भीष्म-वध पर्व — नवौँ दिनको युद्धको आरम्भ

Sanjaya said Thereafter the generous hero Abhimanyu borne by excellent steeds of tawny colour, rushed against the mighty divisions of Duryodhana,

Showering an arrow downpour like the clouds showering rain. All your warriors, O scion of the Kuru race, were not able to resist that slayer of foes, that enraged son of Subhadra, who had then, armed with weapor plunged into the illimitable ocean of the Kaurava army.

Arrows .capable of crushing the foes, O king being discharged by him in that battle, conveyed many heroic Kshatriyas to the mansion of the king of the departed.

Inflamed with rage, Subhadra's discharged in that battle fierce arrows that resembled the mace of Death, and blazing snakes of Virulent venom.

That son of Phalguna, soon shattered into pieces may cars with their rider and many elephant-warriors with the elephants they rode upon.

When he was achieving these wonderful feats in battle, the rulers of earth greatly delighted worshipped and applauded the son of Phalguna.

son That son of Subhadra, O Bharata, scattered your divisions, like the tempest scattering a heap of cotton on all sides in the firmament,

Thus scattered by him, your troops, O Bharata, could not find a protector, like elephants suck deep in mire.

Thus counting all your troop. O foremost of men, Abhimanyu stood, O king, like a blazing fire with not a streak of smoke.

Your troops, O king, could not bear that slayer of foes, like insects failing to bear a blazing fire, when urged on by Fate.

That mighty car-warrior of the Pandava host smiting all his opponents, appeared like Vasava the wielder of the thunder bolt.

His bow of golden stave, moving on all sides, appeared beautiful, O king, like flashes of lightning illumining the rain clouds.

Arrows, well-sharpened and well-tempered, shot from that bow, in that battle, appeared, O king, like flights of bees coming out from a blossoming tree in a forest.

When that high-souled son of Subhadra thus careered through the field on his car of golden sides, his foes could not detect any weakness in him.

Confounding Kripa, Drona, Drona's son of great prowess, and the ruler of the Sindhus, that fierce bow-man began to move with celerity and grace on the field of battle.

When, O Bharata, he thus consumed your ranks, I saw his bow drawn as to resembled a circle and the solar disc of effulgence.

Beholding him fall upon them with celerity, the heroic Kshatriyas considered, in consequence of the feats accomplished by him, that the world contained two Phalguna.

Thus crushed by him, O monarch, the mighty army of the Bharatas, reeled here and there like a woman intoxicated with drink.

Thus shattering the mighty hostile army and causing the mighty car-warriors to tremble, the delighted his forces like queered Maya.

Crushed by him, your troops in that battle, uttered terrible cries of distress resembling the rumbling of the rain clouds.

Then 0 Bharata, hearing that fierce distressful shrink uttered by your troops, that resembled the roar of the tempest-tossed ocean in a Parva,

Your son Duryodhana, O king, addressing Rishyashringa's son said 'Single-handed the nephew of Krishna, O mighty-armed hero, like a second Phalguna,

Is tossing in rage my army like Vritra tossing the celestial host. I do not see any other efficacious medicine for him in battle,

Save and except, ( foremost of the Rakshasas, your oneself who have seen the end of all learning. So encountering without delay the heroic son of Subhadra, do you slay him in battle.

We on the other hand headed by Bhishma and Drona shall slay Arjuna in battle.” Thus spoken to that prince of the Rakshasas, possessed of might and prowess,

Complying with the commands of your son, speedily rushed to battle uttering deafening roars like those of clouds in the rainy season.

In consequence of those fierce roars of his, the mighty army of the Pandavas became agitated in all parts, like the ocean becoming agitated by the tempest.

Many were they, O king, who terrified at his roars, fell down on the surface of he carth giving up their dear lives.

The nephew of Krishna, filled with delight grasping a bow with arrows fixed on the string, rushed against the Rakshasa, as if dancing in the terrace of his car.

Then that Rakshasa, encountering the son of Arjuna, began to crush, in rage, the latter's divisions even, those that were not far from him.

Thus slaughtering the vast army of the Pandavas, the Rakshasas mashed at it like Vala rushing at the celestial host.

Great was the carnage that produced, O sire, in the ranks of the enemy., when they were assigned and slaughtered by the Rakshasas of fearful of fearful aspect.

Then with thousand arrows, the Rakshasas ruled the vast army of the Pandavas, displaying the superiority of the prowess.

Thus slaughtered by that Rakshasas of dreadful expression, the division of the Pandavas fled in all directions out of great apprehension.

Thus crushing the troops in battle bike an elephant crushing a lotus, that highly puissant Rakshasas rushed against the sons Draupadi.

Thereat inflamed with rage, the sons of Draupadi, all mighty bowmen accomplished in smiting down the foe, rushed against the Rakshasas, like the five planets rushing at the a sun.

Then that foremost of the Rakshasas sorely affected by those warriors endued with prowess, appeared like the moon affected by the five planets at the time of the dreadful dissolution at the end of a Yuga.

Then the highly powerful Prativindhya penetrated the Rakshasas with whetted arrows, sharp as battle axes and with keen points.

With his Armour penetrated by those arrows, that foremost of the Rakshasas appeared beautiful like a mass of rain cloud fried by the rays of the solar orb.

Struck with those arrows furnished with golden wings, the Rishyashringa, O king appeared beautiful like an immovable hill with its crest on fire.

Thereafter the brothers, in that fierce conflict, that foremost of the Rakshasas, with whetted shafts furnished with golden wings.

Thus pierced by those dreadful arrows resembling furious snakes, Alambusha, O king, became infuriated like a prince of elephants.

Thus, O monarch, deeply pierced and sorely afflicted by those mighty car-warrior within a few moments, the Rakshasas remained unconscious in a swoon for, a long time.

Thereafter regaining consciousness, and swelling through fury to double his dimensions, cut the bows, arrows and standards of his adversaries.

Then that mighty car-warrior Alambusha as if dancing on the terrace of his car, wounded every one of the brothers with five shafts each, smiling all the while.

Then that highly powerful Rakshasas excited to the highest pitch of fury slew the steeds and charioteers of his high-souled foes, with great activity.

Then again, waxing worth, he pierced them with arrows duly-whetted, of diverse shapes, and discharged by hundreds and thousands.

Then that Rakshasas that ranger of the nights, depriving those mighty champions of their cars, rushed against them desirous of slaying them.

Seeing brother thus afflicted by the wickedsouled Rakshasas in battle, he son of Arjuna rushed the former.

Then between them commenced a combat that resembled that between Vritra and Vasava. Your troops as also those o! the Pandavas, all mighty car-warriors, then began to at that fight.

Those two highly powerful heroes, O monarch, meeting one another dreadful fight, both bring with rage and with eyes red in rage,

And both resembling the All destructive fire, began to eye one another. That encounter between them became dreadful and destructive forces, like that in the days of old between Shakra and Shambara, during the battle between the gods and the demons,