Samshaptaka-Vadha Parva — The departure of Dhananjaya

Sanjaya said O lord of men, the troops having retired to their camps, duly took up their quarters, according to the divisions and ranks to which they belonged.

Having withdrawn his soldiers, Drona, with a dejected heart, seeing Duryodhana, spoke these words in shame.

‘I have told you before, that when Dhananjaya stays by the side of Yudhishthira, even the celestials will not be able to capture the latter in battle.

You all assaulted Partha in battle, but he defeated all of you; do not doubt my words; Krishna and the son of Pandu are incapable of being vanquished in battle.

If however by any means Arjuna owning white steeds cab be taken away from the side of Yudhishthira , then, O king, even today may Yudhishthira be brought under your sway.

Let some one challenging him (Arjuna) in battle take him to another part of the field. The son of Kunti will not return without having vanquished him.

O monarch, during that interval when Yudhishthira will be deprived of the help of Arjuna, I, penetrating through the Pandava hosts, will capture the very virtuous king, even before the very eyes of Dhrishtadyumna.

Thus, O monarch, I will today with certitude bring under your control Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, with all his followers.

If, in battle, that son of Pandu stays only for one moment (before me) then I will bring him (a captive) from the field; surely that achievement will be more advantage than victory over the hostile army.'

Sanjaya said Thereat, having listened to these words of Drona, the ruler of the Trigarttas united with his brothers, spoke these words, O monarch.

'O monarch, we have been very often humiliated by the wielder of the Gandiva bow; O foremost of the Bharatas, though we have done him no harm yet he bears malice against us.

We, remembering those various occasions of humiliation, are ever consumed with the fire of wrath and at night can never enjoy sleep.

By good fortune it is that Arjuna bearing arms, will become the object of our sight; so we will achieve that feat which our hearts long to accomplish.

This act will be agreeable to you and shall redound to our renown. Drawing him out of the field of battle we shall slay him.

Today the earth will be relieved of the burden of Arjuna or that of the Trigarttas. Truly we resolve this before you and this our resolution will never be falsified?

Satyaratha, Satyavarman, Satyavrata, Satyashu and Satyakarman, O Bharata, having spoken in the same manner. Those five brothers, with their ten thousand cars, retired, O monarch, having taken that oath on the field of battle.

The Malavas and the Tundikeras, with thirty thousand cars and that foremost of men Susharman of the Trigartta race, the ruler of Prasthala together with the Mavelakas the Lalithyas and the Madrakas and with ten thousand cars and accompanied by his biothers.

And with another ten thousand excellent cars come from various kingdoms, came forward to take the oath.

Then bringing fire, and every one having separately kindled one for himself, they took up mats of kusa grass and excellent mail-coats.

Then having donned their armours and having smeared themselves with clarified butter and wearing those mattresses of kusa grass and with their bow strings as their belts, those heroes, who had given away hundreds and thousands as Dakshina.

Who had accomplished many sacrifices, who had been blessed with sons, who deserved regions of bliss hereinafter, who had done what ought to be done, who were ready to lay down their bodies, who had devoted their souls to the acquirement of fame and victory.

Who were intent speedily on going to the regions, by being killed in a fair fight, that are attained my means of sacrifices attended with profuse Dakshinas, and by means also of many such other rites, the foremost of which are Brahmacharya and the study of the Vedas.

Those heroes having gratified the Brahmanas by giving them golden coin separately and also kine and garments and having addressed one another in loving words, and having kindled the fire, took that oath in the field of battle; then in the presence of that fire they took that oath with a great firmness of resolution.

Having formed that firm resolution for the death of Dhananjaya they said these words aloud in the hearing of all present.

Thosc regions that are for the liars, those that are for the Brahminicides, those that are for the drunkards, those that are for a person who has illicit intercourse with the wife of his preceptor. Those that are for him who robs a Brahmana of his property or for him who enjoys the king's allowance (without fulfiling the conditions thereof) or for him who forsakes one seeking shelter in him or for him who slays one asking for favours. Those regions that are for the incendiary, or for the slayer of the kine, or for him that does injury to others or for him thai nourishes ill-will against the Brahınanas. Those regions that are for him who, out of foolishness, does not hold sexual intercourse with his wife during her season, those also that are for men who indulge in sexual intercourse on the day they have to perform a Shraddha, those that are for people who injure their own soul; those that are for men who appropriate things deposited with them out of trust or for those who destroy knowledge or for those who fight with the eunuchs or for those that follow thic mean; those regions that are for the atheists or those that arc for people who abandon the Fires and their own mother or those that are for the sinful,-those regions shall be ours. If we return from the field of battle without having slain Dhananjaya or if afflicted by him we, out of terror, turn away our faces from the field.

If, on the other hand, we can accomplish in battle that feat difficult of achieving, then, for certain, today we shall attain to the most desirable regions.

O monarch, having thus spoken, they then proceeded to the fight summoning Arjuna to the southern part of the field.

That foremost of men, that conqueror of hostile fortresses, namely the son of Pritha, being summoned by them, said these words without delay to the very virtuous king Yudhishthira.

'Challenged, I will never turn back. This is my firm resolution. These Samshaptakas (those who are sworn to die or to conquer) O king, are calling me to meet them in battle.

This Susarman with his brothers is summoning me to battle. It behoves you to permit me to slay him and his followers.

O foremost of men, I cannot brook this challenge; I do tell you truly, know these hostile heroes to be already slain in battle.

Yudhishthira said O child, you are perfectly aware of what Drona is intent on doing. Act in such a manner so that his intention may be frustrated.

Drona is endued with prowess and he is heroic, accomplished in the use of weapons, and indifatigable (in battle). O mighty carwarrior, even he has resolved to bring about my capture.

Arjuna said This Satyajit, O monarch, will protect you in battle today; and so long as the prince of the Panchalas lives, the preceptor will not attain the fruition of his desires,

If, on the other hand, O master, this foremost of men, Satyajit, be slain in battle, then you shall not stay in the field even if surrounded by all (our warriors).

Sanjaya said Then king Yudhishthira gave Phalguna the permission he sought; and embraced him and cast affectionate glances him and pronounced numerous benedictions on him.

Having made these arrangement, puissant son of Pritha went to meet the Trigarttas, like a hungry lion falling upon a herd of deer, for assuaging its hunger.

on Thereafter the army of Duryodhana highly delighted at the absence of Arjuna from Yudhishthira's side, became infuriated at the thought of the capture of the virtuous monarch.

Thereupon both armies clashed against each other with great vehemence, like the conflux of the rivers Ganga and Sarayu in the rainy season, when they are both swollen with water.