SECTION LXIV
Sanjaya said, "Then, O king, Bhurisravas, excited with great wrath,
pierced Satyaki with nine arrows like the conductor of an elephant
piercing an elephant with the iron hook. Satyaki also, of immeasurable
soul, in the very sight of all the troops, pierced the Kaurava warrior
with nine shafts. Then king Duryodhana, accompanied by his uterine
brothers, surrounded Somadatta's son thus striving in battle. Similarly
the Pandavas also, of great energy, quickly surrounding Satyaki in that
battle took up their positions around him. And Bhimasena, excited with
wrath, and with mace upraised, O Bharata, encountered all your sons headed
by Duryodhana. With many thousands of cars, and excited with wrath and
vindictiveness, your son Nandaka pierced Bhimasena of great might with
keen-edged and sharp-pointed shafts whetted on stone and winged with the
feathers of the kanka bird. Then Duryodhana, O king, in that great
battle, excited with wrath, struck Bhimasena in the breast with nine
shafts. Then the mighty-armed Bhima of great strength mounted on his own
excellent car and addressing (his charioteer) Visoka, said, 'These heroic
and mighty sons of Dhritarashtra, all great car-warriors, are exceedingly
angry with me and desirous of slaying me in battle. I will slay all these
today in your sight, without doubt. Therefore, O charioteer, guide my
steed in battle with care.' Having said this, O monarch, Pritha's son
pierced your son with sharp-pointed arrows decked with gold. And he
pierced Nandaka in return with three arrows between his two breasts. Then
Duryodhana having pierced the mighty Bhima with six arrows pierced Visoka
in return with three other sharp arrows. And Duryodhana, O king, as if
smiling the while, with three other sharp arrows cut off at the grasp the
resplendent bow of Bhima in that battle. Bhima then, that bull among men,
beholding his charioteer Visoka afflicted, in that conflict, with sharp
shafts by your son armed with the bow, and unable to bear it, drew another
excellent bow, excited with wrath, for the destruction of your son, O
monarch. And excited with great wrath, he also took up an arrow with
horse-shoe head and furnished with excellent wings. And with that (arrow)
Bhima cut off the excellent bow of the king. Then your son, excited to the
highest pitch of fury, leaving that broken bow aside, speedily took up
another that was tougher. And aiming a terrible shaft blazing as Death's
rod, the Kuru king, excited with rage struck Bhimasena between his two
breasts. Deeply pierced therewith, and greatly pained, he sat down on the
terrace of his car. And while seated on the terrace of his car, he
swooned away. Beholding Bhima thus unmanned, the illustrious and mighty
car-warriors of the Pandava army, headed by Abhimanyu could not bear it.
And those warriors then, with great steadiness, showered on your sons'
head a thick down-pour of fierce shafts. Then the mighty Bhimasena,
regaining consciousness, pierced Duryodhana at first with those shafts
and then with five. And that mighty bowman the son of Pandu then pierced
Salya with five and twenty shafts furnished with golden wings. And
pierced therewith, Salya was borne away from the battle. Then thy
fourteen sons, viz., Senapati, Sushena, Jalasandha, Sulochana, Ugra,
Bhimaratha, Bhima, Viravahu, Aolupa, Durmukha, Dushpradarsha, Vivitsu,
Vikata, and Sama, then encountered Bhimasena in battle. United together
they rushed against Bhimasena, and with eyes red in wrath, showering
countless arrows, they pierced him deeply. Then the heroic and mighty
Bhimasena of strong arms, beholding your sons, licking the corners of his
mouth like a wolf in the midst of smaller creatures, fell upon them with
the impetuosity of Garuda. And the son of Pandu then cut off the head of
Senapati with a shaft having a horse-shoe head. And with delighted soul
and laughing the while, that mighty-armed warrior, piercing Jalasandha
with three arrows, despatched him to Yama's abode. And next, smiting
Sushena, he sent him to the presence of Death's self. And with a single
broad-headed shaft he felled on the ground the head, handsome as the
moon, of Ugra, decked with turban and adorned with ear-rings. And in that
battle, Pandu's son Bhima, with seventy shafts, despatched Viravahu to
the other world with his steeds and standard and charioteer. And smiling
the while, O king, Bhimasena quickly despatched both the brothers Bhima
and Bhimaratha also to Yama's abode. And then in that great battle in the
very sight of all the troops, with an arrow of horse-shoe head Bhima
despatched Sulochana also to Death's domain. Then the rest of your sons
that were there, O king, beholding the prowess of Bhimasena and while
thus being struck by that illustrious warrior, all fled from battle from
fear of Bhima. Then Santanu's son, addressing all the mighty car-warriors
(of his army) said, 'That fierce bowman, Bhima, excited with wrath in
battle, is slaying the mighty sons of Dhritarashtra and other heroic
car-warriors united together, whatever their knowledge of weapons, and
whatever their bravery. Therefore, seize the all that son of Pandu'. Thus
addressed, all the troops of the Dhritarashtra army, excited with rage,
rushed towards Bhimasena endued with great might, And Bhagadatta, O king,
on his elephant of rent temples, suddenly rushed thither where Bhimasena
was stationed. And thither to the combat, he shrouded Bhima with his
shafts whetted on stone so as to make him completely invisible, like the
clouds covering the sun. Those mighty car-warriors, however, (of the
Pandava army), relying on the prowess of their own arms, could not bear
that shrouding of Bhima (with the arrowy showers of Bhagadatta). They,
therefore, surrounding Bhagadatta on all sides, poured on him their
arrowy down-pours. And they pierced his elephant also with showers of
shafts. And struck by all those mighty car-warriors with showers of
fierce shafts of diverse kinds that elephant, O king, of the ruler of the
Pragjyotishas with blood trickling down his body, became beautiful to
behold on the field of battle like a mass of clouds tinged with the rays
of the sun. And that elephant with temporal juice trickling down urged by
Bhagadatta, like the Destroyer, ran with double his former speed, shaking
the very earth with his tread. Then all those mighty car-warriors,
beholding that terrible mien of the animal, and regarding it
irresistible, became cheerless. Then king Bhagadatta, that tiger among
men, excited with rage, struck Bhimasena between his two breasts with a
straight shaft. Deeply pierced by the king with that shaft, that great
bowman and mighty car-warrior, with limbs deprived of sensation in
consequence of a swoon, sat down on his car, holding his flagstaff. And
beholding those mighty car-warriors terrified and Bhimasena in a swoon,
Bhagadatta of great prowess uttered a loud roar. Then, O king, that
terrible Rakshasa Ghatotkacha, beholding Bhima in that state, became
excited with rage and there and then disappeared from the view. And
creating a terrible illusion enhancing the fears of the timid, he
reappeared in a moment assuming a fierce form. Himself riding on an
Airavata created by his powers of illusion, the other Dik-elephants,
viz., Anjana, Vamana, and Mahapadma of blazing glory, followed him. And
those three mighty elephants, ridden by Rakshasas, were of huge form,
with juice profusely trickling down in three lines, and endued with great
speed and prowess. Then Ghatotkacha urged his own elephant to battle,
desirous, O chastiser of foes, of slaying Bhagadatta with his elephant.
And those other elephants, excited with fury and each endued with four
tusks, urged by Rakshasas of great strength, fell from all sides upon
Bhagadatta's elephant and afflicted him with their tusks. And the
elephant of Bhagadatta, thus afflicted by those elephants, (already)
struck with arrows and feeling great pain, uttered loud cries that
resembled the thunder of Indra. And hearing those terrible and loud cries
of that roaring elephant, Bhishma, addressing Drona, Suyodhana and all
the kings, said, 'The mighty bowman Bhagadatta is battling with the
wicked-souled son of Hidimva, and hath fallen into great distress. That
Rakshasa is of huge form, and the king also is very wrathful. Engaged in
battle, they would certainly prove each other's death. Loud shouts were
also heard of the rejoicing Pandavas, and the cries of agony of (king
Bhagadatta's) terrified elephant. Blessed be ye, let us all go there for
rescuing the king, for, if left unprotected, in battle, he will soon give
up his life. Ye warriors of great energy, do, as I bid, even now. Ye
sinless ones, make no delay. The combat deepens and becometh fierce,
making the hair to stand on end. That commander of a division is
high-born, endued with great bravery, and devoted to us. Ye warriors of
unfading glory, it is meet that his rescue should be effected by us.'
Hearing these words of Bhishma, all the kings (of the Kuru army), headed
by Bharadwaja's son, desirous of rescuing Bhagadatta, proceeded with
great speed to where the ruler of the Pragjyotishas was. And beholding
the enemy advancing, the Panchalas with the Pandavas, headed by
Yudhishthira, pursued them behind. Then that prince of Rakshasas, endued
with great prowess, beholding that division (of the enemy) advance,
uttered a fierce roar, deep as that of thunder. Hearing that roar of his
and beholding those battling elephants, Santanu's son Bhishma once again
addressed Bharadwaja's son and said, 'I do not like to fight (to-day)
with the wicked-souled son of Hidimva. Endued with great might and
energy, he is at present well-supported. He is incapable of being
vanquished now by the wielder of the thunder-bolt himself. Of sureness of
aim, he is a great smiter. As regards ourselves, our animals are tired
(today). We have also been greatly mangled by Panchalas and the Pandavas.
I do not like fresh encounter with the victorious Pandavas. Let the
withdrawal of our army, therefore, be proclaimed today. Tomorrow we will
fight with the foe.' Hearing these words of the grandsire, the Kauravas,
afflicted with the fear of Ghatotkacha, and availing of the advent of
night as a pretext, gladly did what the grandsire said. And after the
Kauravas had withdrawn, the Pandavas, crowned with victory uttered
leonine roars, mingling them with the blare of conches and the notes of
pipes. Thus did the battle take place that day, O Bharata, between the
Kurus and the Pandavas headed by Ghatotkacha. And the Kauravas also,
vanquished by the Pandavas and overcome with shame, retired to their own
tents when night came. And those mighty car-warriors, the sons of Pandu,
their bodies mangled with shafts and themselves filled with (the result
of) the battle, proceeded, O king, towards their encampment, with
Bhimasena and Ghatotkacha, O monarch, at their head. And filled with
great joy, O king, they worshipped those heroes. And they uttered diverse
kinds of shouts which were mingled with the notes of trumpets. And those
high-souled warriors shouted making the very earth tremble therewith, and
grinding as it were, O sire, the hearts of your sons. And it was thus that
those chastisers of foes, when night came, proceeded towards their tents.
And king Duryodhana, cheerless at the death of his brothers, passed some
time in thoughtfulness, overcome with grief and tears. Then making all
the arrangements for his camp according to the rules (of military
science), he began to pass the hours in meditation, scorched with grief
and afflicted with sorrow on account of his (slain) brothers."
--------------------END OF PARVA 6 : UPA-PARVA 64 ---------------------
