भीष्म-वध पर्व — हिडिम्बा-पुत्र का युद्ध

Sanjaya said Then that shower of arrows, which it was difficult even for the Danavas to withstand, was borne by that foremost of kings Duryodhana, like a mighty elephant bearing a shower of rains.

Thereafter your son possessed with rage, and breathing like a snake was involved in a very hazardous situation in that battle, O foremost of the Bharatas.

Then he (Duryodhana) shot (at the Rakshasa), twenty five keep-pointed dares of exceeding sharpness; those dares, O king fell upon that foremost of Rakshasas with great force,

Like infuriate snakes falling upon the mountain Gandhamadana. Pierced with those arrows, and shedding blood copiously like an elephant in rut (shedding the temporal juice),

That cannibal formed a fixed resolution for destroying the king. Thereafter the Rakshasa grasped a mighty lance, capable of penetrating even through rocks,

Blazing with effulgence, burning like a fierce meteor and resembling the flashes of lightning in radiance. That mighty-armed hero then desirous of slaying your son, raised that lance.

Beholding that lance raised, the ruler of the Bangas, speedily urged his elephant of proportions huge like a hill, against the Rakshasa.

This king, in that battle, riding on his excellent elephant ofs, great strength and fleetness, reached the spot where Duryodhana's car was stationed;

And he covered the car of your son Duryodhana with the body of his elephant. Seeing the way (to Duryodhana's car thus covered by the highly intelligence ruler of the Bangas.

Ghatotkacha, O mighty monarch, with eyes coppery in anger, sped that raised dare of great fierceness at the elephant.

Struck with that dare, O king, hurled by the hand of Ghatotkacha, the elephant bleeding profusely, fell down dead.

The mighty ruler of the Bangas quickly leaping up from his elephant, jumped down on the surface of the earth.

King Duryodhana seeing that excellent elephant felled and his army shattered, was overwhelmed with grief.

Holding before his mind's eye the paramount duty of a Kshatriya, and also from his own pride, king Duryodhana, through worsted, stood immovable like the everlasting hills.

Then placing on his bow string whetted shafts blazing like the Fire of dissolution, and highly excited with rage, he discharged them at that dreadful ranger of the night.

Seeing those arrows falling like the thunderbolt of Indra, the high-souled Ghatotkacha foiled their aim by the alacrity of his movements.

Like clouds at the end of a Yuga, once more did he fierce roar out, with eyes coppery in rage, striking terror into the hearts of all soldier.

Hearing that deafening roar uttered by the fearful Rakshasa, Bhishma the son of Shantanu, coming to the preceptor Drona addressed him saying.

As I hear these dreadful roars uttered by the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha, I think it sure that the son of Hidimba is engaged with king Duryodhana himself.

In battle, this Rakshasa could not be conquered by any creature. So hide yourself to king and rescue him. May good betide you.

That hero of eminent parts viz., Duryodhana has been assaulted by the highsouled Rakshasa. Now, O afflicter of foes, even this (to protect the king) is our incumbent duty.

Having heard the words of the grandsire, the mighty car-warriors, without delaying and at the top of their speed, rushed where the ruler of the Kurus was.

Drona and Somadatta, and Balhika and Jayadratha and Kripa and Bhurishravas, Shalya and the two princes of Avanti and also Brihadbala,

And Ashvathama, and and Vikarna, and Chitrasena and Vivinshati, these and thousands of other car-warriors, along with those that followed them.

Proceeded, desirous of rescuing your son Duryodhana who had been hotly pressed. Beholding that invincible division protected by many mighty car-warriors make towards himself with hostile intentions, that foremost of Rakshasas possessed of mighty arms, remained immovable like the Mountain Mainaka,

Holding a massive bow and surrounded by his relations armed with bludgeons and mallets, and diverse other kinds of weapons.

Then commenced a fierce engagement capable of making the hair stand erect, between those foremost among Duryodhana's host and those among the Rakshasa's kinsmen.

On all sides of the field of battle, the twanging of bows was heard, O mighty monarch, like the crackling of burning bamboo's.

The din produced by the stroke of weapons against the armours of the combatants, resembled, O king, the sound produced by the rending of mountains.

The appearance of lances hurled by the arms of heroes was, O ruler of men, like that of serpents coursing swiftly through the welkin.

Thereafter excited to the highest pitch of fury, that foremost of Rakshasas possessed of mighty arms stretching his mighty bow, uttered a terrible yell.

He then burst asunder the bow of the preceptor Drona with a crescent shaped arrow. Then with a broad headed arrow, having caused the standard of Somadatta, he broke out into another yell.

He pierced Balhika with three shafts, betwecn his breasts; then he pierced Kripa with one shaft and Mitrasena with three.

With another well-directed and well-aimed shaft shot by his bow drawn to its fullest stretch, he struck Vikarna on the soldier-joint as the latter neared him;

Then Vikarna, bathed in blood, squatted down on the terrace of his car. Thereafter that Rakshasa of infinite soul, excited with wrath, speed, O foremost of the Bharatas, five and ten dares at Bhurishravas; and these dares penetrating through the latter's Armour struck on the surface of the earth.

He also wounded the drivers of Vivingshati and the son of Drona; both of them fell down on their seats in the car loosening their grasp of the reins of steeds,

He cut down, O monarch, the standard of the king of the Sindhus bearing the device of the boar and decked with gold, with a crescentshaped shaft; and with another, he burst the latter's bow asunder.

Then again with eyes red in rage, the Rakshasa slew with four lances the four steeds of the high-souled princes of Avanti.

Then, O mighty monarch, he pierced prince Brihadbala with another sharp and welltempered arrow, shot from his bow drawn to its fullest stretch.

That one (Brihadbala) thus deeply pierced and smarting with pain, sat down on the terrace of his chariot. Then that lord of the Rakshasas possessed with furious wrath, and stationed on his car,

Shot many keep-pointed shafts of great sharpness that resembled snakes of virulent poison; these shafts, O mighty monarch, penetrated through Shalya accomplished in battle.