SECTION LXXXIV
Dhritarashtra said, "Many and wonderful, O Sanjaya, were the single
combats I hear you speak of between the Pandavas and my warriors. Thou
speakest not, however, O Sanjaya, of any one of my side having been
cheerful (on such occasions). Thou always speakest of the sons of Pandu
as cheerful and never routed, O Suta and you speakest of mine as
cheerless, deprived of energy, and constantly vanquished in battle. All
this, without doubt, is Destiny."
Sanjaya said, "Thy men, O bull of Bharata's race, exert themselves
according to the measure of their might and courage, and display their
valour to the utmost extent of their strength. As contact with the
properties of the ocean make the sweet waters of the celestial stream
Ganga brakish, so the valour, O king, of the illustrious warriors of thy
army coming in contact with the heroic sons of Pandu in battle, becometh
futile. Exerting themselves according to their might, and achieving the
most difficult feats, you shouldst not, O chief of the Kurus, find fault
with your troops. O monarch, this great and awful destruction of the
world, swelling the (population of the) domains of Yama, hath arisen from
thy misconduct and that of your sons. It behoveth you not, O king, to
grieve for what hath arisen from your own fault. Kings do not always in
this world protect their lives. These rulers of Earth, desirous of
winning by battle the regions of the righteous, daily fight, penetrating
into (hostile) divisions, with heaven only for their aim.
"On the forenoon of that day, O king, great was the carnage that ensued,
resembling what occurred in the battle between the gods and the Asuras
(of old). Listen to it, O monarch, with undivided attention. The two
princes of Avanti, those great bowmen endued with exceeding might, those
excellent warriors fierce in battle, beholding Iravat, advanced against
him. The battle that took place between them was fierce, making the hair
stand on end. Then Iravat, excited with rage, quickly pierced those two
brothers of celestial forms with many sharp and straight shafts. Those
two, however, conversant with all modes of warfare, pierced him in return
in that battle. Struggling their best to slaughter the foe, and desirous
of counteracting each other's feats, no distinction, O king, could be
observed between them as they fought. Iravat then, O monarch, with four
shafts, despatched the four steeds of Anuvinda to the abode of Yama. And
with a couple of sharp, broad-headed shafts, O sire, he cut off the bow
and standard also of Anuvinda. And this feat, O king, seemed highly
wonderful. Then Anuvinda, leaving his own car, mounted on the car of
Vinda. Taking up an excellent and strong bow capable of bearing a great
strain, Anuvinda, as also his brother Vinda, those foremost of
car-warriors hailing from Avanti, both stationed on the same car, quickly
shot many shafts at the high-souled Iravat. Shot by them, those shafts of
great impetuosity decked with gold, while coursing through the air,
covered the welkin.[414] Then Iravat, excited with rage, showered on
those mighty car-warriors, those two brothers (of Avanti) his arrowy
down-pours, and felled their charioteer. When the charioteer, deprived of
life, fell down on the ground, the horses, no longer restrained, ran away
with car. Having vanquished those two warriors, that daughter's son of
the king of the Nagas, displaying his prowess, then began to consume with
great activity your ranks. Then that mighty Dhartarashtra host, while thus
slaughtered in battle, began to reel in many directions like a person who
hath drunk poison.
"That prince of Rakshasa, the mighty son of Hidimva, on his car of solar
effulgence furnished with a standard, rushed against Bhagadatta. The
ruler of the Pragjyotishas was stationed on his prince of elephants like
the wielder of the thunder-bolt in days of old in the battle occasioned
by the ravishment of Taraka. The gods, the Gandharvas, and the Rishis had
all come there. They could not, however, notice any distinction between
Hidimva's son and Bhagadatta. As the chief of the celestials, excited
with wrath, had inspired the Danavas with fear, so did Bhagadatta, O
king, frightened the Pandava warriors. And the warriors of the Pandava
army, frightened by him on all sides, failed, O Bharata, to find among
their ranks any protector. We beheld however, O Bharata, the son of
Bhimasena there, on his car. The other mighty car-warriors fled away with
cheerless hearts. When, however, O Bharata, he troops of the Pandavas
rallied, in the battle that then ensued an awful uproar arose among thy
troops. Then Ghatotkatcha, O king, in that dreadful battle, covered
Bhagadatta with his arrows like the clouds pouring rain on the breast of
Meru. Baffling all those arrows shot from the Rakshasa's bow, the king
quickly struck the son of Bhimasena in all his vital limbs. That prince
of the Rakshasa, however, though struck with innumerable straight shafts,
wavered not at all (but stood still) like a mountain pierced (with
shafts). Then the ruler of the Pragjyotishas, excited with wrath, hurled
in that combat fourteen lances, all of which, however, were cut off by
the Rakshasa. Cutting off by means of his sharp shafts those lances, the
mighty-armed Rakshasa pierced Bhagadatta with seventy shafts, each
resembling the thunder-bolt in force. Then the ruler of the
Pragjyotishas, laughing the while, O Bharata, despatched in that combat
the four steeds of the Rakshasa to Death's domain. The prince of the
Rakshasas, however, of great valour, staying on that car whose steeds had
been slain, hurled with great force a dart at the elephant of the ruler
of the Pragjyotishas. King Bhagadatta then cut off that swift dart
furnished with a staff of gold and coursing impetuously towards him into
three fragments, and thereupon it fell down on the ground. Beholding his
dart cut off, the son of Hidimva fled from fear like Namuchi, that
foremost of the Daityas, in days of old, from battle with Indra. Having
vanquished in battle that hero of great valour and renowned prowess, who,
O king, cannot be vanquished in battle by Yama himself or Varuna, king
Bhagadatta with his elephant began to crush down the troops of the
Pandavas like a wild elephant. O king, crushing as he treads the
lotus-stalks (in a lake).
"The ruler of the Madras engaged in battle with his sister's sons, the
twins. And the overwhelmed those sons of Pandu with clouds of arrows.
Then Sahadeva, beholding his maternal uncle, engaged in battle (with
him), covered him with arrows like the clouds covering the maker of day.
Covered with those clouds of arrows, the ruler of the Madras wore a
delighted expression, and the twins also felt great delight for the sake
of their mother.[415] Then Salya, that mighty car-warrior, smiting
effectively in that battle, despatched with four excellent shafts, O
king, the four steeds of Nakula to the abode of Yama. Nakula then, that
mighty car-warrior, quickly jumping down from that car whose steeds had
been slain, mounted upon the vehicle of his renowned brother. Stationed
then on the same car, those two heroes, both fierce in battle, and both
excited with rage, began to shroud the car of the ruler of Madras, (with
heir arrows), drawing their bows with great strength. But that tiger
among men, though thus covered by his sister's sons with innumerable
straight arrows shook not in the least (but stood immovable) like a hill.
Laughing the while, he smote them (in return) with showers of arrows.
Then Sahadeva of great prowess, O Bharata, excited with wrath, took up a
(powerful) shaft, and rushing at the ruler of the Madras, shot it at
him[416]. That shaft endued with the impetuosity of Garuda himself, shot
by him, pierced the ruler of the Madras through, and fell on the earth.
Thereupon that mighty car-warrior, deeply pierced and greatly pained, sat
down. O king, on the terrace of his car, and went into a swoon. Beholding
him (thus) afflicted by the twins, deprived of consciousness, and
prostrated (on his car), his charioteer bore him away on his vehicle over
the field. Seeing the car of the ruler of the Madras retreating (from
battle) the Dhartarashtras all became cheerless and thought it was all
over with him.[417] Then those mighty car-warriors, viz., the two sons of
Madri, having vanquished in battle their maternal uncle, cheerfully blew
their conches and uttered leonine roars. And then they rushed joyfully, O
king, towards your forces like the gods Indra and Upendra, O monarch,
towards the Daitya host."
--------------------END OF PARVA 6 : UPA-PARVA 84 ---------------------
