The fierce fight

Sanjaya said When that foremost of men viz., king Duryodhana had started from behind, following Pritha's son and him of the Vrishni race, both of whom, O monarch, had penetrated into the Kaurava ranks.

The Pandavas supported by the Somakas furiously assaulted Drona, creating a loud din. Thereupon a fearful battle commenced between them and Drona's troops.

The battle then that commenced between the Kurus and the Pandavas at the van of their array was terrible, awful and capable of making the hair to stand erect; and it was wonderful to the extreme.

O king, that battle that raged when the sun shone on the meridian, was such that we had neither seen nor heard of its like, ever before.

The troops of the sons of Pritha commanded by Dhristadyumna, all accomplished in smiting and arranged in proper order, covered the division of Drona with arrowy showers.

We also placing that foremost of all wielders of bow namely Drona, at our head, began to pour our showers of arrows on the Parthas headed by the son of Prishata.

The vanguards of the two hosts, teeming with cars and appearing charming, then looked like two masses of clouds in the summer sky, rushing towards each other, being driven by opposite winds.

Clashing against each other, the two armies put forth their exertions, like the rivers Ganga and Yamuna swelling with water during the rain season.

Having various kinds of weapons for the wind that preceeded them, abounding in elephants, horses and chariots, surcharged with the lightning formed by the flashing of maces wielded by warriors, the fierce and thick mass of cloud constituted by the army of the Kurus. Driven forward by the tempest constituted by Drona and incessantly pouring its arrowy showers, tried to extinguish the raging fie constituted by the Pandavas.

Then that foremost of regenerate heroes, namely Drona, agitated the Pandava hosts like a raging tempest of the summer, agitating the mighty main.

They also, putting forth all their endeavours, awaited Drona himself, like a strong current of water striking against an embankment with a view of carry it away.

Then like unto a mountain checking the progress of torrents of water, in that battle, Drona held in check the enraged Pandavas, Parichalas and Kekayas.

Other kings also endued with great mighty and heroism began to oppose the Panchalas, having surrounded them on all sides.

Thereafter in that battle, that foremost of men, viz., Prishata's son, supported by the Pandavas, repeatedly assailed Drona desirous of breaking through his division.

Indeed, as as Drona poured his arrowy showers on the son of Prishata, so also, did this latter pour his own on the son of Bharadvaja.

Then the Dhristadyumna-cloud having rapiers and swords for the winds that preceeded it, well-furnished with darts, lances and scimitar, having the bowstring for its flashes of lightning and the twang of the bow for its rumbling.

Poured, on all directions, torrents of weapons, for its showers of stones, slaying large bodies of car-warriors, best steed; he seemed to deluge the earth with currents of blood, created by means of his weapon.

Then with his arrows Prishata's son turned Drona away from all those breaches in the ranks of the car-warriors of the Pandavas, through which the latter tried to pass, striking the men there with his arrows.

Then O Bharata, the division of Drona, although he exerted to the best of his mighty, became divided in divided in three parts, having encountered Dhrishtadyumna in battle.

One of these divisions retraced their steps towards Kritavarman the ruler of the Bhojas, the other towards Jalasandha and the other slaughtered by the Pandavas fell back upon Drona himself.

Then, as many times did that foremost of car-warriors, Drona rally his troops, so many times did that mighty car-warrior Dhrishtadyumna break and route them.

Then like herds of cattle destitute of herdsmen slain by the beasts of prey, the troops of the Kurus divided in three divisions, began to be slaughtered by the Pandavas and the Srinjayas.

SO People then thought that in that terrible battle Death himself devoured up warriors stupefied by the mighty Dhrishtadyumna.

Just as the dominions of a wicked monarch are devasted by famine, pestilence and marauders, were your Own troops slaughtered and destroyed by the Pandavas.

Our eyes were then dazzled and blinded by the weapons and armours on which the sun's rays were reflected, as also by the dust raised by the troops.

Then when his troops had been divided in three bodies and when they were being slaughtered by the Pandavas, Drona inflamed with fury, began to consume the Panchalas with his arrows.

Then as Drona, crushed and slew the hostile host with his arrows, his appearance looked like that of the blazing fire that appears in the time of the universal Dissolution.

That mighty car-warrior, o king, then in that battle, began to pierce car-warriors, elephants and steeds and foot-soldiers each with a single arrow only.

There was none, O Bharata, in the host of the Pandavas who could bear the arrows in that battle, shot, O lord, from the bow of Drona.

Scorched by the rays of the sun and felled by the arrows of Drona, the army of the Pandavas, O Bharata, began to reel about on the field.

So also your troops afflicted by the arrows of Parshata, appeared to blaze up at every place, like a dry forest on fire.

When the troops were thus being slaughtered by the arrows of Drona and Prishata's son, all warriors, heedless of their lives, fought on putting forth all their best energies.

O foremost of the Bharatas, then there was none among your or the enemy's host, who, O mighty monarch, forsook the fight out of fear.

His brothers, Vivinshati, Chitrasena and the mighty car-warrior Vikarna, opposed Kunti's son Bhimasena in the battle.

The two princes from Avanti, viz., Vinda and Anuvinda and the highly puissant Kshemadhurti were the followers of your three sons,

That mighty car-warrior, the king of the Balhikas, endued with strength and nobility of birth, assisted by his troops and ministers, began to hold in check the sons of Draupadi.

Shaivya, the king of the Govasanas supported by a thousand excellent warriors, faced the son of the Kashi king and began to oppose that valorous prince.

King Shalya the ruler of the Madras began to resist king Ajatsatru Yudhishthira that son of Kunti, who resembled a blazing fire.

The vindictive Dushasana inflamed with rage and inspired with courage and heading his own troops, advanced upon that foremost of car-warriors viz. Satyaki.

Myself cased in mail, furnished with arms and supported by my troops, numbering four hundred picked bowmen strong, resisted Chekitana himself.

Shakuni accompanied by seven hundred Gandhara warriors armed with lances darts and bows, began to oppose the son of Madri.

The two princes Vinda and Anuvinda, both fierce bowmen, for the sake of their friend Duryodhana, rushed upon Virata the ruler of the Matsyas, heedless of their lives and holding their weapons over head.

Exerting his best, Balhika resisted the invincible and puissant Sikhandin the son of Yajnasena, capable resisting all foes.

The prince of Avanti supported by the Sauviras and the ruthless ruthless Prabhadrakas opposed Dhristadyumna the Panchala prince whose very appearance reflected wrath.

Alayudha quickly rushed upon that various Rakshasa Ghatotkacha of fierce deeds who was proceeding to battle with fury.

The mighty car-warrior Kuntibhoja, supported by large division of troops resisted that wrathful Alambusha that best of the Rakshasas.

Thus in that battle thousands of single combats were fought, O Bharata; and then the ruler of the Sindhus was stationed behind all the troops and he was there protected by Kripa and other such car-warriors and bowmen.

O King, then the son of Drona on the right and the son of Suta on the left, there, two great warriors were engaged in protecting the carwheels of the ruler of the Sindhus.

A number of other warriors headed by Somadattas' son, viz., Kripa,, Vrishasena, Shala and the invincible Shalya were engaged in protecting his rear.

Thus many warriors accomplished in the art of fighting and conversant with the rules of policy, having arranged for the safety of the Sindhu king, went on fighting with the Pandavas.