The Sanskrit Epics

by Delphi Classics

  SECTION CXVI

  “SANJAYA SAID, ‘WHILE the (Kuru) host was shaken by the grandson of Sini in these places (through which he proceeded), the son of Bharadwaja covered him with a dense shower of arrows. The encounter that then took place between Drona and Satwata in the very sight of all the troops was extremely fierce, like that between Vali and Vasava (in days of old). Then Drona pierced the grandson of Sini on the forehead with three beautiful arrows made entirely of iron and resembling snakes of virulent poison. Thus pierced on the forehead with those straight shafts, Yuyudhana, O king, looked beautiful like a mountain with three summits. The son of Bharadwaja always on the alert for an opportunity, then sped in that battle many other arrows of Satyaki which resembled the roar of Indra’s thunder. Then he of Dasarha’s race, acquainted with the highest weapons, cut off all those arrows shot from Drona’s bow, with two beautifully winged arrows of his. Beholding that lightness of hand (in Satyaki), Drona, O king, smiling the while, suddenly pierced that bull among the Sinis with thirty arrows. Surpassing by his own lightness the lightness of Yuyudhana, Drona, once more, pierced the latter with fifty arrows and then with a hundred. Indeed, those mangling arrows, O king, issued from Drona’s car, like vigorous snakes in wrath issuing through an ant-hill. Similarly, blood-drinking arrows shot by Yuyudhana in hundreds and thousands covered the car of Drona. We did not mark any difference, however, between the lightness of hand displayed by that foremost of regenerate ones and that displayed by him of the Satwata race. Indeed, in this respect, both those bulls among men were equal. Then Satyaki, inflamed with wrath, struck Drona with nine straight arrows. And he struck Drona’s standard also with many sharp shafts. And in the sight of Bharadwaja’s son, he pierced the latter’s driver also with a hundred arrows. Beholding the lightness of hand displayed by Yuyudhana, the mighty car-warrior Drona piercing Yuyudhana’s driver with seventy shafts, and each of his (four) steeds with three, cut off with a single arrow the standard that stood on Madhava’s car. With another broad-headed arrow, equipped with feathers and with wings of gold, he cut off in that battle the bow of that illustrious hero of Madhu’s race. Thereupon, the mighty car-warrior Satyaki, excited with wrath, laid aside that, taking up a huge mace, hurled it at the son of Bharadwaja. Drona, however, with many arrows of diverse forms, resisted that mace, made of iron and twined round with strings, as it coursed impetuously towards him. Then Satyaki, of prowess incapable of being baffled, took up another bow and pierced the heroic son of Bharadwaja with many arrows whetted on stone. Piercing Drona thereby in that battle, Yuyudhana uttered a leonine shout. Drona, however, that foremost of all wielders of weapons, was unable to brook that roar. Taking up a dart made of iron and equipped with golden staff Drona sped it quickly at the car of Madhava. That dart, however, fatal as Death, without touching the grandson of Sini, pierced through the latter’s car and entered the earth with a fierce noise. The grandson of Sini then, O king, pierced Drona with many winged arrows. Indeed, striking him on the right arm, Satyaki, O bull of Bharata’s race, afflicted him greatly. Drona also, in that battle, O king, cut off the huge bow of Madhava with a crescent-shaped arrow and smote the latter’s driver with a dart. Struck with that dart, Yuyudhana’s driver swooned away and for a while lay motionless on the terrace of the car. Then, O Monarch, Satyaki, acting as his own driver, achieved a superhuman feat, inasmuch as he continued to fight with Drona and hold the reins himself. Then the mighty car-warrior Yuyudhana struck that Brahmana with a hundred arrows in that battle, and rejoiced exceedingly, O monarch, at the feat he had achieved. Then Drona, O Bharata, sped at Satyaki five arrows. Those fierce arrows, piercing Satyaki’s armour, drank his blood in that battle. Thus pierced with those frightful arrows, Satyaki became inflamed with wrath. In return, that hero shot many shafts at him of the golden car. Then felling on the earth with a single shaft, the driver of Drona, he caused next, with his arrows, those driverless steeds of his antagonist to fly away. Thereupon that car was dragged to a distance. Indeed, the bright chariot of Drona, O king, began to trace a thousand circles in the field of battle like a sun in motion. Then all the kings and princes (of the Kaurava host) made a loud uproar, exclaiming, “Run, Rush, Seize the steeds of Drona.” Quickly abandoning Satyaki in that battle, O monarch, all those mighty car-warriors rushed to the place where Drona was. Beholding those car-warriors run away afflicted with the arrows of Satyaki, thy troops once more broke down and became exceedingly cheerless. Meanwhile, Drona, once more proceeding to the gate of the array, took up his station there, borne away (from Satyaki’s presence) by those steeds, fleet as the wind, that had been, afflicted with the shafts of the Vrishni hero. The valiant son of Bharadwaja, beholding the array broken (in his absence) by the Pandavas and the Panchalas, made no endeavour to follow the grandson of Sini, but employed himself in protecting his (broken) array. Checking the Pandavas and the Panchalas then, the Drona fire, blazing up in wrath stayed there, consuming everything, like the sun that rises at the end of the Yuga.’”

  SECTION CXVII

  “SANJAYA SAID, ‘HAVING vanquished Drona and other warriors of thy army, headed by the son of Hridika, that foremost of men, viz., that bull amongst the Sinis, O foremost one of the Kurus, laughing said unto his charioteer, “Our foes, O Suta, had already been consumed by Kesava and Phalguna. In vanquishing them (again), we have only been the (ostensible) means. Already slain by that bull among men, viz., the son of the celestial chief, we have but slain the dead.” Saying these words unto his charioteer, that bull amongst the Sinis, that foremost of bowmen, that slayer of hostile heroes, that mighty warrior, scattering with great force his arrows all around in that dreadful battle, proceeded like a hawk in search of prey. The Kuru warriors, although they attacked him from all sides, succeeded not in resisting that foremost of car-warriors, resembling the sun himself of a thousand rays, that foremost of men, who, having pierced the Kaurava ranks, was proceeding, borne by those excellent steeds of his that were white as the moon or a conch. Indeed, O Bharata, none amongst those that fought on thy side could resist Yuyudhana of irresistible prowess, of might incapable of impairment, of valour equal to that of him of a thousand eyes, and looking like the autumnal sun in the firmament. Then that foremost of kings, viz., Sudarsana, conversant with all modes of warfare, clad in golden coat of mail, armed with bow and arrows and filled with rage, advanced against the rushing Satyaki and endeavoured to check his course. Then the encounter that took place between them was fierce in the extreme. And both thy warriors and the Somakas, O king highly applauded the encounter as between Vritra and Vasava. Sudarsana endeavoured to pierce that foremost one of the Satwata’s in that battle with hundreds of keen shafts before they could reach him. Similarly, Sudarsana, stationed on his foremost of cars, cut off, by means of his own excellent shafts in two or three fragments all the shafts that Satyaki, resembling Indra himself, sped at him. Beholding his shafts baffled by the force of Satyaki’s shafts, Sudarsana of fierce energy, as if to consume (his foe), wrathfully shot beautiful arrows winged with gold. And once more he pierced his enemy with three beautiful arrows resembling fire itself and equipped with wings of gold, shot from his bow-string drawn to the ear. Those piercing through Satyaki’s armour, penetrated into the latter’s body. Similarly, that (prince, viz., Sudarsana), aiming four other blazing arrows, smote therewith the four steeds of Satyaki that were white as silver in hue. Thus afflicted by him the grandson of Sini, endued with great activity and possessed of prowess equal to that of Indra himself speedily slew with his keen shafts the steeds of Sudarsana and uttered a loud roar. Then cutting off with a broad-headed arrow endued with the force of Sakra’s thunder, the head of Sudarsana’s driver, the foremost one amongst the Sinis with a razor-faced arrow resembling the Yuga-fire, cut off from Sudarsana’s trunk his head graced with ear-rings, resembling the moon at full, and decked with an exceedingly radiant face, like the wielder of the thunder, O king, in days of old, forcibly cutting off the head of the mighty Vala in battle. That high-souled bull amon
g the Yadus then, endued with great activity thus slaying that grandson of a prince, became filled with delight and shone resplendent, O monarch, like the chief of the celestials himself. Yuyudhana, then, that hero among men, proceeded along the track by which Arjuna had passed before him, checking (as he went) by means of clouds of shafts, all thy troops, and riding on that same car of his, O king, unto which were yoked those excellent steeds and filling everybody with amazement. All the foremost of warriors there, assembled together, applauded that foremost of amazing feats achieved by him, for he consumed all foes that came within reach of his arrows, like a conflagration consuming everything in its way.’”

  SECTION CXVIII

  “SANJAYA SAID, ‘THEN that bull of Vrishni’s race, viz., the high-souled Satyaki of great intelligence, having slain Sudarsana, once more addressed his driver, saying, “Having forded through the almost unfordable ocean of Drona’s division, teeming with cars and steeds and elephants, whose waves are constituted by arrows and darts, fishes by swords and scimitars and alligators by maces, which roar with the whiz of shafts and the clash of diverse weapons, — an ocean that is fierce and destructive of life, and resounds with the noise of diverse musical instruments, whose touch is unpleasant and unbearable to warriors of victory, and whose margin is infested with fierce cannibals represented by the force of Jalasandha. — I think, the portion of the array that remains may easily be forded like a poor stream of shallow water. Urge thou the steeds, therefore, without fear. I think, I am very near to Savyasachin. Having vanquished in battle the invincible Drona with his followers, and that foremost of warriors, viz., the son of Hridika, I think, I cannot be distant from Dhananjaya. Fear never comes to my heart even if I behold countless foes before me. These to me are like a heap of straw and grass to a blazing conflagration in the woods. Behold, the track by which the diadem-decked (Arjuna), that foremost one among the Pandavas, hath gone, is rendered uneven with large bodies of foot-soldiers and steeds and car-warriors and elephants lying slain on the ground. Behold, routed by that high-souled warrior, the Kaurava army is flying away. Behold, O charioteer, a dark brown dust is raised by those retreating cars and elephants and steeds. I think, I am very near to Arjuna of white steeds having Krishna for his charioteer. Hark, the well-known twang of Gandiva of immeasurable energy is being heard. From the character of the omens that appear to my view, I am sure that Arjuna will slay the ruler of the Sindhus before the sun sets. Without causing their strength to be spent, urge the steeds slowly to where those hostile ranks are staying, that is, to where yonder warriors headed by Duryodhana, their hands cased in leathern fences, and yonder Kamvojas of fierce deeds, clad in mail and difficult of being defeated in battle, and those Yavanas armed with bow and arrows and skilled in smiting, and under Sakas and Daradas and Barbaras and Tamraliptakas, and other countless Mlecchas, armed with diverse weapons, are, — to the spot (I repeat) where, indeed, yonder warriors headed by Duryodhana, their hands cased in leathern fences, — are waiting with their faces turned towards me and inspired with the resolution of battling with me. Regard me to have already passed through this fierce fastness, O Suta, having slain in battle all these combatants with cars and elephants and steeds and foot-soldiers that are amongst them.”

  “‘The charioteer, thus addressed, said, “O thou of Vrishni’s race, fear I have none, O thou of prowess that cannot be baffled! If thou hast before the Jamadagni’s son himself in wrath, or Drona, that foremost of car-warriors, or the ruler of the Madras himself, even then fear doth not enter my heart, O thou of mighty arms, as long as I am under the shadow of thy protection, O slayer of foes, countless Kamvojas, clad in mail, of fierce deeds, and difficult to defeat in battle, have already been vanquished by thee, as also many Yavanas armed with bow and arrows and accomplished in smiting, including Sakas and Daradas and Tamraliptakas, and many other Mlecchas armed with various weapons. Never before did I experience fear in any battle. Why shall I, therefore, O thou of great courage, experience any fear in this miserable fray? O thou that art blessed with length of days, by which way shall I take thee to where Dhananjaya is? With whom hast thou been angry, O thou of Vrishni’s race? Who are they that will fly away from battle, beholding thee endued with such a prowess, resembling the Destroyer himself as he appears at the end of the Yuga, and putting forth that prowess of thine (against thy foes)? O thou of mighty arms, who are they of whom king Vaivaswata is thinking today?”

  “‘Satyaki said, “Like Vasava destroying the Danavas, I shall slay these warriors with shaved heads. By slaying these Kamvojas I will fulfil my vow. Bear me thither. Causing a great carnage amongst these, I shall today repair to the dear son of Pandu. The Kauravas, with Suyodhana at their head, will today behold my prowess, when this division of Mlecchas, of shaved heads, will have been exterminated and the whole Kaurava army put to the greatest distress. Hearing the loud wails of the Kaurava host, today, mangled and broken by me in battle Suyodhana will be inspired with grief. Today, I shall show unto my preceptor, the high-souled Pandava, of white steeds, the skill in weapons acquired by me from him. Beholding today thousands of foremost warriors slain with my arrows, king Duryodhana will be plunged into great grief. The Kauravas will today behold the bow in my hands to resemble a circle of fire when, light-handed, I will stretch the bowstring for shooting my host of shafts. Beholding the incessant slaughter of his troops today, their bodies covered with blood and pierced all over with my shafts, Suyodhana will be filled with grief. While I shall slay in wrath the foremost of Kuru warriors, Suyodhana will today behold to count two Arjunas. Beholding thousands of kings slain by me in battle, king Duryodhana will be filled with grief in today’s great battle. Slaying thousands of kings today, I will show my love and devotion to those high-souled ones, viz., the royal sons of Pandu. The Kauravas will know today the measure of my might and energy, and my gratefulness (to the Pandavas).”’