द्रोण-वध पर्व — घोर युद्ध

Sanjaya said When that battle, destructive of men, horses and elephants, thus progressed, O mighty monarch, Dushasana fought with Dhristadyumna.

on The latter, then mounted on a golden chariot and afflicted with rage and began to cover the animals of your son with his own arrows.

Then, O mighty monarch, covered with the arrows the car of Prisata's son; soon did the car of Dushasana, its standard and charioteer became invisible.

Then, O foremost of kings, Dushasana, being afflicted with the arrows of Panchalas, could not stay before that illustrious warriors.

Thus the son of Prisata, having repulsed Dushasana with his arrows, assailed Drona shooting thousands of shafts as he proceeded.

Then Hridika's son Kritavarman, with his three uterine brothers, encountered him and tried to resist him.

The twins, Nakula and Sahadeva, those two foremost of men, then protected Dhristadyumna from behind as he rushed upon Drona like a blazing fire.

Then all those mighty car-warriors, possessed of strength and inspired with wraih. fell to smite one another, keeping death in their view.

Of pure souls and pure behavirous, o king, those warriors, keeping the hope of paradise before their mind's eye, fought on fairly, impelled by a desire for conquering one another.

Of stainless extraction and of spotless deeds and gifted with keen intelligence those rulers of men, keeping paradise in view, fought on fairly with one another.

In that battle there was nothing unfair or nothing against the rules of military science. In that battle, neither Kanies nor Nalikas, nor poisoned arrows nor Vastikas.

Nor Suchikopisas, nor those made of the bones of bulls and elephants, nor those having two heads, nor those having fusty beards, nor those that were not straight flying, were used by any body.

O king Arjuna! The son of Kunti did not assert the opinion but being it a trick, all other present there had preferred it. Only Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti could agree to the matter after a lengthy and tough discussion.

All then used straight and pure weapon and those three of the Pandava side, the battle, that occurred, was highly terrible, but free from all unfairness.

Then Dhristadyumna, very quick in the use of weapons and beholding those brave and mighty car-warriors of your army, resisted by the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva), rushed upon Drona.

Resisted by those two foremost of men, those four brave warriors encountered the former like the winds assailing a pair of mountains.

Each of the twins, both mighty car-warriors was engaged with a couple of opponents. Meanwhile Dhristadyumna poured showers of arrows on Drona.

Then seeing the indomitable prince of the Panchalas advance upon Drona and those warriors of his army engaged with the twins, Duryodhana, O king, rushed to that part of the field, discharging myriad's of blood-sucking arrows. Beholding thus Satyaki approach the Kuru king in great speed.

Those two foremost of men, the two scions of the Kuru and Madhu race respectively nearing each other, were filled with the desire for smiting down each other.

Recollecting their conduct towards each other in their early days and reflecting with pleasure on the same, they looked at each other and smiled repeatedly.

Then king Duryodhana, blaming his own conduct, addressed his ever dear friend Satyaki and said

Fie on wrath, ( friend and fie on vindictiveness, fie on Kshatriya urge and fie on might and prowess.

Inasmuch as you aim weapons at me and I am directing mine at you, O foremost of the descendants of Sins's race. In the days of childhood, you were dearer to me than my very life and I also was so to you.

Alas! all those deeds of boyhood that I recollect of both yourself and mine, become as nothing on the field of battle.

Alas! impelled by rage and covetousness, we are here today for fighting with each other, O scion of the Satvata race. Then O king, Satyaki conversant in the use of great weapons, taking up some sharp arrows smilingly replied to king Duryodhana who was thus speaking to him, “This is no assembly, O prince, nor the house of our preceptor where in days gone by, we sported smiling together."

Duryodhana said O foremost of Shini's race, where have those sports of our childhood vanished and alas, how has this battle come upon us. It appears that the influence of time is irresistible.

Urged though we are by a desire for wealth, what use have we of wealth that meeting each other, we now engage in battle, urged by avarice.

Sanjaya said Satyaki then replied unto king Duryodhana who had thus spoken – "That they have to fight even with their preceptors has always been the duty of Kshatriyas.

If I am indeed believed of you, O king, slay me without delay. O foremost of the Bharatas, them through your instrumentality I shall be launched upon the regions of the righteous. Bring into play, as soon as possible, all your might and prowess, against myself. This carnage of my friends, I do not wish to behold any longer.

Having thus replied to king Duryodhana and said his say, O king, Satyaki dauntlessly and reckless of his life, rushed furiously upon Duryodhana.

Beholding hinthus advance your son received him. Indeed, O king, your son then poured upon him a veritable shower of arrows.

Then ensued a dreadful battle between those two foremost of Kuru's and Madhu's race, that resembled an encounter between a lion and an elephant.

Then filled with rage Duryodhana pierced the indomitable Satyaki with numerous keen arrows shot from the bow drawn to its fullest stretch.

Satyaki quickly pierced Duryodhana in return with fifty keen shafts in that battle and then with twenty and next with another ten shafts.

Then in that battle your son smilingly pierced Satyaki in return with thirty arrows shot from his bow-string drawn back to the ear.

Discharging then a Kshurapra (razorheaded arrow) he cut-off in two, Satyaki's bow with arrows fixed thereon ; Satyaki, thereupon with great lightness of hands, grasped a tougher bow and began to shoot a shower of shafts at your son. As those lines of arrows flew for bringing about Duryodhana's death.

The latter, O monarch, cut them into pierces, whereupon the troops uttered a loud shout. Then quickly he afflicted Satyaki with seventy three shafts, furnished with golden wings, whetted on stone and shot from a bow drawn to its fullest stretch. Then all these arrows and the bow with shafts thereupon.

Satyaki cut-off and covered Duryodhana with a fresh shower of arrows. Thus deeply pierced and afflicted with the shafts of that i scion of the Dasarha race, Duryodhana, O mighty monarch, took shelter in another car. Then recovering a little your son once more rushed upon Satyaki.

Shooting myriad's of arrows at the chariot of the latter. Similarly Satyaki discharged arrows at Duryodhana's car; whereupon, O king, the battle became extremely fierced. Then in consequence of those shafts thus discharged and in consequence of their falling on all sides.

Loud clashing sounds there, resembling that produced by a raging conflagration consuming a large forest. The surface of the earth was then covered with those thousands of shafts shot by both of them.

Clouded therewith, the sky sky became invisible. Then beholding that foremost of carwarriors, namely, him of Madhu's race, prevail over Duryodhana.

Karna quickly advanced to rescue your son. But the mighty Bhimasena did not allow him to arose do so.

And he in his turn assailed Karna, quickly shooting numerous arrows. Thereupon Karna smilingly destroyed all those sharp arrows of Bhima.

Cut off his bow and arrows and wounded his driver with numerous shafts. Thereupon Pandu's son Bhimasena, burning with rage, took up a mace.

And therewith crushed the bow, the standard and the charioteer of his opponent in that battle. That mighty hero also shattered one of the wheels of Karna's car.

Then staying on his chariot of which one wheel was broken, Karna did not tremble (in fear) but was as firm as the prince of mountains. That chariot of his which had now only one wheel left was drawn by his horses.

Like the single-wheeled car of the Sun borne by the seven celestial steeds. Then not tolerating the feats of Bhimasena Karna fought on which latter.

Using different groups of arrows and diverse kinds of other weapons. Bhimasena similarly worked up with rage, fought on with the son of Suta,

When then the battle became thus confused and general, king Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, addressing the foremost of her es of the Panchalas and the Matsyas said

are “They who are like our lives, they that are our heads, they that are our heads, they that are possessed of immense strength those foremost of men now all engaged with the Dhritarashtra hosts.

Why are you then standing as if stupefied and with you, senses confounded? Hie there where my warriors are valorously fighting.

Keeping in view the duties of the Kshatriya order and dismissing your fears, engage in the battle; for then conquering or slain, you will obtain desirable ends.

If you conquer you may celebrate numerous sacrifices, giving away profuse Dakshina to the Brahmanas : If on the other hand you are slain, then becoming equal to the gods, you will attain regions of blessedness.

Urged on by the king in the above manner. Those brave and mighty car-warriors engaged on the field, quickly rushed upon Drona, keeping in view the duties of the Kshatriyas.

Then the Panchalas, from one side began to assail Drona with their arrows, whilst those headed by Bhima began to check him on the other said,

Three of the mighty and war-like sons of Pandu were crooked-minded. They were the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva) and Bhimasena. These then addressing Arjuna loudly said

Rush, O Arjuna, upon the Kurus and separate them from Drona. Then the Panchalas will be able to slay him easily when he will be deprived on their protection.

Thereupon Pritha's son, all on a sudden attacked the Kaurava troops, while Drona too marched against the Panchala troops headed by Dhristadyumna. O Bharata, in that the fifth day of Drona's command, the brave combatants were slaughtered in quick succession.