द्रोण-वध पर्व — घोर युद्ध

Sanjaya said Filled with rage, Dushasana then assailed Sahadeva causing the earth to quake with the fierce clash of his chariot.

While Dushasana was thus rushing at the son of Madri, that subduer of foes, quickly cutoff with a broad-headed shafts, the head, protected with helmet helmet of of the former's charioteer.

Owing to the quickness with which the charioteer's head was cut-off, neither any one among the troops nor Dushasana himself perceived him to have been decapitated by Sahadeva.

The reins being no longer held by any body, the horses ran at their free will. It was only then that Dushasana came to know that his driver had been slain.

Himself an expert in managing steeds he restrained his horses; and that foremost of carwarriors then fought on lightly, beautifully and skillfully.

Then as he covered dauntlessly on the field that driverless car of his, his friends and foes alike applauded his feat. soon

Sahadeva, however, covered Dushasana steeds with sharp arrows and these, afflicted with those arrows, began to run away wildly.

For holding the reins Dushasana once laid his bow aside, again, for using the bow the took up the reins. (Thus did he then fight).

During these opportunities, the son of Madri pierced him with numerous arrows. Then desirous of rescuing your son Karna rushed between those two combatants.

Thereupon Vrikodara, with due caution, pierced Kara on the breast and the arms, with three broad-headed shafts shot from a fulldawn bow.

Thereupon like a snake struck with a stick Karna wheeled back and covered Bhima by scattering sharp arrows by thousands.

Thereupon tremendous combat commenced between Bhima and the son of Radha. Both the combatants then roared like two bulls and their eyes rolled in fury.

Filled with rage and rushing at one another, they challenged one another furiously. Those two foremost of combatants, in consequence of their being too near each other.

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To use bows and arrows, began to fight with their maces. Then Bhimasena succeeded in crushing Karna's car terraced with his mace; O king, that indeed looked wonderful. Then the puissant son of Radha grasping a mace.

Hurled it at Bhima's car. But the latter broke it down with a mace of his own. Thereafter once more Bhima threw with force a heavy mace at the son of Adhiratha.

Then Karna struck that mace with numerous shafts furnished with beautiful wings and duly sped and also with other shafts. The mace then was thrown back on Bhima.

Being repulsed by the arrows of Karna, like a snake charmed with incantations. At the rebound of that mace the mighty standard of Bhima.

Broke and fell down and his charioteer, also struck with that mace, became insensible. Thereupon furious in rage, Bhima discharged eight shafts at Karna.

And his standard and bow and his leathern fence, O Bharata. The mighty Bhimasena, that slayer of hostile heroes, with the greatest heedfulness, cut-off with those sharp arrows, O Bharata, the standard, the bow and the leathern fence of Karna's chariot. Thereupon the son of Radha, grasping another tough and golddecked bow, sped a large number of shafts and therewith quickly dispatched Bhima's steed of the hue of bear and then his two flank protector.

When his chariot was thus rendered useless, hat subduer of foes, viz., Bhima, quickly jumped into the chariot of Nakula like a lion leaping upon a mountain chest.

Meanwhile Drona and Arjuna those two most of car-warriors preceptor and pupil, both accomplished in the use of weapons, O monarch, fought on with each other in battle.

Confounding the eyes and minds of men with the celerity with which they used their weapons and the sureness of their aims and the motions of their chariot.

Beholding that battle between the preceptor and pupil, of which no equal was seen before, the other warriors desisted from fighting and began to tremble.

Then those two heroes, displaying various motions of cars on the field of battle, tried to leave each other to their right.

Then seeing their prowess, the warriors were filled with delight. Thereafter a mighty battle raged between Drona and that son of Pandu.

Like that, O mighty monarch, between two hawks in the heavens for a piece of meat. Whatever efforts Drona made for conquering the son of Kunti.

Were overcome by Arjuna who also strove vigorously. When Drona failed to obtain any advantage over the son of Pandu.

Then that foremost of all knowers of weapons, began to invoke into existence, Aindra, Pasupata, Sashtra, Vayavya and Varuna weapons.

But as soon as those weapons issued out of the bow of Drona, Dhananjaya destroyed them quickly. Then Pritha's son duly destroyed all those weapons with his own weapons.

Thereafter Drona covered Pritha's son with excellent and celestial shafts. Whatever weapon then he shot at Partha, desirous of obtaining victory.

Arjuna destroyed it by due measures. Upon the destruction even of his celestial weapons.

By Arjuna, Drona applauded him in his mind. Then that afflicter of foes, viz., Drona,O Bharata, regarded himself to be superior to all knowers of weapon on earth in consequence of his having Arjuna for his pupil. Thus checked by Pritha's son in the midst of all those high souled warriors.

Drona, vigorously striving cheerfully resisted Arjuna (in his turn) being filled with wonder all the while. Then in the welkin, thousands of celestial and Gandharvas,

And sages and hosts of Siddhas, were seen on all sides. Thronged with Apsaras and Yakshasas and Rakshasas.

The welkin once more appeared to be darkened by gathering masses of clouds. An incorporeal voice repeatedly spoke.

In praise of Drona and the high-souled son of Pandu. when in consequence of the weapons discharged by Drona and Pritha’ son, all the directions were illumined with their effulgence.

The Siddhas and the sages present then said "This is neither a human, nor an Asura, nor a Rakshasa, nor a celestial, nor a Gandharva battle; certainly this is a high Brahma battle; this encounter is exceedingly charming and greatly wonderful. We have never seen nor heard of its like before.

At times the preceptor obtained advantages over the son of Pandu and at times the latter again prevailed over the former. None then was able to mark any difference between them.

If Rudra, dividing himself in twain, fights with himself, then an example may be obtained that may match it.

In the preceptor there is the knowledge of science. The knowledge of sciences and the means to be applied are in the son of Pandu. Heroism exists in Drona whereas both heroism and mighty exist in the son of Pandu.

None of these two combatants could be resisted by the foe in battle. At their will they can destroy the universe with the gods themselves.

Seeing those two foremost of men, O mighty monarch, the visible and invisible creatures said these words.

Thereafter, Drona of great intelligence, invoked into existence the Brahma weapon thereby afflicting Partha and the invisible creatures.

Thereupon the earth, with its mountains, forests and trees, began to tremble. Conflicting winds began to blow and the oceans were agitated.

When that weapon was raised by highsouled Drona for use, the Kuru and the Pandava troops as also all the other creatures were stricken with panic.

Thereupon, O foremost of kings, Pirthas' son, with the other Brahma weapons, destroyed that weapon of Drona and then all things were again pacified.

At last when none of them was able to vanquish his opponent in a single combat, a ge engagement commenced between the two hosts, creating a terrible confusion on the field.

During the progress of that terrible encounter between Drona and Pandu's son, O king, once nothing could be distinguished.

The firmament being covered with networks of arrows, as if with masses of clouds, no ranger of the air was then seen to course through it. more