SECTION 60
"Sanjaya said, 'Meanwhile Krishna, pointing out king Yudhishthira the
just, unto Kunti's son Partha, addressed him in these words: "Yonder, O
son of Pandu, your brother (Yudhishthira) is being pursued by many mighty
and great bowmen amongst the Dhartarashtras, all inspired with the desire
of slaughtering him. The mighty Pancalas, difficult of defeat in battle,
are proceeding after the high-souled Yudhishthira from desire of rescuing
him. Yonder, Duryodhana, O Partha, the king of the whole world, clad in
mail and accompanied by a large car force, is pursuing the Pandava king.
Impelled by the desire of slaughtering his rival, the mighty Duryodhana,
O tiger among men, is pursuing him, accompanied by his brothers, the
touch of whose weapons is as fatal as that of poisonous snakes and who
are all conversant with every mode of warfare. Those Dhartarashtra
elephants and horses and car-warriors and foot-soldiers are advancing to
seize Yudhishthira like poor men after a precious gem. Behold, checked by
Satyaki and Bhima, they have again been stupefied, like the Daityas, that
desired to take away the Amrita, made motionless by Sakra and Agni. The
mighty car-warriors (of the Kuru army), however, in consequence of the
vastness of their numbers, are again proceeding towards Yudhishthira like
a vast quantity of water in the season of rains rushing towards the
ocean. Those mighty bowmen are uttering leonine roars, blowing their
conchs, and shaking their bows. I regard Kunti's son Yudhishthira, thus
brought under the influence of Duryodhana, to be already within the jaws
of Death or already poured as a libation on the sacrificial fire. The
army of Dhritarashtra's son, O Pandava, is arrayed and equipped duly.
Sakra himself, coming within the range of its arrows, can scarcely
escape. Who will in battle bear the impetuosity of the heroic Duryodhana
who shoots showers of arrows with the greatest celerity and who, when
angry, resembles the Destroyer himself? The force of the heroic
Duryodhana's shafts, or Drona's son's or Kripa's or Karna's would break
down the very mountains. That scorcher of foes, viz., king Yudhishthira,
was once compelled by Karna to turn his back upon the field. The son of
Radha is endued with great might and great lightness of hand. Possessed
of great skill, he is accomplished in battle. He is competent to afflict
the eldest son of Pandu in fight, specially when he is united with the
mighty and brave son of Dhritarashtra. Of rigid vows, when the son of
Pritha (Yudhishthira) had been engaged in battle with all those warriors,
other great car-warriors had struck him and contributed to his defeat.
The king, O best of the Bharatas, is exceedingly emaciated in consequence
of his fasts. He is endued with Brahma-force, but the puissant one is not
endued with much of Kshatriya-might. Assailed, however, by Karna, the
royal son of Pandu, Yudhishthira, that scorcher of foes, hath been placed
in a situation of great peril. I think, O Partha, that king Yudhishthira
has fallen. Indeed, since that chastiser of foes, the wrathful Bhimasena,
coolly heareth the leonine roars of the frequently shouting
Dhartarashtra's longing for victory and blowing their conchs, I think, O
bull among men, that Pandu's son Yudhishthira is dead. Yonder Karna urges
forward the mighty car-warriors of the Dhartarashtras towards the son of
Pritha with the weapons called Sthunakarna, Indrasjaha and Pasupata, and
with clubs and other weapons. The king, O Bharata, must be deeply
afflicted and exceedingly weakened, because the Pancalas and the
Pandavas, those foremost of all wielders of weapons, are seen to proceed
with great speed towards him at a time when speed is of the highest
moment like strong men rushing to the rescue of a person sinking in a
bottomless sea. The king's standard is no longer visible. It has probably
been struck down by Karna with his shafts. In the very sight of the
twins, O Partha, and of Satyaki and Shikhandi, and Dhrishtadyumna and
Bhima and Satanika, O lord, as also of all the Pancalas and the Cedis, O
Bharata, yonder Karna is destroying the Pandava division with his arrows,
like an elephant destroying an assemblage of lotuses. There, those
car-warriors of your army, O son of Pandu, are flying away. See, see, O
Partha, how those great warriors are retreating. Those elephants, O
Bharata, assailed by Karna in battle, are flying away in all directions,
uttering cries of pain. There those crowds of car-warriors, routed in
battle, O Partha, by Karna, that crusher of foes, are flying away in all
directions. Behold, O Partha, that foremost of standards, of the Suta's
son, on his car, bearing the device of the elephant's rope, is seen to
move all over the field. There, the son of Radha is now rushing against
Bhimasena, scattering hundreds of shafts as he proceeds and slaughtering
thy army therewith. There, those mighty car-warriors of the Pancalas are
being routed (by Karna) even as the Daityas had been routed by Sakra in
dreadful battle. There, Karna, having vanquished the Pancalas, the
Pandus, and the Srinjayas, is casting his eyes on all sides, I think, for
seeking thee. Behold, O Partha, Karna, as he beautifully draws his
foremost of bows, looketh exceedingly beautiful even as Sakra in the
midst of the celestials, after vanquishing his foes. There the Kauravas,
beholding the prowess of Karna, are roaring and inspiring the Pandus and
the Srinjayas with fear on every side. There, Karna himself, terrifying
the Pandus with his whole soul, in dreadful battle, is addressing all the
troops, O giver of honours, saying, 'Blessed be ye, advance, the Kauravas
and rush with such speed that no Srinjaya may, in this battle escape with
life. United together, do this all of you. As regards ourselves, we will
follow behind you.' Saying these words, he is advancing behind (his
troops), scattering his shafts. Behold Karna, adorned with his white
umbrella in this battle and looking like the Udaya hills adorned by the
moon. With his beautiful umbrella of a hundred ribs, resembling the moon
in full, held over his head, O Bharata, in this battle, Karna, O prince,
is casting his glances after thee. Without doubt, he will, in this
battle, come hither, with great speed. Behold him, O mighty-armed one, as
he shaketh his formidable bow and shooteth, in this dreadful battle, his
shafts resembling snakes of virulent poison. There, the son of Radha
turneth towards this direction, beholding your banner bearing the ape, and
desiring, O Partha, an encounter with thee, O scorcher of foes. Indeed,
he cometh for his own destruction, even like an insect into the mouth of
a lamp. Wrathful and brave, he is ever engaged in the good of
Dhritarashtra's son. Of wicked understanding, he is always unable to put
up with thee. Beholding Karna alone and unsupported, Dhritarashtra's son,
O Bharata, turneth towards him with great resolution, accompanied by his
car-force, for protecting him. Let that wicked-souled one, along with all
those allies of his, be slain by thee, putting forth your vigour, from
desire of winning fame, kingdom and happiness. Both of you are endued
with great strength. Both of you are possessed of great celebrity. When
encountering each other in battle, O Partha, like a celestial and a
Danava in the great battle between the gods and the Asuras, let all the
Kauravas behold your prowess. Beholding you filled with great rage and
Karna also excited to fury, O bull of Bharata's race, Duryodhana in wrath
will not be able to do anything. Remembering thyself to be of purified
soul, O bull of Bharata's race, and remembering also that the son of
Radha harboureth a great animosity for the virtuous Yudhishthira, achieve
that, O son of Kunti, which should now be achieved. Righteously setting
thy heart on battle, advance against that leader of car-warriors. There,
five hundred foremost of car-warriors, O you best of car-warriors, that
are endued with great might and fierce energy, and 5,000 elephants, and
twice as many horses, and innumerable foot-soldiers, all united together,
O son of Kunti, and protecting one another, O hero, are advancing against
thee. Show thyself, of your own will, unto that great bowman, viz., the
Suta's son. Advance, O bull of Bharata's race, towards him with great
speed. There, Karna, filled with great wrath is rushing against the
Pancalas. I see his standard approaching towards the car of
Dhrishtadyumna. I think he will exterminate the Pancalas. I will tell
thee, O bull of Bharata's race, some good news, O Partha. King
Yudhishthira the just is living. There, the mighty-armed Bhima, having
returned, is stationed at the head of the army, supported by the
Srinjayas and by Satyaki, O Bharata. There, the Kauravas are being
slaughtered with keen shafts by Bhimasena, O son of Kunti, and the
high-souled Pancalas. The troops of Dhritarashtra's son, with their faces
turned from the field, and with blood streaming down from their wounds,
are speedily flying away from battle, struck by Bhima with his shafts.
Bathed in blood, the Bharata army, O chief of Bharata's race, presents an
exceedingly cheerless aspect like that of the Earth when divested of
crops. Behold, O son of Kunti, Bhimasena, that foremost of combatants,
filled with rage like a snake of virulent poison, and engaged in routing
the (Kaurava) host. Yellow and red and black and white banners, adorned
with stars and moons and suns as also many umbrellas, O Arjuna, lie
scattered about. Made of gold or silver or brass and other metals,
standards are lying about, and elephants and steeds also, scattered all
over the field. There, those car-warriors are falling from their cars,
deprived of life by the unreturning Pancalas with shafts of diverse
kinds. There the Pancalas of great speed, O Dhananjaya, are rushing
against the riderless Dhartarashtra elephants and steeds and cars.
Reckless of their very lives, O chastiser of foes, those warriors,
difficult of defeat in battle aided by the might of Bhimasena are
crushing, O tiger among men, the hostile force. There, the Pancalas are
uttering loud roars and blowing their conchs as they are rushing against
their foes and crushing them with their shafts in battle. Behold their
great energy and power. Through sheer valour, the Pancalas are
slaughtering the Dhartarashtras like angry lions slaying elephants.
Unarmed they are snatching the weapons of their armed foes and with those
weapons thus snatched, they are slaying their foes that are effectual
smiters, and uttering loud roars. The heads and arms of their foes are
being struck off and felled on the field. The Pancala cars and elephants
and horses are all worthy of the highest praise. Like swans of great
speed leaving the Manasa lake and rushing into the Ganga, the Pancalas
are rushing against the Kauravas, and every part of the vast
Dhartarashtra force is assailed by them. Like bulls resisting bulls, the
heroic Kripa and Karna and other leaders are putting forth all their
valour for resisting the Pancalas. The Pancala heroes headed by
Dhrishtadyumna are slaying thousands of their foes, viz., the great
car-warriors of the Dhartarashtra army already sinking in the ocean of
Bhima's weapons. Beholding the Pancalas overwhelmed by their foes, the
fearless son of the Wind-god, assailing the hostile force, is shooting
his shafts and uttering loud roars. The greater portion of the vast
Dhartarashtra army has become exceedingly frightened. Behold those
elephants, pierced by Bhima with his cloth-yard shafts, are falling down
like mountain summits riven by the thunderbolt of Indra. There, those
huge elephants, deeply pierced with the straight shafts of Bhimasena are
flying away, crushing their own ranks. Dost you not recognise the
unbearable leonine shouts, O Arjuna, of the terribly-roaring Bhimasena
inspired with desire of victory in battle? There, the prince of the
Nishadas, filled with rage, is coming against the son of Pandu, on his
foremost of elephants, from desire of slaying him with his lances, even
like Destroyer himself armed with his bludgeon. Struck by Bhima with ten
keen cloth-yard shafts endued with the splendour of the fire or the Sun,
the two arms of the roaring prince, with lances in grasp, are lopped off.
Staying the prince, Bhima proceedeth against other elephants looking like
masses of blue clouds and ridden by riders guiding them with skill.
Behold those riders striking Vrikodara with darts and lances in
profusion. Slaying with his keen shafts those elephants, seven at a time,
their triumphal standards also, O Partha, are cut down by your elder
brother. As regards those other elephants, each of them is being slain
with ten shafts by him. The shouts of the Dhartarashtras are no longer
heard, now that Bhima, O bull of Bharata's race, who is equal to
Purandara himself, is engaged in battle. Full three akshauhinis of
Duryodhana's soldiers had been assembled together (in front of Bhima).
They have all been checked by that lion among men, Bhimasena, in wrath.'"
"Sanjaya continued, 'Behold that feat, difficult of accomplishment,
achieved by Bhimasena. Arjuna, with his keen shafts, destroyed the
remnant of his foes. The mighty samsaptakas, O lord, slaughtered in
battle and routed (by Arjuna), fled away in all directions, overcome with
fear. Many amongst them (that fell) became the guests of Shakra and
attained to great happiness. As regards Partha, that tiger among men, he
continued, with his straight shafts, to slaughter the Dhartarashtra host
consisting of four kinds of forces.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 8 : UPA-PARVA 60 ---------------------
