The fight of Arjuna

Sanjaya said Beholding the host of the Samsaptakas one more return to battle, Arjuna thus addressed the high-souled son of Vasudeva.

'O Hrishikesha urge my steeds against this host of the Samshaptakas. I think they will not give up the battle so long life will be extant in them.

Behold, today, the terrible prowess of my two arms as also that of my bow. This day I will slay them, like Rudra slaying creatures (at the time of the universal annihilation).'

Thereupon Krishna smiling and greeting the invincible Arjuna with auspicious words, pushed in the chariot where-so-ever the latter desired it to go.

That chariot, borne in that battle by white steeds, appeared excessively effulgent, like a celestial car borne through the firmament.

O monarch, like the chariot of Shakra in the battle between the gods and the Asuras in the days of yore, that car moved in circular, backward and forward motions.

Then the Narayana soldiers inflamed with rage and holding various weapons in their hands, encompassing Dhananjaya, covered him with showers of arrows.

O foremost of the Bharata, in a moment they, in that battle, made the son of Kunti namely Dhananjaya, together with Krishna, disappear from the sight.

Wrought up with wrath, Phalguna, doubling his energy in that battle, rubbed his bow Gandiva and quickly grasped it.

Causing a frown indicative of wrath to gather on his brow, the son of Pandu charged his mighty conch called Devadatta with his breath.

Thereafter Arjuna discharged the weapon called Tashtra that is capable of slaying large divisions of the enemy. Thereupon thousands of separate forms (of Arjuna and Vasudeva) started into existence there.

Confounded by the various images of Arjuna's self, they fell to slay one another each considering the other to be Arjuna himself.

'This is Arjuna, this is Govinda, these two are the son of Pandu and the descendant of Yadu', uttering these exclamations, and stupefied, they slow each other in that fight,

Confounded by virtue of that weapon, they courted destruction through one another's agency. In that battle those warriors shone like flowering Kinshuka trees.

Then that weapon. consuming the thousands of shafts discharged by the enemy, conveyed those heroes to the regions of Death.

Thereafter Vibhatsu, with a smile, crushed with his arrows the war-like Lalithyas, the Malavas, the Mavelakas and the Trigarttas.

Those Kshatriyas, doomed by fate to die, being smitten by the heroic son of Pritha, discharged at him a net-work of diverse arrows.

Thereupon, neither Arjuna, nor his car, nor Keshava was to be seen on the field, being covered over by that terrible arrowy showers.

Then finding their arrows strike the aim, they exclaimed to one another saying 'Krishna and Arjuna are both slain’; and out of delight they waived their garments in the air.

Then those heroes sounded, by thousands, drums and Mridangas and conchs; and, O sire, they also gave forth war-cries resembling the roars of lions.

Then Krishna greatly perspiring, addressed Arjuna covered with sweat, saying 'Where are you, O son of Pritha, I do not see you, do you live, O siayer of your foes.'

Hearing those words of his (Krishna's), Dhananjaya quickly dispelled that arrowy shower poured by the enemy, by means of the Vavabha weapon.

Then the almighty Vayu blew away hosts of the Samshaptakas consisting of steeds elephants, chariots and weapons like heaps of dry leafs.

Borne away by the god Vayu, they appeared highly beautiful like flights of birds, O sire, flying up from trees at the hour of dawn.

Thus causing great anxiety in them, Dhananjaya with great lightness of hands slew, with keen pointed shafts, hundreds and thousands of the enemy.

He struck their heads and arms hearing weapons, with broad-headed shafts; and with his arrows he cut down on the ground their thighs resembling the trunks of elephants.

Some had their backs lacerated, some were deprived of their legs, some were hit on the arms, backs and eyes; thus Dhananjaya made his enemies deprived of their various limbs.

Shattering into pieces with his arrows, chariots resembling a real castle and equipped according to rule, he deprived them of their steeds, warriors and elephants.

At places several crowds of chariots, having their flag-staffs severed, looked like forests of palmyra trees deprived of their heads.

Elephants furnished with excellent weapons, banners, hooks and standards fell down like woody mountains rent asunder by the thunder-bolt of Indra.

Smitten with the arrows of Partha, steeds, graced with tails like those of the yak, protected with coats of mail and with their entrails, eyes and vitals dragged out, rolled on the ground along with their riders.

Dropping from their grasps the swords that had served the purposes of their nails, having their armours torn and the joints of their limbs smashed, foot soldiers, with their vital parts cut open, helplessly laid themselves down (on the field) being slain (by Partha).

The field of battle assumed an awful aspect in consequence of those warriors slain or in course of being slaughtered fallen and falling, wheeling round or staying motionless.

The cloud of dust that had arisen was now cleared away by means of the shower of blood. The ground became slipper and was strewn with numerous headless trunks.

Then the chariot of Vibhastsu shone fierce and dreadful in that battle, like the chariot of Rudra himself when at the end of a Yuga he slays all creatures.

Thus being slaughtered by the son of Pritha, those warriors, with their steeds, cars and elephants in distress and their ranks thinned, rushed at him and thus were made the guests of Shakra (i.e. were transported to the regions of Indra).

O foremost of the Bharatas, that field of battle then strewn with many a slain carwarrior of renown, shone like the region of Death swarming with the spirits of the departed.

During this period when Savyasachin was furiously engaged (with the Samshaptakas) Drona, at the head of his divisions formed in battle-array, charged Yudhishthira.

Many a warrior, arranged in order of battle and accomplished in striking quickly formed Drona's support, out of a desire for capturing Yudhishthira. There-upon a dreadful fight ensued.