Abhimanyu-Vadha Parva — The consultation for forming the circular array

Sanjaya said Ourselves being at first broken and routed by Arjuna of immeasurable prowess and also the VOW of Drona being unfulfilled inconsequence of Yudhishthira being well guarded.

All your warriors, with their armours shattered, were then regarded as vanquished. Soiled with dust and sorely pierced with anxiety, they began to look askance at all the ten quarters of heaven.

Withdrawing from the field with the consent of Bharadvaja's son, after being vanquished by their adversaries of unerring aim and humiliated by them in the conflict.

They heard, as they retired, the infinite virtues of Phalguna extolled by all beings, as also of the friendship of Keshava for Arjuna spoken of by all.

Then they passed the night like doomed men, in silence and in anxious contemplation, At the break of day, king Duryodhana depressed at the aggrandisement of the enemy, inflamed with rage, addressed these words, before all those warriors to Drona, out of affection and affectionate angers, "O you learned in the art of speaking.

Indubitably, O foremost of the twice-born ones, you have taken us to be men doomed to be slaughtered for your sake, in as much as today getting Yudhishthira near you, you did not seize him.

The enemy whom you would seize in battle could not escape you if once you get him within sight, even if he be protected by the immortals themselves.

Pleased with me, you accorded me, a boon; but now you seem unwilling to verify your words. Noble men do never falsify the hopes of those who are devoted to them."

Thus spoken to, Bharadvaja's son felt greatly ashamed; then he thus addressed the king in reply-"It behoves you not to entertain such an uncharitable opinion regarding myself, who am ever striving to bring about your good.

All this universe, with all the celestials, Asuras, the Gandharvas, the Yakshas, the reptiles and the Rakshasas, is not competent enough to conquer that army (of the Pandavas) when it is protected by the diadem-decked Arjuna.

Except that of the three-eyed Mahadeva, whose might can avail anything against that army which number among it Govinda the world's creator and have Arjuna for its generalissimo?

But this, O sire, I tell you truly and this will never be false, that today I shall slay a mighty hero, the foremost among the many carwarriors of the enemy.

I will also form an array that will be invulnerable even to the celestials themselves. Do you, by some means or other, take Arjuna away from the field.

There is nothing unknown to him, nothing incapable of being achieved by him battle, he who have acquired all knowledge of warfare from different quarters."

After Drona had spoken in the above manner, the host of the Samshaptakas, once more challenging Arjuna led him to the southern part of the field.

Then there took place a battle between Arjuna and his opponents, the like of which had never been seen or heard of before.

Then the array formed by Drona is honeresplendent, o king and it appeared incapable of being looked at, like the midday sun shining in the meridian and scorching the world underneath.

Then, O Bharata, at the command of his father's eldest brother, Abhimanyu penetrated, in that battle, into that impenetrable array of the Kurus) figuring the discus.

Having achieved many difficult feats and having slain thousands of warriors, Subhadra's, son encountered six warriors simultaneousiv At last succumbing to Dushasana's son.

O ruler of earth, O afflicter of your foes, he gave his life up in battle. At the death of Abhimanyu we were enraptured and the Pandavas were depressed with grief. After Subhadra's son had been slain, the troops were withdrawn by us.

Dhritarashtra said Hearing of the death of the youthful son of that foremost of men (Arjuna), my heart, O Sanjaya, seems to be split up into pieces.

Heartless, indeed, are the duties of the Kshatriyas as specified by the law-givers, in as much as these duties even enjoin a hero, desirous of sovereignty, to shoot weapons at a mere child.

Describe into me, O Gavalgana's son, how did so many warriors accomplished in the use of weapons, slay that veritable child, brought up in luxury and careering (then) dauntlessly in the field?

Tell me, O Sanjaya, how in battle did the dauntless son of Subhadra, endued with immeasurable might sport, having penetrated into our car-division.

Sanjaya said That which you ask me to describe, O foremost of kings, viz., the slaughter of Subhadra's son, I shall describe in detail, Hear, O king, attentively.

I shall tell you, how that hero played amidst us, having penetrated into our ranks; as also how, many irresistible heroes inspired with hopes of victory were afflicted by him.

Like the denizens of a wood abounding in numerous copses, creepers and trees, when encompassed by a terrible forest-conflagration, the combatants of your host were then all seized with panic.