SECTION CI
Sanjaya said, "Then the noble Abhimanyu of great energy, borne by his
steeds of a tawny hue, rushed at the mighty host of Duryodhana,
scattering his arrowy showers like the clouds pouring torrents of rain. O
son of Kuru's race, your warriors, in that battle, were unable to resist
that slayer of foes, viz., Subhadra's son, who, excited with wrath and
possessed of wealth of arms, was then immersed in that inexhaustible
ocean of (Kaurava) forces. Death-dealing shafts, O king, shot by him in
that battle, despatched many heroic Kshatriyas to the regions of the king
of the departed spirits. Indeed, excited with wrath Subhadra's son in
that battle shot fierce and blazing arrows in profusion that resembled
snakes of virulent poison or rods of death himself. And Phalguni's son
speedily split into fragments car-warriors with their cars, steeds with
their riders, and elephant-warriors along with the huge animals they
rode. And the rulers of the earth, filled with joy, applauded those
mighty feats in battle and praised him also that achieved them. And the
son of Subhadra, O Bharata, tossed those divisions (of the Kaurava army)
like the tempest tossing a heap of cotton on all sides in the welkin.
Routed by him, O Bharata, the troops failed to find a protector, like
elephants sunk in a slough. Then, O best of men, having routed all
troops, Abhimanyu stood, O king, like a blazing fire without a curl of
smoke. Indeed, O king, your warriors were incapable of bearing that slayer
of foes, like insects impelled by fate unable to bear a blazing fire.
That mighty car-warrior and great bowman, having struck all the foes of
the Pandavas, looked at that moment like Vasava himself armed with the
thunder. And his bow, the back of whose staff was decked with gold, as it
moved on every side, seemed, O king, like the lightning's flash as it
spotted amid the clouds. And well-tempered and sharp shafts came from his
bow-string in that battle like flights of bees, O king, from blossoming
trees in the forest. And as the high-souled son of Subhadra careered on
the field on his car whose limbs were decked with gold, people were
incapable of finding an opportunity (for striking him). Confounding Kripa
and Drona and mighty son of Drona, as also the ruler of the Sindhus, the
great bowman moved on the field of battle with great activity and skill.
As he consumed your troops, O Bharata, I beheld his bow incessantly drawn
to a circle and resembling on that account the circular halo of light
that is sometimes seen around the Sun. Brave Kshatriyas, beholding him
endued with such activity and scorching the foe thus, thought, in
consequence of those feats, that the world contained two Phalgunis.
Indeed, O king, the vast host of the Bharatas, afflicted by him, reeled
hither and thither like a woman drunk with wine. Routing that large army
and causing many mighty car-warriors to tremble, he gladdened his friends
(like Vasava gladdening the celestials) after vanquishing Maya. And while
being routed by him in that battle, your troops uttered loud exclamations
of woe that resembled the roar of the clouds. Hearing that awful wail thy
troops, O Bharata, that resembled the roar of the very sea at full tide
when agitated by the winds, Duryodhana then, O king, addressed the son of
Rishyasringa and said, 'This Abhimanyu singly, O you of mighty arms,
like a second Phalguni, routeth from rage (my) army like Vritra routing
the celestial host. I do not see any other efficacious medicine for him
in battle than thyself, O best of Rakshasas, that are well-skilled in
every science. Therefore, go speedily and slay the heroic son of Subhadra
in battle. As regards ourselves, headed by Bhishma and Drona, we will
slay Partha himself.' Thus addressed, the mighty and valiant Rakshasa
speedily went to battle at the command of your son, uttering loud roars
like the clouds themselves in the season of rains. And in consequence of
that loud noise, O king, the vast host of the Pandavas trembled
throughout like the ocean when agitated by the wind. And many combatants,
O king, terrified by those roars, giving up dear life, fell prostrate on
the earth. Filled with joy and taking up his bow with arrow fixed on the
string, and apparently dancing on the terrace of his car, that Rakshasa
proceeded against Abhimanyu himself. Then the angry Rakshasa, having in
that battle got Arjuna's son within reach, began to rout his ranks,--even
those that stood not far from him. Indeed, the Rakshasa rushed in battle
against that mighty Pandava host which he began to slaughter, like Vala
rushing against the celestial host. Attacked in battle by that Rakshasa
of terrible mien, the slaughter was very great, O sire, that took place
amongst those troops. Exhibiting his prowess, the Rakshasa began to rout
that vast force of the Pandavas, with thousands of arrows. Thus
slaughtered by that Rakshasa of terrible visage, the Pandava army fled
away from excess of fear. Grinding that army like an elephant grinding
lotus-stalks, the mighty Rakshasa then rushed in battle against the sons
of Draupadi. Then those great bowmen, accomplished in fighting, viz., the
sons of Draupadi, rushed towards the Rakshasa in battle like five planets
rushing against the Sun. That best of Rakshasa then was afflicted by
those brothers endued with great energy, like the Moon afflicted by the
five planets of the awful occasion of the dissolution of the world. Then
the mighty Prativindhya quickly pierced the Rakshasa with whetted shafts,
sharp as battle-axes and furnished with points capable of penetrating
every armour. Thereupon that foremost of Rakshasas, with his armour
pierced through, looked like a mass of clouds penetrated by the rays of
the Sun. Pierced with these shafts furnished with golden wings,
Rishyasringa's son, O king, looked resplendent like a mountain with
blazing crests. Then those five brothers in that great battle, pierced
that foremost of Rakshasas with many whetted shafts of golden wings.
Pierced with those terrible shafts resembling angry snakes, Alamvusha, O
king, became inflamed with rage like the king of the serpents himself.
Deeply pierced, O king, within only a few moments, O sire, by those great
car-warriors, the Rakshasa, much afflicted, remained senseless for a long
while. Regaining his consciousness then, and swelling through rage to
twice his dimensions, he cut off their arrows and standards and bows. And
as if smiling the while he struck each of them with five arrows. Then
that mighty Rakshasa and great car-warrior, Alamvusha, excited with
wrath, and as if dancing on the terrace of his car, quickly slew the
steeds, and then the charioteers, of those five illustrious adversaries
of his. And burning with rage he once more pierced them with sharp arrows
of diverse shades by hundreds and thousands. Then that wanderer of the
night, viz., the Rakshasa Alamvusha, having deprived those great bowmen
of their cars, rushed impetuously at them, wishing to despatch them to
Yama's abode. Beholding them (thus) afflicted in battle by that
wicked-souled Rakshasa, the son of Arjuna rushed at him. Then the battle
that took place between him and the cannibal resembled that between
Vritra and Vasava. And the mighty car-warriors of your army, as also of
the Pandavas, all became spectators of that engagement. Encountering each
other in fierce battle, blazing with wrath, endued with great might, and
with eyes red in rage, each beheld the other in that battle to resemble
the Yuga fire. And that engagement between them became fierce and awful
like that between Sakra and Samvara in days of old in the battle between
the gods and Asuras."
--------------------END OF PARVA 6 : UPA-PARVA 101 ---------------------
