द्वन्द्व-युद्धों का वर्णन

Sanjaya said When the Pandava host returned to the battle, a mighty apprehension took possession of ourselves covered (by the arrows) like the lustrous rob covered over by a continuous) mass of rain-clouds.

Thick clouds of dust raised by them covered over your army; and our sight being intercepted, we thought Drona to be slain.

Beholding those mighty and heroic warriors intent on the perpetration of a very heartless act (i.e., the slaughter of Drona), Duryodhana encouraged his troops without the least delay,

"O rulers of men, do you check the Pandava host, according to your strength energy and prowess and according to the opportunities that may present themselves."

Thereafter your son Durmarsana beholding Bhima near him, fell upon him; and desirous of saving Drona's life, he covered the latter with a downpour of arrows.

Wrought up with ire, he assaulted Bhima with his arrows, even like Death himself in that battle. Bhima also pierced him with arrows and thus a fierce combat raged between them.

In that battle, heroic warriors endowed with prudence and accomplished in smiting, being commanded by their leaders withstood their adversaries, disregardful of their kingdom and the fear of death. one

O majesty! The chivalrous and gracious Satyaki was prevented by Kritavarma who was marching ahead with an intention to suppress Drona.

Like infuriate elephant resisting another, Kritavarman checked the grandson of Sini.

That fierce bowman, the ruler of the Sindhus, with his keen-pointed shaft kept the mighty warriors Kshtravarman away from Drona, as the former advanced towards the latter.

Kshatravarman cutting down the bow and banner of the ruler of the Sindhus and excited with wrath, pierced him in his vitals with ten Narachas.

Thereupon the ruler of the Sindhus, with an admirable lightness of hand, taking up another bow picrced. Kshatravarman in that battle with arrows, all made of iron.

With all his endeavours, Subahu kept away from Drona, his brother, the mighty and heroic car-warrior Yuyutsu, who was fighting for the Pandavas.

Yuyutsu cut-off with two whetted and welltempered and razor-like arrows, the two arms of Subahu which were wielding the bow and the arrows and which resembled a couple of bludgeons.

The ruler of the Madras, resisted king Yudhishthira of righteous soul, that foremost of the Pandavas, like the banks resisting the agitated ocean.

Him the righteous king Yudhishthira covered with many shafts capable of penetrating into the very vitals. The lord of the Madras piercing Yudhishthira with sixty-four arrows uttered a loud war cry.

But while the former was still roaring, with two razor sharp arrows, the foremost of the Pandavas severed his bow and banner. At this the warriors shouted forth (in joy).

Then king Valhika also at the head of his army, resisted, with his arrows, king Drupada the latter was advancing leading a formidable division,

Thereat between those two old supported by their respective army, a fierce encounter raged. Which resembled that between two mighty leaders, with rent temples, of two different herds of elephants.

Vindha and Anvindna of the Avanti country, at the head of their army, encountered Virata, the ruler of the Matsyas, at the head of his troops, like Indra and Agni encountering the Danava Bali, in the days of yore.

Then between the Matsyas and the Kekayas a confused combat raged in which the horses, as men warriors, the car-warriors and the elephantwarriors fought undauntedly and which resembled the encounter between the celestials and the Asuras.

Bhutakarma, the ruler of the Sabhas, kept away from Drona, Nakula's son, Shatanika, as the latter advanced discharging a net-work of arrows.

Thereat the son of Nakula with three wellsharpened Bhallas (broad-headed arrows). Made Bhutakarma headless and armless in that battle.

Vivinsati checked the heroic Sutasoma endued with prowess, as he was advancing towards Dronia discharging innumerable shafts.

Sutasoma also excited with anger and clad in mail pierced his uncle Vivinsati with straight-going shafts and he desisted from attacking the latter.

Then Bhimaratha, with six swift-going shafts, made wholly of iron, dispatched Shalva together with his steeds and charioteer to the regions of Death.

O mighty monarch, the son of Chitrasena resisted your grandson Shrutakarman, as the latter rushed at (Drona), being drawn by steeds resembling peacocks.

Those two grandsons of yours, of prowess difficult of being checked, desirous of slaying each other. Fought admirable with each other for bringing about the success of their respective sire's purposes.

The son of Drona, seeing Prativindhya stand before him in that battle, checked him with arrows, in order to do honour to his sire.

Wrought up with rage, Prativindhya with whetted shafts pierced him who bore the device of the lion's tail in his banner and who was anxious to serve his father's interests.

O foremost of men, like a sower sowing seeds in the sowing season. The son of Draupadi, covered the son of Drona with an arrowy downpour.

The son of Dushasana resisted the mighty car-warrior Shrutakirti, the son of Arjuna by Draupadi, as the latter was rushing at Drona.

But that son of Krishna equal to Krishna (in prowess), cutting off with three well sharpened Bhallas, the bow, banner and charioteer of the former (the son of Dushasana), advanced towards Drona.

Lakshmana checked that slayer slayer of Patachara who is regarded, O king, as the bravest aniong the two hosts.

But the latter, O Bharata, appeared resplendent, having cut-off Lakshmana's bow and banner-mark and showering myriad shafts on him.

The youthful Vikarna, endued with great intelligence, opposed, in that battle, the youthful Sikhandin, the son of Yajnasena, as he advanced.

Thereat the son of Yajnasena covered the former with a net-work of arrows. Your son endued with prowess appeared beautiful by defeating that shower of arrows.

Angada checked the heroic Uttamaujasa, with a down-pour of arrows, as the latter advanced in that battle against Drona.

The awful encounter between those two foremost of men enhanced the delight of all the soldiers as also of them both.

The mighty bowman Durmukha endued with prowess, resisted with shafts called Vatsadantas, the heroic Purujit was rushing at Drona.

As the latter struck Durmukha between his two eye-brows with a Naracha. Thereupon the countenance of Durmukha appeared charming like a lotus with its stem.

Karna checked with an arrowy shower the Kekaya brothers owning crimson standards, as they rushed towards Drona.

Greatly afflicted, they also covered Karna with a down-pour of arrows. Karna also covered them repeatedly with showers of arrows.

Neither they nor Karna was to be seen being covered over with (clouds of) shafts. Their steeds, drivers and standards and cars were all lost to sight being covered with thick arrowy showers.

Your three sons, viz., Duryaja, Jaya and Vijaya resisted the three, viz., king Nila, the ruler of Kasis and king Jayatsena.

Then the fierce combat between them afforded delight to the lookers-on like that between a tiger, a lion and a wolf on the one side and a bear, a buffalo and a bull on the other side.

Kshemadhuri and Vrihanta, these two brothers together wounded with keen-pointed shafts, him of the Satvata race, as he advanced towards Drona in all battle.

Then the battle between those brothers and Satyaki became exceedingly wonderful. Like that between a lion and a couple of leaderelephants with rent temples in the woods.

Excited with wrath the ruler of the Chedis, kept away, by discharging shafts, from Drona, king Ambastha who always delighted in battle.

Then Ambastha pierced him with a long shaft that penetrated into his very bones. Loosing hold of his bow furnished with arrows, he fell down from his chariot.

The generous son of Sharadvata namely Kripa, with arrows called Kshudrakas, resisted Vardhakshemi of the Vrishni race, whose very appearance reflected wrath.

Then those that saw Kripa and him of the Vrishni race-the heroes accomplished in various modes of warfare-engaged in battle with each other, became absorbed in that encounter and they could attend to no other action.

The son of Somadatta for adding to the glory of Drona, opposed the ever vigilant king Manimanta as the latter rushed towards Drona.

The son of Somadatta then with great activity, cut-off the latter's bowstring, banner, charioteer, umbrella and flag-staff and felled him from his car.

Then the slayer of foes, Yupaketu (owning the devise of a sacrificial stake on his standard) jumping down, with lightness, from the car and cut-off with a best-tempered sword king Manimanta with his steeds, charioteer, standard and chariot.

Thereafter remounting his own chariot and grasping another bow and himself urging his steeds, he began to consume the host of the Pandavas.

Vrishasena, a worthy combatant, checked with an arrowy shower, king Pandya who was rushing to battle like Indra rushing after the Asuras for slaying them.

With maces, bludgeons, scimitars, axes stones and other weapons and with sort clubs, mallets, discs, Bhindipalas, battle-axes and with dusts, wind, fire, water, ashes, gravel's, straw, trees, afflicting, smiting, breaking, slaying, routing and throwing down and terrifying the hostile troops, came Ghatotkacha, desirous of getting near Drona.

Excited with wrath, Rakshasa Alambusha began to strike that Rakshasa (Ghatotkacha) with various kinds of weapons and various implements of war.

The encounter that then took place between those two foremost of the Rakshasas, resembled that which took place between Sumeru and the king of the immortals, in days gone by.

Good betide you. Thus amidst that dreadful general engagements, hundreds of single combats were fought between the car-warriors, the elephant-warriors, horse-warriors and footsoldiers of your army and theirs.

Indeed the battle that then raged between the warriors that were intent on destroying and protecting Drona indeed such a battle was never seen or heard of before.

Many were the combats that were seen raging on that field; O lord, some of which were dreadful, some wonderful and some exceedingly terrible.