SECTION XLV
Sanjaya said, "On the forenoon of that awful day, O king, the terrible
battle that mangled the bodies of (so many) kings commenced. And the loud
shouts, resembling leonine roars of the Kurus and the Srinjayas, both
desirous of victory in battle, made both the welkin and the earth resound
therewith. And a tumultuous uproar was heard mingled with the flaps of
leathern fences and the blare of conches. And many were the leonine roars
that rose there of men shouting against one another. And, O bull of
Bharata's race, the sound of bowstrings stretched by (hands cased in)
fences, the heavy tread of infantry, the furious neigh of chargers, the
falling of sticks and iron hooks (on the beads of elephants), the clash
of weapons, the jingle of bells of elephants rushing against one another,
and the clatter of cars resembling the roar of clouds, mingled together,
produced a loud uproar making one's hair stand on end. And all the Kuru
warriors, reckless of their very lives and with cruel intentions, rushed,
with standards upraised, against the Pandavas. And Santanu's son himself,
taking up a terrible bow that resembled the rod of Death, rushed, O king,
on the field of battle, against Dhananjaya. And Arjuna also, endued with
great energy, taking up the bow Gandiva celebrated overall the world,
rushed, on the field of battle, against Ganga's son. And both those
tigers among the Kurus became desirous of slaying each other. The mighty
son of Ganga however, piercing in battle the son of Pritha could not make
him waver. And so, O king, the son of Pandu also could not make Bhishma
waver in battle. And the mighty bowman Satyaki rushed against
Kritavarman. And the battle between these two was fierce in the extreme
and made the hair (of onlookers) stand on end. And Satyaki afflicted
Kritavarman, and Kritavarman afflicted Satyaki, with loud shouts and each
weakened the other. And pierced all over with arrows those mighty
warriors shone like two blossoming Kinsukas in spring adorned with
flowers. And the mighty bowman Abhimanyu battled with Vrihadvala. Soon,
however, in that encounter, O king, the ruler of Kosala cut off the
standard and overthrew the charioteer of Subhadra's son. The son of
Subhadra then upon the overthrow of his charioteer, was filled with wrath
and pierced Vrihadvala, O king, with nine shafts, and with a couple of
sharp arrows that grinder of foes also cut off (Vrihadvala's) standard,
and with one (more) cut off one of the protectors of his car-wheels and
with the other his charioteer.[323] And those chastisers of foes
continued to weaken each other with sharp arrows. And Bhimasena struggled
in battle with your son Duryodhana, that mighty car-warrior, proud and
inflated, who had injured (the sons of Pandu). Both of those foremost
(princes) among the Kurus, are tigers among men and mighty car-warriors.
And they covered each other, on the field of battle, with their arrowy
showers. And beholding those high-souled and accomplished warriors
conversant with all modes of warfare, all creatures were filled with
amazement of Bharata. And Dussasana, rushing against that mighty
car-warrior Nakula, pierced him with many sharp arrows capable of
penetrating into the very vitals. The son of Madri, then, laughing the
while, cut off, with sharp arrows (of his), adversary's standard and bow,
and then he struck him with five and twenty small-headed arrows. Thy son,
however, then, who can with difficulty be vanquished, slew in that fierce
encounter the steeds of Nakula and cut off his standard. And Durmukha
rushing against the mighty Sahadeva battling in that terrific encounter,
pierced him with a shower of arrows. The heroic Sahadeva then, in that
fearful battle, overthrew Durmukha's charioteer with an arrow of great
sharpness. Both of them, irrepressible in fight, approaching each other
in combat, and each attacking the other and desirous of warding off the
other's attack, began to strike terror into each other with terrible
shafts. And king Yudhishthira himself encountered the ruler of the
Madras. The chief of the Madras then in his very sight cut off in twain
Yudhishthira's bow. Thereupon the son of Kunti, throwing aside that
broken bow, took up another that was stronger and capable of imparting a
greater velocity. The king then, with straight arrows, covered the ruler
of the Madras, and in great wrath said, 'wait, wait'. And Dhrishtadyumna,
O Bharata rushed against Drona. And Drona, then, in great wrath, cut off
in that encounter the hard bow of the high-souled prince of Panchala that
was capable of always taking the lives of foes. And at the same time he
shot in that conflict a terrible arrow that was like a second rod of
Death. And the arrow shot penetrated the body of the prince. Taking up
then another bow and fourteen arrows, the son of Drupada pierced Drona in
that encounter. And enraged with each other, they battled on fiercely.
And the impetuous Sankha encountered Somadatta's son who was equally
impetuous in battle and addressed him, O king, saying 'wait, wait'. And
that hero then pierced his (adversary's) right arm in that combat. And
thereupon the son of Somadatta struck Sankha on the shoulders. And the
battle that ensued between those two proud heroes, O king, soon became as
terrible as a combat between the gods and the Danavas. And that mighty
car-warrior Dhrishtaketu of immeasurable soul, with wrath excited, rushed
in battle, O king, against Valhika, the very embodiment of wrath.
Valhika, then, O king, setting up a leonine roar, weakened the wrathful
Dhrishtaketu with innumerable arrows. The king of the Chedis, however,
exceedingly provoked, quickly pierced Valhika in that encounter with nine
arrows. Like an infuriate elephant against an infuriate elephant, in that
combat they roared against each other repeatedly, both exceedingly
enraged. And they encountered each other with great wrath and looked like
the planets Angaraka and Sukra.[324] And Ghatotkacha of cruel deeds
encountered the Rakshasa Alamvusha of cruel deeds like Sakra
(encountering) Vala in battle. And Ghatotkacha, O Bharata, pierced that
infuriate and powerful Rakshasa with ninety keen-edged shafts. And
Alamvusha also in that combat pierced the mighty son of Bhimasena in many
places with straight arrows (of his). And mangled with arrows they shone
in that encounter like the mighty Sakra and the powerful Vala in the
combat (of old) between the celestials and the Asuras. The powerful
Sikhandin, O king, rushed against Drona's son, Aswatthaman, however
deeply piercing the angry Sikhandin stationed (before him) with a
keen-edged shaft, caused him to tremble, Sikhandin also, O king, smote
Drona's son with a sharp-whetted shaft of excellent temper. And they
continued in that encounter to strike each other with various kinds of
arrows. And against the heroic Bhagadatta in battle, Virata, the
commander of a large division, rushed impetuously, O king, and then
commenced (their) combat. Virata, exceedingly provoked, poured on
Bhagadatta an arrowy shower like, O Bharata, the clouds showering rain on
the mountain breast. But Bhagadatta, that lord of the earth, speedily
enveloped Virata in that encounter (with arrows) like the clouds
enveloping the risen sun. Kripa, the son of Saradwat, rushed against
Vrihadkshatra, the ruler of the Kaikeyas. And Kripa, O Bharata, enveloped
him with a shower of arrows. Vrihadkshatra also shrouded the infuriate
son of Gautama with an arrowy downpour. And those warriors, then, having
slain each other's steeds and cut off each other's bows, were both
deprived of their cars. And exceedingly enraged, they then approached
each other for fighting with their swords. And the combat which then took
place between them was terrible in aspect and unparalleled. That
chastiser of foes, king Drupada, then, in great wrath rushed against
Jayadratha, the ruler of the Sindhus, cheerfully waiting (for battle).
The ruler of the Sindhus pierced Drupada in that combat with three
shafts, and Drupada pierced him in return. And the battle that took place
between them was terrible and fierce, and productive of satisfaction in
the hearts of all the spectators and resembling a conflict between the
planets Sukra and Angaraka. And Vikarna, son to thee, with fleet steeds,
rushed against the mighty Sutasoma and the combat between them commenced.
Vikarna, however, although he pierced Sutasoma with many arrows, failed
to make him waver. Neither could Sutasoma make Vikarna waver. And that
appeared wonderful (to all). And against Susarman, that mighty
car-warrior and tiger among men, viz., Chekitana of great prowess, rushed
in exceeding wrath for the sake of the Pandavas. And Susarman also, O
great king, in that encounter checked the advance of that mighty
car-warrior Chekitana with plentiful shower of arrows. And Chekitana
also, greatly provoked, showered on Susarman, in that terrible conflict,
a shower of arrows like a mighty mass of clouds showering rain on the
mountain breast. And Sakuni, endued with great prowess, rushed, O king,
against Prativindhya[325] of great prowess, like a lion against an
infuriate elephant. Thereupon the son of Yudhishthira, in exceeding
wrath, mangled Suvala's son in that combat, with sharp arrows, like
Maghavat[326] (mangling) a Danava. And Sakuni also, in that fierce
conflict, pierced Prativindhya in return and mangled that warrior of
great intelligence with straight arrows. And Srutakarman rushed in
battle, O great king, against that mighty car-warrior Sudakshina of great
prowess, the ruler of the Kamvojas. Sudakshina, however, O great king,
piercing that mighty car-warrior, viz., the son of Sahadeva, failed to
make him waver (for he stood) like the Mainaka mountain (against the
assaults of Indra). Thereupon Srutakarman, exceedingly provoked, weakened
that mighty car-warrior of the Kamvojas with innumerable arrows and
mangled him in every part of his body. And Iravan, that chastiser of
foes, in great wrath and exerting carefully, rushed in battle against the
wrathful Srutayush. The powerful son of Arjuna, that mighty car-warrior,
then slaying the steeds of his adversary, set up a loud roar, and
thereupon, O king, all the warriors (who saw the feat) praised him
greatly. And Srutasena also, exceedingly provoked, slew in that conflict
the steeds of Falguni's son with a powerful mace, and the battle between
them continued. And Vinda and Anuvinda, those two princes of Avanti,
approached in battle that mighty car-warrior the heroic Kuntibhoja at the
head of his troops accompanied by his son. And wonderful was the prowess
we beheld of those two princes on that occasion, for they fought on very
cooly though battling with a large body of troops. And Anuvinda hurled a
mace at Kuntibhoja, but Kuntibhoja quickly covered him with a shower of
arrows. And the son of Kuntibhoja pierced Vinda with many arrows, and the
latter also pierced him in return. And the combat (between them) looked
very wonderful. And the Kekaya brothers, O sire, at the head of their
troops, encountered in battle the five Gandhara princes with their
troops. And your son Viravahu battled with that best of car-warriors
Uttara, the son of Virata and pierced him with nine arrows. And Uttara
also pierced that hero with sharp-edged arrows. And the ruler of the
Chedis, O king, rushed in battle against Uluka. And he pierced Uluka with
a shower of arrows, and Uluka also pierced him with sharp arrows
furnished with excellent wing. And the combat that took place between
them, O king, was fierce in the extreme, for unable to vanquish each
other, they mangled each other terribly. And thus in that general
engagement thousands of single combats took place between men on car,
warriors on elephants and horsemen, and foot-soldiers, of their side and
thine. For a short while only that engagement offered a beautiful sight.
Soon, however, O king, it became furious and nothing could be discovered.
In the battle (that ensued) elephants rushed against elephants,
car-warriors against car-warriors, steed against steed and foot-soldier
against foot-soldier. The conflict then became confused and fierce in the
extreme, of heroes rushing against each other in the melee. And the
celestial Rishi, and Siddhas and Charanas, that were present there,
beheld that terrific battle to resemble the combat of the gods and the
Asuras. And elephants in thousands, and cars also in thousands, and vast
bodies of infantry, O sire, seemed to alter their character.[327] And, O
tiger among men, it was seen that cars and elephants and steeds and
infantry fought with each other repeatedly on the same places.[328]
--------------------END OF PARVA 6 : UPA-PARVA 45 ---------------------
