SECTION LXXVII
Sanjaya said, "Thou hast, O king, in consequence of your own fault, been
overtaken by this calamity. O bull of Bharata's race, the faults which
thou, O monarch, had seen in that unrighteous course of conduct
(towards the Pandavas), were not seen by Duryodhana. It was through thy
fault, O king, that the match at dice had taken place. And it is through
thy fault that this battle hath taken place with the Pandavas. Having
committed a sin, do thou, therefore, reap the fruit of that sin of thine.
One reapeth the fruit of acts perpetrated by one's own self. Do thou,
therefore, O king, reap the fruit of your own acts both here and
hereafter. Therefore, O monarch, though overtaken by this calamity, be
calm still, and listen, O sire, to the (account of the) battle as I
recite it.
"The heroic Bhimasena, having with his sharp shafts broken your mighty
array, then came upon all the younger brothers of Duryodhana. The mighty
Bhima, beholding Dussasana and Durvisaha and Dussaha and Durmada and
Jaya, and Jayasena and Vikarna and Chitrasena and Sudarsana, and
Charuchitra and Suvarman and Duskarna and Karna, and many other mighty
car-warriors, excited with rage, of the Dhartarashtra host near enough to
himself, penetrated into (thy) mighty array that was protected by Bhishma
in that battle. Then, beholding him in their midst, all those warriors
said, 'Ye kings, let us take this one's life'!--Thereupon that son of
Pritha was surrounded by those cousins of his who were firmly resolved
(to take his life). And Bhima then resembled Surya himself of fierce
splendour surrounded by the mighty planets of evil nature, at the time of
the universal destruction. And although the son of Pandu was there in the
very midst of the (Kaurava) array, yet fear entered not his heart, as it
did not that of Indra while surrounded by the Danavas in the fierce
battle of old between the celestials and the Asuras. Then thousands of
car-warriors armed with all weapons and fully prepared for battle
overwhelmed his single self with terrible shafts. Thereupon the heroic
Bhima, disregarding the sons of Dhritarashtra, slew in that conflict many
foremost warriors (of the Kaurava army) fighting from cars or upon the
back of elephants and steeds. And ascertaining the purpose harboured by
those cousins of his who were bent upon his destruction, the mighty Bhima
set his heart upon slaying them all. Then leaving his car and taking up
his mace, the son of Pandu began to smite that very sea of Dhartarashtra
troops.
"Then when Bhimasena thus penetrated the Dhartarashtra host,
Dhrishtadyumna the son of Prishata, forsaking Drona (with whom he had
been engaged), quickly proceeded to the spot where Suvala's son was
stationed. That bull among men, baffling countless warriors of your army,
came upon the empty car of Bhimasena in that battle. And beholding in
that conflict Visoka, the charioteer of Bhimasena, Dhrishtadyumna, O
king, became exceedingly cheerless and almost deprived of his senses.
With voice choked in tears, and sighing as he spoke, he asked Visoka, in
grief, saying, 'Where is Bhima who is dear to me as my life itself?'
Visoka then, joining his hands, replied unto Dhrishtadyumna saying, 'The
mighty son of Pandu, endued with great strength, ordering me to wait for
him here, hath alone penetrated into the Dhartarashtra host that
resembleth the very ocean. That tiger among men very cheerfully said unto
me these words--'Wait for me, O charioteer, restraining the steeds for a
short space of time, that is, till I slay those that are bent upon my
destruction.--Beholding then the mighty Bhima rushing mace in hand, all
our troops (that supported him) became filled with delight. Then in this
fierce and terrible battle, O prince, your friend, breaking the mighty
array (of the foe), hath penetrated into it. Hearing these words of
Visoka, Prishata's son Dhrishtadyumna, endued with great strength, said
unto the charioteer these words on the field of battle. 'What need have I
today of life itself, if forgetting my affection for the Pandavas, I
forsake Bhima in battle? If I return today without Bhima, what will the
Kshatriyas say of me? What will they say of me when they will learn that
while I was on the field Bhima penetrated alone into the hostile array
making a single opening in it? The gods with Indra at their head visit
him with evil who, forsaking his comrades in battle, returneth home
unhurt! The mighty Bhima again is my friend and kinsman. He is devoted to
me, and I also am devoted to that slayer of foes. Therefore, I will go
thither, whither Bhima hath gone. Behold me slaying the foe like Vasava
slaying the Danavas.' Having said this, the heroic Dhrishtadyumna, O
Bharata, proceeded through the midst of the foe, along the tracks opened
by Bhimasena and marked by elephants crushed with his mace. He then
obtained sight of Bhimasena consuming the hostile ranks or felling
Kshatriya warriors like the tempest devastating rows of trees. And
car-warriors and horsemen and foot-soldiers and tuskers, while thus
slaughtered by him, uttered loud cries of woe. And cries of ah and alas
arose from your troops, O sire, while they were slaughtered by the
victorious Bhima accomplished in all moods of warfare. Then the Kaurava
warriors all accomplished in arms, surrounding Vrikodara on all sides,
fearlessly poured upon him their arrowy showers at the same time. Then
the mighty son of Prishata, beholding that foremost of all wielders of
weapons, that celebrated hero, viz., the son of Pandu, thus attacked on
all sides by fierce ranks of foes in close array, mangled with shafts,
treading the field on foot, and vomiting the poison of his wrath, mace in
hand and looking like the Destroyer himself at the hour of the universal
dissolution, quickly approached him and comforted him by his presence.
And taking him upon his car, and plucking the arrows off from all his
limbs, and embracing him warmly, the high-souled son of Prishata
comforted Bhimasena in the very midst of the foe. Then your son, in that
terrible conflict, quickly coming up to his brothers, said unto them,
'This son of Drupada of wicked soul, is now united with Bhimasena. Let us
all approach him together for slaying him. Let not the foe seek our ranks
(for battle).' Hearing these words, the Dhartarashtras, thus urged on by
the command of their eldest brother and unable to put up (with the foe),
quickly rushed, with upraised weapons, for slaying Dhrishtadyumna like
fierce comets at the hour of the universal dissolution. Taking up their
beautiful bows, those heroes, making the very earth shiver with the twang
of their bowstring and the rattle of their car-wheels, showered shafts on
Drupada's son, like the clouds covering the mountain-breast with torrents
of rain. But that hero conversant with all modes of warfare, though thus
struck with sharp arrows in that battle, did not waver. On the other
hand, that mighty car-warrior, the youthful son of Drupada, beholding
those heroic sons of yours staying before him in battle and exerting
themselves to their utmost being desirous of slaying them applied that
fierce weapon called Pramohana and engaged with your sons, O king, like
Indra with the Danavas in battle. Then those heroic warriors were
deprived of their senses, their minds and strength afflicted by the
Pramohana weapon. And the Kauravas fled away in all directions, with
their steeds and elephants and cars, beholding those sons of thine
deprived of their senses in a swoon like those whose hours had come. And
at that time Drona, the foremost of all wielders of weapons, approaching
Drupada, pierced him with three fierce shafts. And that monarch then, O
king, viz., Drupada, deeply pierced by Drona, left the battle, O Bharata,
remembering his former hostility (with Bharadwaja's son). Thereupon Drona
endued with great prowess having thus vanquished Drupada, blew his conch.
And hearing the blare of his conch, all the Somakas were struck with
fear. Then Drona, possessed of great energy, that foremost of all
wielders of weapons, heard of your sons being deprived of their senses in
battle with the Pramohana weapon. Then the son of Bharadwaja, desirous of
rescuing the princes, speedily left that part of the field where he was
and proceeded to the place where your sons were. And that mighty bowman
viz., Bharadwaja's son of great prowess, there beheld Dhrishtadyumna and
Bhima careering through the field in that dreadful conflict. And that
mighty car-warrior beheld your sons deprived of their senses. Taking up
then the weapon called Prajna, he neutralised the Pramohana weapon (that
Dhrishtadyumna had shot). Then your sons those mighty car-warriors, when
their senses returned, once more proceeded to battle with Bhima and
Prishata's son. Then Yudhishthira, addressing his own troops said, 'Let
twelve brave car-warriors cased in mail and headed by Subhadra's son,
follow, to the utmost of their might, the track of Bhima and Prishata's
son in battle. Let intelligence be had (of those two warriors). My heart
is very uneasy.' Thus ordered by the king, those heroes possessed of
great prowess in battle and proud of their manliness, saying 'Yes,' all
proceeded forward when the sun had reached the meridian. And those
chastisers of foes then, viz., the Kaikeyas and the sons of Draupadi, and
Dhrishtaketu of great prowess, supported by a large force and with
Abhimanyu at their head, and disposing themselves in the array called
Suchimukha,[405] penetrated into that car-division of the Dhartarashtras
in battle. And your troops, O king, struck with the fear of Bhimasena and
deprived of their senses by Dhrishtadyumna, were unable to resist (the
rush of) those mighty bowmen headed by Abhimanyu. And they were quite
helpless, like a lady in the streets. And those mighty bowmen with
standards variegated with gold cutting through (the Kaurava ranks),
proceeded with great speed for rescuing Dhrishtadyumna and Vrikodara. And
the latter, beholding those mighty bowmen headed by Abhimanyu, became
filled with delight and continued to smite down your ranks. And the heroic
prince of Panchala, viz., the son of Prishata, seeing meanwhile his
preceptor advancing towards him with great speed, no longer wished to
compass the death of your sons. Causing Vrikodara then to be taken up on
the car of the king of the Kaikeyas, he rushed in great wrath against
Drona accomplished in arrow and all weapons. And that slayer of foes,
viz., the valiant son of Bharadwaja, excited with rage, cut off with a
broad-headed shaft the bow of Prishata's son who was rushing towards him
with impetuosity. And remembering the bread he had eaten of his master
and desirous of doing good to Duryodhana, he also sped hundreds of shafts
after Prishata's son. Then that slayer of hostile heroes, viz., the son
of Prishata, taking up another bow, pierced Drona with seventy shafts
whetted on stone and furnished with wings of gold. Then that grinder of
foes, viz., Drona, once more cut off his bow, and despatched his four
steeds to Yama's abode with four excellent arrows, and also slew his
charioteer, O Bharata, with a broad-headed shaft. Then that mighty
car-warrior of strong arms, viz., Dhrishtadyumna, quickly descending from
that car whose steeds had been slain, ascended the great car of
Abhimanyu. Then Drona caused the Pandava army consisting of cars,
elephants, and steeds, to tremble, in the very sight of Bhimasena and the
intelligent son of Prishata. Beholding then that army thus broken by
Drona of immeasurable energy, all those mighty car-warriors were
incapable of checking its flight. And that army, thus slaughtered by
Drona with his sharp shafts, began to move in eddies there, like the
agitated sea. And beholding the (Pandava) army in that condition, thy
troops were filled with delight. And seeing the preceptor excited with
rage and thus consuming the ranks of the foe, all your warriors, O
Bharata, set up loud shouts and uttered exclamations in praise of Drona."
--------------------END OF PARVA 6 : UPA-PARVA 77 ---------------------
