SECTION 55
"Sanjaya said, 'Meanwhile the son of Drona (Ashvatthama), beholding
Yudhishthira protected by the grandson of Sini (Satyaki) and by the
heroic sons of Draupadi, cheerfully advanced against the king, scattering
many fierce arrows equipped with wings of gold and whetted on stone, and
displaying diverse manoeuvres of his car and the great skill he had
acquired and his exceeding lightness of hands. He filled the entire
welkin with shafts inspired with the force of celestial weapons.
Conversant with all weapons, Drona's son encompassed Yudhishthira in that
battle. The welkin being covered with the shafts of Drona's son, nothing
could be seen. The vast space in front of Ashvatthama became one expanse
of arrows. The welkin then, thus covered with that dense shower of arrows
decked with gold, looked beautiful, O chief of the Bharatas, as if a
canopy embroidered with gold had been spread there. Indeed, the
firmament, O king, having been covered with that bright shower of arrows,
a shadow, as that of the clouds, appeared there on the occasion.
Wonderful was the sight that we then beheld when the sky had thus become
one expanse of arrows, for not one creature ranging the sky could course
through his element. Then Satyaki, though struggling resolutely, and
Pandu's son king Yudhishthira the just, as also all the other warriors,
could not display their prowess. Beholding the great lightness of hands
displayed by the son of Drona, the mighty car-warriors (of the Pandava
army) were filled with wonder. All the kings became incapable of even
looking at Ashvatthama, O monarch, who then resembled the scorching Sun
himself in the sky. While the Pandava troops were thus being slaughtered,
those mighty car-warriors, viz., the sons of Draupadi, and Satyaki, and
king Yudhishthira the just, and the Pancala warriors, all uniting
together, cast off their fears of death and rushed against the son of
Drona. Then Satyaki, piercing the son of Drona with seventy arrows, once
more pierced him with seven long shafts decked with gold. And
Yudhishthira pierced him with three and seventy arrows, and Prativindya
with seven, and Srutakarman pierced him with three arrows and Srutakirti
with five. And Sutasoma pierced him with nine arrows, and Satanika with
seven. And many other heroes pierced him with many arrows from every
side. Filled then with rage and breathing, O king, like a snake of
virulent poison, Drona's son pierced Satyaki in return with five and
twenty arrows whetted on stone. And he pierced Srutakirti with nine
arrows and Sutasoma with five, and with eight arrows he pierced
Srutakarman, and Prativindya with three. And he pierced Satanika with
nine arrows, and Dharma's son (Yudhishthira) with five. And each of the
other warriors he pierced with a couple of shafts. With some keen arrows
he then cut off the bow of Srutakirti. The latter then, that great
car-warrior, taking up another bow, pierced Drona's son, first with three
arrows and then with many others equipped with sharp points. Then, O
monarch, the son of Drona covered the Pandava troops, O sire, with thick
showers of arrows, O bull of Bharata's race. Of immeasurable soul, the
son of Drona, next smiling the while, cut off the bow of king
Yudhishthira the just, and then pierced him with three arrows. The son of
Dharma then, O king, taking up another formidable bow, pierced Drona's
son with seventy arrows in the arms and the chest. Then Satyaki, filled
with rage in that battle, cut off the bow of Drona's son, that great
smiter, with a sharp crescent-shaped arrow and uttered a loud roar. His
bow cut off, that foremost of mighty men viz., the son of Drona, quickly
felled Satyaki's driver from his car with a dart. The valiant son of
Drona then, taking up another bow, covered the grandson of Sini, O
Bharata, with a shower of arrows. His driver having been slain, Satyaki's
steeds were seen to run hither and thither, O Bharata, in that battle.
Then the Pandava warriors headed by Yudhishthira, shooting sharp shafts,
all rushed with impetuosity towards Drona's son, that foremost of all
wielders of weapons. That scorcher of foes, however, viz., the son of
Drona, beholding those warriors wrathfully advancing against him received
them all in that dreadful battle. Then like a fire in the forest
consuming heaps of dry grass and straw, that mighty car-warrior, viz.,
Drona's son, having showers of arrows for his flames, consumed the
Pandava troops in that battle, who resembled a heap of dry grass and
straw. That army of Pandu's son, thus scorched by the son of Drona,
became exceedingly agitated, O chief of the Bharatas, like the mouth of a
river by a whale. People then, O monarch, beholding the prowess of
Drona's son, regarded all the Pandavas as already slain by him. Then
Yudhishthira, that great car-warrior and disciple of Drona, filled with
rage and the desire to retaliate, addressed Drona's son, saying "O tiger
among men, you hast no affection, you hast no gratitude, since thou
desirest to slay me today. The duties of a Brahmana are asceticism and
gift and study. The bow should be bent by the Kshatriya only. It seems,
therefore, that you are a Brahmana in name only. In your very sight,
however. O you of mighty arms, I will vanquish the Kauravas in battle.
Do what you canst in battle. I tell you that you are a wretch amongst
Brahmanas." Thus addressed, the son of Drona. smiling, and reflecting
upon what was proper and true, gave no reply. Without saying anything, he
covered the son of Pandu in that battle with a shower of arrows like the
destroyer himself in wrath while engaged in annihilating creatures. Thus
covered by Drona's son. O sire, the son of Pritha quickly went away from
that spot, leaving that large division of his. After Yudhishthira, the
son of Dharma, had gone away, the high-souled son of Drona also, O king,
left that spot. Then Yudhishthira, O king, avoiding the son of Drona in
that great battle proceeded against your army, resolved to achieve the
cruel task of slaughter.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 8 : UPA-PARVA 55 ---------------------
