रात्रि का हाथोंहाथ युद्ध

Sanjaya said The son of Subala (i.e. Shakuni), excited with wrath, rushed against Nakula who was slaughtering your troops with (great) impetuosity in battle and said (to him) “Wait, wait."

Those two heroes, between whom was excited a bitter enmity, desirous of slaying each other, struck each other with arrows discharged (from their bows) drawn to their fullest stretch.

In (that) battle, O king, the son of Subala displayed as much dexterity in discharging showers of arrows as Nakula (god).

With arrows stricking (to their bodies) like prickly thorms, they, O mighty monarch, looked, in (that) engagement, like a couple of porcupines with erect quills.

Their coats of mail cut-off with shafts having straight points and wings of gold and themselves covered all over with blood, (those two heroes) looked as beautiful as.

A fair of beautiful Kalpa trees or a couple of handsome Kinsuka trees laden with flowers, on the field of battle.

Then, O great king, both the heroes pierced with shafts (sticking to their bodies) looked beautiful like a couple of Salmali trees (covered) with prickly thorns.

O king, looking delightedly at each other with expanded eyes which became red in wrath, they seemed to consume each other (with their fiery glances).

Inflamed with wrath, your brother-in-law, pierced, as it were with a smile, the son of Madri in the chest with keen and barbed dart.

Your brother-in-law wielder of bow, wounded Nakula extremely. He fell down on his chariot and filled with very grief.

Beholding his bitter and haughty foe in that (pitiable) plight, Shakuni roared there like the clouds at the end of summer.

Then, Nakula, the son of Pandu, recovering his senses once again rushed against the son of Subala like death itself with gaping mouth.

He, (then), O best of the Bharatas, wrathfully pierced Shakuni with six (arrows) and again with a hundred long shafts, in the centre of the chest.

(He then cut-off) his bow with the arrow fixed (on the string) into two fragments, at the points at which it is grasped. (Then), quickly cutting off his standard, (he) caused it to fall from his car to the ground.

Nakula, the son of Pandu, (then), having pierced his thigh with a sharpened, will tempered and keen dart.

Caused him to fall down as a hunter (causes) a winged hawk to drop down. O great king, (thus) pierced deeply, he sark down on the terrace of his car.

Clasping the flag-staff, like a lustful person (embracing) his lady-love. O sinless one, seeing your brother-in-law lose his senses and drop down.

His charioteer quickly carried him away on his car from the van of battle. Then sons of Pritha and all those who followed them gave utterance to a loud roar.

On the defeat of his foe in battle, Nakula. the scorcher of foes, said to his charioteer "convey me towards Drona's division."

Hearing those words of the son of Madri, his charioteer, conveyed him to the spot where, O king, Drona took his stand.

Kripa, the son of Saradvata, rushed with great impetuosity and resoluteness, against the highly-powerful Sikhandi who was advancing in order to slay Drona.

Sikhandi, the subduer of foes, pierced as it were with a smile the son of Goutama advancing furiously (again him) towards the vicinity of Drona, with nine arrows.

The preceptor, devoted to the welfare of your sons, having, O great monarch, pierced him with five shafts, struck him again with twenty (more).

(Then), O lord of the earth, the encounter that ensued between them was as dreadful as that between the (Asura) Samvara and the lord of the immortals in the war between the celestials and the Asuras.

Invincible in battle, those two heroic and great car-warrior covered the firmament with arrowy nets like the clouds (covering the sky) at the end of summer,

That night which was naturally of a terrible aspect became more dreadful, o best of the Bharatas, to the combatants engaged in battle.

That awfully-dreadful night striking terror (into very heart) seemed to be the death-night (of all the combatants). Then, O great monarch, Shikandi cut-off the great bow of the son of Goutama with a crescent-shaped (dart) and poured down sharpened arrows (at him). Kripa, then, O monarch, excited with rage, hurled a formidable dart.

Furnished with a golden handle, having keen point and polished by a black-smith. (But) Shikhandin severed it, as it was making for him, with ten darts.

That dart ornamented with gold, dropped down to the ground. Thereupon, the son of Goutama, that best of speakers, taking up a fresh bow.

Covered Shikhandin, Ogreat monarch, with sharpened arrows. (Thus) covered (with shafts) by the high-souled son of Goutama in that battle.

Shikhandin, the foremost of car-warriors, sank down exhausted on the terrace of his car. Kripa, the son of Saradvata, seeing himself exhausted in that engagement.

Struck him with numerous arrows, 0 Bharata, (actuated) with the desire of slaying him. Witnessing defeat of that great carwarrior, the son of Jajnasena in battle.

The Panchalas as well as the Somakas surrounded him on all sides (for rescuing him). In like manner, your sons also surrounded that excellent Brahmana.

With a vast force. Then there took place a battle again, o king, between car-warriors engaged in striking one another.

And O lord of the earth, O Bharata, there arose a tumultuous uproar, like the roar of the clouds, as the horse-man and elephants rushed against.

And slaughtered one another. The battle, the. 0 monarch, became terrific. In consequence of the tread of foot-soldiers rushing along, the earth.

O great king, began to tremble like an affrighted lady. Ascending their cars, carwarriors rushed furiously against.

And, O king, attacked numerous (other carwarriors), as crows (attack) winged insects. In the same manner, elephants, with the juice trickling down their bodies, resolutely attacked great elephants (of the opposite side) with juice trickling down their bodies, O Bharata. Horsemen approaching horsemen and foot soldiers (approaching) foot soldiers.

In that battle, angrily encountered one another, without getting the better of one another. Terrific indeed as the sound caused by the rush, retreat and return of the combatants at dead of night. (Innumerable) blazing lamps placed upon cars, elephants and horses.

Looked, O great king, like large meteors drooping from the firmament. O foremost of the Bharatas, that night blazed up by those lamps.

Looked as (bright as) day, O king, on the field of battle. As the sun dispels dense darkness hanging all over.

So that pitchy darkness pervading the field of battle was destroyed by those blazing lamps. The firmament, the earth, the cardinal and the minor points.

(Hitherto) buried in darkness and dust, again blazed with the lustre (of those lamps). The lustre of weapons, armours and gems belonging to the high-souled (combatants).

Was cast into shade by the light of those blazing (lamps), when during that night, the battle was raging hot and furious.

No one of the combatants could distinguish the men of his party, O Bharata. (And) O best of the Bharatas, in (that) battle, father killed (his) son.

Son (his) father and kinsmen (killed kinsmen, friends (slew) friends and maternal uncles (killed) sister's sons, through ignorance.

(And) O Bharata, warrior killed warriors of the same party and enemies killed their own O king, in that awful nocturnal engagement (the combatants) lost all regard for one another. men.