SECTION CC
"Sanjaya said, 'Having battled fiercely for five days, O king, the
Brahmana (Drona) endued with great strength, fell and repaired to the
region of Brahma. The fruits that arise from a study of the Vedas arise
from a study of this Parva also. The great achievements of brave
Kshatriyas have been described here. He who readeth or listeneth to the
recitation of this Parva every day is freed from heinous sins and the
most atrocious acts of his life. Brahmanas may always obtain herefrom the
fruits of sacrifices. From this, Kshatriyas may obtain victory in fierce
battle. The other orders (Vaisyas and Sudras) may obtain desirable sons
and grandsons and all objects of desire!'"
The end of Drona Parva.
FOOTNOTES
1. Literally, like an oration teeming with unrefined expressions.
2. i.e., deprived of robes and ornaments because of her widowhood.
3. A Sarabha is a fabulous animal of eight legs supposed to be stronger
than the lion.
4. The sense seems to be, that when such an one hath been slain, what is
there on earth that is not subject to destruction? Ye, should, therefore,
grieve for your wealth, children etc. as things already gone.
5. There is a slight difference of reading in this sloka as it occurs in
the Bombay text. The sense seems to be, that since everything is destined
to die, why should I fear to do my duty.
6. The last line is read incorrectly, I think, in the Bombay text.
7. The second fine of 12 is read incorrectly in the Bengal text. Instead
of tathapi the true reading (as in the Bombay edition) is tavapi.
8. Kula-samhanana-jnana, i.e., 'knowledge of Kula, as also of samhanana,
which latter, as Nilakantha explains, means the body. A knowledge of the
body, of vital and other limbs, was possessed by every accomplished
warrior who wanted to smite effectually.
9. i.e., who will feel it humiliating for him to walk behind Drona?
10. A substantial difference of reading occurs here between the Bengal
and the Bombay texts. Both have defects of their own. It seems to me that
Drona, as leader, proceeded in the van. Karna, when described as
proceeding at the head of all bowmen, must be taken marching at the head
of the whole rear guard. In the case, his position would be immediately
behind Drona's.
11. Lit, "placed army to their right," i.e., these birds wheeled to the
left of your host, which is an evil omen.
12. The first line of 23 is read with a slight variation in the Bengal
text. The words 'nothing could be seen save Drona's arrows' are added
here to make the sense clear.
13. Probably, a ready instrument.
14. The sense seems to be that having carefully attained Arjuna in arms
he has got the fruit of his care and labour in the form of defeat and
death at the hands of, or, at least, through, his own pupil.
15. This sentence comprises 7. 8 and the first line of 9. I have followed
the exact order of the original. The peculiarity of the Sanskrit
construction is that the Nominative Pronoun is made to stand in
apposition with a noun in the objective case. The whole of this Section
contains many such sentences.
16. 10 and 11 also refer to Ajatasatru.
17. Ghatotkacha was the son of Hidimva by Bhimasena. Rakshasi women bring
forth the very day they conceive, and their offspring attain to youth the
very day they are born!
18. Hayaraja, lit., the prince of steeds. He was an Asura, otherwise
called Kesi, in the form of a steed.
19. i.e., without weapons of any kind.
20. Kaliprasanna Singha, in his Bengali translation, makes a mess of this
Sloka.
21. Jarasandha, the powerful king of the Magadhas, and the sworn foe of
Krishna, was slain by Bhima through Krishna's instigation.
22. viz., the transplantation of the Parijata from Amaravati to the earth.
23. Though gods, they have taken their births as men, and, they must
achieve their objects by human means. It is for this that they do not, by
a fiat only of their will, destroy this host.
24. The Bengal Texts read this verse incorrectly. For Prataptam, the
correct reading is satatam; and for anukarinas, the correct word is
asukarinas.
25. The Bengal reading is Sura-vyala. The Bombay texts reads Sulav-yala.
I adopt the latter. Vajinas, in Prani-vaji-nishevitam, is explained by
Nilakantha to mean fowl or bird.
26. It is evident that the very minuteness with which the comparison is
sought to be sustained, destroys the effect. Regarding the repetition,
they are just such as one may expect to find in verses composed extempore.
27. This verse is read incorrectly in the Bengal texts. For hayan read
Dhanus.
28. The word "heroic" occurs in the next verse.
29. The word in the original are Sampata, Abhighata, and Nipata.
30. Nishka, literally, a golden coin, whose weight is diversely stated by
diverse authorities.
31. I adopt the Bengal reading which is Vidhayaivam. The Bombay reading
is Vihayainam, meaning 'leaving Yudhishthira.'
32. Soldiers sworn to conquer or die. Instead of using a long-winded
phrase each time the word occurs, it is better to repeat it in this form.
33. The second line reads differently in the Bombay text.
34. It seems that the text here is vicious. It certainly requires
settling. One complete Sloka seems to be wanting.
35. The second line of this verse is certainly vicious.
36. Ekacharas is explained by Nilakantha as 'unable to bear the sight of
others of their species,' i.e., walking by themselves, or solitarily or
singly. Some of the vernacular translators are for taking this word as
implying the Rhinoceros.
37. Literally, 'thought in his mind that his hour was come.'
38. Literally, half-moon-shaped.'
39. Cruel because it was a Brahmana with whom Satanika was fighting.
40. The Bengal reading Vahupellava is a mistake. The correct reading is
Vahupannaga as in the Bombay text.
41. Using even these as implements for striking, for Bhima's might was
superhuman.
42. Hemadandais is a mistake of the Bengal texts for Hemabhandiers.
43. The first line of 20 is vicious as it occurs in the Bengal texts. The
Bombay reading is correct.
44. 'This seems to be a repetition of the 6th verse.
45. i.e., not to abandon their comrades in distress.
46. The last word of the first line of 74 is vicious as printed in the
Bengal texts.
47. The custom, when one warrior attacked another, was invariably to give
his name and lineage before striking.
48. All the printed texts, not excepting that of Bombay, read Drupadeyas.
There can be no doubt, however, that it should be Draupadeyas.
49. The first line of 54 is read incorrectly in the Bengal texts. I
follow the Bombay reading.
50. After 19 occurs a complete sloka in the Bombay text which does not
appear to be genuine.
51. The second line of 46 is omitted in the Bengal texts.
52. The Bengali translators have made a mess of these two verses. Among
others, K. P. Singha makes Ruchiparvan follow Bhima and suppose Suvarchas
to be some Pandava warrior who slew Ruchiparvan. The reading Suvarchas is
vicious. The correct reading is Suparva, meaning, as Nilakantha explains,
"of beautiful limbs." Parvatapati is Bhagadatta himself.
53. The Bengal reading abhitas is incorrect. It should be Kshubitas.
54. I render 16 and 17 rather freely, as otherwise the sense would not be
clear.
55. The Bengal texts read,--"he is either the first or the second, on the
earth, I think."
56. The Bombay reading paritas is vicious. The Bengal texts read twaritas.
57. The Bengal texts read the second line differently. Lokam
(accusative). For Gharmancubhis the Bengal reading is Gharmamvubhis.
Nilakantha explains that varsha (whence varshika) means season. Hence
Nigadavarshikau masau would mean the two months of summer. If the Bengal
reading were adopted, the meaning would be "like summer and the rainy
seasons afflicting the world with sweat and rain."
58. The Bengal reading Samprapte is vicious. The Bombay reading
Sambhrante is evidently correct.
59. I render 5 a little freely, and expand it slightly to make the sense
clear.
60. The Bengal reading Purvabhilashi is better than Purvabhilbhashi.
Between Nila and Aswatthaman existed a rivalry since some time.
61. The word in the original is dhumaketu. Elsewhere I have rendered it
comet. It would seem, however, that is wrong. In such passages the word
is used in its literal sense, viz., "(an article) having smoke for its
mark," hence fire.
62. The first half of the first line of 21 seems to be grammatically
connected with 20.
63. The last half of the second line of 4 is vicious as occuring in the
Bengal texts. The correct reading is ayuduha-viarada.
64. Janghas, etc., are diverse limbs of cars used in battle.
65. 'The second half of the second line of 2 is vicious in the Bengal
texts.
66. I omit the names as they occur in the text. These are: (1)
Kshurupras, i.e., arrows sharp as razors, (2) Vatsadantas, i.e., arrows
having heads like the calf-tooth, (3) Vipathas, i.e., long arrows having
stout bodies, (4) Narachas, long arrows; Ardhachandrabhais, i.e., looking
like shafts furnished with heads of the form of the half-moon; it is an
adjective qualifying Narachis, (5) Anjalikas were broad-headed shafts.
67. There are the names of diverse kinds of drums small and large.
68. I adopt the Bombay reading of the 1st line of 4.
69. The fruit being the present encounter with Abhimanyu in which
Duhsasana, according to Abhimanyu, shall have to lay down his life.
70. Pravanddiva is explained by Nilakantha as nimnadeeam prapya. The
meaning seems to be, as I have put it, "like an elephant in a low land,
i.e., land covered with mud and water."
71. These words occur in 17 lower down.
72. 'These are limbs of cars.
73. The Bombay reading is slightly different.
74. Literally, "like another son of the Lord of Treasure".
75. I confess I do not understand what the meaning is of asiva vachvz
Srijatam. The rendering I offer is tentative.
76. I follow the numbering of the Bengal texts. 23 consists of three
lines.
77. I expand the 5th a little to make the sense clear.
78. I expand the 5th a little to make the sense clear.
79. In the first fine of 3, the correct reading is Karnanchapy akarot
kradha, etc., the reading in the Bengal text is vicious and unmeaning.
80. Bengal text read Taru-tringani i.e., tree-tops.
81. The correct reading is Mahavalan Mahavalat.
82. The Bombay reading which I accept, is Valabudhischa. Of course Bengal
reading is Avalabudhischa.
83. During the days of mourning a person is regarded as unclean, being
unable to perform his ordinary worship and other religious rites. After
the obsequies are performed the mourning is ended, he is supposed to be
cleansed.
84. The first line of 6 is read differently in the Bombay edition. The
Bengal reading, however, seems to me to be preferable.
85. Both the Bengal and Bombay editions, in the first line of 12, read
prita, i.e., gratified. There can be no doubt, however, that the correct
reading is Bhita, i.e., affrighted, as I have put it. I find that some of
the Bengali translators have also made this correction.
86. Devas, in the first line of 46, means the senses, Vrittas, as
explained by Nilakantha, means Vritavantus.
87. Verse 55, as occuring in both the Bengal and the Bombay text,
requires corrections, 55 is incomplete. For the words tada Raja,
therefore, I read Sokam tyaja, as suggested by K. P. Singha. Then the
Visarga after Yudhishthira must be dropped to make it a vocative.
Similarly, Pandavas in 58 should be Pandava, a vocative and not a
nominative upakramat should be upakrama. The last two corrections are
made in the Bombay text. The fact, is, are 55 to 58 the words of Vyasa,
or of Sanjaya? Evidently, it is Vyasa that speaks, and, hence the
necessity of the corrections noted.
88. I follow Nilakantha in rendering these two verses.
89. Of golden excreta.
90. The Bengal reading is Samvartam. The Bombay text makes Samvarta a
nominative. I have adopted the Bengal reading. If the Bombay reading be
accepted, the meaning would be that Samvarta himself, piqued with
Vrihaspati, caused Marutta to perform a sacrifice. K. P. Singha makes a
ludicrous blunder in supposing Samvarta to have been a kind of sacrifice.
91. The word in the original Atavika, literally meaning one dwelling in
the woods. It is very generally used in the sense of thieves or robbers,
thus showing that these depredators from the earliest times, had the
woods and the forests for their home.
92. Vahinyas rivers. Swairinyas, open to every body. The Bengal reading
is abhavan; the Bombay reading Vyatahan. If the former reading be,
adopted, it would mean the rivers were of liquid gold.
93. i.e., sacrifices ordained for Kshatriyas.
94. Siksha, one of the six branches of Vedas; it may be called the
orthoepy of the Vedas. Akshara, letters of the alphabet. The sense seems
to be that these Brahmanas were good readers of the Vedas.
95. The word in the original Murddhabhishikta, which literally means one
whose coronal locks have undergone the ceremony of the sacred
investiture. Hence, it is used to denote Kshatriyas or persons of the
royal order.
96. Havisha mudamavahat; or havisham udam avahat, which would mean, he
poured libations unto Indra as copious as water.
97. Because juniors pre-deceased their seniors. The causative form of
akarayan is a license.
98. The four kinds of creatures that owned Rama's sway were (1) those
that were oviparous, (2) those that were viviparous, (3) those born of
filth, and (4) the vegetables.
99. These were ghats for facilitating access to the sacred stream.
100. Both 5 and 6 are difficult slokas. But for Nilakantha I could never
have understood their sense. The reading Jalaughena, occuring in both the
Bengal and the Bombay editions, is a mistake for Janaughena. The
construction of 5 is this: Dakshina Bhuyasirdadat: tena hetuna Janaughena
akaranta. The story of the salvation of Bhagiratha's ancestors is a
beautiful myth. King Sagara (whence Sagara or the Ocean) had sixty
thousand sons. They were all reduced to ashes by the curse of the sage
Kapila, an incarnation of Vishnu himself. Bhagiratha, a remote
descendant, caused the sacred Ganga to roll over the spot where the ashes
of his ancestors lay, and thus procured their salvation.
101. The correct reading is Valguvadinas, and not the form in the
genitive plural.
102. In the Bombay edition some verses occur after the 3rd.
103. Literally "Having me for his sustainer."
104. Instead of Suna, the Bombay text gives Puru.
105. The Bengal text reads this verse differently.
106. The words in italics are names of Indian confectionery, prepared
with wheat or barley, milk, and sugar or honey.
107. These are the methods by which he sought knowledge of the Vedas.
108. 'Nakshatra-dakshina is explained by Nilakantha as Nakshatra
vihitro-Dakshina.
109. The Bengal reading of the second line of the second verse is
vicious. At any rate, the Bombay reading is better.
110. Animals slain in sacrifices are believed to go to heaven.
111. Identified with the modern Chumbal.
112. A kind of vessel used by Brahmanas and others for begging.
113. Vaswoksara means made 'of gold.' It is a feminine adjective. The
substantive is omitted. I think the passage may mean--'The city of
Rantideva is made of gold.'
114. A Vyama is the space between the two arms extended at their furthest.
115. Literally, a Kshatriya is one that rescues another from wounds and
injuries.
116. A raja is one who enjoys the affection of his people, and with whom
they are delighted.
117. The bow of Siva, otherwise called Pinaka.
118. Aklishtakarman, literally, one who is never fatigued with work;
hence one capable of obtaining the results of action by a mere fiat of
the will. It may also mean, of unspotted acts.
119. Parthivas, i.e., relating to the earth.
120. The first line of the verse, I think, has been correctly explained
by Nilakantha. The paraphrase is ya imam bhumim sukham kurvan adyam i.e.
adyam yugam anuparyeti sma.
121. The Bombay text adds some verses here which do not occur in the
Bengal texts.
122. K. P. Sinha makes a ludicrous blunder in reading this line.
123. Sannahikas, i.e., clad in mail.
124. The Bengal reading Dwijaidhitam is certainly better than the Bombay
reading Dwijochitam although Nilakantha explains uchitam as abhimatam.
125. Twilight is herself the goddess who is supposed to be adored by
certain prayers and on the occasion.
126. These slaps mark the cadences.
127. Literally, 'in crossing.'
128. The Bengal reading Satyavrataiv in the first line of 9 is vicious. I
adopt the Bombay reading Satyaratas, qualifying tara. To suppose that
Krishna paid such a complement to the Kauravas as is implied by the
Bengal reading is an absurdity.
129. i.e. added his voice to that of Jayadratha, requesting Drona to
protect the latter.
130. A kind of car or vehicle.
131. Nilakantha supposes that tasmai here refers to the Three-eyed and
not to Krishna. This seems to be right.
132. The second note of the Hindu gamut.
133. Vasavamiva is a mistake for Vasavasyeva.
134. Apavrittam is explained by Nilakantha as endangered or made
doubtful. What Sanjaya says is that if it is not so, you shalt then have
to undergo the bitterness of ruling over the whole world bestowed upon
thee by the Pandavas. Either the Pandavas will snatch away your kingdom or
make you ruler of the whole after slaying your sons. Either of these
alternatives would be bitter to thee.
135. The original is pleonastic.
136. This verse obviously needs correction. Instead of "golden coats of
mail," I think some such correction is needed, viz. coats of mail, of
black iron, decked with gold and dyed with blood, etc.
137. The original is pleonastic.
138. This Sloka occurs in all the texts. It would seem, therefore, that
Sanjaya was not always a witness only of the battle for narrating what he
saw to Dhritarashtra, but sometimes at least he took part in the battle.
139. The words tatsainyanyabhyapujayan seem to be unmeaning in this
connection. The Bengali translators, unable to do anything with them,
have left them out.
140. The celestial weapons were forces dependent on mantras. Ordinary
shafts, inspired with these mantras, were converted into celestial
weapons.
141. In other words. Arjuna's car shot as quickly through the enemy as
the arrows themselves sped from it.
142. The Bengal reading of the first line is vicious. The Bombay reading
is Vamatkum Vipathum, Vanan. The first word means the froth in the mouth
of the steeds.
143. i.e., his funeral obsequies. The vernacular translators do not see
the intended joke.
144. I give the sense of this verse, without giving a closely literal
version.
145. Avabhritha is the final bath undergone, on completion of as
sacrifice by the person performing the sacrifice. The slaughter of
Duryodhana would according to Krishna, be the avabhritha of the sacrifice
of battle.
146. Praviddham means fallen down or loosened from its usual place. Thus
Nilakantha.
147. Tripura means the three cities constructed by the Asura artificer
Maya. The Asura, however, who owned those cities is also called Tripura.
It was Mahadeva who destroyed the three cities with all their population
vide the close of the Harivansa.
148. The true reading is alohita and not lohita. Arka here is crystal and
not the sun. It was a silvern boar, which could not, evidently, be like
the sun.
149. Owners of golden cars.
150. Nidas were niches or drivers boxes.
151. Many of the opening slokas of this section are nearly the same as
those of section 76 of Bhishma Parva, vide ante. In a few instances I
have adopted the readings of the Bombay edition.
152. I prefer the reading Samakulam to Jhashakulam.
153. i.e., using cars and elephants as weapons for destroying cars and
elephants.
154. The fear behind them was from the Pandava army. The fear before them
was from the car-warriors who had succeeded in penetrating the Kuru host.
155. Many of the Bengal texts have Calabhairiva. This is a mistake, the
word being Calada, and not Calabha which would be unmeaning here.
156. I render the second line of 4 too freely. The sense seems to be that
when two persons fight, one cannot say beforehand who will succeed. Both
have chances of success, as, indeed, both have chances of defeat.
157. The genius of the two languages being entirely different, I give the
sense of the first line of 14 separately, without seeking to connect it,
in the assertive form, with the second half of 13.
158. Literally, 'disregard of Krishna.'
159. The Bombay reading, which I adopt, seems to be better than the
Bengal one.
160. I think that both Vrikodaram and nisitais in this verse as given in
the Bombay text are incorrect. I read Vrikodaras and navavhis following
the Bengal texts.
161. The sense seems to be that Karna and Bhima were like fire and wind.
162. Verse 28 is a triplet. The second line is obscure. It seems that a
line has been omitted.
163. Literally, mustered all his rage.
164. In the first line of the 62 the Bengal reading Ayastam is better
than the Bombay reading Ayastas.
165. Literally, 'a mountain overgrown with medicinal herbs of great
efficacy.' Of course, the allusion is to Hanumat's removal of
Gandhamadana for the cure of Lakshmana.
166. i.e., the little indent caused by a cow's hoof.
167. The sense is that he that will slay me will always be victorious in
battle, will always slay the warriors with whom he may be engaged in
battle. Defeat will never be his.
168. do not render 55 literally. Satyaki is called 'Satyavikrama,' i.e.,
of true prowess' or 'of prowess incapable of being baffled.' If he
sustains a defeat today at Bhurisrava's hand, that title of his will be
falsified. This is all that Krishna means.
169. Verse 20 is incomplete. I supply the words,--'Why then should I not
protect' in order to make the meaning intelligible. The first line of 21
is grammatically connected with 20. To avoid an ugly construction I
render it separately.
170. Literally, 'who could witness with indifference Satyaki reduced to
that plight?'
171. Generally, to die, abstaining from all food. It is a method of
freeing the soul from the body by Yoga.
172. Literally, 'near the place assigned for the sacrificial butter.'
173. Nilakantha explains chakram as Pratapam.
174. The second line of 94 I render a little freely to make the sense
clearer.
175. A Kavandha is a headless trunk moving about as if endued with life.
Tales are told of these headless beings drinking the blood of victims
falling within their grasp.
176. The second of the seven notes of the Hindu gamut.
177. The printed editions and the manuscripts do not agree with one
another in respect of the order and numbering of the last dozen verses.
The Bombay edition omits a few of the verses.
178. Everything even the inanimate creation, exists and adores the
Supreme deity.
179. This is a triplet in the Calcutta edition.
180. Literally, 'the fact of the Dhartarashtras having sunk (into
distress).'
181. Literally, 'of persons whose coronal locks have undergone the sacred
bath.'
182. Praluvdhas is explained by Nilakantha differently. He supposes that
Duryodhana here characterises Sikhandin to be a deceitful fowler or
hunter in consequence of the deceit with which he caused Bhishma's fall.
This is far-fetched.
183. I adopt the Bombay reading.
184. The Bombay edition reads this verse differently and introduces
another after it which does not occur in the Bengal texts.
185. I am not sure whether I have rendered the 31st and the first half of
32nd correctly. The vernacular translators have made a mess of the
passage. The difficulty lies with Surhittamais. I take it to mean that
Duryodhana says, 'Karna, Sakuni, Duhsasana, with myself, had taken thee,
O preceptor, for a friend, and had engaged you in this battle. We did
not, however, then know that you are an enemy in disguise.'
186. i.e., 'he should, by very means in his power, avenge himself on the
Somakas, those enemies of mine.'
187. This is a triplet in the Bengal texts.
188. I render the second line freely, following Nilakantha.
189. Literally, 'with shafts resembling his rays.'
190. Or, 'as a lake overgrown with lotuses is agitated on every side by
an elephant.'
191. Sixteen lines, occurring after this in the Bombay edition, have been
omitted in the Calcutta edition.
192. Drums of diverse kinds and sizes.
193. The Bombay reading is apalavam and not viplatam.
194. This is a triplet in all the editions.
195. The brother of the Kalinga prince.
196. Patanipam is explained by Nilakantha as something that causes the
patana or downfall of a person hence sin. [There is no reference for this
note in the body of this page, so I have placed it in a likely
location.--JBH]
197. A nalwa measured four hundred cubits.
198. Nilakantha explains that there were Pisachas.
199. Aswatthaman and the Pandavas were like brothers, for both were
disciples of Drona Ghatotkacha, therefore, having been Bhima's son was
Aswatthaman's brother's son.
200. i.e., the weapon endued with the force of the thunder.
201. Different species of Rakshasas.
202. Tripura, belonging to an Asura of the same.
203. Asani literally means the thunder. Probably, some kind of iron mace.
204. The Bengal texts read Utkrisha-vikramas. The correct reading seems
to be Aklivhtavikramas. Then again Sahanujam seems to be inaccurate. I
follow the Bombay reading Sahanugam.
205. Achyuta, when used as a proper noun, refers to Krishna. It means of
unfading glory and 'the immortal.'
206. Sight differences are observable between the Bengal and the Bombay
texts as regards the last three verses.
207. This is a triplet.
208. This is a triplet.
209. In the second line of 4, utsedha and not udvrita is the true
reading. So also kanchit and not kinchit. The paraphrase, according to
Nilakantha, in kanchit dhanurdharam na ganayan, etc.
210. 147 is a triplet.
211. The Bengal reading sudakshinas at the end of 49 dose not seem to be
correct. I adopt the Bombay reading sudarnnam.
212. The Bombay edition reads the first line of 3 differently. The Bengal
reading is also defective. The correct reading seems to be Rathanaga
instead of Naranaga.
213. This is a Triplet.
214. Instead of mattagaje, the Bombay edition reads tatragaje.
215. There seems to be a mistake in this sloka in its reference to the
Pandavas. The reading, however, that occurs in all the printed edition,
is the same. In one manuscript I find Kamrava-yodhavurgais (which I
adopt) for Pandava-Kauraveyais.
216. The second line of 30, as it occurs in the Bengal texts, is adopted
by me. A slight difference of reading occurs between the Bengal and the
Bombay editions.
217. As regards almost every one of these slokas, differences of reading
are observable between the Bengal texts and the Bombay edition. The
readings of the Bombay edition are almost uniformly better. Then, again,
many of those verses are disfigured with syntactical pleonasms and other
grave errors. Abounding with tiresome repetitions that scarcely attract
notice amid the variety of synonyms with which the language of the
original abounds and amid also the melodious flow of the rhythm, the
defects become glaring in translation. At the latter, however, of
faithfulness, I have been obliged to sacrifice elegance, in rendering
this section.
218. The Bengal reading tatha loka is incorrect. The Bombay text
correctly reads tadaloka. Then also, instead of the Bengal reading
rajasacaa samavrite (which is faulty), the true reading is raja tamasa
vrite.
219. Lokanamabhave is explained by Nilakantha as pralaya-kale.
220. A different reading occurs in the Bombay edition.
221. Nalikas, as used here, appear to have been some species of shafts.
In an earlier note, relying on other authorities, I took it to mean some
kind of air-gun.
222. Vaikartana may also mean one who has peeled off his skin of natural
armour. To preserve dramatic propriety, the Hindu commentators explain it
in this sense when it occurs in any such passage, for the real origin of
Karna, viz., his procreation by the deity of the sun, became known after
his death.
223. 'The second line of 9 is read differently in the Calcutta edition. I
adopt the Bombay reading.
224. In the second line of 13, Avyayatturnam instead of Maharaja is the
correct reading.
225. This sloka seems to be a vicious one.
226. Yena and tena here are equal to yatra and tatra.
227. In the first line of 30 Vaganais and not Vanaganan is the true
reading.
228. The second line of 30 is read differently in the Calcutta edition.
In consequence also of some differences between two printed editions, 30
of the Calcutta text is 32 of the Bombay text.
229. In the Bengal texts this is a triplet.
230. It is for this that I see you with this head as a tribute.
231. An arani is a cubit measuring from the elbow to the end of the
little figure.
232. Both reading, viz., asaktam and asaktam are correct. The former
means engaged' the latter, 'to the measure of his might!'
233. The second line of 85 is differently in the Bombay edition.
234. Rakshasas at certain hours were believed to be inspired with greater
strength.
235. Mainaka the son of Himavat, has a hundred heads.
236. i.e., they thought they obtained a new lease of life.
237. Literally means, "united by Jara."
238. Nilakantha thinks that Sagadaya in one word, meaning 'deprived of
the both Rakshasas and the mace.' This is far-fetched.
239. Fire being the mouth of the celestials, without fire, the celestials
become mouthless. Thus Nilakantha.
240. This is a triplet in the Bengal texts.
241. 66 is a triplet in the Bengal texts.
242. Triyama, literally, consisting of three Yamas, a Yama being a watch
of three hours. The first hour and a half of the night and the last hour
and a half, being regarded as twilight, the night, truly as such, with
the ancient Hindoos, consisted of only nine hours.
243. Literally, 'of a thousand Yamas.'
244. The moon is called the lord of lilies because the water-lily is seen
to bloom at moonrise, just as the sun is called the lord of the lotuses
because the lotus blooms at sun-rise, The direction presided over by
Indra means the East.
245. Dasatakasha-kkupa means the Kakup or direction presided by him of a
thousand eyes; hence the East.
246. Instead of Vrishodara, the Bombay text reads Vrishottama, which I
adopt.
247. In the first line of 31, the Bengal texts read Rajanam probably
referring to Drupada. The correct reading, however, is Rujendra in the
vocative case as in the Bombay edition.
248. I render this a little too freely. The form of the oath is, "Let
that man lose, etc. whom Drona escapes today with life or whom Drona
vanquishes today."
249. This, in the Bengal texts, is a triplet.
250. I adopt the Bombay reading of the first line of this verse.
251. All these arrows inflicted had wounds and could not be easily
extracted. Shafts of crooked courses were condemned because the
combatants could not easily baffle them, not knowing at whom they would
fall.
252. This verse is omitted in the Bombay text. There can be no doubt,
however, about its genuineness.
253. The celestial weapons were all living agents that appeared at the
bidding of him who knew to invoke them. They abandoned, however, the
person whose death was imminent, although invoked with the usual formulae.
254. I adopt the Bombay reading.
255. Deprived of both the worlds, having sustained a defeat, they lost
this world, and flying away from the field, they committed a sin and lost
the next world.
256. Celestial weapons were invoked with mantras, as explained in a
previous note. They were forces which created all sorts of tangible
weapons that the invoked desired. Here the Brahma weapon took the form of
broad-headed arrows.
257. Dharmadhwajin literally means a person bearing the standard of
virtue, hence, hypocrite, sanctimoniously talking only virtue and
morality but acting differently.
258. I think the correct reading is aputrinas and not putrinas. If it is
putrinas, literally rendered, the meaning is, 'Why should persons having
children, feel any affection for the latter?' It the worthy of remark
that the author of Venisamhara has bodily adopted this verse, putting it
in the mouth of Aswatthaman when introduced in the third Act.
259. The last line of 37 is read differently in the Bombay edition.
Nilakantha accepts that reading, and explains it in his gloss remarking
that the grammatical solecism occuring in it is a license. The Bengal
reading, however, is more apposite.
260. Literally, "the animals kept the Pandavas to their right."
261. Dasaratha's son Rama, during his exile, slew the monkey-chief Bali,
the brother of Sugriva, while Bali was engaged with Sugriva in battle.
Bali had not done any injury to Rama. That act has always been regarded
as a stain on Rama.
262. I expand the original to make the sense clear.
263. The first line of the 23rd verse in the Bengal editions, is made the
second line of that verse in the Bombay text. There seems to be a
mistake, however, in both the texts. Vishnu slew Hiranyakasipu without
allowing, the latter to say anything unto him. Vide Vishnu Purana, if
instead of Hiranyakasipu Harim, the rendering be Hiranyakasipu Haris, the
line may then be connected with Bhima's speech, and the comparison would
become more apposite.
264. The Nishadas were and to this day are the lowest caste in India.
265. The Bengal reading is vicious, I adopt the Bombay reading which is
Surorgurunsha bhuyopi, meaning, "this preceptor again." The fact is,
Arjuna was Satyaki's preceptor; Drona, therefore, was the latter's
preceptor's preceptor.
266. Kimpurushas were fabled creatures, half men and steeds. Not a
mountain but had its Kimpurushas, according to the Hindu belief. Yakshas
were a sort of superhuman beings inhabiting inaccessible halls and
mountains.
267. I adopt the Bombay reading of the 2nd line of 35 and think that
Nilakantha explains it correctly.
268. I adopt the Bombay reading.
269. Nilakantha explains this to mean that when he became unconnected
with the world, rising superior to everything connected with the world.
270. The terrible.
271. Amritasya yonim, literally, the origin or cause of immortality,
i.e., he from whom immortality springs. Hence, as explained by
Nilakantha, the phrase means the source of salvation, for those only that
are emancipate became immortal as the Supreme Soul itself.
272. i.e., the five attributes perceivable by the five senses, with the
five objects of Nature with which they are directly connected or in which
they manifest themselves.
273. Having given it away to Rama, his disciple.
274. All these terms imply Death or the Destroyer
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Parva 07 199
SECTION CXCIX
"Dhritarashtra said, Upon the slaughter of the Atiratha, viz., Drona, by
Prishata's son, what did my sons and the Pandavas next do?'
"Sanjaya, said, 'After the rout of the Kuru army, upon the slaughter of
that Atiratha, viz., Drona, by Prishata's son, Dhananjaya, the son of
Kunti beholding a wonderful phenomenon in connection with his own
victory, asked Vyasa, O bull of Bharata's race, who came thither in
course of his wanderings, saying, 'O great Rishi, while I was engaged in
slaying the foe in battle with showers of bright shafts, I continually
beheld before me, proceeding in advance of my car, a person of blazing
hue, as if endued with the effulgence of fire. Whithersoever he proceeded
with his uplifted lance, all the hostile warriors were seen to break
before him. Broken in reality by him, people regarded the foe to have
been broken by me. Following in his wake, I only destroyed those, already
destroyed by him. O holy one, tell me who was that foremost of persons,
armed with lance, resembling the sun himself in energy, that was thus
seen by me? He did not touch the earth with his feet, nor did he hurl his
lance even once. In consequence of his energy, thousands of lances issued
out of that one lance held by him.'
"Vyasa said, 'Thou hast, O Arjuna, seen Sankara, that First cause from
which have sprung the Prajapatis, that puissant Being endued with great
energy, he that is the embodiment of heaven, earth and sky, the Divine
Lord, the protector of the universe, the great Master, the giver of
boons, called also Isana. O, seek the protection of that boon, giving
Deity, that lord of the universe. He is called Mahadeva (the Supreme
Deity), of Supreme Soul, the one only Lord, with matted locks (on head),
the abode of auspiciousness. Of three eyes and mighty arms, he is called
Rudra, with his locks tied in the shape of a crown, and his body attired
in skins. That boon-giving lord of the universe, that Supreme Deity, is
also called Hara and Sthanu. He is the foremost of every being in the
universe, he is incapable of being vanquished, he is the delighter of the
universe and its supreme ruler. The first cause, the light and refuge of
the universe, he is ever victorious. The Soul and the creator of the
universe, and having the universe for his form, he is possessed of great
fame. The Lord of the universe, and its great Ruler, that puissant one,
is also the master of all actions. Called also Sambhu, he is self-born,
he is the lord of all creatures, and the origin of the Past, the Future,
and the Present. He is Yoga and the lord of Yoga; he is called Sarva, and
is the Lord of all the worlds. He is superior to everything. The foremost
of everything in the universe, and the highest of all, he is called also
Parumesthin. The Ordainer of the three worlds, he is the sole refuge of
the three worlds. Incapable of being vanquished, he is the protector of
the universe, and abode (the necessity of) birth, decay, and death. The
Soul of knowledge, incapable of being compassed by knowledge, and the
highest of all knowledge he is unknowable. Through grace, he giveth unto
his worshippers the boons they desire. That Lord hath for his companions
celestial beings of diverse forms, some of whom are dwarfs, some having
matted locks, some with bald heads, some with short necks, some with
large stomachs, some with huge bodies, some possessed of great strength
and some of long ears. All of them, O Partha, have deformed faces and
mouths and legs and strange attires. That Supreme Deity, called Mahadeva,
is worshipped by followers that are even such. Even that Siva, O son,
endued with such energy, proceedeth through kindness, in advance of thee.
In that fierce battle, O Partha, making the very hair stand on end, who
else, O Arjuna, than the divine Maheswara, that foremost of all bowmen,
that Deity of divine form, could even in imagination venture to vanquish
that force which was protected by those great smiters and bowmen, viz.,
Aswatthaman and Karna and Kripa? None can venture to stay before the
warrior that hath Maheswara walking before him. There is no being in the
three worlds that is equal to him. And the very scent of the enraged
Mahadeva, foes in battle tremble and become senseless and fall in large
numbers. For this, the gods in heaven adore and bow to him. Those men in
this world and those other men of pious conduct, that devoutly worship
the boon-giving, divine, and auspicious Rudra, obtain happiness here and
attain to the highest state hereafter. O son of Kunti, bow down unto him
that is peace, unto him, called Rudra of blue throat, exceedingly subtle,
and of great effulgence, unto him called Kapardin, him that is terrible,
him that of tawny eyes, him that is boon-giving; unto that great
ordainer, of red locks and righteous conduct; unto him that always does
auspicious acts; unto him that is an object of desire; him that is of
tawny eyes; him that is called Sthanu; him that is called Purusha; unto
him that is of tawny hair; him that is bold, him that is exceedingly
subtle and of great effulgence; unto him that is the giver of light; him
that is the embodiment of all sacred waters; him that is the God of gods;
and him that is endued with great impetuosity; unto him that is of
manifest form; him that is called Sarva; him that is of agreeable attire;
unto him that has an excellent head-gear, him that is of handsome face;
him that has the mountains for his habitation; him that is peace; him
that is the protector; him that has barks of trees for his attire; him
whose arms are decked with ornaments of gold, him who is fierce, him that
is the lord of all the points of the compass; him that is the lord of the
clouds and of all created beings; him that is the lord of all trees and
of all kine; him that has his body shrouded with trees; him who is the
celestial generalissimo; him who inspires all thought; him who has the
sacrificial ladle in his hand; him who is blazing; him who wields the
bow; him who is Rama's self, him who has diverse forms; him who is the
lord of the universe; him who had the munja grass for his attire; him who
has a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, a thousand arms, and a thousand
legs. O son of Kunti, seek the protection of that boon-giving Lord of the
universe, the lord of Uma, that God of three eyes, that destroyer of
Daksha's sacrifice; that guardian of all created things, that being who
is always cheerful, that protector of all beings, that God of unfading
glory; that one with matted locks; that mover of all superior beings,
that one whose navel is like that of a bull and who hath the bull for his
symbol; that one who is proud like the bull, who is the lord of bulls;
who is represented by the horns of the bull; and who is the bull of
bulls; that one who hath the image of the bull on his banner; who is
liberal to all righteous persons; who can be approached by Yoga only; and
whose eyes are like those of a bull; who owneth very superior weapons:
who hath Vishnu himself for his arrow; who is the embodiment of
righteousness; and who is called Maheswara; who is of vast stomach and
vast body; who hath a leopard's skin for his seat; who is the lord of the
worlds; who is devoted to Brahma and who loveth Brahmanas; who is armed
with trident; who is boon-giving; who wieldeth the sword and the shield,
and who is highly auspicious, who wieldeth the bow called Pinaka, who is
divested of the battle axe,[273] and who is the protector and lord of the
universe. I place myself in the hands of that divine Lord, that grantor
of protection, that God attired in deer-skins. Salutations, to that Lord
of the celestials who hath Vaisravana for his friend. Salutations ever to
him of excellent vows; to him who hath excellent bowmen for his
companions; to him who himself wieldeth the bow; to that God with whom
the bow is a favourite weapon; who is himself the shaft impelled by the
bow; who is the bowstring and the bow; and the preceptor teaching the use
of the bow. Salutations to the God whose weapons are fierce; and who is
the foremost of all the gods. Salutations to him of diverse forms; to him
who hath many bowmen around him. Salutations ever to him who is called
Sthanu and who has a large number of excellent bowmen for his companions.
Salutations to him who destroyed the triple city. Salutations to him who
slew (the Asura) Bhaga. Salutations to him who is the lord of trees and
of men. Salutations to him who is the lord of the (celestial), Mothers,
and of those tribes of spirits known by the name of Ganas. Salutations
ever to him who is the lord of kine and of sacrifices. Salutations ever
to him who is the lord of the waters and the lord of the gods, who is the
destroyer of Surya's teeth, who is of three eyes, who is the grantor of
boons; who is called Hara, who is blue-throated, and who is of golden
locks. I will now tell thee, according to my knowledge and as I have
heard of them, all the divine deeds of Mahadeva of Supreme wisdom. If
Mahadeva becomes angry, neither gods, nor Asuras, Gandharvas, nor
Rakshasas, even if they hide themselves in deep oceans, can have peace.
In the days of yore, Daksha, for performing a sacrifice, had collected
the necessary articles. Mahadeva destroyed that sacrifice in wrath.
Indeed, He became very stern on that occasion. Shooting an arrow from his
bow, he uttered terrible roars. The celestials then became filled with
anxiety and fright. Indeed, when Mahadeva became angry and the Sacrifice
(in its embodied form) fled away, the gods became exceedingly frightened
at the twang of Mahadeva's bow and the sound of his palms. The gods and
Asuras all fell down and submitted to Mahadeva. All the waters swelled up
in agitations and the earth trembled. The mountains split, and all the
points of the compass and the Nagas became stupefied. The universe,
enveloped in a thick darkness, could no longer be seen. The splendour of
all luminaries, with the sun was destroyed. The Rishis, filled with fear,
became agitated, and desirous of their own good as also of all creatures,
performed propitiatory rites. Surya was then eating the principal
oblation. Smilingly Sankara approached him and tore out his teeth. The
gods then, humbling themselves to him, fled away, trembling. Once more,
Mahadeva aimed at the gods a shower of blazing and keen arrows resembling
flames of fire mixed with smoke, or clouds with lightning. Beholding that
arrowy shower, all the gods bowing down unto Maheswara, assigned to Rudra
a substantial share in sacrifices. In fright, the gods, O prince, sought
his protection. His wrath being dispelled, the great God then restored
the sacrifice. The gods that had fled away came back. Indeed, they are to
this day afraid of Maheswara. Formerly, the valiant Asuras had, in
heaven, three cities. Each of those cities was excellent and large. One
was made of iron, another of silver, and the third of gold. The golden
city belonged to Kamalaksha, the silver city to Tarakaksha, and the
third, made of iron, had Vidyunmalin for its lord. With all his weapons,
Maghavat (Indra) was unable to make any impression on those cities.
Afflicted (by the Asuras), all the gods sought the protection of Rudra.
Approaching him, all the gods with Vasava at their head, said, 'These
terrible dwellers of the triple city have received boons from Brahma.
Filled with pride in consequence of those boons, they are greatly
afflicting the universe, O Lord of the gods, none, save thee, is
competent to slay them. Therefore, O Mahadeva, slay these enemies of the
gods: O Rudra, creatures slain in every sacrifice shall then be thine.
Thus addressed by the gods, Mahadeva thus accepted their request, moved
by the desire of benefiting them, and said, 'I will overthrow these
Asuras. And Hara made the two mountains, viz., Gandhamadana and Vindhya,
the two poles of his car. And Sankara made the earth with her oceans and
forests his battle car. And the three-eyed deity made that prince of
snakes, viz., Sesha, the Aksha, of that car. And that God of gods, the
wielder of Pinaka, made the moon and the sun the two wheels of that
vehicle. And the triple-eyed Lord made Elapatra and Pushpadanta, the two
pins of the yoke. And the valiant Mahadeva made the Malaya mountains the
yoke, and the great Takshaka the string for tying the yoke to the poles,
and the creatures about him the traces of the steed. And Maheswara made
the four Vedas his four steeds. And that lord of the three worlds made
the supplementary Vedas the bridle-bits. And Mahadeva made Gayatri and
Savitri the reins, the syllable Om the whip, and Brahma the driver. And
making the Mandara mountains the bow, Vasuki the bowstring, Vishnu his
excellent shaft, Agni the arrow-head, and Vayu the two wings of that
shafts, Yama the feathers in its tail, lightning the whetting stone, and
Meru the standard, Siva, riding on that excellent car which was composed
of all the celestial forces, proceeded for the destruction of the triple
city. Indeed, Sthanu, that foremost of smiter, that Destroyer of Asuras,
that handsome warrior of immeasurable prowess, adored by the celestials,
O Partha, and by Rishis possessing wealth of asceticism, caused an
excellent and unrivalled array called after his own name, and stood
immovable for a thousand years. When, however, the three cities came
together in the firmament, the lord Mahadeva. pierced them with that
terrible shaft of his, consisting of three knots. The Danavas were unable
to gaze at that shafts inspired with Yuga-fire and composed of Vishnu and
Soma. While the triple city commenced to burn, the goddess Parvati
repaired thither to behold the sight. She had then on her lap, a child
having a bald head with five clumps of hair on it. The goddess asked the
deities as to who that child was. Sakra, through ill-feeling endeavoured
to strike that child with his thunderbolt. The divine lord Mahadeva (for
the child was none other), smiling, quickly paralysed the arm of the
enraged Sakra. Then god Sakra, with his arm paralysed accompanied by all
the celestials, speedily repaired to the lord Brahma of unfading glory.
Bowing unto him with their heads, they addressed Brahma with joined hands
and said, 'Some wonderful creature, O Brahma, lying on the lap of
Parvati, in the form of a child, was behold by us but not saluted. We
have all been vanquished by him. We, therefore, desire to ask you as to
who he may be. Indeed, that boy, without fighting, hath with the greatest
ease vanquished us all with Purandara at our head.' Hearing these words
of theirs, Brahma. that foremost of all persons, acquainted with Brahma,
reflected for a moment and understood that boy of immeasurable energy to
be none else than the divine Sambhu, Addressing then, those foremost of
celestials with Sakra at their head, Brahma said, 'That child is the
divine Hara the Lord of the entire mobile and immobile universe. There is
nothing superior to Maheswara. That Being of immeasurable splendour who
was beheld by you all with Uma, that divine lord, had assumed the form of
a child for Uma's sake. Let us all go unto him. That divine and
illustrious one is the Supreme Lord of the world. Ye gods, the could not
recognise that master of the universe.' Then all the gods with the
Grandsire repaired to that child, endued with the effulgence of the
morning sun. Beholding Maheswara, and knowing that he was the Supreme
Being, the Grandsire Brahma thus adored him: Thou are Sacrifice, O lord,
thou are the stay and refuge of the universe. Thou are Bhava, you art
Mahadeva, you are the abode (of all things), and you are the highest
refuge. This whole universe with its mobile and immobile creatures, is
pervaded by thee. O holy one, O lord of the past and the future, O lord
of the world, O protector of the universe, let Sakra, afflicted with thy
wrath, have your grace.'
"Vyasa continued, 'Hearing these words of the lotus-born Brahma,
Maheswara became gratified. Desirous of extending his grace, he laughed
aloud. The celestials then gratified (with praise) both Uma and Rudra.
The arm of the thunder-wielding Sakra re-got its natural state. That
foremost one of all the gods, that destroyer of Daksha's sacrifice, that
divine lord having the bull for his sign, became gratified with the gods.
He is Rudra he is Siva, he is Agni, he is everything, and he hath
knowledge of everything. He is Indra, he is the Wind, he is the twin
Aswins, and he is the lighting. He is Bhava, he is Parjanya, he is
Mahadeva, he is sinless. He is the Moon, he is Isana, he is Surya, he is
Varuna. He is Kala, he is Antaka, he is Mrityu, he is Yama.[274] He is
the day, and he is the night. He is the fortnight, he is the month, he is
the seasons. He is the morning and evening-twilights, he is the year. He
is Dhatri, he is Vidhatri, he is the Soul of the universe, and he is the
doer of all acts in the universe. Though himself without body, it is he
who is the embodied celestial. Endued with great splendour he is adored
and praised by all the gods. He is One, he is Many, he is hundred and
thousand. Brahmanas versed in the Vedas say that he hath two forms. These
are the terrible and the auspicious. These two forms, again, are
multifarious. His auspicious forms are water, light, and the moon.
Whatever is highly mysterious in the several branches of the Vedas, in
the Upanishads, in the Puranas, and in those sciences that deal with the
soul, is that God, viz., Maheswara, Mahadeva is even such. That God is,
again, without birth. All the attributes of that God are not capable of
being enumerated by me even if, O son of Pandu, I were to recite them
continually for a thousand years. Even unto those that are afflicted by
all the evil planets, even unto those that are stained with every sin,
that great protector, if they seek him, becomes gratified with them and
granteth them salvation. He granteth, and taketh away life and health and
prosperity and wealth and diverse kinds of objects of desire. The
prosperity is his that is seen in Indra and other gods. He is ever
engaged in the good and evil of men in this world. In consequence of his
supremacy, he can always obtain whatever objects he desires. He is called
Maheswara and is the lord of even the supreme ones. In many forms of many
kinds he pervadeth the universe. The mouth which that God has is in the
ocean. It is well-known that mouth, assuming the form of a mare's head,
drinketh the sacrificial libation in the shape of water. This god always
dwelleth in crematoriums. Men worship that Supreme lord in that place
where none but the courageous can go. Many are the blazing and terrible
forms of this God that men speak of and worship in the world. Many also
are the names, of truthful import, of this Deity in all the worlds. Those
names are founded upon his supremacy, his omnipotence, and his acts. In
the Vedas the excellent hymn called Sata Rudriya, hath been sung in
honour of that great God called the infinite Rudra. That God is the lord
of all wishes that are human and heavenly. He is omnipotent, and he is
the supreme master. Indeed, that God pervadeth the vast universe. The
Brahmanas and the Munis describe him as the First-born of all creatures.
He is the First of all the gods; from his mouth was born Vayu (the wind).
And since he always protecteth the creatures (of the universe) and
sporteth with them, and since also he is the lord of all creatures,
therefore is he called Pasupati. And since his Phallic emblem is always
supposed to be in the observance of the vow of Brahmacharya, and since he
always gladden the world, therefore he is called Maheswara. The Rishis,
the gods, the Gandharvas, and Apsaras, always worship his Phallic emblem
which is supposed to stand upright. That worship maketh Maheswara glad.
Indeed, Sankara (at such worship) becomes happy, pleased, and highly
glad. And since with respect to the past, the future, and the present,
that God has many forms, he is, on that account, called Vahurupa
(many-formed). Possessed of one eye he blazeth forth in effulgence, or he
may be regarded to have many eyes on every side of his body. And since,
he possesseth the worlds, he is for that reason called Sarva. And since
his form is like that of smoke, he is for that reason called Dhurjjati.
And since those deities, viz., the Viswedevas are in him, he is for that
reason called Viswarupa. And since three goddesses adore and have
recourse to that Lord of the universe, viz., Firmament, Water and Earth,
he is for that reason called Tryamvaka. And since he always increaseth
all kinds of wealth and wisheth the good of mankind in all their acts, he
is for that reason called Siva. He possesseth a thousand eyes, or ten
thousand eyes, and hath them on all sides. And since he protecteth this
vast universe, he is for that reason called Mahadeva. And since he is
great and ancient and is the source of life and of its continuance, and
since his Phallic emblem is everlasting, he is for that reason called
Sthanu. And since the solar and the lunar rays of light that appear in
the world are spoken of as the hair on the Three-eyed one, he is for that
reason called Vyomakesa. And since, afflicting Brahma and Indra and
Varuna and Yama and Kuvera, he destroyeth them ultimately, he is for that
reason called Hara. And since, he is the Past, the Future, and the
Present, and, in fact, everything in the universe, and since he is the
origin of the past, the future, and the present, he is for that reason
called Bhava. The word Kapi is said to mean supreme, and Vrisha is said
to mean righteousness. The illustrious God of gods, therefore, is called
Vrishakapi. And since Maheswara by means of his two eyes closed (in
meditation), created through sheer force of will a third eye on his
forehead, he is for that reason called the Three-eyed. Whatever of
unsoundness there is in the bodies of living creatures, and whatever of
soundness there is in them, represent that God. He is the wind, the vital
airs called Prana, Apana (and the others) in the bodies of all creatures,
including even those that are diseased. He who adoreth any image of the
Phallic emblem of that high-souled God, always obtaineth great prosperity
by that act. Downwards fiery, and half the body, that is auspiciousness
is the moon. His auspiciousness is the moon. So also half his soul is
fire and half the moon. His auspicious from, full of energy, is more
blazing than the forms of the gods. Among men, his blazing and terrible
form is called fire. With that auspicious form he practiseth
Brahmacharya. With that other terrible form he as supreme Lord devoureth
everything. And since he burneth, since he is fierce, since he is endued
with great prowess, and since he devoureth flesh and blood and marrow, he
is for this called Rudra. Even such is the deity called Mahadeva, armed
with Pinaka, who, O Partha, was seen by you engaged in slaying your foes
in advance of your car. After you had vowed to slay the ruler of the
Sindhus, O sinless one, Krishna showed you this God, in your dream,
sitting on the top of that foremost of mountains. This illustrious God
proceedeth in advance of you in battle. It is he who gave you those
weapons with which you didst slay the Danavas. The hymn approved of the
Vedas, and called Sata-Rudriya, in honour of that God of gods, that
excellent, famous, life-enhancing, and sacred hymn, has now, O Partha,
been explained to thee. This hymn of four divisions, capable of
accomplishing every object, is sacred, destructive of all sins, and
competent to drive away all stains and to kill all sorrows and all fears.
The men that always listen to this succeeds in vanquishing all his foes
and is highly respected in the region of Rudra. The person who always
attentively reads or listens to the recitation of this excellent and
auspicious account, appertaining to battle, of the illustrious Deity, and
he worships with devotion that illustrious Lord of the universe,
obtaineth all the objects of desire, in consequence of the three-eyed God
being gratified with him. Go and fight, O son of Kunti, defeat is not for
thee, that hast Janardana. on your side for your adviser and protector.'
"Sanjaya said, 'Having addressed Arjuna in these words, the son of
Parasara, O chief of the Bharatas, went away to the place he had come
from, O chastiser of foes.'
--------------------END OF PARVA 7 : UPA-PARVA 199 ---------------------
"Dhritarashtra said, Upon the slaughter of the Atiratha, viz., Drona, by
Prishata's son, what did my sons and the Pandavas next do?'
"Sanjaya, said, 'After the rout of the Kuru army, upon the slaughter of
that Atiratha, viz., Drona, by Prishata's son, Dhananjaya, the son of
Kunti beholding a wonderful phenomenon in connection with his own
victory, asked Vyasa, O bull of Bharata's race, who came thither in
course of his wanderings, saying, 'O great Rishi, while I was engaged in
slaying the foe in battle with showers of bright shafts, I continually
beheld before me, proceeding in advance of my car, a person of blazing
hue, as if endued with the effulgence of fire. Whithersoever he proceeded
with his uplifted lance, all the hostile warriors were seen to break
before him. Broken in reality by him, people regarded the foe to have
been broken by me. Following in his wake, I only destroyed those, already
destroyed by him. O holy one, tell me who was that foremost of persons,
armed with lance, resembling the sun himself in energy, that was thus
seen by me? He did not touch the earth with his feet, nor did he hurl his
lance even once. In consequence of his energy, thousands of lances issued
out of that one lance held by him.'
"Vyasa said, 'Thou hast, O Arjuna, seen Sankara, that First cause from
which have sprung the Prajapatis, that puissant Being endued with great
energy, he that is the embodiment of heaven, earth and sky, the Divine
Lord, the protector of the universe, the great Master, the giver of
boons, called also Isana. O, seek the protection of that boon, giving
Deity, that lord of the universe. He is called Mahadeva (the Supreme
Deity), of Supreme Soul, the one only Lord, with matted locks (on head),
the abode of auspiciousness. Of three eyes and mighty arms, he is called
Rudra, with his locks tied in the shape of a crown, and his body attired
in skins. That boon-giving lord of the universe, that Supreme Deity, is
also called Hara and Sthanu. He is the foremost of every being in the
universe, he is incapable of being vanquished, he is the delighter of the
universe and its supreme ruler. The first cause, the light and refuge of
the universe, he is ever victorious. The Soul and the creator of the
universe, and having the universe for his form, he is possessed of great
fame. The Lord of the universe, and its great Ruler, that puissant one,
is also the master of all actions. Called also Sambhu, he is self-born,
he is the lord of all creatures, and the origin of the Past, the Future,
and the Present. He is Yoga and the lord of Yoga; he is called Sarva, and
is the Lord of all the worlds. He is superior to everything. The foremost
of everything in the universe, and the highest of all, he is called also
Parumesthin. The Ordainer of the three worlds, he is the sole refuge of
the three worlds. Incapable of being vanquished, he is the protector of
the universe, and abode (the necessity of) birth, decay, and death. The
Soul of knowledge, incapable of being compassed by knowledge, and the
highest of all knowledge he is unknowable. Through grace, he giveth unto
his worshippers the boons they desire. That Lord hath for his companions
celestial beings of diverse forms, some of whom are dwarfs, some having
matted locks, some with bald heads, some with short necks, some with
large stomachs, some with huge bodies, some possessed of great strength
and some of long ears. All of them, O Partha, have deformed faces and
mouths and legs and strange attires. That Supreme Deity, called Mahadeva,
is worshipped by followers that are even such. Even that Siva, O son,
endued with such energy, proceedeth through kindness, in advance of thee.
In that fierce battle, O Partha, making the very hair stand on end, who
else, O Arjuna, than the divine Maheswara, that foremost of all bowmen,
that Deity of divine form, could even in imagination venture to vanquish
that force which was protected by those great smiters and bowmen, viz.,
Aswatthaman and Karna and Kripa? None can venture to stay before the
warrior that hath Maheswara walking before him. There is no being in the
three worlds that is equal to him. And the very scent of the enraged
Mahadeva, foes in battle tremble and become senseless and fall in large
numbers. For this, the gods in heaven adore and bow to him. Those men in
this world and those other men of pious conduct, that devoutly worship
the boon-giving, divine, and auspicious Rudra, obtain happiness here and
attain to the highest state hereafter. O son of Kunti, bow down unto him
that is peace, unto him, called Rudra of blue throat, exceedingly subtle,
and of great effulgence, unto him called Kapardin, him that is terrible,
him that of tawny eyes, him that is boon-giving; unto that great
ordainer, of red locks and righteous conduct; unto him that always does
auspicious acts; unto him that is an object of desire; him that is of
tawny eyes; him that is called Sthanu; him that is called Purusha; unto
him that is of tawny hair; him that is bold, him that is exceedingly
subtle and of great effulgence; unto him that is the giver of light; him
that is the embodiment of all sacred waters; him that is the God of gods;
and him that is endued with great impetuosity; unto him that is of
manifest form; him that is called Sarva; him that is of agreeable attire;
unto him that has an excellent head-gear, him that is of handsome face;
him that has the mountains for his habitation; him that is peace; him
that is the protector; him that has barks of trees for his attire; him
whose arms are decked with ornaments of gold, him who is fierce, him that
is the lord of all the points of the compass; him that is the lord of the
clouds and of all created beings; him that is the lord of all trees and
of all kine; him that has his body shrouded with trees; him who is the
celestial generalissimo; him who inspires all thought; him who has the
sacrificial ladle in his hand; him who is blazing; him who wields the
bow; him who is Rama's self, him who has diverse forms; him who is the
lord of the universe; him who had the munja grass for his attire; him who
has a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, a thousand arms, and a thousand
legs. O son of Kunti, seek the protection of that boon-giving Lord of the
universe, the lord of Uma, that God of three eyes, that destroyer of
Daksha's sacrifice; that guardian of all created things, that being who
is always cheerful, that protector of all beings, that God of unfading
glory; that one with matted locks; that mover of all superior beings,
that one whose navel is like that of a bull and who hath the bull for his
symbol; that one who is proud like the bull, who is the lord of bulls;
who is represented by the horns of the bull; and who is the bull of
bulls; that one who hath the image of the bull on his banner; who is
liberal to all righteous persons; who can be approached by Yoga only; and
whose eyes are like those of a bull; who owneth very superior weapons:
who hath Vishnu himself for his arrow; who is the embodiment of
righteousness; and who is called Maheswara; who is of vast stomach and
vast body; who hath a leopard's skin for his seat; who is the lord of the
worlds; who is devoted to Brahma and who loveth Brahmanas; who is armed
with trident; who is boon-giving; who wieldeth the sword and the shield,
and who is highly auspicious, who wieldeth the bow called Pinaka, who is
divested of the battle axe,[273] and who is the protector and lord of the
universe. I place myself in the hands of that divine Lord, that grantor
of protection, that God attired in deer-skins. Salutations, to that Lord
of the celestials who hath Vaisravana for his friend. Salutations ever to
him of excellent vows; to him who hath excellent bowmen for his
companions; to him who himself wieldeth the bow; to that God with whom
the bow is a favourite weapon; who is himself the shaft impelled by the
bow; who is the bowstring and the bow; and the preceptor teaching the use
of the bow. Salutations to the God whose weapons are fierce; and who is
the foremost of all the gods. Salutations to him of diverse forms; to him
who hath many bowmen around him. Salutations ever to him who is called
Sthanu and who has a large number of excellent bowmen for his companions.
Salutations to him who destroyed the triple city. Salutations to him who
slew (the Asura) Bhaga. Salutations to him who is the lord of trees and
of men. Salutations to him who is the lord of the (celestial), Mothers,
and of those tribes of spirits known by the name of Ganas. Salutations
ever to him who is the lord of kine and of sacrifices. Salutations ever
to him who is the lord of the waters and the lord of the gods, who is the
destroyer of Surya's teeth, who is of three eyes, who is the grantor of
boons; who is called Hara, who is blue-throated, and who is of golden
locks. I will now tell thee, according to my knowledge and as I have
heard of them, all the divine deeds of Mahadeva of Supreme wisdom. If
Mahadeva becomes angry, neither gods, nor Asuras, Gandharvas, nor
Rakshasas, even if they hide themselves in deep oceans, can have peace.
In the days of yore, Daksha, for performing a sacrifice, had collected
the necessary articles. Mahadeva destroyed that sacrifice in wrath.
Indeed, He became very stern on that occasion. Shooting an arrow from his
bow, he uttered terrible roars. The celestials then became filled with
anxiety and fright. Indeed, when Mahadeva became angry and the Sacrifice
(in its embodied form) fled away, the gods became exceedingly frightened
at the twang of Mahadeva's bow and the sound of his palms. The gods and
Asuras all fell down and submitted to Mahadeva. All the waters swelled up
in agitations and the earth trembled. The mountains split, and all the
points of the compass and the Nagas became stupefied. The universe,
enveloped in a thick darkness, could no longer be seen. The splendour of
all luminaries, with the sun was destroyed. The Rishis, filled with fear,
became agitated, and desirous of their own good as also of all creatures,
performed propitiatory rites. Surya was then eating the principal
oblation. Smilingly Sankara approached him and tore out his teeth. The
gods then, humbling themselves to him, fled away, trembling. Once more,
Mahadeva aimed at the gods a shower of blazing and keen arrows resembling
flames of fire mixed with smoke, or clouds with lightning. Beholding that
arrowy shower, all the gods bowing down unto Maheswara, assigned to Rudra
a substantial share in sacrifices. In fright, the gods, O prince, sought
his protection. His wrath being dispelled, the great God then restored
the sacrifice. The gods that had fled away came back. Indeed, they are to
this day afraid of Maheswara. Formerly, the valiant Asuras had, in
heaven, three cities. Each of those cities was excellent and large. One
was made of iron, another of silver, and the third of gold. The golden
city belonged to Kamalaksha, the silver city to Tarakaksha, and the
third, made of iron, had Vidyunmalin for its lord. With all his weapons,
Maghavat (Indra) was unable to make any impression on those cities.
Afflicted (by the Asuras), all the gods sought the protection of Rudra.
Approaching him, all the gods with Vasava at their head, said, 'These
terrible dwellers of the triple city have received boons from Brahma.
Filled with pride in consequence of those boons, they are greatly
afflicting the universe, O Lord of the gods, none, save thee, is
competent to slay them. Therefore, O Mahadeva, slay these enemies of the
gods: O Rudra, creatures slain in every sacrifice shall then be thine.
Thus addressed by the gods, Mahadeva thus accepted their request, moved
by the desire of benefiting them, and said, 'I will overthrow these
Asuras. And Hara made the two mountains, viz., Gandhamadana and Vindhya,
the two poles of his car. And Sankara made the earth with her oceans and
forests his battle car. And the three-eyed deity made that prince of
snakes, viz., Sesha, the Aksha, of that car. And that God of gods, the
wielder of Pinaka, made the moon and the sun the two wheels of that
vehicle. And the triple-eyed Lord made Elapatra and Pushpadanta, the two
pins of the yoke. And the valiant Mahadeva made the Malaya mountains the
yoke, and the great Takshaka the string for tying the yoke to the poles,
and the creatures about him the traces of the steed. And Maheswara made
the four Vedas his four steeds. And that lord of the three worlds made
the supplementary Vedas the bridle-bits. And Mahadeva made Gayatri and
Savitri the reins, the syllable Om the whip, and Brahma the driver. And
making the Mandara mountains the bow, Vasuki the bowstring, Vishnu his
excellent shaft, Agni the arrow-head, and Vayu the two wings of that
shafts, Yama the feathers in its tail, lightning the whetting stone, and
Meru the standard, Siva, riding on that excellent car which was composed
of all the celestial forces, proceeded for the destruction of the triple
city. Indeed, Sthanu, that foremost of smiter, that Destroyer of Asuras,
that handsome warrior of immeasurable prowess, adored by the celestials,
O Partha, and by Rishis possessing wealth of asceticism, caused an
excellent and unrivalled array called after his own name, and stood
immovable for a thousand years. When, however, the three cities came
together in the firmament, the lord Mahadeva. pierced them with that
terrible shaft of his, consisting of three knots. The Danavas were unable
to gaze at that shafts inspired with Yuga-fire and composed of Vishnu and
Soma. While the triple city commenced to burn, the goddess Parvati
repaired thither to behold the sight. She had then on her lap, a child
having a bald head with five clumps of hair on it. The goddess asked the
deities as to who that child was. Sakra, through ill-feeling endeavoured
to strike that child with his thunderbolt. The divine lord Mahadeva (for
the child was none other), smiling, quickly paralysed the arm of the
enraged Sakra. Then god Sakra, with his arm paralysed accompanied by all
the celestials, speedily repaired to the lord Brahma of unfading glory.
Bowing unto him with their heads, they addressed Brahma with joined hands
and said, 'Some wonderful creature, O Brahma, lying on the lap of
Parvati, in the form of a child, was behold by us but not saluted. We
have all been vanquished by him. We, therefore, desire to ask you as to
who he may be. Indeed, that boy, without fighting, hath with the greatest
ease vanquished us all with Purandara at our head.' Hearing these words
of theirs, Brahma. that foremost of all persons, acquainted with Brahma,
reflected for a moment and understood that boy of immeasurable energy to
be none else than the divine Sambhu, Addressing then, those foremost of
celestials with Sakra at their head, Brahma said, 'That child is the
divine Hara the Lord of the entire mobile and immobile universe. There is
nothing superior to Maheswara. That Being of immeasurable splendour who
was beheld by you all with Uma, that divine lord, had assumed the form of
a child for Uma's sake. Let us all go unto him. That divine and
illustrious one is the Supreme Lord of the world. Ye gods, the could not
recognise that master of the universe.' Then all the gods with the
Grandsire repaired to that child, endued with the effulgence of the
morning sun. Beholding Maheswara, and knowing that he was the Supreme
Being, the Grandsire Brahma thus adored him: Thou are Sacrifice, O lord,
thou are the stay and refuge of the universe. Thou are Bhava, you art
Mahadeva, you are the abode (of all things), and you are the highest
refuge. This whole universe with its mobile and immobile creatures, is
pervaded by thee. O holy one, O lord of the past and the future, O lord
of the world, O protector of the universe, let Sakra, afflicted with thy
wrath, have your grace.'
"Vyasa continued, 'Hearing these words of the lotus-born Brahma,
Maheswara became gratified. Desirous of extending his grace, he laughed
aloud. The celestials then gratified (with praise) both Uma and Rudra.
The arm of the thunder-wielding Sakra re-got its natural state. That
foremost one of all the gods, that destroyer of Daksha's sacrifice, that
divine lord having the bull for his sign, became gratified with the gods.
He is Rudra he is Siva, he is Agni, he is everything, and he hath
knowledge of everything. He is Indra, he is the Wind, he is the twin
Aswins, and he is the lighting. He is Bhava, he is Parjanya, he is
Mahadeva, he is sinless. He is the Moon, he is Isana, he is Surya, he is
Varuna. He is Kala, he is Antaka, he is Mrityu, he is Yama.[274] He is
the day, and he is the night. He is the fortnight, he is the month, he is
the seasons. He is the morning and evening-twilights, he is the year. He
is Dhatri, he is Vidhatri, he is the Soul of the universe, and he is the
doer of all acts in the universe. Though himself without body, it is he
who is the embodied celestial. Endued with great splendour he is adored
and praised by all the gods. He is One, he is Many, he is hundred and
thousand. Brahmanas versed in the Vedas say that he hath two forms. These
are the terrible and the auspicious. These two forms, again, are
multifarious. His auspicious forms are water, light, and the moon.
Whatever is highly mysterious in the several branches of the Vedas, in
the Upanishads, in the Puranas, and in those sciences that deal with the
soul, is that God, viz., Maheswara, Mahadeva is even such. That God is,
again, without birth. All the attributes of that God are not capable of
being enumerated by me even if, O son of Pandu, I were to recite them
continually for a thousand years. Even unto those that are afflicted by
all the evil planets, even unto those that are stained with every sin,
that great protector, if they seek him, becomes gratified with them and
granteth them salvation. He granteth, and taketh away life and health and
prosperity and wealth and diverse kinds of objects of desire. The
prosperity is his that is seen in Indra and other gods. He is ever
engaged in the good and evil of men in this world. In consequence of his
supremacy, he can always obtain whatever objects he desires. He is called
Maheswara and is the lord of even the supreme ones. In many forms of many
kinds he pervadeth the universe. The mouth which that God has is in the
ocean. It is well-known that mouth, assuming the form of a mare's head,
drinketh the sacrificial libation in the shape of water. This god always
dwelleth in crematoriums. Men worship that Supreme lord in that place
where none but the courageous can go. Many are the blazing and terrible
forms of this God that men speak of and worship in the world. Many also
are the names, of truthful import, of this Deity in all the worlds. Those
names are founded upon his supremacy, his omnipotence, and his acts. In
the Vedas the excellent hymn called Sata Rudriya, hath been sung in
honour of that great God called the infinite Rudra. That God is the lord
of all wishes that are human and heavenly. He is omnipotent, and he is
the supreme master. Indeed, that God pervadeth the vast universe. The
Brahmanas and the Munis describe him as the First-born of all creatures.
He is the First of all the gods; from his mouth was born Vayu (the wind).
And since he always protecteth the creatures (of the universe) and
sporteth with them, and since also he is the lord of all creatures,
therefore is he called Pasupati. And since his Phallic emblem is always
supposed to be in the observance of the vow of Brahmacharya, and since he
always gladden the world, therefore he is called Maheswara. The Rishis,
the gods, the Gandharvas, and Apsaras, always worship his Phallic emblem
which is supposed to stand upright. That worship maketh Maheswara glad.
Indeed, Sankara (at such worship) becomes happy, pleased, and highly
glad. And since with respect to the past, the future, and the present,
that God has many forms, he is, on that account, called Vahurupa
(many-formed). Possessed of one eye he blazeth forth in effulgence, or he
may be regarded to have many eyes on every side of his body. And since,
he possesseth the worlds, he is for that reason called Sarva. And since
his form is like that of smoke, he is for that reason called Dhurjjati.
And since those deities, viz., the Viswedevas are in him, he is for that
reason called Viswarupa. And since three goddesses adore and have
recourse to that Lord of the universe, viz., Firmament, Water and Earth,
he is for that reason called Tryamvaka. And since he always increaseth
all kinds of wealth and wisheth the good of mankind in all their acts, he
is for that reason called Siva. He possesseth a thousand eyes, or ten
thousand eyes, and hath them on all sides. And since he protecteth this
vast universe, he is for that reason called Mahadeva. And since he is
great and ancient and is the source of life and of its continuance, and
since his Phallic emblem is everlasting, he is for that reason called
Sthanu. And since the solar and the lunar rays of light that appear in
the world are spoken of as the hair on the Three-eyed one, he is for that
reason called Vyomakesa. And since, afflicting Brahma and Indra and
Varuna and Yama and Kuvera, he destroyeth them ultimately, he is for that
reason called Hara. And since, he is the Past, the Future, and the
Present, and, in fact, everything in the universe, and since he is the
origin of the past, the future, and the present, he is for that reason
called Bhava. The word Kapi is said to mean supreme, and Vrisha is said
to mean righteousness. The illustrious God of gods, therefore, is called
Vrishakapi. And since Maheswara by means of his two eyes closed (in
meditation), created through sheer force of will a third eye on his
forehead, he is for that reason called the Three-eyed. Whatever of
unsoundness there is in the bodies of living creatures, and whatever of
soundness there is in them, represent that God. He is the wind, the vital
airs called Prana, Apana (and the others) in the bodies of all creatures,
including even those that are diseased. He who adoreth any image of the
Phallic emblem of that high-souled God, always obtaineth great prosperity
by that act. Downwards fiery, and half the body, that is auspiciousness
is the moon. His auspiciousness is the moon. So also half his soul is
fire and half the moon. His auspicious from, full of energy, is more
blazing than the forms of the gods. Among men, his blazing and terrible
form is called fire. With that auspicious form he practiseth
Brahmacharya. With that other terrible form he as supreme Lord devoureth
everything. And since he burneth, since he is fierce, since he is endued
with great prowess, and since he devoureth flesh and blood and marrow, he
is for this called Rudra. Even such is the deity called Mahadeva, armed
with Pinaka, who, O Partha, was seen by you engaged in slaying your foes
in advance of your car. After you had vowed to slay the ruler of the
Sindhus, O sinless one, Krishna showed you this God, in your dream,
sitting on the top of that foremost of mountains. This illustrious God
proceedeth in advance of you in battle. It is he who gave you those
weapons with which you didst slay the Danavas. The hymn approved of the
Vedas, and called Sata-Rudriya, in honour of that God of gods, that
excellent, famous, life-enhancing, and sacred hymn, has now, O Partha,
been explained to thee. This hymn of four divisions, capable of
accomplishing every object, is sacred, destructive of all sins, and
competent to drive away all stains and to kill all sorrows and all fears.
The men that always listen to this succeeds in vanquishing all his foes
and is highly respected in the region of Rudra. The person who always
attentively reads or listens to the recitation of this excellent and
auspicious account, appertaining to battle, of the illustrious Deity, and
he worships with devotion that illustrious Lord of the universe,
obtaineth all the objects of desire, in consequence of the three-eyed God
being gratified with him. Go and fight, O son of Kunti, defeat is not for
thee, that hast Janardana. on your side for your adviser and protector.'
"Sanjaya said, 'Having addressed Arjuna in these words, the son of
Parasara, O chief of the Bharatas, went away to the place he had come
from, O chastiser of foes.'
--------------------END OF PARVA 7 : UPA-PARVA 199 ---------------------
Parva 07 198
SECTION CXCVIII
"Sanjaya said, "Beholding Bhimasena overwhelmed by that weapon,
Dhananjaya, for baffling its energy, covered him with the Varuna weapon.
In consequence of the lightness of Arjuna's arms, and owing also to the
fiery force that shrouded Bhima, none could see that the latter had been
covered with the Varuna weapon. Shrouded with the weapon of Drona's son,
Bhima, his steeds, driver, and car became incapable of being gazed at,
like a fire of blazing flame in the midst of another fire. As at the
close of the night, O king, all the luminaries run towards the Asta hill,
even so the fiery shafts (of Aswatthaman) all began to proceed towards
Bhimasena's car. Indeed, Bhima himself, his car, steeds, and driver, O
sire, thus shrouded by Drona's son seemed to be in the midst of a
conflagration. As the (Yuga) fire consuming the entire universe with its
mobile and immobile creatures when the hour of dissolution comes, at last
enters the mouth of the Creator, even so at the weapon of Drona's son
began to enter the body of Bhimasena. As one cannot perceive a fire if it
penetrates into the sun or the sun if it enters into a fire, even so none
could perceive that energy which penetrated into Bhima's body. Beholding
that weapon thus investing Bhima all around, and seeing Drona's son
swelling with energy and might, the latter being then without an
antagonist, and observing also that all the warriors of the Pandava army
had laid down their weapons and that all the mighty car-warriors of that
host headed by Yudhishthira had turned away their faces from the foe,
those two heroes, viz., Arjuna and Vasudeva, both endued with great
splendour, quickly alighting from their car, ran towards Bhima. Those two
mighty men, diving into that energy born of the might of Aswatthaman's
weapon, had resorted to the power of illusion. The fire of that weapon
consumed them not, in consequence of their having laid aside their
weapons, as also in consequence of the force of the Varuna weapon, and
owing also to the energy possessed by themselves. Then Nara and Narayana,
for the pacification of Narayana weapon, began forcibly to drag Bhima and
all his weapons. Thus dragged by them, Kunti's son, that mighty
car-warrior, began to roar aloud. Thereupon, that terrible and invincible
weapon of Drona's son began to increase (in might and energy). Then
Vasudeva, addressing Bhima, said, 'How is it, O son of Pandu, that though
forbidden by us, thou, O son of Kunti, dost not yet abstain from battle?
If the Kurus could now be vanquished in battle, then we, as also all
these foremost of men, would certainly have continued to fight. Behold,
all the warriors of your host have alighted from their cars. For this
reason, O son of Kunti, do you also come down from your car.' Having said
these words, Krishna brought Bhima down from his car. The latter, with
eyes red as blood in rage, was sighing like a snake. When, however, he
was dragged down from his car and made to lay aside his weapons, the
Narayana weapon, that scorcher of foes, became pacified.'
"Sanjaya continued, 'When, by this means, the unbearable energy of that
weapon became stilled, all the points of the compass, cardinal and
subsidiary, became clear. Sweet breezes began to blow and birds and
animals all became quiet. The steeds and elephants became cheerful, as
also all the warriors, O ruler of men! Indeed, when the terrible energy
of that weapon, O Bharata, became stilled, Bhima. of great intelligence,
shone resplendent like the morning sun. The remnant of the Pandava host,
beholding the pacification of the Narayana weapon, once more stood
prepared on the field for compassing the destruction of your sons. When,
after that weapon had been baffled, the Pandava host, stood arrayed,
Duryodhana, O king, addressing Drona's son, said, O Aswatthaman, once
more use that weapon speedily since the Panchalas are once more arrayed,
desirous of victory.' Then addressed by your son, O sire, Aswatthaman,
sighing cheerlessly, replied unto the king in these words, 'That weapon,
O king, cannot be brought back. It cannot be used twice. If brought back,
it will without doubt, slay the person calling it back. Vasudeva, hath,
by what means you hast seen, caused it to be baffled. For this, O ruler
men, the destruction of the foe hath not been compassed in battle. Defeat
and death, however, are the same. Rather, defeat is worse than death. Lo,
the enemy, vanquished and compelled to lay down his arms, looks as if
deprived of life'. Duryodhana then said, 'O preceptor's son, if it be so,
if this weapon cannot be used twice, let those slayers of their preceptor
be slain with other weapons then, O foremost one of all persons
acquainted with weapons! In you are all celestial as well as in the
Three eyed (Siva) of immeasurable energy. If you wishest it not, even
Purandara in rage cannot escape thee.'
"Dhritarashtra said, 'After Drona had been slain with the aid of fraud,
and the Narayana weapon baffled, what, indeed, did Drona's son, thus
urged by Duryodhana then, do, beholding the Parthas once more arrived for
battle freed from the Narayana weapon, and careering at the head of their
divisions?'
"Sanjaya said, 'Remembering the slaughter of his sire, Drona's son,
owning the device of the lion's tail on his banner, filled with rage and
casting of all fears, rushed against the son of Prishata. Rushing at him,
O bull among men, that foremost of warriors, with great impetuosity,
pierced the Panchala prince with five and twenty small arrows. Then
Dhrishtadyumna, O King, pierced Drona's son that resembled a blazing
fire, with four and sixty shafts. And he pierced Aswatthaman's driver
also with twenty arrows whetted on stone and equipped with wings of gold,
and then his four steeds with four sharp arrows. Repeatedly piercing
Drona's son, and causing the earth to tremble with his leonine roars.
Dhrishtadyumna then seemed to be employed in taking the lives of
creatures in the world in dreadful battle. Making death itself his goal,
the mighty son of Prishata, O king, accomplished in weapons and endued
with sureness of aim, then rushed against Drona's son alone. Of
immeasurable soul, that foremost of car-warriors, viz., the prince of
Panchala, poured upon Aswatthaman's head a shower of arrows. Then Drona's
son, in that battle, covered the angry prince with winged shafts. And
once more, he pierced the latter with ten shafts, remembering the
slaughter of his father. Then cutting off the standard and bow of the
Panchala prince with a couple of well-shot shafts, equipped with heads
like razors. Drona's son began to grind his foe with other arrows. In
that dreadful battle, Aswatthaman made his antagonist steedless and
driverless and carless, and covered his followers also with thick showers
of shafts. At this, the Panchala troops, O king, mangled by means of
those arrowy showers fled away in fear and great affliction. Beholding
the troops turning away from battle and Dhrishtadyumna exceedingly
afflicted, the grandson of Sini quickly urged his car against that of
Drona's son. He then afflicted Aswatthaman with eight keen shafts. And
once more striking that angry warrior with twenty shafts of diverse
kinds, he pierced Aswatthaman's driver, and then his four steeds with
four shafts. With. great deliberations and displaying a wonderful
lightness of hand, he cut off Aswatthaman's bow and standard, Satyaki
then cut into fragments the gold-decked car of this foe together with its
steeds. And then he deeply pierced Aswatthaman in the chest with thirty
arrows in that battle. Thus afflicted, O king, (by Satyaki), and shrouded
with arrows, the mighty Aswatthaman knew not what to do. When the
preceptor's son had fallen into that plight, your son, that car-warrior,
accompanied by Kripa and Karna and others began to cover the Satwata hero
with arrows. All of them began quickly to pierce Satyaki from every side
with keen shafts, Duryodhana pierced him with twenty, Saradwat's son,
Kripa, with three. And Kritavarman pierced him with ten, and Karna with
fifty. And Duhsasana pierced him with a hundred arrows, and Vrishasena
with seven. Satyaki, however, O king, soon made all those great
car-warriors fly away from the field, deprived of their cars. Meanwhile,
Aswatthaman, O bull of Bharata's race, recovering consciousness, and
sighing repeatedly in sorrow, began to think of what he should do. Riding
then upon another car, that scorcher of foes, viz., the son of Drona,
began to resist Satyaki, shooting hundreds of arrows. Beholding
Aswatthaman once more approaching him in battle, the mighty car-warrior,
Satyaki, once more made him careless and caused him to turn back. Then
the Pandavas, O king, beholding the prowess of Satyaki, blew their conchs
with great force and uttered loud leonine roars. Having deprived
Aswatthaman of his car thus, Satyaki, of unbaffled prowess, then slew
three thousand mighty car-warriors of Vrishasena's division. And then he
slew fifteen thousand elephants of Kripa's force and fifty thousand
horses of Sakuni. Then, the valiant son of Drona, O monarch, riding upon
another car, and highly enraged with Satyaki, proceeded against the
latter, desirous of slaying him. Beholding him approach again, the
grandson of Sini, that chastiser of foes, once more pierced and mangled
him with keen shafts, fiercer than those he had used before. Deeply
pierced with those arrows of diverse forms by Yuyudhana, that great
bowmen, viz., the angry son of Drona, smilingly addressed his foe and
said, 'O grandson of Sini, I know your partiality for Dhrishtadyumna, that
slayer of his preceptor, but you shalt not be able to rescue him or your
own self when attacked by me. I swear to thee, O grandson of Sini, by
truth and by my ascetic austerities, that I shall know no peace till I
slay all the Panchalas. You may unite the forces of the Pandavas and
those of the Vrishnis together, but I shall still slay the Somakas.
Saying this, the son of Drona shot at Satyaki an excellent and straight
arrow possessed of the effulgence of the sun, even as Sakra had hurled in
days of yore his thunder at the Asura Vritra. Thus shot by Aswatthaman,
that arrow, piercing through the armour of Satyaki, and passing through
his body, entered the earth like a hissing snake entering its hole. His
armour pierced through, the heroic Satyaki, like an elephant deeply
struck with the hook, became bathed in blood that flowed from his wound.
His bow, with arrow fixed thereon, being then loosened from his grasp, he
sat down on the terrace of his car strengthless and covered all over with
blood. Seeing this his driver speedily bore him away from Drona's son.
With another shaft, perfectly straight and equipped with goodly wings
that scorcher of foes, viz., Aswatthaman, struck Dhrishtadyumna between
his eyebrows. The Panchala prince had before this been much pierced;
therefore, deeply wounded by that arrow, he became exceedingly weak and
supported himself by seizing his flag-staff. Beholding Dhrishtadyumna
thus afflicted by Aswatthaman, like an infuriated elephant by a lion,
five heroic car-warriors of the Pandava army, viz., Kiritin, Bhimasena,
Vrihatkshatra of Puru's race, the youthful prince of the Chedis, and
Sudarsana, the chief of the Malavas, quickly rushed against Aswatthaman.
Armed with bows, all these rushed with cries Oh and Alas. And those
heroes quickly encompassed the son of Drona on all sides. Advancing
twenty paces, all of them, with great care, simultaneously struck the
angry son of the preceptor with five and twenty arrows. Drona's son,
however, with five and twenty shafts, resembling snakes of virulent
poison, cut off, almost at the same time, those five and twenty arrows
shot at him. Then Aswatthaman afflicted the Paurava prince with seven
sharp shafts. And he afflicted the chief of the Malavas with three,
Partha with one, and Vrikodara with six shafts. Then all those great
car-warriors, O king, pierced Drona's son unitedly and separately with
many shafts, whetted on stone equipped with wings of gold. The youthful
prince of the Chedis pierced Drona's son with twenty and Partha pierced
him with three. Then Drona's son struck Arjuna with six arrows, and
Vasudeva with six, and Bhima with five, and each of the other two viz.,
the Malava and the Paurava, with two arrows. Piercing next the driver of'
Bhima's car with six arrows, Aswatthaman cut off Bhimasena's bow and
standard with a couple of arrows. Then piercing Partha once more with a
shower of arrows, Drona's son uttered a leonine roar. With the sharp,
well-tempered, and terrible arrows shot by Drona's son, the earth, the
sky, the firmament, and the points of the compass, cardinal and
subsidiary, all became entirely shrouded both in his front and rear.
Endued with fierce energy and equal to Indra himself in prowess,
Aswatthaman with three arrows, almost simultaneously cut off the two
arms, like unto Indra's poles, and the head of Sudarsana, as the latter
was seated on his car. Then piercing Paurava with a dart and cutting off
his car into minute fragments by means of his arrows, Aswatthaman lopped
off his antagonist's two arms smeared with sandal-paste and then his head
from off his trunk with a broad-headed shaft. Possessed of great
activity, he then pierced with many arrows resembling blazing flames of
fire in energy, the youthful and mighty prince of the Chedis who was of
the hue of the dark lotus, and despatched him to Yama's abode with his
driver and steeds. Beholding the chief of the Malavas, the descendant of
Puru, and the youthful ruler of the Chedis slain in this very sight by
the son of Drona.. Bhimasena, the mighty-armed son of Pandu, became
filled with rage. The scorcher of foes then covered Drona's son in that
battle with hundreds of keen arrows resembling angry snakes of virulent
poison. Endued with mighty energy, the angry son of Drona then destroying
that arrowy shower, pierced Bhimasena with sharp shafts. The mighty-armed
Bhima then, possessed of great strength, cut off with a broad-headed
arrow the bow of Drona's son and then pierced Drona's son himself with a
powerful shaft. Throwing away that broken bow, the high-souled son of
Drona took up another and pierced Bhima with his winged shafts. Then
those two, viz., Drona's son and Bhima, both possessed of great prowess
and might, began to shower their arrowy downpours like two masses of
rain-charged clouds. Gold-winged arrows, whetted on stone and engraved
with Bhima's name shrouded Drona's son, like gathering masses of clouds
shrouding the sun. Similarly, Bhima was soon shrouded with hundreds and
thousands of strong arrows shot by Drona's son. Though shrouded in that
battle by Drona's son, that warrior of great skill, Bhima yet felt no
pain, O monarch, which seemed exceedingly wonderful. Then the
mighty-armed Bhima sped ten gold-decked arrows, of great keenness and
resembling the darts of Yama himself, at his foe. Those shafts, O sire,
failing upon the shoulders of Drona's son, quickly pierced his body, like
snakes penetrating into an ant-hill. Deeply pierced by the high-souled
son of Pandu, Aswatthaman, closing his eyes, supported himself by seizing
his flagstaff. Recovering his senses within a moment, O king, Drona's son
bathed in blood, mustered all his wrath. Forcibly struck by the
high-souled son of Pandu, Aswatthaman, endued with mighty arms, rushed
with great speed towards the car of Bhimasena. And then, O Bharata, he
sped at Bhimasena, from his bow drawn to its fullest stretch, a hundred
arrows of fierce energy, all looking like snakes of virulent poison.
Pandu's son Bhima also, proud of his prowess in battle, disregarding
Aswatthaman's energy, speedily showered upon him dense arrowy downpour.
Then Drona's son, O king, cutting off Bhima's bow by means of his arrows,
and filled with rage, struck the Pandava in the chest with many keen
shafts. Incapable of brooking that feat, Bhimasena took up another bow
and pierced Drona's son in that battle with five keen shafts. Indeed,
showering upon each other their arrowy downpours like two masses of
clouds at the close of summer, two warriors, with eyes red as copper in
rage, completely covered each other in that battle with their shafts.
Frightening each other with the terrible sounds they made by their palms,
they continued to fight with each other, each counteracting the feats of
the other. Then bending his formidable bow adorned with gold, Drona's son
began to gaze steadfastly at Bhima who was thus shooting his shafts at
him. At that time, Aswatthaman looked like the meridian sun of blazing
rays in an autumnal day. So quickly then did he shoot his shafts that
people could not see when he took them out of his quiver when he fixed
them on the bowstring when he drew the string, and when he let them off.
Indeed, when employed in shooting his arrows, his bow, O monarch, seemed
to be incessantly drawn to fiery circle. Shafts in a hundred thousands,
shot from his bow, seemed to course through the welkin like a flight of
locusts. Indeed, those terrible shafts adorned with gold, shot from the
bow of Drona's son, coursed incessantly towards Bhima's car. The prowess,
O Bharata, that we then beheld of Bhimasena, and his might, energy, and
spirit, were exceedingly wonderful, for, regarding that terrible shower
of arrows thick as a gathering mass of clouds, failing around him to be
nothing more than a downpour of rain at the close of summer. Bhima of
terrible prowess, desirous of slaying the son of Drona, in return poured
his arrows upon the latter like a cloud in the season of rains. Bhima's
large and formidable bow of golden back, incessantly drawn in that
battle, looked resplendent like a second bow of Indra. Shafts in hundreds
and thousands, issuing from it, shrouded Drona's son, that ornament of
battle in that encounter. The showers of shafts, shot by both of them
were so dense, O sire, that the very wind, O king, could not find room
for coursing through them. Then Drona's son, O king, desirous of slaying
Bhima, sped at him many gold-decked arrows of keen points steeped in oil.
Showing his superiority to Drona's son Bhimasena cut off each of those
arrows into three fragments before they could come at him. The son of
Pandu then said, 'Wait Wait.' And once more, the mighty son of Pandu
filled with rage, and desirous of slaying the son of Drona, shot at him a
terrible shower of fierce arrows. Then Drona's son that warrior
acquainted with the highest weapons, quickly destroying that arrowy
shower by the illusion of his own weapons, cut off Bhima's bow in that
encounter. Filled with rage, he then pierced Bhima himself with
innumerable shafts in that battle. Endued with great might, Bhima then,
after his bow had been cut off, hurled a dart at Aswatthaman's car,
having whirled it previously with great impetuosity. The son of Drona,
displaying the lightness of his hand in that encounter, quickly cut off,
by means of sharp shafts, that dart as it coursed towards him with the
splendour of a blazing brand. Meanwhile, terrible Vrikodara, taking up a
very strong bow, and smiling the while, began to pierce the son of Drona
with many arrows. Then Drona's son, O monarch, with a straight shaft,
pierced the forehead of Bhima's driver. The latter, deeply pierced by the
mighty son of Drona, fell into a swoon, O king, abandoning the reins of
the steeds. The driver of the Bhima's car having fallen into a swoon, the
steeds, O king, began to fly away with great speed, in the very sight of
all the bowmen. Beholding Bhima carried away from the field of battle by
those running steeds, the unvanquished Aswatthaman joyfully blew his huge
conch. Beholding Bhimasena borne away from the field, all the Panchalas,
inspired with fear, abandoning the car of Dhrishtadyumna, fled away on
every side. Then Drona's son, shooting his shafts fiercely, pursued those
broken troops, causing a great carnage among them. Thus slaughtered in
battle by the son of Drona, those Kshatriyas fled away in all directions
from fear of that warrior.
"Sanjaya said, 'Beholding that force broken, Kunti's son, Dhananjaya, of
immeasurable soul, proceeded against Aswatthaman from desire of slaying
him. Those troops then, O king, rallied with effort by Govinda and
Arjuna, stayed on the field of battle. Only Vibhatsu, supported by the
Somakas and the Matsyas, shot his arrows at the Kauravas and checked
their onset.[268] Quickly approaching Aswatthaman, that great bowman
having the mark of the lion's tail on his banner, Arjuna addressed him,
saying, 'Show me now the might you hast, the energy, the knowledge, and
the manliness, that are in thee, as also your affection for the
Dhartarashtras and your hatred for us, and the high mettle of which thou
art capable. Even Prishata's son, that slayer of Drona, will quell thy
pride today. Come now and encounter the Panchala prince, that hero
resembling the Yuga fire and like the Destroyer himself with Govinda.
Thou hast displayed your pride in battle, but I shall quell that pride of
thine.'
"Dhritarashtra said, 'The preceptor's son, O Sanjaya, is possessed of
might and worthy of respect. He beareth great love to Dhananjaya and the
high-souled Dhananjaya also loveth him in return. Vibhatsu had never
addressed Drona's son before in this way. Why then did the son of Kunti
address his friend in such words?'
"Sanjaya said, 'Upon the fall of the youthful prince of the Chedis, of
Vrihatkshatra of Puru's race, and of Sudarsana, the chief of the Malavas,
who was well-accomplished in the science of arms, and upon the defeat of
Dhrishtadyumna and Satyaki and Bhima, and feeling great pain and touched
to the quick by those words of Yudhishthira, and remembering a his former
woes, O lord, Vibhatsu, in consequence of his grief, felt such wrath rise
within him the like of which he had never experienced before. It was for
this that like a vulgar person, he addressed the preceptor's son who was
worthy of every respect, in such unworthy, indecent, bitter, and harsh
language. Addressed, from wrath, in such harsh and cruel words by Partha,
O king, Drona's son, that foremost of all mighty bowmen, became highly
angry with Partha and especially with Krishna. The valiant Aswatthaman,
then, staying resolutely on his car, touched water and invoked the Agneya
weapon incapable of being resisted by the very gods. Aiming at all his
visible and invisible foes, the preceptor's son, that slayer of hostile
heroes, inspired with mantras a blazing shaft possessed of the effulgence
of a smokeless fire, and let it off on all sides, filled with rage. Dense
showers of arrows then issued from it in the welkin. Endued with fiery
flames, those arrows encompassed Partha on all sides. Meteors flashed
down from the firmament. A thick gloom suddenly shrouded the (Pandava)
host. All the points of the compass also were enveloped by that darkness.
Rakshasas and Pisachas, crowding together, uttered fierce cries.
Inauspicious winds began to blow. The sun himself no longer gave any
heat. Ravens fiercely croaked on all sides. Clouds roared in the welkin,
showering blood. Birds and beasts and kine, and Munis of high vows and
souls under complete control, became exceedingly uneasy. The very
elements seemed to be perturbed. The sun seemed to turn. The universe,
scorched with heat, seemed to be in a fever. The elephants and other
creatures of the land, scorched by the energy of that weapon, ran in
fright, breathing heavily and desirous of protection against that
terrible force. The very waters heated, the creatures residing in that
element, O Bharata, became exceedingly uneasy and seemed to burn. From
all the points of the compass, cardinal and subsidiary, from the
firmament and the very earth, showers of sharp and fierce arrows fell and
issued with the impetuosity of Garuda or the wind. Struck and burnt by
those shafts of Aswatthaman that were all endued with the impetuosity of
the thunder, the hostile warriors fell down like trees burnt down by a
raging fire. Huge elephants, burnt by that weapon, fell down on the earth
all around, uttering fierce cries loud as the rumblings of the clouds.
Other huge elephants, scorched by that fire, ran hither and thither, and
roared aloud in fear, as if in the midst of a forest conflagration. The
steeds, O king, and the cars also, burnt by the energy of that weapon,
looked, O sire, like the tops of trees burnt in a forest-fire. Thousands
of cars fell down on all sides. Indeed, O Bharata, it seemed that the
divine lord Agni burnt the (Pandava) host in that battle, like the
Samvarta fire consuming everything at the end of the Yuga.
'Beholding the Pandava army thus burning in that dreadful battle, thy
soldiers, O king, filled with joy, uttered leonine shouts. Indeed, the
combatants, desirous of victory and filled with joy, speedily blew
thousands of trumpets, O Bharata, of diverse kinds. Darkness having
enveloped the world during that fierce battle, the entire Pandava army,
with Savyasachin, the son of Panda, could not be seen. We had never
before, O king, heard of or seen the like of that weapon which Drona's
son created in wrath on that occasion. Then Arjuna, O king, invoked into
existence the Brahma weapon, capable of baffling every other weapon, as
ordained by the Lotus-born (Brahma) himself. Within a moment that
darkness was dispelled, cool winds began to blow, and all the points of
the compass became clear and bright. We then beheld a wonderful sight,
viz., a full Akshauhini (of the Pandava troops) laid low. Burnt by the
energy of Aswatthaman's weapon, the forms of the slain could not be
distinguished. Then those two heroic and mighty bowmen, viz., Kesava and
Arjuna, freed from that darkness, were seen together, like the sun and
the moon in the firmament. Indeed, the wielder of Gandiva and Kesava were
both unwounded. Equipped with its banners and standards and steeds, with
the Anukarsa unjoined; and with all the mighty weapons stored on it
remaining uninjured, that car, so terrible to your warriors, freed from
that darkness, shone resplendent on the field. And soon there arose
diverse sounds of life mingled with the blare of conchs and the beat of
drums, from among the Pandava troops filled with joy. Both hosts thought
that Kesava and Arjuna had perished Beholding Kesava and Arjuna,
therefore (freed from darkness and the energy of that weapon) and seeing
that reappear so quickly, the Pandavas were filled with joy, and the
Kauravas with wonder. Unwounded and full of cheerfulness, those two
heroes blew their excellent conchs. Indeed, seeing Partha filled with
joy, your soldiers became exceedingly melancholy. Seeing those two
high-souled ones (viz., Kesava and Arjuna), freed (from the energy of his
weapon) the son of Drona became very cheerless. For a moment he
reflected, O sire, on what had happened. And having reflected, O king, he
became filled with anxiety and grief. Breathing long and hot sighs, he
became exceedingly cheerless. Laying aside his bow, then, the son of
Drona speedily alighted from his car, and saying, 'O fie, fie! Every
thing is untrue,' he ran away from the fight. On his way he met Vyasa,
the abode of Saraswati, the compiler of the Vedas, the habitation of
those scriptures, unstained by sin, and of the hue of rain-charged cloud.
Beholding him, that perpetuator of Kura's race, standing on his way, the
son of Drona with voice choked in grief, and like one exceedingly
cheerless, saluted him and said, 'O sire, O sire, is this an illusion, or
is it a caprice (on the part of the weapon)? I do not know what it is.
Why, indeed, hath my weapon become fruitless? What breach (has there been
in the method of invocation)? Or, is it something abnormal, or, is it a
victory over Nature (achieved by the two Krishnas) since they are yet
alive? It seems that Time is irresistible. Neither Asuras, nor
Gandharvas, nor Pisachas, nor Rakshasas, nor Uragas, Yakshas, and birds,
nor human beings, can venture to baffle this weapon shot by me. This
fiery weapon, however, having slain only one Akshauhini of troops, hath
been pacified. This exceedingly fierce weapon shot by me is capable of
slaying all creatures. For what reason then could it not slay Kesava and
Arjuna, both of whom are endued with the attributes of humanity? Asked by
me, O holy one, answer me truly. O great Muni, I desire to hear all this
in detail.'
"Vyasa said, 'O highly significant is this matter that you enquirest of
me from surprise. I will tell you everything; listen attentively. He
that is called Narayana is older than the oldest ones. For accomplishing
some purpose, that creator of the universe took his birth as the son of
Dharma. On the mountain of Himavat he underwent the severest ascetic
austerities. Endued with mighty energy, and resembling fire or the sun
(in splendour), he stood there with arms upraised. Possessed of eyes
like: lotus-petals, he emaciated himself there for sixty-six thousand
years, subsisting all the while upon air alone. Once more undergoing
severe austerities of another kind for twice that period, he filled the
space between earth and heaven with his energy. When by those
austerities, O sire, he became: like Brahma[269] he then beheld the
Master, Origin, and Guardian of the Universe, the Lord of all the gods,
the Supreme Deity, who is exceedingly difficult of being gazed at, who is
minuter than the minutest and larger than, the largest, who is called
Rudra,[270] who is the lord of all the superior ones, who is called Hara
and Sambhu, who has matted locks on his head, who is the infuser of life
into every form, who is the First cause of all immobile: and mobile
things, who is irresistible and of frightful aspect, who is of fierce
wrath and great Soul, who is the All-destroyer, and of large heart; who
beareth the celestial bow and a couple of quivers, who is cased in golden
armour, and whose energy is infinite, who holdeth Pinaka, who is; armed
with thunderbolt, a blazing trident, battle axe, mace, and a large sword;
whose eye-brows are fair, whose locks are matted, who wieldeth the heavy
short club, who hath the moon on his forehead, who is clad in tiger-skin,
and who is armed with the bludgeon; who is decked with beautiful angadas,
who hath snakes for his sacred thread, and who is surrounded by diverse
creatures of the universe and by numerous ghosts and spirits, who is the
One, who is the abode of ascetic austerities, and who is highly adored by
persons of venerable age; who is Water, Heaven, Sky, Earth, Sun, Moon,
Wind and Fire, and who is the measure of the duration of the universe.
Persons of wicked behaviour can never obtain a sight of that unborn one,
that slayer of all haters of Brahmanas, that giver of emancipation.[271]
Only Brahmanas of righteous conduct, when cleansed of their sins and
freed from the control of grief, behold him with their mind's eye. In
consequence of his ascetic austerities, Narayana obtained a sight of that
unfading one, that embodiment of righteousness, that adorable one, that
Being having the universe for his form. Beholding that supreme Abode of
all kinds of splendour, that God with a garland of Akshas round his neck,
Vasudeva, with gratified soul, became filled with delight which he sought
to express by words, heart, understanding, and body. Then Narayana
worshipped that Divine Lord, that First cause of the universe, that giver
of boons, that puissant one sporting with the fair-limbed Parvati, that
high-souled Being surrounded by large bands of ghosts, spirits, that
Unborn one, that Supreme Lord, that Embodiment of the unmanifest, that
Essence of all causes, that One of unfading power. Having saluted Rudra,
that destroyer of the Asura Andhaka, the lotus eyed Narayana, with
emotion filling his heart, began to praise the Three-eyed one (in these
words), 'O adorable one, O first of all the gods, the creator of
everything (viz., the Prajapatis) who are the regents of the world, and
who having entered the earth,--thy first work,--had, O lord, protected it
before, have all sprung from thee. Gods, Asuras, Nagas, Rakshasas,
Pisachas, human beings, birds, Gandharvas, Yakshas and other creatures:
with the entire universe, we know, have all sprung from thee. Everything
that is done for propitiating Indra, and Yama, and Varuna, and Kuvera and
Pitris and Tvashtri, and Soma, is really offered to thee. Form and light,
sound and sky, wind and touch, taste and water, scent and earth,[272]
time, Brahma himself, the Vedas, the Brahmanas and all these mobile
objects, have sprung from thee. Vapours rising from diverse receptacles
of water, becoming rain-drops, which failing upon the earth, are
separated from one another. When the time of the Universal dissolution
comes those individual drops, separated from one another, once more unite
together and make the earth one vast expanse of water. He that is
learned, thus observing the origin and the destruction, of all things,
understands your oneness. Two birds (viz., Iswara and Jiva), four
Aswatthas with their wordy branches (viz., the Vedas), the seven
guardians (viz., the five essences or elements and the heart and the
understanding), and the ten others that hold this city (viz., the ten
senses that constitute the body), have all been created by thee, but thou
art separate from and independent of them. The Past, the Future, and the
Present, over each of which none can have any sway, are from thee, as
also the seven worlds and this universe. I am your devoted adorer,--be
graceful unto me. Do not injure me, by causing evil thoughts to penetrate
my heart. Thou are the Soul of souls, incapable of being known. He that
knows you as the Universal Seed, attaineth to Brahma. Desiring to pay
thee respects, I am praising thee, endeavouring to ascertain your real
nature, O you that are incapable of being understood by the very gods.
Adored by me, grant me the boons I desire but which are difficult of
acquisition. Do not hide thyself in your illusion.'
"Vyasa continued, 'The blue-throated God, of inconceivable soul, that
wielder of Pinaka, that divine Lord ever praised by the Rishis, then gave
boons unto Vasudeva who deserved them all. The great God said, 'O
Narayana, through my grace, amongst men, gods, and Gandharvas, you shalt
be of immeasurable might and soul. Neither gods, nor Asuras, nor great
Uragas, nor Pisachas, nor Gandharvas, nor men, nor Rakshasas, nor birds,
nor Nagas, nor any creatures in the Universe, shall ever be able to bear
thy prowess. No one amongst even the celestials shall be able to vanquish
thee in battle. Through my grace, none shall ever be able to cause thee
pain by the weapon of thunderbolt or with any object that is wet or dry,
or with any mobile or immobile thing. Thou shalt be superior to myself if
thou ever goest to battle against me.' Thus were these boons acquired by
Sauri in days of yore. Even that God now walketh the earth (as Vasudeva),
beguiling the universe by his illusion. From Narayana's asceticism was
born a great Muni of the name of Nara, equal to Narayana himself. Know
that Arjuna is none else than that Nara. Those two Rishis, said to be
older than the oldest gods, take their births in every Yuga for serving
the purposes of the world. Thyself also, O you of great heart, hast been
born as a portion of Rudra, by virtue of all your religious acts and as a
consequence of high ascetic austerities, endued with great energy and
wrath. Thou wert (in a former life) endued with great wisdom and equal to
a god. Regarding the universe to consist only of Mahadeva, you hadst
emaciated thyself by diverse vows from desire of gratifying that God.
Assuming the form of a very superior person, that blazes fourth with
splendour, you hast, O giver of honours, worshipped the great god with
mantras, with homa, and with offerings. Thus adored by you in your former
life, the great god became gratified with thee, and granted you numerous
boons, O learned one, that you had cherished in your heart. Like
Kesava's and Arjuna's your birth acts, and ascetic austerities are also
superior. Like them, in your worship, you hast, in every Yuga, adored the
great God in his Phallic form. Kesava is that devoted worshipper of Rudra
who has sprung from Rudra himself. Kesava always worship the Lord Siva,
regarding his Phallic emblem to be the origin of the universe. In Kesava
is always present that knowledge, in consequence of which he views the
identity of Brahman with the: universe and that other knowledge by which
the Past, the Present and the Future, the near and the remote, are all
seen, as if the whole are before his eyes. The gods, the Siddhas and the
great Rishis, adore Kesava for obtaining that highest object in the
universe, viz., Mahadeva. Kesava is the creator of everything. The
Eternal Krishna should be adored with sacrifices. The Lord Kesava always
worshippeth Siva in the Phallic emblem as the origin of all creatures.
The God having the bull for his mark cherisheth greater regard for
Kesava.'
"Sanjaya continued, 'Hearing these words of Vyasa, Drona's son, that
mighty car-warrior, bowed unto Rudra and regarded Kesava as worthy of the
highest regards. Having his soul under complete control, he became filled
with delight, the marks whereof appeared on his body. Bowing unto the
great Rishi, Aswatthaman then, casting his eyes on the (Kuru) army,
caused it-to be withdrawn (for nightly rest). Indeed, when, after the
fall of Drona, the cheerless Kurus retired from the field, the Pandavas
also, O monarch, caused their army to be withdrawn. Having fought for
five days and caused an immense carnage, that Brahman well-versed in the
Vedas, viz., Drona, repaired, O king, to the region of Brahma!'."
--------------------END OF PARVA 7 : UPA-PARVA 198 ---------------------
"Sanjaya said, "Beholding Bhimasena overwhelmed by that weapon,
Dhananjaya, for baffling its energy, covered him with the Varuna weapon.
In consequence of the lightness of Arjuna's arms, and owing also to the
fiery force that shrouded Bhima, none could see that the latter had been
covered with the Varuna weapon. Shrouded with the weapon of Drona's son,
Bhima, his steeds, driver, and car became incapable of being gazed at,
like a fire of blazing flame in the midst of another fire. As at the
close of the night, O king, all the luminaries run towards the Asta hill,
even so the fiery shafts (of Aswatthaman) all began to proceed towards
Bhimasena's car. Indeed, Bhima himself, his car, steeds, and driver, O
sire, thus shrouded by Drona's son seemed to be in the midst of a
conflagration. As the (Yuga) fire consuming the entire universe with its
mobile and immobile creatures when the hour of dissolution comes, at last
enters the mouth of the Creator, even so at the weapon of Drona's son
began to enter the body of Bhimasena. As one cannot perceive a fire if it
penetrates into the sun or the sun if it enters into a fire, even so none
could perceive that energy which penetrated into Bhima's body. Beholding
that weapon thus investing Bhima all around, and seeing Drona's son
swelling with energy and might, the latter being then without an
antagonist, and observing also that all the warriors of the Pandava army
had laid down their weapons and that all the mighty car-warriors of that
host headed by Yudhishthira had turned away their faces from the foe,
those two heroes, viz., Arjuna and Vasudeva, both endued with great
splendour, quickly alighting from their car, ran towards Bhima. Those two
mighty men, diving into that energy born of the might of Aswatthaman's
weapon, had resorted to the power of illusion. The fire of that weapon
consumed them not, in consequence of their having laid aside their
weapons, as also in consequence of the force of the Varuna weapon, and
owing also to the energy possessed by themselves. Then Nara and Narayana,
for the pacification of Narayana weapon, began forcibly to drag Bhima and
all his weapons. Thus dragged by them, Kunti's son, that mighty
car-warrior, began to roar aloud. Thereupon, that terrible and invincible
weapon of Drona's son began to increase (in might and energy). Then
Vasudeva, addressing Bhima, said, 'How is it, O son of Pandu, that though
forbidden by us, thou, O son of Kunti, dost not yet abstain from battle?
If the Kurus could now be vanquished in battle, then we, as also all
these foremost of men, would certainly have continued to fight. Behold,
all the warriors of your host have alighted from their cars. For this
reason, O son of Kunti, do you also come down from your car.' Having said
these words, Krishna brought Bhima down from his car. The latter, with
eyes red as blood in rage, was sighing like a snake. When, however, he
was dragged down from his car and made to lay aside his weapons, the
Narayana weapon, that scorcher of foes, became pacified.'
"Sanjaya continued, 'When, by this means, the unbearable energy of that
weapon became stilled, all the points of the compass, cardinal and
subsidiary, became clear. Sweet breezes began to blow and birds and
animals all became quiet. The steeds and elephants became cheerful, as
also all the warriors, O ruler of men! Indeed, when the terrible energy
of that weapon, O Bharata, became stilled, Bhima. of great intelligence,
shone resplendent like the morning sun. The remnant of the Pandava host,
beholding the pacification of the Narayana weapon, once more stood
prepared on the field for compassing the destruction of your sons. When,
after that weapon had been baffled, the Pandava host, stood arrayed,
Duryodhana, O king, addressing Drona's son, said, O Aswatthaman, once
more use that weapon speedily since the Panchalas are once more arrayed,
desirous of victory.' Then addressed by your son, O sire, Aswatthaman,
sighing cheerlessly, replied unto the king in these words, 'That weapon,
O king, cannot be brought back. It cannot be used twice. If brought back,
it will without doubt, slay the person calling it back. Vasudeva, hath,
by what means you hast seen, caused it to be baffled. For this, O ruler
men, the destruction of the foe hath not been compassed in battle. Defeat
and death, however, are the same. Rather, defeat is worse than death. Lo,
the enemy, vanquished and compelled to lay down his arms, looks as if
deprived of life'. Duryodhana then said, 'O preceptor's son, if it be so,
if this weapon cannot be used twice, let those slayers of their preceptor
be slain with other weapons then, O foremost one of all persons
acquainted with weapons! In you are all celestial as well as in the
Three eyed (Siva) of immeasurable energy. If you wishest it not, even
Purandara in rage cannot escape thee.'
"Dhritarashtra said, 'After Drona had been slain with the aid of fraud,
and the Narayana weapon baffled, what, indeed, did Drona's son, thus
urged by Duryodhana then, do, beholding the Parthas once more arrived for
battle freed from the Narayana weapon, and careering at the head of their
divisions?'
"Sanjaya said, 'Remembering the slaughter of his sire, Drona's son,
owning the device of the lion's tail on his banner, filled with rage and
casting of all fears, rushed against the son of Prishata. Rushing at him,
O bull among men, that foremost of warriors, with great impetuosity,
pierced the Panchala prince with five and twenty small arrows. Then
Dhrishtadyumna, O King, pierced Drona's son that resembled a blazing
fire, with four and sixty shafts. And he pierced Aswatthaman's driver
also with twenty arrows whetted on stone and equipped with wings of gold,
and then his four steeds with four sharp arrows. Repeatedly piercing
Drona's son, and causing the earth to tremble with his leonine roars.
Dhrishtadyumna then seemed to be employed in taking the lives of
creatures in the world in dreadful battle. Making death itself his goal,
the mighty son of Prishata, O king, accomplished in weapons and endued
with sureness of aim, then rushed against Drona's son alone. Of
immeasurable soul, that foremost of car-warriors, viz., the prince of
Panchala, poured upon Aswatthaman's head a shower of arrows. Then Drona's
son, in that battle, covered the angry prince with winged shafts. And
once more, he pierced the latter with ten shafts, remembering the
slaughter of his father. Then cutting off the standard and bow of the
Panchala prince with a couple of well-shot shafts, equipped with heads
like razors. Drona's son began to grind his foe with other arrows. In
that dreadful battle, Aswatthaman made his antagonist steedless and
driverless and carless, and covered his followers also with thick showers
of shafts. At this, the Panchala troops, O king, mangled by means of
those arrowy showers fled away in fear and great affliction. Beholding
the troops turning away from battle and Dhrishtadyumna exceedingly
afflicted, the grandson of Sini quickly urged his car against that of
Drona's son. He then afflicted Aswatthaman with eight keen shafts. And
once more striking that angry warrior with twenty shafts of diverse
kinds, he pierced Aswatthaman's driver, and then his four steeds with
four shafts. With. great deliberations and displaying a wonderful
lightness of hand, he cut off Aswatthaman's bow and standard, Satyaki
then cut into fragments the gold-decked car of this foe together with its
steeds. And then he deeply pierced Aswatthaman in the chest with thirty
arrows in that battle. Thus afflicted, O king, (by Satyaki), and shrouded
with arrows, the mighty Aswatthaman knew not what to do. When the
preceptor's son had fallen into that plight, your son, that car-warrior,
accompanied by Kripa and Karna and others began to cover the Satwata hero
with arrows. All of them began quickly to pierce Satyaki from every side
with keen shafts, Duryodhana pierced him with twenty, Saradwat's son,
Kripa, with three. And Kritavarman pierced him with ten, and Karna with
fifty. And Duhsasana pierced him with a hundred arrows, and Vrishasena
with seven. Satyaki, however, O king, soon made all those great
car-warriors fly away from the field, deprived of their cars. Meanwhile,
Aswatthaman, O bull of Bharata's race, recovering consciousness, and
sighing repeatedly in sorrow, began to think of what he should do. Riding
then upon another car, that scorcher of foes, viz., the son of Drona,
began to resist Satyaki, shooting hundreds of arrows. Beholding
Aswatthaman once more approaching him in battle, the mighty car-warrior,
Satyaki, once more made him careless and caused him to turn back. Then
the Pandavas, O king, beholding the prowess of Satyaki, blew their conchs
with great force and uttered loud leonine roars. Having deprived
Aswatthaman of his car thus, Satyaki, of unbaffled prowess, then slew
three thousand mighty car-warriors of Vrishasena's division. And then he
slew fifteen thousand elephants of Kripa's force and fifty thousand
horses of Sakuni. Then, the valiant son of Drona, O monarch, riding upon
another car, and highly enraged with Satyaki, proceeded against the
latter, desirous of slaying him. Beholding him approach again, the
grandson of Sini, that chastiser of foes, once more pierced and mangled
him with keen shafts, fiercer than those he had used before. Deeply
pierced with those arrows of diverse forms by Yuyudhana, that great
bowmen, viz., the angry son of Drona, smilingly addressed his foe and
said, 'O grandson of Sini, I know your partiality for Dhrishtadyumna, that
slayer of his preceptor, but you shalt not be able to rescue him or your
own self when attacked by me. I swear to thee, O grandson of Sini, by
truth and by my ascetic austerities, that I shall know no peace till I
slay all the Panchalas. You may unite the forces of the Pandavas and
those of the Vrishnis together, but I shall still slay the Somakas.
Saying this, the son of Drona shot at Satyaki an excellent and straight
arrow possessed of the effulgence of the sun, even as Sakra had hurled in
days of yore his thunder at the Asura Vritra. Thus shot by Aswatthaman,
that arrow, piercing through the armour of Satyaki, and passing through
his body, entered the earth like a hissing snake entering its hole. His
armour pierced through, the heroic Satyaki, like an elephant deeply
struck with the hook, became bathed in blood that flowed from his wound.
His bow, with arrow fixed thereon, being then loosened from his grasp, he
sat down on the terrace of his car strengthless and covered all over with
blood. Seeing this his driver speedily bore him away from Drona's son.
With another shaft, perfectly straight and equipped with goodly wings
that scorcher of foes, viz., Aswatthaman, struck Dhrishtadyumna between
his eyebrows. The Panchala prince had before this been much pierced;
therefore, deeply wounded by that arrow, he became exceedingly weak and
supported himself by seizing his flag-staff. Beholding Dhrishtadyumna
thus afflicted by Aswatthaman, like an infuriated elephant by a lion,
five heroic car-warriors of the Pandava army, viz., Kiritin, Bhimasena,
Vrihatkshatra of Puru's race, the youthful prince of the Chedis, and
Sudarsana, the chief of the Malavas, quickly rushed against Aswatthaman.
Armed with bows, all these rushed with cries Oh and Alas. And those
heroes quickly encompassed the son of Drona on all sides. Advancing
twenty paces, all of them, with great care, simultaneously struck the
angry son of the preceptor with five and twenty arrows. Drona's son,
however, with five and twenty shafts, resembling snakes of virulent
poison, cut off, almost at the same time, those five and twenty arrows
shot at him. Then Aswatthaman afflicted the Paurava prince with seven
sharp shafts. And he afflicted the chief of the Malavas with three,
Partha with one, and Vrikodara with six shafts. Then all those great
car-warriors, O king, pierced Drona's son unitedly and separately with
many shafts, whetted on stone equipped with wings of gold. The youthful
prince of the Chedis pierced Drona's son with twenty and Partha pierced
him with three. Then Drona's son struck Arjuna with six arrows, and
Vasudeva with six, and Bhima with five, and each of the other two viz.,
the Malava and the Paurava, with two arrows. Piercing next the driver of'
Bhima's car with six arrows, Aswatthaman cut off Bhimasena's bow and
standard with a couple of arrows. Then piercing Partha once more with a
shower of arrows, Drona's son uttered a leonine roar. With the sharp,
well-tempered, and terrible arrows shot by Drona's son, the earth, the
sky, the firmament, and the points of the compass, cardinal and
subsidiary, all became entirely shrouded both in his front and rear.
Endued with fierce energy and equal to Indra himself in prowess,
Aswatthaman with three arrows, almost simultaneously cut off the two
arms, like unto Indra's poles, and the head of Sudarsana, as the latter
was seated on his car. Then piercing Paurava with a dart and cutting off
his car into minute fragments by means of his arrows, Aswatthaman lopped
off his antagonist's two arms smeared with sandal-paste and then his head
from off his trunk with a broad-headed shaft. Possessed of great
activity, he then pierced with many arrows resembling blazing flames of
fire in energy, the youthful and mighty prince of the Chedis who was of
the hue of the dark lotus, and despatched him to Yama's abode with his
driver and steeds. Beholding the chief of the Malavas, the descendant of
Puru, and the youthful ruler of the Chedis slain in this very sight by
the son of Drona.. Bhimasena, the mighty-armed son of Pandu, became
filled with rage. The scorcher of foes then covered Drona's son in that
battle with hundreds of keen arrows resembling angry snakes of virulent
poison. Endued with mighty energy, the angry son of Drona then destroying
that arrowy shower, pierced Bhimasena with sharp shafts. The mighty-armed
Bhima then, possessed of great strength, cut off with a broad-headed
arrow the bow of Drona's son and then pierced Drona's son himself with a
powerful shaft. Throwing away that broken bow, the high-souled son of
Drona took up another and pierced Bhima with his winged shafts. Then
those two, viz., Drona's son and Bhima, both possessed of great prowess
and might, began to shower their arrowy downpours like two masses of
rain-charged clouds. Gold-winged arrows, whetted on stone and engraved
with Bhima's name shrouded Drona's son, like gathering masses of clouds
shrouding the sun. Similarly, Bhima was soon shrouded with hundreds and
thousands of strong arrows shot by Drona's son. Though shrouded in that
battle by Drona's son, that warrior of great skill, Bhima yet felt no
pain, O monarch, which seemed exceedingly wonderful. Then the
mighty-armed Bhima sped ten gold-decked arrows, of great keenness and
resembling the darts of Yama himself, at his foe. Those shafts, O sire,
failing upon the shoulders of Drona's son, quickly pierced his body, like
snakes penetrating into an ant-hill. Deeply pierced by the high-souled
son of Pandu, Aswatthaman, closing his eyes, supported himself by seizing
his flagstaff. Recovering his senses within a moment, O king, Drona's son
bathed in blood, mustered all his wrath. Forcibly struck by the
high-souled son of Pandu, Aswatthaman, endued with mighty arms, rushed
with great speed towards the car of Bhimasena. And then, O Bharata, he
sped at Bhimasena, from his bow drawn to its fullest stretch, a hundred
arrows of fierce energy, all looking like snakes of virulent poison.
Pandu's son Bhima also, proud of his prowess in battle, disregarding
Aswatthaman's energy, speedily showered upon him dense arrowy downpour.
Then Drona's son, O king, cutting off Bhima's bow by means of his arrows,
and filled with rage, struck the Pandava in the chest with many keen
shafts. Incapable of brooking that feat, Bhimasena took up another bow
and pierced Drona's son in that battle with five keen shafts. Indeed,
showering upon each other their arrowy downpours like two masses of
clouds at the close of summer, two warriors, with eyes red as copper in
rage, completely covered each other in that battle with their shafts.
Frightening each other with the terrible sounds they made by their palms,
they continued to fight with each other, each counteracting the feats of
the other. Then bending his formidable bow adorned with gold, Drona's son
began to gaze steadfastly at Bhima who was thus shooting his shafts at
him. At that time, Aswatthaman looked like the meridian sun of blazing
rays in an autumnal day. So quickly then did he shoot his shafts that
people could not see when he took them out of his quiver when he fixed
them on the bowstring when he drew the string, and when he let them off.
Indeed, when employed in shooting his arrows, his bow, O monarch, seemed
to be incessantly drawn to fiery circle. Shafts in a hundred thousands,
shot from his bow, seemed to course through the welkin like a flight of
locusts. Indeed, those terrible shafts adorned with gold, shot from the
bow of Drona's son, coursed incessantly towards Bhima's car. The prowess,
O Bharata, that we then beheld of Bhimasena, and his might, energy, and
spirit, were exceedingly wonderful, for, regarding that terrible shower
of arrows thick as a gathering mass of clouds, failing around him to be
nothing more than a downpour of rain at the close of summer. Bhima of
terrible prowess, desirous of slaying the son of Drona, in return poured
his arrows upon the latter like a cloud in the season of rains. Bhima's
large and formidable bow of golden back, incessantly drawn in that
battle, looked resplendent like a second bow of Indra. Shafts in hundreds
and thousands, issuing from it, shrouded Drona's son, that ornament of
battle in that encounter. The showers of shafts, shot by both of them
were so dense, O sire, that the very wind, O king, could not find room
for coursing through them. Then Drona's son, O king, desirous of slaying
Bhima, sped at him many gold-decked arrows of keen points steeped in oil.
Showing his superiority to Drona's son Bhimasena cut off each of those
arrows into three fragments before they could come at him. The son of
Pandu then said, 'Wait Wait.' And once more, the mighty son of Pandu
filled with rage, and desirous of slaying the son of Drona, shot at him a
terrible shower of fierce arrows. Then Drona's son that warrior
acquainted with the highest weapons, quickly destroying that arrowy
shower by the illusion of his own weapons, cut off Bhima's bow in that
encounter. Filled with rage, he then pierced Bhima himself with
innumerable shafts in that battle. Endued with great might, Bhima then,
after his bow had been cut off, hurled a dart at Aswatthaman's car,
having whirled it previously with great impetuosity. The son of Drona,
displaying the lightness of his hand in that encounter, quickly cut off,
by means of sharp shafts, that dart as it coursed towards him with the
splendour of a blazing brand. Meanwhile, terrible Vrikodara, taking up a
very strong bow, and smiling the while, began to pierce the son of Drona
with many arrows. Then Drona's son, O monarch, with a straight shaft,
pierced the forehead of Bhima's driver. The latter, deeply pierced by the
mighty son of Drona, fell into a swoon, O king, abandoning the reins of
the steeds. The driver of the Bhima's car having fallen into a swoon, the
steeds, O king, began to fly away with great speed, in the very sight of
all the bowmen. Beholding Bhima carried away from the field of battle by
those running steeds, the unvanquished Aswatthaman joyfully blew his huge
conch. Beholding Bhimasena borne away from the field, all the Panchalas,
inspired with fear, abandoning the car of Dhrishtadyumna, fled away on
every side. Then Drona's son, shooting his shafts fiercely, pursued those
broken troops, causing a great carnage among them. Thus slaughtered in
battle by the son of Drona, those Kshatriyas fled away in all directions
from fear of that warrior.
"Sanjaya said, 'Beholding that force broken, Kunti's son, Dhananjaya, of
immeasurable soul, proceeded against Aswatthaman from desire of slaying
him. Those troops then, O king, rallied with effort by Govinda and
Arjuna, stayed on the field of battle. Only Vibhatsu, supported by the
Somakas and the Matsyas, shot his arrows at the Kauravas and checked
their onset.[268] Quickly approaching Aswatthaman, that great bowman
having the mark of the lion's tail on his banner, Arjuna addressed him,
saying, 'Show me now the might you hast, the energy, the knowledge, and
the manliness, that are in thee, as also your affection for the
Dhartarashtras and your hatred for us, and the high mettle of which thou
art capable. Even Prishata's son, that slayer of Drona, will quell thy
pride today. Come now and encounter the Panchala prince, that hero
resembling the Yuga fire and like the Destroyer himself with Govinda.
Thou hast displayed your pride in battle, but I shall quell that pride of
thine.'
"Dhritarashtra said, 'The preceptor's son, O Sanjaya, is possessed of
might and worthy of respect. He beareth great love to Dhananjaya and the
high-souled Dhananjaya also loveth him in return. Vibhatsu had never
addressed Drona's son before in this way. Why then did the son of Kunti
address his friend in such words?'
"Sanjaya said, 'Upon the fall of the youthful prince of the Chedis, of
Vrihatkshatra of Puru's race, and of Sudarsana, the chief of the Malavas,
who was well-accomplished in the science of arms, and upon the defeat of
Dhrishtadyumna and Satyaki and Bhima, and feeling great pain and touched
to the quick by those words of Yudhishthira, and remembering a his former
woes, O lord, Vibhatsu, in consequence of his grief, felt such wrath rise
within him the like of which he had never experienced before. It was for
this that like a vulgar person, he addressed the preceptor's son who was
worthy of every respect, in such unworthy, indecent, bitter, and harsh
language. Addressed, from wrath, in such harsh and cruel words by Partha,
O king, Drona's son, that foremost of all mighty bowmen, became highly
angry with Partha and especially with Krishna. The valiant Aswatthaman,
then, staying resolutely on his car, touched water and invoked the Agneya
weapon incapable of being resisted by the very gods. Aiming at all his
visible and invisible foes, the preceptor's son, that slayer of hostile
heroes, inspired with mantras a blazing shaft possessed of the effulgence
of a smokeless fire, and let it off on all sides, filled with rage. Dense
showers of arrows then issued from it in the welkin. Endued with fiery
flames, those arrows encompassed Partha on all sides. Meteors flashed
down from the firmament. A thick gloom suddenly shrouded the (Pandava)
host. All the points of the compass also were enveloped by that darkness.
Rakshasas and Pisachas, crowding together, uttered fierce cries.
Inauspicious winds began to blow. The sun himself no longer gave any
heat. Ravens fiercely croaked on all sides. Clouds roared in the welkin,
showering blood. Birds and beasts and kine, and Munis of high vows and
souls under complete control, became exceedingly uneasy. The very
elements seemed to be perturbed. The sun seemed to turn. The universe,
scorched with heat, seemed to be in a fever. The elephants and other
creatures of the land, scorched by the energy of that weapon, ran in
fright, breathing heavily and desirous of protection against that
terrible force. The very waters heated, the creatures residing in that
element, O Bharata, became exceedingly uneasy and seemed to burn. From
all the points of the compass, cardinal and subsidiary, from the
firmament and the very earth, showers of sharp and fierce arrows fell and
issued with the impetuosity of Garuda or the wind. Struck and burnt by
those shafts of Aswatthaman that were all endued with the impetuosity of
the thunder, the hostile warriors fell down like trees burnt down by a
raging fire. Huge elephants, burnt by that weapon, fell down on the earth
all around, uttering fierce cries loud as the rumblings of the clouds.
Other huge elephants, scorched by that fire, ran hither and thither, and
roared aloud in fear, as if in the midst of a forest conflagration. The
steeds, O king, and the cars also, burnt by the energy of that weapon,
looked, O sire, like the tops of trees burnt in a forest-fire. Thousands
of cars fell down on all sides. Indeed, O Bharata, it seemed that the
divine lord Agni burnt the (Pandava) host in that battle, like the
Samvarta fire consuming everything at the end of the Yuga.
'Beholding the Pandava army thus burning in that dreadful battle, thy
soldiers, O king, filled with joy, uttered leonine shouts. Indeed, the
combatants, desirous of victory and filled with joy, speedily blew
thousands of trumpets, O Bharata, of diverse kinds. Darkness having
enveloped the world during that fierce battle, the entire Pandava army,
with Savyasachin, the son of Panda, could not be seen. We had never
before, O king, heard of or seen the like of that weapon which Drona's
son created in wrath on that occasion. Then Arjuna, O king, invoked into
existence the Brahma weapon, capable of baffling every other weapon, as
ordained by the Lotus-born (Brahma) himself. Within a moment that
darkness was dispelled, cool winds began to blow, and all the points of
the compass became clear and bright. We then beheld a wonderful sight,
viz., a full Akshauhini (of the Pandava troops) laid low. Burnt by the
energy of Aswatthaman's weapon, the forms of the slain could not be
distinguished. Then those two heroic and mighty bowmen, viz., Kesava and
Arjuna, freed from that darkness, were seen together, like the sun and
the moon in the firmament. Indeed, the wielder of Gandiva and Kesava were
both unwounded. Equipped with its banners and standards and steeds, with
the Anukarsa unjoined; and with all the mighty weapons stored on it
remaining uninjured, that car, so terrible to your warriors, freed from
that darkness, shone resplendent on the field. And soon there arose
diverse sounds of life mingled with the blare of conchs and the beat of
drums, from among the Pandava troops filled with joy. Both hosts thought
that Kesava and Arjuna had perished Beholding Kesava and Arjuna,
therefore (freed from darkness and the energy of that weapon) and seeing
that reappear so quickly, the Pandavas were filled with joy, and the
Kauravas with wonder. Unwounded and full of cheerfulness, those two
heroes blew their excellent conchs. Indeed, seeing Partha filled with
joy, your soldiers became exceedingly melancholy. Seeing those two
high-souled ones (viz., Kesava and Arjuna), freed (from the energy of his
weapon) the son of Drona became very cheerless. For a moment he
reflected, O sire, on what had happened. And having reflected, O king, he
became filled with anxiety and grief. Breathing long and hot sighs, he
became exceedingly cheerless. Laying aside his bow, then, the son of
Drona speedily alighted from his car, and saying, 'O fie, fie! Every
thing is untrue,' he ran away from the fight. On his way he met Vyasa,
the abode of Saraswati, the compiler of the Vedas, the habitation of
those scriptures, unstained by sin, and of the hue of rain-charged cloud.
Beholding him, that perpetuator of Kura's race, standing on his way, the
son of Drona with voice choked in grief, and like one exceedingly
cheerless, saluted him and said, 'O sire, O sire, is this an illusion, or
is it a caprice (on the part of the weapon)? I do not know what it is.
Why, indeed, hath my weapon become fruitless? What breach (has there been
in the method of invocation)? Or, is it something abnormal, or, is it a
victory over Nature (achieved by the two Krishnas) since they are yet
alive? It seems that Time is irresistible. Neither Asuras, nor
Gandharvas, nor Pisachas, nor Rakshasas, nor Uragas, Yakshas, and birds,
nor human beings, can venture to baffle this weapon shot by me. This
fiery weapon, however, having slain only one Akshauhini of troops, hath
been pacified. This exceedingly fierce weapon shot by me is capable of
slaying all creatures. For what reason then could it not slay Kesava and
Arjuna, both of whom are endued with the attributes of humanity? Asked by
me, O holy one, answer me truly. O great Muni, I desire to hear all this
in detail.'
"Vyasa said, 'O highly significant is this matter that you enquirest of
me from surprise. I will tell you everything; listen attentively. He
that is called Narayana is older than the oldest ones. For accomplishing
some purpose, that creator of the universe took his birth as the son of
Dharma. On the mountain of Himavat he underwent the severest ascetic
austerities. Endued with mighty energy, and resembling fire or the sun
(in splendour), he stood there with arms upraised. Possessed of eyes
like: lotus-petals, he emaciated himself there for sixty-six thousand
years, subsisting all the while upon air alone. Once more undergoing
severe austerities of another kind for twice that period, he filled the
space between earth and heaven with his energy. When by those
austerities, O sire, he became: like Brahma[269] he then beheld the
Master, Origin, and Guardian of the Universe, the Lord of all the gods,
the Supreme Deity, who is exceedingly difficult of being gazed at, who is
minuter than the minutest and larger than, the largest, who is called
Rudra,[270] who is the lord of all the superior ones, who is called Hara
and Sambhu, who has matted locks on his head, who is the infuser of life
into every form, who is the First cause of all immobile: and mobile
things, who is irresistible and of frightful aspect, who is of fierce
wrath and great Soul, who is the All-destroyer, and of large heart; who
beareth the celestial bow and a couple of quivers, who is cased in golden
armour, and whose energy is infinite, who holdeth Pinaka, who is; armed
with thunderbolt, a blazing trident, battle axe, mace, and a large sword;
whose eye-brows are fair, whose locks are matted, who wieldeth the heavy
short club, who hath the moon on his forehead, who is clad in tiger-skin,
and who is armed with the bludgeon; who is decked with beautiful angadas,
who hath snakes for his sacred thread, and who is surrounded by diverse
creatures of the universe and by numerous ghosts and spirits, who is the
One, who is the abode of ascetic austerities, and who is highly adored by
persons of venerable age; who is Water, Heaven, Sky, Earth, Sun, Moon,
Wind and Fire, and who is the measure of the duration of the universe.
Persons of wicked behaviour can never obtain a sight of that unborn one,
that slayer of all haters of Brahmanas, that giver of emancipation.[271]
Only Brahmanas of righteous conduct, when cleansed of their sins and
freed from the control of grief, behold him with their mind's eye. In
consequence of his ascetic austerities, Narayana obtained a sight of that
unfading one, that embodiment of righteousness, that adorable one, that
Being having the universe for his form. Beholding that supreme Abode of
all kinds of splendour, that God with a garland of Akshas round his neck,
Vasudeva, with gratified soul, became filled with delight which he sought
to express by words, heart, understanding, and body. Then Narayana
worshipped that Divine Lord, that First cause of the universe, that giver
of boons, that puissant one sporting with the fair-limbed Parvati, that
high-souled Being surrounded by large bands of ghosts, spirits, that
Unborn one, that Supreme Lord, that Embodiment of the unmanifest, that
Essence of all causes, that One of unfading power. Having saluted Rudra,
that destroyer of the Asura Andhaka, the lotus eyed Narayana, with
emotion filling his heart, began to praise the Three-eyed one (in these
words), 'O adorable one, O first of all the gods, the creator of
everything (viz., the Prajapatis) who are the regents of the world, and
who having entered the earth,--thy first work,--had, O lord, protected it
before, have all sprung from thee. Gods, Asuras, Nagas, Rakshasas,
Pisachas, human beings, birds, Gandharvas, Yakshas and other creatures:
with the entire universe, we know, have all sprung from thee. Everything
that is done for propitiating Indra, and Yama, and Varuna, and Kuvera and
Pitris and Tvashtri, and Soma, is really offered to thee. Form and light,
sound and sky, wind and touch, taste and water, scent and earth,[272]
time, Brahma himself, the Vedas, the Brahmanas and all these mobile
objects, have sprung from thee. Vapours rising from diverse receptacles
of water, becoming rain-drops, which failing upon the earth, are
separated from one another. When the time of the Universal dissolution
comes those individual drops, separated from one another, once more unite
together and make the earth one vast expanse of water. He that is
learned, thus observing the origin and the destruction, of all things,
understands your oneness. Two birds (viz., Iswara and Jiva), four
Aswatthas with their wordy branches (viz., the Vedas), the seven
guardians (viz., the five essences or elements and the heart and the
understanding), and the ten others that hold this city (viz., the ten
senses that constitute the body), have all been created by thee, but thou
art separate from and independent of them. The Past, the Future, and the
Present, over each of which none can have any sway, are from thee, as
also the seven worlds and this universe. I am your devoted adorer,--be
graceful unto me. Do not injure me, by causing evil thoughts to penetrate
my heart. Thou are the Soul of souls, incapable of being known. He that
knows you as the Universal Seed, attaineth to Brahma. Desiring to pay
thee respects, I am praising thee, endeavouring to ascertain your real
nature, O you that are incapable of being understood by the very gods.
Adored by me, grant me the boons I desire but which are difficult of
acquisition. Do not hide thyself in your illusion.'
"Vyasa continued, 'The blue-throated God, of inconceivable soul, that
wielder of Pinaka, that divine Lord ever praised by the Rishis, then gave
boons unto Vasudeva who deserved them all. The great God said, 'O
Narayana, through my grace, amongst men, gods, and Gandharvas, you shalt
be of immeasurable might and soul. Neither gods, nor Asuras, nor great
Uragas, nor Pisachas, nor Gandharvas, nor men, nor Rakshasas, nor birds,
nor Nagas, nor any creatures in the Universe, shall ever be able to bear
thy prowess. No one amongst even the celestials shall be able to vanquish
thee in battle. Through my grace, none shall ever be able to cause thee
pain by the weapon of thunderbolt or with any object that is wet or dry,
or with any mobile or immobile thing. Thou shalt be superior to myself if
thou ever goest to battle against me.' Thus were these boons acquired by
Sauri in days of yore. Even that God now walketh the earth (as Vasudeva),
beguiling the universe by his illusion. From Narayana's asceticism was
born a great Muni of the name of Nara, equal to Narayana himself. Know
that Arjuna is none else than that Nara. Those two Rishis, said to be
older than the oldest gods, take their births in every Yuga for serving
the purposes of the world. Thyself also, O you of great heart, hast been
born as a portion of Rudra, by virtue of all your religious acts and as a
consequence of high ascetic austerities, endued with great energy and
wrath. Thou wert (in a former life) endued with great wisdom and equal to
a god. Regarding the universe to consist only of Mahadeva, you hadst
emaciated thyself by diverse vows from desire of gratifying that God.
Assuming the form of a very superior person, that blazes fourth with
splendour, you hast, O giver of honours, worshipped the great god with
mantras, with homa, and with offerings. Thus adored by you in your former
life, the great god became gratified with thee, and granted you numerous
boons, O learned one, that you had cherished in your heart. Like
Kesava's and Arjuna's your birth acts, and ascetic austerities are also
superior. Like them, in your worship, you hast, in every Yuga, adored the
great God in his Phallic form. Kesava is that devoted worshipper of Rudra
who has sprung from Rudra himself. Kesava always worship the Lord Siva,
regarding his Phallic emblem to be the origin of the universe. In Kesava
is always present that knowledge, in consequence of which he views the
identity of Brahman with the: universe and that other knowledge by which
the Past, the Present and the Future, the near and the remote, are all
seen, as if the whole are before his eyes. The gods, the Siddhas and the
great Rishis, adore Kesava for obtaining that highest object in the
universe, viz., Mahadeva. Kesava is the creator of everything. The
Eternal Krishna should be adored with sacrifices. The Lord Kesava always
worshippeth Siva in the Phallic emblem as the origin of all creatures.
The God having the bull for his mark cherisheth greater regard for
Kesava.'
"Sanjaya continued, 'Hearing these words of Vyasa, Drona's son, that
mighty car-warrior, bowed unto Rudra and regarded Kesava as worthy of the
highest regards. Having his soul under complete control, he became filled
with delight, the marks whereof appeared on his body. Bowing unto the
great Rishi, Aswatthaman then, casting his eyes on the (Kuru) army,
caused it-to be withdrawn (for nightly rest). Indeed, when, after the
fall of Drona, the cheerless Kurus retired from the field, the Pandavas
also, O monarch, caused their army to be withdrawn. Having fought for
five days and caused an immense carnage, that Brahman well-versed in the
Vedas, viz., Drona, repaired, O king, to the region of Brahma!'."
--------------------END OF PARVA 7 : UPA-PARVA 198 ---------------------
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