SECTION CV
Sanjaya said, "O tiger among men, Arjuna sent those Kshatriyas that
followed Susarman to the abode of the King of the Dead by means of his
whetted shafts. Susarman however, in that battle, pierced Partha with his
shafts. And he pierced Vasudeva with seventy, and Arjuna once more with
nine shafts. Checking those shafts by means of his arrowy showers, that
mighty car-warrior, viz., the son of Indra, despatched Susarman's troops
unto Yama's abode. Those mighty car-warriors, while being slaughtered by
Partha in that battle as if by Death himself at the end of the Yuga, all
fled away from the field, O king struck with panic, Some abandoning their
steeds, some abandoning, O sire, their cars, and others their elephants,
fled away in all directions. Others taking with them their horses,
elephants, and cars, fled away, O king, with great speed. Foot-soldiers
in that dreadful battle, throwing aside their weapons, and without any
regard for one another, fled away hither and thither. Though forbidden by
Susarman the ruler of the Trigartas, and by other foremost of kings, they
stayed not yet in battle. Beholding that host routed, your son Duryodhana
himself at the head of the whole army and with Bhishma ahead, attacked
Dhananjaya with all his vigour, for the sake, O king, of (protecting) the
life of the ruler of the Trigartas. And he stayed in battle, scattering
diverse kinds of arrows, supported by all his brothers. The rest of the
men all fled away. Similarly, the Pandavas, O king, clad in mail and with
all their vigour, proceeded, for the sake of Phalguni, to the spot where
Bhishma was. Although acquainted with the awful prowess, in battle of the
wielder of Gandiva, these yet proceeded with loud cries and great bravery
to the spot where Bhishma was and surrounded him on all sides. Then the
palmyra-bannered hero covered the Pandava army, in that battle, with his
straight shafts. The sun having reached the meridian, the Kauravas, O
king, fought with the Pandavas in one confused mass. The heroic Satyaki,
having pierced Kritavarman with five arrows, stayed in battle scattering
his arrows by thousands. And so king Drupada also, having pierced Drona
with many whetted shafts, once more pierced him with seventy shafts and
his charioteer with nine. Bhimasena also, having pierced his great
grandsire king Valhika uttered a loud roar like a tiger in the forest.
Arjuna's son (Abhimanyu) pierced by Chitrasena with many shafts, deeply
pierced Chitrasena in the chest with three arrows. Engaged with each
other in battle, those two foremost of men looked resplendent on the
field like the planets, Venus and Saturn, O king, in the firmament. Then
that slayer of foes, viz., the son of Subhadra, having slain his
antagonist's steeds and charioteer with nine arrows, uttered a loud
shout. Thereupon that mighty car-warrior, (viz., Chitrasena), quickly
jumping down from that car whose steed had been slain, mounted, O king,
without delay, the car of Durmukha. The valiant Drona, pierced the
latter's charioteer also, Then, O king, Drupada, thus afflicted at the
head of his troops, retreated by the aid of his fleet steeds,
recollecting the hostility that existed from days of old (between himself
and Drona). Bhimasena, within a moment, deprived king Valhika of his
steeds, car and charioteer, in the very sight of all the troops. Fallen
into a situation of great danger and with fear in his heart, O king,
Valhika, that best of men, jumping down from that vehicle, quickly
mounted upon the car of Lakshmana in that battle. Satyaki, having checked
Kritavarman in that dreadful battle, fell upon the grandsire and rained
on him shafts of diverse kinds.[470] Piercing the grandsire with sixty
whetted shafts winged with feathers, he seemed to dance on his car,
shaking his large bow. The grandsire then hurled at him a mighty dart
made of iron, decked with gold, endued with great velocity, and beautiful
as a daughter of the Nagas. Beholding that irresistible dart, resembling
Death himself, coursing towards him, that illustrious warrior of the
Vrishni race baffled it by the celerity of movements. Thereupon that
fierce dart, unable to reach him of the Vrishni race, fell down on the
earth like a large meteor of blazing splendour. Then he of Vrishni's
race, O king, taking up with a firm hand his own dart of golden
effulgence, hurled it at the car of the grandsire. That dart, hurled in
that dreadful battle with the strength of Satyaki's arms, coursed
impetuously like the fatal night, coursing speedily towards a (doomed)
man. As it coursed, however, towards him with great force, Bhishma cut it
in twain, O Bharata, with a couple of horse-shoe-headed arrows of keen
edge, and thereupon it fell down on the earth. Having cut that dart, that
grinder of foes, viz., Ganga's son, excited with wrath and smiling the
while struck Satyaki in the chest with nine arrows. Then the Pandava
warriors, O elder brother of Pandu, with their cars, elephants, and
steeds,[471] surrounded Bhishma in that battle, for the sake of rescuing
him of Madhu's race. Then commenced again a fierce battle, making the
hair to stand on end, between the Pandavas and the Kurus both of whom
were desirous of victory."
--------------------END OF PARVA 6 : UPA-PARVA 105 ---------------------
