SECTION CLXIX
"Sanjaya said, 'Then all those kings of your army, incapable of being
easily defeated in battle, angrily proceeded against Yuyudhana's car,
unable to brook (his feats). Mounting on their well-equipped cars, O
king, that were decked with gold and jewels, and accompanied also by
cavalry and elephants, they encompassed the Satwata hero. Hemming him on
all sides those mighty car-warriors, challenging that hero, uttered loud
leonine roars. Those great heroes, desirous of slaying him of Madhu's
race, poured their keen arrows on Satyaki of invincible prowess.
Beholding them thus advancing with speed towards him, that slayer of
hostile hosts, viz., the mighty-armed grandson of Sini, took up and shot
many shafts. The heroic and great bowman Satyaki, invincible in battle,
cut off many heads with his fierce and straight arrows. And he of Madhu's
race also cut off the trunks of many elephants, the necks of many seeds,
and arms decked with Angadas of many warriors, by means of razor-faced
arrows. With the fallen yak-tails and white umbrellas, O Bharata, the
field of battle became almost full, and resembled the firmament, O lord,
with stars. The wails of the host thus slaughtered in battle, O Bharata,
by Yuyudhana, became as loud as those of shrieking ghosts (in hell). With
that loud uproar the earth became filled, and the night became fiercer
and more terrible. Beholding his host, afflicted with Yuyudhana's arrows
breaking, and hearing that tremendous uproar at dead of night making the
hair stand on end, your son, that mighty car-warrior, addressing his
driver, repeatedly said, 'Urge the steeds to that spot whence this uproar
cometh.' Then king Duryodhana, that firm bowman, above all modes of
warfare, rushed against Yuyudhana. Madhava pierced Duryodhana with a
dozen blood-drinking shafts, sped from his bow drawn to its fullest
stretch. Thus afflicted with arrows by Yuyudhana first, Duryodhana,
excited with rage, pierced the grandson of Sini in return with ten
arrows. Meanwhile, the battle that raged between the Panchalas and all
thy troops presented an exceedingly wonderful sight. Then the grandson of
Sini, excited with rage in that battle, pierced your son, that mighty
car-warrior, with eighty shafts, in the chest. He then, with other
shafts, despatched Duryodhana's steeds to Yama's abode. And that slayer
of foes then quickly felled his antagonist's driver from the car. Thy
son, O monarch, staying on that steedless car, shot many keen arrows
towards Satyaki's car. The grandson of Sini, however, displaying great
lightness of hand, O king, cut off those fifty shafts sped in that battle
by your son. Then Madhava, with a broad-headed shafts suddenly cut off in
that encounter the formidable bow of your son in the handle, Deprived of
both his car and bow, that puissant ruler of men then mounted quickly
upon the bright car of Kritavarman. Upon Duryodhana's retreat, the
grandson of Sini, O monarch, afflicted and routed your army at dead of
night.
"Sakuni, meanwhile, O king, encompassing Arjuna on all sides with many
thousands of cars and several thousands of elephants, and many thousands
of steeds, began to fight desperately. Many of them hurled towards Arjuna
celestial weapons of great power. Indeed, those Kshatriyas fought with
Arjuna, incurring the certitude of death. Arjuna, however, excited with
rage, checked those thousands of cars and elephants and steeds, and
ultimately caused those foes to turn back. Then Suvala's son, with eyes
red as copper with rage, deeply pierced Arjuna, that slayer of foes, with
twenty shafts. And once more shooting a hundred shafts, he checked the
progress of Partha's great car. Then Arjuna, O Bharata, pierced Sakuni
with twenty arrows in that battle. And he pierced each of the great
bowmen with three arrows. Checking all of them with his arrows, O king,
Dhananjaya slew those warriors of your army with excellent shafts, endued
with the force of thunder.[227] Strewn with lopped off arrows, O monarch,
and (dead) bodies by thousands, the earth looked as if covered with
flowers. Indeed, strewn with the heads of Kshatriyas, heads that were
decked with diadems and handsome noses and beautiful ear-rings and
(nether) lips bit in rage and wide open eyes,--heads that were graced
with collars and crowned also with gems, and which, while life was in
them, spoke sweet words,--the earth looked resplendent as if strewn with
hillocks overspread with Champaka flowers. Having achieved that fierce
feat, and pierced Sakuni once more, struck Uluka with an arrow in that
battle. Piercing Uluka thus in the sight of his sire, viz., Suvala's son,
Arjuna uttered a loud roar, filling the earth therewith. Then the son of
Indra cut off Sakuni's bow. And then he despatched his four steeds to
Yama's abode. Then Suvala's son, O bull of Bharata's race, jumping down
from his car, quickly ascended the car of Uluka. Then those two mighty
car-warriors, viz., sire and son, both riding on the same car, showered
their arrows on Partha like two risen clouds pouring torrents of rain on
a mountain. The son of Pandu then piercing both those warriors with keen
shafts, afflicted and caused your troops to fly away in hundreds and
thousands. Like a mighty mass of clouds dispersed on all sides by the
wind, that army of thine, O monarch, was dispersed on all sides. Indeed,
that host, O chief of the Bharatas, thus slaughtered on the night, fled
away in all directions, afflicted with fear and in the very sight (of
their leaders). Many abandoning the animals they rode, other urging their
animals to their greatest speed, turned back from the battle, inspired
with fear, during that fierce hour of darkness. Having vanquished thy
warriors thus, O bull of Bharata's race, Vasudeva and Dhananjaya
cheerfully blew their conchs.
"Dhrishtadyumna, O monarch, piercing Drona with three arrows, quickly cut
off the latter's bowstring with a sharp arrow. Throwing down that bow on
the earth, heroic Drona, that grinder of Kshatriyas, took up another that
was exceedingly tough and strong. Piercing Dhrishtadyumna then with five
arrows, Drona pierced his driver also, O bull of Bharata's race, with
five arrows. Checking Drona with his arrows, the mighty car-warrior
Dhrishtadyumna began to destroy the Kaurava host, like Maghavat
destroying the Asura army. During the slaughter of your son's army, O
sire, a terrible river, having blood for its current, began to flow. And
it ran between the two hosts, bearing away men and steeds and elephants
along its current. And it resembled, O king, the Vaitarani that flows, O
lord, towards the domains of Yama. Agitating and routing your army, the
valiant Dhrishtadyumna, endued with great energy, blazed forth like Sakra
in the midst of the celestials. Then Dhrishtadyumna and Sikhandin blew
their large conchs, as also the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva), and
Vrikodara, the son of Pandu. Thus those fierce warriors, vanquished
thousands of kings; on your side that were endued with great energy, at
the sight of your Son and of Karna and the heroic Drona and Drona's son, O
monarch!'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 7 : UPA-PARVA 169 ---------------------
