The slaughter of Abhimanyu

Sanjaya said That delighter of Vishnu's sister (Subhadra), that Atiratha Abhimanyu, then furnished with the weapon of Vishnu himself, looked highly beautiful like a second Janardana on the field of battle.

With the ends of his locks, blazing in the air, with that best of weapons raised in his hands, his person became difficult of being looked at even by the very gods. The rulers of the earth beholding it.

And the wheel in his hands, became seized with anxiety. They then cut it off into many fragments. Thereupon that mighty car-warrior, the nephew of Krishna took up a heavy mace.

Then the mighty-armed Abhimanyu deprived of his car, his bow, his sword and his car-wheel by the enemy, rushed (with that mace in his hand) upon Ashvatthaman.

Then, O foremost of kings, Ashvatthaman, beholding that upraised mace resemble the blazing bolt of heaven, leapt off three steps from the terrace of his car.

Slaying with his mace the horses and the two flank-supporters of Ashvatthaman, the son of Subhadra, with his body covered all over with arrows looked like a porcupine.

Then Abhimanyu crushed down on the ground Subala's son Kalikeya and slew seventy-seven of the latter's followers of the Gandhara race.

Next he slew ten car-warriors of the clan of Brahma-vasatiya; and then seven warriors of the Kekayas and then ten huge elephants. Then he pressed down upon the ground the car and horses of Dushasana's son.

Thereupon, O sire, Dushasana's invincible son excited with rage and upraising his mace, rushed against Abhimanyu crying at same time, “Wait" "Wait."

Then those two heroes with maces upraised, both desirous of compassing one another's death, Those two cousins, began to strike one another, like the three-eyed (Mahadeva) and the Asura Andhaka fighting in the days of yore.

Then striking one another by the ends of their clubs, they both fell down on the ground, like two uprooted standards raised in honour of Indra.

Then that enhancer of the glory of the Kurus namely Dushasana's son rising first, smote Subhadra's son on the crown of his head as the latter was rising up.

Confounded with the great force of that mace-stroke and overpowered by the fatigue of the flight. That slayer of hostile heroes namely Subhadra's son fell down senseless on the ground. Thus, o king, was the one slain by many in battle.

One who grinded the whole army of the Kurus, like an elephant crushing lotus-stems. Then that heroic warrior slain by the Kurus, appeared beautiful like a wild elephant slain by hunter.

Then your troops surrounded the fallen hero, who then looked like an extinguished fire that had consumed a whole forest during the summer season; or like a tempest with its fury subsided after it has broken down numerous tree-tops; or like the setting sun that had scorched the Bharata army with its rays; or like the moon devoured up by the Rahu; or like the ocean with its waters dried up. Then the mighty car-warriors of your army beholding Abhimanyu whose countenance wore the splendour of the full moon and whose eyes were black like the wings of the raven, lie prostrate on the naked earth, uttered repeated lion-like roars being filled with great delight.

Indeed, 0 king, your warriors transported with delight, while tears rolled were down from the eyes of the warriors of the other host.

Then beholding that hero lying prostrate on the ground like the moon dropped from the skies many creatures and rulers of men, on the skies, uttered woeful cries sayingद्रोणकर्णमुखैः षड्भिर्घार्तराष्ट्रमहारथैः।

Slain by the six mighty car-warriors of Dhritarastra's host headed by Drona, this single hero is lying on the field of battle. We hold this to be very unfair.

When that hero had been slaughtered, the earth appeared highly beautiful like the starry firmament decked with the full-moon herself.

The earth was then covered over with arrows furnished with golden wings and inundated with with waves of blood. And overspreaded with the beautiful heads of the heroes, adorned with ear-rings and precious and variegated headgears and streamers and chamaras and splendid blankets and gemembossed weapons of good make and the bright ornaments of cars and horses and men and elephants and sharp and well-tempered swords looking like snakes freed from their slough and bows and shattered arrows and darts and scimitars and spears and kampanas and various other kinds of weapons, (offensive and defensive), she looked exceedingly beautiful.

In many places the field of battle became impassable being choked with dead any dying steeds bespattered with blood all felled by the son of Subhadra and lying with their riders slain.

With iron goads and elephants prodigious as hills, furnished with shields and weapons and with standards lying about, crushed with shafts; with excellent chariots deprived of steeds and charioteers and their warriors, lying scattered on the field, crushed by elephants and looking like agitated takes; with large bodies of foot-soldiers, armed with various weapons and lying slain on the field, the earth assuming an awful aspect struck terror into the hearts of the cowards.

Beholding Abhimanyu equal to the sun or the moon in splendour lie dead on the field, your troops obtained great joy whilst the Pandavas were highly distressed.

When the young Abhimanyu still in his minority was slain, all the troops of the Pandavas fled even before the very eyes of the very virtuous king Yudhishthira.

Then upon the death of Abhimanyu, seeing his troops routed, Ajatasatru Yudhishthira addressed these words to the heroic warriors of his army-

This heroic son of Subhadra who without turning back from the battle has been slain by the enemy, has ascended to heaven. Stay you all and do not fear. We shall yet conquer the foe.

Possessed of great energy and great effulgence, the virtuous king Yudhishthira thar best of all warriors, himself overwhelmed with grief, tried to console them with those words.

(He went on)-Having at first slain many hostile princes resembling snakes of virulent poison, the son of Arjuna has followed in their wake.

Having slain ten thousand car-warriors and that mighty car-warrior namely the ruler of the Kosalas, Abhimanyu, equal to Krishna and Arjuna, has indubitably gone to the manson of Shakra (Indra).

Having slain car-warriors, steeds footsoldiers and elephants by thousand, he was not satiated with what he achieved in battle. We should not bewail this performer of pious deeds; he surely has attained the regions of righteousness, that men acquire by deeds of piety.