SECTION CLVIII
"Sanjaya said, 'Then king Yudhishthira, and Bhimasena, the son of Pandu,
O monarch, encompassed Drona's son on all sides. Seeing this, king
Duryodhana, aided by Bharadwaja's son, rushed against the Pandavas in
that encounter. Then commenced a battle that was fierce and terrific,
enhancing the fears of the timid. Yudhishthira, in wrath began to
despatch vast numbers of Amvashthas, Malavas, Vangas, Sivis, and
Trigartas, to the domain of the dead. Bhima also, mangling the
Abhishahas, the Surasenas, and other Kshatriyas difficult to defeat in
battle, made the earth miry with blood. The diademdecked (Arjuna) of
white steeds despatched, O king, the Yaudheyas, the Mountaineers, the
Madrakas, and the Malavas also, to the regions of the dead. Forcibly
struck with swiftly-coursing shafts, elephants began to fall down on the
earth like double-crested hills. Strewn with the lopped-off trunks
elephants that still moved in convulsions, the earth seemed as if covered
with moving snakes. Covered with the fallen umbrellas of kings that were
adorned with gold, the field of battle looked resplendent like the
firmament at the end of the Yuga bespangled with suns, moons and stars.
About this time a fierce uproar arose near Drona's car, in the midst of
which could be heard the words, 'Slay', 'Strike fearlessly', 'Pierce',
'cut in pieces'. Drona, however, filled with rage, began to destroy by
means of the Vayavya weapon the foes about him, like a mighty tempest
destroying gathering masses of clouds. Thus treated by Drona, the
Panchalas fled away, from fear, in the very sight to Bhimasena and the
high-souled Partha. Then the diadem-decked (Arjuna) and Bhimasena soon
checked the flight of their troops and accompanied by a large car-force
attacked the vast force of Drona. Vibhatsu attacking the right and
Vrikodara the left, they both poured on Bharadwaja's son two dense
showers of arrows. The mighty car-warriors among the Srinjayas and the
Panchalas, with the Matsyas and the Somakas, O king, followed the two
brothers thus engaged (in that encounter with Drona). Similarly, many
foremost of car-warriors, skilled in smiting, belonging to your son,
accompanied by a large force, proceeded towards Drona's car (for
supporting the latter). Then the Bharata host, slaughtered by the
diadem-decked (Arjuna) and overcome with and afflicted by the darkness,
began to break. Thy son himself, and Drona, both endevoured to rally
them. Thy troops, however, O king, could not be checked in their flight.
Indeed, that vast host, slaughtered by the shafts of Pandu's son, began
to fly away in all directions in that hour when the world was enveloped
with gloom. Many kings, abandoning the animals and vehicles they rode,
fled away on all sides, O monarch, overwhelmed with fear'."
--------------------END OF PARVA 7 : UPA-PARVA 158 ---------------------
