Jayadratha-Vadha Parva — The display of Drona's prowess

Sanjaya said Beholding then the chariot of Dussana stationed near him, the son of Bharadvaja addressing him said these wordsदुःशासन रथाः सर्वे कस्माच्चैते प्रविद्रुताः।

"O Dussana, why are all these car-warriors, flying away? Is everything right with the king? Does the king of the Sindhus still live?

You are the son of a king, the brother of a king and a mighty car-warrior; why then do you fly away? Constitute yourself the Princeregent (by making your brother the king)?

"You are our slave; you have been won by us as a stake in the game of dice; become you a courtezan; and engaged yourself as a bearer of attires to the king, my elder brother.

Your husbands do not live; they are like sesamum seeds without the kernel.” 0 Dushasana, it was you who spoke those words to Draupadi. Why then do you now fly away.

Having yourself provoked inveterate enmity with the Panchalas and the Pandavas, why do you now fly, out of fear, obtaining Satyaki alone in battle for your opponent?

In days gone by, at the game of dice having taken up the dice, you did not divine that they would be changed into dreadful darts resembling snakes of virulent poison.

It were you who formerly abused the Pandavas in filthy language; you were the cause of all the wocs of Draupadi.

Where your pride, your haughtiness and brag? Having provoked the Parthas who are like so may snakes of virulent poison, where do you intend to fly?

Both this army of the Bharatas and king Suyodhana are to be pitied, in asmuch as the latter own you who are now flying away as his brave brother.

Indeed, O hero, this army, shattered and afflicted with fear as it is, ought to be protected by you, by your own strength of arms.

But you now, leaving the fight, are affording delight unto your foes. O slayer of foes, when you, the leader of the host are flying away. are 110W

Who, seized with panic as he is, will care to remain, in the field of battle? Encountering that single-handed warriors of the Satvata race.

Your heart is inclined to fly away from battle. What then, O Kaurava, will you do when you will see the wielder of the Gandiva in battle or Bhimasena of the twins, Nakula and Sahadeva. The arrows of Satyaki, afraid of which you are seeking to fly away, are scarcely equal to those of Arjuna, that resemble the sun or the fire in effulgence? If your heart is intent on flying away.

O brave warrior! Go immediately and reenter in the ovary of Gandhari, your mother. Because, there is o other place on this earth capable to defend you if you depart from the battle-field.

Then let the sovereignty of the earth be given to king Yudhishthira the virtuous shafts of Phalguna looking like snakes divested of their slough.

Penetrate into your body, let peace of Pritha slaying your hundred brothers snatch the earth away by force, conclude peace with the Pandavas. Before king Yudhishthira is excited with wrath.

And Krishna also, that giver of joy, conclude peace with the Pandavas. Before the mighty-armed Bhima, piercing through this vast array of yours.

Seizes (and slays) your brothers, conclude peace with the Pandavas. Formerly Bhishma told your brother Suyodhana.

“The Pandavas are incapable of being vanquished in battle. O Gentle one, make peace with them.” Your perverted brother Suyodhana however did not listen to him.

Therefore firmly resolved to fight, battle on heedfully with the Pandavas. I heard that Bhima will drink too your blood. Forsooth, it is true. O fool, do you not aware of the prowess of Bhima. You took the enmity with him, and now escape from the battle field? Proceed quickly on you car, where Satyaki is?

Deprived of your help, this host will fly away. For your own sake, fight with Satyaki of indomitable prowess."

Thus spoken to by Drona, your son spoke nothing in reply. Feigning as if he has not heard the words of Drona, Dushasana advanced to the spot where Satyaki was.

Supported by a mighty division of unretreating Mlechchas, Dushasana fell upon Satyaki and fought on vigorously.

Drona also, that best of car-warriors, inflamed with rage, proceeded against the Panchalas and the Pandavas in medium speed.

Then Drona, engaging himself in battle, began to crush the Pandava army slaying heroes by hundreds and thousands.

Thereafter, O mighty monarch, proclaiming his name in battle, he began to spread havoc among the ranks of the Pandavas, Panchalas and the Matsyas.

Thereat the effulgent Viraketu, the Panchala prince, encountered Drona the of Bharadvaja who had been vanquishing his troops.

Piercing Drona with five shafts of depressed knots, he cut down his standard with one and wounded his charioteer with seven shafts.

Then O mighty monarch, we beheld a wonderful sight in that battle, in as much Drona striving hard could not approach the Panchala prince.

O sire, then beholding Drona held in check, the Panchalas surrounded him O king, on all son sides, desirous as they were of securing victory to the very virtuous king Yudhishthira.

They then began to pour upon Drona darts resembling fire, thick showers of Tomaras and numerous other weapons, O king.

Then baffling those thick showers of arrows by means of his own, like the wind scattering away mighty rain-clouds on the sky, Drona appeared exceedingly beautiful.

Thereafter that slayer of hostile heroes viz., Drona aimed at the chariot of Viraketu a dreadful shaft, resembling the sun or fire in splendour.

O king, then that shaft penetrating through the scion of the Panchala dynasty entered the earth, steeped in blood and burning like a flame of fire.

Thereupon that delighter of the Panchala race, quickly fell down from his chariot like a Champaka falling down from the crest of a mountain, being up-rotted by the force of the wind.

When that highly puissant and fierce bowmen, that prince of the Panchalas, had been slain, the Panchalas, in all haste, surrounded Drona on all sides.

Chitraketu, Sudhanvan, Chitravarman and O Bharata, also Chitraratha-all afflicted with son grief at the calamity that had befallen their brother.

Unitedly and with a desire for fighting, rushed against the of Bharadvaja, discharging their showers of shafts like so many clouds discharging their contents at the expiration of the summer season.

Thus wounded by those princes, all mighty car-warriors, that foremost of the regenerate wrought himself up with anger, for putting an end to their existence.

Thereafter Drona hurled at them a net-work of Arrows. Those princes, then pierced with those shafts of Drona shot from the bow string drawn back to the very ear.

Became embarrassed as to what they should do, O foremost of kings. Then when they were thus confounded, Drona with perfect ease.

Inflamed as he was with rage, deprived those princes of their chariots, charioteers and steeds. Thereafter that hero of world-wide fame, with his sharp arrows and Vallas.

Felled their heads, like one culling flowers. O king, those radiant heroes then fell down slain from their respective cars.

Even as the Daityas and Danavas fell, in the battle between the gods and the Asuras fought in the days of yore. Slaying them in battle, the valorous son of Bharadvaja.

Began to shake his excellent bow whose staff was golden and which was incapable of being approached. Then beholding those Panchala princes all mighty car-warrior and resembling the Pandavas themselves, slain.

Dhrishtadyumna was filled with rage and tears trickled down from his eyes. Then burning with rage, he rushed at the car of Drona.

Thereupon, O king, suddenly cries of Alas and Oh were heard there, for, then Drona was seen covered with the shafts of the Panchala prince Dhrishtadyumna.

Though covered on all sides by the illustrious son of Prisata, yet Drona flinched not, but fought on smilingly.

Then, O mighty monarch, the Panchala prince, overwhelmed with rage, pierced Drona on the breast with ninety shafts of depressed knots.

Pierced deeply by that powerful hero, the illustrious son of Bharadvaja, squatted down on the terrace of his chariot and fainted away in a

Swoon.

Then beholding him in that plight, Dhrishtadyumna, of fierce energy and great might, grasped his sword and left aside his bow.

Then that mighty car-warrior, jumping down from his chariot with quickness, O sire, ascended with agility upon the car of the son of Bharadvaja.

With his eyes rolling in rage and urged on by a desire for cutting off Drona's head from the trunk. Meanwhile the puissant Drona, recovering from the swoon, took up his bow.

But beholding Dhristadyumna inflamed with a desire for slaughtering him so near, he began to pierce him with arrows measuring a span only and so fit to be used in close quarter. Those arrows known by the name of Vaitastika and fit to be used in close quarters.

Where known to Drona only and by means of them, he succeeded in weakening Dhristadyumna's powers. Then the puissant Dhristadyumna wounded with those arrows,

Swifty came down from Drona's chariot. That hero of fierce energy was then greatly robbed of his strength. Thereafter ascending his car and taking up a mighty bow.

The mighty car-warrior Dhristadyumna began to pierce Drona in battle; Drona also, O mighty monarch, pierced the son of Prisata with numerous shafts in battle.

Then a wonderful fight was fought between Drona and the Panchala prince, like what was fought between Shakra and the Prahlada, both longing to enjoy the sovereignty of the three worlds.

Both versed in various modes of warfare, they careered over the field, displaying various motions with their chariots and mangling one another with their shafts.

Then confounding the minds of the other warriors. Drona and Prisata's son began to pour their arrowy showers like rain-clouds purring their contents in the rainy seasons.

Those two high-souled warriors then covered the conclave dome, the earth and the quarters with their shafts. The creatures assembled there, then began to applaud that battle that was fought between them.

So also, O mighty monarch, the Kshatriyas and other soldiers praised that battle. “Meeting Dhristadyumna in battle Drona will surely succumb to him." The Panchalas exclaimed, O king, speaking thus. Then Drona fighting with great agility cut-off the head of Dhristadyumna's charioteer, like one felling ripe fruits from a tree. Thereupon O king, the steeds of the illustrious Dhristadyumna ran away wildly.

When those steeds thus ran away bearing Dhristadyumna away, Drona of great might began to crush the Panchalas and Srinjayas (mercilessly).

Then the highly puissant son of Bharadvaja having vanquished the Pandavas and the Panchalas and having reformed his array of troops, stood at its mouth. O master the Pandavas then ventured not to vanquish him in battle.