Drona-Vadha Parva — The battle between Drona and Dhristadyumna

Sanjaya said Then beholding Drona, Drona, exceedingly anxious and depressed at heart in consequence of grief, the son of the Panchala king, viz., Dhristadyumna assailed him.

That hero had, for the slaughter of Drona, been obtained by Drupada, that ruler of men, at a great sacrifice, from the God of Fire.

Impelled by the desire of slaying Drona, he grasped a victory-giving and strong bow, of which the twang resembled the rumble of clouds, of which the string was very tough and which was irrifragible and of celestial make. He then fixed on the bow-string a formidable arrow resembling a snake of virulent poison and endued with the effulgence of fire. That arrow resembled a fire of fierce tongues, while inside the circle of his bow appeared like the autumnal sun of great splendour within an effulgent circle.

Beholding that resplendent bow bent by the son of Prisata, the soldiers considered that the last hour of the world had come.

Seeing then that arrow directed at him, the mighty son of Bharadvaja considered that the last day of the corporal existence had arrived.

The preceptor then did not endeavour to baffle that shaft, nor did also the celestial was weapons of that high-souled hero appear at his command.

His weapons had not been exhausted although he had used them for four days and one night; on the expiration of the third part of the fifth day, his stock of arrows exhausted.

Beholding then the exhaustion of his shafts and pained with grief on account of his son's death and in consequence also of the reluctance of the celestial weapons to appear at his command.

He desired to lay his weapon aside urged to do so by the words of the sages. Though still charged with great energy, he was unable to fight as before.

Then taking up another bow of celestial make, presented to him by Angiras and several arrows resembling the curses of Brahmanas, he went on fighting with Dhristadyumna.

Then he covered Dhristadyumna with a thick shower of arrows and filled with rage began to mangle his vindictive antagonist.

Then with his own arrows Drona cut-off those of Dhristadyumna in hundred pieces and then with sharp arrows he felled the standard, the bow and the charioteer of the latter.

Thereupon Dhristadyumna smilingly taking up another bow, pierced Drona in return with a sharp arrows in the centre of his breast.

Thus deeply pierced the mighty bowman (Drona) seemed a little flurried in that combat. But once more with a keen-edged bhalla he cut-off his opponent's bow.

Then indomitable Drona cut-off all the weapons, o king and all the bows of his antagonist, except only his mace and sword.

Then, O subduer of foes, filled with rage, he pierced the wrathful Dhristadyumna with nine sharp arrows capable of putting an end to the life of every body.

The mighty car-warrior Dhristadyumna of immeasurable soul then invoked into existence the Brahma weapon and thereby caused the horses of his own chariot mix with those of his opponents.

Possessed of the fleetness of the wind, these steeds of the crimson and pegion colours, O foremost of the Bharatas, thus mingled together, appeared highly beautiful.

Like roaring clouds surcharged with flashes of lightning at the commencement of the rainy season, Omighty monarch, those steeds mingled together.

arrows Then that regenerate one of immeasurable soul, destroyed the wheel-joints, the shaftjoints and other car-joints of Dhristadyumna.

With his bow cut-off, his car rendered useless, his elephants and driver slain and thus involved in a perilous situation that hero began to whirl his mace.

Then that truly valiant and mighty carwarrior the enraged Drona, destroyed with his sharp that mace hurled by Dhristadyumna.

Beholding that mace of his cut-off by Drona by means of his arrows, that foremost of men, that prince of the Panchalas, quickly took up a clean sword and a resplendent shield with its ground decked with hundred moons.

Undoubtedly, under these circumstances, the Panchala prince resolved to make an end of that foremost of preceptor, that most illustrious warrior.

Then jumping down from the terrace of his chariot and riding on the car-shaft he with his sword and bright shield uplifted, tried to approach the latter seated on his chariot.

Then that mighty car-warrior Dhristadyumna, out of foolishness and for achieving a difficult feat, wished to tear open the breast of Bharadvaja's son in battle.

Sometimes he stood on the yoke of Drona's car and sometimes under the haunch's of his red steeds. These motions of his were then greatly praised by all the troops.

While he thus stood upon the yoke or underneath the haunches of those red steeds, Drona saw no opportunity for striking him. That indeed appeared wonderful.

Then in that battle the movements of both Drona and the son of Prisata resembled those of a hawk flying through the sky in quest of a piece of meat.

Thereafter the puissant Drona inflamed with rage, slew one after another the blue-hued steeds of his adversary and then destroyed his car, with a powerful shaft.

The steeds of Dhristadyumna, thus slain fell down on the ground, whereupon the red steeds of Drona himself were set free from the entanglement in the trappings, O ruler of men.

Beholding those horses slain by that foremost of regenerate ones, that son of Prisata, that foremost of all warriors, born in virtue of a sacrifice, that mighty car-warrior, did not tolerate it.

Then that foremost of sword-men, deprived took up his sword and rushed upon Drona, O king, like Vinata swooping down of his car, upon a snake.

Solicitous of slaying the son of Bharadvaja, O king, his appearance then resembled that of Hari when, in days of yore, he was going to slay the Daitya king Hiranyakasipu.

He then coursed in various tracks. Indeed, o foremost of the descendants of Kuru, Prisata's son carcering in that battle, displayed the well-known twenty-one kinds of evolution's.

Armed with his sword and his buckler in grasp the son of Prisata, wheeled about, whirled his sword in the air, made side thrusts, rushed forward, ran sideways, jumped up, assailed the sides of his foes, fell backwards, ran into close quarters with his enemy and pressed them hard. having practised them well he also exhibited the movements, known as Bharata, Kousika and Satvata, as he coursed in battle for bringing about Drona's death. Beholding those charming movements of Dhristadyumna, as he coursed, armed with shield and sword in battle.

All the warriors present as also the celestials, were filled with amazement. The twice-born Drona then discharging a thousand arrows in the press of the battle, cut-off Dhristadyumna's sword and shield covered with hundred moons. The arrows that Drona shot in that fight in close quarters were of the length of a span.

Those arrows were only to be used in a fight in close quarters. No one else had arrows of that kind, except Saradvata's son Kripa, Arjuna, Ashvatthaman and Karna.

Pradyumna ard Yuyudhana possessed such arrows and also Abhimanyu had them. The preceptor then desirous of making an end of his pupil who was to him like his own son, placed on his bow-string, a strong shaft possessed of great violence. Satyaki however cut-off that saft with ten arrows of his own.

Before the eyes of your son and of Karna of high-soul, he then thus saved Dhristadyumna who was on the point of falling a victim to Drona.

Thereafter O Bharata, Kesava and Dhananjaya, both of illustrious soul, beheld Satyaki of prowess incapable of being thwarted, in the track of the Kurus and thus within the range of the shafts of Drona, Karna and Kripa. Then both of them applauded Satyaki of undiminishing fame saying 'excellent,'-him who was then destroying the celestial weapons of all his focs. Then Kesava and Dhananjaya dashed upon the Kaurava warriors.

Thereafter Dhananjaya addressing Kesava said-"Behold, O Kesava, that perpetuator of Madhu's race, sporting amidst the hostile warriors headed by the preceptor and other foremost car-warriors.

Truly valiant Satyaki is thereby affording great delight to me, the twins, twins, king Yudhishthira and Bhima.

That Satyaki, the enhancer of the glory of the Vrishnis, well-practised in the use of weapons and free from insolence, is thus careering in the midst of the fight, sporting with mighty car-warrior.

The Siddhas and the troops filled with delight, are praising him, saying 'excellent, excellent,' as they find that one of the Satvata race invincible. The warriors of both armies are applauding him, O monarch, in consequence of his fcats.