SECTION 59
"Sanjaya said, 'Then the Kurus and the Srinjayas once more fearlessly
encountered each other in battle, the Parthas being headed by
Yudhishthira, and ourselves headed by the Suta's son. Then commenced a
terrible battle, making the hair to stand on end, between Karna and the
Pandavas, that increased the population of Yama's kingdom. After that
furious battle, producing rivers of blood, had commenced, and when a
remnant only of the brave samsaptakas, O Bharata, were left
unslaughtered, Dhrishtadyumna, O monarch, with all the kings (on the
Pandava side) and those mighty car-warriors--the Pandavas themselves, all
rushed against Karna only. Like the mountain receiving a vast body of
water, Karna, unaided by anyone, received in that battle all those
advancing warriors filled with joy and longing for victory. Those mighty
car-warriors encountering Karna, were beat off and broken like a mass of
water, and beat back on all sides when it encounters a mountain. The
battle, however, that took place between them and Karna made the hair
stand on end. Then Dhrishtadyumna assailed the son of Radha with a
straight shaft in that battle, and addressing him said, "Wait, Wait." The
mighty car-warrior Karna, filled with rage, shook his foremost of bows
called Vijaya, and cutting off the bow of Dhrishtadyumna, as also his
arrows resembling snakes of virulent poison assailed Dhrishtadyumna
himself with nine arrows. Those arrows, O sinless one, piercing through
the gold-decked armour of the high-souled son of Prishata, became bathed
in blood and looked beautiful like so many cochineal. The mighty
car-warrior Dhrishtadyumna, casting aside that broken bow, took up
another bow and a number of shafts resembling snakes of virulent poison.
With those straight shafts numbering seventy, he pierced Karna.
Similarly, O king, Karna, in that battle, covered Prishata's son, that
scorcher of foes, with many shafts resembling snakes of virulent poison.
The slayer of Drona, that great bowman, retaliated by piercing Karna with
many keen shafts. Filled with rage, Karna then, O monarch, sped at his
antagonist a gold-decked shaft that resembled a second rod of death. That
terrible shaft, O monarch, as it coursed impetuously towards Prishata's
son, the grandson of Sini, O king, cut off into seven fragments,
displaying great lightness of hand. Beholding his shaft baffled by the
arrows of Satyaki, O king, Karna resisted Satyaki with showers of arrows
from every side. And he pierced Satyaki in that encounter with seven
clothyard shafts. The grandson of Sini, however, pierced him in return
with many arrows decked with gold. The battle then that took place, O
king, between those two warriors was such as to fill both spectators and
listeners with fear. Though awful, soon it became beautiful and deserving
objects of sight. Beholding the feats, in that encounter, of Karna and
the grandson of Sini, the hair of all the creatures there present seemed
to stand on end. Meanwhile the mighty son of Drona rushed against
Prishata's son, that chastiser of foes and queller of the prowess of all
enemies. Filled with rage, Drona's son, that subjugator of hostile towns,
addressing Dhrishtadyumna, said, "Wait, wait, O slayer of a Brahmana,
thou shalt not escape me today with life." Having said these words, that
mighty car-warrior of great lightness of hand striving resolutely, deeply
pierced the brave son of Prishata, who also strove to the utmost of his
prowess, with many keen and terrible shafts endued with great
impetuosity. As Drona (while alive), beholding the son of Prishata, O
sire, had become cheerless and regarded him as his death, even so the son
of Prishata, that slayer of hostile heroes, beholding Drona's son in that
battle, now regarded him as his death. Soon, however, remembering that he
was unslayable in battle by means of weapons, he rushed with great speed
against Drona's son, like the Destroyer running against the Destroyer at
the time of the universal dissolution. Drona's heroic son, however, O
monarch, beholding Dhrishtadyumna stationed before him, drew deep
breaths, in wrath, and rushed towards him. Both of them were filled with
great rage at the sight of each other. Endued with great activity, the
valiant son of Drona then, O monarch, said these words unto
Dhrishtadyumna staying not far from him, "O wretch amongst the Pancalas,
I shall today despatch you to Yama. The sin you hast committed before
by slaying Drona will fill you today with regret, to your great evil, if
thou stayest in battle without being protected by Partha, or if you dost
not fly away, O fool, I tell you truly." Thus addressed, the valiant
Dhrishtadyumna replied, saying, "That same sword of mine which answered
thy sire, resolutely engaged in battle, will today answer this speech of
thine. If Drona could be slain by me, O you that are a Brahmana in name
only, why should I not then, putting forth my prowess, slay you also in
battle today?" Having said these words, the wrathful commander of the
Pandava forces, viz., the son of Prishata, pierced Drona's son with a
keen arrow. Then Drona's son filled with great rage, shrouded every side
of Dhrishtadyumna, O king, in that battle, with straight arrows. Shrouded
with thousands of arrows, neither the welkin, nor the points of the
compass, nor the combatants all around, could, O monarch, be any longer
seen. Similarly, the son of Prishata, O king, shrouded Drona's son, that
ornament of battle, with arrows, in the very sight of Karna. The son of
Radha, too, O monarch, singly resisted the Pancalas and the Pandavas and
the (five) sons of Draupadi and Yudhamanyu and the mighty car-warrior
Satyaki, in consequence of which feat he became the cynosure of all eyes.
Then Dhrishtadyumna in that battle cut off the very tough and formidable
bow of Drona's son, as also all his arrows resembling snakes of virulent
poison. Drona's son, however, with his arrows, destroyed within the
twinkling of an eye the bow, the dart, the mace, the standard, the
steeds, the driver, and the car of Prishata's son. Bowless and carless
and steedless and driverless, the son of Prishata then took up a huge
scimitar and a blazing shield decked with a hundred moons. Endued with
great lightness of hand, and possessed of mighty weapons, that mighty
car-warrior, viz., the heroic son of Drona, O king, quickly cut off, in
that battle, with many broad-headed arrows, those weapons also of
Dhrishtadyumna before the latter could come down from his car. All this
seemed exceedingly wonderful. The mighty car-warrior Ashvatthama,
however, though struggling vigorously, could not, O chief of the
Bharatas, slay the carless and steedless and bowless Dhrishtadyumna,
although pierced and exceedingly mangled with many arrows. When,
therefore, O king, the son of Drona found that he could not slay his
enemy with arrows, he laid aside his bow and quickly proceeded towards
the son of Prishata. The impetuosity of that high-souled one, as he
rushed towards his foe, resembled that of Garuda swooping down for
seizing a large snake. Meanwhile Madhava, addressing Arjuna, said,
"Behold, O Partha, how the son of Drona is rushing with great speed
towards the car of Prishata's son. Without doubt, he will slay the
prince. O mighty-armed one, O crusher of foes, rescue the son of
Prishata, who is now within the jaws of Drona's son as if within the jaws
of Death himself." Having said these words, the valiant Vasudeva urged
the steeds towards that spot where Drona's son was. Those steeds, of the
splendour of the moon, urged by Keshava, proceeded towards the car of
Drona's son, devouring the very skies. Beholding those two of great
energy, viz., Krishna and Dhananjaya, coming towards him, the mighty
Ashvatthama made great efforts for slaying Dhrishtadyumna soon. Seeing
Dhrishtadyumna dragged, O ruler of men by his enemy, the mighty Partha
sped many arrows at the son of Drona. Those arrows, decked with gold and
sped from Gandiva, approached the son of Drona and pierced him deeply
like snakes penetrating into an ant-hill. Thus pierced with those
terrible arrows, the valiant son of Drona, O king, abandoned the Pancala
prince of immeasurable energy. Indeed, the hero, thus afflicted with
Dhananjaya's shafts, mounted on his car, and taking up his own excellent
bow, began to pierce Partha with many shafts. Meanwhile, the heroic
Sahadeva, O ruler of men, bore away on his car the son of Prishata, that
scorcher of foes. Arjuna then, O king, pierced Drona's son with many
arrows. Filled with rage, Drona's son struck Arjuna in the arms and the
chest. Thus provoked, Partha, in that battle, sped at Drona's son, a long
shaft that resembled a second rod of Death, or rather, Death himself.
That arrow of great splendour fell upon the shoulder of the Brahmana
hero. Exceedingly agitated, O monarch, in that battle, by the violence of
the stroke, he sat down on the terrace of his car and swooned away. Then
Karna, O monarch, shook his bow Vijaya and, filled with rage, repeatedly
eyed Arjuna in that battle, desiring a single combat with him. Meanwhile
the driver of Drona's son, beholding the latter senseless, quickly bore
him away on his car from the field of battle. Beholding Prishata's son
rescued and Drona's son afflicted, the Pancalas, O king, expectant of
victory, began to utter loud shouts. Thousands of sweet instruments began
to be sounded. Seeing such wonderful feats in battle, the combatants
uttered leonine roars. Having achieved that feat, Partha addressed
Vasudeva, saying "Proceed, O Krishna, towards the samsaptakas, for this
is greatly desired by me." Hearing those words of Pandu's son, he of
Dasharha's race proceeded on that car graced with many banners and whose
speed resembled that of the wind or the mind.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 8 : UPA-PARVA 59 ---------------------
