भीमद्वारा प्रदर्शित पराक्रम

Dhritarashtra said When, unable to bear (the destruction of the king of Sindhu), that one of unrivaled energy and difficult of being vanquished penetrated into the Srinjayas what became the state of) your mind? one

Having addressed my disobedient son Duryodhana thus, when that of immeasurable energy entered into the Pandava army) what did Partha do?

(You say that) on the slaughter of the heroic king of Sindhu as well as of Bhurisrava that unvanquished one (i.e., Drona) endued with great energy rushed against the Srinjayas.

What did (Partha) think on that invincible scorcher of foes having so entered? What also did Duryodhana think as to the most proper step that he could adopt at that time?

Who were they that followed the heroic bestower of boons, the foremost of the twiceborn ones? Who, O charioteer, were the warriors that remained behind that fighting hero?

Who were they that fought in, his van when he was destroying the enemies? I think that afflicted with the darts of the of Bharadvaja, all the Pandavas.

Like lean cows shivering in cold. Having entered into the Panchalas how that mighty wielder of bow, that grinder of foes and foremost of men came by his end?

When, on that night, all the soldiers joined together and (all) the mighty car-warriors, combined, were being separately crushed, (by ona), who, were the intelligent men among you, that were then present?

son (You say) that, in the encounter. my soldiers were (either) killed, Driven away or defeated and that my car-warriors were deprived of their cars in the encounter.

Crushed and deprived of senses by the Pandavas and buried in blinding darkness (as they were), what was (the state of) their mind?

You say that the Pandavas were full of joy and elated (with success) and that my partisans were cheerless, heartless and struck with terror,

How, O chariotecr, O Sanjaya or that (dark) night could you unretreating sons of Partha and the Kurus?

Sanjaya said Oking, when that greatly furious nocturnal battle was going on, all the Pandavas together with the Somakas rushed against Drona.

But Drona, by means of his swift-going darts, sent the Kekayas and sons of Dhrishtadyumna to the region of the departed spirits.

And Drona sent all those mighty carwarriors, those lords of earth who confronted hiin to the region of Pitris, O king.

Then the powerful king Sibi furiously advanced against the heroic son of Bharadvaja, was the mighty-car warrior Drona who engaged in crushing (the enemy).

Secing the great car-warrior of the Pandavas advance, Drona pierced him with ten arrows made wholly of steel.

Sibi (too) pierced him (i.e., Drona) in return by thirty shafts adorned with the plumes of the Kanka (bird) and struck down his charioteer with a smile by a broad-headed shafts.

(On the other hand) Drona, having killed the horses as well as the charioteer of that highsouled one, severed his head, adorned with a diadem, from the body.

Duryodhana then quickly ordered charioteer (to guide Drona's car). The reins of the) horses being taken by him, he (i.c., Drona) again proceeded against his foes.

Accompanied by the Kalinga forces the son of the king of Kalinga, excited with wrath for the destruction of his father by Bhimasena, rushed towards him.

Having (first) pierced Bhima with five shafts and then again with seven, be struck Vishoka (Bhima's chariotcer) with three darts and his (i.e. Bhima's) standard with one.

Vrikodara, then fired with rage, leaped from (his own) car to that of the heroic prince of a : Kalinga, who also was (very) angry and killed him with blows from his fists.

All the bones of that one (i.c., the Kalinga prince) thus boxed to death by the powerful Pandava, suddenly fell down on the ground separated from one another.

Karna and all the brothers (of the Kalinga prince) could not bear that act of the part of Bhimasena. They (therefore) struck him with keen darts (as fierce) as poisonous snakes.

Bhima, then leaving the car of his enemy (i.e., dead Kalinga prince) made for the car of Dhruva and smashed Dhruva who was incessantly striking him, by a blow of his fist.

Thus struck by the powerful son of Pandu, he fell down (from his car). The highly powerful Bhimasena, Oking, after slaying him.

Got up to the car of Jayadratha and repeatedly sent forth leoninc roars. While roaring he hurled him down with his left hand.

And he (then) killed him with a slap in the very presence of Karna himself. Karna then shot a golden dart at that Pandava.

But the son of Pandu seized that (dart) with a smile. And in that encounter the invincible Vrikodara hurled that very dart of Karna.

(Then) Shakuni cut-off that dart while it was coming (towards Karna) by a shaft saturated with oil. Having performed such great exploits in battle, that one of marvellous prowess.

Returned to his own car and (then) rushed against your troops. When Bhima desirous of staying (your troops), was (thus) advancing furiously like the (grim) destroyer himself.

Your mighty armed-sons, those great carwarriors tried to check his career by enveloping him with mighty showers of arrows.

Then Bhima, with a smile, sent the charioteer and the steeds of Durmada in that battle to the abode of Yama with his shafts.

Durmada then got to the car of Duskarna. Those two brothers, the tormentors of foes, mounted on the same car.

Both rushed against Bhima in the van of the battle, as the lord of the water (i.e. Varuna) (had rushed against) Taraka, the foremost of the Daitayas (in days of yore).

Then your sons Durmada and Duskarna ascending the same car pierced Bhima with arrows.

Then in the very sight of Karna and Duryodhana and in that of Kripa, Somadatta and Balhika, the Pandava,

That chastiser of foes, buried the car of the heroic Durmada and that of Duskarna into the earth with the stroke of his foot.

Then striking furiously with the blows of his fits those two heroic and powerful sons of yours, Duskama and Durmada, he crushed them (therewith) and sent forth thundering shouts.

Then your troops began to wail aloud and the kings seeing Bhima, said. "He is Rudra himself who assuming the shape of a Bhima is fighting with the troops of Dhritarashtra.”

0 Bharata, saying this, all the kings deprived, (as it were) of their senses and urging the animals (on which they rode), fled away (from the field) and no two then (so great was their terror) did run together.

The army (of the Kurus) being thus greatly crushed, in that night, the heroic and highly powerful Vrikodara, endued with full blown lotus-like eyes, being highly complemented by (many) foremost of kings, paid his regards to king Yudhishthira.

Then the twins (i.e., Nakula and Sahadeva), Drupada, Virata and the Kekayas as well as Yudhishthira experienced a great joy and paid high complements to Vrikodara as the celestials paid to Hara after the slaughter of Andhaka by him.

Then your sons resembling those of Varuna filled with wrath and eager for battle led by (their) high-souled preceptor surrounded on all sides Vrikodara by cars foot-soldiers and clephants.

Then, O best of kings, on that dreadful night enveloped with darkness thick as clouds, there took place, between those high-souled ones, an awe-inspiring and terrible battle delightful to wolves, crows and vultures.