The penetration of the Kaurava host by Satyaki

Sanjaya said O monarch, when desirous of battle, Yuyudhana had proceeded against your army, king Yudhishthira the virtuous, supported by his troops.

Followed Yuyudhana from behind, with a view to reach the chariot of Drona. Thereafter, the son of the king of the Panchalas, that invincible warrior.

And king Vasudana began to shout loudly amidst the Pandava troops. 'Come, strike, rush upon the foe quickly.

So that the invincible Satyaki may proceed easily. Many mighty car-warriors will strive hard for vanquishing him.'

Thus speaking, the mighty car-warriors of the Pandavas impetuously dashed against us. Indeed they then feel upon us exclaiming "we will conquer those who will rush against ourselves."

Then a mighty uproar was heard nec. the car of Yuyudhana. Your son's troops, then covered with the shafts of Satyaki, began to run away from the field of battle.

O mighty monarch, your troops were then broken to hundred straggling bodies by that hero of the Satvata race. While that army was thus confused, that mighty car-warrior, the grandson of Sini.

Crushed down seven fierce bowmen all endued with heroism in the vanguard of our army. He also, O monarch, dispatched, with his arrows resembling the tongues of fire, to the abode of death, many heroic rulers of diverse realms. Sometimes he pierced hundred warriors with a single shaft and sometimes a single warriors with a hundred shafts.

Elephant-riders and elephants, horse-men and horses and car-warriors and their steeds and charioteers, Satyaki slew like Rudra slaying the beasts.

None of your troops then ventured to encounter Satyaki who was achieving many feats with extreme lightness and showering torrents of arrows.

They were then seized with panic being crushed and mangled by that long-armed hero; and beholding that proud hero, they then began to run quickly away from the field of battle,

Although Satyaki was alone yet, your troops thought him to be multiplied into many. They were then confounded by his energy. Then with shattered chariots and crushed carniches.

With Anukarsha, bannerets, golden helmets, broken wheels, torn umbrellas and fallen standards.

And O ruler of men, with arms decked with sandal-paste, adorned with Angadas, with human thighs, resembling trunks of elephants or the plump bodies of snakes, the earth became literally covered over. With faces resembling the moon and with heads graced with beautiful ear-rings.

Of warriors possessed of expansive eyes, the earth appeared exceedingly charming. With the mountain-like bodies of huge elephants cut to pieces and fallen on the field.

The earth appeared beautiful as if strewn over with hillocks. Crushed by that hero of long arms, horses, deprived of life and prostrate on the field of battle, appeared charming with their traces of burnished gold decked with strings of pearls and with their breastplates of excellent make.

Then he of the Satvata race penetrated into the ranks of your army slaying troops of diverse kinds and crushing your army completely.

Then Satyaki desired to go by the very track by which Dhananjaya had gone But he was there opposed by Drona.

Then the war-like Satyaki, inflamed as he was with rage, did not recede getting Drona as an opponent, even as the waters of the ocean does not recede encountering an embankment.

Resisting that mighty car-warrior Yuyudhana in battle, Drona pierced him with five sharp arrows all capable of penetrating to the very vitals.

Thereupon, O king, Satyaki in that battle, pierced Drona with seven arrows whetted on stone and furnished with golden wings as well as with wings made of the feathers of the Kanka and the peacock.

Drona in return, with six arrows, afflicted him and his steeds and charioteer. Then that mighty car-warrior Yuyudhana could not brook that act of Drona.

Uttering his war-cry aloud, Satyaki then pierced Drona at first with ten, then with six and again with eight arrows.

Once more Yuyudhana pierced Drona with ten shafts, his charioteer with one, his four steeds with four other arrows.

O sire in that battle, he pierced Drona's standard with another arrows. Thereupon Drona quickly discharging his swift-flying arrows that resembled fights of locusts, covered Satyaki together with his steeds, charioteer, chariot and standard. So also Yuyudhana with countless swift-coursing shafts.

Covered Drona fearlessly; then Drona addressing him said-”Your preceptor has gone before, shunning me in battle as a veritable coward.

He avoided me though I was fighting and proceeded keeping me in the right. You shall not, escape me today with life, provided you also do not shun me fighting, like your cowardly preceptor."

Satyaki said At the command of the very virtuous king Yudhishthira, I am proceeding in the track of Dhananjaya. Good betide you, O Brahman. Let me lose no time.

The path which the preceptor follows it that which the pupil should follow. Therefore, I shall quickly follow that which my preceptor has followed.

Sanjaya said Having thus spoken, that grandson of Sini, dashed forward avoiding the preceptor; and O king, then addressing his charioteer he said

"Drona will put forth every effort to check me in battle. So proceed very carefully. Hear also these words of mine of grave import.

Yonder is seen the highly resplendent division of the Avantis. Next to them is the mighty host composed of the warriors from the south.

Beyond this latter array is the division of the Valhikas, beyond which again stand the division of Karna, firmly resolved to fight.

O charioteer, though these divisions are distinct from one another, yet depending on one another, they are supporting one another.

Penetrating into these divisions, do you cheerfully urge the steeds on. O charioteer, carry me in a medium speed to the spot.

Where the Valhikas are seen stationed with weapons uplifted, where stand the numerous Southerners headed by Suta's son Karna;

And where stands that division teeming with elephants, horses and cars and foot-soldiers recruited from various realms.

Having thus spoken and avoiding the Brahmana, he advanced addressing his charioteer thus, "Pass through the breach between those two divisions towards the mighty and fierce host of Karna.

Thereupon, inflamed with rage, Drona began to pursue the illustrious Yuyudhana who was proceeding steadily, discharging numerous arrows.

Then Satyaki afflicting Karna's mighty host with his sharp arrows, plunged into che infinite host of the Bharatas.

When Yuyudhana had thus entered into the ranks of your soldiers and when your soldiers were breaking away, Kritavarman inspired with rage opposed Satyaki.

The highly-puissant Satyaki struck him as he was advancing with six arrows; and then with four other shafts, he slew the latter's four steeds.

Then again Satyaki pierced Kritavarman on the breast, with sixteen swift-flying arrows of depressed knots.

O mighty monarch, thus pierced with numerous arrows of great fierceness by that Satvata hero, Kritvarman did not brook it. arrow

Placing a Vatsadantha, capable of flying straight and resembling fire, O king, on the string of his bow, Kritavarman drew it back to his very ears and with that arrow then pierced Satyaki on the breast.

That furnished with beautiful feathery wings, penetrating through the armour and body of Satyaki, entered the earth, being steeped in blood.

O monarch, then Kritavarman acquainted with many excellent weapons, cut-off by means of his arrows, the bow of Satyaki having arrows fixed on its string.

Then again inflamed with rage, he pierced, O king, Satyaki of indomitable prowess on the chest, with ten shafts of great sharpness.

Thereat that foremost of all creatures endued with prowess, viz., Satyaki, seeing his bow cut asunder, wounded the right arm of Kritavarman with an excellent lance.

Then taking up and stretching a bow of tougher make, Yuyudhana swiftly discharged at his enemy hundreds and thousands of shafts;

And with that arrowy shower, he then completely covered Kritavarman and his chariot. Thus covering the son of Hridika, O monarch, Satyaki in that battle.

Cut off with a bhalla the head of the charioteer of his opponent, from his trunk. Thus slain, the driver of Kritavarman fell down from his niche of the chariot.

At this, the steeds of Kritavarman no longer guided by the driver's reins, flew away with great speed, from the field of battle. Thereat. greatly annoved, the ruler of the Bhojas, himself checked his horses.

Then that heroic warrior stood bou in hand, ready once more for fight, sceing which your Warrior applauded him highly. Taking respite for a moment only, Kritavarman urged his stecds on.

Himself quite undaunted, he struck terror into the hearts of his enemies. By this time however, Satyaki had proceeded leaving him behind; whereupon Kritavarman fell upon Bhimasena.

O mighty monarch, Yuyudhana also cmerging out of the division of the Bhojas, quickly proceeded against the strong host of the Kambojas.

There he was opposed by many heroic carwarriors; in consequence whereof, Satyaki of uobaffled prowess could not move even one step forward.

Thereafter uniting his troops and vesting the ruler of the Bhojas' with their command, Drona with a firm resolve for fighting with Yuyudhana, rushed against him.

Then beholding Drona follow Yuyudhana from behind, the foremost warriors among the Kurus filled with delight began to impede his progress.

Meanwhile the Panchalas commanded by Bhimasena, encountering that foremost of carwarriors viz., Hridika's son, became greatly depressed at heart.

O king, then putting forth his energy, the heroic Kritavarman resisted all his focs who though depressed at first were then exerting vigorously.

With the shower of his arrows Kritavarman then checked the vehicles of his foes standing before him. The Pandava warriors though thus i afflicted by the Bhoja king, yet stood like noble heroes, desirous on encountering the divisions of the Bhojas and of winning great renown in battle.