharata tribesmen, giving into Fury, their hearts troubled by Fate, ignoring the goodly words of Mahatma Bhishma, sallied forth quite quickly, armed. Due to your foolishness, your son’s foolishness, and Santanu’s son’s death, the Kauravas and all the kings seemed invited to fight by Death. The Kurus, now without Devavrata, were anxious; they were like a herd of goats or sheep without a herder in a forest that had plenty of carnivores. Yes, after the fall of the top Bharata tribesman, the Kuru army looked like the sky whose stars were now gone, the sky if the the atmosphere was gone, like the ground if it had become barren, like a speech ruined by bad grammar, like the ancient Asura army once Vali had been cut down, like a virgin-bride now without a husband, like a river whose waters were now gone, like a red deer doe now without her buck in a forest with plenty of wolves, or like a spacious mountain-cave whose lion is killed by a Sarabha. Yes, O Bharata chieftain, the Bharatas, when Ganga’s son died, were like a frail boat on the ocean’s surface tossed around from all angles by a storm. Exceedingly troubled by the mighty, heroic Pandavas whose men had an aim that was always true, the Kauravan army, its horses, chariot-warriors, and elephants quite troubled, became exceedingly troubled, helpless, and panic-stricken. The fearful kings and common soldiers, no longer trusting one another, now without Devavrata, seemed to sink into the underworld. But then, the Kauravas recalled Karna, one truly equal to Devavrata – every heart turned to that top weapons-wielder, the one like a shining guest due to education and abstentious austerities. All hearts turned to him like a troubled man’s heart turning to a friend who can end those troubles. O Bharata tribesman, the kings cried out: ‘Karna! Karna! That son of Radha – that friend of ours – that Suta – the one always ready to die in battle! Naturally quite famous, Karna, his devotees, and his friends have not fought for ten days. Summon him as soon as possible! Before the Kshatriyas, the mighty-armed hero, when brave, mighty chariot-warriors were spoken of, was classified by Bhishma as an ardharatha (one who can never be defeated), though that taurine man was equal to two chariot-warriors able to take on ten-thousand ardharathas each. That’s how he was classified when atirathas were named; he’s the top atiratha; he’s respected by all heroes; he’d even try to fight Yama, Kuvera, Varuna, and Indra. When he was angry about said circumstances, O king, he told Ganga’s son: As long as you live, O Kuru, I refuse to fight. But, if you successfully slay the adopted sons of Pandu during the great battle, I shall, O Kaurava, with Duryodhana’s permission, enter the forest for rest. But if, on the other hand, you, O Bhishma, slain by the Pandavas, win Heaven, I shall then, using one chariot, slay them all, all the ones you call great chariot-warriors.’

"Having said this, mighty-armed, quite famous Karna, with your son’s permission, did not fight the first ten days. Bhishma, quite powerful and immeasurably mighty, slew, O Bharatan, a very large number of warriors belonging to Yudhishthira. When, however, that hero whose aim was true and had great energy died, your sons thought of Karna like people wishing to ford a river think of a boat. Your warriors and your sons, together with all the kings, cried out: ‘Karna! This is the time for him to show off his power. Our hearts are turned to Karna, one who took his knowledge of weapons from Jamadagni’s son, one whose power is unstoppable. Truly, O king, he could save us from great danger like Govinda, one who always saves the divinities from great danger.’ Dhritarashtra, one sighing like a snake, spoke to Sanjaya, one repeatedly praising Karna: ‘I understand that your hearts are turned to Vikartana’s son Karna and that all of you saw the son of Radha, the Suta hero always ready to die in battle. I hope the hero whose power is unable to be baffled did not make the expectations of Duryodhana and his brothers untrue – they were all, then, troublingly grievous and fearful; they wanted to be rescued from danger. If Bhishma, the Kauravan shelter, was slain, could Karna, the top archer, successfully fill that void? Could Karna, filling the void, fill the enemy with fear? Could he crown the hopes of victory my sons cherished with results?’”

Chapter 1019

“Vaisampayana said,

‘Sanjaya said: Then, Adhiratha’s son, the Suta, knowing that Bhishma had died, wished to rescue, like a brother, your son’s army from their troubles – they were like a boat sunken in a bottomless sea. Yes, O king, having heard that the mighty chariot-warrior and top man, a hero with immortal glory who was the son of Santanu and one thrown off his chariot, Karna, an enemy-crusher, the top archer, soon arrived on the battlefield. When the top chariot-warrior, Bhishma, was slain by the enemy, Karna hurried there, wishing to save the Kuru army, one like a sunken boat in the sea, for he was like a father wishing to save his children.

"Karna told the men: ‘Bhishma, a solid, wise, powerful, mighty, honest, self-controlled, and virtuous-in-every-way hero, who had all divine weapons, humility, modesty, pleasant words, an absence of malice, and a constant sense of gratitude, one who slew Brahmin enemies, one in whom said qualities dwelt immortally like Lakshmi dwelling eternally in the moon – alas! Since Bhishma, the slayer of unfriendly heroes, is dead, I consider all other heroes slain. Due to the immortal link of all things to labor, there’s nothing everlasting on earth. If lofty-vow-keeping Bhishma is dead, who can say for certain that the sun will rise tomorrow? If the naturally-powerful-as-the-Vasus one – the world-leader – has returned to the Vasus, I ask that you grieve for your possessions, children, the world, the Kurus, and the army because you can consider them gone.’

"When the wish-granting hero who was quite mighty – the Lord of the World – the quite energetic son of Santanu – fell and when the Bharatas were defeated, Karna, his heart miserable and his eyes filled with tears, began soothing the Dhritarashtras. Hearing Radha’s son’s words, your sons, O king, and your men began wailing aloud and weeping copious tears of grief as loudly as those wails. But, when the terrible battle began again and the Kauravan sections, urged on by kings, shouted loudly, that taurine mighty chariot-warrior, Karna, spoke to the great chariot-warriors of the Kauravan army, saying things that gave them great delight: ‘In this fleeting world, everything constantly moves towards Death’s jaws. When I think of this, I consider everything brief. If all of you were here, how could Bhishma, that taurine Kuru as immovable as a hill, have been thrown off his chariot? The mighty chariot-warrior, the son of Santanu, has been overpowered and now lies on the ground like the sun if it fell from the sky; the Kuru kings can barely tolerate Dhananjya; they’re like trees barely able to bear the mountain-wind. However, I shall protect, like that mahatma did, the helpless, miserable-looking Kuru army whose top men have already been killed by the enemy. Let me shoulder that burden. I see now that this universe is fleeting – the top hero has been slain in battle. Why, then, should I fear fighting? So, flying over the battlefield, I shall send the taurine Kurus – the Pandavas – to Yama’s home using my straight spears. Considering fame the loftiest goal on earth, I shall slay them in battle or, slain by the enemy, find immortal rest on the battlefield. Yudhishthira is solid, wise, virtuous, and mighty naturally, Vrikodara is equal to a hundred elephants when it comes to power, and Arjuna is young and is the son of the Chief of Divinities. So, the Pandavan army cannot be easily defeated by even the divinities. The army that has the Yama-like twins in it – the army that has Satyaki and the son of Devaki – is like Death’s jaws. No coward, if he neared it, would return alive. Since the wise fight the act of making asceticism-based power grow by way of abstentious austerities, power should be challenged with power. My mind is truly and firmly set on opposing the enemy and guarding my men – O charioteer, today, I shall surely challenge the might of the enemy and defeat him by going only to the battlefield. I will not tolerate this feud, one having to do with inner workings. When the troops are broken up, the savior when it’s time to regroup is a friend. I shall either be an honest man and do this righteous thing or be free of my life and follow Bhishma. I shall wipe out my united enemies or, slain by them, go to the worlds meant for heroes. O charioteer, I know that this is what I should do in times of trouble, such as when women and children cry for help or when Duryodhana’s power survives a barricade. So, today, I shall conquer the enemy. Not caring at all for my life during the terrible battle, I shall protect the Kurus and slay the adopted sons of Pandu. Slaying my united enemies in battle, I shall give Dhritarashtra’s son the unquestionable right to rule. I shall don my beautiful, golden, bright, and shiny-due-to jewels-and-gems armor, don my helmet that shines like the sun, and arm myself with bows and arrows that resemble fire, poison, or snakes. Anchor sixteen quivers to my chariot at the right spots and collect a number of goodly bows. Prepare spears, arrows, heavy maces, and a conch that has gold here and there. Bring me my spotted, beautiful, excellent, golden flag that naturally has the shine of a lotus and has the tool of an elephant’s belt upon it; clean it with a delicate cloth and decorate it with excellent leis and an arrangement of wires. O son of a charioteer, bring me, and quickly, swift horses the color of yellowish-brown clouds that are not skinny, that have been washed in water sanctified by mantras, and that have been given accoutrements of bright gold. Bring me, and quickly, an excellent chariot decorated with golden leis and decorative gems that shines like the sun or moon, has all necessities, has all weapons, and has excellent beasts hitched to it. Bring me a number of quite tough, excellent bows, a number of excellent bow-strings that can cut down the enemy, some large quivers full of spears, and mail-coats for my body. Bring me, and quickly, O hero, all favoring things necessary to depart for battle, such as brass and golden containers full of curds. Let garlands of flowers be brought to me and let them be placed over the right parts of my body. Let drums be beaten for victory. Go, charioteer, and quickly, to the spot where crown-decorated Arjuna, Vrikodara, Dharma’s son Yudhishthira, and the twins are. Meeting them in battle, I will either kill them, or, slain by them, mine enemies, follow Bhishma. Arjuna, Vasudeva, Satyaki, and the Srinjayas make up a regiment that I think cannot be conquered by kings. Even if annihilating Death with his relentless vigilance protected Kiritin, I’d still kill him, meeting him in battle, or go to Yama’s home, following Bhishma. Believe me when I say that I will force my way into that group of heroes. Those kings, mine allies, do not create internal dissention, do not have weak ties to me, and do not have wicked souls.’

"Riding in an excellent, expensive, and quite strong chariot that had an excellent pole, gold-decorations, favor, a flag, and excellent horses that could move at wind-speed attached to it, Karna headed into battle to win. Worshipped by the top Kuru chariot-warrior like Indra being worshipped by the celestials, the mahatma, the brutal archer born with immeasurable energy like the sun, rode in a chariot decorated with gold; it had jewels and gems, an excellent flag, excellent horses, and a rattle like rolling thunder. The rider of that chariot sallied forth along with a large army to the battlefield, where the taurine Bharata tribesman, Bhishma, had paid his debt to Mother Nature. His body beautiful, naturally splendid like fire, a great archer and mighty chariot-warrior, Adhiratha’s son then mounted his own beautiful chariot that naturally shone like fire and shone like when the Lord of Divinities rides his divine chariot.’”
 

Chapter 1020

 “Vaisampayana said:

‘Seeing The Grandfather, the honorable Bhishma, the one who wiped out the Kshatriyas, the righteous-souled hero of immeasurable energy, the great archer who had been tossed off his chariot by Savyasachin by way of his divine weapons, the one lying on a bed of arrows, the one resembling a vast ocean dried up by mighty winds, your sons’ hope for victory vanished along with their mail-coats and peace of mind. They saw him, one always an island to those sinking in a bottomless sea who tried to cross it, a hero coated with arrows who had forded a stream that continually flowed like the Yamuna, a hero who was like Mainaka, one with intolerable energy who had been thrown to the ground by the great Indra, a warrior lying flat on the ground as if the sun had fallen from the sky, one who looked like inconceivable Indra after he’d defeated Vritra long ago, one who made all warriors senseless, one who was the top warrior, a sign to all archers, a hero and taurine man, one who was your lofty-vow-keeping father named Bhishma, and one who was the Bharatas’ grandfather who had been thrown down in battle and now lay there, covered by Arjuna’s spears on a hero’s bed. Adhiratha’s son Karna dismounted his chariot quite troubled, grievous, and nearly senseless. Troublingly sorrowful, eyes troubled by tears, he went forward on foot. Greeting him with joined palms, he said to him with respect: ‘I am Karna! Blessings to you! Tell me, O Bharata tribesman, holy and favoring things. Open your eyes and look at me. How can any man truly enjoy, on earth, the rewards of his pious deeds? You, respected for your age and devoted to virtue, lie on the ground, murdered. O top Kuru, I know of no other as good as you when it comes to adding to the treasury, giving advice, forming battle-formations, and using weapons. Alas! The one with a natural sense of comprehension – the one who always protected the Kurus from danger – the one who slew countless numbers of warriors – is going to the Pitris’ world. From this day forward, O Bharata chieftain, the Pandavas, their fury ignited, will slay the Kurus like tigers slaying deer. Today the Kauravas, ones who know how powerful Gandiva’s twang is, will consider Savyasachin terrifying, like the Asuras considering the thunderbolt-wielder terrifying. Today the sound, like Heaven’s thunder, of arrows shot from Gandiva, will terrify the Kurus and other kings. Today, O hero, like a great, raging fire of brutal flames swallowing a forest, Kiritin’s spears will swallow the Dhritarashtras. In the sections of the forest where fire and wind work together, they burn all plants, vines, and trees. Surely Partha is like a surging fire and surely, O tigrine man, Krishna is like the wind. Hearing the blast of Panchajanya and the twang of Gandiva, all the Kauravan troops, O Bharata tribesman, will be filled with fear. O hero, without you, the kings won’t be able to tolerate the rattle of the ape-bannered chariot belonging to the enemy-crusher when he leaps upon them. Who, save you, can fight Arjuna, one whose feats, as described by the wise, are all divine? The battle he fought with the mahatma, three-eyed Mahadeva, was unearthly. Mahadeva favored him in a way those with unholy souls do not have access to. Taking delight in fighting, that adopted son of Pandu is protected by Madhava. Who can defeat the one who has not been defeated before but you; you defeated Rama in battle, a brutal destroyer of Kshatriyas the gods and Danavas worshipped. Unable to tolerate that adopted son of Pandu, I, with your permission, will slay, using my weapon-power, the brave, brutal warrior who’s like a powerfully poisonous snake who slays his enemies with just a glare!’”

Chapter 1021

“Vaisampayana said,

‘Sanjaya said: To the one speaking to him thusly the old Kuru grandfather, his heart cheerful, said, appropriate for time and place: ‘The ocean shelters rivers, the sun shelters bright bodies, the righteous shelter truth, fertile soil shelters seeds, and clouds shelter all creatures – I ask that you shelter your relatives and friends. Let your kinsmen depend on you like the divinities depend on the thousand-eyed one. Humiliate your enemies and make friends more joyful. Be for the Kauravas what Vishnu is for the dwellers of Heaven. Wishing to please Dhritarashtra’s son, you, by way of your arms’ might and power, O Karna, defeated the Kamvojas, having gone to Rajpura. Many kings, Nagnajit supreme, whilst staying in Girivraja, as well as the Amvashthas, Videhas, and the Gandharvas, were all defeated by you. The Kiratas, brutal in battle, living in the fortress of Himavat, were, in the past, O Karna, possessed by Duryodhana because of you. The Utpalas, Mekalas, Paundras, Kalingas, Andhras, Nishadas, Trigartas, and the Valhikas were all defeated by you in battle, O Karna. In many other countries, O Karna, driven by the desire to benefit Duryodhana, you, O hero, defeated many families and kings of great energy. Like the shelter named Duryodhana, O child, with his kinsmen, relatives, and friends, I ask that you shelter the Kauravas. Using favoring words do I order you – go and fight the enemy. Lead the Kurus in battle, and lead to Duryodhana’s victory. You are, like Duryodhana is our father’s grandson, our grandson. Lawfully we belong to you as Duryodhana does. The wise, top man, say the friendship between two righteous men is better than the kinship between brothers. So, without making your alliance with the Kurus untrue, protect the Kauravan army as if you were Duryodhana, considering it your own.’

"Hearing his words, Vikartana’s son Karna, respectfully greeting Bhishma’s feet, bid him farewell and came to the place where the Kauravan archers were. Viewing the vast, unparalleled camp of the vast army, he began cherishing, by words of encouragement, the well-armed, broad-chested warriors. The Kauravas, led by Duryodhana, were joyful. Seeing mighty-armed Mahatma Karna enter the battlefield and station himself before the entire army for battle, the Kauravas welcomed him with loud shouts, slapped arm-pits, leonine roars, twangs of bows, and various, other sounds.’”

Chapter 1022

“Vaisampayana said,

‘Seeing that tigrine man, Karna, mounted on his chariot, Duryodhana, O king, joyful, said: ‘This army, one you protect, has now, methinks, gotten a proper leader. Let’s now settle that which is proper and within our power.’ And Karna said: ‘Tell us yourself, O tigrine man, for you’re the wisest king. Only he whose concern it is when it comes to that which should be done sees clearly – others see more poorly. Those kings all want to hear what you have to say. I am sure you will say no inappropriate things.’
And Duryodhana said: ‘Bhishma was our commander; he possessed years, power, an education, and the support of all our warriors. The mahatma, O Karna, earned great glory and slew great numbers of mine enemies we protected in a fair fight over ten days. He did the most difficult things. But, now that he is about to soar to Heaven, whom, O Karna, do you think is fit to lead next? Without a leader, an army cannot remain in battle for even a short time. You’re the best in battle and we’re like a boat without a captain in the water. Yes, like a boat without a captain or a chariot without a charioteer going everywhere is the plight of an army without a captain. Like a merchant getting into all kinds of trouble when he doesn’t know the ways of a country he visits, an army without a leader is exposed to all kinds of trouble. So, look to the mahatmas and warriors of our army and find a suitable leader to succeed the son of Santanu. The one you consider a suitable army-captain – he, surely, will make a good leader for us.’

"Karna said: ‘All those top men are mahatmas. Each one of them deserves to be our leader. No need for minute examination. Each one comes from a noble line and knows how to cut down; each one is naturally powerful and wise; each one is aware and familiar with verses; each one is naturally wise and never flees the battlefield. But, there can only be one leader. Only one should be chosen to lead; extraordinary merit should be seen in him. All of them see one another as equals. If one of them is honored, others would be unhappy, and, clearly, would stop fighting for you from a desire to do you some good. But, there is the holy weapons-teacher who taught these warriors and is respected for his age; he is worthy of respect. So Drona, the top weapons-wielder, should lead. Who is worthy to lead if the invincible Drona, the top man who knows Brahman, is present, he being one who is equal to Venus or Vrihaspati? Of all the kings in your army, O Bharata tribesman, all would follow Drona if he went into battle. Drona is the top army-captain, the best weapons-wielder, and the top intelligent man. Besides, O king, he taught you how to use weapons. So, O Duryodhana, make him your army-captain without delay – the divinities made Kartikeya their army-captain without delay when they fought the Asuras.’”

Chapter 1023

“Vaisampayana said,

‘Hearing Karna’s words, King Duryodhana then said something to Drona, one staying amidst the troops: ‘Because of your noble birth, your noble line, your education, your age, your wisdom, your power, your skill, invincibility, knowledge of worldly affairs, control of the self, abstentious austerities, thankfulness, and possession of all virtues, of all these kings, none would make a better leader than you. So, protect us like Vasava protecting the divinities. If you led us, we would want, top Brahmin, to defeat our enemies. As Kapali is to the Rudras, Pavaka is the to Vasus, Kuvera is to the Yakshas, Vasava is to the Maruts, Vasishtha is to the Brahmins, the sun is to bodies of light, Yama is to the Pitris, Varuna is to sea-creatures, the moon is to stars, and Usanas is to the sons of Diti, you are the best army-captain. So, lead us. O innocent one, let these eleven Akshauhinis of troops obey your commands. Arrange these men for battle and slay our enemies like Indra slaying the Danavas. Go before us like Pavaka’s son Kartikeya leading the divinity-armies. We will follow you into battle like bulls following a lead cow. You’re a brutal, great archer; you draw back the bow before us. Arjuna will not strike. Surely, O tigrine man, if you lead us, I would defeat Yudhishthira, his followers, and his relatives in battle.’

"Once Duryodhana had said this, the Kauravan kings, to Drona, cried: Victory! and took delight in your son, giving a loud, leonine cry. The joyful troops, Duryodhana leading them, wishing to earn great fame, began glorifying the top Brahmin. Then, O king, Drona said something to Duryodhana.’”

Chapter 1024

“Vaisampayana said,

‘Drona said: ‘I know The Vedas and their six branches. I know the science of human affairs. I know the Saiva and various, other kinds of weapons. Attempting to prove the virtues you, wishing to win, claim I have, I will fight the Pandavas. But, O king, I won’t be able to slay Prishata’s son. O taurine man, he was born so that I would die. I will fight the Pandavas and slay the Somakas. As for the Pandavas, they will not fight me with cheerful hearts.’
Since Drona allowed him, Drona’s son, O king, made him captain of the army by way of the rituals ordered by law. The Katiravan kings, led by Duryodhana, made Drona the army-captain like divinities, led by Indra, making Skanda leader long ago. Once Drona was made commander, the army, joyful, beat drums and blasted conchs loudly. Then, as cries were heard like the cries heard during a festival, Brahmins made favoring invocations and they were pleased by cries of: Jaya! made by top Brahmins. Mimes danced; Drona was honored. Kauravan warriors considered the Pandavas already defeated.

"Then, the mighty chariot-warrior, Bharadwaja’s son, having earned the right to command, arranged the troops for battle, departing with your sons to fight the enemy. The Sindhus’ ruler, the Kalingas’ chief, and your son, Vikarna, dressed in mail-coats, took up their position on the right side of Drona. Sakuni, along with many top horsemen who fought with bright lances and were from the Gandharan tribe, sallied forth to guard them. Kripa, Kritavarman, Chitrasena, and Vivinsati, led by Dusasana, truly did their best to guard his left side. The Kamvojas (led by Sudakshina), the Sakas, and the Yavanas, with quite swift horses, sallied forth to guard those on his left side. The Madras, Trigartas, Amvashthas, Westerners, Northerners, Malavas, Surasenas, Sudras, Maladas, Sauviras, Kaitavas, Easterners, and the Southerners, setting your son Duryodhana and the Suta’s son Karna before them, formed the rear-guard, gladdened warriors of their own army and added to the strength of the advancing force. Vikartana’s son Karna led the top archers; his blazing, large, and tall flag with the tool of an elephant’s lead shone brightly like the sun, gladdening his own divisions. When they saw Karna, not one considered the present a misfortune due to Bhishma’s death. The king and Kurus all were liberated from grief. Large numbers of united warriors told one another: ‘If they see Karna on the battlefield, the Pandavas won’t be able to remain in battle. Yes, Karna is quite good enough to defeat, in battle, the gods, Vasava leading them. So, what can be said about the adopted sons of Pandu, ones without energy or power? Mighty-armed Bhishma spared the Parthas in battle. Karna will slay them in battle with his sharp spears.’ Speaking to one another thusly, joyful, they sallied forth, praising and worshipping the son of Radha. As for our army, Drona arranged it to be a type of vehicle; the formation of our noteworthy enemies, O king, was a crane – O Bharata tribesman, righteous King Yudhishthira, quite cheerful, arranged it. Leading their formation were those two top men, Vishnu and Dhananjaya, their flag, one with a flag on it, prepared. The bulge of the entire army and the shelter for all archers was Partha’s flag, one given naturally boundless energy. It floated in the sky and seemed to brighten the entire army of Mahatma Yudhishthira. Partha’s flag, naturally quite wise, seemed to resemble the blazing sun that rises at the end of the age to swallow the world. Amongst archers, Arjuna is the best, amongst bows, Gandiva is the best, amongst creatures, Vasudeva is the best, and amongst discs, Sudarsana is the best. Containing those four bodies of energy, the chariot white horses were hitched to took its position at the front of the unfriendly army, like the brutal discus raised to strike. So, the two top men stood before their individual armies (Karna leading your army and Dhananjaya leading the unfriendly one). Each wished to slay the other; Karna and Arjuna eyed each other in battle.

"Then, when that mighty chariot-warrior, Bharadwaja’s son, sallied forth into battle quite quickly, the ground seemed to shake with loud wailing sounds. The heavy dust kicked up by the wind, resembling a canopy of yellowish-brown silk, cloaked the sky and sun. Though the sky was cloudless, a shower of bits of flesh, bone, and blood fell. Thousands of vultures, hawks, cranes, storks, and crows kept swooping down upon the Kauravan men. Jackals cried out; many brutal, terrible birds kept wheeling to the left of your army, wishing to eat flesh and drink blood; many blazing meteors, illuminating the sky and covering large areas with their tails, fell to the ground with loud sounds and quivers. The wide disc of the sun, O king, seemed to spit lightning-bolts and make sounds like thunder when the Kauravan commander sallied forth. These and many other omens that were brutal and meant heroes would be destroyed were seen during battle. Then, a battle began between Kuru soldiers and Pandavan soldiers; they wished to slay one another. The din was so loud that it seemed to fill the entire planet. The Pandavas and the Kauravas, furious with one another and skilled in slicing, began striking one another with sharp weapons, wishing to win. Then, the great archer who shone greatly rushed at the Pandavan troops with much boldness, scattering hundreds of sharp arrows. The Pandavas and the Srinjayas, seeing Drona rush at them, welcomed him, O king, with showers upon showers of distinct sets of arrows. Shaken up and broken by Drona, the great army of Pandavas and Panchalas broke like rows of cranes separated by the wind. Summoning many divine weapons in battle, Drona shortly troubled the Pandavas and Srinjayas. Slaughtered by Drona like the Danavas slaughtered by Vasava, the Panchalas, led by Dhrishtadyumna, shook in battle. Then, the mighty chariot-warrior, Yajnasena's son Dhrishtadyumna, a hero familiar with divine weapons, broke, using arrow-showers, Drona’s army in many places. The mighty son of Prishata baffled, with his own arrow-showers, the showers of arrows shot by Drona, creating much slaughter for the Kurus. So mighty-armed Drona then, gathering his men in battle, rushed at the son of Prishata. He then shot at Prishata’s son a heavy arrow-shower, like Maghavat, his fury ignited, showering, quite powerfully, the Danavas. Then, the Pandavas and the Srinjayas, shaken by Drona and his spears, repeatedly separated like a herd of lesser animals attacked by a lion. The mighty Drona forced his way through the Pandavan army like a ring of fire. How truly wondrous it all seemed, O king. Mounted on his own excellent chariot which then resembled a city flying through the sky, one furnished with each necessity according to military science, one whose flag floated in the air, one whose rattle resounded through the battlefield, one whose horses were well-urged, and one whose flag was bright as crystal, Drona terrorized the enemies’ hearts and created much slaughter among them.’”

Chapter 1025

“Vaisampayana said,

‘Seeing Drona slaying horses, drivers, chariot-warriors, and elephants, the Pandavas, without being troubled, utterly surrounded him. King Yudhishthira, to Dhrishtadyumna and Dhananjaya, said: ‘Stop the container-born one (Drona), our men surrounding him on all sides carefully.’ Then, the mighty chariot-warriors, Arjuna and Prishata’s son, along with their followers, welcomed Drona as he arrived. The Kekayan princes, Bhimasena, Subhadra’s son, Ghatotkacha, Yudhishthira, the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva), the ruler of the Matsyas, the son of Drupada, the five sons of Draupadi (all joyful), Dhrishtaketu, Satyaki, the furious Chitrasena, the mighty chariot-warrior named Yuyutsu, and many other kings, O king, who followed the adopted sons of Pandu were each uniquely talented whilst upholding their line and power. Seeing, then, the army protected in battle by those Pandavan warriors, Bharadwaja’s son eyed it furiously. His rage ignited, that warrior, invincible in battle, swallowed, as he stood upon his chariot, the Pandavan army like a storm destroying great cloud-banks. Rushing from all sides at chariot-warriors, horses, foot-soldiers, and elephants, Drona furiously drove across the battlefield like a young man, despite his age. His red horses that were wind-swift, from an excellent breed, and covered with blood, O king, looked beautiful. Seeing the vow-keeping hero knocking them down like Yama, when his fury’s ignited, the soldiers of Yudhishthira fled, no matter where they were. Some fled and others regrouped; some looked at him and others stayed on the battlefield – the noise they made was brutal and terrible. The noise delighted heroes and made the timid more shy, filling the entire sky and planet. Again Drona, calling out his name in battle, made himself exceedingly brutal, scattering hundreds of arrows amongst the enemies. Yes, mighty Drona, though old, acted like a young man, driving like Death, sire, through the divisions of Pandu’s adopted son. The brutal warrior severed heads and arms that were decorated with decorations, made the fronts of many chariots empty, and roared like a lion. Due to those joyous shouts of his and due to his spear-power, the warriors, O Lord, of the unfriendly army shook like a herd of cows troubled by the cold. Due to his rattling chariot, his bow-string being drawn back, and his bow twanging, the entire sky reverberated, creating a din. The hero’s spears, flying in the thousands from his bow and swallowing the compass-directions, leapt upon elephants, horses, chariots, and foot-soldiers of the enemy. Then, the Panchalas and the Pandavas boldly approached Drona, who, armed with his quite powerful bow, resembled a fire whose weapons were its flames. Along with their elephants, foot-soldiers, and horses, he began sending them to Yama’s home. Drona muddied the ground with blood. Scattering his great numbers of mighty weapons and shooting his great numbers of spears from all angles, Drona soon covered all the compass-directions and nothing could be seen except his arrow-showers. When it came to all the foot-soldiers, chariots, horses, and elephants, nothing could be seen but Drona’s arrows. All that could be seen was the flag of his chariot, moving like flashes of lightning amongst the chariots. His soul unable to be disenheartened, Drona, armed with his bow and arrows, troubled the five Kekayan princes and the ruler of the Panchalas; then, he rushed at Yudhishthira’s section. Bhimasena, Dhananjaya, Sini’s grandson, Drupada’s sons, Kasi’s ruler (the son of Saivya), and Sivi, cheerful, roaring loudly, coated him with arrows. Thousands of spears decorated with golden wings, shot from Drona’s bow, piercing the bodies of elephants and the young horses of those warriors, went underground, their feathers dyed with blood. The battlefield, bestrewn with chariots, flat bodies of great numbers of warriors en masse, and elephants and horses mangled with spears resembled the sky covered with banks of black clouds. Drona, wishing to enrich your sons, having crushed the sections of Satyaki, Bhima, Dhananjaya, Subhadra’s son, Drupada, and the ruler of the Kasi, having crushed many heroes in battle, yes, having done these and many other things as a mahatma and warrior, and having, Kuru chief, scorched the world like the sun does as it rises at the end of the age, sallied forth, O king, to Heaven. The hero with a golden chariot, that unfriendly-army-crusher, the one who’d done many feats and slain thousands of Pandavan men in battle, was finally slain by Dhrishtadyumna. He slew, truly, more than two Akshauhinis of brave warriors who would never be reborn; the hero with natural intelligence finally earned the loftiest state. Yes, O king, having done the most difficult things, he, at last, was slain by the Pandavas and the cruel-deed-doing Panchalas. When the teacher was slain in battle, there arose in the sky, O king, a great din, one made by all creatures, including all troops. Resounding through Heaven, Earth, the intermediate cosmos, and the main and lesser directions was the great cry of: Curses! from all creatures. The gods, Pitris, and Drona’s friends all saw that the mighty chariot-warrior, the son of Bharadwaja, was dead. The Pandavas, having won, gave leonine cries. The ground shook due to those loud shouts of theirs.’”
 

Chapter 1026

“Vaisampayana said,

‘Dhritarashtra said: How did the Pandavas and the Srinjayas slay Drona in battle? He was so skilled in weapons as a weapons-wielder. Did his chariot break during battle? Did his bow break in battle? Did Drona have no chariot when the final blow was struck? How, O child, did Prishata’s son, Dhrishtadyumna, the Panchalan prince, truly slay the hero unable to be humiliated by enemies, the one who scattered heavy showers of spears that had golden wings, the one with natural agility, the top Brahmin, the one skilled in everything, the one who knew all types of warfare, the one who could hurl his spears great distances, the self-controlled one, the one with natural skill in weaponry, the one armed with divine weapons, the mighty warrior with immortal glory who was always sensible, the one who did the most brutal things in battle? To me, it’s plain that Fate is better than making use of oneself – brave Drona has been slain by the mahatma and son of Prishata and Drona was a hero in whom were the four kinds of weapons. Alas, to hear that Drona, the archery teacher, has been slain! Hearing about the slaughter of the hero who used to ride his bright chariot, one covered with tiger skins and decorated with pure gold, my grief is incorrigible. Surely, O Sanjaya, no one dies of the grief felt due to another’s misfortune – I, a wretch, still live despite my hearing of Drona’s death. Methinks Fate is omnipotent and labor useless. Surely, my heart, hard as it is, is made of adamant – it hasn’t broken into a hundred pieces now that I’ve heard of Drona’s death. Alas, the one served by Brahmins and princes wishing to be taught The Vedas, divination, and archery has been taken away by Death. I cannot tolerate the overpowering of Drona, something like the drying up of the sea, the removal of Mount Meru from its site, or the sun falling from the sky. He tamed the wicked and protected the righteous. The enemy-scorcher who died for wretched Duryodhana – his power was the key to the hope of victory for my wicked sons. He was equal to Vrihaspati or Usanas in intelligence – alas, how was he slain? His large, red horses covered with a golden net that were as swift as the wind were unable to be hit by any weapon in battle, were naturally quite strong, were ones that neighed cheerfully, were well-trained, were Sindhus, were hitched to his chariot and drew it excellently, and were ones that always offered support in battle – did they weaken or faint? Coolly tolerating, in battle, the roar of elephants, those huge creatures whinnied at blasted conchs and beaten drums, unmoved by twanging bows, arrow-showers, and other weapons, giving a sign that the enemy would be defeated by their very appearance. They never inhaled deeply when laboring and were above exhaustion and pain – how could the swift horses that drew the chariot of Bharadwaja’s son soon be overpowered? That’s what the horses hitched to his golden chariot were like. That’s what the horses the top human hero hitched to his chariot were like. He was mounted on his own, excellent chariot decorated with pure gold, so why, son, was he unable to cross the Pandavan-army-sea? What did Bharadwaja’s son do in battle, he being the warrior who always made other heroes cry, he being one whose knowledge of weapons the world’s archers trust? Sticking firmly to the truth and naturally quite mighty, what did Drona truly do in battle? Which chariot-warriors met the brutal-deeds-doer, that top archer, that top hero who was like Shakra in Heaven? Did the Pandavas flee when they saw the one with the golden chariot, mighty strength, and the one who summoned into existence divine weapons? Did righteous King Yudhishthira and his younger brothers, having the Panchalan prince (Dhrishtadyumna) for their rope, attack Drona, utterly surrounding him with his troops? Surely Partha must’ve, using straight spears, stopped all the other chariot-warriors; then, Prishata’s sinning son must’ve surrounded Drona. I know of no other warrior except for brutal Dhrishtadyumna (protected by Arjuna) who could have planned for the mighty hero’s death. It seems those heroes – the Kekayas, Chedis, Karushas, Matsyas, and the other kings – surrounded the teacher and held him down like ants holding down a snake whilst he was focused on doing something difficult. Wretched Dhrishtadyumna must’ve slain him then. That’s what I think. The one who studied Vedic knowledge and its history sheltered the Brahmins like the sea sheltering rivers – that enemy-scorcher who was a Brahmin and a Kshatriya – alas, how could that Brahmin respected for his age be murdered? Proud-spirited, he was still often humbled and made to feel pain because of me. However much he deserved that, he still, due to Kunti’s son, was rewarded for his behavior. The one the world’s archers trusted by way of deeds – alas, how could that hero who stuck firmly to truth and was naturally quite skilled be slain by those who wanted power? The best man on earth – like Shakra in Heaven being supreme – the quite mighty and energetic one – alas, how could the Parthas have slain him like small fish swallowing a whale? Any warrior who went before him, wishing to win, died trying; he, whilst he lived, always was the sound of Vedic recitation to those who wanted to be educated in that way and the sound of twanging bows to those wishing to be skilled archers; he was always cheerful – alas, that tigrine man, the hero who was naturally prosperous and invincible in battle, the warrior whose power was equal to a lion’s or elephant’s, has been slain. Truly I cannot tolerate even the concept of his death. How could Prishata’s son, in plain sight of the top men, slay, in battle, the invincible warrior whose might was never humbled and whose fame was always pure? Who fought before Drona on the front-line, guarding him and standing on his left and right? Who marched behind him and earned the reward so difficult to earn? Which mahatmas and warriors protected the right and the left wheels of Drona? Which were on the front-line whilst he struggled in battle? Which, not caring for their lives then, faced Death and died? Which heroes took their final journey in battle? Were any Kshatriyas assigned to guard Drona untrue, abandoning that hero in battle? If so, was Drona slain by the enemy, deserted and alone? Drona would never, out of fear, turn tail in battle, no matter how great the danger was. So, how was he slain by the enemy? Even when greatly troubled, O Sanjaya, a noteworthy one ought to make use of himself according to how mighty he is. That’s what Drona was like. O child, I am losing my senses. Let’s talk about this later. Once I come to, I will resume the conversation, O Sanjaya.’”

Chapter 1027

“Vaisampayana said,

‘Having addressed the Suta’s son thusly, Dhritarashtra, troublingly and supremely grievous of heart and without hope that his son would win, fell to the ground. Seeing that he was senseless and that he had fallen, his servants sprinkled him with perfumed, cold water, fanning him all the while. Seeing that he had fallen, the female Bharatas, O king, utterly surrounded him and gently massaged him. Slowly picking the king off the ground, the royal ladies, voices choked by tears, put him on his seat. There, the holy king remained in a swoon. He did not move a muscle; they stood around him, fanning him. Then, the king had a seizure and slowly came to. Again, he asked Galvagana’s son, a Suta, about what had happened during battle.

"Dhritarashtra said: Ajatasatru, like the risen sun, has his own light to quell the dark. He rushes at an enemy like a swift, angry elephant with split temples that’s unable to be defeated by furious, unfriendly leaders. That elephant, like him, rushes at a rival heading, its face cheerful, for a female in heat. Oh, which warriors from my army challenged Ajatasatru as he rushed on, trying to keep him from Drona? That hero, the best of men who slew many brave warriors from my army in battle, that mighty-armed, wise, and brave prince of enlightened power, the one who, without any help, can swallow the entire army belonging to Duryodhana just by glaring terribly, the one who slays with his eyes, the one determined to win, the archer, the hero with immortal glory, the self-controlled king who’s world-famous – oh, which heroes from my army surrounded that warrior? The invincible prince – the archer of immortal glory – that tigrine man – that son of Kunti – the one who sallied forth quite boldly and met Drona, a mighty warrior who always does great things to challenge the enemy, is a hero of great fame, is a quite brave one, and is one who’s as strong as ten-thousand elephants – oh, which brave warriors from my army surrounded Bhimasena as he rushed at my army? When the chariot-warrior who was exceedingly energized named Vibhatsu, one resembling a cloud-bank, came there, spitting thunderbolts like some clouds, shooting arrow-showers like Indra doling out rain, making the compass-directions resound with the slap of his palms and rattles of his chariot-wheels – when that hero whose bow was like a lightning-bolt, one whose chariot was like a cloud when the chariot-wheels roared when they rattled, when he, a hero, came, one whose whizzing arrows made him exceedingly brutal, one whose fury was like a terrible cloud, one as swift as the mind or a storm, one who always pierced the enemy deep in his vital-parts, one who, armed with spears, was terrible to look upon, one who, like Death, bathed all compass-directions with plenty of human blood, and who, with a brutal cry and awful appearance, wielding the bow called Gandiva, incessantly poured on my warriors (ones led by Duryodhana) stone-sharpened spears given vultures’ feathers – alas, when the quite wise hero met you, what was your state of mind? When the warrior with a large ape on his flag came, troubling the sky with heavy arrow-showers, what, when you saw Partha, was your state of mind? Did Arjuna rush at you, slaying your troops with Gandiva’s twang and doing brutal things along the way? Did Duryodhana take, with his spears, your lives, like a storm destroying gathering cloud-banks or felling reed-groves by blowing through them? What man could tolerate, in battle, Gandiva’s wielder? When they heard that he was set before the unfriendly army, the heart of every enemy seemed to break in two. During the battle in which the troops shook – the one involving fear-stricken heroes – which did not desert Drona and which were cowards who abandoned him, fearful? Which, not caring for their lives, faced Death directly, Death being Dhananjaya, one who had defeated even divine warriors in battle? My troops cannot bear the force of the warrior who has white horses hitched to his chariot, the twang of Gandiva, and a resemblance to rolling clouds. The chariot Vishnu charioteers that Dhananjaya rides I consider unable to be defeated by the united gods and Asuras. Tender, young, brave, handsome, that adopted son of Pandu gifted with intelligence, skill, and wisdom whose power cannot be confused in battle –when loud Nakula was troubling unfriendly men and rushing at Drona, which heroes from my army surrounded him? When Sahadeva, one like a furious, powerfully-poisonous snake – when the hero with white horses who was invincible in battle, observant of praiseworthy vows, possessive of the inability of his plans to be thwarted, and possessive of modesty who had never been defeated in battle met us – which heroes from our army surrounded him? The warrior who, having crushed the mighty army of King Sauvira, took for a wife the beautiful Bhojan virgin of symmetrical limbs, that taurine man called Yuyudhana, the one in whom are always Truth, Steadfastness, Bravery, and the Brahmacharya-vow, the warrior gifted with great might who is always honest, always cheerful, always invincible, the one who, in battle, is equal to Vasudeva and is considered his clone, the one who, by way of Dhananjaya’s instructions, became the top archer, the one equal in weaponry to Partha – oh, which warrior from my army challenged Satyaki to keep him away from Drona? The top Vrishni hero, the exceedingly brave archer, the one equal to Rama in knowledge, weapons-usage, power, and fame (know that he is, O Sanjaya), the one in whom dwell Honesty, Steadfastness, Intelligence, Heroics, Knowledge of Brahman, and Lofty Weapons (he being the one named Satyaki and part of the Satwatas) like the three worlds dwelling in Kesava – which heroes from my army, approaching that mighty archer named Satyaki possessive of all those things and unable to be challenged by the gods, surrounded him? The top Panchalan who was naturally heroic, of lofty birth, and the favorite of all heroes of similar birth who always did good deeds in battle – Utamaujas – the holy prince always focusing on doing Arjuna some good – the one born to harm me – the one equal to Yama, Vaisaravana, Aditya, Mahendra, or Varuna – the prince considered a mighty chariot-warrior – the one ready to die during the worst part of battle – oh, which heroes from my army surrounded him? Which of my warriors fought Dhrishtaketu, the one Chedi warrior who deserted them, went to the Pandavas, and rushed at Drona? Which challenged heroic Ketumat to keep him away from Drona, brave Ketumat being the one who slew Prince Durjaya whilst Durjaya was protected by Girivraja? Which heroes from my army surrounded Sikhandin, that tigrine man who knows how good and bad being male and being female can be, the son of Yajnasena who’s always cheerful in battle, the hero who led to Mahatma Bhishma’s death in battle once he rushed at Drona? The top Vrishni hero, the top archer, the brave warrior in whom all successes dwell to a higher degree than they do in Dhananjaya, the one in whom always dwell Weapons, Truth, and the Brahmacharya-vow, the one equal to Vasudeva, Dhananjaya in strength, and Aditya in intelligence, Mahatma Abhimanyu, one like gaping-mouthed Death – oh, which heroes from my army surrounded him when he rushed at Drona? The youth with a strong sense of understanding – the slayer of unfriendly heroes – Subhadra’s son – oh, when he rushed at Drona, what was your state of mind? Which heroes surrounded those tigrine men, the sons of Draupadi, when they rushed into battle toward Drona like rivers rushing to the sea? The children put aside children’s games for a dozen years and, keeping to excellent vows, served Bhishma for the sake of weapons; those children, Kshatranjaya, Kshatradeva, Kshatravarman, and Manada; those heroic sons of Dhrishtadyumna – oh, which challenged them, trying to keep them away from Drona? The one the Vrishnis see as better, in battle, than a hundred chariot-warriors – oh, who challenged the great archer named Chekitana to keep him away from Drona? The five Kekayan brothers, virtuous and naturally powerful, unable to be confused, ones resembling red beetles due to red mail-coats, red weapons, and red flags, heroes who are the children of the Pandavas’ mother’s sibling, the ones who always want the Pandavas to win – oh, which heroes from my army surrounded those brave princes when they rushed at Drona to kill him? The Lord of War – that top archer – that hero of aim unable to be confused – the quite strong one – that tigrine man –Yuyutsu – one whom many furious kings fought as one over six months in Varanavata because they wished to kill him but found him invincible – the one who, in battle, in Varanasi, overpowered with a wide-headed arrow the mighty chariot-warrior, the Prince of Kasi, wishing to kidnap, during a Swayamvara, a virgin for a bride – oh, which hero from my army challenged him? The mighty archer, Dhrishtadyumna, the main advisor for the Pandavas, the one focusing on harming Duryodhana, the one born to kill Drona – oh, which heroes from my army surrounded him when he came towards Drona, forcing his way through my ranks and swallowing my warriors in battle? The top man who knows weapons, the one practically raised on Drona’s lap – oh, which warriors from my army surrounded Sikhandin, one guarded by Arjuna’s weapons so that he would be kept away from Drona? The one who encompassed the world with the loud rattle of his chariot like a leather belt – the mighty chariot-warrior and top enemy-slayer – the one, as a replacement for all sacrifices, performed, without interference, ten holy horse-sacrifices that involved excellent food, drink, and plenty of gifts – the one who treated his people like his own children – the son of Usinara who, during sacrifices, gave away cows whose numbers were as uncountable as the grains of sand in the Ganges – the one whose acts no man can nor will ever be able to duplicate – the one, after whose performance of difficult feats, the gods cried out: ‘Not one the three worlds over, including their moving and still creatures, is like the son of Usinara!’ – the one who’s always been and will always be connected to lands of the next world that cannot be earned by humans – oh, which men from my army challenged Saivya, Usinara’s grandson, as he met Drona? Which heroes from my army surrounded the chariot-section of the enemy-slayer named Virata (the King of the Matsyas) as it neared Drona in battle? Who kept the gigantic one named Ghatotkacha away from Drona, the former being a thorn in my sons’ side, a warrior always wanting the Pandavas to win, a heroic Rakshasa possessed with great magical powers, naturally great strength, and great power, one who came from Bhima after a day of development, one whom I’m quite fearful of? Who, O Srinjaya, is left to be defeated by the ones for whose sake these and many others are ready to lay down their lives in battle? How can the sons of Pritha be defeated, they being the ones who have the greatest being – the archer called Sarnga – to shelter and bless them? Truly Vasudeva is the great Master of the World, the Lord of All, and the holy, immortal one. He being one with a divine soul and boundless power, Narayana shelters men in battle; the wise speak of his divine acts. I shall also speak of them with devotion to get my steadfastness back.’”

Chapter 1028

 “Vaisampayana said,

‘Hear, O Sanjaya, the divine acts of Vasudeva, things Govinda did, things the like of which no other has ever been able to do. During his childhood, O Sanjaya, in the cowherder’s (Nanda’s) family, the mahatma, while still a child, made the might of his arms known to the three worlds. He slew Hayaraja, one living in the forest who was on the shores of the Yamuna and Hayaraja was equal to the divine horse named Uchchaisravas in strength and the wind in speed. As a child, he also slew, with his bare hands, a Danava disguised as a bull that did terrible things and rose like Death before the cows. His eyes like lotus-petals, he also slew the mighty Asuras named Pralamva, Naraka, Jambha, Pitha, and Mura (one who terrorized divinities). He also slew Kansa, a mightily energized one who was protected by Jarasandha; he and all his devotees were slain in battle by Krishna, the latter using only his power. With Valadeva for a second, the enemy-slayer named Krishna swallowed, in battle, the King of the Surasenas (Sunaman) with all his men, one who was quite active, powerful in battle, the ruler of an Akshauhini, and the brave, second brother of King Kansa of the Bhojas. The quite furious, reborn Rishi, pleased with his affection, granted his wishes. The one with lotus-petal-like eyes and naturally great bravery – Krishna – defeating all the kings at a Swayamvara – kidnapped the Princess of the Gandharas. The angry kings, as if they had been born horses, were hitched to his wedding-chariot and whipped so hard they bled. Mighty-armed Janardana killed Jarasandha, the ruler of an Akshauhini of troops, by way of another’s action. Mighty Krishna also slew the brave Chedis’ ruler, a leader of kings, as if he were some beast when the King of the Chedis argued about the Arghya. Showing off his power, Madhava hurled into the sea the Daityan city called Saubha, one floating in the sky, protected by Salwa, and considered impenetrable. The Angas, Vangas, Kalingas, Magadhas, Kasis, Kosalas, Vatsyas, Gargyas, Karushas and the Paundras were all defeated by him in battle. The Avantis, the Southerners, the Mountaineers, the Daserakas, the Kasmirakas, the Aurasikas, the ghouls, the Samudgalas, the Kamvojas, the Vatadhanas, the Cholas, the Pandyas, O Sanjaya, the Trigartas, the Malavas, the Daradas (they being ones difficult to be vanquished), the Khasas (they being ones who came from various places), the Sakas, the Yavanas, and their followers were all defeated by the one with lotus-petal-like eyes. Long ago, going underwater, he defeated, in battle, Varuna there, surrounded by all kinds of sea-creatures. Slaying in battle the Danava named Panchajanya that lived in the depths of Patala, Hrishikesa earned the divine conch called Panchajanya. Mighty Kesava, along with Partha, having pleased Agni at Khandava, earned his invincible fire-weapon, a discus called Sudarsana. Riding Vinata’s son and frightening the citizens of Amaravati, heroic Krishna brought back from Mahendra the divine flower called Harsingar. Knowing how powerful Krishna was, Shakra quietly tolerated the act. We’ve never heard of any king Krishna has not defeated. The exceedingly wonderful thing, O Sanjaya, the lotus-eyed one did in my court – who else could have done it? Since, humbled by devotion, I was made to see Krishna as the holy, supreme Lord, I know everything about that act by heart – I saw it with my own eyes. O Sanjaya, when will Hrishikesa, the quite energetic and quite wise one, stop doing things? Gada, Samva, Pradyumna, Viduratha, Charudeshna, Sarana, Ulmukha, Nisatha, brave Jhilivabhru, Prithu, Viprithu, Samika, Arimejaya and other mighty Vrishni heroes skilled in cutting down will, standing on the battlefield, set themselves up in the Pandavan army when Mahatma Kesava, the Vrishni hero, asks them. Then, everything on my side will be in great danger – that is what I think. Wherever Janardana is, heroic Rama, one equal in strength to ten-thousand elephants, one like the top of Mount Kailasa, and one decorated with leis of wild flowers and armed with a plough will be. Vasudeva, O Sanjaya, one the reborn ones call The Father of All-- will he fight for the sake of the Pandavas? O son – O Sanjaya – if he dons armor for the Pandavas’ sake, not one of us can challenge him. If the Kauravas happen to defeat the Pandavas, the Vrishni will, for the Pandavas’ sake, take up his mighty weapon. That tigrine man, that mighty-armed one, then slaying all the kings in battle as well as the Kauravas, will give the whole world to Kunti’s son. What warrior will head into battle for the chariot who has Hrishikesa for a charioteer and Dhananjaya for a rider? There’s no way the Kurus can win. So tell me, then, everything about the battle. Arjuna is Kesava’s life and Krishna always means success; in Krishna always dwells fame. All the worlds over, Vibhatsu is invincible. Within Kesava dwell infinite, excessive merits. Foolish Duryodhana, one who doesn’t know Krishna or Kesava, seems, by way of Fate, to have Death’s noose before him. Alas, Duryodhana doesn’t know the Dasarhan named Krishna and the adopted son of Pandu named Arjuna. Those mahatmas are ancient gods; they’re Nara and Narayana. On earth, men see them as two separate people – in reality, they share the same soul. Using just the mind, the world-famous invincible pair can, if they but wish to, wipe out this army. But, only because they are compassionate do they not wish to. Three things must occur – the overpowering of the senses, the death of Bhishma, O child, and the death of Mahatma Drona. Yes, neither by being a Brahmacharya, by the study of The Vedas, by religious rituals, nor by weapons can anyone stop death. I’ve heard about Bhishma and Drona being slain, they being two heroes skilled in weapons, respected by all the worlds, and invincible in battle – why, O Sanjaya, am I still alive? If Bhishma and Drona are dead, O Sanjaya, we must, from now on, have Yudhishthira as our benefactor (we’ve been so envious of his riches). Yes, the annihilation of the Kurus has come because of my acts. O Suta, I’ve destroyed those ready to be destroyed and straw has become a thunderbolt. The never-ending, earthly prosperity Yudhishthira is about to earn – because of Yudhishthira’s fury, Bhishma and Drona are dead. Due to his manner, Righteousness is kind to Yudhishthira and cruel to my son. Time, very cruel, something come to destroy all, alas, cannot be overpowered. Things planned a certain way, even by wise men, can change due to Fate – that’s what I think. So, tell me everything that has taken place during the unavoidable and terrible disaster that created utterly sorrowful reflection; we cannot get over the matter.’”

 

Chapter 1029

“Vaisampayana said,

‘Sanjaya said: Yes, just as I saw everything happen with my own eyes, I will describe to you how Drona fell, slain by the Pandavas and the Srinjayas. Having earned the right to command the troops, the mighty chariot-warrior, the son of Bharadwaja, told your son this amidst all the men: ‘Since, O king, you have honored me by the right to command the troops immediately after that taurine Kauravas, the son of the one heading for the river (the Ganges), be, O Bharata tribesman, rewarded for your deed. What can I do for you? Wish for something you want.’ Then, King Duryodhana, having consulted with Karna, Dusasana, and others, said to the teacher, the invincible warrior and top victor: ‘If you want to favor me, kidnap the top chariot-warrior named Yudhishthira and bring him here.’

"The Kurus’ teacher, having heard your son’s words, replied, gladdening the troops present: ‘Praised be to Kunti’s son Yudhishthira – only you want to seize him! O one difficult to be defeated, you could have asked for anything, such as his death. Why, O tigrine man, don’t you want him dead? Surely you are, O Duryodhana, aware of the law. So, why say nothing about Yudhishthira’s death? How very curious that righteous King Yudhishthira has not one enemy wanting him dead! Since you want him alive, you must either want to uphold your line or, O Bharata chieftain, having defeated the Pandavas in battle, you want to begin treating them like your brothers, giving them their kingdom. The birth of that intelligent prince was auspicious; he’s called Ajatasatru (meaning: one without enemies), for, even you love him.’

"At Drona’s words, O Bharata tribesman, the feelings always present within your son’s chest were suddenly known – not even people like Vrihaspati can hide their feelings. At this, your son, O king, joyful, replied: ‘The death of Kunti’s son in battle, teacher, does not guarantee my success. If Yudhishthira were slain, Partha would surely then slay all of us. Again I say that all of them cannot be slain by even the gods. The lone survivor in that situation would wipe us out. Yudhishthira, however, keeps his promises – if he’s brought here alive and loses another dice-game, the Pandavas will enter the forests again, for, they all obey Yudhishthira. It’s plain that such a victory would be immortal – that’s why I do not, in no way, want righteous King Yudhishthira dead.’ Seeing how wicked Duryodhana’s plans were, Drona, one who knew the truths of the science of profit and one gifted with great intelligence, reflected a little and favored him, letting him know his plans in the following way.

"Drona said: ‘If heroic Arjuna does not protect Yudhishthira in battle, you can consider the firstborn Pandava already your slave. As for Partha, the gods and Asuras, led by Indra, cannot attack him in battle. That’s why I daren’t do what you want me to do. Surely Arjuna was a student and I was his first weaponry-teacher. Besides, he is young, naturally quite fortunate, and exceedingly driven to get what he wants. Again, he has earned many weapons from Indra and Rudra; plus, you made him angry. So, I daren’t do what you ask me to do. Take Arjuna away, by any means, from battle. With Partha gone, you can consider King Yudhishthira already defeated. His kidnapping means victory and his murder does not, O taurine man – planning will lead to a successful capture. Seizing that king devoted to truth and righteousness, I will surely, O king, make him my slave today if he stands before me in battle even momentarily and if, of course, Dhananjaya, Kunti’s son, a tigrine man, is removed from battle. But, if Phalguna is there, O king, Yudhishthira will be impossible to be removed from battle, even if the gods and Asuras led by Indra tried to remove him.’

"Once Drona had promised to kidnap the king in that manner, your foolish sons considered Yudhishthira already captured. Your son Duryodhana knew Drona’s bias toward the Pandavas. So, in order to make Drona keep his promise, he advised thusly. Then, enemy-criticizer, Drona’s promise to kidnap the firstborn Pandava was proclaimed by Duryodhana to all his troops.’”

Chapter 1030

“Vaisampayana said,

‘After Drona had promised the kings he would kidnap him in that manner, your men, upon hearing about the promise to kidnap Yudhishthira, gave many leonine cries, mixing them with whizzing arrows and blasted conchs. Righteous King Yudhishthira, O Bharata tribesman, soon heard all about it through his spies – all that Bharadwaja’s son was planning. Gathering his half-brothers and all the other kings of his army, righteous King Yudhishthira told Dhananjaya: ‘You’ve heard, O tigrine man, about Drona’s plans. So, let’s plan to thwart those plans. Truly Drona, the enemy-crusher, has promised something, but, great archer, you are the key. So, fight today, mighty-armed one, near me, so that Duryodhana cannot get from Drona what he wants.’ Arjuna said: ‘I could never kill my teacher, so, O king, I could never leave you. O adopted son of Pandu, I would rather die in battle than fight my teacher. Dhritarashtra’s son wants to rule once he’s taken you captive in battle. Never, on earth, will he get what he wants. The sky with its stars may fall and the earth may be smashed to smithereens, but Drona will surely never succeed in kidnapping you as long as I live. Even if the thunderbolt-wielder or Vishnu (the gods’ leader) assisted him, he would still fail to kidnap you in battle. As long as I live, O king, it would ill-suit you to fear, in any way, Drona, even if he’s the best weapons-wielder. Plus, O king, I always keep my promises and I can’t remember a time when I’ve lied, was defeated, or was ever, after making a promise, left some part of it out.’

"Then, O king, from the Pandavan camp came sounds of beaten conchs, drums, cymbals, and smaller drums. The mahatmas, the Pandavas, gave many leonine cries. These sounds and the terrible sounds of twanging bow-strings and slapped palms soared heavenward. Hearing the loud blast of conchs that arose from the camp of the mighty adopted sons of Pandu, various instruments were sounded from individual sections. Then, your sections and their sections were arranged for battle. Slowly, each sallied forth towards the other due to the desire to fight. Then, a battle began that was brutal and hair-raising between the Pandavas and the Kurus, Drona, and the Panchalas. The Srinjayas, though struggling vigorously, could not defeat, in battle, Drona’s army – it was protected by its owner. The mighty chariot-warriors of your son, skilled in cutting down, could not defeat the Pandavan army – it was protected by crown-decorated Arjuna. Protected by Drona and Arjuna, both hosts seemed to stand stock still like two groves in bloom in the dead of night. Then, the one with a golden chariot named Drona who was like the quite splendid sun, crushing the Pandavan armies, drove through them as he pleased. The Pandavas and the Srinjayas, due to fear, considered the one, quite active warrior riding his swift-moving chariot many. He shot terrible spears that scattered in all directions, frightening, O king, the army of Pandu’s adopted son. Yes, Drona then seemed like the noon-day sun when coated with a hundred beams of light. Like the Danavas not being able to look at Indra, not one of the Pandavas, O king, could look at the angry son of Bharadwaja in battle. The brave son of Bharadwaja then, having thwarted the unfriendly troops, quickly began swallowing Dhrishtadyumna’s section using sharp spears. Covering and blocking all compass-directions using his straight spears, he began crushing the Pandavan army at the place where Prishata’s son was.’”

Chapter 1031

“Vaisampayana said,

‘Then Drona, quite confusing the Pandavan army, drove through it like a great fire swallowing a grove. Seeing the furious warrior with a golden chariot swallowing their sections like a raging, great fire, the Srinjayas trembled in fear. The twang, in battle, of the constantly drawn back bow of the quite active warrior sounded to its listeners like roaring thunder. Brutal spears shot by Drona, blessed with great agility, began crushing chariot-warriors, horsemen, elephant-warriors, foot-soldiers, elephants, and horses. Showering his arrows like roaring clouds at the end of summer, with the help of the wind, doling out hail, he made the hearts of the enemy fearful. Sailing through the unfriendly armies, O king, shaking up the troops, mighty Drona made the abnormal fear of the enemy greater. The gold-decorated bow, on his swift-moving chariot, kept resembling a flash of lightning amidst a bank of dark clouds. The hero, steadfast when it came to truth, naturally wise, and always devoted to righteousness created a terrible river with a furious current like one seen at the end of the age. The river’s source was furious due to Drona’s fury, was haunted by masses of carnivores, and the warriors were the waves covering its entire surface. The heroic warriors were the trees on its banks whose roots were constantly eaten away by its current. Its waters were made up of the blood shed in battle; chariots were its small whirlpools; elephants and horses were its banks; mail-coats were its lilies; beasts’ flesh was the mud on its bed; fat, marrow, and bone from fallen beasts and men were the surrounding sand; fallen helmets were its foam; the battle itself was the veil above its surface; lances were its plentiful fish. Due to the many dead men, elephants, and horses that fell into it, it was inaccessible. The bold spear that was shot was its current. The corpses were the timber floating on the river; the bold spear shot was the current; the chariots were its tortoises; the severed heads were the stones scattered along the banks and bed; scimitars were its plentiful fish; chariots and elephants were its lakes; the river was decorated with many decorations. Mighty chariot-warriors were its hundreds of little whirlpools; the dust on the ground was its little waves. Able of being easily forded by those with energy beyond energy itself, it was incapable of being forded by the timid. The piles of corpses were the sandy banks blocking people from crossing it; it was visited by storks, vultures, and other birds of prey. The river carried away thousands of mighty chariot-warriors to Yama’s home. Long spears were the plentiful snakes infesting that river; living warriors were the birds playing on its waters; torn umbrellas were its large swans; crowns were the smaller birds decorating it; wheels were its turtles, maces were its crocodiles, and arrows were its smaller fish; the river was a vacation spot for fearsome murders of crows as well as herds of vultures and packs of jackals. The river, supreme king, carried away hundreds to the Pitris’ world – those Drona slew in battle. Blocked by hundreds of corpses, the moss and weeds of that river were the hair of slain warriors and beasts. That’s what the river, making the timid more fearful, that Drona made flow there was like.

"As Drona crushed the unfriendly army, going this way and that, the Pandavan warriors led by Yudhishthira rushed at the mighty chariot-warrior from all sides. Then, seeing them thusly rushing toward Drona, brave warriors from your army with naturally unstoppable power rushed from all sides. The battle that then began was hair-raising. Sakuni, knowing a hundred tricks, rushed at Sahadeva and hit his charioteer, flag, and chariot with many sharp-tipped spears. But Sahadeva, hardly riled, broke Suvala’s flag, bow, and charioteer with sharp arrows, piercing Suvala himself with sixty spears. So Suvala’s son, picking up a mace, leapt from his excellent chariot and used that mace, O king, to knock Sahadeva’s charioteer off his chariot. Then, those two heroic, mighty warriors, O king, now without chariots, armed with maces, played in battle like two hilltops. Drona, having pierced the ruler of the Panchalas with ten spears, was pierced in return with many spears. Again, he was hit by Drona with a larger number of spears. Bhimasena pierced Vivinsati with sharp arrows. Vivinsati, though pierced, did not tremble – how truly wondrous that seemed! Vivinsati then, O king, suddenly took away from Bhimasena his horses, flag, and bow. At this, all the troops worshipped him. But, heroic Bhimasena found his enemy’s exhibition of power intolerable. Using his mace, he slew the well-trained horses of Vivinsati. Mighty Vivinsati, picking up a shield and sword, jumped down from the chariot whose horses had been slain and rushed at Bhimasena like a furious elephant rushing at another furious one. Heroic Salya, laughing all the while, pierced, as if it were a game, his own, dear nephew – Nakula – with many spears to infuriate him. But brave Nakula, however, destroying his uncle’s horses, umbrella, flag, charioteer, and bow in battle, blew his conch. Dhrishtaketu, focusing on Kripa, broke various types of arrows shot at him by Kripa; he then pierced Kripa with seventy arrows and broke Kripa’s flag with three arrows. But Kripa, however, began challenging him with a heavy arrow-shower. Thusly challenging him, Bhimasena continued to fight Dhrishtaketu. Satyaki, laughing all the while, pierced Kritavarman in the center of his chest with a long arrow. Then, piercing him with seventy arrows, he again pierced him with many others. But, the Bhojan warrior, in return, pierced Satyaki with seventy sharp-tipped arrows. Like swift-moving winds failing to move a mountain, Kritavarman was unable to move Satyaki or make him tremble. Senapati deeply wounded Susarman in his vital-parts and Susarman struck his challenger’s shoulder-joint with a lance. Virata, with the help of his quite energetic Matsyan warriors, challenged Vikartana’s son in battle. The act of the Matsyan king seemed quite wondrous; it was considered an act of powerful courage performed by the Suta’s son – he, alone, resisted the entire army using his straight spears. King Drupada focused on Bhagadata; the battle between those two warriors became beautiful to behold. The taurine man, Bhagadata, pierced King Drupada, his charioteer, his flag, and his chariot with many straight spears. Then Drupada, his fury ignited, quickly hit the mighty chariot-warrior’s chest with a straight spear. The two top warriors on earth – Somadata’s son and Sikhandin – ones who both knew all weapons – met each other during a brutal battle that made all creatures tremble with fear. Brave Bhurisravas, O king, covered that mighty chariot-warrior, Yajnasena’s son Sikhandin, with a heavy arrow-shower. Sikhandin then, O king, his fury ignited, pierced Somadata’s son with ninety spears, and made him, O Bharata tribesman, tremble. The brutal-deed-doing Rakshasas – Hidimba’s son and Alamvusha – each one wishing to defeat the other – fought quite wonderfully. Each one able to create a hundred mirages, each one swelling with pride, each fought the other quite wonderfully, trusting in magical powers; each wanted to defeat the other. Brutal Chekitana fought Anuvinda; they flew across the battlefield, vanishing from time to time, and created much wonderment. Lakshmana fought fiercely with Kshatradeva like Vishnu, O king, long ago, fighting the Asura named Hiranyaksha. With his swift horses, riding his equipped chariot, Paurava, O king, roared at Abhimanyu. Naturally quite mighty, Paurava then rushed at Abhimanyu, wishing to fight. So, the enemy-criticizer, Abhimanyu, fought the enemy fiercely. Paurava coated Subhadra’s son with a heavy arrow-shower; Arjuna’s son knocked his challenger’s flag, umbrella, and bow to the ground. Piercing Paurava with seven arrows, Subhadra’s son pierced the charioteer and horses with five arrows. Gladdening his troops thusly, he then repeatedly roared like a lion. Then, Arjuna’s son quickly fixed an arrow on his bow-string that was sure to kill Paurava. But, seeing the arrow that looked fearsome set on Abhimanyu’s bow-string, Haridika’s son, using two spears, broke that bow and arrow. So, the slayer of unfriendly heroes, Subhadra’s son, throwing down his broken bow, picked up a bright sword and a shield. Twirling quite quickly a shield decorated with many stars and twirling a sword, too, he sailed across the battlefield, showing off his power. Twirling them before him, twirling them on high, sometimes shaking them, sometimes jumping into the air, it seemed, from the way he handled those weapons, there was no difference between the offensive- and the defensive-weapons. Then, suddenly leaping upon the poles of Paurava’s chariot, he roared aloud. He mounted his chariot, grabbed Paurava by the scalp, and, meanwhile, kicked the charioteer to death and broke his flag with one swipe of his sword. As for Paurava, Abhimanyu hoisted him into the air like Garuda snatching a snake from the bottom of the sea, shaking up the water. To the kings who saw Paurava standing there helpless with messy hair, he resembled a senseless ox about to be killed by a lion. Seeing the flattened Paurava now a slave to Arjuna’s son and being dragged around helplessly, Jayadratha was unable to tolerate it. Picking up a sword and a shield that had a peacock and the decoration of a hundred small bells hanging in rows, Jayadratha jumped down from his chariot with a loud roar. Subhadra’s son Abhimanyu, seeing the ruler of the Sindhus, abandoned Paurava, and, swooping like a hawk from Paurava’s chariot, quickly landed on the ground. The lances, axes, and scimitars hurled by his enemies were soon broken by Arjuna’s son using either his sword or his protective shield. Showing all the warriors the strength of weaponry, the mighty and heroic Abhimanyu again hoisted his large, heavy sword and his shield, heading for Vridhakshatra’s son, a sworn enemy of his father; it was like a tiger heading for an elephant. Once they’d met, they cheerfully attacked each other with swords like a tiger and lion clawing and biting. There was not one variance noted when it came to those leonine men when it came to twirling, stabbing, and using a shield. When it came to stabbing or speeding swords and when it came to warding off the other’s blows, each one was seemingly equal to the other. Beautifully sailing along paths that were apparent or hidden, the two noteworthy warriors seemed like two flying mountains. Jayadratha struck the shield of the famous Abhimanyu when the latter stretched out his sword to strike him. Then, O Bharata tribesman, Jayadratha’s large sword stuck in Abhimanyu’s shield that was gold-plated and, as the Sindhus’ ruler tried to remove it, it broke. Seeing that his sword was broken, Jayadratha hurriedly took six steps back and, momentarily, mounted his chariot. Arjuna’s son, now that the sword-fight had ended, mounted his own excellent chariot. So, many Kuru kings, uniting, utterly surrounded him. But, the mighty son of Arjuna, eyeing Jayadratha, twirled his sword and shield, giving a loud cry. Having defeated the Sindhus’ ruler, Subhadra’s son, a slayer of unfriendly heroes, then began burning the Kauravan army’s section like the sun burning the earth. During battle, Salya hurled at him a brutal, pure iron arrow that was decorated with gold and like a blazing, fiery flame. So, Arjuna’s son, leaping up, seized the arrow like Garuda catching a mighty snake falling from above. Having seized it, Abhimanyu unsheathed his sword. Seeing the great labor and might of the warrior with boundless energy, all the kings gave a leonine cry. Then, the slayer of unfriendly heroes, Subhadra’s son, hurled, using his mighty arms, a quite brilliant arrow at Salya that was decorated with lapis lazuli. Resembling a snake that had recently shed its skin, the arrow, reaching Salya’s chariot, slew his charioteer and knocked him off his chariot. Virata, Drupada, Dhristaketu, Yudhishthira, Satyaki, Kekaya, Bhima, Dhrishtadyumna, Sikhandin, the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva), and the five sons of Draupadi all exclaimed: Excellent! Excellent!. Various types of noises due to flying arrows and leonine cries, arose there, gladdening the refusing-to-flee son of Arjuna. But, your sons found the signs of their enemy’s victory intolerable. Suddenly, they all surrounded Subhadra’s son and coated him, O king, with arrow-showers like clouds showering a mountain-surface with rain. Then, the enemy-slayer, Artayani (Salya), wishing to do your sons some good, recalling how his charioteer had been overpowered, rushed, enraged, at Subhadra’s son.’”

Chapter 1032

“Vaisampayana said,

‘Dhritarashtra said: ‘You have, O Sanjaya, told me about many, excellent one-on-one fights. When I hear of them, I envy those with eyes. The battle between the Kurus and the Pandavas, like the ancient battle between the gods and Asuras, will be spoken of as exceedingly wondrous by all men. But, I am hardly satisfied with the stories of the stirring battle. So, tell me about the fight between Artayani (Salya) and Subhadra’s son.’

"Sanjaya continued: Seeing that his driver was dead, Salya, raising a pure iron mace, leapt off, enraged, his excellent chariot. Bhima, picking up his own large mace, rushed at Salya, one who then resembled the blazing fire of the end of the age or the holy destroyer with his bludgeon. Subhadra’s son, picking up an extraordinary mace that was like Heaven’s bolt, called Salya to him. But, Bhima fervently persuaded Salya not to go. Brave Bhimasena, having persuaded Subhadra’s son not to go, went to Salya in battle and was as stock still as a hill. The mighty ruler of Madras, seeing Bhima, rushed at him like a tiger rushing at an elephant. Then, there was a loud blast of thousands of trumpets and conchs as well as leonine cries and the sound of drums. Hundreds of Pandavan and Kauravan men cried loudly as they rushed at each other: Bravo! Bravo!. No other king, O Bharata tribesman, save the Madras’ ruler, can attempt tolerating the might of Bhimasena in battle and no one but Vrikodara, on earth, can attempt to tolerate the boldness of noteworthy Salya’s mace in battle, no? Bound with rope made of hemp and golden wire, the extraordinary mace of Bhima, able to delight, due to its beauty, all spectators, it being something he gripped, shone brilliantly. Similarly, Salya’s mace, something that spun in beautiful circles, looked like a blazing flash of lightning. Both men bellowed like bulls and rushed in circular patterns. Both Salya and Vrikodara, standing there thusly with their slightly bent maces, resembled two horned bulls. Whether it involved either of them moving in circles or twirling and striking with a mace, the battle there between those two leonine men was in every way equal. Struck by Bhimasena’s mace, the extraordinary mace of Salya, spitting fiery sparks, soon broke into pieces. Bhimasena’s mace, when struck by the enemy, looked beautiful, like a tree covered with fireflies during the monsoon season at even-tide. The mace the Madras’ ruler hurled in battle, brightening the sky, O Bharata tribesman, kept making scattering, fiery sparks frequently. Similarly, the mace hurled by Bhimasena at the enemy burnt his opponent’s men like a brutal meteor falling from the sky. Both top maces, when clashing, resembled sighing female snakes and made fiery flashes. Like two large tigers attacking each other with their claws or like two mighty elephants using their tusks, the mighty warriors rushed in circles, each meeting the other with his top mace; soon, each, covered with blood, resembled a butea gum blossom in bloom as a noteworthy warrior. The blows of the maces wielded by those two leonine men, as loud as Indra’s thunder, were heard from all sides. Though struck by the ruler of Madras’ mace on his left and right side, Bhima remained stock still, like a hill split by thunder. Similarly, the mighty ruler of Madras, though struck by Bhima’s mace, patiently stood stock still like a hill stricken by thunder. Each, mace raised, naturally quite bold, leapt upon the other, moving in smaller circles. Quickly nearing each other by taking eight steps, leaping upon each other like two elephants, they suddenly struck each other with their pure iron maces. Each hero, due to the other’s boldness and violence when striking opponents with a mace, fell simultaneously, as if Indra’s spears had stricken them. The mighty chariot-warrior named Kritavarman quickly approached Salya – senseless, he was panting as he lay on the battlefield. Seeing him, O king, having been stricken violently with a mace, writhing like a snake, senseless, and in a swoon, the mighty chariot-warrior named Kritavarman set him in his chariot and quickly carried the ruler of the Madras away from battle. Reeling like a drunken man, heroic, mighty-armed Bhima, rising up in the blink of an eye, stood there, mace in hand. Your sons then, seeing the ruler of the Madras turn away from battle, sire, began trembling while amongst their elephants, foot-soldiers, cavalry, and chariots. So, crushed by the Pandavas who wanted to win, your men, fear-stricken, scattered in all directions, like cloud-banks scattered by the wind. The mighty chariot-warriors, the Pandavas, having defeated the Dhritarashtras, shone in battle, O king, like blazing fires. Giving loud leonine roars and blasting their conchs, they, joyful, celebrated. They beat large and small drums, clanged cymbals, and played other instruments.’”

Chapter 1033

“Vaisampayana said,

‘Seeing that your army was exceedingly ruined, brave Vrishasena, alone, began guarding it, O king, showing off his magical weapons. Thousands of arrows shot by Vrishasena in battle flew in all directions, piercing men, horses, chariots, and elephants. Mighty arrows that blazed brilliantly he had shot, thousands of them, flew like the sunbeams, O king, of summer. Troubled and crushed, O king, chariot-warriors and horsemen suddenly fell to the ground like trees the wind had destroyed. The mighty chariot-warrior named Vrishasena, O king, felled great numbers of horses, chariots, and elephants in battle – thousands. Seeing the lone warrior flying fearlessly across the battlefield, all the Pandavan kings in the army banded together and surrounded him on all sides. Nakula’s son, Satanika, rushed at Vrishasena and pierced him with ten arrows that could enter vital-parts. The son of Karna, however, broke his bow and knocked down his flag. So, the other sons of Draupadi, wishing to save their brother, rushed at Karna’s son. Soon, they made him vanish using arrow-showers. But, towards the ones cutting the son of Karna came many chariot-warriors led by Drona’s son Aswatthaman in a rush. They, O king, quickly coated those mighty chariot-warriors (the sons of Draupadi) with various kinds of arrows like clouds pouring rain onto mountain-surfaces. So, the Pandavas, because they loved their sons, quickly met those assailants. Then, a battle began between your men and the Pandavan men that was more exceedingly brutal, hair-raising, and like the one between the gods and Danavas. Thus, the heroic Kauravas and Pandavas, their fury ignited, fought, glaring at one another, having made their opponents furious due to past offences. The bodies of those heroes with boundless energy then seemed, due to the fury driving them, like Garuda and the mighty Nagas fighting in the sky. Due to Bhima, Karna, Kripa, Drona, Drona’s son, Prishata’s son, and Satyaki, the battlefield shone like the all-consuming sun rising at the end of the age. The battle that then took place between those mighty men focusing on mighty opponents and cutting down one another was supremely brutal and like the battle long ago between the Danavas and the gods. Then, Yudhishthira’s army gave a cry as loud as the surging sea to wipe out your men, the great chariot-warriors of your army having fled. Seeing the Kauravan army destroyed and exceedingly mangled due to the enemy, Drona said: ‘O heroes, why flee?’. Then, the one with red horses named Drona, his fury ignited, resembling a four-tusked and brutal elephant, forced his way into the Pandavan army and rushed at Yudhishthira. Yudhishthira hit the teacher with many sharpened, stork-feathered arrows but Drona, breaking Yudhishthira’s bow, rushed boldly at him. The guardian of Yudhishthira’s chariot-wheels, Kumara, the famous Panchalan prince, welcomed the advancing Drona like the continent welcoming the surging sea. Seeing the taurine Brahmin, Drona, being controlled by Kumara, loud, leonine cries were heard, along with: Excellent! Excellent!. During the great battle, Kumara, his fury ignited, pierced Drona in the chest with an arrow and gave many leonine cries. Having stopped Drona in battle, mighty Kumara, naturally agile, above exhaustion, pierced him with thousands upon thousands of arrows. Then, that taurine man, Drona, slew the guardian of Yudhishthira’s chariot-wheels, Kumara, a hero who kept to his virtuous vows and was skilled in mantras and weapons. Forcing his way into the middle of the Pandavan army and driving this way and that, the taurine man who was Bharadwaja’s son became the guardian of your troops. Piercing Sikhandin with a dozen arrows, Utamaujas with twenty, Nakula with five, Sahadeva with seven, Yudhishthira with a dozen, each of the five sons of Draupadi with three, Satyaki with five, and the ruler of Matsyas with ten, shaking up the entire army in battle, he rushed at each of the top Pandavan warriors. Then, he rushed at Kunti’s son Yudhishthira, wishing to seize him. Yugandhara, O king, then stopped Bharadwaja’s son, a mighty chariot-warrior who was enraged and like an ocean riled up by a storm. But Bharadwaja’s son, having hit Yudhishthira with many straight arrows, felled Yugandhara with a wide-headed spear he’d removed from a container in his chariot. Then, Virata, Drupada, the Kaikeyan princes, Satyaki, Sivi, Vyaghradata, the Panchalan prince, brave Singhasena, and many others, wishing to save Yudhishthira, surrounded Drona on all sides and barricaded him, scattering countless numbers of arrows. Vyaghradata, the Panchalan prince, hit Drona with fifty sharp-tipped arrows – this made, O king, the troops cry out loudly. Singhasena, quickly hitting the mighty chariot-warrior named Drona, roared aloud, joyful, terrorizing the hearts of mighty chariot-warriors; Drona then, widening his eyes, rubbing his bow-string, and making loud noises by slapping his palms, rushed at Singhasena. The mighty son of Bharadwaja, showing off his power, severed, using two wide-headed arrows, the earring-decorated heads from the torsos of both Singhasena and Vyaghradata. Troubling, using arrow-showers, the other mighty Pandavan chariot-warriors, he stood before Yudhishthira’s chariot like all-consuming Death. Then, O king, loud cries came from Yudhishthira’s men. When the son of Bharadwaja, one who kept to his vows regularly, was before him, they said: ‘The king is dead!’; the warriors there all cried out, witnessing Drona’s power, ‘Today, the royal son of Dhritarashtra will be crowned by Success. Right now, Drona, having grabbed Yudhishthira, will, joyful, surely find us and Duryodhana too!’ While your men spoke thusly, Kunti’s son Arjuna arrived, filling the sky with his rattling chariot and creating, as he arrived, due to the carnage he created, a river whose blood and little whirlpools were chariots and whose plentiful bones and corpses (from brave warriors) were taken to the lands of the dead. The adopted son of Pandu arrived, dispersing Kurus and quickly crossing the river whose foam was arrow-showers and whose plentiful fish were lances and other weapons. Crown-decorated Arjuna suddenly met Drona’s sections, coating it with a heavy arrangement of arrows and baffling the senses of Drona’s followers. Incessantly setting arrows on his bow-string and quickly letting them fly, the famous son of Kunti wasted no time, it seemed, when it came to the former and latter act. Neither the main directions, the sky, nor the earth, O king, could now be seen – everything then became one dense mass of arrows. Yes, O king, when Gandiva’s wielder made it pitch black due to his arrows, nothing could be seen in battle. Just then, the sun, veiled by a dust-cloud, set, and friends could not be distinguished from enemies. Drona, Duryodhana, and the others withdrew their men. Seeing that the enemy was fearful and now reluctant to fight, Vibhatsu slowly withdrew his troops. The Pandavas, Srinjayas and the Panchalas, joyful, praised Partha with goodly speeches, and it was as if the rishis were praising the sun. Then, having defeated his enemies thusly, Dhananjaya, filled with joy, entered his tent for rest, marching behind the army, Kesava his ally. Stationed on his beautiful chariot that was decorated with the most expensive sapphires, rubies, gold, silver, diamonds, coral, and crystal, the adopted son of Pandu shone like the moon in the sky when brightened by stars.’”

Chapter 1034

“Vaisampayana said,

‘The troops of both armies, having headed for their tents, entered their quarters, O king, according to the divisions and the sub-divisions to which they belonged. Having withdrawn the troops, Drona, quite miserable in his mind, seeing Duryodhana, said to him, ashamed: ‘I told you before that when Dhananjaya is with Yudhishthira he cannot be kidnapped in battle, not even by the gods. Though all of you leapt upon him in battle, Partha thwarted your every plan. Trust me when I say that Krishna as well as Pandu’s adopted son, Arjuna, is invincible. But, if Arjuna, one with white horses, could somehow be taken away from Yudhishthira, then Yudhishthira, O king, would soon be your slave. Let someone challenging Arjuna in battle lure him to some other part of the battlefield. The son of Kunti would not return lest he had defeated that someone. In the meantime, since Arjuna would not be around, O king, I would kidnap righteous King Yudhishthira, forcing my way into the Pandavan army in plain sight of Dhrishtadyumna.That way, O king, I would surely enslave Yudhishthira, Dharma’s son, as well as his followers. Even if that adopted son of Pandu were before me in battle for just one moment, I would seize him and remove him from battle – doing so would be better than defeating the Pandavan army.’

"Hearing Drona’s words, the Trigartas’ ruler, O king, along with his brothers, said: ‘The wielder of Gandiva, O king, always shames us! O taurine Bharata tribesman, though we’ve never harmed him, he’s harmed us time and time again. Recalling all those times he humiliated us, we feel burning fury inside and have sleepless nights. Lucky for us, Arjuna, armed, would be before us. So, that which is in our hearts and that which we want to achieve we’ve decided to do now – it will please you and make us famous. If he’s removed from battle, he will die. Today, the world will lose either Arjuna or the Trigartas. We solemnly swear this before you.That’s our promise and it will never be falsified.’ Satyaratha, Satyavarman, O Bharata tribesman, Satyavrata, Satyeshu, and Satyakarman, having spoken similarly, they being five united brothers with ten-thousand chariots, went before Duryodhana, O king, having made a promise on the battlefield. The Malavas, Tundikeras, a thousand chariots, the tigrine man named Susarman, the King of Prasthala, the Mavelakas, the Lalithas, the Madrakas, ten-thousand chariots, some brothers, and another ten-thousand chariots from various kingdoms arrived to keep that promise. Providing fire, each one preparing to wield a torch, they prepared rope made from Kusa grass and took beautiful mail-coats. Equipped with mail-coats, having bathed in ghee, donning robes made from Kusa grass with bow-strings for belts, the heroes, having given away hundreds and thousands of gifts to Brahmins, performed many sacrifices, having been blessed with children, they being ones who deserved blessed regions hereafter, having nothing left on earth to do, having prepared to lay down their lives in battle, having devoted their souls to the attainment of fame and victory, they being ones wishing to soon go, upon fighting fairly, to the lands attainable by way of performing sacrifices and this alone, giving gifts to Brahmins and performing rituals (the best of those being Brahmacharya- and study of The Vedas), the heroes, having pleased Brahmins by giving them gold, cows, and robes and having spoken to one another lovingly, ignited their oil-lamps and made a promise for battle. In the presence of those oil-lamps, firmly resolved, they made that promise. Having vowed to slay Dhananjaya, they, in hearing-range of creatures, said loudly: ‘The worlds meant for those who never make promises, drink wine, have affairs with their teachers’ wives, steal from Brahmins, enjoy a king’s blessing without doing what the king wants in return, abandon the one who turns to them for shelter, slay to please another, set fire to homes, slay cows, harm, never release the malice they have for Brahmins, foolishly turn to their wives during their time of menstruation, turn to women on the day they must perform a Sraddha for their ancestors, harm themselves, misappropriate that which is given to them with confidence, ruin education, fight eunuchs, follow the lowly, are atheists, abandon the sacred-fire, abandon their mothers, and who sin will be ours if we return from battle without first slaying Dhananjaya; if, crushed by him in battle, we flee, fearful. But, if we successfully do, in battle, things utterly difficult to do on earth, we shall then, surely, earn the supremely desirable worlds.’

"Having said this, O king, the heroes marched into battle, asking Arjuna to go south with them. The tigrine man who tamed unfriendly cities – Arjuna – challenged by them, told righteous King Yudhishthira without delay: ‘If anyone gives me an invitation, I always honor it. That is my solemn vow. These men, sworn to conquer or die, are inviting me, O king, to a great battle. Susarman and his brothers are inviting me to fight them. It’d suit you to give me permission to slay him and his followers. O taurine man, I cannot ignore their invitation. Believe me when I say you may consider these foes already slain in battle.’ And Yudhishthira said: ‘You’ve heard in detail, O child, about what Drona has decided to do. Act in such a way that his plans are thwarted. Drona is naturally quite mighty; he is a hero who is skilled in weaponry and above exhaustion. O mighty chariot-warrior, he has vowed to kidnap me.’ So Arjuna said: ‘Satyajit, O king, will guard you today in battle. As long as Satyajit lives, the teacher will not get what he wants. But, O Lord, if that tigrine man named Satyajit is slain in battle, you should remove yourself from battle, even if all our warriors surrounded you.’ King Yudhishthira then gave Arjuna the permission he was looking for; he hugged Arjuna and gazed at him lovingly; the king blessed him in a variety of ways. Having arranged for Yudhishthira’s protection, mighty Partha headed for the Trigartas like a hungry lion meaning to be satiated by way of a herd of deer. Duryodhana’s troops, joyful that Arjuna had left Yudhishthira’s side, filled with fury for the sake of capturing Yudhishthira. Both armies, quite boldly, met, like the Ganges and the Sarayu meeting during the monsoon season, when both streams are swollen with water.’”

Chapter 1035

“Vaisampayana said,

‘The Samsaptakas, ones whose name means warriors who will conquer or die, then, joyful, took a stand on the flat battlefield with their chariots; they arranged themselves in a crescent-shape. Those tigrine men, seeing crown-decorated Arjuna nearing them, were, sire, delighted; they gave loud cries and the sound filled the sky, main, and subsidiary points. Since it was an open plain covered only with men, there were no echoes. Seeing that they were supremely delighted, Dhananjaya, with a little smile, told Krishna: ‘See, O one with Devaki for a mother, the Trigartan brothers about to die in battle? They ought to be weeping but they are delighted. Perhaps, surely, they are delighted because they’ll earn the excellent worlds not able to be earned by cowards.’ Having said this to mighty-armed Hrishikesa, Arjuna met the arranged ranks of the Trigartas in battle, picking up then his conch called Devadata that was decorated with gold. He blasted it with much force, filling all the compass-directions with its blast. Terrified by that blast, the chariot-section of the Samsaptakas froze in battle as if it was petrified. Their beasts stood there, wide-eyed, ears, necks, lips, and legs frozen; they urinated and vomited blood. When they came to, arranging their ranks properly, they shot their arrows all at once at the adopted son of Pandu. Able to show off his power quite quickly, Arjuna, using fifteen arrows, broke the thousands of arrows before they could reach him. They then pierced Arjuna with ten arrows each and Partha pierced them with three arrows each. When each of them, O king, hit Partha with five arrows, Partha, naturally quite powerful, pierced each of them in return with two arrows. Again, his fury ignited, they quickly showered Arjuna and Kesava with countless numbers of arrows like clouds showering a lake with incessant showers. The thousands of arrows hit Arjuna like swarms of bees landing on a forest-grove in bloom. Then, they deeply wounded Arjuna’s crown with thirty spears as strong as adamant that had golden wings. Because of the arrows in his crown, Arjuna, as if decorated with golden ornaments, shone like the newly risen sun. The adopted son of Pandu then, in battle, with a wide-headed arrow, broke the leather gloves of Suvahu and coated Sudharman and Sudhanwan; Suvahu pierced Partha in return with ten arrows. Partha, one with an excellent ape-tool on his flag, pierced them all in return with many arrows and broke, using some wide-headed spears, their golden flags. Breaking the bow of Sudhanwan, he slew, using his arrows, Sudhanwan’s horses. He then severed Sudhanwan’s graceful, turbaned head from his torso. When that hero fell, his followers were terrified. Panic-stricken, they all fled toward Duryodhana’s men. Then, Vasava’s son, furious, cut the mighty army with incessant showers of arrows like the sun destroying darkness using its incessant rays. When the army separated and utterly melted and Arjuna was furious, the Trigartas were fear-stricken. While he was slaughtered by Partha with his straight spears, they remained where they stood, senseless and terrified like a herd of deer. Then, the Trigartas’ king, enraged, addressed those mighty chariot-warriors: ‘Don’t flee, O heroes! It ill-suits you to be frightened. In plain sight of all the troops, having taken those awful steps and come here, what will you say to the leaders of Duryodhana’s army? Would you be a laughing stock on earth by doing such a cowardly thing in battle? So, stop and fight as best you can.’ At this, O king, those heroes, continually shouting loudly, blasted their conchs, gladdening one another. Then, the Samsaptakas again returned to the battlefield with the Narayanan cow-herdsmen, resolved to face Death.’”

Chapter 1036

 “Vaisampayana said,
‘Seeing that those Samsaptakas had once more returned to the battlefield, Arjuna told Mahatma Vasudeva: ‘Urge the horses, O Hrishikesa, towards the Samsaptakas. They will not give up the battle alive – that’s what I think. Today, you will witness how terribly mighty my arms and my bow are. Today I’ll wipe them all out like Rudra slaying creatures at the end of the age.’ Hearing these words, invincible Krishna smiled, and, gladdening him with auspicious speeches, carried Arjuna to the places he wanted to go. Whilst being carried in battle by those white horses, the chariot shone like a divine chariot carried across the heavens. Like Shakra’s chariot, O king, during the battle between the gods and Asuras long ago, it showed off how it could spin, move forward, move backward, and go other directions. Then, the Narayanas, their fury ignited, armed with various weapons, surrounded Dhananjaya, covering him with arrow-showers. O taurine Bharata tribesman, they soon made Kunti’s son, Dhananjaya, and Krishna entirely invisible during battle. Phalguna, his fury ignited, doubled his energy, quickly rubbed his bow-string, and seized Gandiva firmly in battle. Furrowing his brow, a sure sign of fury, the adopted son of Pandu blew his extraordinary conch, one called Devadata, and then shot the weapon called Tvashtra, one able to slay great masses of enemies at once. At this, thousands of replicas of Arjuna and Vasudeva appeared. Confused by the various replicas of Arjuna, the men began striking one another, thinking their opponent was really Arjuna. They cried out, senseless, slaying one another in battle: ‘Arjuna!’ ‘Govinda!’ ‘Pandu’s adopted son!’ ‘The Yadu!’ Senseless due to that mighty weapon, they slew one another. Yes, the warriors, as they struck one another, resembled beautiful butea gum blossoms. Swallowing the thousands of arrows they shot, the mighty weapon sent those heroes to Yama’s home. Vibhatsu, laughing, crushed, using his arrows, the Lalithyan, Malavan, Mavelakan, and Trigartan warriors. As the Kshatriyas driven by destiny were slaughtered by that hero, they shot, at Partha, various kinds of arrow-showers. Overpowered by those terrible arrow-showers, Arjuna, his chariot, and Kesava vanished. When their arrows hit their targets, they gave joyful cries. Considering the two Krishnas already slain, they joyfully waved their garments, and, as heroes, blasted their conchs, beat their thousands of drums, and clanged their thousands of cymbals as well as cried like lions, sire. Krishna, covered with sweat and quite weak, said to Arjuna: ‘Where are you, Partha? I can’t see you. Are you alive, enemy-slayer?’ Hearing him, Dhananjaya quickly sent away, using Vayavya, the arrow-shower his enemies had created. Noteworthy Vayu, the ruling god of that mighty weapon, carried away masses of Samsaptakas, horses, elephants, chariots, and weapons as if each was a fall leaf. When carried away by the wind, O king, they looked like beautiful flights of birds, O king, leaving trees. Dhananjaya, having troubled them thusly, hit hundreds and thousands of them quite quickly with sharp spears. He severed heads and hands that still gripped weapons using his wide-headed arrows. Using his spears, he severed elephant-trunk-like thighs. Some were wounded dorsally, some their arms, and some orbitally. So, Dhananjaya took away from his enemies various parts and lawfully equipped and decorated chariots; resembling the mist-buildings in the sky, he fragmented, using his arrows, chariot-riders, horses, and elephants. Often, here and there, masses of chariots whose flags had been broken resembled groves of topless palmyra palms. Elephants with excellent weapons, banners, hooks, and flags fell like wooded mountains Shakra’s thunder had split. Blessed with tails like yaks, covered with mail-coats, innards and eyes forcibly removed, horses, along with their riders, rolled on the ground, slain by Partha’s spears. Foot-soldiers whose swords kept them from scratching others, mail-coats split, joints broken, vital-parts cut open, lay helpless on the battlefield, slain by Arjuna’s arrows. The battlefield turned awful-looking due to those dead warriors and the ones who, either remaining or being spun, were falling or newly fallen. When blood rained down due to Arjuna’s arrows, the kicked-up dust cleared. The ground, bestrewn with hundreds of headless torsos, turned impassable. Like Rudra’s chariot, when he, at the end of the age, focuses on destroying all, shines powerfully, Vibhatsu’s, in battle, shone. Though slaughtered by Partha thusly and though their horses, chariots, and elephants were quite troubled, the warriors rushed at him nonetheless. They died, one by one, and were forced to be Shakra’s guests. The battlefield, O Bharata chieftain, bestrewn with mighty but dead chariot-warriors, looked like Yama’s awful worlds with their plentiful ghosts. Whilst Arjuna was seriously focused on the Samsaptakas, Drona, leading men arranged for battle, rushed at Yudhishthira; many warriors who knew how to cut down who were properly arranged followed him, motivated by their desire to kidnap Yudhishthira. The battle that then took place turned exceedingly brutal.’”

Chapter 1037

 “Vaisampayana said,
‘Once the night had gone, the mighty chariot-warrior, Bharadwaja’s son, told Suyodhana, O king: ‘I am yours! I’ve arranged for Partha to meet the Samsaptakas.’ Once Partha had departed to slay the Samsaptakas, Drona then, leading his troops that had been arranged for battle, headed, Bharata tribal chief, off to capture righteous King Yudhishthira. Seeing that Drona had arranged his men in the shape of Garuda, Yudhishthira counter-arranged his men in the shape of a crescent. Inside the mouth of the Garuda-like formation was the mighty chariot-warrior named Drona; the head was represented by King Duryodhana and his biological brothers, Kritavarman and noteworthy Kripa represented the two eyes, Bhutasarman, Kshemasarman, brave Karakaksha, the Kalingas, the Singhalas, the Easterners, the Sudras, the Abhiras, the Daserakas, the Sakas, the Yavanas, the Kamvojas, the Hangsapadas, the Surasenas, the Daradas, the Madras, and the Kalikeyas, along with hundreds and thousands of elephants, horses, chariots, and foot-soldiers, represented the neck, Bhurisrava, Salya, Somadata, and Valhika, all heroes, surrounded by an entire Akshauhini, represented the right wing, Vinda and Anuvinda of Avanti and Sudakshina, the Kamvojas’ ruler, represented the left wing (in front of Drona’s son Aswatthaman), the back was represented by the Kalingas, the Amvashthas, the Magadhas, the Paundras, the Madrakas, the Gandharas, the Sakunas, the Easterners, the mountaineers, and the Vasatis, the tail was represented by Vikartana’s son Karna, his sons, his kinsmen, and his friends with a large army made up of those from various lands encircling them, and Jayadratha, Bhimaratha, Sampati, the Jays, the Bhojas, Bhuminjaya, Vrisha, Kratha, and the mighty ruler of the Nishadhas (each one skilled in battle) surrounded by a large army, keeping Brahma’s world before them, stood, O king, in the center of this formation. That formation, formed by Drona due to its foot-soldiers, horses, chariots and elephants, seemed to swell like a storm-tossed sea as it sallied forth for battle. Warriors, wishing to fight, began to emerge from the wings and flanks of that formation, like roaring clouds energized by lightning rushing from all parts of the sky in summer. Amidst that army, the ruler of the Pragjyotishas, mounted on his equipped elephant, shone, O king, like the sun at dawn. Decorated, O king, with leis, a white umbrella held over his head, he resembled the full moon when it meets the constellation Krittika. Blinded by the wine-like seborrhea, the elephant, resembling a mass of black antimony, shone like a large mountain soaked by mighty clouds due to showers. The ruler of the Pragjyotishas was surrounded by many heroic kings from the hilly lands, armed with various weapons like Shakra surrounded by divinities. Yudhishthira, seeing the divine formation which was invincible to defeat in battle, told Prishata’s son: ‘O Lord – O one with horses as white as pigeons – ensure that I am not imprisoned by that Brahmin.’ And Dhrishtadyumna said: ‘O keeper of excellent vows, no matter how hard Drona tries, you will never be his slave. Today, I shall stop Drona and his followers. If I am alive, O Kuru, it does not suit you to worry in the least. There’s no way Drona will be able to defeat me in battle.’ Having said this, the mighty son of Drupada with horses the color of pigeons rushed at Drona, letting his spears fly. Seeing the personified bad omen named Dhrishtadyumna before him, Drona soon felt exceedingly miserable. Seeing this, the enemy-crusher, your son Durmukha, wishing to please Drona, began challenging Dhrishtadyumna. Then, a terrible, brutal battle took place, O Bharata tribesman, between the brave son of Prishata and your son, Durmukha. Prishata’s son, quickly covering Durmukha with an arrow-shower, stopped Bharadwaja’s son with a heavy arrow-shower of his own. Seeing that Drona had been stopped, your son Durmukha quickly rushed at Prishata’s son and thwarted him with masses of various arrows. As the Panchalan prince and the top Kuru focused on the battle, Drona swallowed many regiments from Yudhishthira’s army. Like a cloud-bank cast in different directions by the wind, Yudhishthira’s army, in many locations on the battlefield, was scattered by Drona. For just a short while, the battle seemed common. Then, O king, it became a battle involving the furious in which no consideration was shown for anyone. Warriors stopped being able to distinguish allies from enemies. The battle raged on, warriors being guided by assumptions and mottos. Beams, like the sun’s, seemed to land upon and play with helmet-gems, necklaces, other decorations, and mail-coats. Chariots, elephants, and horses, decorated with waving banners, seemed, in battle, like cloud-banks with flocks of cranes below them. Men slew men, fiery metallic horses slew horses, chariot-warriors slew chariot-warriors, and elephants slew elephants. Soon, a brutal, terrible battle took place between elephants bearing high flags and the mighty peers rushing at them. Due to those large creatures crashing into unfriendly peers and goring them, fire mixed with smoke was created due to the friction created by tusk hitting tusk. Having lost those flags, those elephants, due to the friction-born fire and the tusks, resembled clouds-banks in the sky energized by lightning. The ground, bestrewn with elephants dragging unfriendly peers that roared and fell, looked like the beautiful sky in autumn when covered with clouds. The roaring elephants being slaughtered by spear- and lance-showers sounded like roaring clouds in the monsoon season. Some large elephants, wounded by lances and spears, turned panic-stricken; others fled the battlefield with loud cries; some, hit by others by way of tusks, gave fierce cries of distress sounding like the roaring all-consuming clouds at the end of the age; some, forced to turn back by large antagonists, returned to the charge, urged on by sharp hooks – crushing unfriendly armies, they began to kill anyone who got in their way. Mahouts, attacked by mahouts with arrows and lances, fell from the backs of their beasts, weapons and hooks loosened from their hands. Many elephants, without riders on their backs, wandered here and there like clouds torn from mightier cloud-banks, later falling upon meeting their peers. Some large elephants, carrying slain or fallen warriors or those now without weapons, wandered in all directions, alone. Amidst the carnage, some elephants attacked, or, whilst being attacked with lances, swords, and battle-axes, fell during the terrible carnage, giving cries of distress. The ground, suddenly hit with falling corpses as large as hills, shook and made noise. Due to the slain elephants and their mahouts lying here and there, flags still on their backs, the ground looked beautiful, as if bestrewn with hills. The mahouts on many elephants, chests pierced by chariot-warriors with wide-headed spears in battle, fell, lances and hooks loosened from their grips. Some elephants that’d been stricken with long spears gave loud cries and scattered in all directions, crushing friends and enemies by trampling them to death. Covered with countless corpses of elephants, horses, and chariot-warriors, the ground, O king, was muddied due to flesh and blood. Large chariots with wheels and many without wheels, crushed by tusk-tips, were tossed by elephants, warriors still mounted upon them. Chariots could be seen deprived of warriors; horses without riders and elephants without mahouts fled in all directions, troublingly wounded. Fathers slew sons and sons slew fathers – the battle was exceedingly brutal and nothing could be distinguished. Men sank ankle-deep in the gory muck and resembled tall trees whose lower halves were swallowed in a great, blazing forest-fire. Robes, mail-coats, umbrellas, and flags were dyed red due to blood; everything seemed to be bloody on the battlefield. Great masses of slain horses, chariots, and men were vivisected again by rolling chariot-wheels. The sea of troops whose elephants were its whirlpools, whose slain men were its floating moss and weeds, and whose brutal but small whirlpools were its chariots looked terribly ghastly. Warriors, whose horses and elephants were its large ships, their wish for succeess their booty, dove into that sea and, instead of sinking, tried to render their enemies senseless. When all the warriors, each one with a unique emblem, were coated by arrow-showers, not one of them lost heart, though all had lost their emblems. During the brutal, terrible battle, Drona, confusing his enemies’ senses, finally rushed at Yudhishthira.’”

Chapter 1038

“Vaisampayana said,
‘Drona, seeing Yudhishthira nearing him, rushed at him without fear and welcomed him with a heavy arrow-shower. Then, there was a loud noise from the regiments of Yudhishthira’s army like the sound elephants part of a herd make when their leader is attacked by a mighty lion. Seeing Drona, brave Satyajit, one whose power was unable to be thwarted, rushed at the holy teacher who wanted to capture Yudhishthira. The holy teacher and the Panchalan prince, each naturally quite mighty, fought, shaking up each other’s men like Indra and Vali did. Then Satyajit, one whose power could not be confused, summoning a mighty weapon to life, hit Drona with sharp-tipped arrows. Satyajit shot at Drona’s charioteer five arrows, each one as deadly as venom and like Death. The stricken charioteer lost his senses. Then, Satyajit quickly pierced Drona’s horses with ten spears; enraged, he then hit each of his Parshni charioteers with ten spears. He drove before his men in a chariot, making circles. His fury ignited, he broke Drona’s flag; Drona, an enemy-crusher, then, as an enemy-criticizer, seeing his enemy’s battle-feats, decided in his mind to send Satyajit to the next world. The holy teacher, breaking Satyajit’s bow that had an arrow set upon it, quickly pierced him with ten arrows that could enter vital-parts. At this, brave Satyajit, quickly picking up another bow, hit Drona, O king, with thirty arrows that had stork-feathers. Seeing that Drona was being met by Satyajit in battle thusly, the Pandayas, O king, shouted joyfully and waved their garments. Mighty Vrika, O king, his fury quite ignited, hit the center of Drona’s chest with sixty arrows. How quite wondrous that feat seemed! Then, the mighty chariot-warrior, the quite bold Drona, coated by the arrow-showers of his enemies, widened his eyes and summoned all his energy. Breaking the bows of both Satyajit and Vrika, Drona, using six spears, slew Vrika, his charioteer, and his horses. Satyajit, picking up a stronger bow, pierced Drona, his horses, his charioteer, and his flag. Troubled in battle by the Panchalan prince, Drona found the act intolerable. To destroy his enemy, he quickly shot arrows at him. Drona incessantly showered arrows upon his opponent’s horses, flags, bow, and both Parshni charioteers. But, though his bows were continually broken, the Panchalan prince who knew supreme weapons kept battling the one with red horses. Seeing Satyajit’s energy rise during the terrible battle, Drona beheaded the noteworthy warrior with a crescent-shaped arrow. Seeing that the top warrior was dead – the mighty Panchalan chariot-warrior – Yudhishthira, afraid of Drona, fled, carried away by swift horses. Then, the Panchalas, Kekayas, Matsyas, Chedis, Karushas, and the Kosalas, seeing Drona, rushed at him, wishing to rescue Yudhishthira. But, the holy teacher, a slayer of large numbers of enemies who wanted to capture Yudhishthira, began swallowing those regiments like fire swallowing heaps of cotton. Satanika, the younger brother of the ruler of the Matsyas, rushed at Drona, one focused on incessantly destroying those Pandavan regiments. Satanika, piercing Drona, his charioteer, and his horses with six spears as bright as sunbeams their forger had polished, gave loud shouts. Focused on doing something cruel, trying to do something difficult to do, he coated Bharadwaja’s son, a mighty chariot-warrior, with arrow-showers. Drona, using a razor-sharp arrow, quickly removed the head from the torso, one decorated with earrings, of Satanika, shouting at him. This made the Matsyan warriors flee. Having defeated the Matsyas, the son of Bharadwaja then defeated the Chedis, Karushas, Kaikeyas, Panchalas, Srinjayas, and the Pandus repeatedly. Seeing the hero with a golden chariot whose fury was ignited swallowing their regiments like a fire swallowing a forest, the Srinjayas trembled with fear. Naturally quite active, incessantly wiping out the enemy, the twang of his bow-string as he drew back his bow was heard in all directions. Brutal arrows shot by the naturally agile warrior crushed elephants, horses, foot-soldiers, chariot-warriors, and mahouts. Like a mighty, roaring cloud-bank in summer with violent winds doling out a hail-storm, Drona doled out arrow-showers and frightened the hearts of his enemies. The mighty hero – the great archer – the one who quelled the fears of his friends – drove here and there on the battlefield, shaking up the unfriendly army. Drona, one with boundless energy, had a golden bow that was seen everywhere, like flashes of lightning in clouds. The beautiful altar on his flag as he drove in battle, O Bharata tribesman, was like a peak of Mount Himavat. The slaughter that Drona created for the Pandavan troops was quite great, like the slaughter Vishnu created, one who the gods and Asuras adore, when among the Daitya army. Heroic, honest, naturally quite wise, mighty, naturally possessive of power that could not be confused, noteworthy Drona created a river that was brutal and able to make the timid fearful – mail-coats were its waves, flags were its small whirlpools, it carried off great numbers of mortal creatures, elephants and horses were its large alligators, swords were its fish, it was not easily forded, its pebbles were the bones of brave warriors, drums and cymbals were its tortoises, shields and armor were its boats, warrior-hair was its floating moss and weeds, arrows were its little waves, bows were its current, and the severed arms of warriors were its snakes. The river with a powerful current flowing across the battlefield carried off both Kurus and Srinjayas – severed human heads were its stones, severed human thighs were its fish, maces were the rafts many tried to ford it with, helmets were the bubbles on its surface, and the innards of beasts were its reptiles. Terrible-looking, it carried heroes to the next world – blood and flesh were its mud, elephants were its crocodiles, and flags were the trees lining its banks. Thousands of Kshatriyas drowned in it; brutal, clogging corpses were in it; horse-riding soldiers and elephant-warriors were its sharks; it was extremely difficult to ford. The river flowed towards Yama’s home; it had plenty of Rakshasas, dogs, and jackals; it was frequented by brutal cannibals coming from here and there.

Then, many Pandavan warriors led by Kunti’s son, rushing at Drona, a mighty chariot-warrior swallowing their regiments like Death, utterly surrounded him. Yes, those brave warriors utterly surrounded Drona, one burning everything around him like the sun scorching the world with its rays. The kings and princes of your army, with hoisted weapons, all rushed out to support the hero – that great archer. Sikhandin pierced Drona with five straight arrows, Kshatradharman pierced him with twenty, Vasudeva with five, Utamaujas pierced him with three, Kshatradeva with five, Satyaki with a hundred, Yudhamanyu with eight, Yudhishthira pierced him with twelve spears, Dhrishtadyumna pierced him with ten, and Chekitana with three. Drona, one whose aim was always true, resembling an elephant with split temples, forcing his way into the Pandavan chariot-regiment, overpowered Dridhasena. Nearing, then, King Kshema, one fighting fearlessly, he struck him with nine arrows. At this, Kshema, dead, fell from his chariot. Entering the middle of the unfriendly army, he drove this way and that, guarding others but not needing divine protection himself. He then pierced Sikhandin with twelve arrows and Utamaujas with twenty; he sent Vasudeva, using a wide-headed arrow, to Yama’s home. He hit Kshemavarman with eighty arrows and Sudakshina with twenty-six; he knocked Kshatradeva, using a wide-headed arrow, off his chariot. Having hit Yudhamanyu with sixty-four arrows and Satyaki with thirty, Drona, one with a golden chariot, quickly neared Yudhishthira. Yudhishthira, the best king,

Impressum

Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 21.07.2021
ISBN: 978-3-7487-8938-3

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