Continuous The slaughter of Jayadratha-vadha

Sanjaya said Hearing the twang of Dhananyaja's bow, that resembled the loud call of Death or the sonorous rumble of the thunder.

Your troops, O monarch, agitated with fear and greatly confounded, became like the waters of the sea, with the fishes and Makaras within them, ruffled into huge waves and lashed to fury by the storm that blows at the end of a Yoga. Then the handsome son of Pritha, by name Dhananjaya began to career on the field of battle.

Displaying inighty weapons and simultaneously showing his presence in all the different directions. O mighty monarch, indeed we could not then discern when the son of Pandu took out his arrows, placed them on the bowstring, drew the string hack and let them off, so great was his lightness of hands. Thereafter the mighty-armed one, excited to the highest pitch of fury, invoked into existence the terrible Indra weapon and mighty monarch thereby inspired the Bharatas with terror. Hundreds and thousands of blazing arrows, of fiery heads and inspired with Mantras then began to start up into existence. Then with those shafts, shot from a string drawn back to the ear the resembling the rays of the sun or the flame of fire.

The sky became incapable of being looked at, as if covered with flashing meteors. Thereupon the darkness that the Kauravas had created with their arrows.

And that was incapable of being dispersed by other men even in their imagination. The son of Pandu, traversing the field and displaying his energy, dispelled by means of his arrows inspired by Mantras with the energy of celestial weapons.

Like the sun dispelling at day-break the darkness of night with his light-rays. The with those blazing arrowy rays of his, the puissant son of Pritha sucked the lives of your warriors, like the summer sun sucking with his scorching rays the waters of tanks and lakes. Then those arrows sped by him conversant in the use of celestial weapons.

Covered over the hostile troops, like the rays of the sun covering over the earth. Similarly other arrows of fierce energy shot by Arjuna.

Entered into the hearts of heroes, as if they were their intimate friends. Those of then ventured to encounter Arjuna.

Were destroyed like so many insects falling upon a blazing lamp flame. Thus crushing the lives and fame of his enemies.

Pritha's son careered on the field like Death incarnate. Heads decked with diadems,, huge arms adorned with Angadas.

And ears graced with pairs of ear-rings, of his enemies, Pritha's son cut-off with his shafts. The arms of elephant-riders, with Tomaras; those of horsemen, with Prasas;

Those of foot-soldiers with shields; those of car-warriors with bows; and those drivers, with whips and hooks, the son of Pandu then cut-. off.

Dhananjaya then shone resplendent with his arrows of glittering tips that seemed to constitute his rays, like a blazing fire with incessant scintillations and raging flames.

The hostile kings then inspite of all their endeavours, could not even secure a sight of the handsome Dhananjaya, that foremost of all wielders of weapons, that hero equal to the king of the celestials, that best of men, seen at the same time in all directions on his chariot, shooting his terrible weapons, dancing in the terrace of his car and producing deafening sounds with his bow-string and palms and resembling the mid-day sun of burning rays in the heavens.

The diadem-decked Arjuna, armed with arrows of glittering tips shone resplendent like a mighty mass of cloud swelling with rain and bearing the rainbow on its bosom.

Then when that veritable flood of mighty weapons was created by Jishnu, many foremost warriors sank in that dreadful and uncrossable sea of weapons.

Strewn over with mangled faces and bodies and limbs, with lacerated arms, with arms deprived of palms and palms deprived of fingers.

With infuriate elephants having trunks and tusks severed and broken respectively, with horses deprived of riders and necks; with shattered chariots.

With bodies having entrails drawn out, legs cut-off and severed remaining still or moving unconsciously and with hundreds and thousands of corpses and car-casses.

The field where Partha fought was seen by us to resemble an area ravaged by Death and to enhance, O ruler of men, the fears of the cowards.

Or it then appeared like the sporting ground of Rudra where he slew creatures in days gone by. Portions of the field covered over with trunks of elephants, severed by Kshurapras, appeared as if covered by snakes.

Portions again strewn over with the heads of warriors graced with lotus like countenances, looked as if covered with garlands of flower. With beautiful head gears and crowns, with Keyuras, Angadas and Kundalas.

With armours decked with gold, with the caparisons and trappings of elephants and horses and with hundreds of diadems, strewn all over with these things.

The earth, highly beautified, appeared like a newly married bride. Having the marrow and fat (of slain creatures) for its mire, having blood for its current.

Full of limbs and bones and fathomless in death, having the hair of creatures for its moss and weeds and heads and arms for stones on its shore;

Decked with variegated standards and banners; having umbrellas and bows for its huge waves; stagnant with the huge carcasses of elephants.

Having innumerable cars for rafts to cross it; infested with the dead bodies of horses; rendered unfordable with car wheels, yokes, axels and Kuvaras;

Infested with snakes constituted by lances, darts, axes and arrows; having crows and Kankas for its sharks and jackals for its Makaras.

And vultures for its fierce aquatic animals; echoing with the yells of jackals; infested with dancing ghosts and Pisachas and Pretas, thousands in number.

Carrying away many, corpses of slain warriors, highly dreadful and fierce and awful

Such a river capable of striking terror into the hearts of the cowards, was then caused to flow on the field of battle. Then beholding the prowess of Arjuna, whose appearance then resembled that of the Destroyer.

A panic, such as had never occurred before, prevailed among the Kuru ranks. Thereupon the son of Pandu, receiving the weapons of heroes, with those of his own.

And achieving wonderful feats, proclaimed himself to be a warrior of terrible deeds. Then 0 king, Arjuna passed leaving all those foremost car-warriors of your army behind.

Then all the creatures were unable to look at Pandu's son, who then resembled the sun shining on the meridian,

Arrows shooting out of the Gandiva bow of that illustrious hero, were then seen by us to resemble rows of cranes ranging through the firmament.

Repulsing everywhere the weapons of heroes with those of his own and displaying his fierce feats, Arjuna then continued to a achieve terrible deeds. Then impelled by the desire for killing Jayadratha, O king, Arjuna passed through the car-division, compounding your warriors with his Narachas.

Then the handsome Dhananjaya having Krishna for his charioteer, began quickly to career on the field, shooting his shafts in all directions.

Then hundreds and thousands of shafts shot by the heroic Arjuna of illustrious soul, appeared in the sky, flying in all directions and incessantly.

We then could not discern when that mighty bowmen, that son of Pandu begotten upon Kunti, took out his shafts, placed them on the bow-string and let them off.

Thereafter, O king, covering all the points of the compass with his arrows and afflicting all the car-warriors in battle, the son of Kunti dashed towards Jayadratha.

And pierced him with four and sixty straight-going shafts. The Kuru warriors then seeing Pandu's son rush upon Jayadratha.

Gave up fighting, becoming hopeless of Jayadratha's life. Whoever amongst your troops then rushed to encounter the son of Pandu in that battle.

Had his body pierced deep with the latter's arrows. Then the mighty car-warriors Arjuna, that foremost of victorious heroes made your ranks headless by means of his arrows resembling the flames of fire. Thus then, O foremost of kings, sorely afflicting your troops consisting of four kinds of forces, the son of Kunti rushed upon Jayadratha. He then pierced Drona's son with five hundred and Vrishasena with three arrows.

Compassionate as the son of Kunti was, he pierced Kripa with nine arrows. He pierce Slay with sixteen and Karna with thirty two arrows.

Then piercing the ruler of the Sindhus with sixty-four arrows, he uttered a roar like that of the lion. Then the ruler of the Sindhus, being pierced with the arrows shot from the bow of the wielder of the Gandiva.

And excited to the highest pitch of fury, did not to brook it, even like an elephant struck with the good. Then that one bearing the boar car arrows as a device on his standard quickly shot at the of Phalguna straight-flying furnished with vulturine feathers, rubbed by the smith and looking like so many enraged snakes and hurled from a string dawn back to the very ears.

Thereupon Arjuna, repuising the sharp shafts shot by the ruler of the Sindhus, cut-off at the same time, with a couple of arrows, the head of Jayadratha's driver and his welldecked standard. Its stay cut-off and itself shattered and struck with arrows, that boars bearing standard of the Sindhu king fell down like a flash of fire. Meanwhile the sun was rapidly going towards the western hills.

Janardana quickly addressing Pandu's son said-"O son of Pritha, this Jayadratha has been placed in their midst by these heroic and mighty car-warriors.

O mighty-armed one, Jayadratha desirous of saving his life, is standing in the rear in their midst. O foremost of men, without vanquishing in battle these six mighty car-warriors.

You shall not be able to slay the ruler of the Sindhus, even if you exert yourself to the best of your powers, O Arjuna. Now I shall put forth my Yoga prowess for covering over the Sun.

in consequence of which the ruler of the Sindhus only shall behold the sun as already set. Filled with delight and sanguine of his life and desirous of seeing your destruction.

That wicked creature will no longer conceal himself. Taking advantage of that opportunity you should, O foremost of the Kurus, strike him.

You should not then give up the enterprise thinking the sun to have already set. "Then Vibhatsu replied to Keshava saying “let it be so."

Thereafter that lord of the kings viz., Krishna created a veil of darkness for covering the sun, by means of his Yoga prowess.

When Krishna had created that veil of darkness, thinking the sun to have set, your troops became delighted, O king, in view of the destruction of Pritha's son Arjuna.

Highly delighted, O King, your troops and king Jayadratha could not see the sun though they all stood with their heads thrown back.

When the ruler of the Sindhus was beholding the setting sun, once more did Krishna spoke these words to Arjuna.

Beholding, O foremost of the Bharatas, the heroic ruler of the Sindhus looked at the sun, freed from the fear he entertained to you.

O mighty-armed one this is the opportune moment to slay the wicked-souled weight. Now quickly lop off the head of this fellow and fulfill your vows.

Thus spoken to by Keshava the puissant son of Pandu, began to carnage your troops with arrows resembling the rays of the sun or the flame of fire.

He pierced Kripa with twenty and Karna with fifty shafts; he then wounded Shalya and Duryodhana each with six shafts.

He pierced Vrishasena with eight and the ruler of the Sindhus with sixty shafts. The mighty-armed son of Pandu.

Piercing your troops with his arrows, O king, assailed Jayadratha. Then beholding him within measurable distance like a swelling tongue of fire.

The protectors of Jayadratha became highly anxious (about his life). Then O mighty monarch, all your warriors desirous of victory.

Began to pour their arrowy showers of Pakasasani in that battle. Then that delight of was over. the Kurus (Arjuna) covered Thereafter, that foremost of men, Pakasasani began to shoot terrible net-works of arrows with a view to slaughter your troops. Then those warriors of yours mangled by that hero in battle.

Where greatly frightened frightened and they abandoned the ruler of the Sindhus. They were so much confused that no two persons were seen to fly together. Then we beheld the wonderful prowess of Kunti's son.

Inasmuch as that high-souled warrior then achieved feats whose equals had never before becn achieved or will be achieved in future. Elephants and elephant-riders and horses and horsemen.

And car-drivers, these then Arjuna began to slaughter like Rudra slaying the creatures. I could not find in that battle. O king.

A single elephant or horses of men that was not struck with the arrows of Partha. The vision of warriors were blinded with dust and darkness.

They were dreadfully confused and could not recognise one another. Your troops urged on by fate, having their vitals torn open by arrows.

Began to wander or lamp of fall down. Some became paralysed and some became pale. During that terrible carnage of creatures.

In that awful and fierce battle from which few escaped alive, the earth became deluged with blood and the dust that had then arisen disappeared inconsequence of the showers of blood and the gale that blew over the field of battle; so great was the shower of blood that car wheel sank in the mire caused thereby up to their naves.

Thousands of mad elephants possessed of great energy, O king, of your army, their riders slain the limbs mangled.

Began to fly away uttering shrieks of pain and crushing their own ranks under heath their feat. Riderless steeds and foot soldiers also, O monarch.

Fled away in fright, struck with the arrows of Dhananjaya. Indeed your troop with dishevelled hairs and shattered arinours, with blood streaming out of their wounds, fled away from the field of battle, forsaking it out of fear. Some again deprived of the power of moving, remained there as if their lower limbs had been seized by alligators.

Some hid themselves behind and under the carcasses of slain elephants. Thus causing your troop to fly, O monarch, Dhananjaya.

Began to wound with dreadful shafts the protectors of the Sindhu ruler. The son of Pandu then covered with his arrowy showers Karna, Drona's son, Kripa, Shalya, Vrishasena and Duryodhana. Arjuna was quick in the use of weapons that none was able to notice when he took out his arrows, fixed them on the bowstring and stretched the bow and discharged them. Thus when he was engaged in wounding the foe, his bow was seen incessantly drawn to a circle. Thousands of shafts were seen to issue out from his bow and to scatter in all directions. Then severing off Karna's and Vrishasena's bow.

Arjuna with a broad-headed arrow felled Shalya's charioteer from his niche on the car. Then that foremost of victorious heroes viz. Dhananjaya, pierced with many arrows in that battle Kripa and Ashvatthaman, related to each other as uncle and nephew. Thus sorely afflicting the mighty car-warriors of your army.

Pandu's son took up a terrible shaft of the splendour of fire. Appearing like the thunderbolt of Indra and inspired with sacred Mantras.

That dreadful arrow became capable of bearing any strain. It used always to be worshipped with perfumes and garlands of flowers. Duly charging it was the impetuosity of the thunder-bolt, that descendant of Kuru.

Namely the mighty-armed Arjuna, placed it on the Gandiva's string. When that shaft of fiery effulgence was fixed on the bow string.

Loud shouts were heard, O king, in the welkin. Then Janardana once more quickly addressing Arjuna said

O Dhananjaya quickly cut-off the head of the wicked-souled ruler of the Sindhus. The sun is on the point of going to the Western hills.

Listen however to the words that I am going to speak about the slaughter of Jayadratha. The father of Jayadratha is Vridhakshatra known all over the world.

It was after a long time that he got Jayadratha that slayer of enemies, for his son; on the occasion of his son's birth, a disembodied and unseen voice, deep as the rumble of clouds or the beat of the drums, said unto king Vridhakshatra-'This your son, O master among men, in this world, will become worthy of the two races (the solar and the lunar) in respect of lineage, conduct, selfpossession and such other attributes. He will become one of the foremost of Kshatriyas and will always obtain adoration from the heroes.

But while struggling in battle, some one foremost among the Kshatriyas, some wellknown person in the world, worked up with anger, will cut-off his head.'

That subduer of foes, viz., the old ruler of the Sindhus having heard these words became thoughtful for a while; filled with affection for his son, he summoned all his kinsmen and told them so.

That man who will caused the head of my sons to fall on the earth, struggling in battle, will be bearing a great burden. I say that the head of that man will crack into a hundred pieces.' Having spoken these words and having installed Jayadratha on the throne.

Vridhakshatra, retired into the woods and devoted himself to ascetic austerities. Possessed of great energy, he is still engaged in the observance of the austerest of penances.

Outside the precincts of the Samantapanchaka, o ape-bononered one. Therefore, severing Jayadratha's head in this terrible fight, you.

O slayer of foes, should, O Bharata, by your fierce heaven-made weapons capable of achieving great feats, quickly throw that head adorned with ear-ring upon the lap of Vridhakshatra himself, O younger brother of the son of the wind-god. If you cause Jayadratha's head to fall on the earth.

Then your own head will certainly crack into hundred pieces. By mean of your weapons of celestial make do you accomplish your vow in such a way, that may not know that it is done. O Arjuna, indeed their is nothing which you cannot achieve or perform, Oson of Vasava.

Having heard these words of Krishna, Dhananjaya licking the corners of his mouth. Shot the shaft he had taken up for slaughtering Jayadratha, shaft whose touch resembled that of Indra's thunder which was inspired with mantras, which was of celestial make, which was capable of bearing any strain and which had ever been worshipped with perfumes and garlands. That swift-coursing arrows shot from the Gandiva bow, snatched away the head of the ruler of the Sindhus like a hawk snaluhing away a little bird from the top of a tree. Dhananjaya then discharging other arrows carried that head along in the heavens.

Then that son of Pandu imparting delight to his friends and grief to his foes, made his head like a Kadamba flower. He fought with those six great car-warriors. O Bharata! There was wonder, he carried that head beyond the precincts of the Samantapanchaka by means of his continuous groups of arrows. Meanwhile king Vridhakshatra.

The father of your son-in-law, possessed of great energy, was engaged in perfuming his evening Sandhya. Adorned with sable locks and graced with ear-rings, that head of Jayadratha was thrown upon his lap as he was uttering his prayers in a sitting posture. () subduer of foes, thus thrown in his lap, that head graced with beautiful ear-rings was not perceived by king Vridhakshatra, so when the intelligent Vridhakshatra, having finished his evening prayers, was rising up, the head fell down on the earth.

And as the head of that king's son fell down on earth. The head of that king also was cracked into thousand pieces, subduer of foes. Then all creatures were greatly filled with wonder.

They then highly applauded Vasudeva and the mighty son of Pritha. Thus 0 king, when the king of the Sindhus was slain by the diadem-decked Arjuna. The darkness that Vasudeva's son had caused was withdrawn, O foremost of the Bharatas. O ruler of carth, thus your sons and their followers, afterwards came to know that.

That veil of darkness was only an illusion caused by Vasudeva's son, O foremost of men. Thus, O king, was your son-in-law, the ruler of the Sindhus slain by Arjuna of infinite energy, having caused the slaughter of eight Akshauhini of troops.

Then beholding Jayadratha the ruler of the Sindhus's slain, tearing of sorrow gushed out from the eyes of your sons. Thereafter, O king, when Jayadratha had been slain by Pritha's son, Keshava.

Blew his conch, as also the mighty Arjuna that afflicter of his foes. Bhimasema also, as if for informing Yudhishthira of that joyful news.

Filled the welkin with a mighty war-cry. Hearing that formidable war-cry, the very virtuous king Yudhishthira.

Considered the ruler of the Sindhus to be slain by the high-souled Phalguna. Then he son imparted delight to his own warriors by means of the sound of his musical instruments.

He then rushed furiously against the son of Bharadvaja for slaying him. Then, O king, as the sun was hanging down the horizon.

A fierce battle between Drona and the Somakas commenced, capable making the hair to stand erect. Then putting forth all their energies slaughtering the of Bharadvaja.

The mighty car-warriors of the Pandavas fought on, O king, delighted at the slaughter of the Sindhu king. The Pandavas then obtaining victory and having slain the ruler of the Sindhus, fought on with Drona literally intoxicated with their good luck. o king, having slain the ruler of the Sindhus, long armed Arjuna also fought with those carwarriors.

Then the heroic Arjuna decked with a diadem and garlands, having fulfilled his principal; vow, began to slaughter your troops, even like the king of the celestials destroying the darkness of night.