SECTION LXXIV
Sanjaya said, "Then, O king, the mighty-armed Satyaki invincible in
battle, drawing in that conflict an excellent bow capable of bearing a
great strain shot innumerable winged arrows resembling snakes of virulent
poison, displaying his wonderful lightness of hand. And while slaying his
foes in battle, so quickly did he draw the bow, take out his arrows, fix
them on the bowstring, and letting them off throw them among the foe,
that he then seemed to be a mass of clouds pouring a thick shower of
rain. Beholding him then thus blazing up (like a swelling fire), king
Duryodhana, O Bharata, despatched ten thousand cars against him. But that
great bowman, Satyaki, of prowess incapable of being baffled and
possessed of great energy, slew with his celestial weapons all those
mighty car-warriors. Having achieved, bow in hand, that fierce feat, that
hero then approached Bhurisravas in battle. And Bhurisravas also, that
enhancer of the fame of the Kurus, beholding the Dhartarashtra ranks thus
felled by Yuyudhana, rushed in wrath against the latter.[400] Drawing his
great bow which resembled that of Indra himself in hue, he shot thousands
of shafts, O monarch, looking like snakes of virulent poison and
possessed of the strength of the thunder, displaying his extreme
lightness of hand. Thereupon the combatants that followed Satyaki, unable
to bear those shafts of fatal touch, fled away, O king, in all
directions, abandoning, O monarch, the invincible Satyaki in that
conflict. Beholding this, the mighty sons of Yuyudhana, all mighty
car-warriors of great renown, cased in excellent mail, bearing diverse
arms, and possessing excellent standards, approaching that great bowman,
viz., Bhurisravas, in battle, wrathfully addressed that warrior bearing
on his standard the device of a sacrificial stake, and said these words,
'Listen, O kinsman of the Kauravas, O you that are possessed of great
strength, come, fight in battle with us, i.e., with either all of us
jointly or with each of us separately. Vanquishing us in battle thou
mayst win great renown, or ourselves, vanquishing thee, will have great
gratification.' Thus addressed by them, that mighty hero endued with
great strength and proud of his prowess, that foremost of men, beholding
them before him, replied unto them, saying, 'Ye heroes, the have said
well. If such be now your wish, fight the then all together with care. I
shall slay all of you in battle.' Thus addressed by him, those heroic and
mighty bowmen endued with great activity covered that chastiser of foes
with a thick shower of arrows. And it was towards the afternoon, O king,
that that dreadful battle took place between Bhurisravas alone on one
side and the many united together on the other. And those ten heroes
covered that single mighty car-warrior with showers of arrows like the
clouds showering rain on a mountain cliff in the season of rains. That
mighty car-warrior, however, cut off, those clouds of shafts shot by them
resembling the fatal darts of Death or the very thunder in effulgence,
before they could reach him.[401] They then, surrounding that
mighty-armed warrior, endeavoured to slay him. But the son of Somadatta,
excited with rage, cut off their bows, O Bharata, and then their heads,
with sharp shafts. Thus slain, they fell down, O monarch, like mighty
trees felled by the thunder.[402] Beholding then his mighty sons thus
slain in battle, the Vrishni hero (Satyaki), O king, uttering a loud
roar, rushed against Bhurisravas. And those mighty warriors then each
pressed his car against the other. And each of them in that combat slew
the other's car-steeds. And both deprived of their cars, those mighty
warriors jumped down on the ground. And both taking up large scimitars
and excellent shields encountered each other. And those tigers among men,
stationed for the encounter, shone brightly. Then Bhimasena, O king,
quickly coming up to Satyaki thus armed with an excellent scimitar, took
him up on his own car. And your son also, O monarch, speedily took up
Bhurisravas on his car, in that battle, at the very sight of all the
bowmen.
"Meanwhile, during the continuance of that battle, the Pandavas, O bull
of Bharata's race, excited with wrath, fought with that mighty
car-warrior Bhishma. And when the sun assumed a red hue, Dhananjaya
exerting himself actively, slew five and twenty thousand great
car-warriors. These, urged on by Duryodhana for slaying Partha, were thus
completely destroyed before they could even come up to him, like insects
on a blazing fire. Then the Matsyas and the Kekayas, all accomplished in
the science of arms, surrounded that mighty car-warrior Partha as also
his son (for supporting them). Just at that time the sun disappeared, and
all the combatants seemed to be deprived of their senses. Then at
twilight, O king, your sire Devavrata, his animals having been tired,
caused the troops to be withdrawn. And the troops of both the Pandavas
and the Kurus, filled with fear and anxiety in course of that dreadful
encounter, proceeded to their respective camps, the Pandavas with the
Srinjayas and the Kauravas also rested for the night agreeably to the
rules (of military science)."
--------------------END OF PARVA 6 : UPA-PARVA 74 ---------------------
