SECTION 64
"Sanjaya said, 'Meanwhile Drona's son, surrounded by a large car-force, O
king, suddenly proceeded to that spot where Partha was. Like the
continent withstanding the surging ocean, the heroic Partha having Saurin
(Krishna) for his help-mate withstood the impetuously rushing
Ashvatthama. Then, O monarch, the valiant son of Drona, filled with rage,
covered both Arjuna and Vasudeva with his shafts. Beholding the two
Krishnas shrouded with arrows, the great car-warriors (of the Pandava
army), as also the Kurus that witnessed it, wondered exceedingly. Then
Arjuna, as if smiling, invoked into existence a celestial weapon. The
brahmana Ashvatthama, however, O Bharata, baffled that weapon in that
battle. Indeed, all those weapons that Arjuna sped from desire of slaying
the son of Drona were baffled by the latter, that great bowman, in that
encounter. During the progress of that awful encounter of weapons, O
king, we beheld the son of Drona to resemble the Destroyer himself, with
gaping mouth. Having covered all the points of the compass, cardinal and
subsidiary, with straight arrows, he pierced Vasudeva with three arrows
in the right arm. Then Arjuna, slaying all the steeds of his high-souled
assailant, caused the Earth in that battle to be covered with a river of
blood that was exceedingly awful that led towards the other world, and
that had diverse kinds of creatures floating on it. All the spectators
beheld a large number of car-warriors along with their cars, belonging to
the division of Ashvatthama, slain and destroyed by means of the arrows
sped from Partha's bow. Ashvatthama also, slaying his enemies, caused a
terrible river of blood to flow there that led to Yama's domains. During
the progress of that fierce and awful battle between Drona's son and
Partha, the combatants fought without showing any regard for one another,
and rushed hither and thither. In consequence of cars having their steeds
and drivers slain, and steeds having their riders slain, and elephants
having their riders and guides slain, an awful carnage, O king, was made
by Partha in that battle! Car-warriors, deprived of life with shafts sped
from Partha's bow, fell down. Steeds freed from their trappings ran
hither and thither. Beholding those feats of Partha, that ornament of
battle, that valiant son of Drona quickly approached the former, that
foremost of victorious men, shook his formidable bow decked with gold,
and then pierced him from every side with many sharp arrows. Once more
bending the bow, O king, the son of Drona cruelly struck Arjuna, aiming
at the chest, with a winged arrow. Deeply pierced by Drona's son, O
Bharata, in that encounter, the wielder of gandiva, that hero of great
intelligence forcibly covered the son of Drona with showers of arrows,
and then cut off his bow. His bow cut off Drona's son then, taking up a
spiked mace whose touch resembled that of thunder's, hurled it, in that
encounter, at the diadem-decked Arjuna. The son of Pandu, however, O
king, as if smiling the while, suddenly cut off that spiked mace decked
with gold, as it advanced towards him. Thus cut off with Partha's shafts,
it fell down on the Earth, like a mountain, O king, broken into pieces,
struck with the thunderbolt. Filled with rage at this, Drona's son, that
great car-warrior, began to cover Vibhatsu, aided by the energy of the
aindra weapon. Beholding that shower of arrows spread over the welkin
through the aindra weapon, Partha, endued with great activity, O king,
taking up his bow gandiva, and fixing on his bowstring a mighty weapon
created by Indra, destroyed that aindra-shower of arrows. Having baffled
that arrowy shower caused by the aindra weapon, Partha soon covered the
car of Drona's son (with his own arrows). The son of Drona, however,
overwhelmed with Partha's shafts, penetrated through that shower of
arrows shot by the son of Pandu, and approaching the latter, invoked a
mighty weapon and suddenly pierced Krishna with hundred shafts and Arjuna
with three hundred small arrows. Then Arjuna pierced the son of his
preceptor with a hundred arrows in all his vital limbs. And then he
poured many arrows on the steeds and driver and the bowstring of Drona's
son in the very sight of your warriors. Having pierced Drona's son in
every vital part, Pandu's son, that slayer of hostile heroes, then felled
his adversary's driver from the car-niche with a broad-headed arrow.
Drona's son, however, himself, taking up the reins, covered Krishna with
many arrows. The activity of prowess that we then beheld in Drona's son
was exceedingly wonderful, since he guided his steeds while he fought
with Phalguni. That feat of his in battle, O king, was applauded by all
the warriors. Then Vibhatsu, otherwise called Jaya, smiling the while,
quickly cut off the traces of Ashvatthama's steeds in that battle, with a
razor-faced arrow. Already afflicted by the energy of Arjuna's shafts,
the steeds of Drona's son thereupon ran away. Then a loud noise arose
from your troops, O Bharata! Meanwhile the Pandavas, having obtained the
victory, and desiring to improve it, rushed against your troops, shooting
from all sides sharp arrows at them. The vast Dhartarashtra host, then, O
king, was repeatedly broken by the heroic Pandavas inspired with desire
of victory, in the very sight, O monarch, of your sons, conversant with
all modes of warfare, and of, Shakuni the son of Subala, and of Karna, O
king! Though sought to be stopped, O king, by your sons, that great army,
afflicted on all sides, stayed not on the field. Indeed, a confusion set
in among the vast terrified host of your son in consequence of many
warriors flying away on all sides. The Suta's son loudly cried out,
saying "Stay, Stay!" but your army, slaughtered by many high-souled
warriors, did not stay on the field. Loud shouts were uttered then, O
monarch, by the Pandavas, inspired with this desire of victory, on
beholding the Dhartarashtra host flying away on all sides. Then
Duryodhana addressing Karna from affection, "Behold, O Karna, how our
army, exceedingly afflicted by the Pandavas, though you are here, is
flying away from battle! Knowing this, O you of mighty arms, do that
which is suited to the hour, O chastiser of foes! Thousands of (our)
warriors, routed by the Pandavas, are O hero, calling after you only, O
best of men!" Hearing these grave words of Duryodhana, the son of Radha,
as if smiling, said these words unto the ruler of the Madras, "Behold the
prowess of my arms and the energy of my weapons, O ruler of men! Today I
will slay all the Pancalas and the Pandavas in battle! Cause the steeds
to proceed with my car, O tiger among men! Without doubt, everything will
be as I have said!" Having said these words, the Suta's son of great
valour, that hero, taking up his ancient and foremost of bows called
Vijaya, stringed it and rubbed the string repeatedly. Bidding the troops
stay on the field after having assured them upon his truth and by an
oath, the mighty Karna of immeasurable soul fixed on his bow-string the
weapon known by the name of Bhargava. From that weapon flowed, O king,
millions and millions of keen arrows in that great battle. Entirely
shrouded with those blazing and terrible arrows winged with feathers of
Kankas and peacocks, the Pandava army could not see anything. Loud wails
of woe arose from among the Pancalas, O king, afflicted, in that battle,
with the mighty Bhargava weapon. In consequence then of elephants, O
king, and steeds, by thousands, and cars, O monarch, and men, falling on
all sides, deprived of life, the Earth began to tremble. The vast force
of the Pandavas became agitated from one extremity to another. Meanwhile
Karna, that scorcher of foes, that foremost of warriors, that tiger among
men, while consuming his foes, looked resplendent like a smokeless fire.
Thus slaughtered by Karna, the Pancalas and the Cedis began to lose their
senses all over the field like elephants during the conflagration in a
forest. Those foremost of men, O tiger among men, uttered loud roars like
those of the tiger. Loud became the wails of woe, like those of living
creatures at the universal dissolution that were uttered by those crying
combatants struck with panic and running wildly on all sides, O king, of
the field of battle and trembling with fear. Beholding them thus
slaughtered, O sire, by the Suta's son, all creatures, even beasts and
birds, were filled with fear. The Srinjayas then, thus slaughtered in
battle by the Suta's son, repeatedly called upon Arjuna and Vasudeva like
the spirits of the dead within Yama's dominions calling upon Yama to
rescue them. Hearing those wails of the troops slaughtered with Karna's
shafts, and beholding the terrible bhargava weapon invoked into existence
Kunti's son Dhananjaya said unto Vasudeva these words, "Behold, O Krishna
of mighty arms, the prowess of the bhargava weapon! It cannot, by any
means, be baffled! Behold the Suta's son also, O Krishna, filled with
rage in this great battle and resembling the Destroyer himself, in
prowess and employed in achieving such a fierce feat! Urging his steeds
incessantly, he is repeatedly casting angry glances upon me! I will never
be able to fly away from Karna in battle! The person that is living, may,
in battle, meet with either victory or defeat. To the man, however, that
is dead, O Hrishikesha, even death is victory. How can defeat be his that
is dead?" Thus addressed by Partha, Krishna replied unto that foremost of
intelligent men and chastiser of foes, these words that were suitable to
the occasion, "The royal son of Kunti hath been deeply wounded and
mangled by Karna. Having seen him first and comforted him, you wilt
then, O Partha, slay Karna?" Then Keshava proceeded, desirous of
beholding Yudhishthira, thinking that Karna meanwhile, O monarch, would
be overwhelmed with fatigue! Then Dhananjaya, himself desirous of
beholding the king afflicted with arrows, quickly proceeded on that car,
avoiding the battle, at Keshava's command. While the son of Kunti was
thus proceeding from desire of seeing king Yudhishthira the just, he cast
his eyes on every part of the army but failed to find his eldest brother
anywhere on the field. The son of Kunti proceeded, O Bharata, having
fought with the son of his preceptor Drona, and having vanquished that
hero incapable of being resisted by the wielder of the thunderbolt
himself.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 8 : UPA-PARVA 64 ---------------------
