The fight of Drona

Sanjaya said Seeing Yudhishthira approach him, Drona received him with a continuous downpour of arrows, like one undaunted.

Thereupon a very great confusion arose in the army of Yudhishthira which resembled that which prevails in a herd of elephants when the leader is attacked by a lion.

Then the heroic Satyajit of prowess invincible, beholding Drona thc preceptor desirous of capturing Yudhishthira, rushed at him with fury.

Then the war-like Acharya and the prince of the Panchalas fought with one another, agitating the armies hostile to each, like Indra and the son of Virochana.

Then the mighty warrior Satyajit of prowess invincible, displaying excellent weapons, pierced Drona with a keen-pointed shaft.

Thereafter he discharged at the charioteers of Drona, five arrows deadly as the venom of snakes and each resembling Death himself. (Struck by those arrows) the charioteer lost all consciousness.

Then he suddenly pierced Drona's horses with ten swift-going-arrows. Thereafter wrought up with ire, he pierced the two Parshni-drivers of Drona with ten shafts each.

Then at the head of his division he wheeled in circular motion riding on his chariot. Then filled with rage he cut down the flag-staff of Drona, the grinder of foes.

Then that crusher of foes, Drona, seeing these feats of his enemy in battle, thought in his mind that his (foe's) hour was come.

Then having severed the bow of his enemy Satyajit along with arrows placed on it, the preceptor Drona pierced him with ten whetted shafts capable of penetrating to the very vitals.

Thereupon that puissant hero (Satyajit), O monarch, having speedily grasped another bow, struck Drona with thirty arrows furnished with Kanka-feathers.

When the great warrior Vrika saw Satyajit badly gripped within the ambit of arrows shot by Dronacharya, he shot several hundred acute arrows and injured severally Dronacharya.

Beholding Drona thus resisted in that battle by Satyajit, O monarch, the Pandavas shouted forth and waived their garments.

Inflamed with wrath, the mighty Vrika pierced Drona on the chest with sixty shafts. O king, that feat appeared, indeed, marvellous.

Then that mighty car-warrior Drona endued with great speed, being completely covered by an arrowy downpour, put forth all his energy causing his eyes to expand with rage.

Thereafter Drona, having cut asunder the bows of Satyajit and Vrika, killed the latter along with his driver and horses, with six shafts.

Thereafter Satyajit having taken up a bow still tougher, pierced Drona, along with his steeds, drivers and standard, with several shafts.

Humiliated in battle by the prince of the Pandavas, Drona was no longer able to brook it; then for the destruction of his enemy, he speedily shot shafts at him.

Then pouring arrows by thousands, Drona covered the steeds, the standards, the handle of the bow and the two Parshni drivers of his enemy.

Inspite of his bows being thus repeatedly cut-off, the prince of the Panchalas conversant with the knowledge of excellent weapons, continued to fight with him of the chestnut steeds (Drona).

Then beholding Satyajit swell with energy in that battle, Drona with a half-moon shaped arrow, severed the head of that one of illustrious soul.

When that mighty car-warrior the leader of the Panchalas was slain, Yudhishthira being afraid of Drona, fled away, being borne by fleet steeds.

The Panchalas, the Kckayas, the Matsyas, the Chedikas, the Karuasas and the Koshalas, desirous of rescuing Yudhishthira, rushed at Drona with delight.

Thereupon, the preceptor, the crusher of large bodies of foes, desirous of capturing Yudhishthira, consumed those troops like fire consuming heaps of cotton.

Then Shatanika the younger brother of the king of the Matsyas, seeing Drona repeatedly consumne the divisions, rushed at him.

Then deeply piercing Drona and his charioteer and steeds, with six shafts effulgent like the rays of the sun and polished by the forgers, Shatanika uttered loud shouts.

Engaged in a heartless act and attempting to accomplish a difficult one, he covered the mighty car-warrior the son of Bharadvaja, with an arrowy down-pour.

Then Drona, with a shaft like a razor speedily severed from his trunk, the head graced with ear-rings, of Shatanika thus roaring at him. Thereat all the Matsyas took to their heels.

Having vanquished the Matsyas, the son of Bharadvaja obtained victory over the Chedis, the Karusas, the Kekayas, the Panchalas, the Srinjayas and the Pandus.

Beholding that one of the golden car, endued with bravery, excited with wrath, consume their divisions like fire burning down a forest, the Srinjayas trembled.

The twang of the bowstring of that one of great activity was heard in all directions when he stretched his bow to slay his enemies.

Fierce arrows, discharged by that one endued with great lightness of hands, crushed elephants and steeds and foot-soldiers, carwarriors and warriors riding on elephants.

As at the expiration of the winter, mighty masses of thundering rain-clouds assisted by violent winds, pour down showers of rain, so Drona pouring showers of arrows, struck terror into the hearts of his opponents.

That puissant hero, that mighty warrior, that giver of assurances of safety to his friends, traversed in all directions, agitating the host of the enemy. seen

The bow of golden effulgence of Drona of immeasurable prowess was in all directions like flashes of lightning illumining the clouds.

As he careered with speed in that battle, the device of an altar decorating his banner, O Bharata, appeared like the crest of the Himalayas.

Drona caused a dreadful carnage among the host of the Pandavas, like that which Vishnu the revered of all the celestials and the Asuras, caused among the host of the latter.

That hero of truthful speech endowed with great wisdom and strength, end endued with invincible prowess, that Drona of generous heart, created a river on the field of battle, that was dreadful and capable of enhancing the fear of the cowards, Armours constituted its bellows and standards its whirlpools; and it carried away a large number of mortals as it flowed. Elephants and horses formed its great alligators and swords were its fishes and it was incapable of being tide over. It was terriblelooking and the bones of heroes formed the pebbles (in its bed) and drums and cymbals its tortoises. Shields and armours constituted its boats and the hair of warriors the moss and weeds that floated over it. Shafts constituted its wave-lets and bows its currents; and it abounded in snakes formed of the arms of warriors. It was of fierce current and carried away the Kurus and the Srinjayas alike. The heads of human beings formed its stones and their thighs its fishes and the maces its rafts: it was covered with froth formed of head-gcars and was infested with reptiles formed of the entrails (of animals) of awful appearance; it carried away heroes (to the other world); its mire was constituted by flesh and blood. Elephants were its alligators and standards the trees (on its banks). It drew down in its bottom thousands of Kshatriyas. It was fierce, clogged with corpses and had horse-soldiers for its sharks; and it was extremely difficult of being crossed over; and it flowed to the regions of Death. That river swarmed with hosts of monsters and dogs and jackals. It was haunted by cannibals of dreadful appearance on all sides,

Thereupon seeing that mighty car-warrior Drona consume their hosts like the god of Death himself, the Pandava warriors healed by the sons of Kunti, rushed at him from all sides.

Firmly united together, those heroes surrounded Drona on all sides who was burning down everything, like sun scorching the world with his rays.

Then for supporting that heroic warrior, with upraised weapons, your warriors, princes

and monarchs, rushed (into the thick of the fight).

Then Sikhandin pierced Drona with five straight-jointed shafts, Kshatradharma with twenty and Vasudeva with five. Uttamaujas in that battle, pierced him with three shafts, Kshatradeva with five, Satyaki with hundred and Yudhamanyu with eight. Yudhishthira pierced Drona with a dozen shaft and Dhrishtadyumna pierced him with ten the Chekitana with three shafts.

Then Drona of never-failing aim and resembling an elephant with rent temples, passing over the car host of the Pandavas felled Dhirasena

Then getting near king Kshema, who was fighting fearlessly, Drona pierced him with nine arrows and he fell down dead from his chariot.

Penetrating into the heart of the (hostile) host, resisted in all directions, he became the protector of all others and had no need of protecting himself.

He then struck Sikhandin with twelve arrows and Uttamaujas with twenty shafts, and with a broad-headed arrow he dispatched Vasudeva to the regions of Death.

With eighty shafts he pierced Kshemavarman and with twenty-six he struck Sudakshina. With broad-headed shafts he brought down Kshetradeva from the terrace of his car.

Having pierced Yudhamanyu with sixtyfour shafts and Satyaki with thirty, that one owning the golden chariot rushed at Yudhishthira with violence.

Then that foremost of kings Yudhishthira speedily fled away from the preceptor being borne by his fleet steeds. Then the prince of the Panchalas charged Drona.

Drona struck him along with his horses, charioteer and bow. Then from his car he fell down dead like a luminary dropped from the heaven.

Upon the death of that renouned prince of the Panchalas, loud cries of kill Drona, kill Drona were herd there.

Then that puissant Drona began to crush the host of the Panchalas, Matsyas, Kekayas, Srinjayas, the Pandavas, all burning with rage.

Satyaki, Chekitan, Dhrishtadyumna and Sikhandin, Vardakshemi, the son of Chitrasena and Senabindu and Suvorcha. These and numerous other rulers of different countries, were all defeated by Drona who was supported by the Kurus.

O monarch, your warriors having been crowned with victory in that dreadful battle began to slaughter the Pandavas as they were flying in all directions.

O Bharata, the Panchalas, the Kekayas and the Matsyas, thus slaughtered on all sides, like the Danavas by Indra, began to quake (with fear).