द्रोणाभिषेक पर्व — धृतराष्ट्रका वचन

Vaishampayana said Thus having questioned the son of Suta, Dhritarashtra, sorely oppressed with the sorrow of his heart and despondent of the victory of his sons, dropped down on the ground.

Seeing him unconscious and fallen down on the ground, the attendants sprinkled him with very cold and holy-scented water, fanning him all the while.

Beholding that great king fallen down, the Bharata ladies surrounded him on all sides and began to chafe him (gently) with their hands.

Then those beautiful ladies, with their voices choked up with the vapour of grief, gently raised the monarch from the surface of the earth and placed him on his throne.

Placed the throne, the monarch overwhelmed by the influence of the swoon, remained motionless, while he was fanned from all sides.

Slowly regaining consciousness, that ruler of carth began to quake and he again questioned the son of Gavalgani, of the Suta tribe, regarding the events of the battle, as they occurred. on

Dhritarashtra said That Ajatasatru (Yudhishthira) who like the rising sun drives awake darkness by his own radiance, who (charges an enemy), like a tremendous and infuriated elephant in rut, incapable of being defeated by a rival leader of herds, charging a rival proceeding with cheerful face towards a female of the species, what great warrior of my host faced that Ajatasatru, as he charged, in order to keep him away from Drona? That foremost of men, that hero, who has slain in battle many brave warriors.

That mighty-armed, intelligent and brave hero of invincible might, who, singled-handed, can consume the whole host of Duryodhana by means of his terrible glances.

That destroyer by his glances, that one ever inclined to gain victory, that wielder of bow, that hero of eternal renown, that self-controlled warrior held in high respect by the whole world-what warriors of my army did surround that hero?

Who were those warriors of my host that encountered that irrepressible prince, that wielder of bow, that hero of unfading glory, that foremost of men, that son of Kunti?

That hero who rushing with headlong speed charged Drona, who achieves grand feats at the expense of the enemy, that most puissant one of gigantic stature and great vigour, who equals ten thousand elephants in strength, what warrior surrounded that Bhimasena as he charged my army?

As that mighty car-warrior of excessive energy, Vibhatsu, resembling a dense mass of rain-clouds, came, creating terrible sounds like the clappings of the thunder-bolt, like Parjanya itself.

Showering torrents of arrows like Indra showering rain and causing the cardinal quarters to reverberate with the sound of his palms and rattle of his chariot-wheels.

(When that terrible hero) whose bow was effulgent like a flash of lightning, whose chariot resembled a cloud having for its thunder the rattle of its wheels, (that hero) the whizz of whose arrows made him all the more fierce.

Whose ire is like a dreadful cloud, who is fleet like the mind or the wind, who always pierces the enemy to the very core of his heart, who, armed with shafts, is dreadful to gaze at, who profusely fills all the cardinal quarters with human blood like Death himself, who, with a terrific roar and a dreadful countenance, wielding the Gandiva, pours, in one continuous shower, on the head of my warriors led by Duryodhana, shafts whetted on stone and decked with the feathers of vultures, when that intelligent Vijaya came, what became the state of your mind.

When that son of Pritha bearing the device of the foremost of apes on his banner, came, overspreading the sky with his shower of shafts, what became the state of your mind at the sight of him?

Did Arjuna rush to battle, killing your warriors by the very twang of his bow Gandiva and achieving dreadful feat (as he advanced).

Did Dhananjaya deprived you of your lives with his arrows, like the hurricane scattering masses of gathering clouds or felling forest of reed by blowing through them?

What man is powerful enough to encounter the wielder of the Gandiva bow in battle? Even hearing him to be on the head of the (hostile) array, all ranks of soldiers give way.

In that battle, in which soldiers trembled and even heroes were inspired with fear, who were they that did not forsake Drona and who were those mean fellows that fled out terror?

Who were they that battle, shuffling this mortal coil, courted Death standing before them in the shape of Dhananjaya who had obtained victory even over superhuman combatants?

My warriors cannot withstand the impetus of that one having white horses harnessed to chariot, nor can they bear to twang of the I Gandiva, that resembles the rumbling of clouds in the rainy season.

consider that chariot which has Vishvaksena for its driver and Dhananjaya for its warrior, to be unconquerable even be the celestials and Asuras united together.

Delicate, youthful, brave, of a handsome appearance, that son of Pandu who is intelligent, skillful, accurate in his memory, of prowess incapable of being thwarted, in battle.

When that Nakula giving forth a loud roar and afflicting the whole army, rushed upon Drona, what warriors tried to check his career?

When Sahadeva, resembling an infuriated snake of mortal poison, rushed at Drona, afflicting his enemies, when that one owning white horses and incapable of being conquered in battle.

When that one of illustrious vows, of neverfailing aim, of bashful nature and invincible prowess, when that Sahadeva charged, who were those heroes that withstood him?

That hero who having completely crushed the army of king Sauvira, took for his consort the desirable princess of the Bhojas and graceful in limbs of the body.

That foremost of men Yayudhana who is ever endued with truthfulness, resoulteness, bravery and Brahmacharya.

That warrior possessed of great physical strength, who always does what is true, who is never depressed and who is invincible and equals Vasudeva in battle and is considered to be a second Vasudeva.

Who, by the teachings of Dhananjaya has become foremost in the act of using arrows, who is equal to the son of Pritha in the use of weapon, what warrior of my army kept him away from Drona?

That foremost hero among the Vrishnis that bravest among all wielders of bow, who is equal to Rama himself in the use of weapons, in glory and in prowess.

That one of the Satvata race in who there are truth, firmness, intelligence, prowess, the knowledge of the Vedas and the most excellent weapons, as the triune world is in Keshava himself.

That mighty champion who is endued with all virtues and who is incapable of being opposed even by the celestials, what warriors (of my army) approaching him, surrounded him on all sides?

That foremost among the Panchalas, that hero of noble extraction and a favourite of all high-born person, always achieving excellent feats in battle, namely Uttamanjaya.

That one ever intent on doing good to Dhananjaya and born for doing evil only to me, who resembles Yama or Vaishravana or Aditya or Mahendra or Varuna.

That prince renowned as a great car-warrior and ever ready to sacrifice his life in the every think of battle, what heroes of my army surrounded him?

That one who alone descrting the Chedis had sided with the Pandus, namely Dhristaketu, what heroes surrounded him when he advanced towards Drona?

Thai heroic Ketumat, who slew the Prince Durjaya when the took sheller in Girivraja, what hero of my army kept him (Ketumat) away from Drona?

What warriors of my army encountered Sikhandin when he rushed at Drona-Sikhandin, the foremost of mean, who has relised the pleasures (in himself) of man hood and femininity, that son of Yajnasena, who is ever cheerful in battle and who became the cause of the death of the high souled Devavrata in battle?

That most excellent hero among the Vrishnis, that foremost of all wielders of bow, that hero, in whom reside all virtues even in a greater degree than in Dhananjaya himself.

In whom always exist truth, (the knowledge of) the best weapons and Brahmacharya, who is equal to the son of Vasudeva in prowess and to Dhananjaya in strength.

Who resembles Aditya in effulgence, Brihaspati in intelligence-namely, the highsouled Abhimanyu who is like Death himself with a gapping mouth.

What heroes surrounded him when he advanced towards Drona? That youthful hero of unripe understanding, that slayer of hostile heroes, namely Subhadra's son.

When he charged Drona, what became the state of your mind then? When those foremost of princes, the son of Draupadi, in battle rushed at Drona liko streams flowing towards the ocean, what heroes obstructed them? Those boys, who having abandoned all boyish sports, for twelve years. And observing excellent vows danced attendance on Bhima in order to receive lessons in the use of weapons.

Those boys, namely Kshatranjaya, Kshatradeva and Kshatravarma and Manada. Those heroic sons of Dhrishtadyumna, what warriors kept them away from Drona?

That one whom the Vrishnis consider superior in battle to hundred warriors. That mighty warrior Chekitana, what hero of my army tried to keep him away from Drona?

Son

Anadhrishti, the generous of Vriddhaksema had kidnapped the daughter of Kalingaraja, who had prevented him to make an access to Drona?

The five Kekaya brothers, virtuous and endued with prowess incapable of being thwarted. Resembling the Indragopakas (in complexion), furnished with red armours and weapons and banners, those heroes who are the sons of the sister of the Pandavas' mother and who ever long for the victory of the Pandavas. What heroes of my army surrounded them when they assaulted Drona with a view to kill hin?

That lord of battles, desirous of slaying whom the enraged Monarchs united together for six months in Varanavata could not defeat, that best of all wielders of bows, that hero of great strength and unerring aim, that foremost of men, Yuyutsu, tried to keep him away from Drona?

Who in a battle in Varanasi, everthrew from his car with a broad-headed shaft, the great warrior the son of Kashiraja, desirous of scizing a maiden, what hero kept him away from Drona? That mighty warrior Dhrishtadyumna, that principal counsellor of the sons of Pritha. Who is ever engaged in doing harm to Duryodhana, who has been created to slay Drona, what warriors of my side surrounded him, when consuming in battle all warriors and shattering all the ranks of my soldiers, he advanced towards Drona?

That foremost of all men conversant with the weapons, who has been reared, as it were, on the very lap of Drupada. That Sikhandin, guarded by Arjuna's weapons, what warriors of my army kept him away from Drona?

That one who, as if with a leathern belt, encompassed this extensive earth. With the deafening rattle of his chariot, that foremost of warriors, the chief of all slayers of enemies, who in lieu of other sacrifices accomplished ten horse-sacrifices with ample food, drink and Dakshina, that one who ruled his subjects, as if they were his own sons, that son of Ushinara who in his sacrifice gave away kineas numerous as the sand that over-spread the banks of the Ganges-stream, whose this deed no man has been or will be able to imitate.

After the accomplishment by him of this feat, the very gods had exclaim saying, We do not see in the three worlds with all their mobile and immobile creations,

A second person save Ushinara's son, who has attained to regions, after death, which are unattainable by human beings'-who amongst my warriors, opposed that Shaivya, that grandson of the Ushinara's son, while he assaulted Drona?

Shaivya, the grand son of that king was when approaching to Dronacarya with widely opened mouth like the death god (Kala), who had prevented him marching that time?

What warriors of my host obstructed that squadron of cars, belonging to Virata, the king of the Matsyas, the slayer of his enemies, as it careered towards Drona?

That one endued with great strength and prowess, born of Vrikodara in the course of a single day, that heroic Rakshasa of potent illusive powers, of whom I entertain great apprehensions. Who is always desirous of victory for the sons of Pritha, who is a thorn in the sides of my sons, what hero of my army kept that Ghatotkacha of gigantic body away from Drona?

O Sanjaya, what cannot be vanquished by them for whose interests these and other such numerous (heroes) are ever ready to sacrifice their lives in battle?

Those sons of Pritha, whose well-wisher and refuge is that wielders of Saranga bow, those sons, how could they suffer defeat in battle?

The son of Vasudeva in the supreme preceptor of the worlds, the Lord of all and the Eternal; that master Narayana, that one of divine soul is the refuge of men in battle.

His divine achievements are extolled by the wise; I shall also recite them with reverence, regaining my equanimity.