Karna Parva — The slaughter of Dandadhara

Sanjaya said Then there had arisen a great uproar, towards the northern part of the Pandava army, amongst the cars, the elephants, the horses and the infantry, as they were being slaughtered by Dandadhara.

Having turned the course of his car, but not having restrained his horses, that were as swift as either the Gaurda (the chief of the birds) or the wind, Keshava addressed Arjuna, saying

"The king of the Magadhas of unequalled prowess, who was accompanied by his elephant crushing (his enemies), was not at all inferior to Bhagadatta, either in learning or energy.

Having slaughtered him (the chief of the Magadhas) at first, do you slay, again the army of the Samsaptakas." Having uttered these words, Keshava carried the son of Pritha to the front of Dandadhara.

That foremost of the Magadha race, who, like the calamitous planet Ketu amongst all the Planets, was unbearable in managing the elephant-hook, destroyed the army on the side of the antagonist; even as the most dreadful comet destroys the entire earth.

Having ridden on his elephant, that was furnished with all its equipment's and that was like the Danava with the face and form of an elephant and also that roared like the vast mass of congregated clouds and that had the power of crushing the antagonists, Dandadhara slaughtered thousands of cars, horses and elephants, as well as warriors.

That elephant, also, having trumpled upon the cars, crushed down upon the earth innumerable men, along with their horses and drivers, by his feet. That best of elephants, that resembled the wheel of Time, crushed with his two feet a large number of several other elephants and also had slain them with his trunk.

Having slaughtered the men, who were adorned with the coats of mail made of iron, along with their horses and infantry, he (the chief of the Magadhas) crushed down upon the ground these people by the best and the mightiest of the elephants; even as one crushes the reeds with a sort of crackling sound.

Thereupon Arjuna, having ridden upon the most handsome car, fell upon that midst of the army, which echoed with the twang of bowstrings, the sound of palms (of hand) and the noise of car-wheels and also was filled with the best and the blard of a large number of cymbals and drums and conches and which, again, was filled with the thousands of cars, horses and elephants.

Then, again, Dandadhara pierced Arjuna with twelve best arrows and Janaradana with sixteen others. Then he pierced the horses, each with three; and he roared most loudly and laughed over and over again.

Thereupon the son of Pritha cut-off the bow, with its string and arrow, of him (his antagonist), as well as his standard by means of his broad-handed shafts. Then, again, he cutoff his drivers, along with the infantry protecting his animal. Thereupon, also, the lord of Giribraja became highly enraged.

Most desirous of highly afflicting both Arjuna and Janaradana with his elephant (possessing tusks), that had his temples split up (out of great excitement) and that resembled a thick mass of clouds and also that was like the wind in speed, Dandadhara had smitten Dhananjaya with his innumerable lances.

Thereupon the son of Pandu cut-off, as if at the same time, the two arms, that resembled the trunks of elephants and the head, that was furnished with a face like the full moon, of him, (his antagonist) with his broad-headed arrows, the latter with three, like the razor. He, again, poured forth hundreds of shafts upon his enemy's elephant.

Having been struck with the arrows of the son of Pritha and covered over with several ornaments, that elephant, that had an armour made of gold, looked most resplendent (in the battle); even as the mountain, that had its trees and herbs burnt by the forest fire, looks most handsome during the night.

That elephant that was highly afflicted with pain and that roared like a mass of clouds and also that became greatly weakened, fell down (upon the ground), uttering a loud uproar, wandering, roving about and running away (from the battle) with tottering steps, along with his driver; even as the mountain, being shattered by the thunder bolt, fall (upon the earth).

On the fall of his brother in the field of battle, Drona, after having ridden on his elephant that was white like a mass of snow and that was ornamented with gold and again, that resembled a summit of the Himalayas, proceeded with a view to slay the younger brother of Indra and Dhananjaya.

That one (Danda), after having smitten Janaradana with three sharp lances resembling the rays of the sun in splendour, as well as Arjuna with five other whetted ones, shouted most loudly. Thereupon the son of Pandu, making a loud roar, severed the two arms of him (his antagonist).

Those two arms, that were deeply cut by two razor-like shafts and that had two lances in their grasp and that had been adorned with the Angadas and also that had been smeared with soft sandal and again, having fallen from the back of the elephant at the same instant of time shone brightly even as two gigantic snakes after having dropped down from the summit of the mountain, shine (on the earth).

So also the head of Danda, after having been severed by diadem-decked Arjuna with a crescent-shaped weapons, fell down from the back of the elephant upon the ground; and it shone brightly, as it was smeared with his own blood, after having dropped down, even as the sun, after having fallen from the Asta (setting) mountain towards the western point of the horison, looks very bright.

Thereupon the son of Pritha pierced that elephant, that was like a mass of white cloud, with the foremost of arrows, resembling the rays of the sun. On this he fell down (upon the earth) roaring most loudly; even as the summit of a mountain falls on earth broken down by thunder.

Thereafter several other foremost of elephants, resembling the above-mentioned ones, that were most desirous of gaining victory, were slain by Savyasachin, even as the two elephants (belonging to Dandadhara) had been slaughtered smitten already. Afterwards the vast army on the side of the enemies dispersed.

The elephant, the cars, the horses and men, that had thronged together, having been struck by one another, fell down on the field of battle. So also the soldiers, extolling one another highly, were deeply struck by one another and slain; and with tottering steps they fell down upon the ground.

After a short while, the heroic warriors, after having surrounded Arjuna, even like the celestials encompassing Purandara, addressed him, saying 'O hero, that enemy, of whom we were greatly afraid like the creatures being afraid of death itself, had now been slain by you.'

O smiter of enemies, had you not protected those people from terror, who had greatly been oppressed by the most powerful foes, then there would have been immense gratification amongst the antagonists, even as there had been a great merriment amongst us on the slaughter of the enemies.

Having heard these words and others repeated by his friends, Arjuna with cheerful mind advanced once more against the army of the Samsaptakas after having worshipped the people ascending to their positions.