SECTION XCI
Sanjaya said, "During the progress, O king, of that fierce battle fraught
with the slaughter of great heroes, Sakuni the glorious son of Suvala,
rushed against the Pandavas. And so also, O monarch, Hridika's son of the
Satwata race, that slayer of hostile heroes, rushed in that battle
against the Pandava ranks. And smiling the while, (several warriors on
thy side), with a large number of steeds consisting of the best of the
Kamvoja breed as also of those born in the country of the Rivers, and of
those belonging to Aratta and Mahi and Sindhu, and of those of Vanayu
also that were white in hue, and lastly those of hilly countries,
surrounded (the Pandava army).[438] And so also with horses, exceedingly
swift, fleet as the very winds, and belonging to the Tittri breed,
(others encompassed that army). And with many horses, clad in mail and
decked with gold, the foremost of their class and fleet as the winds the
mighty son of Arjuna (viz., Iravat), that slayer of foes, approached the
(Kaurava) force. This handsome and valiant son of Arjuna, named Iravat,
was begotten upon the daughter of the king of the Nagas by the
intelligent Partha. Her husband having been slain by Garuda, she became
helpless, and of cheerless soul. Childless as she was, she was bestowed
(upon Arjuna) by the high-souled Airavat. Partha accepted her for wife,
coming to him as she did under the influence of desire. It was thus that
that son of Arjuna was begotten upon the wife of another.[439] Abandoned
by his wicked uncle from hatred of Partha, he grew up in the region of
the Nagas, protected by his mother. And he was handsome and endued with
great strength, possessed of diverse accomplishments, and of prowess
incapable of being baffled. Hearing that Arjuna had gone to the region of
Indra, he speedily went thither. And the mighty-armed Iravat, possessed
of prowess incapable of being baffled, approaching his sire, saluted him
duly, standing before him with joined hands. And he introduced himself to
the high-souled Arjuna, saying, 'I am Iravat. blessed be thou, and I am
thy son, O lord'. And he reminded Arjuna of all the circumstances
connected with the latter's meeting with his mother. And thereupon the
son of Pandu recollected all those circumstances exactly as they
happened. Embracing his son then who resembled himself in
accomplishments, Partha, in Indra's abode, was filled with joy. The
mighty-armed Iravat then, O king, in the celestial regions was, O
Bharata, joyfully commanded by Arjuna, with regard to his own business,
(in these words), 'When the battle takes place, assistance should be
rendered by thee'. Saying 'Yes', O lord, he went away. And now at the
time of battle he presented himself. O king, accompanied with a large
number of steeds of great fleetness and beautiful colour. And those
steeds, decked with ornaments of gold, of various colours and exceeding
fleetness, suddenly coursed over the field, O king, like swans on the
bosom of the vast deep. And those steeds failing upon yours of exceeding
swiftness, struck their chests and noses against those of thine.
Afflicted by their own impetuous clash (against thine), they suddenly
fell down, O king, on the earth. And in consequence of those steeds as
also of yours occasioned by that clash, loud sounds were heard resembling
what occurs at Garuda's swoop. And the rider of those steeds, O king,
thus dashing against one another in that battle, began to slay one
another fiercely. And during that general engagement which was fierce and
terrible, the chargers of both sides (escaping from press of battle) ran
wildly away over the field. Weakened by one another's shafts, brave
warriors, with their horses killed under them, and themselves worn out
with exertion, perished fast sabring one another. Then when those cavalry
divisions were thinned and a remnant only survived, the Younger brothers
of Suvala's son, Possessed of great wisdom, rode out, O Bharata (from the
Kaurava array) to the van of battle, mounted On excellent charges that
resembled the tempest itself in both fleetness and the violence of their
dash and that were well-trained and neither old nor young.[440] Those six
brothers endued with great strength, viz., Gaya, Gavaksha, Vrishava,
Charmavat, Arjava, and Suka dashed out of the mighty (Kaurava) array,
supported by Sakuni and by their respective forces of great valour,
themselves clad in mail, skilled in battle, fierce in mien, and possessed
of exceeding might. Breaking through that invincible cavalry division (of
the Pandavas), O you of mighty arms, those Gandhara warriors who could
with difficulty be vanquished, supported by a large force, desirous of
heaven, longing for victory, and filled with delight, penetrated into it.
Beholding them filled with joy, the valiant Iravat, addressing his own
warriors decked with diverse ornaments and weapons, said unto them,
'Adopt such contrivances in consequence of which these Dhritarashtra
warriors with their weapons and animals may all be destroyed.' Saying
'Yes', all those warriors of Iravat began to slay those mighty and
invincible Dhartarashtra soldiers. Beholding that their own warriors were
thus overthrown by Iravat's division, those sons of Suvala being unable
to beat it coolly, all rushed at Iravat and surrounded him on all sides.
And commanding (all their followers) to attack those of Iravat with
lances, those heroes swept over the field, creating a great confusion.
And Iravat, pierced with lances by those high-souled warriors, and bathed
in blood that trickled down (his wounds), looked like an elephant pierced
with the hook. Wounded deeply on the chest, back, and flanks, singly
encountering the many, he did not yet, O king, swerve from his (natural)
firmness. Indeed, Iravat, excited with rage, deprived all those
adversaries of their senses, piercing them, in that battle, with sharp
shafts. And that chastiser of foes, tearing those lances from off his
body, struck with them the sons of Suvala in battle. Then unsheathing his
polished sword and taking a shield, he rushed on foot, desirous of
slaying Suvala's sons in that combat. The sons of Suvala, however,
recovering their senses, once more rushed at Iravat, excited with wrath.
Iravat, however, proud of his might, and displaying his lightness of
hand, proceeded towards all of them, armed with his sword. Moving as he
did with great activity, the sons of Suvala, although they moved about on
their fleet steeds, could not find an opportunity for striking that hero
(on foot). Beholding him then on foot, his foes surrounded him closely
and wished to take him captive. Then that crusher of foes, seeing them
contiguous to himself, struck off, with his sword, both their right and
left arms, and mangled their other limbs. Then those arms of theirs
adorned with gold, and their weapons, fell down on the earth, and they
themselves, with limbs mangled, fell down on the field, deprived of life.
Only Vrishava, O king, with many wounds on his person, escaped (with
life) from that dreadful battle destructive of heroes. Beholding them
lying on the field of battle, your son Duryodhana, excited with wrath said
unto that Rakshasa of terrible mien, viz., Rishyasringa's son
(Alamvusha), that great bowman versed in illusion, that chastiser of
foes, who bore feelings of animosity against Bhimasena in consequence of
the slaughter of Vaka, these words: "Behold, O hero, how the mighty son
of Phalguni, versed in illusion, hath done me a severe injury by
destroying my forces. Thou also, O sire, are capable of going everywhere
at will and accomplished in all weapons of illusion. Thou cherishest
animosity also for Partha. Therefore, do you slay this one in battle.'
Saying 'Yes', that Rakshasa of terrible mien proceeded with a leonine
roar to that spot where the mighty and youthful son of Arjuna was. And he
was supported by the heroic warriors of his own division, accomplished in
smiting, well-mounted, skilled in battle and fighting with bright lances.
Accompanied by the remnant of that excellent cavalry division (of the
Kauravas), he proceeded, desirous of slaying in battle the mighty Iravat.
That slayer of foes, viz., the valiant Iravat, excited with rage, and
advancing speedily from desire of slaying the Rakshasa, began to resist
him. Beholding him advance, the mighty Rakshasa speedily set himself
about for displaying his powers of illusion. The Rakshasa then created a
number of illusive chargers which were riden by terrible Rakshasas armed
with spears and axes. Those two thousand accomplished smiters advancing
with rage, were however, soon sent to the regions of Yama, (falling in
the encounter with Iravat's forces). And when the forces of both
perished, both of them, invincible in battle, encountered each other like
Vritra and Vasava. Beholding the Rakshasa, who was difficult of being
vanquished in battle, advancing towards him, the mighty Iravat, excited
with rage, began to check his onset. And when the Rakshasa approached him
nearer, Iravat with his sword quickly cut off his bow, as also each of
his shafts into five fragments. Seeing his bow cut off, the Rakshasa
speedily rose up into the welkin, confounding with his illusion the
enraged Iravat. Then Iravat also, difficult of approach, capable of
assuming any form at will, and having a knowledge of what are the vital
limbs of the body, rising up into the welkin, and confounding with his
illusion the Rakshasa began to cut off the latter's limbs in that battle
and thus were the limbs of the Rakshasa repeatedly cut into several
pieces.[441] [(Rakshasa ceases to be italicized at this point for a
couple of pages.--JBH)] Then the Rakshasa, however, O king, was re-born,
assuming a youthful appearance. Illusion is natural with them, and their
age and form are both dependent on their will. And the limbs of that
Rakshasa, O king, cut into pieces, presented a beautiful sight. Iravat,
excited with rage, repeatedly cut that mighty Rakshasa with his sharp
axe. 'The brave Rakshasa, thus cut into pieces like a tree by the mighty
Iravat, roared fiercely'. And those roars of his became deafening.
Mangled with the axe, the Rakshasa began to pour forth blood in torrents.
Then (Alamvusha), the mighty son of Rishyasringa, beholding his foe
blazing forth with energy, became infuriate with rage and himself put
forth his prowess in that combat. Assuming a prodigious and fierce form,
he endeavoured to seize the heroic son of Arjuna, viz., the renowned
Iravat. In the sight of all the combatants there present, beholding that
illusion of the wicked Rakshasa in the van of battle, Iravat became
inflamed with rage and adopted steps for himself having recourse to
illusion. And when that hero, never retreating from battle, became
inflamed with wrath, a Naga related to him by his mother's side, came to
him. Surrounded on all sides, in that battle by Nagas, that Naga, O king,
assumed a huge form mighty as Ananta himself. With diverse kinds of Nagas
then he covered the Rakshasa. While being covered by those Nagas, that
bull among Rakshasas reflected for a moment, and assuming the form of
Garuda, he devoured those snakes. When that Naga of his mother's line was
devoured through illusion, Iravat became confounded. And while in that
state, the Rakshasa slew him with his sword, Alamvusha felled on the
earth Iravat's head decked with ear-rings and graced with a diadem and
looking beautiful like a lotus or the moon.
"When the heroic son of Arjuna was thus slain by the Rakshasa, the
Dhartarashtra host with all the kings (in it) were freed from grief. In
that great battle that was so fierce, awful was the carnage that occurred
among both the divisions. Horses and elephants and foot-soldiers
entangled with one another, were slain by tuskers. And many steeds and
tuskers were slain by foot-soldiers. And in that general engagement
bodies of foot-soldiers and cars, and large numbers of horses belonging
both to your army and theirs, were slain. O king, by car-warriors.
Meanwhile, Arjuna, not knowing that the son of his loins had been
slaughtered, slew in that battle many kings who had been protecting
Bhishma. And the warriors, O king, of your army and the Srinjayas, by
thousands, poured out their lives as libations (on the fire of battle),
striking one another. And many car-warriors, with dishevelled hair, and
with swords and bows fallen from their grasp fought with their bare arms,
encountering one another. The mighty Bhishma also, with shafts capable of
penetrating into the very vitals, slew many mighty car-warriors and
caused the Pandava army to tremble (the while). By him were slain many
combatants in Yudhishthira's host, and many tuskers and cavalry-soldiers
and car-warriors and steeds. Beholding, O Bharata, the prowess of Bhishma
in that battle, it seemed to us that it was equal to that of Sakra
himself. And the prowess of Bhimasena, as also that of Parshata, was
hardly less, O Bharata, (than that of Bhishma). And so also the battle
fought by that great bowman (viz., Satyaki) of Satwata's race, was
equally fierce. Beholding, however, the prowess of Drona, the Pandavas
were struck with fear. Indeed they thought, 'Alone, Drona can slay us
with all our troops. What then should be said of him when he is
surrounded by a large body of warriors who for their bravery are renowned
over the world? Even this, O king, was what the Partha said, afflicted by
Drona. During the progress of that fierce battle, O bull of Bharata's
race, the brave combatants of neither army forgave their adversaries of
the other. O sire, the mighty bowmen of both your army and that of the
Pandavas, inflamed with wrath, fought furiously with one another, as if
they were possessed of by the Rakshasas and demons. Indeed, he did not
see any one in the battle which was so destructive of lives and which was
considered as a battle of the demons, to take of life."
--------------------END OF PARVA 6 : UPA-PARVA 91 ---------------------
