SECTION XLVII
Sanjaya said,--"After the great part of the forenoon of that awful day
had worn out, in that terrific engagement, O king, that was (so)
destructive of foremost of men[333], Durmukha and Kritavarman, and Kripa,
and Salya, and Vivinsati, urged by your son, approached Bhishma and began
to protect him. And protected by those five mighty car-warriors. O bull
of Bharata's race, that great car-warrior penetrated the Pandava host.
And the palmyra standard of Bhishma was seen to glide continually, O
Bharata, through the Chedis, the Kasis, the Karushas, and the Panchalas.
And that hero, with broad-headed shafts of great swiftness which were
again perfectly straight, cut off the heads (of foes) and their cars with
yokes and standards. And, O bull of Bharata's race, Bhishma seemed to
dance on his car as it coursed along its track. And some elephants,
struck (by him) in their vital parts, shrieked in agony. Then Abhimanyu
in great wrath, stationed on his car unto which were yoked excellent
steeds of a tawny hue, rushed towards Bhishma's car. And with his
standard adorned with pure gold and resembling a Karnikara tree, he
approached Bhishma and those (five) foremost of car-warriors. And
striking with a keen-edged shaft the standard of the palmyra-bannered
(warrior), that hero engaged in battle with Bhishma and those other
car-warriors that protected him.[334] Piercing Kritavarman with one
arrow, and Salya with five, he weakened his great-grandsire with nine
arrows. And with one arrow well shot from his bow drawn to its fullest
stretch, he cut off (his adversary's) standard adorned with pure gold.
And with one broad-headed shaft capable of penetrating every cover, which
was perfectly straight, he cut off from his body the head of Durmukha's
charioteer. And with another keen-edged arrow he cut in twain the
gold-decked bow of Kripa. And them also, with many sharp-pointed shafts,
that mighty car-warrior smote in great wrath, seeming to dance (the
while). And beholding his lightness of hand, the very gods were
gratified. And in consequence of Abhimanyu's sureness of aim, all the
car-warriors headed by Bhishma regarded him to be possessed of the
capacity of Dhananjaya himself.[335] And his bow, emitting a twang like
that of Gandiva, while stretched and re-stretched, seemed to revolve like
a circle of fire.[336] Bhishma then, that slayer of hostile heroes,
rushing on him impetuously, speedily pierced the son of Arjuna in that
combat with nine arrows. And he also, with three broad-headed shafts, cut
off the standard of that warrior of great energy. Of rigid vows, Bhishma
also struck his (adversary's) charioteer. And Kritavarman, and Kripa, and
Salya also, O sire, piercing Arjuna's son, all failed to make him waver,
for he stood firm like the Mainaka mountain. And the heroic son of
Arjuna, though surrounded by those mighty car-warriors of the
Dhartarashtra army, still showered on those five car-warriors arrowy
downpours. And baffling their mighty weapons by his arrowy showers, and
pouring on Bhishma his shafts, the powerful son of Arjuna set up loud
shout. And struggling in the battle thus and afflicting Bhishma with
(his) arrows, the strength we saw of his arms then was very great. But
though endued with such prowess Bhishma also shot his arrows at him. But
he cut off in that combat the arrows shot from Bhishma's bow. And then
that heroic warrior of arrows that were never lost, cut off with nine
arrows, in that combat, the standard of Bhishma. And at that feat the
people there set up a loud shout. Decked with jewels and made of silver,
that tall standard bearing the device of the palmyra, cut off, O Bharata,
by the shafts of Subhadra's son, fell down on the earth. And beholding, O
bull of Bharata's race, that standard failing in consequence of the
shafts of Subhadra's son, the proud Bhima set up a loud shout for
cheering the son of Subhadra. Then in fierce combat, the mighty Bhishma
caused many celestial weapons of great efficacy to appear. And the great
grandsire of immeasurable soul then covered Subhadra's son with thousands
of arrows. And at this, ten great bowmen and mighty car-warriors of the
Pandavas, quickly rushed on their cars for protecting the son of
Subhadra. And those were Virata with his son, and Dhrishtadyumna of
Prishata's race, and Bhima, the five Kekaya brothers, and Satyaki also, O
king. And as they were falling upon him with great impetuosity, Bhishma
the son of Santanu, in that conflict, pierced the prince of Panchala with
three arrows, and Satyaki with ten. And with one winged arrow, whetted
and sharp-edged as a razor, and shot from his bow drawn to its fullest
stretch, he cut off the standard of Bhimasena. And, O best of men, the
standard of Bhimasena, made of gold and bearing the device of a lion, cut
off by Bhishma, fell from the car. And Bhima then, piercing Santanu's son
Bhishma in that combat with three arrows, pierced Kripa with one, and
Kritavarman with eight. And Uttara also, the son of Virata, on a tusker
with upraised trunk, rushed against the ruler of the Madras. Salya,
however, succeeded in checking the unparalleled impetuosity of that
prince of elephants rushing quickly towards his car. That prince of
elephants, in great wrath, placing his leg upon the yoke of (Salya's)
car, killed his four large steeds of excellent speed. The ruler of the
Madras then, staying on that car whose steeds had been slain, hurled a
dart, all made of iron, and resembling a snake, for slaying Uttara
outright. The latter's coat of mail being cut through by that dart, he
became totally deprived of his senses and fell down from his elephant's
neck, with the hook and the lance loosened from his grasp. And Salya
then, taking up his sword and jumping down from his excellent car, and
putting forth his prowess, cut off the large trunk of that prince of
elephants. His coat of mail pierced all over with a shower of arrows, and
his trunk cut off, that elephant uttered a loud shriek and fell down and
expired. Achieving such a feat, O king, the ruler of the Madras speedily
mounted on the splendid car of Kritavarman. And beholding his brother
Uttara slain and seeing Salya staying with Kritavarman, Virata's son
Sweta blazed up in wrath, like fire (blazing up) with clarified butter.
And that mighty warrior, stretching his large bow that resembled the bow
of Sakra himself, rushed with the desire of slaying Salya the ruler of
the Madras. Surrounded on all sides with a mighty division of cars, he
advanced towards Salya's car pouring an arrowy shower. And beholding him
rush to the fight with prowess equal to that of an infuriate elephant,
seven car-warriors of your side surrounded him on all sides, desirous of
protecting the ruler of Madras who seemed to be already within the jaws
of Death. And those seven warriors were Vrihadvala the ruler of the
Kosalas, and Jayatsena of Magadha, and Rukmaratha, O king, who was the
valourous son of Salya, and Vinda and Anuvinda of Avanti, and Sudakshina
the king of the Kamvojas, and Jayadratha, the ruler of the Sindhus and
the kinsman of Vrihadkshatra. And the stretched bows of those high-souled
warriors, decorated with diverse colours, looked like the lightning's
flashes in the clouds. And they all poured on Sweta's head ceaseless
showers of arrows like the clouds tossed by the wind dropping rain on the
mountain breast on the expiry of summer. That mighty bowman and commander
of the forces, enraged at this, with seven broad-headed arrows of great
impetuosity, struck their bows, and then continued to grind them. And
those bows we saw were cut off, O Bharata, and thereupon they all took
up, within half the time taken up in a wink of the eye, other bows. And
they then shot at Sweta seven arrows. And once again that mighty-armed
warrior of immeasurable soul, with seven fleet shafts, cut off those
(other) bows of these bowmen. Those warriors then, whose large bows had
been cut off, those mighty car-warriors swelling (with rage), grasping
(seven) darts, set up a loud shout. And, O chief of the Bharatas, they
hurled those seven darts at Sweta's car. And those blazing darts which
coursed (through the air) like large meteors, with the sound of thunder,
were all cut off, before they could reach him, that warrior conversant
with mighty weapons, by means of seven broad-headed arrows. Then taking
up an arrow capable of penetrating into every part of the body, he shot
it, O chief of the Bharatas, at Rukmaratha. And that mighty arrow,
surpassing (the force of) the thunder-bolt, penetrated into the latter's
body. Then, O king, forcibly struck by that arrow, Rukmaratha sat down on
the terrace of his car and fell into a deadly swoon. His charioteer then,
without betraying any fear, bore him away, senseless and in a swoon, in
the very sight of all. Then taking up six other (arrows) adorned with
gold, the mighty-armed Sweta cut off the standard-tops of his six
adversaries. And that chastiser of foes then, piercing their steeds and
charioteers also, and covering those six warriors themselves with
ceaseless shafts, proceeded towards the car of Salya. And beholding that
generalissimo of the (Pandava) forces proceeding quickly towards Salya's
car, a loud uproar of oh and alas arose in your army, O Bharata. Then thy
mighty son, with Bhishma at the head, and supported by heroic warriors
and many troops, proceeded towards Sweta's car.[337] And he (thus)
rescued the ruler of the Madras who had already entered the jaws of
Death. And then commenced a battle, terrific and making the hair stand on
end, between your troops and those of the enemy, in which cars and
elephants all got mixed up in confusion. And upon Subhadra's son and
Bhimasena, and that mighty car-warrior Satyaki, and upon the ruler of the
Kekayas, and Virata, and Dhrishtadyumna of Prishatas' race, and upon the
Chedi troops, the old Kuru grandsire poured showers of arrows.[338]
--------------------END OF PARVA 6 : UPA-PARVA 47 ---------------------
