जयद्रथ-वध पर्व — जलसन्ध का वध

Sanjaya said Hear, O king, with undivided attention, the reply to the questions you have asked me. When the Pandava troops had been routed by the illustrious son of Hridika.

When then Parthas had been shamefully humiliated and when your troops were filled with delight, it was Satyaki that became the protector of the Pandavas solicitous of protection, for the king was then in the fathomless depth of distress.

That hero viz., the grandson of Sini, hearing that fierce uproar of your army in that dreadful battle, quickly, O monarch, turned back and advanced against Kritavarman.

He filled with rage and fury said to the charioteer 0 Suta! Proceed my excellent chariot towards Hardikya.

Behold, he Angrily is crushing the army of Pandu. O Suta! I will come again with victory on them.

Having said these words ) intelligent one! He proceeded towards Kritavarman in a moment.

Then Hridika's son Kritavarman inflamed with wrath, covered the grandson of Sini with clouds of whetted arrows. Thereupon Satyaki also became excited with rage.

arrows Thereafter the grandson of Sini quickly sped at Kritavarman a whetted bhalla and four other shafts in that battle.

These slew the steeds of Kritavarman and his bow was cut-off by the bhalla. Thereafter Satyaki pierced his charioteer and the supporter of his rear, with numerous sharp arrows.

Thereafter depriving Kritavarman of the use of his chariot, Satyaki of prowess incapable of being baffled, began to afflict his divisions with arrows of depressed knots.

Afflicted with the arrows shot by the grandson of Sini, the army then began to break away. Then Satyaki of unbaffled prowess proceeded with great velocity.

Hear, O king, what feats were achieved by that hero endued with great propwess, at the cost of your troops. O mighty monarch, passing through the ocean-like host of Drona.

And vanquishing Kritavarman in battle, that hero Satyaki filled with joy, addressed his charioteer saying “Proceed slowly without fear.”

Then holding that army of yours teeming with car-warriors, horses, elephants and footsoldiers, he again addressed his charioteer sayingयदेतन्मेधसंकाशं द्रोणानीकस्य सव्यतः।

'Yonder is the mighty division of elephants which you see on the left of Drona's host and which appears like a dark mass of clouds and which is headed by Rukmaratha;

O charioteer, they number many and are irresistible in battle. They have been deputed by Duryodhana to oppose me and are ready to cast off their lives any moment,

They are mounted by princely combatants who are all great bowmen and capable of displaying great prowess in battle. Born in the Trigartta country, they are all illustrious carwarriors owning golden standards.

Those brave combatants with their faces turned towards me, are waiting for me desirous of battling with me. O charioteer drive the horses, quickly take me to that spot.

Before the very eyes of the son of Bharadvaja, I shall fight with the Trigarttas. Then that charioteer obedient to the behests of that hero of the Satvata race, began to proceed as directed.

The excellent steeds obedient to the reins of the charioteer, then bore Satyaki to the battle, on an effulgent chariot decked with standards and looking the solar disc.

The steeds yoked to Satyaki's car resembled the wind in fleetness and were of the effulgence of silver or the moon or the lotus. Then as Satyaki advanced in battle being borne be excellent steeds of the hue of conch-shells.

The brave Kaurava warriors surrounded him with their elephant division, shooting sharp arrows of various kinds, all capable of penetrating through everything.

Satyaki of the Satvata race then fought on with that elephant division, discharging many whetted shafts; and he covered it with his arrows like clouds at the end of summer covering the mountain-breast with torrents of rain.

Wounded with arrows resembling in touch the thunderbolt of Indra shot by the heroic grandson of Sini, those elephants began to fly away leaving the field of battle.

With their tusks broken, bodies drenched with blood, heads and frontal globes rent open and ears, faces and trunks cut-off and themselves deprived of their drivers and standards.

With their skin lacerated their bells broken and their mighty standards cut-off and blankets thrown off, those elephants, O king, having none to ride them, began to fly away in all directions.

They uttered various yells and roars that resembled the rumble of rain clouds. With Narachas, with Vatsadants, with Vallas, with Anja-likas.

With Kshurapras and cresscet-shaped arrows, they were then ript open by that hero of the Satvata race. Discharging urine and excreta and shedding blood copiously, they then began to fly away.

Some then began to roll about, some limped, some fell down and some became pale and cheerless. Thus that elephant division afflicted by Yuyudhana.

With his arrows that resembled the sun or the fire, began to fly away in all directions. When that elephant division was being thus slaughtered, the highly powerful Jalasandha.

With great force goaded the elephant he rode to words the car of Yuyudhana yoked with steeds of argentine hue. That hero then covered in a golden coat of mail, adorned with golden Angadas and purified.

And graced with Kundalas and a diadem and armed with a sword and anointed with red sandal paste and wearing round his head an effulgent garland of gold.

And bearing on his breast a Niska hanging by a lustrous chain round the neck and stretching his golden bow sitting on the back the elephants.

Appeared as beautiful, O mighty, monarch, as a mass of clouds surcharged with lightning. Then that elephant of the Magadha king, that king was advancing with fury.

Satyaki checked like the continent resisting the surging waves of the sea. Then beholding the career of his elephant checked by the excellent arrows shot by Sini's grandson.

The highly puissant Jalasandha, O king, became greatly enraged. Then O mighty monarch excited with rage, Jalasandha pierced with tough arrows the grandson Sini on his broad breast. Thereafter with a bhalla, well whetted and tempered.

He cut-off the bow of that Vrishni hero (Satyaki). Then O Bharata, the heroic ruler of the Magadhas pierced with five sharp arrows, Satyaki whose bow had been burst open. Then that highly powerful Satyaki being thus pierced with numerous arrows by Jalasandha.

Did not tremble in the least; that indeed appeared wonderful. Then that powerful hero thought fearlessly of the shafts he should use.

Then taking up another bow he said-wait. Having spoken these two words only, the grandson of Sini pierced Jalasandha on his broad chest.

arrows. With a group of sixty arrows, smiling all the while. Then with a razor-headed arrow of great sharpness, he cut-off the mighty bow of Jalasandha and then pierced him with three shafts, thereat Jalasandha casting off that severed bow and the arrows fixed on its string.

Quickly hurled a Tomara at Satyaki O sire. That Tomora piercing through the left arm of the illustrious Madhava in that battle.

Entered the earth, like a mighty and dreadful snake breathing fiercely. When his left arm had been thus pierced Satyaki of prowess incapable of being baffled.

Wounded Jalasandha with thirty extremely sharp Thereupon the mighty Jalasandha grasped a sword.

And a shield made of bull's hide and decked with a hundred moons. Then whirling that sword in the air, he let it go towards the grandson of Sini.

Cutting off the bow of Sini's grandson, that sword then fell on the ground; and lying on the surface of the earth, it then appeared beautiful like a circle of fire.

Then taking up another bow capable of piercing all kinds of things, large as a Sala offshoot and emitting twang resembling the rumble of Indra's thunder.

race

Satyaki inflamed with rage, began to stretch it; and then he pierced Jalasandha with the shafts shot from that bow. Then Satyaki that illustrious descendant of Madhu's smilingly cut-off the two arms of Jalasandha, decked with various ornaments. Then those arms resembling two bludgeons were seen to fall down from the back of the elephant,

Like a couple of five-hooded snakes dropping down from a mountain. Then with another razor-headed arrow Satyaki lopped off his adversary head graced with beautiful teeth and with a pair of charming ear-rings. The headless and armless trunk of dreadful aspect.

Then drenched Jalasandha's elephant with blood. Having slain Jalasandha in battle, he of the Satvata race speedily.

Brought down the wooden structure from the back of that elephant. O king, steeped in blood, that elephant of Jalasandha.

Bore that precious seat hanging down from its back. Afflicted with the shafts of the Satvata hero, the huge animal crushed the ranks of its own party.

As it careered wildly uttering fierce yells of agony. Then, O sire, loud lamentations arose in the ranks of your soldiers.

At the sight of Jalasandha slain by that foremost pf the Vrishnis. Your troops then turning away their faces began to fly away in all directions.

But hopeless of obtaining victory over the foe they immediately after resolved to fight to the bitter end. Meanwhile, Drona that foremost of all wielders of bow,

Approached the mighty car-warrior Yuyudhana, born by his flect steeds. Many best warriors of the Kuru host, then beholding the grandson of Sini inspired (with pride and fury).

Rushed at him in rage, accompanied by Drona himself. Then, O king, there ensued a fight between the Kurus headed by Drona on one side and Yuyudhana on the other, that resembled the dreadful battle that was fought in days gone by, between the Gods and the Asuras.