Drona-Vadha Parva — The slaughter of Drona

Sanjaya said Then beholding those feats of that one of the Satvata race, Duryodhana and others, filled with rage, quickly encompassed the grandson of Shini on all sides.

Kripa and Karma and your sons, O sire, quickly assailing Shini's grandson in the battle, began to pierce him with sharp arrows.

Thereupon king Yudhishthira, the two sons of Madri begotten by Pandu and the mighty Bhimasena rushed to protect him of the Satvata race.

Karna and the son of Gotama, that mighty car-warrior and Duryodhana and others, then covered Shini's grandson with their shafts.

Then fighting, O king, (fearlessly) on with those warriors, that scion of Shini's race checked that awful shower of pouring arrows which had been begun so suddenly.

In that great battle, with his various celestial weapons, he duly baffled the celestial weapons of his high-souled opponents, that were aimed at him.

The field of battle looked dreadful during the progress of that encounter between royal con batants and if resembled the scene of of the field where in days of yore Rudra, filled with rage, had slaughtered all creatures.

Human arms and heads and bows and torn umbrellas and chamaras, O Bharata.

Where seen in heaps on that field of battle. With broken-wheeled cars, with fallen arms.

And with heroic horsemen lying slain, the earth became impassable. O foremost of the Kurus, the warriors lacerated with the falling shafts.

Were seen to roll in various movements on the ground in that great battle. During the progress of that terrible battle resembling that between the Gods and the Asuras in days of yore.

The very virtuous king Yudhishthira addressing the Kshatriyas said-"You mighty car-warriors, rush unitedly upon the pot-born Drona.

Yonder is the heroic son of Prisata engaged with the son of Bharadvaja; he is trying to the best of his endeavours to encompass the death of Drona.

Judging from the appearances of his mighty battle, it may be inferred that filled with rage the son of Prisata will today over-throw in battle the son of Bharadvaja.

Therefore do you unitedly rush upon the pot-born Drona. Thus commanded by Yudhishthira, the mighty car-warriors of the Srinjayas.

Impelled by a desire for slaying the son of Bharadvaja, assailed him. The mighty carwarrior the son of Bharadvaja, then received those advancing hosts in fury, knowing death to be inevitable. When Drona of unfailing aim thus advanced, the earth began to tremble.

Fierce winds began to blow filling the troops of the enemy with fear. Mighty meteors began to drop down, seeming to issue out of the solar disc.

In their fall they illumined the welkin and foreboded great danger. O sire, the weapons of Bharadvaja's son began to blaze forth.

Cars emitted loud clatters and horses began to shed tears. The mighty car-warrior Drona the son of Bhardvaja, appeared to be devoid of his energy.

His eyes and his left arms began to tremble. And beholding Prishata's son before him, he became cheerless.

Coincide to this a memory to take a departure in the abode of Brahma as stated by Rishis, well-known to Brahman, decided to abandon leave their lives through fighting in the battle field with chivalry.

Then desirous of the compass were covered with the troops of Drupada's son. Consuming hosts of Kshatriyas Drona then careered on the field of battle. care

Then that crusher of foes having slain twenty thousand Kshatriyas, slew another hundred thousands with whetted shafts of keen points.

Then exerting himself with he remained in the battle-field and appeared like a blazing fire without even a curl of smoke. For the destruction of the Kshatriyas. he then grasped the Brahma weapons.

Then the self-controlled Bhima beholding the prince of the Panchalas carless and weaponless, quickly rushed to the rescue of that high-souled warrior.

Then beholding the prince of the Panchalas strike Drona from a near point Bhima, that subduer of foes, took him up on his car and

Except yourself there is none who can fight with the preceptor in such close quarters; therefore be quick in compassing his slaughter, inasmuch as the burden rests wholly on you.

Thus spoken to by Bhima, the mightyarmed Dhristadyumna, quickly took up a strong and new bow of very superior make and capable of bearing a great strain.

Worked up with rage and discharging his arrows in that battle at the indomitable Drona, Dhristadyumna covered the preceptor with arrows with a desire to withstand him.

Those two ornaments of battle, those two superior warriors, filled with rage, then resisted one another and invoked into existence many celestial and Brahma weapons.

Then, O mighty monarch, Dhristadyumna covered Drona in that battle with many weapons. Destroying all those weapons of Bharadvaja's son, the prince of the Panchalas.

That warrior of unfading renown, began to consume the Vasatis, the Shinis, the Valhikas and the Kurus who were then engaged in protecting Drona.

O king, discharging numerous shafts on all sides, Dhristadyumna at that time appeared beautiful like the sun of myriad rays.

Drona however once more cut-off the prince's bow and pierced the vitals of the prince himself with large number of shafts. Thus wounded the prince was greatly pained.

Thereupon Bhima of great fury holding the chariot of Drona, distinctly spoke those words to him

If vile Brahmanas dissatisfied with the duties of their own order but versed in the use of weapons, did not fight, then the Kshatriya a order would not have become reduced in numerical strength.

Sparing life has been declared to be most excellent of all virtues. The Brahmana is the toot of that virtue. You are again the foremost of all men conversant with Brahma.

Like Chandala, slaying numerous Mlechchas and diverse other warriors, who however are all engaged in performing the duties of their order, moved to the deed by folly and ignorance, O Brahmana and by the desire of benefiting your family and son, indeed for the sake of your only son indeed slaying all like one ignorant of his duties and disregarding your own avocation why do you not feel ashamed?

He for whose sake you have taken up arms and for whom you live, he, deprived of life, today lies on the field of battle, unknown to you and behind your back.

It behoves you not to doubt the words the very virtuous king Yudhishthira has told you, Thus addressed by Bhima, Drona, laid his bow aside.

Then desirous of laying all his weapons aside, Bharadvaja's son of illustrious soul, said aloud-"O Karna, O Karna, Ogreat bowman, O Kripa, O Duryodhana.

Exert your best in the battle: this I tell you repeatedly; may no injury befall you from the Pandavas; I am going to lay aside my weapons.

Having spoken thus, O mighty monarch, Drona began to cry out the name of Ashvatthaman at the top of his voice; and laying aside his weapons, he then sat down on the terrace of his car.

Then betaking to yoga, he assuredly gave safety to creature. Taking advantage of that opportunity. Dhristadyumna collected all his energies.

Then placing his dreadful bow with arrows fixed on its string on his car, he jumped down from it armed with a sword and then rushed furiously upon Drona.

Then men and other creatures beholding Drona on the point of falling a victim to Dhristadyumna, began to utter loud cries of Oh and Alas.

They bewailed piteously and they cried alas and oh and said fie. Meanwhile Drona, having laid aside his weapons, was peacefully seated on his car.

Having spoken as before, Drona, had betaken to yoga. Endued with great splendour and possessed of ascetic merit, he had set his heart on that ancient and paramount being viz., Vishnu.

Slightly bending down his face and throwing his breast forward and shutting his eyes and reposing on the quality of goodness and directing his mind on meditation.

And thinking on the monosyllabic Om representing Brahma and recollecting the mighty, paramount and indestructible god of gods and effulgent Drona of great ascetic merit.

The preceptor of the Kurus and the Pandavas, went to heaven, which is so difficult of being attained even by the virtuous. Indeed when Drona proceeded to heaven, it appeared to us that there were two suns in the sky.

The whole welkin was ablaze and appeared to be one vast sheet of equal light when the sun-like Bharadvaja, of solar splendour, proceeded towards heaven.

But within an wink of time however, that light disappeared and then tumultuous noise of the delighted celestials were heard there,

When Drona thus ascended to heaven, Dhristadyumna was standing beside him stupefied; only we five amongst mortal creatures beheld.

The illustrious Drona, lost in yoga and meditation, ascend to the highest regions of blessedness. These five were, myself, Pritha's son Dhananjaya, Ashvatthaman, the son of Drona.

Vasudeva of the Vrisni race and king Yudhishthira the virtuous son of Pandu, All else could not seen the halo of glory that surrounded the intelligent son of Bharadvaja as he ascended, rapt up in yoga, to the Brahma regions, which are mysterious even to the gods and which is the highest of all celestial regions.

In fact all human beings were then unaware of the fact that Drona had attained to the highest mode of existence. None of them could then descry the preceptor, that subduer of foes, ascend to the region of Brahma, devoted to yoga, in company with the best of sages, his body mangled with arrows and steeped in blood after he had set aside his weapons.

Prisata's meanwhile, though all creatures cried fie on him, yet casting his eyes on the lifeless Drona's head, began to drag it (by the hair.)

Then with his sword he lopped that head off the trunk of his foe who remained silent all the while. Then upon the slaughter of Bharadvaja's son he was filled with delight.

Dhristadyumna began to send up loud warcries whirling his sword all the while in the air. son With his hoary locks flowing down his ears, of a dark complexion that old man of eighty-five years.

For your sake used to career on the field of battle, like a boy of sixteen. The mighty-armed Dhananjaya, that son of Kunti, had said (before

"O son of Drupada, bring the preceptor alive. Do not slay him. He should not be slain, he should not be slain.” Even thus did you troops also.

Cry out; especially Arjuna had exclaimed aloud melting with compassion for his preceptor. But unmindful of the cries of Arjuna and those of other rulers of the earth.

O foremost of men, Dhristadyumna slew Drona in the terrace of his own car. Then that indomitable subduer of foes, his body stained with blood, jumped down from the car on the earth, looking red like the (newly-risen) solar disc. Thus the soldiers behold Drona slain in the battle.

Thereafter, O king, that furied bowman Dhristadyumna, threw that large head of Bharadvaja's son at the front ranks of your troops.

Then the troops beholding that head of Bharadvaja's son, felt inclined to fly and O king, without much hesitation they took to their heels.

Meanwhile Drona proceeding to the heavens entered the stellar path. I only saw the (true circumstances of the) death of Drona.

Through the grace of the sage KrishnaDvaipayana, the son of Satyavati. I then beheld that effulgent one proceeding, after his ascension to the sky, like a blazing flame-beam free from even a curl of smoke flying through the welkin. Upon the slaughter of Drona, the Kurus, the Pandavas and the Srinjayas, all became depressed.

And every body fled in great haste. The army then broke away. Many had been slain and many wounded with keen arrows.

Upon the death of Drona, your troops appeared to be senseless. Having suffered a defeat and being inspired with fear about the future.

The Kurus lost the benefit of this as well as of the next world. Really they lost all selfcontrol. The rulers of earth then searching for the body of Bharadvaja's son.

Could not find it out in consequence of the field being covered over with numerous headless trunks. The Pandavas on the other hand, having obtained victory here and prospects of fame in the future.

Began to make loud sounds with their arrows and conches conches and they uttered tremendous war-cries. Then Bhimasena and Prisata's son Dhristadyumna.

Embraced each other in the midst of the Pandava host which looked upon them both. Then that afflicter of foes Bhima addressing Prisata's son said

"O son of Prisata, I will again embrace your victorious self, when the sinful sons of Suta and Dhritarashtra will be slain in the battle.

Having spoken thus much and filled with joy, Pandu's son Bhima, caused the earth to tremble with the sound of his arm-strokes.

At that sound your troops, panic stricken, began to fly away; and disregarding the duties of Kshatriyas they exerted themselves in flying away.

The Pandavas, having obtained victory were transported with joy, O ruler of men; and great was their happiness at the destruction of their foes in battle.