Abhimanyu-Vadha Parva — The display of Abhimanyu's prowess

Sanjaya said Then beholding his army routed Subhadra's son of immeasurable energy, king Duryodhana worked up the highest pitch of fury, himself proceeded against the former

Then seeing the king turn back upon Subhadra's son in battle, Drona addressed the warriors saying "Save the king.

The highly puissant Abhimanyu is slaying even before our very eyes, every one he is aiming at. Assail him and be not afraid; and rescue the king of the Kurus."

Thereupon grateful, mighty and friendly warriors, ever attended with victory though inspired with fears, yet surrounded your heroic son in order to rescue him.

Drona and Drona's son, Kripa, Karna, Kritavarman and Subala's son, Brihadbala, the ruler of the Madras, Bhuri, Bhurishravas and Shala, Paurava and Vrishasena, all shooting sharp arrows, covered Subhadra's son with thick downpour of arrows.

Then thus confounding the latter, they rescued Duryodhana. But Arjuna's son did not tolerate this snatching away of the monarch from his very mouth.

Compelling those mighty car-warriors with their horses and charioteer to turn their faces away from the field of battle, by means of his arrowy downpour, the son of Subhadra sent up a loud war-cry.

Hearing that war-cry of his, resembling the roar of a lion desirous of prey, the warriors of your army headed by Drona and inflamed with rage did not brook it.

Completely surrounding Abhimanyu's with their host of cars, your warriors O sire, began to shoot at him myriads of arrows of diverse description all falling in thick showers.

But your grandson, with his own sharp arrows severed all these shafts even when the latter were coursing through the sky; in return also he pierced your warriors; indeed that feat then appeared wonderful.

Thereupon your warriors, excited with wrath in consequence of being wounded with shaft of the touch of fire and desirous of slaying the unretreating son of Subhadra, surrounded him on all sides.

Then, O foremost of the Bharatas, with his arrows that served the purpose of banks, Arjuna's son held in check the agitated ocean that was then identified with the vast number of your troops.

None among those heroes, viz., Abhimanyu on one side and all your warriors on the other, who were then fighting with and slaying one another, turned away from the field of battle.

Thus when that awful and terrible combat raged fiercely, Dussaha pierced Abhimanyu with nine arrows, Dushasana pierced him with twelve, Kripa and the son of Saradvata with three, Drona with seventeen arrows, all resembling so many snakes of virulent poison.

Vivinshati pierced him with seventy Kirtavarman with seven, Brihadbala with eight and Ashvatthaman with arrows, Bhurisravas wounded him with three arrows and the king of the Madras with six swiftcoursing shafts. Shakuni pierced him with a couple of shafts and king Duryodhana with three. seven

Abhimanyu, on the other hand, O mighty monarch, pierced each of them with three straight-flying arrows, displaying his prowess and appearing to dance all the while with his bow in hand.

Then Abhimanyu, enraged in consequence of your sons seeking to terrify him displayed his marvelous might that he had acquired through his culture and practices.

Then borne by his well-trained steeds possessed of the fleetness of Garuda or of the wind and perfectly obedient to the behests of him who held their reins, Abhimanyu quickly repulsed the heir of Ashmaka. Standing before him, the prosperous and mighty son of Ashmaka, pierced him with ten arrows, saying all the while, stay stay.

Then with ten arrows Abhimanyu smilingly cut down to the earth, his charioteer, horses, standards, arms, bow and head.

When the heroic ruler of the Ashmakas had thus been slain by the son of Subhadra, the whole of his army being completely agitated, took to flight.

Thereupon Karna, Kripa, Drona, Drona's son, the ruler of the Gandharas, Shala, Shalya Bhurishravas, Kratha, Somadatta, Vivinshati, Vrishasena, Sushena, Kundabhedin, Pratardana, Vrindaraka, Lalittha, Prabahu, Dirghalochana and king Duryodhana, all excited with rage, covered him with a shower of arrows.

Thus deeply pierced with straight-flying arrows by those mighty bowmen, Abhimanyu. Sped at Karna an arrow capable of penetrating through his armour and body.

That swift-flying dart piercing through Karna's armour and body. Entered, O king, the

Pained to the extreme in consequence of that deep wound and over-whelmed with a swoon. Karna trembled in battle like a hili during an earth-quake.

Then with other sharp arrows the valiant Abhimanyu inflamed with rage, slew Sushena, Dirghalochana and Kundabhedhin.

Thereafter Karna pierced him in return, with twenty-five long shafts. Ashvatthaman pierced him with twenty and Kritavarman with seven arrows.

Then that enraged grandson of Shakra, with his body struck all over with arrows. Looked, as he careered through the forces, like the destroyer himself with noose in hand.

Then he covered Shalya who was standing near him with a thick shower of arrows; and then that mighty-armed hero sent up a loud war-cry, that inspired terror into your troops.

Pierced with straight arrows capable of penetrating to the vitals shot by Abhimanyu accomplished in all weapons. Shalya squatted down on the terrace of his car, o king and fainted away.

Beholding him thus deeply pierced by the illustrious son of Subhadra, all the troops began to fly away, even before the very eyes of the son of Bharadvaja.

Beholding that mighty-armed hero Shalya, covered with gold-winged shafts, your troops fled like herds of deer frightened by the lion.

Then Abhimanyu, extolled by the ancestral manes, the celestials and Charanas and Siddhas and also by various kinds of beings inhabiting the earth, with eulogies about his heroism and bravery in battle, appeared blazing like fire fed with clarified butter.