Abhimanyu-Vadha Parva — The fight of Abhimanyu

Sanjaya said Once more did the son of Arjuna pierced Karna on his car, with barbed arrows and then for angering the latter, again pierced him with fifty shafts more.

Thereupon Radha's son pierced him in return with as many arrows. Covered all over with arrows, O Bharata, he then looked exceedingly beautiful.

Excited with wrath, Abhimanyu also caused Karna to be covered over with streams of blood; the heroic Karna also appeared beautiful being mangled with shaft-wounds and bathed in blood.

Then both those high-souled warriors, mangled with arrow-wounds and steeped in blood, appeared like two Kinshukas covered with blossom,

Then Subhadra's son slew six of Karna's ministers all versed in various modes of warfare, together with their horses, charioteer, car and standards.

Then Abhimanyu fearlessly pierced the rest of the mighty car-warriors in return, with ten shafts each; that feat of his seemed exceedingly wonderful.

Thereafter having slain the son of the ruler of the Magadhas with six swift-coursing arrows, Abhimanyu felled the youthful Ashvaketu together with his horses and charioteer.

Next slaying with a sharp, horse-shoeheaded arrow, the Bhoja prince of Martikavata having the device of an elephant on his banner, the son of Arjuna sent up a tremendous war-cry and began to scatter his arrows on all sides.

Thereupon the son of Drona pierced his four horses with four arrows and charioteer with one shaft and then he pierced Arjuna's son with ten arrows.

Thereafter Krishna's nephew having pierced Dushasana's son with ten swiftcoursing arrows, spoke these words at the top of his voice, with eyes red in rage.

"Your father has fled from the battle like a veritable coward. It is fortunate that you know how to fight. But today you shall not escape me alive."

Having spoken only these words, he hurled at him a Naracha burnished by the forger himself.

Then leaving alone the son of Drona, Arjuna's son struck Shalya with three arrows. Him Shalya pierced in return with nine shafts furnished with vulterine feathers, on the breast, like one not at all afraid. That feat appeared to be highly wonderful.

The son of Arjuna then cutting off his bow and slaying his two flank-supporters, pierced him with six iron-made shafts; and then Shalya ascended another chariot.

Then having slain Satrunjaya, Chandraketu, Meghavega, Suvarchasam and Suryabhasa, he pierced the son of Subala. Subala then piercing him with three arrows, thus addressed Duryodhana-

'Let all of us united together, crush this one; for, fighting singly, he will slay us all. O king, with the assistance of Drona and Kripa and others, do you think out the means of slaying this one. Thereafter Vikartana's son Karna, addressing Drona said these words-

"Tell us the means of his death, before he slays us all.” Thereupon the fierce bow-man Drona replied to them all saying-

"With all your watchfulness, have you been able to detect any weakness in this youthful prince? He is careering in all directions; yet has any of you been able to find out any laches in the prince?

Behold the lightness of hands of this son of Arjuna, this foremost of all men! In the course of his car-motion, only his bow drawn to a complete circle can be seen and not his arrows, so swiftly does he let them off!

Indeed this slayer of hostile heroes, this son of Subhadra is affording me great delight, though with his shafts he is afflicting my vital limbs and confounding my senses. This son of Subhadra careering through the field of battle, delights me greatly.

In as much as many mighty car-warriors inflamed with rage cannot detect any the slightest weakness in him. I do not find any very great difference between the wielder of the Gandiva bow and this one of great lightness of hands, filling the points of the compass with his mighty shafts.

Then once more Karna, afflicted with the arrows of Arjuna's son said to Drona "Afflicted sore by Abhimanyu, I am staying here, only because as a warrior, I should stay here.

The fierce and exceedingly dreadful darts, corroding like fire, of this very furious prince, are this day sucking my heart's strength in battle.” Then softly and with a smile the preceptor replied to Karna saying-

"O Karna! This Abhimanyu is faithful, his prowess is great and his armour is incapable of being penetrated into. I have taught the father of this hero, the diverse methods of wearing coats of mail; assuredly this subjugator of hostile fortresses, knows all those methods of wearing armours. But exerting yourself carefully, you can, with arrows cut-off his bow, his bowstring.

The reins of his steeds and his two supporters of the flanks. O mighty bow-man, 0 son of Radha, if you are competent, then do all these.

Then compelling him to turn his face away from the field, do you strike him from behind. As long as he wields the bow, he is incapable of being defeated even by all the Gods and the Asuras united together.

So if you can, deprive him of the use of his car and his bow.” Then, Vikartana's son, Karna, hearing those words of the preceptor quickly cut-off Abhimanyu's bow with his arrows, when the latter was light-handedly scattering his shafts. Then Kritavarman of the Bhoja race, slew his steeds and Kripa the son of Gautama dispatched his two flanksupporters.

The rest covered him with arrowy showers, when he was deprived of the use of his bow. Then these six mighty car-warriors with great activity, when activity was so necessary, ruthlessly covered that young careless hero who was fighting with them single-handedly, with showers of arrows.

Then that handsome hero whose car had been rendered useless and whose bow had been cut-off, grasping his sword and buckler and remembering his duty, jumped up into the sky.

Exhibiting great prowess and great lightness, Arjuna's son roved in the air like the king of the birds, in various motions, known as Kaushika and others.

“With the sword in his hand he may fall upon me,'-thinking thus those mighty bowmen with their eyes up-turned and very watchful for finding Abhimanyu's weakness, began to pierce him.

Then that conqueror of enemies, viz., Drona of mighty energy quickly cut-off the jeweldecked hilt of Abhimanyu's sword with a single shaft furnished with a horse-shoe-head.

Then Radha's son also cut-off his excellent buckler with many sharp arrows. Then deprived of his sword and his shield he came down from the sky upon the ground, with all his limbs intact. Then raising a car-wheel, he furiously rushed against Drona.

His person shining with the dust from the car-wheel and himself wielding the car-wheel in his upraised arm, Abhimanyu appeared highly beautiful and for a while imitating the son of Vasudeva, he became terrible fierce in that battle.

With his robes dyed with the blood flowing in profusion (from his wounds), with his brows formidable in consequence of the wrinkles thereon, himself sending up loud war-cries, that highly powerful Abhimanyu appeared superbly beautiful staying in the midst of those foremost of kings.