SECTION XLVIII
Dhritarashtra said,--"When that great bowman Sweta proceeded towards
Salya's car, what did the Kauravas and the Pandavas do, O Sanjaya? And
what also did Bhishma the son of Santanu do? Tell me who ask thee, all
this."
Sanjaya said,--"O king, hundreds and thousands of bulls among Kshatriyas,
all brave and mighty car-warriors, placing the generalissimo Sweta in the
van, and displaying their strength. O Bharata, unto your royal son and
with Sikhandin also at their head, desired to rescue (Sweta). And those
mighty car-warriors rushed towards Bhishma's car decked with gold
desirous of slaying that foremost of warriors. And the battle that ensued
then was terrible. I shall describe to you that wonderful and terrific
battle as it occurred between your troops and those of the enemy. The son
of Santanu made the terraces of many cars empty, (for) that best of
car-warriors showering (his) arrows, cut off many heads. Endued with
energy equal to that of the Sun himself, he shrouded the very Sun with
his arrows. And he removed his enemies from around him in that combat
like the rising Sun dispelling the darkness around. And in that battle, O
king, arrows were shot by him in hundreds and thousands that were
powerful and possessed of great impetuosity and that took in that
conflict the lives of numberless Kshatriyas. And in that combat he felled
heads, by hundreds, of heroic warriors, O king, and elephants cased in
thorny mail, like summits of mountains (felled) by heaven's bolt. And
cars, O king, were seen to mingle with cars. A car might be seen upon
another car, and a steed upon another steed. And impetuous chargers, O
king, bore hither and thither heroic riders in the prime of youth, slain
and hanging (from their saddles) with their bows (still in their
grasp).[339] With swords and quivers attached (to their persons) and
coats of mail loosened (from their bodies), hundreds of warriors,
deprived of life, lay on the ground, sleeping on beds (worthy) of heroes.
Rushing against one another, falling down and rising up again and rushing
again having risen up, the combatants fought hand to hand. Afflicted by
one another, many rolled on the field of battle. Infuriate elephants
rushed hither and thither, and car-warriors by hundreds were slain. And
car-warriors, along with their cars, were crushed on all sides. And some
warriors fell upon his car, slain by another with arrows. And a mighty
car-warrior might be seen to fall down from high, his charioteer (also)
having been slain. A thick dust arose, and thereupon unto the warrior
struggling in battle, the twang of the (hostile) bow indicated the
struggling adversary before. From the pressure also on their bodies,
combatants guessed their foes. And the warriors, O king, fought on with
arrows, guided by the sound of bow-strings and (hostile) division. The
very hiss of the arrows shot by the combatants at one another could not
be heard. And so loud was the sound of drums, that it seemed to pierce
the ears. And in that tumultuous uproar making the hair stand on end, the
name of the combatant uttered in the battle, while displaying his
prowess, could not be heard. The sire could not recognise the son of his
loins. One of the wheels being broken, or the yoke being torn off or one
of the steeds being slain, the brave car-warrior was overthrown from his
car, along with his charioteer, by means of straight arrows. And thus
many heroic warriors, deprived of their cars, were seen to fly away.[340]
He who was slain had cut off; he who was not slain, was struck at the
very vitals: but unstruck there was none, when Bhishma attacked the foe.
And in that terrific battle, Sweta caused a great slaughter of the Kurus.
And he slew many noble princes by hundreds upon hundreds.[341] And he cut
off, by means of his arrows, the heads of car-warriors by hundreds upon
hundreds, and (their) arms decked with Angadas, and (their) bows all
around. And car-warriors and car-wheels and others that were on cars, and
the cars themselves, and standards both small and costly, O king, and
large bodies of horses, and crowds of cars, and crowds of men, O
Bharata's race, were destroyed by Sweta. Ourselves, from fear of Sweta,
abandoning (Bhishma) that best of car-warriors, left the battle
retreating to the rear and, therefore, do we (now) behold your lordship.
And all the Kurus, O son of Kuru's race, beyond the range of arrows, and
abandoning Bhishma the son of Santanu, in that battle, stood (as
spectators though) armed for the combat. Cheerful in the hour of
(universal) cheerlessness, that tiger among men Bhishma, alone of our
army, in that terrible battle stood immovable like the mountain Meru.
Taking the lives (of the foe) like the Sun at close of winter, he stood
resplendent with the golden rays (of his car) like the Sun himself with
his rays. And that great bowman shot clouds of arrows and struck down the
Asuras.[342] And while being slaughtered by Bhishma in that dreadful
combat, those warriors breaking away from their ranks, they all fled from
him, as if from a fire fed by fuel.[343] Encountering the single warrior
(Sweta), that slayer of foes, Bhishma, was the only one (amongst us) who
was cheerful and whole. Devoted to the welfare of Duryodhana, he began to
consume the Pandava (warrior). Reckless of his very life which is
difficult of being cast off, and abandoning all fear he slaughtered, O
king, the Pandava army in that fierce conflict.[344] And beholding the
generalissimo (Sweta) smiting the (Dhartarashtra) divisions, your father
Bhishma, called also Devavrata, impetuously rushed against him.
Thereupon, Sweta covered Bhishma with an extensive net-work of arrows.
And Bhishma also covered Sweta with a flight of arrows. And roaring like
a couple of bulls, they rushed, like two infuriate elephants of gigantic
size or two raging tigers, against each other. Baffling each other's
weapons by means of their weapons, those bulls among men, viz., Bhishma
and Sweta fought with each other, desirous of taking each other's life.
In one single day Bhishma, infuriate with anger, could consume the
Pandava army with his arrows, if Sweta did not protect it. Beholding the
grandsire then turned off by Sweta, the Pandavas were filled with joy,
while your son became cheerless. Duryodhana then, with wrath excited and
surrounded by many kings, rushed with his troops against the Pandava host
in battle. Then Sweta, abandoning the son of Ganga, slaughtered your son's
host with great impetuosity like the wind (uprooting) trees with
violence. And the son of Virata, senseless with wrath, having routed thy
army, advanced (once more), O king, to the place where Bhishma was
stationed. And those two high-souled and mighty warriors then, both
blazing with their arrows, battled with each other like Vritra and Vasava
(of old), desirous, O king, of slaying each other. Drawing (his) bow to
the fullest stretch, Sweta pierced Bhishma with seven arrows. The
valourous (Bhishma) then, putting forth his prowess, quickly checked his
foe's valour, like an infuriate elephant checking an infuriate compeer.
And Sweta then, that delighter of Kshatriyas struck Bhishma, and Bhishma
the son of Santanu also pierced him in return with ten arrows. And though
pierced by him (thus), that mighty warrior stood still like a mountain.
And Sweta again pierced Santanu's son with five and twenty straight
arrows, at which all wondered. Then smiling and licking with his tongue
the corners of his mouth, Sweta in that combat cut off Bhishma's bow into
ten fragments with ten arrows. Then aiming a plumed arrow made wholly of
iron, (Sweta) crushed the palmyra on the top of the standard of the
high-souled (Bhishma). And beholding the standard of Bhishma cut down,
thy sons thought that Bhishma was slain, having succumbed to Sweta. And
the Pandavas also filled with delight, blew their conches all around. And
beholding the palmyra standard of the high-souled Bhishma laid low,
Duryodhana, from wrath, urged his own army to the battle. And they all
began very carefully to protect Bhishma who 'was in great distress. Unto
them, also unto those that stood (idle) spectators, the king
said,--Either Sweta will die (today), or Bhishma the son of Santanu. I
say this truly. Hearing the words of the king, the mighty car-warriors
speedily with four kinds of forces, advanced protecting the son of Ganga.
And Valhika and Kritavarman, and Kripa, and Salya also, O Bharata, and
the son of Jarasandha, and Vikarna, and Chitrasena, and Vivinsati, with
great speed, when speed was so necessary, surrounding him on all sides,
poured on Sweta ceaseless showers of arrows. That mighty warrior then, of
immeasurable soul, quickly checked those angry warriors by means of sharp
arrows, displaying his own lightness of hand. And checking them all like
a lion and a multitude of elephants, Sweta then cut off Bhishma's bow
with thick shower of arrows. Then Bhishma the son of Santanu, taking up
another bow in that battle, pierced Sweta, O king, with arrows furnished
with feathers of Kanka bird. Then the commander (of the Pandava army),
with wrath excited, pierced Bhishma in that encounter O king, with a
great many shafts in the very sight of all. Beholding Bhishma, that
foremost of heroes in all the world, checked in battle by Sweta, the king
(Duryodhana) became greatly troubled, and great also became the distress
of your whole army. And beholding the heroic Bhishma checked and mangled
by Sweta with his arrows, all thought that Bhishma, having succumbed to
Sweta, was slain by him. Then your sire Devavrata, yielding to anger, and
beholding his (own) standard overthrown and the (Dhartarashtra) army
checked, shot a great many arrows, O king, at Sweta. Sweta, however, that
foremost of car-warriors, baffling all those arrows of Bhishma, once more
cut off, with a broad-headed shaft, your sire's bow. Throwing aside that
bow, O king, Ganga's son, senseless with anger, taking up another bow
larger and stronger, and aiming seven large broad-headed arrows whetted
on stone, slew with four arrows the four steeds of the generalissimo
Sweta, cut off his standard with two and with the seventh shaft that
warrior of great prowess, exceedingly provoked, cut off his charioteer's
head. Thereupon, that mighty car-warrior, jumping down from his car whose
steeds and charioteer had been slain[345], and yielding to the influence
of wrath, became exceedingly troubled. The grandsire, beholding Sweta
that foremost of car-warriors, deprived of car, began to smite him on all
sides with showers of arrows. And smitten in that combat with arrows shot
from Bhishma's bow, Sweta, leaving his bow on his (abandoned) car took up
a dart decked with gold and taking up that terrible and fierce dart[346]
which resembled the fatal rod of Death and was capable of slaying Death's
self. Sweta then, in great wrath, addressed Bhishma the son of Santanu in
that combat, saying,--Wait a little, and behold me, O best of men,--And
having said this unto Bhishma in battle, that great bowman of exceeding
prowess and immeasurable soul, hurled the dart resembling a snake,
displaying his valour for the sake of the Pandavas and desiring to
achieve your evil. Then loud cries of oh and alas arose among your sons, O
king, upon beholding that terrible dart resembling the rod of Death in
splendour. And hurled from Sweta's arms, (that dart), resembling a snake
that had just cast off its slough, fell with great force, O king, like a
large meteor from the firmament. Thy sire Devavrata then, O king, without
the slightest fear, with eight sharp and winged arrows, cut off into nine
fragments, that dart decked with pure gold and which seemed to be covered
with flames of fire, as it coursed ablaze through the air. All your troops
then, O bull of Bharata's race, set up loud shouts of joy. The son of
Virata, however, beholding his dart cut off into fragments, became
senseless with anger, and like one whose heart was overcome by (the
arrival of) his hour, could not settle what to do. Deprived of his senses
by anger, O king, the son of Virata, then, smiling, joyfully took up a
mace for Bhishma's slaughter, with eyes red in wrath, and resembling a
second Yama armed with mace, he rushed against Bhishma like a swollen
torrent against the rocks. Regarding his impetuosity as incapable of
cheek, Bhishma endued with great prowess and conversant with the might
(of others), suddenly alighted on the ground for warding off that blow.
Sweta then, O king, whirling in wrath that heavy mace, hurled it on
Bhishma's car like the god Maheswara.[347] And in consequence of that
mace intended for Bhishma's destruction, that car was reduced to ashes,
with standard, and charioteer, and steeds and shaft. Beholding Bhishma,
that foremost of car-warriors, become a combatant on foot, many
car-warriors, viz., Salya and others, speedily rushed (to his rescue).
Mounting then upon another car, and cheerlessly stretching his bow,
Bhishma slowly advanced towards Sweta, seeing that foremost of
car-warriors. Meanwhile, Bhishma heard a loud voice uttered in the skies,
that was celestial and fraught with his own good. (And the voice
said).--'O, Bhishma, O you of mighty arms, strive without losing a
moment. Even this is the hour fixed by the Creator of the Universe for
success over this one'. Hearing those words uttered by the celestial
messenger, Bhishma, filled with joy, set his heart upon Sweta's
destruction. And beholding that foremost of car-warriors, Sweta become a
combatant on foot, many mighty car-warriors (of the Pandava side) rushed
unitedly (to his rescue). (They were) Satyaki, and Bhimasena, and
Dhrishtadyumna of Prishata's race; and the (five) Kekaya brothers, and
Dhrishtaketu and Abhimanyu of great energy. And beholding them rushing
(to the rescue), with Drona and Salya and Kripa that hero of immeasurable
soul (Bhishma) checked them all like the mountain resisting the force of
the wind. And when all the high-souled warriors of the Pandava side were
(thus) held in check, Sweta, taking up a sword cut off Bhishma's bow.
Casting aside that bow, the grandsire, quickly made up his mind for
Sweta's destruction, having heard the words of the celestial messenger.
Though baffled (by Sweta), your sire Devavrata then that mighty
car-warrior quickly taking up another bow that resembled the bow of Sakra
himself in splendour, stringed it in a moment. Then your sire, O chief of
the Bharatas, beholding that mighty car-warrior Sweta, though the latter
was then surrounded by those tigers among men with Bhimasena at their
head,--(thy sire) the son of Ganga-advanced steadily for the sake of the
generalissimo Sweta alone. Beholding Bhishma advance, Bhimasena of great
prowess pierced him with sixty shafts. But that mighty car-warrior, thy
sire Devavrata, checking both Bhimasena and Abhimanyu and other
car-warriors with terrible shafts, struck him with three straight arrows.
And the grandsire of the Bharatas also struck Satyaki, in that combat,
with a hundred arrows, and Dhrishtadyumna with twenty and the Kekaya
brothers with five. And checking all those great bowmen with terrible
arrows, your sire Devavrata advanced towards Sweta alone. Then taking out
an arrow resembling Death's self and capable of bearing a great strain
and incapable of being resisted, the powerful Bhishma placed it on his
bowstring. And that shaft, furnished with wings and duly endued with the
force of the Brahma weapon, was seen by the gods and Gandharvas and
Pisachas and Uragas, and Rakshasas. And that shaft, of splendour like
that of a blazing fire, piercing through his coat of mail (passed through
his body and) struck into the earth, with a flash like that of heaven's
bolt. Like the Sun when speedily retiring to his western chambers taking
along with him the rays of light, even thus that shaft passed out of
Sweta's body, bearing away with itself his life. Thus slain in battle by
Bhishma, we beheld that tiger among men fall down like the loosened crest
of a mountain. And all the mighty car-warriors of the Kshatriya race
belonging to the Pandava side indulged in lamentations. Thy sons,
however, and all the Kurus, were filled with delight. Then, O king,
beholding Sweta overthrown, Dussasana danced in joy over the field in
accompaniment With the loud music of conches and drums. And when that
great bowman was slain by Bhishma, that ornament of battle, the mighty
bowmen (of the Pandava side) with Sikhandin at their head, trembled in
fear. Then when their commander was slain, Dhananjaya, O king, and he of
Vrishni's race, slowly withdrew the troops (for their nightly rest). And
then, O Bharata, the withdrawal took place of both theirs and thine,
while yours and theirs were frequently setting up loud roars. And the
mighty car-warriors of the Parthas entered (their quarters) cheerlessly,
thinking, O chastiser of foes, of that awful slaughter in single combat
(of their commander)."
--------------------END OF PARVA 6 : UPA-PARVA 48 ---------------------
