Drona-Vadha Parva — The fierce battle

Sanjaya said When three fourths of the night had passed away, O ruler of men, once more the battle, between the delighted Kurus and Pandavas, commenced.

Soon after Arjuna (the sun's charioteer) robbing the effulgence of the moon, appeared on the sky, spreading a coppery hue over it.

The eastern quarter was soon rendered crimson by the myriad rays of the sun and the solar disc looked like a circle of gold.

Thereupon all the warriors of the Kuru and Pandava hosts, descending from their chariots, steeds, elephants and vehicles borne by men, turned their faces towards the sun and with folded palms uttered the Sandhya (prayers of the first twilight).

The host of the Kauravas having been divided into two parts, Diona, having Duryodhana in front of him, advanced (supported by one of this divisions) against the Somakas, the Panchalas and the Pandavas.

Then beholding the Kuru army divided in twain, the scion of Madhu's race, Krishna addressing Arjuna said-"Keeping the other division of the enemy to your left, place Drona's division to your right.”

Obedient to the counsel of Madhava, regarding everything about the Kurus. Dhananjaya wheeled round so as to keep Drona and Karna, those two might bowmen, to his right.

Then seeing through the purposes of Krishna, that subduer of hostile cities viz., Bhimasena, addressing Arjuna then stationed at the van of the troop, said these words.

Bhimasena said Ho, Arjuna, Arjuna, O Vibhatsu, hear these words of mine! The hour, for the realisation of that object for which Kshatriya ladies bring forth their sons, has now arrived.

If at this opportune season you do not exert yourself to attain good, then you shall act meanly like a perfect wreath.

With the assistance of mighty do you, today, pay off your debt to Prosperity and Fame! ( foremost of warriors, penetrate into this army and keep this to your right.

Sanjaya said Thus urged on by Bhima and Kesava, Savyasachin, disregarding Kama and Drona, began to resist the foe on all sides.

Then as that puissant one advanced at the head of battle, leaving the foremost of Kshatriyas, these last, putting forth all their prowess.

Could not check him even as men cannot check the raging conflagration. Thereupon Duryodhana, Karna and Subala's son Sakuni.

Began to shower thousands of arrows on Kunti's son Arjuna. That foremost of all, versed in excellent weapons, baffling all the weapons hurled by his opponents, poured on them, O foremost of king's a veritable shower of arrows. Of controlled senses and endued with great lightness of hand, he repulsed the weapons shot at him by those of his own.

Then he pierced each of his foes with ten sharp shafts. The welkin was shrouded in a cloud of dust and showers of arrows fell thick.

Impenetrable darkness set in and dreadful tumult prevailed on the field of battle. When such was the condition of things, neither the sky nor the earth, nor the points of the compass, were recognised.

one a Confounded with the dust thc troops became blind. Neither the foe, O monarch, nor we could distinguish one another.

For this reason, the royal combatants fought on guided by conjecture and the challenges they uttered. Destitute of chariots, the carwarriors, O monarch, encountering another, lost all order and became confounded mass. Their horses slain the charioteer killed, many, becoming incapacitated, saved their lives and looked highly frightened. Staughtered steeds, with their riders slain, were seen to lie over elephants as if prostrate on mountain tops. Then Drona, inoving towards the northern quarter of the field.

Stood like fire free from smoke. Then beholding him move away from the field (towards the North).

O ruler of men, the Pandava troops began to tremble. Beholding Drona exceedingly handsome and attended with prosperity and burning in his own effulgence, the soldiers of the enemy were affrighted, depressed and routed, O Bharata.-Challenging the hostile host as he stood, like an infuriate elephant in rut.

None ventured to conquer him even as the Danavas could not conquer Vasava. Some were depressed at heart and some intelligent warriors became inspired with rage.

Some were filled with wonder and some could not beer him. Some rubbed their hands.

Others, overwhelmed with rage, began to bite their lips, with their teeth. Others began to hurl missiles at him and others to rule their arins.

Other warriors, of controlled passions and great might, fell upon Drona. Specially the Panchalas, though afflicted with the shafts of Drona.

And suffering extreme pain, O king, fought on with Drona. Thereafter Virata and Drupada, both rushed against Drona in battle.

Who, invincible as he was in battle, was roving freely on the field. Then O ruler of men, the grandsons of Drupada, in three number.

And the Chedis, all fierce bowmen, assailed Drona in battle. Of those three grandsons of Drupada, with sharp arrows.

Three in number Drona robbed the vital breaths, whereupon they fell down dead on the ground. Thereafter Drona vanquished in battle, the Chedis the Kaikayas and the Srinjayas.

That mighty car-warrior the son of Bharadvaja then also conquered the Matsyas. Thereafter Drupada, worked up with rage, poured a shower of arrows.

On Drona, O mighty monarch. Virata also did so in that battle. Then that crusher of foes, viz., Drona, destroying that shower of arrows.

Covered the two, Drupada and Virata with his own arrows. Thus covered by Drona and inflamed with wrath at the head of battle.

Those two heroes began to afflict Drona wrathfully in that battle. O mighty monarch, therefore, Drona filled with rage and fury.

Cut off the bows cf them both with a couple of broad headed shafts of great sharpness. Thereupon, filled with rage, Virata hurled ten tomaras.

As also ten shafts at Drona, with a view to encompass his slaughter. Drupada also, equally enraged, hurled at the car of Drona, a dreadful dart made wholly of iron and decked with gold and effulgent like the body of a excellent snake. Then cutting off with a well-sharpened bhalla those tomaras.

Drona cut-off the dart adorned with gold and lapises shot at him with his own arrows. Then that crusher of foes., viz., Drona with a couple of well-tempered bhalla.

Dispatched both Drupada and Virata to the region of Death. Upon the slaughter of Virata and Drupada and the Kaikayas also.

As also the Chedis and the Panchalas and the Matsyas and upon the slaughter of the three heroic grandsons of Drupada.

And beholding these cruel deeds accomplished by Drona, the high-souled Dhristadyumna, filled with rage and grief,

"Let that man lose the merits of his Istha, Purth, Kshatra and Brahmanya, whom Drona shall escape or shall defeat in battle."

Thus having sworn in the midst of all bowmen, that slayer of foes, viz., the Panchala prince rushed upon Drona, supported by his own division.

The Panchalas attacked Drona from one side whilst the Pandavas attacked him from the other. Then Duryodhana, Karna, Subala's son Sakuni.

And his other principal uterine brothers began to protect Drona in battle. Then the Panchalas, though striving hard, could not even look at Drona who was then being thus protected in battle by those high-souled warriors. Thereupon, O sire, Bhimasena became enraged with Dhistadyumna and then addressed that foremost of men in these harsh words.

Bhimasena said What man is there who, being regarded as a Kshatriya and who being born in the Dynasty of Drupada and who being foremost of all men possessing knowledge of weapons, would only thus passively look at his foe, stationed before him?

What person, having seen his father and son slain by his foes and having also sworn such a terrible oath in the assemblage of kings, would thus suffer his foe to stand before him?

Yonder stands Drona like a fire swelling with its own energy; indeed with bow and arrows constituting fuel he is consuming all the Kshatriyas with his energy.

Soon will he completely destroy the Pandava army; stand here passively as spectators of the feat I am going to perform; I myself assail Drona.

Sanjaya said Having thus spoken, Vrikodara, worked up with rage, penetrated into Drona's division; and he then routed your troops with arrows shot from his bow drawn to the fullest stretch.

The Panchala price Dhristadyumna also, pushing into the heart your mighty troops, approached Drona; whereupon a confused and terrible encounter commenced.

We never saw nor heard of such a battle before as, O king, was fought during that hour of sun-rise.

() sire, the chariots were then entangled with one another; thousands of corpses of slain creatures were also seen lying on the field of battle.

Some, when going to other parts of the field, were assailed by their foe on the way. Some, in flying away, were wounded on their backs and others on their sides.

Thus then that general engagement raged furiously. Soon however the morning sun made its appearance of the sky,