srimahabharat - (Book 6) Bhishma Parva chapters 86 to 97

The Mahabharata

                                      Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa
                                                        translated by
                                  Sreemaan Brahmasri  Kisari Mohan Ganguli

 Bhishma Parva
Book 6

 Book 6
Chapter 86

 1 saṃjaya uvāca
      vartamāne tathā raudre rājan vīravarakṣaye
      śakuniḥ saubalaḥ śrīmān pāṇḍavān samupādravat
  2 tathaiva sātvato rājan hārdikyaḥ paravīrahā
      abhyadravata saṃgrāme pāṇḍavānām anīkinīm
  3 tataḥ kāmbojamukhyānāṃ nadījānāṃ ca vājinām
      āraṭṭānāṃ mahījānāṃ sindhujānāṃ ca sarvaśaḥ
  4 vanāyujānāṃ śubhrāṇāṃ tathā parvatavāsinām
      ye cāpare tittirajā javanā vātaraṃhasaḥ
  5 suvarṇālaṃkṛtair etair varmavadbhiḥ sukalpitaiḥ
      hayair vātajavair mukhyaiḥ pāṇḍavasya suto balī
      abhyavartata tat sainyaṃ hṛṣṭarūpaḥ paraṃtapaḥ
  6 arjunasyātha dāyāda irāvān nāma vīryavān
      sutāyāṃ nāgarājasya jātaḥ pārthena dhīmatā
  7 airāvatena sā dattā anapatyā mahātmanā
      patyau hate suparṇena kṛpaṇā dīnacetanā
  8 bhāryārthaṃ tāṃ ca jagrāha pārthaḥ kāmavaśānugām
      evam eṣa samutpannaḥ parakṣetre 'rjunātmajaḥ
  9 sa nāgaloke saṃvṛddho mātrā ca parirakṣitaḥ
      pitṛvyeṇa parityaktaḥ pārthadveṣād durātmanā
  10 rūpavān vīryasaṃpanno guṇavān satyavikramaḥ
     indralokaṃ jagāmāśu śrutvā tatrārjunaṃ gatam
 11 so 'bhigamya mahātmānaṃ pitaraṃ satyavikramam
     abhyavādayad avyagro vinayena kṛtāñjaliḥ
     irāvān asmi bhadraṃ te putraś cāhaṃ tavābhibho
 12 mātuḥ samāgamo yaś ca tat sarvaṃ pratyavedayat
     tac ca sarvaṃ yathāvṛttam anusasmāra pāṇḍavaḥ
 13 pariṣvajya sutaṃ cāpi so ''tmanaḥ sadṛśaṃ guṇaiḥ
     prītimān abhavat pārtho devarājaniveśane
 14 so 'rjunena samājñapto devaloke tadā nṛpa
     prītipūrvaṃ mahābāhuḥ svakāryaṃ prati bhārata
     yuddhakāle tvayāsmākaṃ sāhyaṃ deyam iti prabho
 15 bāḍham ity evam uktvā ca yuddhakāla upāgataḥ
     kāmavarṇajavair aśvaiḥ saṃvṛto bahubhir nṛpa
 16 te hayāḥ kāñcanāpīḍā nānāvarṇā manojavāḥ
     utpetuḥ sahasā rājan haṃsā iva mahodadhau
 17 te tvadīyān samāsādya hayasaṃghān mahājavān
     kroḍaiḥ kroḍān abhighnanto ghoṇābhiś ca parasparam
     nipetuḥ sahasā rājan suvegābhihatā bhuvi
 18 nipatadbhis tathā taiś ca hayasaṃghaiḥ parasparam
     śuśruve dāruṇaḥ śabdaḥ suparṇapatane yathā
 19 tathaiva ca mahārāja sametyānyonyam āhave
     parasparavadhaṃ ghoraṃ cakrus te hayasādinaḥ
 20 tasmiṃs tathā vartamāne saṃkule tumule bhṛśam
     ubhayor api saṃśāntā hayasaṃghāḥ samantataḥ
 21 prakṣīṇasāyakāḥ śūrā nihatāśvāḥ śramāturāḥ
     vilayaṃ samanuprāptās takṣamāṇāḥ parasparam
 22 tataḥ kṣīṇe hayānīke kiṃ cic cheṣe ca bhārata
     saubalasyātmajāḥ śūrā nirgatā raṇamūrdhani
 23 vāyuvegasamasparśā jave vāyusamāṃs tathā
     āruhya śīlasaṃpannān vayaḥsthāṃs turagottamān
 24 gajo gavākṣo vṛṣakaś carmavān ārjavaḥ śukaḥ
     ṣaḍ ete balasaṃpannā niryayur mahato balāt
 25 vāryamāṇāḥ śakuninā svaiś ca yodhair mahābalaiḥ
     saṃnaddhā yuddhakuśalā raudrarūpā mahābalāḥ
 26 tad anīkaṃ mahābāho bhittvā paramadurjayam
     balena mahatā yuktāḥ svargāya vijayaiṣiṇaḥ
     viviśus te tadā hṛṣṭā gāndhārā yuddhadurmadāḥ
 27 tān praviṣṭāṃs tadā dṛṣṭvā irāvān api vīryavān
     abravīt samare yodhān vicitrābharaṇāyudhān
 28 yathaite dhārtarāṣṭrasya yodhāḥ sānugavāhanāḥ
     hanyante samare sarve tathā nītir vidhīyatām
 29 bāḍham ity evam uktvā te sarve yodhā irāvataḥ
     jaghnus te vai parānīkaṃ durjayaṃ samare paraiḥ
 30 tad anīkam anīkena samare vīkṣya pātitam
     amṛṣyamāṇās te sarve subalasyātmajā raṇe
     irāvantam abhidrutya sarvataḥ paryavārayan
 31 tāḍayantaḥ śitaiḥ prāsaiś codayantaḥ parasparam
     te śūrāḥ paryadhāvanta kurvanto mahad ākulam
 32 irāvān atha nirbhinnaḥ prāsais tīkṣṇair mahātmabhiḥ
     sravatā rudhireṇāktas tottrair viddha iva dvipaḥ
 33 urasy api ca pṛṣṭhe ca pārśvayoś ca bhṛśāhataḥ
     eko bahubhir ity arthaṃ dhairyād rājan na vivyathe
 34 irāvān atha saṃkruddhaḥ sarvāṃs tān niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ
     mohayām āsa samare viddhvā parapuraṃjayaḥ
 35 prāsān uddhṛtya sarvāṃś ca svaśarīrād ariṃdamaḥ
     tair eva tāḍayām āsa subalasyātmajān raṇe
 36 nivṛṣya niśitaṃ khaḍgaṃ gṛhītvā ca śarāvaram
     padātis tūrṇam āgacchaj jighāṃsuḥ saubalān yudhi
 37 tataḥ pratyāgataprāṇāḥ sarve te subalātmajāḥ
     bhūyaḥ krodhasamāviṣṭā irāvantam athādravan
 38 irāvān api khaḍgena darśayan pāṇilāghavam
     abhyavartata tān sarvān saubalān baladarpitaḥ
 39 lāghavenātha carataḥ sarve te subalātmajāḥ
     antaraṃ nādhyagacchanta carantaḥ śīghragāminaḥ
 40 bhūmiṣṭham atha taṃ saṃkhye saṃpradṛśya tataḥ punaḥ
     parivārya bhṛśaṃ sarve grahītum upacakramuḥ
 41 athābhyāśagatānāṃ sa khaḍgenāmitrakarśanaḥ
     upahastāvahastābhyāṃ teṣāṃ gātrāṇy akṛntata
 42 āyudhāni ca sarveṣāṃ bāhūn api ca bhūṣitān
     apatanta nikṛttāṅgā gatā bhūmiṃ gatāsavaḥ
 43 vṛṣakas tu mahārāja bahudhā parivikṣataḥ
     amucyata mahāraudrāt tasmād vīrāvakartanāt
 44 tān sarvān patitān dṛṣṭvā bhīto duryodhanas tataḥ
     abhyabhāṣata saṃkruddho rākṣasaṃ ghoradarśanam
 45 ārśyaśṛṅgiṃ maheṣvāsaṃ māyāvinam ariṃdamam
     vairiṇaṃ bhīmasenasya pūrvaṃ bakavadhena vai
 46 paśya vīra yathā hy eṣa phalgunasya suto balī
     māyāvī vipriyaṃ ghoram akārṣīn me balakṣayam
 47 tvaṃ ca kāmagamas tāta māyāstre ca viśāradaḥ
     kṛtavairaś ca pārthena tasmād enaṃ raṇe jahi
 48 bāḍham ity evam uktvā tu rākṣaso ghoradarśanaḥ
     prayayau siṃhanādena yatrārjunasuto yuvā
 49 svārūḍhair yuddhakuśalair vimalaprāsayodhibhiḥ
     vīraiḥ prahāribhir yuktaḥ svair anīkaiḥ samāvṛtaḥ
     nihantukāmaḥ samare irāvantaṃ mahābalam
 50 irāvān api saṃkruddhas tvaramāṇaḥ parākramī
     hantukāmam amitraghno rākṣasaṃ pratyavārayat
 51 tam āpatantaṃ saṃprekṣya rākṣasaḥ sumahābalaḥ
     tvaramāṇas tato māyāṃ prayoktum upacakrame
 52 tena māyāmayāḥ kḷptā hayās tāvanta eva hi
     svārūḍhā rākṣasair ghoraiḥ śūlapaṭṭiśapāṇibhiḥ
 53 te saṃrabdhāḥ samāgamya dvisāhasrāḥ prahāriṇaḥ
     acirād gamayām āsuḥ pretalokaṃ parasparam
 54 tasmiṃs tu nihate sainye tāv ubhau yuddhadurmadau
     saṃgrāme vyavatiṣṭhetāṃ yathā vai vṛtravāsavau
 55 ādravantam abhiprekṣya rākṣasaṃ yuddhadurmadam
     irāvān krodhasaṃrabdhaḥ pratyadhāvan mahābalaḥ
 56 samabhyāśagatasyājau tasya khaḍgena durmateḥ
     ciccheda kārmukaṃ dīptaṃ śarāvāpaṃ ca pañcakam
 57 sa nikṛttaṃ dhanur dṛṣṭvā khaṃ javena samāviśat
     irāvantam abhikruddhaṃ mohayann iva māyayā
 58 tato 'ntarikṣam utpatya irāvān api rākṣasam
     vimohayitvā māyābhis tasya gātrāṇi sāyakaiḥ
     ciccheda sarvamarmajñaḥ kāmarūpo durāsadaḥ
 59 tathā sa rākṣasaśreṣṭhaḥ śaraiḥ kṛttaḥ punaḥ punaḥ
     saṃbabhūva mahārāja samavāpa ca yauvanam
 60 māyā hi sahajā teṣāṃ vayo rūpaṃ ca kāmajam
     evaṃ tad rākṣasasyāṅgaṃ chinnaṃ chinnaṃ vyarohata
 61 irāvān api saṃkruddho rākṣasaṃ taṃ mahābalam
     paraśvadhena tīkṣṇena ciccheda ca punaḥ punaḥ
 62 sa tena balinā vīraś chidyamāna iva drumaḥ
     rākṣaso vyanadad ghoraṃ sa śabdas tumulo 'bhavat
 63 paraśvadhakṣataṃ rakṣaḥ susrāva rudhiraṃ bahu
     tataś cukrodha balavāṃś cakre vegaṃ ca saṃyuge
 64 ārśyaśṛṅgis tato dṛṣṭvā samare śatrum ūrjitam
     kṛtvā ghoraṃ mahad rūpaṃ grahītum upacakrame
     saṃgrāmaśiraso madhye sarveṣāṃ tatra paśyatām
 65 tāṃ dṛṣṭvā tādṛśīṃ māyāṃ rākṣasasya mahātmanaḥ
     irāvān api saṃkruddho māyāṃ sraṣṭuṃ pracakrame
 66 tasya krodhābhibhūtasya saṃyugeṣv anivartinaḥ
     yo 'nvayo mātṛkas tasya sa enam abhipedivān
 67 sa nāgair bahuśo rājan sarvataḥ saṃvṛto raṇe
     dadhāra sumahad rūpam ananta iva bhogavān
     tato bahuvidhair nāgaiś chādayām āsa rākṣasam
 68 chādyamānas tu nāgaiḥ sa dhyātvā rākṣasapuṃgavaḥ
     sauparṇaṃ rūpam āsthāya bhakṣayām āsa pannagān
 69 māyayā bhakṣite tasminn anvaye tasya mātṛke
     vimohitam irāvantam asinā rākṣaso 'vadhīt
 70 sakuṇḍalaṃ samukuṭaṃ padmendusadṛśaprabham
     irāvataḥ śiro rakṣaḥ pātayām āsa bhūtale
 71 tasmiṃs tu nihate vīre rākṣasenārjunātmaje
     viśokāḥ samapadyanta dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ sarājakāḥ
 72 tasmin mahati saṃgrāme tādṛśe bhairave punaḥ
     mahān vyatikaro ghoraḥ senayoḥ samapadyata
 73 hayā gajāḥ padātāś ca vimiśrā dantibhir hatāḥ
     rathāś ca dantinaś caiva pattibhis tatra sūditāḥ
 74 tathā pattirathaughāś ca hayāś ca bahavo raṇe
     rathibhir nihatā rājaṃs tava teṣāṃ ca saṃkule
 75 ajānann arjunaś cāpi nihataṃ putram aurasam
     jaghāna samare śūrān rājñas tān bhīṣmarakṣiṇaḥ
 76 tathaiva tāvakā rājan sṛñjayāś ca mahābalāḥ
     juhvataḥ samare prāṇān nijaghnur itaretaram
 77 muktakeśā vikavacā virathāś chinnakārmukāḥ
     bāhubhiḥ samayudhyanta samavetāḥ parasparam
 78 tathā marmātigair bhīṣmo nijaghāna mahārathān
     kampayan samare senāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahābalaḥ
 79 tena yaudhiṣṭhire sainye bahavo mānavā hatāḥ
     dantinaḥ sādinaś caiva rathino 'tha hayās tathā
 80 tatra bhārata bhīṣmasya raṇe dṛṣṭvā parākramam
     atyadbhutam apaśyāma śakrasyeva parākramam
 81 tathaiva bhīmasenasya pārṣatasya ca bhārata
     raudram āsīt tadā yuddhaṃ sātvatasya ca dhanvinaḥ
 82 dṛṣṭvā droṇasya vikrāntaṃ pāṇḍavān bhayam āviśat
     eka eva raṇe śakto hantum asmān sa sainikān
 83 kiṃ punaḥ pṛthivī śūrair yodhavrātaiḥ samāvṛtaḥ
     ity abruvan mahārāja raṇe droṇena pīḍitāḥ
 84 vartamāne tathā raudre saṃgrāme bharatarṣabha
     ubhayoḥ senayoḥ śūrā nāmṛṣyanta parasparam
 85 āviṣṭā iva yudhyante rakṣobhūtā mahābalāḥ
     tāvakāḥ pāṇḍaveyāś ca saṃrabdhās tāta dhanvinaḥ
 86 na sma paśyāmahe kaṃ cid yaḥ prāṇān parirakṣati
     saṃgrāme daityasaṃkāśe tasmin yoddhā narādhipa

SECTION LXXXVI

Sanjaya said, "Then the mighty Dhananjaya, struck with those shafts and drawing long breaths like a trodden snake, cut off, with great force, by means of his successive shafts, the bows of those mighty car-warriors. Cutting off in a moment, O king, the bows of those powerful monarchs in that battle, the high-souled Arjuna, desiring to exterminate them pierced all of them simultaneously with his shafts. Struck (thus) by Indra's son, O king, some of them fell down on the field, covered with blood. And some had their limbs mangled, and some had their heads struck off. And some perished with bodies mangled and coats of mail cut through. And afflicted by the arrows of Partha, many of them, falling down on the earth, perished together. Beholding then those princes slain in battle, the ruler of the Trigartas advanced on his car. And two and thirty others amongst those car-warriors, they who had been protecting the rear of the slain combatants also fell upon Partha. These all, surrounding Partha, and drawing their bows of loud twang, poured on him a thick shower of arrows like the clouds pouring torrents of water on the mountain breast. Then Dhananjaya afflicted with that arrowy down-pour in that battle, became excited with wrath, and with sixty arrows steeped in oil he despatched all those protectors of the rear. Having vanquished in battle those sixty car-warriors, the illustrious Dhananjaya became cheerful at heart. And having slain also the forces of those kings, Jishnu sped for Bhishma's slaughter. Then the ruler of the Trigartas, beholding his friends those mighty car-warriors slain, speedily advanced upon Partha, with a number of (other) kings in his van, for slaying him. Then the Pandava warrior headed by Sikhandin, beholding those combatants advancing upon Dhananjaya that foremost of all conversant with arms, proceeded with whetted weapons in hand, desirous of protecting the car of Arjuna. Partha also beholding those brave men advanced towards him with the ruler of the Trigartas, mangled them in battle with arrows shot from Gandiva. Then that distinguished bowman, desirous of approaching Bhishma beheld Duryodhana and other kings headed by the ruler of the Sindhus. Fighting with great energy for a moment and checking those warriors that were desirous of protecting Bhishma, the heroic Arjuna of great valour and infinite prowess avoiding Duryodhana and Jayadratha and others,--that warrior of mighty strength and great mental vigour,--at last proceeded, bow and arrow in hand, towards the son of Ganga in battle. The high-souled Yudhishthira also, of fierce prowess and infinite renown, avoiding in battle the ruler of the Madras who had been assigned to his share, quickly proceeded, with excited wrath and accompanied by Bhima and the sons of Madri towards Bhishma, the son of Santanu, for battle. Conversant with all modes of warfare the high-souled son of Ganga and Santanu, though attacked in battle by all the sons of Pandu united together, wavered not at all. Of fierce might and great energy king Jayadratha of sure aim, advancing
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in battle, forcibly cut off with his own excellent bow the bows of all those mighty car-warriors. And the illustrious Duryodhana also with excited wrath and having wrath for his position, struck Yudhishthira and Bhimasena and the twins and Partha, with arrows resembling flames of fire. Pierced with arrows by Kripa and Sala and Chitrasena, O lord, the Pandavas, inflamed with rage, resembled the gods pierced with arrows by the united Daityas (in days of old). King Yudhishthira then, beholding Sikhandin flying away, having had his weapon cut off by Santanu's son became filled with anger. The high-souled Ajatasatru, angrily addressing Sikhandin in that battle, said these words, 'Thou saidst at that time, in the presence of thy sire, unto me--Even I shall slay Bhishma of high vows with my shafts of the hue of the effulgent sun. Truly do I say this.--Even this was thy oath. That oath of thine thou dost not fulfil inasmuch as thou dost not slay Devavrata in battle. O hero, be not a person of unfulfilled vow. Take care of thy virtue, race, and fame. Behold Bhishma of terrible impetuosity scorching all my troops with his innumerable arrows of fierce energy and destroying everything in a moment like Death himself. With thy bow cut off avoiding the battle, and vanquished by the royal son of Santanu, whither dost thou go, forsaking thy kinsmen and brothers? This doth not become thee. Beholding Bhishma of infinite prowess, and our army routed and flying away, thou art assuredly, O son of Drupada, frightened, since the colour of thy face is pale. Unknown to thee, O hero, Dhananjaya hath engaged in the dreadful battle. Celebrated over the whole world, why O hero, art thou afraid today of Bhishma. 1'--Hearing these words of king, Yudhishthira the just, that were harsh, though fraught with sound reason, the high-souled Sikhandin, regarding them as good counsel, speedily set himself about slaying Bhishma. 2 And while Sikhandin was proceeding to battle with great impetuosity for falling upon Bhishma, Salya began to resist him with terrible weapons that were difficult of being baffled. The son of Drupada, however, O king, of prowess equal to that of Indra himself, beholding those weapons effulgent as the fire that blazeth forth at the hour of universal dissolution (thus) displayed, was not confounded in the least. Checking those weapons by means of his own shafts, that mighty bowman, viz., Sikhandin, stayed there without moving. And then he took up another weapon, viz., the fierce Varuna weapon for baffling (those fiery weapons of Salya). Then the celestials staying in the firmament, and the kings of the earth also, all beheld Salya's weapons baffled by that Varuna weapon of Sikhandin. Meanwhile, the high-souled and heroic Bhishma, O king, in that battle, cut off the bow and the variegated standard also of Pandu's son, king Yudhishthira of the Ajamida race. Thereupon casting aside his bow and arrows upon beholding Yudhishthira overwhelmed with fear, and taking up a mace in that battle, Bhimasena rushed, on foot, at
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[paragraph continues] Jayadratha. Then Jayadratha, with five hundred terrible arrows of keen points and each resembling the rod of Death, pierced Bhimasena from every side who was thus rushing impetuously at him, mace in hand. Disregarding those arrows, the impetuous Vrikodara, with heart filled with rage, slew in that battle all the steeds, born in Aratta, of the king of the Sindhus. Then beholding Bhimasena on foot, thy son (Chitrasena) of unrivalled prowess and resembling the chief of the celestials himself, quickly rushed at him on his car, with upraised weapons, for giving him his quietus. Bhima also, roaring and uttering a loud shout, rushed at him impetuously, mace in hand. Thereupon the Kauravas all around beholding that upraised mace resembling the rod of Death, forsaking thy brave son, fled away, desirous of avoiding its fall (amongst them). In that fierce and awful crush (of men), O Bharata, confounding the senses, Chitrasena, however, beholding that mace coursing towards him, was not deprived of his senses. Taking up a bright scimitar and a shield, he forsook his car and became a warrior on foot in the field, for jumping down (from his vehicle) like a lion from the top of a cliff he came down upon the level ground. Meanwhile that mace, failing upon that beautiful car and destroying the vehicle itself with its steeds and charioteer in that battle, dropped on the ground like a blazing meteor, loosened from the firmament, failing upon the earth. Then thy troops, O Bharata, beholding that highly wonderful feat became filled with joy, and all of them together set up a loud shout over the field of battle. And the warriors all applauded thy son (for what they witnessed)."

Book 6
Chapter 87

 1 [dhṛ]
      irāvantaṃ tu nihataṃ dṛṣṭvā pārthā mahārathāḥ
      saṃgrāme kim akurvanta tan mamācakṣa saṃjaya
  2 [s]
      irāvantaṃ tu nihataṃ saṃgrāme vīkṣya rākṣasaḥ
      vyanadat sumahānādaṃ bhaimasenir ghaṭotkacaḥ
  3 nadatas tasya śabdena pṛthivī sāgarāmbarā
      sa parvata vanā rājaṃś cacāla subhṛśaṃ tadā
      antarikṣaṃ diśaś caiva sarvāś ca pradiśas tathā
  4 taṃ śrutvā sumahānādaṃ tava sainyasya bhārata
      ūrustambhaḥ samabhavad vepathuḥ sveda eva ca
  5 sarva eva ca rājendra tāvakā dīnacetasaḥ
      sarpavatsam aveṣṭanta siṃhabhītā gajā iva
  6 ninadat sumahānādaṃ nirghātam iva rākṣasaḥ
      jvalitaṃ śūlam udyamya rūpaṃ kṛtvā vibhīṣaṇam
  7 nānāpraharaṇair ghorair vṛto rākṣasapuṃgavaiḥ
      ājagāma susaṃkruddhaḥ kālāntakayamopamaḥ
  8 tam āpatantaṃ saṃprekṣya saṃkruddhaṃ bhīmadarśanam
      svabalaṃ ca bhayāt tasya prāyaśo vimukhīkṛtam
  9 tato duryodhano rājā ghaṭotcakam upādravat
      pragṛhya vipulaṃ cāpaṃ siṃhavad vinadan muhuḥ
  10 pṛṣṭhato 'nuyayau cainaṃ sravadbhiḥ parvatopamaiḥ
     kuñjarair daśasāhasrair vaṅgānām adhipaḥ svayam
 11 tam āpatantaṃ saṃprekṣya gajānīkena saṃvṛtam
     putraṃ tava mahārāja cukopa sa niśācaraḥ
 12 tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṃ tumulaṃ lomaharṣaṇam
     rākṣasānāṃ ca rājendra duryodhana balasya ca
 13 gajānīkaṃ ca saṃprekṣya meghavṛndam ivodyatam
     abhyadhāvanta saṃkruddhā rākṣasāḥ śastrapāṇayaḥ
 14 nadanto vividhān nādān meghā iva sa vidyutaḥ
     śaraśaktyṛṣṭinārācair nighnanto gajayodhinaḥ
 15 bhiṇḍipālais tathā śūlair mudgaraiḥ saparaśvadhaiḥ
     parvatāgraiś ca vṛkṣaiś ca nijaghnus te mahāgajān
 16 bhinnakumbhān virudhirān bhinnagātrāṃś ca vāraṇān
     apaśyāma mahārāja vadhyamānān niśācaraiḥ
 17 teṣu prakṣīyamāṇeṣu bhagneṣu gajayodhiṣu
     duryodhano mahārāja rākṣasān samupādravat
 18 amarṣavaśam āpannas tyaktvā jīvitam ātmanaḥ
     mumoca niśitān bāṇān rākṣaseṣu mahābalaḥ
 19 jaghāna ca maheṣvāsaḥ pradhānāṃs tatra rākṣasān
     saṃkruddho bharataśreṣṭha putro duryodhanas tava
 20 vegavantaṃ mahāraudraṃ vidyujjihvaṃ pramāthinam
     śaraiś caturbhiś caturo nijaghāna mahārathaḥ
 21 tataḥ punar ameyātmā śaravarṣaṃ durāsadam
     mumoca bharataśreṣṭha niśācarabalaṃ prati
 22 tat tu dṛṣṭvā mahat karma putrasya tava māriṣa
     krodhenābhiprajajvāla bhaimasenir mahābalaḥ
 23 visphārya ca mahac cāpam indrāśanisamasvanam
     abhidudrāva vegena duryodhanam ariṃdamam
 24 tam āpatantam udvīkṣya kālasṛṣṭam ivāntakam
     na vivyathe mahārāja putro duryodhanas tava
 25 athainam abravīt kruddhaḥ krūraḥ saṃraktalocanaḥ
     ye tvayā sunṛśaṃsena dīrghakālaṃ pravāsitāḥ
     yac ca te pāṇḍavā rājaṃś chala dyūte parājitāḥ
 26 yac caiva draupadī kṛṣṇā ekavastrā rajasvalā
     sabhām ānīya durbuddhe bahudhā kleśitā tvayā
 27 tava ca priyakāmena āśramasthā durātmanā
     saindhavena parikliṣṭā paribhūya pitṝn mama
 28 eteṣām avamānānām anyeṣāṃ ca kulādhama
     antam adya gamiṣyāmi yadi notsṛjase raṇam
 29 evam uktvā tu haiḍimbo mahad visphārya kārmukam
     saṃdaśya daśanair oṣṭhaṃ sṛkkiṇī parisaṃlihan
 30 śaravarṣeṇa mahatā duryodhanam avākirat
     parvataṃ vāridhārābhiḥ prāvṛṣīva balāhakaḥ

SECTION LXXXVII

Sanjaya said,--"Approaching then thy son Chitrasena of great energy who had thus been deprived of his car, thy son Vikarna caused him to mount on his car. And during the progress of that general engagement, so fierce and dreadful, Bhishma, the son of Santanu, impetuously rushed at Yudhishthira. Then the Srinjayas with their cars, elephants, and horses, trembled. And they regarded Yudhishthira to be already within the jaws of Death. The lord Yudhishthira, however, of Kuru's race, accompanied by the twins, proceeded towards that mighty bowman, that tiger among men viz., Bhishma. Then the son of Pandu, shooting in that battle thousands of arrows, shrouded Bhishma like the clouds shrouding the sun. And those numberless arrows, well shot by Yudhishthira, were received by the son of Ganga in distinct sets by hundreds and thousands. 1
p. 215
[paragraph continues] And so also, O sire, innumerable were the arrows shot by Bhishma (in return), which looked like flights of insects coursing through the air. In half the time taken up by a wink of the eye, Bhishma, the son of Santanu, in that battle, made Kunti's son invisible by means of his numberless shafts shot in sets. Then king Yudhishthira, excited with rage, sped at the high-souled Kaurava a long arrow resembling a snake of virulent poison. That mighty car-warrior, Bhishma, however, O king, cut off in that combat, with a horse-shoe (headed) arrow, that shaft shot from Yudhishthira's bow before it could reach him. Having cut off that long arrow resembling Death himself, Bhishma then slew in that battle the steeds, decked with gold, of that prince of Kuru's line. Then Yudhishthira the son of Pandu, abandoning that car whose steeds had been slain, quickly mounted upon the car of the high-souled Nakula. Then Bhishma that subjugator of hostile cities, excited with rage, and coming upon the twins in that battle, covered them with arrows. Beholding those two (brothers), O king, thus afflicted, with the arrows of Bhishma, Yudhishthira began to reflect earnestly desirous, O monarch, of (compassing) Bhishma's destruction. Then Yudhishthira, O king, urged his friends and the rulers (on his side), saying,--'Slay Bhishma the son of Santanu, uniting together.' Then all those rulers, hearing these words of Pritha's son, surrounded the grandsire with a large number of cars. Thy sire Devavrata then, thus surrounded on all sides, began to sport, O king, with his bow, felling (all the while) many mighty car-warriors. Him of Kuru's race, thus careering over the field of battle, the Pandavas beheld resembling a young lion in the forest amid a herd of deer. Uttering a loud roar in that battle and striking fear into the hearts of brave warriors by means of his shafts, the Kshatriyas beholding him, O king, were all struck with fear, like inferior animals upon seeing a lion. Indeed the Kshatriyas beheld the movements of that lion of Bharata's race in battle to resemble those of a conflagration aided by the wind while consuming a heap of dry grass. And Bhishma in that battle felled the heads of car-warriors like a skilful man felling (with stones) ripe (palmyra) fruits from trees that bear them. And the heads of warriors, O king, falling upon the surface of the earth produced a loud noise resembling that of a stony shower. During the progress of that fierce and dreadful battle a great confusion set in among all the troops. And in consequence of that confusion the arrays (of both armies) were broken. And the Kshatriyas summoning one another individually, approached one another for fight. Then Sikhandin, sighting the grandsire of the Bharatas, rushed at him impetuously, saying,--Wait, Wait--Remembering, however, the femininity of Sikhandin, and disregarding him on that account, Bhishma proceeded against the Srinjayas. Thereupon the Srinjayas, beholding Bhishma in that great battle, were filled with joy. And they set forth diverse kinds of loud shouts, mingled with the blare of their conches. Then commenced a fierce battle in course of which cars and elephants got entangled with one another. And it was that hour of the day, O lord, when the sun was on the other side (of the meridian). Then Dhrishtadyumna, the prince
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of the Panchalas, and that mighty car-warrior Satyaki, greatly afflicted the (Bharata) host with showers of arrows and lances. And with innumerable shafts, O king, these two began to smite down thy warriors in that battle. Thy combatants, however, O bull among men, though slaughtered in battle (thus) retreated not from the fight, having formed an honourable resolution in that engagement. Indeed, thy troops began to smite according to the measure of their courage. While, however, O king, thy high-souled combatants were being slaughtered by the illustrious son of Prishata, loud cries of woe were heard among them. Hearing those loud cries, that couple of mighty car-warriors of thy army, viz., Vinda and Anuvinda of Avanti, quickly proceeded against Prishata's son. And those mighty car-warriors, speedily slaying his steeds, together covered Prishata's son with showers of arrows. Thereupon that mighty car-warrior, viz., the prince of the Panchalas, quickly jumping down from that car of his, mounted without loss of time the car of the high-souled Satyaki. Then king Yudhishthira, supported by a large force, proceeded against those chastisers of foes, viz., the two princes of Avanti excited with rage. Similarly thy son, O sire, with every preparation, stood, surrounding Vinda and Anuvinda in that battle (for supporting them). Arjuna also in that battle, excited with rage, fought against many bulls of the Kshatriya race, like the wielder of the thunder-bolt against the Asuras. Drona also, who always does what is agreeable to thy son, inflamed with wrath in that battle, began to consume the Panchalas like fire consuming a heap of cotton. Thy other sons, O king, owning Duryodhana as their chief, surrounding Bhishma in that battle, fought against the Pandavas. Then when the sun assumed a red hue, 1 king Duryodhana, O Bharata, addressing thy troops, said,--Lose no time--And while they were thus battling and achieving feats difficult of accomplishment, the sun having become invisible in consequence of his retirement behind the western hill, there soon flowed, towards dusk, an awful river whose current and billows were of blood, and which was infested by innumerable jackals. And the field of battle became dreadful, abounding as it did with spirits and with those jackals howling hideously, forboding evil. Rakshasas and Pisachas and other cannibals were seen all round, in hundreds and thousands. Then Arjuna, having vanquished those kings headed by Susarman along with all their followers, in the midst of their division, proceeded towards his tent. And the lord Yudhishthira also of Kuru's race, accompanied by his brothers, and followed by his troops, proceeded, O king, when night set in, towards his tent. And Bhimasena, too, having vanquished those kings, viz., those warriors headed by Duryodhana, proceeded towards his tent. And king Duryodhana (with his troops), surrounding Bhishma, the son of Santanu, in that great battle proceeded towards his tent. And Drona, and Drona's son, and Kripa, and Salya, and Kritavarman of the Satwata race, surrounding the whole (Dhartarashtra) army, proceeded towards their tents. And
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similarly Satyaki also, O king, and Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Prishata, surrounding their army, proceeded towards their tents. It was thus, O king, that those chastisers of foes, viz., thy troops and the Pandavas, ceased to fight when darkness came. Then the Pandavas, and the Kauravas, retiring to their tents, entered the same, applauding one another. And making arrangements for the protection of their brave warriors and disposing outposts according to rule, they plucked out the arrows (from their bodies) and bathed in diverse kinds of water. And Brahmanas performed propitiatory rites for them, and bards sang their praises. And those renowned men sported for a while in accompaniment with music both vocal and instrumental. And for a while the whole scene resembled heaven itself. And those bulls among men for a while spoke not of battle. And when both armies abounding with tired men and elephants and steeds slept there, they became, O monarch, beautiful to behold."

Book 6
Chapter 88

1 [s]
      tatas tad bāṇavarṣaṃ tu duḥsahaṃ dānavair api
      dadhāra yudhi rājendro yathā varṣaṃ mahādvipaḥ
  2 tataḥ krodhasamāviṣṭo niḥśvasann iva pannagaḥ
      saṃśayaṃ paramaṃ prāptaḥ putras te bharatarṣabha
  3 mumoca niśitāṃs tīkṣṇān nārācān pañcaviṃśatim
      te 'patan sahasā rājaṃs tasmin rākṣasapuṃgave
      āśīviṣā iva kruddhāḥ parvate gandhamādane
  4 sa tair viddhaḥ sravan raktaṃ prabhinna iva kuñjaraḥ
      dadhre matiṃ vināśāya rājñaḥ sa piśitāśanaḥ
      jagrāha ca mahāśaktiṃ girīṇām api dāraṇīm
  5 saṃpradīptāṃ maholkābhām aśanīṃ maghavān iva
      samudyacchan mahābāhur jighāṃsus tanayaṃ tava
  6 tām udyatām abhiprekṣya vaṅgānām adhipas tvaran
      kuñjaraṃ girisaṃkāśaṃ rākṣasaṃ pratyacodayat
  7 sa nāgapravareṇājau balinā śīghragāminā
      yato duryodhana rathas taṃ mārgaṃ pratyapadyata
      rathaṃ ca vārayām āsa kuñjareṇa sutasya te
  8 mārgam āvāritaṃ dṛṣṭvā rājñā vaṅgena dhīmatā
      ghaṭotkaco mahārāja krodhasaṃraktalocanaḥ
      udyatāṃ tāṃ mahāśaktiṃ tasmiṃś cikṣepa vāraṇe
  9 sa tayābhihato rājaṃs tena bāhuvimuktayā
      saṃjātarudhirotpīḍaḥ papāta ca mamāra ca
  10 pataty atha gaje cāpi vaṅgānām īśvaro balī
     javena samabhidrutya jagāma dharaṇītalam
 11 duryodhano 'pi saṃprekṣya pātitaṃ varavāraṇam
     prabhagnaṃ ca balaṃ dṛṣṭvā jagāma paramāṃ vyathām
 12 kṣatradharmaṃ puraskṛtya ātmanaś cābhimānitām
     prāpte 'pakramaṇe rājā tasthau girir ivācalaḥ
 13 saṃdhāya ca śitaṃ bāṇaṃ kālāgnisamatejasam
     mumoca paramakruddhas tasmin ghore niśācare
 14 tam āpatantaṃ saṃprekṣya bāṇam indrāśaniprabham
     lāghavād vañcayām āsa mahākāyo ghaṭotkacaḥ
 15 bhūya eva nanādograḥ krodhasaṃraktalocanaḥ
     trāsayan sarvabhūtāni yugānte jalado yathā
 16 taṃ śrutvā ninadaṃ ghoraṃ tasya bhīṣmasya rakṣasaḥ
     ācāryam upasaṃgamya bhīṣmaḥ śāṃtanavo 'bravīt
 17 yathaiṣa ninado ghoraḥ śrūyate rākṣaseritaḥ
     haiḍimbo yudhyate nūnaṃ rājñā duryodhanena ha
 18 naiṣa śakyo hi saṃgrāme jetuṃ bhūtena kena cit
     tatra gacchata bhadraṃ vo rājānaṃ parirakṣata
 19 abhidrutaṃ mahābhāgaṃ rākṣaṣena durātmanā
     etad dhi paramaṃ kṛtyaṃ sarveṣāṃ naḥ paraṃtapaḥ
 20 pitāmahavacaḥ śrutvā tvaramāṇā mahārathāḥ
     uttamaṃ javam āsthāya prayayur yatra kauravaḥ
 21 droṇaś ca somadattaś ca bāhlikaś ca jayadrathaḥ
     kṛpo bhūrī śravāḥ śalyaś citraseno viviṃśatiḥ
 22 aśvatthāmā vikarṇaś ca āvantyaś ca bṛhadbalaḥ
     rathāś cāneka sāhasrā ye teṣām anuyāyinaḥ
     abhidrutaṃ parīpsantaḥ putraṃ duryodhanaṃ tava
 23 tad anīkam anādhṛṣyaṃ pālitaṃ lokasattamaiḥ
     ātatāyinam āyāntaṃ prekṣya rākṣasasattamaḥ
     nākampata mahābāhur maināka iva parvataḥ
 24 pragṛhya vipulaṃ cāpaṃ jñātibhiḥ parivāritaḥ
     śūlam udgara hastaiś ca nānāpraharaṇair api
 25 tataḥ samabhavad yuddhaṃ tumulaṃ lomaharṣaṇam
     rākṣasānāṃ ca mukhyasya duryodhana balasya ca
 26 dhanuṣāṃ kūjatāṃ śabdaḥ sarvatas tumulo 'bhavat
     aśrūyata mahārāja vaṃśānāṃ dahyatām iva
 27 śastrāṇāṃ pātyamānānāṃ kavaceṣu śarīriṇām
     śabdaḥ samabhavad rājann adrīṇām iva dīryatām
 28 vīrabāhuvisṛṣṭānāṃ tomarāṇāṃ viśāṃ pate
     rūpam āsīd viyat sthānāṃ sarpāṇāṃ sarpatām iva
 29 tataḥ paramasaṃkruddho visphārya sumahad dhanuḥ
     rākṣasendro mahābāhur vinadan bhairavaṃ ravam
 30 ācāryasyārdha candreṇa kruddhaś ciccheda kārmukam
     somadattasya bhallena dhvajam unmathya cānadat
 31 bāhlikaṃ ca tribhir bāṇair abhyavidhyat stanāntare
     kṛpam ekena vivyādha citrasenaṃ tribhiḥ śaraiḥ
 32 pūrṇāyatavisṛṣṭena samyak praṇihitena ca
     jatru deśe samāsādya vikarṇaṃ samatāḍayat
     nyaṣīdat sa rathopasthe śoṇitena pariplutaḥ
 33 tataḥ punar ameyātmā nārācān daśa pañca ca
     bhūriśravasi saṃkruddhaḥ prāhiṇod bharatarṣabha
     te varma bhittvā tasyāśu prāviśan medinī talam
 34 viviṃśateś ca drauṇeś ca yantārau samatāḍayat
     tau petatū rathopasthe raśmīn utsṛjya vājinām
 35 sindhurājño 'rdhacandreṇa vārāhaṃ svarṇabhūṣitam
     unmamātha mahārāja dvitīyenāchinad dhanuḥ
 36 caturbhir atha nārācair āvantyasya mahātmanaḥ
     jaghāna caturo vāhān krodhasaṃraktalocanaḥ
 37 pūrṇāyatavisṛṣṭena pītena niśitena ca
     nirbibheda mahārāja rājaputraṃ bṛhadbalam
     sa gāḍhaviddho vyathito rathopastha upāviśat
 38 bhṛśaṃ krodhena cāviṣṭo rathastho rākṣasādhipaḥ
     cikṣepa niśitāṃs tīkṣṇāñ śarān āśīviṣopamān
     vibhidus te mahārāja śalyaṃ yuddhaviśāradam

SECTION LXXXVIII

Sanjaya said, "Having passed the night in sound steep, those rulers of men, the Kauravas and the Pandavas, once more proceeded to battle. And when the troops of both armies were about to proceed to the field, great was the uproar heard there, resembling the loud uproar of the ocean itself. Then king Duryodhana, and Chitrasena, and Vivinsati, and that foremost of car-warriors, viz., Bhishma and Bharadwaja's son possessed of great prowess,--those mighty car-warriors, clad in mail and uniting together, O King, formed with great care the array of the Kauravas against the Pandavas. Having formed that mighty array fierce as the ocean and having for its billows and current its steeds and elephants, thy sire Bhishma, the son of Santanu, then, O king, proceeded in the van of the whole army, supported by the Malavas, and the inhabitants of the southern countries, and the Avantis. Next to him was the valiant son of Bharadwaja, accompanied by the Pulindas, the Paradas, and the Kshudraka-Malavas. Next to Drona was the valiant Bhagadatta. O king, firmly resolved on fight, accompanied by the Magadhas, the Kalingas, and the Pisachas. Behind Bhagadatta was Vrihadvala the king of the Kosalas accompanied by the Melakas, the Tripuras, and the Chichilas. Next to Vrihadvala was the brave Trigarta, the ruler of the Prasthala, accompanied by a large number of the Kamvojas, and by Yavanas in thousands. Next to the ruler of the Trigartas, O Bharata, proceeded that mighty hero, viz., the son of Drona, uttering leonine roars and filling the earth with those shouts. Next to Drona's son proceeded king Duryodhana with the whole army, surrounded by his uterine brothers. Behind Duryodhana proceeded Kripa the son of Saradwat. It was thus that that mighty array, resembling the very ocean, advanced
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[paragraph continues] (to battle). And standards and white umbrellas, O lord, and beautiful bracelets and costly bows shed their effulgence there. And beholding that mighty array of thy forces, that great car-warrior Yudhishthira, speedily addressed the generalissimo (of his forces), viz., Prishata's son saying, 'Behold, O great bowman, that array, already formed, resembling the ocean. Do thou also, O son of Prishata, form without delay thy counter-array. (Thus addressed), the heroic son of Prishata, O great king, formed that terrible array called Sringataka that is destructive of all hostile arrays. At the horns were Bhimasena and that mighty car-warrior, viz., Satyaki, with many thousands of cars as also of horse and infantry. Next to them was that foremost of men, (viz., Arjuna) of white steeds and having Krishna for his charioteer. 1 In the centre were king Yudhishthira and the twin sons of Pandu by Madri. Other royal bowmen, conversant with the science of arrays, with their troops, filled up that array. In the rear were ordered Abhimanyu, and that mighty car-warrior, Virata, and the sons of Draupadi and the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha. Thus, O Bharata, having formed their mighty array, the heroic Pandavas waited on the field, longing for battle and desirous of victory. And the loud noise of drums mingling with the blare of conches and leonine roars and shouts (of the combatants) and the slapping of their armpits, became terrible and filled all the points of the compass. Then those brave warriors, approaching one another for battle, looked at one another, O king, with winkless eyes. Then O ruler of men, the warriors, first challenging each other by name, engaged with each other. 2 Then commenced a fierce and terrible battle between thy troops and those of the foe striking one another. And in that battle, O Bharata, whetted shafts fell in showers like terrible snakes with mouths wide open. And polished darts of impetuous force, washed with oil, O king, shone like the effulgent flashes of lightning from the clouds. And maces decked with gold and attached to bright slings were seen to fall all over the field, resembling beautiful crests of hills. And sabres of the colour of the clear (blue) sky, O Bharata, and shields of bull's hides and decked with a hundred moons, as they fell everywhere over the field, O king, looked beautiful. And as the two armies, O king, were engaged in battle with each other, they looked resplendent like the celestial and the demoniac hosts battling with each other. All around they rushed against one another in battle. Foremost of royal car-warriors, impetuously dashing against car-warriors in that dreadful battle, fought on, with the yokes of their cars entangled with those of their adversaries. And, O bull of Bharata's race, all over the field flashes of fire mixed with smoke were generated, in consequence of friction, in the tusks of battling elephants. And combatants on the backs of elephants, struck with lances, were seen all around to fall down like blocks (loosened)
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from crests of hills. 1 And brave foot-soldiers, battling with their bare arms or with lances, and striking one another, looked exceedingly beautiful. And the warriors of the Kaurava and the Pandava hosts, coming upon one another in that conflict, despatched one another with diverse kinds of shafts to the abode of Yama. Then Bhishma, the son of Santanu, filling (the air) with the rattle of his car, and depriving the foe of his senses by the twang of his bow, rushed against the Pandavas in battle. The car-warriors of the Pandavas, too, headed by Dhrishtadyumna, uttering fierce shouts, rushed at him, firmly resolved on fight. Then commenced, O Bharata, a battle between the infantry, car-warriors, and elephants, of theirs and thine, in which the combatants became all entangled with one another."

Book 6
Chapter 89

1 [s]
      vimukhīkṛtya tān sarvāṃs tāvakān yudhi rākṣasaḥ
      jighāṃsur bharataśreṣṭha duryodhanam upādravat
  2 tam āpatantaṃ saṃprekṣya rājānaṃ prati vegitam
      abhyadhāvaj jighāṃsantas tāvakā yuddhadurmadāḥ
  3 tālamātrāṇi cāpāni vikarṣanto mahābalāḥ
      tam ekam abhyadhāvanta nadantaḥ siṃhasaṃghavat
  4 athainaṃ śaravarṣeṇa samantāt paryavārayan
      parvataṃ vāridhārābhiḥ śaradīva balāhakāḥ
  5 sa gāḍhaviddho vyathitas tottrārdita iva dvipaḥ
      utpapāta tadākāśaṃ samantād vainateyavat
  6 vyanadat sumahānādaṃ jīmūta iva śāradaḥ
      diśaḥ khaṃ pradiśaś caiva nādayan bhairavasvanaḥ
  7 rākṣasasya tu taṃ śabdaṃ śrutvā rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
      uvāca bharataśreṣṭho bhīmasenam idaṃ vacaḥ
  8 yudhyate rākṣaso nūnaṃ dhārtarāṣṭrair mahārathaiḥ
      yathāsya śrūyate śabdo nadato bhairavaṃ svanam
      atibhāraṃ ca paśyāmi tatra tāta samāhitam
  9 pitāmahaś ca saṃkruddhaḥ pāñcālān hantum udyataḥ
      teṣāṃ ca rakṣaṇārthāya yudhyate phalgunaḥ paraiḥ
  10 etac chrutvā mahābāho kāryadvayam upasthitam
     gaccha rakṣasva haiḍimbaṃ saṃśayaṃ paramaṃ gatam
 11 bhrātur vacanam ājñāya tvaramāṇo vṛkodaraḥ
     prayayau siṃhanādena trāsayan sarvapārthivān
     vegena mahatā rājan parvakāle yathodadhiḥ
 12 tam anvayāt satyaghṛtiḥ saucittir yuddhadurmadaḥ
     śreṇimān vasu dānaś ca putraḥ kāśyasya cābhibhūḥ
 13 abhimanyumukhāś caiva draupadeyā mahārathāḥ
     kṣatradevaś ca vikrāntaḥ kṣatradharmā tathaiva ca
 14 anūpādhipatiś caiva nīlaḥ svabalam āsthitaḥ
     mahatā rathavaṃśena haiḍimbaṃ paryavārayan
 15 kuñjaraiś ca sadāmattaiḥ ṣaṭ sahasraiḥ prahāribhiḥ
     abhyarakṣanta sahitā rākṣasendraṃ ghaṭotkacam
 16 siṃhanādena mahatā nemighoṣeṇa caiva hi
     khuraśabdaninādaiś ca kampayanto vasuṃdharām
 17 temām āpatatāṃ śrutvā śabdaṃ taṃ tāvakaṃ balam
     bhīmasena bhayodvignaṃ vivarṇavadanaṃ tathā
     parivṛttaṃ mahārāja parityajya ghaṭotkacam
 18 tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṃ tatra tatra mahātmanām
     tāvakānāṃ pareṣāṃ ca saṃgrāmeṣv anivartinām
 19 nānārūpāṇi śastrāṇi visṛjanto mahārathāḥ
     anyonyam abhidhāvantaḥ saṃprahāraṃ pracakrire
     vyatiṣaktaṃ mahāraudraṃ yuddhaṃ bhīru bhayāvaham
 20 hayā gajaiḥ samājagmuḥ pādātā rathibhiḥ saha
     anyonyaṃ samare rājan prārthayānā mahad yaśaḥ
 21 sahasā cābhavat tīvraṃ saṃnipātān mahad rajaḥ
     rathāśvajaga pattīnāṃ padanemi samuddhatam
 22 dhūmrāruṇaṃ rajas tīvraṃ raṇabhūmiṃ samāvṛṇot
     naiva sve na pare rājan samajānan parasparam
 23 pitā putraṃ na jānīte putro vā pitaraṃ tathā
     nirmaryāde tathā bhūte vaiśase lomaharṣaṇe
 24 śastrāṇāṃ bharataśreṣṭha manuṣyāṇāṃ ca garjatām
     sumahān abhavac chabdo vaṃśānām iva dahyatām
 25 gajavājimanuṣyāṇāṃ śoṇitāntra taraṅgiṇī
     prāvartata nadī tatra keśaśaivalaśādvalā
 26 narāṇāṃ caiva kāyebhyaḥ śirasāṃ patatāṃ raṇe
     śuśruve sumahāñ śabdaḥ patatām aśmanām iva
 27 viśiraskair manuṣyaiś ca chinnagātraiś ca vāraṇaiḥ
     aśvaiḥ saṃbhinnadehaiś ca saṃkīrṇābhūd vasuṃdharā
 28 nānāvidhāni śastrāṇi visṛjanto mahārathāḥ
     anyonyam abhidhāvantaḥ saṃprahāraṃ pracakrire
 29 hayā hayān samāsādya preṣitā hayasādibhiḥ
     samāhatya raṇe 'nyonyaṃ nipetur gatajīvitāḥ
 30 narā narān samāsādya krodharaktekṣaṇā bhṛśam
     urāṃsy urobhir anyonyaṃ samāśliṣya nijaghnire
 31 preṣitāś ca mahāmātrair vāraṇāḥ paravāraṇāḥ
     abhighnanti viṣāṇāgrair vāraṇān eva saṃyuge
 32 te jātarudhirāpīḍāḥ patākābhir alaṃkṛtāḥ
     saṃsaktāḥ pratyadṛśyanta meghā iva sa vidyutaḥ
 33 ke cid bhinnā viṣāṇāgrair bhinnakumbhāś ca tomaraiḥ
     vinadanto 'bhyadhāvanta garjanto jaladā iva
 34 kecid dhastair dvidhā chinnaiś chinnagātrās tathāpare
     nipetus tumule tasmiṃś chinnapakṣā ivādrayaḥ
 35 pārśvais tu dāritair anye vāraṇair varavāraṇāḥ
     mumucuḥ śoṇitaṃ bhūri dhātūn iva mahīdharāḥ
 36 nārācābhihatās tv anye tathā viddhāś ca tomaraiḥ
     hatārohā vyadṛśyanta viśṛṅgā iva parvatāḥ
 37 ke cit krodhasamāviṣṭā madāndhā niravagrahāḥ
     rathān hayān padātāṃś ca mamṛduḥ śataśo raṇe
 38 tathā hayā hayārohais tāḍitāḥ prāsatomaraiḥ
     tena tenābhyavartanta kurvanto vyākulā diśaḥ
 39 rathino rathibhiḥ sārdhaṃ kulaputrās tanutyajaḥ
     parāṃ śaktiṃ samāsthāya cakruḥ karmāṇy abhītavat
 40 svayaṃvara ivāmarde prajahrur itaretaram
     prārthayānāṃ yaśo rājan svargaṃ vā yuddhaśālinaḥ
 41 tasmiṃs tathā vartamāne saṃgrāme lomaharṣaṇe
     dhārtarāṣṭraṃ mahat sainyaṃ prāyaśo vimukhīkṛtam

SECTION LXXXIX

Sanjaya said, "The Pandavas were incapable of even looking at Bhishma excited with rage in battle and scorching every side like the Sun himself shedding scorching heat. Then all the (Pandava) troops, at the command of Dharma's son, rushed at the son of Ganga who was grinding (everything) with his whetted arrows, Bhishma, however, who delighted in battle felled the mightiest of bowmen amongst the Srinjayas and the Panchalas, with his shafts. Though thus slaughtered by Bhishma, the Panchalas along with the Somakas still rushed impetuously at him, forsaking the fear of death. The heroic Bhishma, the son of Santanu, however, in that battle, cut off, O king, the arms and heads of their car-warriors. Thy sire, Devavrata deprived their car-warriors of cars. And the heads of cavalry soldiers on their chargers fell fast. And we beheld, O king, huge elephants looking like hills, deprived of their riders, and paralysed with Bhishma's weapons, lying all around. Amongst the Pandavas, O king, there was no other man save that foremost of car-warriors, the mighty Bhimasena, (who could resist Bhishma). Indeed, Bhima alone, approaching Bhishma, encountered him in battle. Then in that encounter between Bhima and Bhishma, a fierce and terrible uproar arose among all the troops (of the Kauravas). The Pandavas then, filled with joy, uttered leonine shouts. During that destructive carnage, king Duryodhana, surrounded by his uterine brothers, protected Bhishma in that battle. Then that foremost of car-warriors, viz., Bhima, slew Bhishma's charioteer. Thereupon the steeds no longer controlled, ran away from the field with car. Then that slayer of foes, viz., Bhima with a sharp arrow having a horse-shoe head, cut off the head of Sunabha. (Thus) slain, the latter fell down on the
p. 220
earth. When that son of thine, that mighty car-warrior and great bowman was slain, seven of his heroic brothers, O sire, could not (quietly) bear (that act). These, viz., Adityaketu and Vahvasin, and Kundadhara and Mahodara, and Aparajita, and Panditaka and the invincible Visalaksha, clad in variegated armour and with their beautiful coats of mail and weapons,--these grinders of foes desirous of battle,--rushed against the son of Pandu. And Mahodara, in that battle, pierced Bhimasena with nine winged arrows, each resembling the thunder-bolt in force, like the slayer of Vritra striking (the great Asura) Namuchi. And Adityaketu struck him with seventy shafts, and Vishnu with five. And Kundadhara struck him with ninety shafts, and Visalaksha with seven. And that conqueror of foes, the mighty car-warrior Aparajita, O king, struck Bhimasena of great strength with many arrows. And Panditaka also, in battle, pierced him with three arrows. Bhima, however, did not (quietly) bear these attacks of his foes in battle. Forcibly grasping the bow with his left hand, that grinder of foes cut off, in that battle, the head, with a straight shaft, of thy son Aparajita, graced with a fine nose. Thus vanquished by Bhima, his head then dropped on the ground. Then, in the very sight of all the troops, Bhima despatched, with another broad-headed arrow, the mighty car-warrior Kundadhara to the domain of Death. Then that hero of immeasurable soul, once more aiming an arrow, sped it, O Bharata, at Panditaka in that battle. And the arrow killing Panditaka, entered the earth, like a snake impelled by Death quickly entering the earth after despatching the person (whose hour had come). Of undepressed soul, that hero then, O king, recollecting his former woes, felled Visalaksha's head, cutting it off with three arrows. Then Bhima, in that battle, struck the mighty bowman Mahodara in the centre of the chest with a long shaft. Slain (therewith), O king, the latter fell down on the earth. Then, O Bharata, cutting off with an arrow the umbrella of Adityaketu in that battle, he severed his head with another broad-headed shaft of exceeding sharpness. Then, O monarch, excited with rage, Bhima, with another straight shaft, despatched Vahvasin towards the abode of Yama. Then thy other sons, O king, all fled away regarding the words to be true which Bhima had uttered in the (midst of the Kaurava) assembly. 1 Then king Duryodhana afflicted with sorrow on account of his brothers, addressed all his troops, saying, 'There is Bhima. Let him be slain.' Thus, O king, thy sons, those mighty bowmen, beholding their brothers slain, recollected those words beneficial and peaceful, that Vidura of great wisdom had spoken. Indeed, those words of the truthful Vidura are now being realised,--those beneficial words, O king, which, influenced by covetousness and folly as also by affection for thy sons, thou couldst not then understand. From the way in which that mighty armed hero is slaying the Kauravas, it seemeth that that mighty son of Pandu hath assuredly taken his birth for the destruction of thy sons.
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[paragraph continues] Meanwhile, king Duryodhana, O sire, overwhelmed with great grief, went to Bhishma, and there, overcome with sorrow, he began to lament, saying, 'My heroic brothers have been slain in battle by Bhimasena. Although, again, all our troops are fighting bravely, yet they also are failing. Thou seemest to disregard us, behaving (as thou dost) like an indifferent spectator, Alas, what course have I taken. Behold my evil destiny.'"
Sanjaya continued. "Hearing these cruel words of Duryodhana, thy sire Devavrata with eyes filled with tears, said this unto him. 1 'Even this was said by me before, as also by Drona, and Vidura, and the renowned Gandhari. O son, thou didst not then comprehend it. O grinder of foes, it hath also been before settled by me that neither myself, nor Drona, will ever escape with life from this battle. I tell thee truly that those upon whom Bhima will cast his eyes in battle, he will surely slay. Therefore, O king, summoning all thy patience, and firmly resolved on battle, fight with the sons of Pritha, making heaven thy goal. As regards the Pandavas, they are incapable of being vanquished by the very gods with Vasava (at their head). Therefore, setting thy heart firmly on battle, fight, O Bharata.--'"

Book 6
Chapter 90

1 [s]
      svasainyaṃ nihataṃ dṛṣṭvā rājā duryodhanaḥ svayam
      abhyadhāvata saṃkruddho bhīmasenam ariṃdamam
  2 pragṛhya sumahac cāpam indrāśanisamasvanam
      mahatā śaravarṣeṇa pāṇḍavaṃ samavākirat
  3 ardhacandraṃ ca saṃdhāya sutīkṣṇaṃ lomavāhinam
      bhīmasenasya ciccheda cāpaṃ krodhasamanvitaḥ
  4 tadantaraṃ ca saṃprekṣya tvaramāṇo mahārathaḥ
      saṃdadhe niśitaṃ bāṇaṃ girīṇām api dāraṇam
      tenorasi mahābāhur bhīmasenam atāḍayat
  5 sa gāḍhaviddho vyathitaḥ sṛkkiṇī parisaṃlihan
      samālalambe tejasvī dhvajaṃ hemapariṣkṛtam
  6 tathā vimanasaṃ dṛṣṭvā bhīmasenaṃ ghaṭotkacaḥ
      krodhenābhiprajajvāla didhakṣann iva pāvakaḥ
  7 abhimanyumukhāś caiva pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathāḥ
      samabhyadhāvan krośanto rājānaṃ jātasaṃbhramāḥ
  8 saṃprekṣya tān āpatataḥ saṃkruddhāñ jātasaṃbhramān
      bhāradvājo 'bravīd vākyaṃ tāvakānāṃ mahārathān
  9 kṣipraṃ gacchata bhadraṃ vo rājānaṃ parirakṣata
      saṃśayaṃ paramaṃ prāptaṃ majjantaṃ vyasanārṇave
  10 ete kruddhā maheṣvāsāḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathāḥ
     bhīmasenaṃ puraskṛtya duryodhanam upadrutāḥ
 11 nānāvidhāni śastrāṇi visṛjanto jaye ratāḥ
     nadanto bhairavān nādāṃs trāsayantaś ca bhūm imām
 12 tad ācārya vacaḥ śrutvā somadatta purogamāḥ
     tāvakāḥ samavartanta pāṇḍavānām anīkinīm
 13 kṛpo bhūri śvarāḥ śalyo droṇaputro viviṃśatiḥ
     citraseno vikarṇaś ca saindhavo 'tha bṛhadbalaḥ
     āvantyau ca maheṣvāsau kauravaṃ paryavārayan
 14 te viṃśatipadaṃ gatvā saṃprahāraṃ pracakrire
     pāṇḍavā dhārtarāṣṭrāś ca parasparajighāṃsavaḥ
 15 evam uktvā mahābāhur mahad visphārya kārmukam
     bhāradbājas tato bhīmaṃ ṣaḍviṃśatyā samārpayat
 16 bhūyaś cainaṃ mahābāhuḥ śaraiḥ śīghram avākirat
     parvataṃ vāridhārābhiḥ śaradīva balāhakaḥ
 17 taṃ patyavidhyad daśabhir bhīmasenaḥ śilīmukhaiḥ
     tvaramāṇo maheṣvāsaḥ savye pārśve mahābalaḥ
 18 sa gāḍhaviddho vyathito vayovṛddhaś ca bhārata
     pranaṣṭasaṃjñaḥ sahasā rathopastha upāviśat
 19 guruṃ pravyathitaṃ dṛṣṭvā rājā duryodhanaḥ svayam
     drauṇāyaniś ca saṃkruddhau bhīmasenam abhidrutau
 20 tāv āpatantau saṃprekṣya kālāntakayamopamau
     bhīmaseno mahābāhur gadām ādāya sa tvaraḥ
 21 avaplutya rathāt tūrṇaṃ tasthau girir ivācalaḥ
     samudyamya gadāṃ gurvīṃ yamadaṇḍopamāṃ raṇe
 22 tad udyatagadaṃ dṛṣṭvā kailāsam iva śṛṅgiṇam
     kauravo droṇaputraś ca sahitāv abhyadhāvatām
 23 tāv āpatantau sahitau tvaritau balināṃ varau
     abhyadhāvata vegena tvaramāṇo vṛkodaraḥ
 24 tam āpatantaṃ saṃprekṣya saṃkruddhaṃ bhīmadarśanam
     samabhyadhāvaṃs tvaritāḥ kauravāṇāṃ mahārathāḥ
 25 bhāradvāja mukhāḥ sarve bhīmasenajighāṃsayā
     nānāvidhāni śastrāṇi bhīmasyorasy apātayan
     sahitāḥ pāṇḍavaṃ sarve pīḍayantaḥ samantataḥ
 26 taṃ dṛṣṭvā saṃśayaṃ prāptaṃ pīḍyamānaṃ mahāratham
     abhimanyuprabhṛtayaḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathāḥ
     abhyadhāvan parīpsantaḥ prāṇāṃs tyaktvā sudustyajān
 27 anūpādhipatiḥ śūro bhīmasya dayitaḥ sakhā
     nīlo nīlāmbudaprakhyaḥ saṃkruddho drauṇim abhyayāt
     spardhate hi maheṣvāso nityaṃ droṇasutena yaḥ
 28 sa visphārya mahac cāpaṃ drauṇiṃ vivyādha patriṇā
     yathā śakro mahārāja purā vivyādha dānavam
 29 vipracittiṃ durādharṣaṃ devatānāṃ bhayaṃ kakam
     yena lokatrayaṃ krodhāt trāsitaṃ svena tejasā
 30 tathā nīlena nirbhinnaḥ sumukhena patatriṇā
     saṃjātarudhirotpīḍo drauṇiḥ krodhasamanvitaḥ
 31 sa visphārya dhanuś citram indrāśanisamasvanam
     dadhre nīlavināśāya matiṃ matimatāṃ varaḥ
 32 tataḥ saṃdhāya vimalān bhallān karmārapāyitān
     jaghāna caturo vāhān pātayām āsa ca dhvajam
 33 saptamena ca bhallena nīlaṃ vivyādha vakṣasi
     sa gāḍhaviddho vyathito rathopastha upāviśat
 34 mohitaṃ vīkṣya rājānaṃ nīlam abhracayopamam
     ghaṭotkaco 'pi saṃkruddho bhrātṛbhiḥ parivāritaḥ
 35 abhidudrāva vegena drauṇim āhavaśobhinam
     tathetare abhyadhāvan rākṣaso yuddhadurmadāḥ
 36 tam āpatantaṃ saṃprekṣya rākṣasaṃ ghoradarśanam
     abhyadhāvata tejasvī bhāradvājātmajas tvaran
 37 nijaghāna ca saṃkruddho rākṣasān bhīmadarśanān
     yo 'bhavann agrataḥ kruddhā rākṣasasya puraḥsarāḥ
 38 vimukhāṃś caiva tān dṛṣṭvā drauṇicāpacyutaiḥ śaraiḥ
     akrudhyata mahākāyo bhaimasenir ghaṭotkacaḥ
 39 prāduścakre mahāmāyāṃ ghorarūpāṃ sudāruṇām
     mohayan samare drauṇiṃ māyāvī rākṣasādhipaḥ
 40 tatas te tāvakāḥ sarve māyayā vimukhīkṛtāḥ
     anyonyaṃ samapaśyanta nikṛttān medinī tale
     viceṣṭamānān kṛpaṇāñ śoṇitena samukṣitān
 41 droṇaṃ duryodhanaṃ śalyam aśvatthāmānam eva ca
     prāyaśaś ca maheṣvāsā ye pradhānāś ca kauravāḥ
 42 vidhvastā rathinaḥ sarve gajāś ca vinipātitāḥ
     hayāś ca sahayārohā vinikṛttāḥ sahasraśaḥ
 43 tad dṛṣṭvā tāvakaṃ sainyaṃ vidrutaṃ śibiraṃ prati
     mama prākrośato rājaṃs tathā devavratasya ca
 44 yudhyadhvaṃ mā palāyadhvaṃ māyaiṣā rākṣasī raṇe
     ghaṭotkaca prayukteti nātiṣṭhanta vimohitāḥ
     naiva te śraddadhur bhītā vadator āvayor vacaḥ
 45 tāṃś ca pradravato dṛṣṭvā jayaṃ prāptāṃś ca pāṇḍavāḥ
     ghaṭotkacena sahitāḥ siṃhanādān pracakrire
     śaṅkhadundubhighoṣāś ca samantāt sasvanur bhṛśam
 46 evaṃ tava balaṃ sarvaṃ haiḍimbena durātmanā
     sūryāstamaya velāyāṃ prabhagnaṃ vidrutaṃ diśaḥ

SECTION XC

Dhritarashtra said, "Beholding my sons, so many in number, O Sanjaya, slain by a single person, what did Bhishma and Drona and Kripa do in battle? 2 Day after day, O Sanjaya, my sons are being slain. I think, O Suta, that they are completely overtaken by evil destiny, inasmuch as my sons never conquer but are always vanquished. When my sons staying in the midst of those unretreating heroes, viz., Drona and Bhishma, and the high-souled Kripa, and Somadatta's heroic son and Bhagadatta, and Aswatthaman also, O son, and other brave warriors, are being still slain in battle, what can it be said save the result of fate? 3 The wicked Duryodhana did not comprehend (our) words before, though admonished by me, O son, and by Bhishma and Vidura. (Though forbidden) always by Gandhari, too, from motives of doing him good, Duryodhana of wicked understanding awoke not before from folly. 4 That (conduct) hath now borne
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fruit, inasmuch as Bhimasena, excited with wrath, despatcheth, day after day in battle, my insensate sons to the abode of Yama."
Sanjaya said, "Those excellent words of Vidura, uttered for thy good, but which thou didst not then understand, have now come to be realised. Vidura had said, 'Restrain thy sons from the dice.' Like a man whose hour is come refusing the proper medicine, thou didst not then listen to the words of well-wishing friends counselling thee (for thy good). Those words uttered by the righteous have now been realised before thee. Indeed, the Kauravas are now being destroyed for having rejected those words, deserving of acceptance, of Vidura and Drona and Bhishma and thy other well-wishers. These very consequences happened even then when thou declinedst to listen to those counsels. Hear now, however, to my narration of the battle exactly as it has happened. 1 At midday the battle became exceedingly awful and fraught with great carnage. Listen to me, O king, as I describe it. Then all the troops (of the Pandava army), excited with rage, rushed, at the command of Dharma's son, against Bhishma alone from desire of slaying him. Dhrishtadyumna and Sikhandin, and the mighty car-warrior Satyaki, accompanied, O king, by their forces, proceeded against Bhishma alone. And those mighty car-warriors, viz., Virata and Drupada, with all the Somakas, rushed in battle against Bhishma alone. And the Kaikeyas, and Dhrishtaketu, and Kuntibhoja, equipped in mail and supported by their forces, rushed, O king, against Bhishma alone. And Arjuna, and the sons of Draupadi, and Chekitana of great prowess, proceeded against all the kings under the command of Duryodhana. And the heroic Abhimanyu, and that mighty car-warrior, viz., the son of Hidimva, and Bhimasena excited with wrath, rushed against the (other) Kauravas. (Thus) the Pandavas, divided into three bodies began to slaughter the Kauravas. And similarly the Kauravas also, O king, began to slaughter their foes. 2 That foremost of car-warriors, viz., Drona excited with wrath, rushed against the Somakas and the Srinjayas, desirous of sending them to the abode of Yama. Thereupon loud cries of woe arose among the brave Srinjayas while they were being slaughtered. O king, by Bharadwaja's son bow in hand. Large numbers of Kshatriyas, struck down by Drona, were seen to all convulsing like persons writhing in the agony of disease. All over the field were continuously heard moans and shrieks and groans resembling those of persons afflicted with hunger. And so the mighty Bhimasena, excited with wrath, and like unto a second Yama, caused a terrible carnage amongst the Kaurava troops. There in that dreadful battle, in consequence of the warriors slaying one another, a terrible river began to flow whose billowy current consisted of blood. 3 And that battle, O king, between the
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[paragraph continues] Kurus and the Pandavas, becoming fierce and awful, began to swell the population of Yama's kingdom. Then in that battle Bhima excited with wrath, fell with great impetuosity upon the elephant division (of the Kauravas) and began to send many to the regions of Death. Then, O Bharata, struck with Bhima's shafts, some of those beasts fell down, some were paralysed, some shrieked (in pain), and some ran away in all directions. Huge elephants, their trunks cut off and limbs mangled, screaming like cranes, began, O king, to fall down on the earth. Nakula and Sahadeva fell upon the (Kaurava) cavalry. Many steeds with garlands of gold on their heads and with their necks and breasts adorned with ornaments of gold, were seen to be slain in hundreds and thousands. The earth, O king, was strewn with fallen steeds. And some were deprived of their tongues; and some breathed hard; and some uttered low moans, and some were void of life. The earth looked beautiful, O chief of men, with those steeds of such diverse kinds. At the same time, O Bharata, she looked fiercely resplendent, O monarch, with a large number of kings slain by Arjuna in that battle. And strewn with broken cars and rent banners and brilliant umbrellas, with torn chamaras and fans, and mighty weapons broken into fragments, with garlands and necklaces of gold, with bracelets, with heads decked with ear-rings, with head-gears loosened (from off heads), with standards, with beautiful bottoms of cars, O king, and with traces and reins, the earth shone as brightly as she does in spring when strewn with flowers. And it was thus, O Bharata, that the Pandava host suffered destruction when Bhishma the son of Santanu, and Drona that foremost of car-warriors, and Aswatthaman, and Kripa, and Kritavarman, were inflamed with wrath. And similarly thy army also suffered the same kind of destruction when the other side, viz., the Pandava heroes were excited with rage."

Book 6
Chapter 91

 1 [s]
      tasmin mahati saṃkrande rājā duryodhanas tadā
      gāṅgeyam upasaṃgamya vinayenābhivādya ca
  2 tasya sarvaṃ yathāvṛttam ākhyātum upacakrame
      ghaṭotkacasya vijayam ātmanaś ca parājayam
  3 akthayām āsa durdharṣo viniḥśvasya punaḥ punaḥ
      abravīc ca tadā rājan bhīṣmaṃ kurupitāmaham
  4 bhavantaṃ samupāśritya vāsudevaṃ yathā paraiḥ
      pāṇḍavair vigraho ghoraḥ samārabdho mayā prabho
  5 ekādaśa samākhyātā akṣauhiṇyaś ca yā mama
      nideśe tava tiṣṭhanti mayā sārdhaṃ paraṃtapa
  6 so 'haṃ bharataśārdūla bhīmasenapurogamaiḥ
      ghaṭotkacaṃ samāśritya pāṇḍavair yudhi nirjitaḥ
  7 tan me dahati gātrāṇi śuṣkavṛkṣam ivānalaḥ
      tad icchāmi mahābhāga tvatprasādāt paraṃtapa
  8 rākṣasāpasadaṃ hantuṃ svayam eva pitāmaha
      tvāṃ samāśritya durdharṣaṃ tan me kartuṃ tvam arhasi
  9 etac chrutvā tu vacanaṃ rājño bharatasattama
      duryodhanam idaṃ vākyaṃ bhīṣmaḥ śāṃtanavo 'bravīt
  10 śṛṇu rājan mama vaco yat tvā vakṣyāmi kaurava
     yathā tvayā mahārāja vartitavyaṃ paraṃtapa
 11 ātmā rakṣyo raṇe tātaḥ sarvāvasthāsv ariṃdamam
     dharmarājena saṃgrāmas tvayā kāryaḥ sadānagha
 12 arjunena yamābhyāṃ vā bhīmasenena vā punaḥ
     rājadharmaṃ puraskṛtya rājā rājānam ṛcchati
 13 ahaṃ droṇaḥ kṛpo drauṇiḥ kṛtavarmā ca sātvataḥ
     śalyaś ca saumadattiś ca vikarṇaś ca mahārathaḥ
 14 tava ca bhrātaraḥ śūrā duḥśāsana purogamāḥ
     tvadarthaṃ pratiyotsyāmo rākṣasaṃ taṃ mahābalam
 15 tasmin raudre rākṣasendre yadi te hṛcchayo mahān
     ayaṃ vā gacchatu raṇe tasya yuddhāya durmateḥ
     bhagadatto mahīpālaḥ puraṃdarasamo yudhi
 16 etāvad uktvā rājānaṃ bhagadattam athābravīt
     samakṣaṃ pārthivendrasya vākyaṃ vākyaviśāradaḥ
 17 gaccha śīghraṃ mahārāja haiḍimbaṃ yuddhadurmadam
     vārayasva raṇe yatto miṣatāṃ sarvadhanvinām
     rākṣasaṃ krūrakarmāṇaṃ yathendras tārakaṃ purā
 18 tava divyāni cāstrāṇi vikramaś ca paraṃtapa
     samāgamaś ca bahubhiḥ purābhūd asuraiḥ saha
 19 tvaṃ tasya rājaśārdūla pratiyoddhā mahāhave
     svabalena vṛto rājañ jahi rākṣasapuṃgavam
 20 etac chrutvā tu vacanaṃ bhīṣmasya pṛtanā pateḥ
     prayayau siṃhanādena parān abhimukho drutam
 21 tam ādravantaṃ saṃprekṣya garjantam iva toyadam
     abhyavartanta saṃkruddhāḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathāḥ
 22 bhimaseno 'bhimanyuś ca rākṣasaś ca ghaṭotkacaḥ
     draupadeyāḥ satyadhṛtiḥ kṣatradevaś ca māriṣa
 23 cedipo vasu dānaś ca daśārṇādhipatis tathā
     supratīkena tāṃś cāpi bhagadatto 'py upādravat
 24 tataḥ samabhavad yuddhaṃ ghorarūpaṃ bhayānakam
     pāṇḍūnāṃ bhagadattena yama rāṣṭravivardhanam
 25 pramuktā rathibhir bāṇā bhīmavegāḥ sutejanāḥ
     te nipetur mahārāja nāgeṣu ca ratheṣu ca
 26 prabhinnāś ca mahānāgā vinītā hastisādibhiḥ
     parasparaṃ samāsādya saṃnipetur abhītavat
 27 madāndhā roṣasaṃrabdhā viṣāṇāgrair mahāhave
     vibhidur dantamusalaiḥ samāsādya parasparam
 28 hayāś ca cāmarāpīḍāḥ prāsapāṇibhir āsthitāḥ
     coditāḥ sādibhiḥ kṣipraṃ nipetur itaretaram
 29 pādātāś ca padātyoghais tāḍitāḥ śaktitomaraiḥ
     nyapatanta tadā bhūmau śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ
 30 rathinaś ca tathā rājan karṇinālīkasāyakaiḥ
     nihatya samare vīrān siṃhanādān vinedire
 31 tasmiṃs tathā vartamāne saṃgrāme lomaharṣaṇe
     bhagadatto maheṣvāso bhīmasenam athādravat
 32 kuñjareṇa prabhinnena saptadhā sravatā madam
     parvatena yathā toyaṃ sravamāṇena sarvataḥ
 33 kirañ śarasahasrāṇi supratīka śiro gataḥ
     airāvatastho maghavān vāridhārā ivānagha
 34 sa bhīmaṃ śaradhārābhis tāḍayām āsa pārthivaḥ
     parvataṃ vāridhārābhiḥ prāvṛṣīva balāhakaḥ
 35 bhīmasenas tu saṃkruddhaḥ pādarakṣān paraḥśatān
     nijaghāna maheṣvāsaḥ saṃkruddhaḥ śaravṛṣṭibhiḥ
 36 tān dṛṣṭvā nihatān kruddho bhagadattaḥ pratāpavān
     codayām āsa nāgendraṃ bhīmasenarathaṃ prati
 37 sa nāgaḥ preṣitas tena bāṇo jyā codito yathā
     abhyadhāvata vegena bhīmasenam ariṃdamam
 38 tam āpatantaṃ saṃkrepṣya pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathāḥ
     abhyavartanta vegena bhīmasenapurogamāḥ
 39 kekayāś cābhimanyuś ca draupadeyāś ca sarvaśaḥ
     daśārṇādhipatiḥ śūraḥ kṣatradevaś ca māriṣa
     cedipaś citraketuś ca saṃkruddhāḥ sarva eva te
 40 uttamāstrāṇi divyāni darśayanto mahābalāḥ
     tam ekaṃ kuñjaraṃ kruddhāḥ samantāt paryavārayan
 41 sa viddho bahubhir bāṇair vyarocata mahādvipaḥ
     saṃjātarudhirotpīḍo dhātucitra ivādrirāṭ
 42 daśārṇādhipatiś cāpi gajaṃ bhūmidharopamam
     samāsthito 'bhidudrāva bhagadattasya vāraṇam
 43 tam āpatantaṃ samare gajaṃ gajapatiḥ sa ca
     dadhāra supratīko 'pi veleva makarālayam
 44 vāritaṃ prekṣya nāgendraṃ daśārṇasya mahātmanaḥ
     sādhu sādhv iti sainyāni pāṇḍaveyāny apūjayan
 45 tataḥ prāg yotiṣaḥ kruddhas tomarān vai caturdaśa
     prāhiṇot tasya nāgasya pramukhe nṛpasattama
 46 tasya varma mukhatrāṇaṃ śātakumbhapariṣkṛtam
     vidārya prāviśan kṣipraṃ valmīkam iva pannagāḥ
 47 sa gāḍhaviddho vyathito nāgo bharatasattama
     upāvṛtta madaḥ kṣipraṃ sa nyavartata vegataḥ
 48 pradudrāva ca vegena praṇadan bhairavaṃ svanam
     sa mardamānaḥ svabalaṃ vāyur vṛkṣān ivaujasā
 49 tasmin parājite nāge pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathāḥ
     siṃhanādaṃ vinadyoccair yuddhāyaivopatasthire
 50 tato bhīmaṃ puraskṛtya bhagadattam upādravan
     kiranto vividhān bāṇāñ śastrāṇi vividhāni ca
 51 teṣām āpatatāṃ rājan saṃkruddhānām amarṣiṇām
     śrutvā sa ninadaṃ ghoram amarṣād gatasādhvasaḥ
     bhagadatto maheṣvāsaḥ svanāgaṃ pratyacodayat
 52 aṅkuśāṅguṣṭha nuditaḥ sa gajapravaro yudhi
     tasmin kṣaṇe samabhavat saṃvartaka ivānalaḥ
 53 rathasaṃghāṃs tathā nāgān hayāṃś ca saha sādibhiḥ
     pādātāṃś ca susaṃkruddhaḥ śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ
     amṛdnāt samare rājan saṃpradhāvaṃs tatas tataḥ
 54 tena saṃloḍyamānaṃ tu pāṇḍūnāṃ tad valaṃ mahat
     saṃcukopa mahārāja carmevāgnau samāhitam
 55 bhagnaṃ tu svabalaṃ dṛṣṭvā bhagadattena dhīmatā
     ghaṭotkaco 'tha saṃkruddho bhagadattam upādravat
 56 vikaṭaḥ puruṣo rājan dīptāsyo dīptalocanaḥ
     rūpaṃ vibhīṣaṇaṃ kṛtvā roṣeṇa prajvalann iva
 57 jagrāha vipulaṃ śūlaṃ girīṇām api dāruṇam
     nāgaṃ jighāṃsuḥ sahasā cikṣepa ca mahābalaḥ
     saviṣphuliṅga jvālābhiḥ samantāt pariveṣṭitam
 58 tam āpatantaṃ sahasā dṛṣṭvā jvālākulaṃ raṇe
     cikṣepa ruciraṃ tīkṣṇam ardhacandraṃ sa pārthivaḥ
     ciccheda sumahac chūlaṃ tena bāṇena vegavat
 59 nipapāta dvidhā chinnaṃ śūlaṃ hemapariṣkṛtam
     mahāśanir yathā bhraṣṭā śakra muktā nabhogatā
 60 śūlaṃ nipatitaṃ dṛṣṭvā dvidhākṛttaṃ sa pārthivaḥ
     rukmadaṇḍāṃ mahāśaktiṃ jagrāhāgniśikhopamām
     cikṣepa tāṃ rākṣasasya tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti cābravīt
 61 tām āpatantīṃ saṃprekṣya viyatsthām aśanīm iva
     utpatya rākṣasat tūrṇaṃ jagrāha ca nanāda ca
 62 babhañja caināṃ tvarito jānuny āropya bhārata
     paśyataḥ pārthivendrasya tad adbhutam ivābhavat
 63 tad avekṣya kṛtaṃ karma rākṣasena balīyasā
     divi devāḥ sa gandharvā munayaś cāpi vismitāḥ
 64 pāṇḍavāś ca maheṣvāsā bhīmasenapurogamāḥ
     sādhu sādhv iti nādena pṛthivīm anunādayan
 65 taṃ tu śrutvā mahānādaṃ prahṛṣṭānāṃ mahātmanām
     nāmṛṣyata maheṣvāso bhagadattaḥ pratāpavān
 66 sa visphārya mahac cāpam indrāśanisamasvanam
     abhidudrāva vegena pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathān
     visṛjan vimalāṃs tīkṣṇān nārācāñ jvalanaprabhān
 67 bhīmam ekena vivyādha rākṣasaṃ navabhiḥ śaraiḥ
     abhimanyuṃ tribhiś caiva kekayān pañcabhis tathā
 68 pūrṇāyatavisṛṣṭena svarṇapuṅkhena patriṇā
     bibheda dakṣiṇaṃ bāhuṃ kṣatradevasya cāhave
     papāta sahasā tasya sa śaraṃ dhanur uttamam
 69 draupadeyāṃs tataḥ pañca pañcabhiḥ samatāḍayat
     bhīmasenasya ca krodhān nijaghāna turaṃgamān
 70 dhvajaṃ kesariṇaṃ cāsya ciccheda viśikhais tribhiḥ
     nirbibheda tribhiś cānyaiḥ sāraithiṃ cāsya patribhiḥ
 71 sa gāḍhaviddho vyathito rathopastha upāviśat
     viśoko bharataśreṣṭha bhagadattena saṃyuge
 72 tato bhīmo mahārāja viratho rathināṃ varaḥ
     gadāṃ pragṛhya vegena pracaskanda mahārathāt
 73 tam udyatagadaṃ dṛṣṭvā sa śṛṅgam iva parvatam
     tāvakānāṃ bhayaṃ ghoraṃ samapadyata bhārata
 74 etasminn eva kāle tu pāṇḍavaḥ kṛṣṇasārathiḥ
     ājagāma mahārāja nighnañ śatrūn sahasraśaḥ
 75 yatra tau puruṣavyāghrau pitā putrau paraṃtapau
     prāgjyotiṣeṇa saṃsaktau bhīmasena ghaṭotkacau
 76 dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavo rājan yudhyamānān mahārathān
     tvarito bharataśreṣṭha tatrāyād vikirañ śarān
 77 tato duryodhano rājā tvaramāṇo mahārathaḥ
     senām acodayat kṣipraṃ rathanāgāśvasaṃkulām
 78 tām āpatantīṃ sahasā kauravāṇāṃ mahācamūm
     abhidudrāva vegena pāṇḍavaḥ śvetavāhanaḥ
 79 bhagadatto 'pi samare tena nāgena bhārata
     vimṛdna pāṇḍava balaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram upādravat
 80 tadāsīt tumulaṃ yuddhaṃ bhagadattasya māriṣa
     pāñcālaiḥ sṛñjayaiś caiva kekayaiś codyatāyudhaiḥ
 81 bhīmaseno 'pi samare tāv ubhau keśavārjunau
     āśrāvayad yathāvṛttam irāvad vadham uttamam

SECTION XCI

Sanjaya said, "During the progress, O king, of that fierce battle fraught with the slaughter of great heroes, Sakuni the glorious son of Suvala, rushed against the Pandavas. And so also, O monarch, Hridika's son of the Satwata race, that slayer of hostile heroes, rushed in that battle against the Pandava ranks. And smiling the while, (several warriors on thy side), with a large number of steeds consisting of the best of the Kamvoja breed as also of those born in the country of the Rivers, and of those belonging to Aratta and Mahi and Sindhu, and of those of Vanayu also that were white in hue, and lastly those of hilly countries, surrounded (the Pandava army). 1
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[paragraph continues] And so also with horses, exceedingly swift, fleet as the very winds, and belonging to the Tittri breed, (others encompassed that army). And with many horses, clad in mail and decked with gold, the foremost of their class and fleet as the winds the mighty son of Arjuna (viz., Iravat), that slayer of foes, approached the (Kaurava) force. This handsome and valiant son of Arjuna, named Iravat, was begotten upon the daughter of the king of the Nagas by the intelligent Partha. Her husband having been slain by Garuda, she became helpless, and of cheerless soul. Childless as she was, she was bestowed (upon Arjuna) by the high-souled Airavat. Partha accepted her for wife, coming to him as she did under the influence of desire. It was thus that that son of Arjuna was begotten upon the wife of another. 1 Abandoned by his wicked uncle from hatred of Partha, he grew up in the region of the Nagas, protected by his mother. And he was handsome and endued with great strength, possessed of diverse accomplishments, and of prowess incapable of being baffled. Hearing that Arjuna had gone to the region of Indra, he speedily went thither. And the mighty-armed Iravat, possessed of prowess incapable of being baffled, approaching his sire, saluted him duly, standing before him with joined hands. And he introduced himself to the high-souled Arjuna, saying, 'I am Iravat. blessed be thou, and I am thy son, O lord'. And he reminded Arjuna of all the circumstances connected with the latter's meeting with his mother. And thereupon the son of Pandu recollected all those circumstances exactly as they happened. Embracing his son then who resembled himself in accomplishments, Partha, in Indra's abode, was filled with joy. The mighty-armed Iravat then, O king, in the celestial regions was, O Bharata, joyfully commanded by Arjuna, with regard to his own business, (in these words), 'When the battle takes place, assistance should be rendered by thee'. Saying 'Yes', O lord, he went away. And now at the time of battle he presented himself. O king, accompanied with a large number of steeds of great fleetness and beautiful colour. And those steeds, decked with ornaments of gold, of various colours and exceeding fleetness, suddenly coursed over the field, O king, like swans on the bosom of the vast deep. And those steeds failing upon thine of exceeding swiftness, struck their chests and noses against those of thine. Afflicted by their own impetuous clash (against thine), they suddenly fell down, O king, on the earth. And in consequence of those steeds as also of thine occasioned by that clash, loud sounds were heard resembling what occurs at Garuda's swoop. And the rider of those steeds, O king, thus dashing against one another in that battle, began to slay one another fiercely. And during that general engagement which was fierce and terrible, the chargers of both sides (escaping from press of battle) ran wildly away over the field. Weakened by one another's shafts, brave warriors, with their horses killed under them, and themselves worn out with exertion, perished fast sabring one another. Then when those cavalry divisions were thinned and a remnant only
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survived, the Younger brothers of Suvala's son, Possessed of great wisdom, rode out, O Bharata (from the Kaurava array) to the van of battle, mounted On excellent charges that resembled the tempest itself in both fleetness and the violence of their dash and that were well-trained and neither old nor young. 1 Those six brothers endued with great strength, viz., Gaya, Gavaksha, Vrishava, Charmavat, Arjava, and Suka dashed out of the mighty (Kaurava) array, supported by Sakuni and by their respective forces of great valour, themselves clad in mail, skilled in battle, fierce in mien, and possessed of exceeding might. Breaking through that invincible cavalry division (of the Pandavas), O thou of mighty arms, those Gandhara warriors who could with difficulty be vanquished, supported by a large force, desirous of heaven, longing for victory, and filled with delight, penetrated into it. Beholding them filled with joy, the valiant Iravat, addressing his own warriors decked with diverse ornaments and weapons, said unto them, 'Adopt such contrivances in consequence of which these Dhritarashtra warriors with their weapons and animals may all be destroyed.' Saying 'Yes', all those warriors of Iravat began to slay those mighty and invincible Dhartarashtra soldiers. Beholding that their own warriors were thus overthrown by Iravat's division, those sons of Suvala being unable to beat it coolly, all rushed at Iravat and surrounded him on all sides. And commanding (all their followers) to attack those of Iravat with lances, those heroes swept over the field, creating a great confusion. And Iravat, pierced with lances by those high-souled warriors, and bathed in blood that trickled down (his wounds), looked like an elephant pierced with the hook. Wounded deeply on the chest, back, and flanks, singly encountering the many, he did not yet, O king, swerve from his (natural) firmness. Indeed, Iravat, excited with rage, deprived all those adversaries of their senses, piercing them, in that battle, with sharp shafts. And that chastiser of foes, tearing those lances from off his body, struck with them the sons of Suvala in battle. Then unsheathing his polished sword and taking a shield, he rushed on foot, desirous of slaying Suvala's sons in that combat. The sons of Suvala, however, recovering their senses, once more rushed at Iravat, excited with wrath. Iravat, however, proud of his might, and displaying his lightness of hand, proceeded towards all of them, armed with his sword. Moving as he did with great activity, the sons of Suvala, although they moved about on their fleet steeds, could not find an opportunity for striking that hero (on foot). Beholding him then on foot, his foes surrounded him closely and wished to take him captive. Then that crusher of foes, seeing them contiguous to himself, struck off, with his sword, both their right and left arms, and mangled their other limbs. Then those arms of theirs adorned with gold, and their weapons, fell down on the earth, and they themselves, with limbs mangled,
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fell down on the field, deprived of life. Only Vrishava, O king, with many wounds on his person, escaped (with life) from that dreadful battle destructive of heroes. Beholding them lying on the field of battle, thy son Duryodhana, excited with wrath said unto that Rakshasa of terrible mien, viz., Rishyasringa's son (Alamvusha), that great bowman versed in illusion, that chastiser of foes, who bore feelings of animosity against Bhimasena in consequence of the slaughter of Vaka, these words: "Behold, O hero, how the mighty son of Phalguni, versed in illusion, hath done me a severe injury by destroying my forces. Thou also, O sire, art capable of going everywhere at will and accomplished in all weapons of illusion. Thou cherishest animosity also for Partha. Therefore, do thou slay this one in battle.' Saying 'Yes', that Rakshasa of terrible mien proceeded with a leonine roar to that spot where the mighty and youthful son of Arjuna was. And he was supported by the heroic warriors of his own division, accomplished in smiting, well-mounted, skilled in battle and fighting with bright lances. Accompanied by the remnant of that excellent cavalry division (of the Kauravas), he proceeded, desirous of slaying in battle the mighty Iravat. That slayer of foes, viz., the valiant Iravat, excited with rage, and advancing speedily from desire of slaying the Rakshasa, began to resist him. Beholding him advance, the mighty Rakshasa speedily set himself about for displaying his powers of illusion. The Rakshasa then created a number of illusive chargers which were riden by terrible Rakshasas armed with spears and axes. Those two thousand accomplished smiters advancing with rage, were however, soon sent to the regions of Yama, (falling in the encounter with Iravat's forces). And when the forces of both perished, both of them, invincible in battle, encountered each other like Vritra and Vasava. Beholding the Rakshasa, who was difficult of being vanquished in battle, advancing towards him, the mighty Iravat, excited with rage, began to check his onset. And when the Rakshasa approached him nearer, Iravat with his sword quickly cut off his bow, as also each of his shafts into five fragments. Seeing his bow cut off, the Rakshasa speedily rose up into the welkin, confounding with his illusion the enraged Iravat. Then Iravat also, difficult of approach, capable of assuming any form at will, and having a knowledge of what are the vital limbs of the body, rising up into the welkin, and confounding with his illusion the Rakshasa began to cut off the latter's limbs in that battle and thus were the limbs of the Rakshasa repeatedly cut into several pieces. 1 (Rakshasa ceases to be italicized at this point for a couple of pages.--JBH) Then the Rakshasa, however, O king, was re-born, assuming a youthful appearance. Illusion is natural with them, and their age and form are both dependent on their will. And the limbs of that Rakshasa, O king, cut into pieces, presented a beautiful sight. Iravat, excited with rage, repeatedly cut that mighty Rakshasa with his sharp axe. 'The brave Rakshasa, thus cut into pieces like a tree by the mighty Iravat, roared fiercely'. And those roars of his became deafening. Mangled with the axe, the Rakshasa began to pour
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forth blood in torrents. Then (Alamvusha), the mighty son of Rishyasringa, beholding his foe blazing forth with energy, became infuriate with rage and himself put forth his prowess in that combat. Assuming a prodigious and fierce form, he endeavoured to seize the heroic son of Arjuna, viz., the renowned Iravat. In the sight of all the combatants there present, beholding that illusion of the wicked Rakshasa in the van of battle, Iravat became inflamed with rage and adopted steps for himself having recourse to illusion. And when that hero, never retreating from battle, became inflamed with wrath, a Naga related to him by his mother's side, came to him. Surrounded on all sides, in that battle by Nagas, that Naga, O king, assumed a huge form mighty as Ananta himself. With diverse kinds of Nagas then he covered the Rakshasa. While being covered by those Nagas, that bull among Rakshasas reflected for a moment, and assuming the form of Garuda, he devoured those snakes. When that Naga of his mother's line was devoured through illusion, Iravat became confounded. And while in that state, the Rakshasa slew him with his sword, Alamvusha felled on the earth Iravat's head decked with ear-rings and graced with a diadem and looking beautiful like a lotus or the moon.
"When the heroic son of Arjuna was thus slain by the Rakshasa, the Dhartarashtra host with all the kings (in it) were freed from grief. In that great battle that was so fierce, awful was the carnage that occurred among both the divisions. Horses and elephants and foot-soldiers entangled with one another, were slain by tuskers. And many steeds and tuskers were slain by foot-soldiers. And in that general engagement bodies of foot-soldiers and cars, and large numbers of horses belonging both to thy army and theirs, were slain. O king, by car-warriors. Meanwhile, Arjuna, not knowing that the son of his loins had been slaughtered, slew in that battle many kings who had been protecting Bhishma. And the warriors, O king, of thy army and the Srinjayas, by thousands, poured out their lives as libations (on the fire of battle), striking one another. And many car-warriors, with dishevelled hair, and with swords and bows fallen from their grasp fought with their bare arms, encountering one another. The mighty Bhishma also, with shafts capable of penetrating into the very vitals, slew many mighty car-warriors and caused the Pandava army to tremble (the while). By him were slain many combatants in Yudhishthira's host, and many tuskers and cavalry-soldiers and car-warriors and steeds. Beholding, O Bharata, the prowess of Bhishma in that battle, it seemed to us that it was equal to that of Sakra himself. And the prowess of Bhimasena, as also that of Parshata, was hardly less, O Bharata, (than that of Bhishma). And so also the battle fought by that great bowman (viz., Satyaki) of Satwata's race, was equally fierce. Beholding, however, the prowess of Drona, the Pandavas were struck with fear. Indeed they thought, 'Alone, Drona can slay us with all our troops. What then should be said of him when he is surrounded by a large body of warriors who for their bravery are renowned over the world? Even this, O king, was what the Partha said, afflicted by Drona. During the progress of that fierce battle, O bull of Bharata's race,
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the brave combatants of neither army forgave their adversaries of the other. O sire, the mighty bowmen of both thy army and that of the Pandavas, inflamed with wrath, fought furiously with one another, as if they were possessed of by the Rakshasas and demons. Indeed, he did not see any one in the battle which was so destructive of lives and which was considered as a battle of the demons, to take of life."

Book 6
Chapter 92

1 [s]
      putraṃ tu nihataṃ śrutvā irāvantaṃ dhanaṃjayaḥ
      duḥkhena mahatāviṣṭo niḥśvasan pannago yathā
  2 abravīt samare rājan vāsudevam idaṃ vacaḥ
      idaṃ nūnaṃ mahāprājño viduro dṛṣṭavān purā
  3 kurūṇāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ ca kṣayaṃ ghoraṃ mahāmatiḥ
      tato nivārayitavān dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ janeśvaram
  4 avadhyā bahavo vīrāḥ saṃgrāme madhusūdana
      nihatāḥ kauravaiḥ saṃkhye tathāsmābhiś ca te hatāḥ
  5 arthahetor naraśreṣṭha kriyate karma kutsitam
      dhig arthān yatkṛte hy evaṃ kriyate jñātisaṃkṣayaḥ
  6 adhanasya mṛtaṃ śreyo na ca jñātivadhād dhanam
      kiṃ nu prāpsyāmahe kṛṣṇa hatvā jñātīn samāgatān
  7 duryodhanāparādhena śakuneḥ saubalasya ca
      kṣatriyā nidhanaṃ yānti karṇa durmantritena ca
  8 idānīṃ ca vijānāmi sukṛtaṃ madhusūdana
      kṛtaṃ rājñā mahābāho yācatā sma suyodhanam
      rājyārdhaṃ pañca vā grāmān nākārṣīt sa ca durmatiḥ
  9 dṛṣṭvā hi kṣatriyāñ śūrāñ śayānān dharaṇītale
      nindāmi bhṛśam ātmānaṃ dhig astu kṣatrajīvikām
  10 aśaktam iti mām ete jñāsyanti kṣatriyā raṇe
     yuddhaṃ mamābhirucitaṃ jñātibhir madhusūdana
 11 saṃcodaya hayān kṣipraṃ dhārtarāṣṭracamūṃ prati
     pratariṣya mahāpāraṃ bhujābhyāṃ samarodadhim
     nāyaṃ klībayituṃ kālo vidyate mādhava kva cit
 12 evam uktas tu pārthena keśavaḥ paravīrahā
     codayām āsa tān aśvān pāṇḍurān vātaraṃhasaḥ
 13 atha śabdo mahān āsīt tava sainyasya bhārata
     mārutoddhūta vegasya sāgarasyeva parvaṇi
 14 aparāhṇe mahārāja saṃgrāmaḥ samapadyata
     parjanyasamanirghoṣo bhīṣmasya saha pāṇḍavaiḥ
 15 tato rājaṃs tava sutā bhīmasenam upādravan
     parivārya raṇe droṇaṃ vasavo vāsavaṃ yathā
 16 tataḥ śāṃtanavo bhīṣmaḥ kṛpaś ca rathināṃ varaḥ
     bhagadattaḥ suśarmā ca dhanaṃjayam upādravan
 17 hārdikyo bāhlikaś caiva sātyakiṃ samabhidrutau
     ambaṣṭhakas tu nṛpatir abhimanyum avārayat
 18 śeṣās tv anye mahārāja śeṣān eva mahārathān
     tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṃ ghorarūpaṃ bhayāvaham
 19 bhīmasenas tu saṃprekṣya putrāṃs tava janeśvara
     prajajvāla raṇe kruddho haviṣā havyavāḍ iva
 20 putrās tu tava kaunteyaṃ chādayāṃ cakrire śaraiḥ
     prāvṛṣīva mahārāja jaladāḥ parvataṃ yathā
 21 sa cchādyamāno bahudhā putrais tava viśāṃ pate
     sṛkkiṇī vilihan vīraḥ śārdūla iva darpitaḥ
 22 vyūḍhoraskaṃ tato bhīmaḥ pātayām āsa pārthiva
     kṣurapreṇa sutīkṣṇena so 'bhavad gatajīvitaḥ
 23 apareṇa tu bhallena pītena niśitena ca
     apātayat kuṇḍalinaṃ siṃhaḥ kṣudramṛgaṃ yathā
 24 tataḥ suniśitān pītān samādatta śilīmukhān
     sa sapta tvarayā yuktaḥ putrāṃs te prāpya māriṣa
 25 preṣitā bhīmasenena śarās te dṛḍhadhanvanā
     apātayanta putrāṃs te rathebhyaḥ sumahārathān
 26 anādhṛṣṭiṃ kuṇḍa bhedaṃ vairāṭaṃ dīrghalocanam
     dīrghabāhuṃ subāhuṃ ca tathaiva kanakadhvajam
 27 prapatanta sma te vīrā virejur bharatarṣabha
     vasante puṣpaśabalāś cūtāḥ prapatitā iva
 28 tataḥ pradudruvuḥ śeṣāḥ putrās tava viśāṃ pate
     taṃ kālam iva manyanto bhīmasenaṃ mahābalam
 29 droṇas tu samare vīraṃ nirdahantaṃ sutāṃs tava
     yathādriṃ vāridhārābhiḥ samantād vyakirac charaiḥ
 30 tatrādbhutam apaśyāma kuntīputrasya pauruṣam
     droṇena vāryamāṇo 'pi nijaghne yat sutāṃs tava
 31 yathā hi govṛṣo varṣaṃ saṃdhārayati khāt patat
     bhīmas tathā droṇa muktaṃ śaravarṣam adīdharat
 32 adbhutaṃ ca mahārāja tatra cakre vṛkodaraḥ
     yat putrāṃs te 'vadhīt saṃkhye droṇaṃ caiva nyayodhayat
 33 putreṣu tava vīreṣu cikrīḍārjuna pūrvajaḥ
     mṛgeṣv iva mahārāja caran vyāghro mahābalaḥ
 34 yathā vā paśumadhyastho drāvayeta paśūn vṛkaḥ
     vṛkodaras tava sutāṃs tathā vyadrāvayad raṇe
 35 gāṅgeyo bhagadattaś ca gautamaś ca mahārathaḥ
     pāṇḍavaṃ rabhasaṃ yuddhe vārayām āsur arjunam
 36 astrair astrāṇi saṃvārya teṣāṃ so 'tiratho raṇe
     pravīrāṃs tava sainyeṣu preṣayām āsa mṛtyave
 37 abhimanyuś ca rājānam ambaṣṭhaṃ lokaviśrutam
     virathaṃ rathināṃ śreṣṭhaṃ kārayām āsa sāyakaiḥ
 38 viratho vadhyamānaḥ sa saubhadreṇa yaśasvinā
     avaplutya rathāt tūrṇaṃ savrīḍo manujādhipaḥ
 39 asiṃ cikṣepa samare saubhadrasya mahātmanaḥ
     āruroha rathaṃ caiva hārdikyasya mahātmanaḥ
 40 āpatantaṃ tu nistriṃśaṃ yuddhamārga viśāradaḥ
     lāghavād vyaṃsayām āsa saubhadraḥ paravīrahā
 41 vyaṃsitaṃ vīkṣya nistriṃśaṃ saubhadreṇa raṇe tadā
     sādhu sādhv iti sainyānāṃ praṇādo 'bhūd viśāṃ pate
 42 dhṛṣṭadyumnamukhās tv anye tava sainyam ayodhayan
     tathaiva tāvakāḥ sarve pāṇḍusainyam ayodhayan
 43 tatrākrando mahān āsīt tava teṣāṃ ca bhārata
     nighnatāṃ bhṛśam anyonyaṃ kurvatāṃ karma duṣkaram
 44 anyonyaṃ hi raṇe śūrāḥ keśeṣv ākṣipya māriṣa
     nakhair dantair ayudhyanta muṣṭibhir jānubhis tathā
 45 bāhubhiś ca talaiś caiva nistriṃśaiś ca susaṃśitaiḥ
     vivaraṃ prāpya cānyonyam anayan yamasādanam
 46 nyahanac ca pitā putraṃ putraś ca pitaraṃ raṇe
     vyākulīkṛtasaṃkalpā yuyudhus tatra mānavāḥ
 47 raṇe cārūṇi cāpāni hemapṛṣṭhāni bhārata
     hatānām apaviddhāni kalāpāś ca mahādhanāḥ
 48 jātarūpamayaiḥ puṅkhai rājataiś ca śitāḥ śarāḥ
     tailadhautā vyarājanta nirmuktabhujagopamāḥ
 49 hastidanta tsarūn khaḍgāñ jātarūpapariṣkṛtān
     carmāṇi cāpaviddhāni rukmapṛṣṭhāni dhanvinām
 50 suvarṇavikṛtaprāsān paṭṭiśān hemabhūṣitān
     jātarūpamayāś carṣṭīḥ śaktyaś ca kanakojjvalāḥ
 51 apakṛttāś ca patitā musalāni gurūṇi ca
     parighān paṭṭiśāṃś caiva bhiṇḍipālāṃś ca māriṣa
 52 patitāṃs tomarāṃś cāpi citrā hemapariṣkṛtāḥ
     kuthāś ca bahudhākārāś cāmaravyajanāni ca
 53 nānāvidhāni śastrāṇi visṛjya patitā narāḥ
     jīvanta iva dṛśyante gatasattvā mahārathāḥ
 54 gadā vimathitair gātrair musalair bhinnamastakāḥ
     gajavājirathakṣuṇṇāḥ śerate sma narāḥ kṣitau
 55 tathaivāśvanṛnāgānāṃ śarīrair ābabhau tadā
     saṃchannā vasudhā rājan parvatair iva sarvataḥ
 56 samare patitaiś caiva śaktyṛṣṭi śaratomaraiḥ
     nistriṃśaiḥ paṭṭiśaiḥ prāsair ayaḥ kuntaiḥ paraśvadhaiḥ
 57 parighair bhiṇḍipālaiś ca śataghnībhis tathaiva ca
     śarīraiḥ śastrabhinnaiś ca samāstīryata medinī
 58 niḥśabdair alpaśabdaiś ca śoṇitaughapariplutaiḥ
     gatāsubhir amitraghna vibabhau saṃvṛtā mahī
 59 sa talatraiḥ sa keyūrair bāhubhiś candanokṣitaiḥ
     hastihastopamaiś chinnair ūrubhiś ca tarasvinām
 60 baddhacūḍā maṇidharaiḥ śirobhiś ca sakuṇḍalaiḥ
     patitair vṛṣabhākṣāṇāṃ babhau bhārata medinī
 61 kavacaiḥ śoṇitādigdhair viprakīrṇaiś ca kāñcanaiḥ
     rarāja subhṛśaṃ bhūmiḥ śāntārcibhir ivānalaiḥ
 62 vipraviddhaiḥ kalāpaiś ca patitaiś ca śarāsanaiḥ
     viprakīrṇaiḥ śaraiś cāpi rukmapuṅkhaiḥ samantataḥ
 63 rathaiś ca bahubhir bhagnaiḥ kiṅkiṇījālamālibhiḥ
     vājibhiś ca hataiḥ kīrṇaiḥ srastajihvaiḥ sa śoṇitaiḥ
 64 anukarṣaiḥ patākābhir upāsaṅgair dhvajair api
     pravīrāṇāṃ mahāśaṅkhair viprakīrṇaiś ca pāṇḍuraiḥ
 65 srastahastaiś ca mātaṅgaiḥ śayānair vibabhau mahī
     nānārūpair alaṃkāraiḥ pramadevābhyalaṃkṛtā
 66 dantibhiś cāparais tatra sa prāsair gāḍhavedanaiḥ
     karaiḥ śabdaṃ vimuñcadbhiḥ śīkaraṃ ca muhur muhuḥ
     vibabhau tad raṇasthānaṃ dhamyamānair ivācalaiḥ
 67 nānā rāgaiḥ kambalaiś ca paristomaiś ca dantinām
     vaiḍūya maṇidaṇḍaiś ca patitair aṅkuśaiḥ śubhaiḥ
 68 ghaṇṭābhiś ca gajendrāṇāṃ patitābhiḥ samantataḥ
     vighāṭita vicitrābhiḥ kuthābhī rāṅkavais tathā
 69 graiveyaiś citrarūpaiś ca rukmakakṣyābhir eva ca
     yantraiś ca bahudhā chinnais tomaraiś ca sa kampanaiḥ
 70 aśvānāṃ reṇukapilai rukmac channair uraś chadaiḥ
     sādināṃ ca bhujaiś chinnaiḥ patitaiḥ sāṅgadais tathā
 71 prāsaiś ca vimalais tīkṣṇair vimalābhis tatharṣṭibhiḥ
     uṣṇīṣaiś ca tathā chinnaiḥ praviddhaiś ca tatas tataḥ
 72 vicitrair ardhacandraiś ca jātarūpapariṣkṛtaiḥ
     aśvāstara paristomai rāṅkavair mṛditais tathā
 73 narendra cūḍāmaṇibhir vicitraiś ca mahādhanaiḥ
     chatrais tathāpaviddhaiś ca cāmaravyajanair api
 74 padmendu dyutibhiś caiva vadanaiś cārukuṇḍalaiḥ
     kḷpta śmaśrubhir atyarthaṃ vīrāṇāṃ samalaṃkṛtaiḥ
 75 apaviddhair mahārāja suvarṇojjvala kuṇḍalaiḥ
     grahanakṣatraśabalā dyaur ivāsīd vasuṃdharāḥ
 76 evam ete mahāsene mṛdite tatra bhārata
     parasparaṃ samāsādya tava teṣāṃ ca saṃyuge
 77 teṣu śrānteṣu bhagneṣu mṛditeṣu ca bhārata
     rātriḥ samabhavad ghorā nāpaśyāma tato raṇam
 78 tato 'vahāraṃ sainyānāṃ pracakruḥ kurupāṇḍavāḥ
     ghore niśāmukhe raudre vartamāne sudāruṇe
 79 avahāraṃ tataḥ kṛtvā sahitāḥ kurupāṇḍavāḥ
     nyaviśanta yathākālaṃ gatvā svaśibiraṃ tadā

SECTION XCII

Dhritarashtra said, "Tell me, O Sanjaya, all that the mighty Partha did in battle when they heard that Iravat had been slain."
Sanjaya said, "Beholding Iravat slain in battle, the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha, the son of Bhimasena, uttered loud shouts. And in consequence of the loudness of those roars, the earth having the ocean for her robes, along with her mountains and forests, began to tremble violently. And the welkin also and the quarters both cardinal and subsidiary, all trembled. And hearing those loud roars of his, O Bharata, the thighs and other limbs of the troops began to tremble, and sweat also appeared on their persons. And all thy combatants, O king, became cheerless of heart. And all over the field the warriors stood still, like an elephant afraid of the lion. And the Rakshasa, uttering those loud roars resembling the rattle of thunder, assuming a terrible form, and with a blazing spear upraised in hand, and surrounded by many bulls among Rakshasas of fierce forms armed with diverse weapons, advanced, excited with rage and resembling the Destroyer himself at the end of the Yuga. Beholding him advance in wrath and with a terrible countenance, and seeing also his own troops almost all running away from fear of that Rakshasa, king Duryodhana rushed against Ghatotkacha, taking up his bow with arrow fixed on the string, and repeatedly roaring like a lion. Behind him proceeded the ruler of the Vangas, with ten thousand elephants, huge as hills, and each with juice trickling down. Beholding thy son, O king, (thus) advancing surrounded by that elephant division, that ranger of the night (viz., Ghatotkacha) was highly inflamed with rage. Then commenced a battle with utmost vehemences that made the hair stand on end, between the formidable Rakshasa and the troops of Duryodhana. And beholding also that elephant division risen (on the horizon) like a cloud, the Rakshasas, inflamed with rage, rushed towards it, weapons in hand, and uttering diverse roars like clouds charged with lightning. With arrows and darts and swords and long shafts, as also with spears and mallets and battle-axes and short arrows, they began to smite down that elephant host. And they slew huge elephants with mountain-summits and large trees. While the Rakshasas slew those elephants, O king, we saw that some of them had their frontal globes smashed, some
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were bathed in blood, and some had their limbs broken or cut through. At last when that elephant host was broken and thinned, Duryodhana, O king, rushed upon the Rakshasas, under the influence of rage and becoming reckless of his very life. And that mighty warrior sped clouds of sharp shafts at the Rakshasas. And that great bowman slew many of their foremost warriors. Inflamed with rage, O chief of the Bharatas, that mighty car-warrior, viz., thy son Duryodhana, then slew with four shafts four of the principal Rakshasas, viz., Vegavat, Maharudra, Vidyujihva, and Pramathin. And once again, O chief of the Bharatas, that warrior of immeasurable soul, sped at the Rakshasa host showers of arrows that could with difficulty be resisted. Beholding that great feat of thy son, O sire, the mighty son of Bhimasena blazed up with wrath. Drawing his large bow effulgent as the lightning, he rushed impetuously at the wrathful Duryodhana. Beholding him (thus) rushing like Death himself commissioned by the Destroyer, thy son Duryodhana, O king, shook not at all. With eyes red in anger, and excited with rage, Ghatotkacha, then, addressing thy son, said, 'I shall today be freed from the debt I owe to my sires, as also to my mother, they that had so long been exiled by thy cruel self. The sons of Pandu, O king, were vanquished by thee in that match at dice. Drupada's daughter Krishna also, while ill and, therefore, clad in a single raiment, was brought into the assembly and great trouble was given by thee in diverse ways, O thou most wicked, unto her. While dwelling also in her sylvan retreat, thy well-wisher, that wicked wight, viz., the ruler of the Sindhus, persecuted her further, disregarding my sires. For these and other wrongs, O wretch of thy race, I shall today take vengeance if thou dost not quit the field.' Having said these words, Hidimva's son, drawing his gigantic bow, biting his (nether) lip with his teeth, and licking the corners of his mouth, covered Duryodhana with a profuse shower, like a mass of clouds covering the mountain-breast with torrents of rain in the rainy season."

Book 6
Chapter 93

1 [s]
      tato duryodhano rājā śakuniś cāpi saubalaḥ
      duḥśāsanaś ca putras te sūtaputraś ca durjayaḥ
  2 samāgamya mahārāja mantraṃ cakrūr vivakṣitam
      kathaṃ pāṇḍusutā yuddhe jetavyāḥ sagaṇā iti
  3 tato duryodhano rājā sarvāṃs tān āha mantriṇaḥ
      sūtaputraṃ samābhāṣya saubalaṃ ca mahābalam
  4 droṇo bhīṣmaḥ kṛpaḥ śalyaḥ saumadattiś ca saṃyuge
      na pārthān pratibādhante na jāne tatra kāraṇam
  5 avadhyamānās te cāpi kṣapayanti balaṃ mama
      so 'smi kṣīṇabalaḥ karṇa kṣīṇaśastraś ca saṃyuge
  6 nikṛtaḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ śūrair avadhyair daivatair api
      so 'haṃ saṃśayam āpannaḥ prakariṣye kathaṃ raṇam
  7 tama bravīn mahārāja sūtaputro narādhipam
      mā śuco bharataśreṣṭha prakariṣye priyaṃ tava
  8 bhīṣmaḥ śāṃtanavas tūrṇam apayātu mahāraṇāt
      nivṛtte yudhi gāṅgeye nyastaśastre ca bhārata
  9 ahaṃ pārthān haniṣyāmi sanitān sarvasomakaiḥ
      paśyato yudhi bhīṣmasya śape satyena te nṛpa
  10 pāṇḍaveṣu dayāṃ rājan sadā bhīṣmaḥ karoti vai
     aśaktaś ca raṇe bhīṣmo jetum etān mahārathān
 11 abhimānī raṇe bhīṣmo nityaṃ cāpi raṇapriyaḥ
     sa kathaṃ pāṇḍavān yuddhe jeṣyate tāta saṃgatān
 12 sa tvaṃ śīghram ito gatvā bhīṣmasya śibiraṃ prati
     anumānya raṇe bhīṣmaṃ śastraṃ nyāsaya bhārata
 13 nyastaśaste tato bhīṣme nihatān paśya pāṇḍavān
     mayaikena raṇe rājan sasuhṛd gaṇabāndhavān
 14 evam uktas tu karṇena putro duryodhanas tava
     abravīd bhrātaraṃ tatra duḥśāsanam idaṃ vacaḥ
 15 anuyātraṃ yathā sajjaṃ sarvaṃ bhavati sarvataḥ
     duḥśāsana tathā kṣipraṃ sarvam evopapādaya
 16 evam uktvā tato rājan karṇam āha janeśvaraḥ
     anumānya raṇe bhīṣmam ito 'haṃ dvipadāṃ varam
 17 āgamiṣye tataḥ kṣipraṃ tvatsakāśam ariṃdama
     tatas tvaṃ puruṣavyāghra prakariṣyasi saṃyugam
 18 niṣpapāta tatas tūrṇaṃ putras tava viśāṃ pate
     sahito bhrātṛbhiḥ sarvair devair iva śatakratuḥ
 19 tatas taṃ nṛpaśārdūlaṃ śārdūlasamavikramam
     ārohayad dhayaṃ tūrṇaṃ bhrātā duḥśāsanas tadā
 20 aṅgadī baddhamukuṭo hastābharaṇavān nṛpaḥ
     dhārtarāṣṭro mahārāja vibabhau sa mahendravat
 21 bhāṇḍī puṣpanikāśena tapanīyanibhena ca
     anuliptaḥ parārghyena candanena sugandhinā
 22 arajo 'mbarasaṃvītaḥ siṃhakhela gatir nṛpaḥ
     śuśubhe vimalārciṣmañ śaradīva divākaraḥ
 23 taṃ prayāntaṃ naravyāghraṃ bhīṣmasya śibiraṃ prati
     anujagmur maheṣvāsāḥ sarvalokasya dhanvinaḥ
     bhrātaraś ca maheṣvāsās tridaśā iva vāsavam
 24 hayān anye samāruhya gajān anye ca bhārata
     rathair anye naraśreṣṭhāḥ parivavruḥ samantataḥ
 25 āttaśastrāś ca suhṛdo rakṣaṇārthaṃ mahīpateḥ
     prādurbahūvuḥ sahitāḥ śakrasyevāmarā divi
 26 saṃpūjyamānaḥ kurubhiḥ kauravāṇāṃ mahārathaḥ
     prayayau sadanaṃ rājan gāṅgeyasya yaśasvinaḥ
     anvīyamānaḥ sahitau sodaraiḥ sarvato nṛpaḥ
 27 dakṣiṇaṃ dakṣiṇaḥ kāle saṃbhṛtya svabhujaṃ tadā
     hastihastopamaṃ śaikṣaṃ sarvaśatrunibarhaṇam
 28 pragṛhṇann añjalīn nṝṇām udyatān sarvatodiśam
     śuśrāva madhurā vāco nānādeśanivāsinām
 29 saṃstūyamānaḥ sūtaiś ca māgadhaiś ca mahāyaśāḥ
     pūjayānaś ca tān sarvān sarvalokeśvareśvaraḥ
 30 pradīpaiḥ kāñcanais tatra gandhatailāvasecanaiḥ
     parivavrur mahātmānaṃ prajvaladbhiḥ samantataḥ
 31 sa taiḥ parivṛto rājā pradīpaiḥ kāñcanaiḥ śubhaiḥ
     śuśubhe candramā yukto dīptair iva mahāgrahaiḥ
 32 kañcukoṣṇīṣiṇas tatra vetrajharjhara pāṇayaḥ
     protsārayantaḥ śanakais taṃ janaṃ sarvatodiśam
 33 saṃprāpya tu tato rājā bhīṣmasya sadanaṃ śubham
     avatīrya hayāc cāpi bhīṣmaṃ prāpya janeśvaraḥ
 34 abhivādya tato bhīṣmaṃ niṣaṇṇaḥ paramāsane
     kāñcane sarvatobhadre spardhyāstaraṇa saṃvṛte
     uvāca prāñjalir bhīṣmaṃ bāṣpakaṇṭho 'śrulocanaḥ
 35 tvāṃ vayaṃ samupāśritya saṃyuge śatrusūdana
     utsahema raṇe jetuṃ sendrān api surāsurān
 36 kim u pāṇḍusutān vīrān sasuhṛd gaṇabāndhavān
     tasmād arhasi gāṅgeya kṛpāṃ kartuṃ mayi prabho
     jahi pāṇḍusutān vīrān mahendra iva dānavān
 37 pūrvam uktaṃ mahābāho nihaniṣyāmi somakān
     pāñcālān pāṇḍavaiḥ sārdhaṃ karūṣāṃś ceti bhārata
 38 tad vacaḥ satyam evāstu jahi pārthān samāgatān
     somakāṃś ca maheṣvāsān satyavāg bhava bhārata
 39 dayayā yadi vā rājan dveṣyabhāvān mama prabho
     mandabhāgyatayā vāpi mama rakṣasi pāṇḍavān
 40 anujānīhi samare karṇam āhavaśobhinam
     sa jeṣyati raṇe pārthān sasuhṛd gaṇabāndhavān
 41 etāvad uktvā nṛpatiḥ putro duryodhanas tava
     novāca vacanaṃ kiṃ cid bhīṣmaṃ bhīmaparākramam

SECTION XCIII

Sanjaya said,--"That arrowy shower, difficult of being borne by even the Danavas, king Duryodhana, however, (quietly) bore in that battle, like a gigantic elephant bearing a shower (from the blue). 1 Then filled with anger and sighing like a snake, thy son, O bull of Bharata's race, was placed in a position of great danger. He then shot five and twenty sharp arrows of keen points. These, O king, fell with great force on that bull among
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[paragraph continues] Rakshasas, like angry snakes of virulent poison on the breast of Gandhamadana. Pierced with those shafts, blood trickled down the Rakshasa's body and he looked like an elephant with rent temples. 1 Thereupon that cannibal set his heart upon the destruction of the (Kuru) king. And he took up a huge dart that was capable of piercing even a mountain. Blazing with light, effulgent as a large meteor, it flamed with radiance like the lightning itself. And the mighty-armed Ghatotkacha, desirous of slaying thy son, raised that dart. Beholding that dart upraised, the ruler of the Vangas mounting upon an elephant huge as a hill, drove towards the Rakshasa. On the field of battle, with the mighty elephant of great speed, Bhagadatta placed himself in the very front of Duryodhana's car. And with that elephant he completely shrouded the car of thy son. Beholding then the way (to Duryodhana's car) thus covered by the intelligent king of the Vangas, the eyes of Ghatotkacha, O king, became red in anger. And he ruled that huge dart, before upraised, at that elephant. Struck, O king, with that dart hurled from the arms of Ghatotkacha, that elephant, covered with blood and in great agony, fell down and died. The mighty king of the Vangas, however, quickly jumping down from that elephant, alighted on the ground. Duryodhana then beholding the prince of elephants slain, and seeing also his troops broken and giving way, was filled with anguish. From regard, however, for a Kshatriya's duty 2 as also his own pride, the king, though defeated, stood firm like a hill. Filled with wrath and aiming a sharp arrow that resembled the Yuga fire in energy, he sped it at that fierce wanderer of the night. Beholding that arrow, blazing as Indra's bolt, thus coursing towards him, the high-souled Ghatotkacha baffled it by the celerity of his movements. With eyes red in wrath, he once more shouted fiercely, frightening all thy troops, like the clouds that appear at the end of the Yuga. Hearing those fierce roars of the terrible Rakshasa, Bhishma the son of Santanu, approaching the preceptor, said these words, 'These fierce roars that are heard, uttered by Rakshasas, without doubt indicate that Hidimva's son is battling with king Duryodhana. That Rakshasa is incapable of being vanquished in battle by any creature. Therefore, blessed be ye, go thither and protect the king. The blessed Duryodhana hath been attacked by the high-souled Rakshasa. Therefore, ye chastisers of foes, even this is our highest duty. 3' Hearing those words of the grandsire, those mighty car-warriors without loss of time and with the utmost speed, proceeded to the spot when the king of the Kurus was. They met Duryodhana and Somadatta and Valhika and Jayadratha; and Kripa and Bhurisravas and Salya, and the two princes of Avanti along with Vrihadvala, and Aswatthaman and Vikarna, and Chitrasena and Vivinsati. And many thousands of other car-warriors, including all those that followed them, proceeded, desirous of rescuing thy son Duryodhana who had been hotly
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pressed. Beholding that invincible division protected by those mighty car-warriors, coming towards him with hostile intentions, that best of Rakshasas, viz., the mighty-armed Ghatotkacha, stood firm like the Mainaka mountain, with a huge bow in hand, and surrounded by his kinsmen armed with clubs and mallets and diverse other kinds of weapons. Then commenced a fierce battle, making the hair stand on end, between those Rakshasas on the one side and that foremost of Duryodhana's divisions on the other. And the loud noise of twanging bows in that battle was heard, O king, on all sides resembling the noise made by burning bamboos. And the din produced by the weapons falling upon the coats of mail of the combatants resembled, O king, the noise of splitting hills. And the lances, O monarch, hurled by heroic arms, while coursing through the welkin, looked like darting snakes. Then, excited with great wrath and drawing his gigantic bow, the mighty-armed prince of the Rakshasas, uttering a loud roar, cut off, with a crescent-shaped arrow, the preceptor's bow in a rage. And overthrowing, with another broad-headed arrow, the standard of Somadatta, he uttered a loud yell. And he pierced Valhika with three shafts in the centre of the chest. And he pierced Kripa with one arrow, and Chitrasena with three. And with another arrow, well-armed and well-sped from his bow drawn to its fullest stretch, he struck Vikarna at the shoulder-joint. Thereupon the latter, covered with gore, sat down on the terrace of his car. Then that Rakshasa of immeasurable soul, excited With rage, O bull of Bharata's race, sped at Bhurisravas five and ten shafts. These, penetrating through the latter's armour, entered the earth. He then struck the chariot of Vivingsati and Aswatthaman. These fell down on the front of their cars, relinquishing the reins of the steeds. With another crescent-shaped shaft he overthrew the standard of Jayadratha bearing the device of a boar and decked with gold. And with a second arrow he cut off the latter's bow. And with eyes red in wrath, he slew with four shafts the four steeds of the high-souled king of Avanti. And with another arrow, O king, well-tempered and sharp, and shot from his bow drawn to its fullest stretch, he pierced king Vrihadvala. Deeply pierced and exceedingly pained, the latter sat down on the terrace of his car. Filled with great wrath and seated on his car, the prince of the Rakshasas then shot many bright arrows of keen points that resembled snakes of virulent poison. These, O king, succeeded in piercing Salya accomplished in battle."

Book 6
Chapter 94

 1 [s]
      vākśalyais tava putreṇa so 'tividdhaḥ pitāmahaḥ
      duḥkhena mahatāviṣṭo novācāpriyam aṇv api
  2 sa dhyātvā suciraṃ kālaṃ duḥkharoṣasamanvitaḥ
      śvasamāno yathā nāgaḥ praṇunno vai śalākayā
  3 udvṛtya cakṣuṣī kopān nirdahann iva bhārata
      sa devāsuragandharvaṃ lokaṃ lokavidāṃ varaḥ
      abravīt tava putraṃ tu sāmapūrvam idaṃ vacaḥ
  4 kiṃ nu duryodhanaivaṃ māṃ vākśalyair upavidhyasi
      ghaṭamānaṃ yathāśakti kurvāṇaṃ ca tava priyam
      juhvānaṃ samare prāṇāṃs tavaiva hitakāmyayā
  5 yadā tu pāṇḍavaḥ śūraḥ khāṇḍave 'gnim atarpayat
      parājitya raṇe śakraṃ paryāptaṃ tannidarśanam
  6 yadā ca tvāṃ mahābāho gandharvair hṛtam ojasā
      amocayat pāṇḍusutaḥ paryāptaṃ tannidarśanam
  7 dravamāṇeṣu śūreṣu sodareṣu tathābhibho
      sūtaputre ca rādheye paryāptaṃ tannidarśanam
  8 yac ca naḥ sahitān sarvān virāṭanagare tadā
      eka eva samudyātaḥ paryāptaṃ tannidarśanam
  9 droṇaṃ ca yudhi saṃrabdhaṃ māṃ ca nirjitya saṃyuge
      karṇaṃ ca tvāṃ ca drauṇiṃ ca kṛpaṃ ca sumahāratham
      vāsāṃsi sa samādatta paryāptaṃ tannidarśanam
  10 nivātakavacān yuddhe vāsavenāpi durjayān
     jitavān samare pārthaḥ paryāptaṃ tannidarśanam
 11 ko hi śakto raṇe jetuṃ pāṇḍavaṃ rabhasaṃ raṇe
     tvaṃ tu mohān na jānīṣe vācyāvācyaṃ suyodhana
 12 mumūrṣur hi naraḥ sarvān vṛkṣān paśyati kāñcanān
     tathā tvam api gāndhāre viparītāni paśyasi
 13 svayaṃ vairaṃ mahat kṛtvā pāṇḍavaiḥ saha sṛñjayaiḥ
     yudhyasva tān adya raṇe paśyāmaḥ puruṣo bhava
 14 ahaṃ tu somakān sarvān sapāñcālān samāgatān
     nihaniṣye naravyāghra varjayitvā śikhaṇḍinam
 15 tair vāhaṃ nihataḥ saṃkhye gamiṣye yamasādanam
     tān vā nihatya saṃgrāme prītiṃ dāsyāmi vai tava
 16 pūrvaṃ hi strī samutpannā śikhaṇḍī rājaveśmani
     varadānāt pumāñ jātaḥ saiṣā vai strī śikhaṇḍinī
 17 tām ahaṃ na haniṣyāmi prāṇatyāge 'pi bhārata
     yāsau prāṅ nirmitā dhātrā saiṣā vai strī śikhaṇḍinī
 18 sukhaṃ svapihi gāndhāre śvo 'smi kartā mahāraṇam
     yaj janāḥ kathayiṣyanti yāvat sthāsyati medinī
 19 evam uktas tava suto nirjagāma janeśvara
     abhivādya guruṃ mūrdhnā prayayau svaṃ niveśanam
 20 āgamya tu tato rājā visṛjya ca mahājanam
     praviveśa tatas tūrṇaṃ kṣayaṃ śatrukṣayaṃ karaḥ
     praviṣṭaḥ sa niśāṃ tāṃ ca gamayām āsa pārthivaḥ

SECTION XCIV

Sanjaya said, "Having in that battle made all those warriors (of thy army) turn their faces from the field, the Rakshasa then, O chief of the Bharatas, rushed at Duryodhana, desirous of slaying him. Beholding him
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rushing with great impetuosity towards the king, many warriors of thy army, incapable of defeat in battle, rushed towards him (in return) from desire of slaying him. Those mighty car-warriors, drawing their bows that measured full six cubits long, and uttering loud roars like a herd of lions, all rushed together against that single warrior. And surrounding him on all sides, they covered him with their arrowy showers like the clouds covering the mountain-breast with torrents of rain in autumn. Deeply pierced with those arrows and much pained, he resembled then an elephant pierced with the hook. Quickly then he soared up into the firmament like Garuda. And (while there) he uttered many loud roars like the autumnal clouds, making the welkin and all the points of the compass, cardinal and subsidiary, resounded with those fierce cries. Hearing those roars of the Rakshasa, O chief of the Bharatas, king Yudhishthira then, addressing Bhima, said unto that chastiser of foes these words, 'The noise that we hear uttered by the fiercely-roaring Rakshasa, without doubt, indicates that he is battling with the mighty car-warriors of the Dhartarashtra army. I see also that the burden has proved heavier than what that bull among Rakshasas is able to bear. The grandsire, too, excited with rage, is ready to slaughter the Panchalas. For protecting them Phalguni is battling with the foe. O thou of mighty arms hearing now of these two tasks, both of which demand prompt attention, go and give succour to Hidimva's son who is placed in a position of very great danger.' Listening to these words of his brother, Vrikodara, with great speed, proceeded, frightening all the kings with his leonine roars, with great impetuosity, O king, like the ocean itself during the period of the new full moon. Him followed Satyadhriti and Sauchiti difficult of being vanquished in battle, and Srenimat, and Vasudana and the powerful son of the ruler of Kasi, and many car-warriors headed by Abhimanyu, as also those mighty car-warriors, viz., the sons of Draupadi, and the valiant Kshatradeva, and Kshatradharman, and Nila, the ruler of the low countries, at the head of his own forces. And these surrounded the son of Hidimva with a large division of cars (for aiding him). 1 And they advanced to the rescue of Ghatotkacha, that prince of the Rakshasas, with the six thousand elephants, always infuriate and accomplished in smiting. And with their loud leonine roars, and the clatter of their car-wheels, and with the tread of their horse's hoofs, they made the very earth to tremble. Hearing the din of those advancing warriors the faces of thy troops who were filled with anxiety in consequence of their fear of Bhimasena became pale. Leaving Ghatotkacha then they all fled away. Then commenced in that part of the field a dreadful battle between those high-souled warriors and thine, both of whom were unretreating. Mighty car-warriors, hurling diverse kinds of the weapons, chased and smote one another. That fierce battle striking terror into the hearts of the timid, was such that the different classes of combatants became entangled with one another. Horses
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engaged with elephants and foot-soldiers with car-warriors. And challenging one another, O king, they engaged in the fight. 1 And in consequence of that clash of cars, steeds, elephants, and foot-soldiers, a thick dust appeared, raised by the car-wheels and the tread (of those combatants and animals). And that dust, thick and of the colour of reddish smoke, shrouded the field of battle. And the combatants were unable to distinguish their own from the foe. Sire recognised not the son, and son recognised not the sire, in that dreadful engagement which made the hair stand on end and in which no consideration was shown (by any one for any body). And the noise made by the hissing weapons and the shouting combatants resembled, O chief of Bharata's race, that made by departed spirits (in the infernal regions). And there flowed a river whose current consisted of the blood of elephants and steeds and men. And the hair (of the combatants) formed its weeds and moss. And in that battle heads falling from the trunks of men made a loud noise like that of a falling shower of stones. And the earth was strewn with the headless trunks of human beings, with mangled bodies of elephants and with the hacked limbs of steeds. And mighty car-warriors chased one another for smiting one another down, and hurled diverse kinds of weapons. Steeds, urged by their riders and falling upon steeds, dashed against one another and fell down deprived of life. And men, with eyes red in wrath, rushing against men and striking one another with their chests, smote one another down. And elephants, urged by their guides against hostile elephants, slew their compeers in that battle, with the points of their tusks. Covered with blood in consequence of their wounds and decked with standards (on their backs), elephants were entangled with elephants and looked like masses of clouds charged with lightning. And some amongst them mounted (by others) with the points of their tusks, and some with their frontal globes split with lances, ran hither and thither with loud shrieks like masses of roaring clouds. And some amongst them with their trunks lopped off, 2 and others with mangled limbs, dropped down in that dreadful battle like mountains shorn of their wings. 3 Other huge elephants, copiously shedding blood from their flanks, ripped open by compeers, looked like mountains with (liquified) red chalk running down their sides (after a shower). 4 Others, slain with shafts or pierced with lances and deprived of their riders, looked like mountains deprived of their crests. 5Some amongst them, possessed by wrath and blinded (with fury) in
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consequence of the juice (trickling down their temples and cheeks). 1 and no longer restrained with the hook, crushed cars and steeds and foot-soldiers in that battle by hundreds. And so steeds, attacked by horsemen with bearded darts and lances, rushed against their assailants, as if agitating the points of the compass. Car-warriors of noble parentage and prepared to lay down their lives, encountering car-warriors, fought fearlessly, relying upon their utmost might. The combatants, O king, seeking glory or heaven, struck one another in that awful press, as if in a marriage by self-choice. During however, that dreadful battle making the hair stand on end, the Dhartarashtra troops generally were made to run their backs on the field."

Book 6
Chapter 95

 1 [s]
      prabhātāyāṃ tu śarvaryāṃ prātar utthāya vai nṛpaḥ
      rājñaḥ samājñāpayata senāṃ yojayateti ha
      adya bhīṣmo raṇe kruddho nihaniṣyati somakān
  2 duryodhanasya tac chrutvā rātrau vilapitaṃ bahu
      manyamānaḥ sa taṃ rājan pratyādeśam ivātmanaḥ
  3 nirvedaṃ paramaṃ gatvā vinindya paravācyatām
      dīrghaṃ dadhyau śāṃtanavo yoddhukāmo 'rjunaṃ raṇe
  4 iṅgitena tu taj jñātvā gāṅgeyena vicintitam
      duryodhano mahārāja duḥśāsanam acodayat
  5 duḥśāsana rathās tūrṇaṃ yujyantāṃ bhīṣmarakṣiṇaḥ
      dvātriṃśat tvam anīkāni sarvāṇy evābhicodaya
  6 idaṃ hi samanuprāptaṃ varṣapūgābhicintitam
      pāṇḍavānāṃ sa sainyānāṃ vadho rājyasya cāgamaḥ
  7 tatra kāryam ahaṃ manye bhīṣmasyaivābhirakṣaṇam
      sā no guptaḥ sukhāya syād dhanyāt pārthāṃś ca saṃyuge
  8 abravīc ca viśuddhātmā nāhaṃ hanyāṃ śikhaṇḍinam
      strīpūrvako hy asau jātas tasmād varjyo raṇe mayā
  9 lokas tad veda yad ahaṃ pituḥ priyacikīrṣayā
      rājyaṃ sphītaṃ mahābāho striyaś ca tyaktavān purā
  10 naiva cāhaṃ striyaṃ jātu na strīpūrvaṃ kathaṃ cana
     hanyāṃ yudhi naraśreṣṭha satyam etad bravīmi te
 11 ayaṃ strīpūrvako rājañ śikhaṇḍī yadi te śrutaḥ
     udyoge kathitaṃ yat tat tathā jātā śikhaṇḍinī
 12 kanyā bhūtvā pumāñ jātaḥ sa ca yotsyati bhārata
     tasyāhaṃ pramukhe bāṇān na muñceyaṃ kathaṃ cana
 13 yuddhe tu kṣatriyāṃs tāta pāṇḍavānāṃ jayaiṣiṇaḥ
     sarvān anyān haniṣyāmi saṃprāptān bāṇagocarān
 14 evaṃ māṃ bharataśreṣṭho gāṅgeyaḥ prāha śāstravit
     tatra sarvātmanā manye bhīṣmasyaivābhipālanam
 15 arakṣyamāṇaṃ hi vṛko hanyāt siṃhaṃ mahāvane
     mā vṛkeṇeva śārdūlaṃ ghātayema śikhaṇḍinā
 16 mātulaḥ śakuniḥ śalyaḥ kṛpo droṇo viviṃśatiḥ
     yattā rakṣantu gāṅgeyaṃ tasmin gupte dhruvo jayaḥ
 17 etac chrutvā tu rājāno duryodhana vacas tadā
     sarvato rathavaṃśena gāṅgeyaṃ paryavārayan
 18 putrāś ca tatra gāṅgeyaṃ parivārya yayur mudā
     kampayanto bhuvaṃ dyāṃ ca kṣobhayantaś ca pāṇḍavān
 19 tai rathaiś ca susaṃyuktair dantibhiś ca mahārathāḥ
     parivārya raṇe bhīṣmaṃ daṃśitāḥ samavasthitāḥ
 20 yathā devāsure yuddhe tridaśā vajradhāriṇam
     sarve te sma vyatiṣṭhanta rakṣantas taṃ mahāratham
 21 tato duryodhano rājā punar bhrātaram abravīt
     savyaṃ cakraṃ yudhāmanyur uttamaujāś ca dakṣiṇam
     goptārāv arjunasyaitāv arjuno 'pi śikhaṇḍinaḥ
 22 sa rakṣyamāṇaḥ pārthena tathāsmābhir vivarjitaḥ
     yathā bhīṣmaṃ na no hanyād duḥśāsana tathā kuru
 23 bhrātus tad vacanaṃ śrutvā putro duḥśāsanas tava
     bhīṣmaṃ pramukhataḥ kṛtvā prayayau senayā saha
 24 bhīṣmaṃ tu rathavaṃśena dṛṣṭvā tam abhisaṃvṛtam
     arjuno rathināṃ śreṣṭho dhṛṣṭadyumnam uvāca ha
 25 śikhaṇḍinaṃ naravyāghra bhīṣmasya pramukhe 'nagha
     sthāpayasvādya pāñcālya tasya goptāham apy uta
 26 tataḥ śāṃtanavo bhīṣmo niryayau senayā saha
     vyūhaṃ cāvyūhata mahat sarvatobhadram āhave
 27 kṛpaś ca kṛtavarmā ca śaibyaś caiva mahārathaḥ
     śakuniḥ saindhavaś caiva kāmbojaś ca sudakṣiṇaḥ
 28 bhīṣmeṇa sahitāḥ sarve putraiś ca tava bhārata
     agrataḥ sarvasainyānāṃ vyūhasya pramukhe sthitāḥ
 29 droṇo bhūriśravāḥ śalyo bhagadattaś ca māriṣa
     dakṣiṇaṃ pakṣam āśritya sthitā vyūhasya daṃśitāḥ
 30 aśvatthāmā somadatta āvantyau ca mahārathau
     mahatyā senayā yuktā vāmaṃ pakṣam apālayan
 31 duryodhano mahārāja trigartaiḥ sarvatovṛtaḥ
     vyūhamadhye sthito rājan pāṇḍavān prati bhārata
 32 alambuso rathaśreṣṭhaḥ śrutāyuś ca mahārathaḥ
     pṛṣṭhataḥ sarvasainyānāṃ sthitau vyūhasya daṃśitau
 33 evam ete tadā vyūhaṃ kṛtvā bhārata tāvakāḥ
     saṃnaddhāḥ samadṛśyanta pratapanta ivāgnayaḥ
 34 tathā yudhiṣṭhiro rājā bhīmasenaś ca pāṇḍavaḥ
     nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca mādrīputrāv ubhāv api
     agrataḥ sarvasainyānāṃ sthitā vyūhasya daṃśitāḥ
 35 dhṛṣṭadyumno virāṭaś ca sātyakiś ca mahārathaḥ
     sthitāḥ sainyena mahatā parānīka vināśanāḥ
 36 śikhaṇḍī vijayaś caiva rākṣasaś ca ghaṭotkacaḥ
     cekitāno mahābāhuḥ kuntibhojaś ca vīryavān
     sthitā raṇe mahārāja mahatyā senayā vṛtāḥ
 37 abhimanyur maheṣvāso drupadaś ca mahārathaḥ
     kekayā bhrātaraḥ pañca sthitā yuddhāya daṃśitāḥ
 38 evaṃ te 'pi mahāvyūhaṃ prativyūhya sudurjayam
     pāṇḍavāḥ samare śūrāḥ sthitā yuddhāya māriṣa
 39 tāvakās tu raṇe yattāḥ saha senā narādhipāḥ
     abhyudyayū raṇe pārthān bhīṣmaṃ kṛtvāgrato nṛpa
 40 tathaiva pāṇḍavā rājan bhīmasenapurogamāḥ
     bhīṣmaṃ yuddhapariprepsuṃ saṃgrāme vijigīṣavaḥ
 41 kṣveḍāḥ kila kilā śabdān krakacān goviṣāṇikāḥ
     bherīmṛdaṅgapaṇavān nādayantaś ca puṣkarān
     pāṇḍavā abhyadhāvanta nadanto bhairavān ravān
 42 bherīmṛdaṅgaśaṅkhānāṃ dundubhīnāṃ ca nisvanaiḥ
     utkruṣṭa siṃhanādaiś ca valgitaiś ca pṛthagvidhaiḥ
 43 vayaṃ pratinadantas tān abhyagacchāma sa tvarāḥ
     sahasaivābhisaṃkruddhās tadāsīt tumulaṃ mahat
 44 tato 'nyonyaṃ pradhāvantaḥ saṃprahāraṃ pracakrire
     tataḥ śabdena mahatā pracakampe vasuṃdharā
 45 pakṣiṇaś ca mahāghoraṃ vyāharanto vibabhramuḥ
     saprabhaś coditaḥ sūryo niṣprabhaḥ samapadyate
 46 vavuś ca tumulā vātāḥ śaṃsantaḥ sumahad bhayam
     ghorāś ca ghoranirhrādāḥ śivās tatra vavāśire
     vedayantyo mahārāja mahad vaiśasam āgatam
 47 diśaḥ prajvalitā rājan pāṃsuvarṣaṃ papāta ca
     rudhireṇa samunmiśram asthi varṣaṃ tathaiva ca
 48 rudatāṃ vāhanānāṃ ca netrebhyaḥ prāpataj jalam
     susruvuś ca śakṛn mūtraṃ pradhyāyanto viśāṃ pate
 49 antarhitā mahānādāḥ śrūyante bharatarṣabha
     rakṣasāṃ puruṣādānāṃ nadatāṃ bhairavān ravān
 50 saṃpatantaḥ sma dṛśyante gomāyubakavāyasāḥ
     śvānaś ca vividhair nādair bhaṣantas tatra tasthire
 51 jvalitāś ca maholkā vai samāhatya divākaram
     nipetuḥ sahasā bhūmau vedayānā mahad bhayam
 52 mahānty anīkāni mahāsamucchraye; samāgame pāṇḍava dhārtarāṣṭrayoḥ
     prakāśire śaṅkhamṛdaṅga nisvanaiḥ; prakampitānīva vanāni vāyunā
 53 narendra nāgāśvasamākulānām; abhyāyatīnām aśive muhūrte
     babhūva ghoṣas tumulaś camūnāṃ; vātoddhutānām iva sāgarāṇām

SECTION XCV

Sanjaya said, "Beholding his own troops slain, king Duryodhana then excited with wrath, rushed towards Bhimasena, that chastiser of foes. Taking up a large bow whose effulgence resembled that of Indra's bolt, he covered the son of Pandu with a thick shower of arrows. And filled with rage, and aiming a sharp crescent-shaped shaft winged with feathers, he cut off Bhimasena's bow. And that mighty car-warrior, noticing an opportunity, quickly aimed at his adversary a whetted shaft capable of riving the very hills. With that (shaft), that mighty-armed (warrior) struck Bhimasena in the chest. Deeply pierced with that arrow, and exceedingly pained, and licking the corners of his mouth, Bhimasena of great energy caught hold of his flag-staff decked with gold. Beholding Bhimasena in that cheerless state, Ghatotkacha blazed up with wrath like an all-consuming conflagration. Then many mighty car-warriors of the Pandava army, headed by Abhimanyu and with wrath generated (in their bosoms), rushed at the king shouting loudly. Beholding them (thus) advancing (to the fight) filled with wrath and in great fury, Bharadwaja's son addressing the mighty car-warriors (of thy side), said these words,--'Go quickly, blessed be ye, and protect the king. Sinking in an ocean of distress, he is placed in a situation of great danger. These mighty car-warriors of the Pandava army, these great bowmen, placing Bhimasena at their head, are rushing towards Duryodhana, shooting and hurling diverse kinds of weapons, resolved upon winning success, uttering terrible shouts, and frightening the kings (on your side)'. Hearing these words of the preceptor, many warriors of thy side headed by Somadatta rushed
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upon the Pandava ranks. Kripa and Bhurisravas and Salya, and Drona's son and Vivingsati, and Chitrasena and Vikarna, and the ruler of the Sindhus, and Vrihadvala, and those two mighty bowmen, viz., the two princes of Avanti, surrounded the Kuru king. Advancing only twenty steps, the Pandavas and the Dhartarashtras began to strike, desirous of slaughtering each other. The mighty-armed son of Bharadwaja also, having said those words (unto the Dhartarashtra warriors), stretched his own large bow and pierced Bhima with six and twenty arrows. And once again that mighty car-warrior speedily covered Bhimasena with a shower of arrows like a mass of clouds dropping torrents of rain on the mountain-breasts in the rainy season. That mighty bowman Bhimasena, however, of great strength, speedily pierced him in return with ten shafts on the left side. Deeply pierced with those arrows and exceedingly pained, O Bharata, the preceptor, enfeebled as he is with age, suddenly sat down on the terrace of his car, deprived of consciousness. Beholding him thus pained, king Duryodhana himself, and Aswatthaman also, excited with wrath, both rushed towards Bhimasena. Beholding those two warriors advance, each like Yama as he shows himself at the end of the Yuga, the mighty-armed Bhimasena, quickly taking up a mace, and jumping down from his car without loss of time, stood immovable like a hill, with that heavy mace resembling the very club of Yama, upraised in battle. Beholding him with mace (thus) upraised and looking (on that account) like the crested Kailasa, both the Kuru king and Drona's son rushed towards him. Then the mighty Bhimasena himself rushed impetuously at those two foremost of men thus rushing together towards him with great speed. Beholding him thus rushing in fury and with terrible expression of face, many mighty car-warriors of the Kaurava army speedily proceeded towards him. Those car-warriors headed by Bharadwaja's son, impelled by the desire of slaughtering Bhimasena, hurled at his breast diverse kinds of weapons, and thus all of them together afflicted Bhima from all sides. Beholding that mighty car-warrior thus afflicted and placed in a situation of great peril, many mighty car-warriors of the Pandava army, headed by Abhimanyu, and prepared to lay down dear life itself, rushed to the spot, desirous of rescuing him. The heroic ruler of the low country, the dear friend of Bhima, viz., Nila, looking like a mass of blue clouds, rushed at Drona's son, filled with wrath. A great bowman, Nila always desired an encounter with Drona's son. Drawing his large bow, he pierced the son of Drona with many winged arrows, like Sakra in days of old, O king, piercing the invincible Danava Viprachitti, that terror of the celestials, who, moved by anger frightened the three worlds by his energy. Pierced after the same way by Nila with his well-shot arrows winged with feathers, Drona's son, covered with blood and exceedingly pained, was filled with wrath. Drawing then his large bow, of twang loud as the roar of Indra's thunder, that foremost of intelligent persons set his heart upon the destruction of Nila. Aiming then a few bright shafts of broad heads and sharpened by the hands of their forger, he slew the four steeds of his adversary and overthrew also
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his standard. And with the seventh shaft he pierced Nila himself in the chest. Deeply pierced and exceedingly pained, he sat down on the terrace of his car. Beholding king Nila, who looked like a mass of blue clouds, in a swoon, Ghatotkacha, filled with wrath and surrounded by his kinsmen, rushed impetuously towards Drona's son, that ornament of battle. Similarly many other Rakshasas, incapable of being easily defeated in battle, rushed at Aswatthaman. Beholding then that Rakshasa of terrible mien coming towards him, the valiant son of Bharadwaja impetuously rushed towards him. Filled with wrath he slew many Rakshasas of formidable visage, that is, those wrathful ones amongst them who were in Ghatotkacha's van. Beholding them repulsed from the encounter by means of the shafts shot from the bow of Drona's son, Bhimasena's son Ghatotkacha of gigantic size was filled with rage. He then exhibited a fierce and awful illusion. Therewith that prince of the Rakshasas, endued with extraordinary powers of illusion, confounded the son of Drona in that battle. Then all thy troops, in consequence of that illusion, turned their backs upon the field. They beheld one another cut down and lying prostrate on the surface of the earth, writhing convulsively, perfectly helpless, and bathed in blood. Drona and Duryodhana and Salya and Aswatthaman, and other great bowmen that were regarded as foremost among the Kauravas, also seemed to fly away. All the car-warriors seemed to be crushed, and all the kings seemed to be slain. And horses and horse-riders seemed to be cut down in thousands. Beholding all this, thy troops fled away towards their tents. And although, O king, both myself and Devavrata cried out at the top of our voices, saying, 'Fight, do not fly away, all this is Rakshasa illusion in battle, applied by Ghatotkacha.' Yet they stopped not, their senses having been confounded. Although both of us said so, still struck with panic, they gave no credit to our words. Beholding them fly away the Pandavas regarded the victory to be theirs. With Ghatotkacha (among them) they uttered many leonine shouts. And all around they filled the air with their shouts mingled with the blare of their conches and the beat of their drums. It was thus that thy whole army, routed by the wicked Ghatotkacha, towards the hour of sunset, fled away in all directions.'"

Book 6
Chapter 96

1 [s]
      abhimanyū rathodāraḥ piśaṃgais turagottamaiḥ
      abhidudrāva tejasvī duryodhana balaṃ mahat
      vikirañ śaravarṣāṇi vāridhārā ivāmbudaḥ
  2 na śekuḥ samare kruddhaṃ saubhadram arisūdanam
      śastraughiṇaṃ gāhamānaṃ senāsāgaram akṣayam
      nivārayitum apy ājau tvadīyāḥ kurupuṃgavāḥ
  3 tena muktā raṇe rājañ śarāḥ śatrunivarhaṇāḥ
      kṣatriyān anayañ śūrān pretarājaniveśanam
  4 yamadaṇḍopamān ghorāñ jvalanāśīviṣopamān
      saubhadraḥ samare kruddhaḥ preṣayām āsa sāyakān
  5 rathinaṃ ca rathāt tūrṇaṃ hayapṛṣṭhā ca sādinam
      gajārohāṃś ca sa gajān pātayām āsa phālguniḥ
  6 tasya tat kurvataḥ karma mahat saṃkhye 'dbhutaṃ nṛpāḥ
      pūjayāṃ cakrire hṛṣṭāḥ praśaśaṃsuś ca phālgunim
  7 tāny anīkāni saubhadro drāvayan bahv aśobhata
      tūlarāśim ivādhūya mārutaḥ sarvatodiśam
  8 tena vidrāvyamāṇāni tava sainyāni bhārata
      trātāraṃ nādhyagacchanta paṅke magnā iva dvipāḥ
  9 vidrāvya sarvasainyāni tāvakāni narottamaḥ
      abhimanyuḥ sthito rājan vidhūmo 'gnir iva jvalan
  10 na cainaṃ tāvakāḥ sarve viṣehur arighātinam
     pradīptaṃ pāvakaṃ yadvat pataṃgāḥ kālacoditāḥ
 11 praharan sarvaśatrubhyaḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathaḥ
     adṛśyata maheṣvāsaḥ savajra iva vajrabhṛt
 12 hemapṛṣṭhaṃ dhanuś cāsya dadṛśe carato diśaḥ
     toyadeṣu yathā rājan bhrājamānāḥ śatahvadāh
 13 śarāś ca niśitāḥ pītā niścaranti sma saṃyuge
     vanāt phulladrumād rājan bhramarāṇām iva vrajāḥ
 14 tathaiva caratas tasya saubhadrasya mahātmanaḥ
     rathena meghaghoṣeṇa dadṛśur nāntaraṃ janāḥ
 15 mohayitvā kṛpaṃ droṇaṃ drauṇiṃ ca sa bṛhadbalam
     saindhavaṃ ca maheṣvāsaṃ vyacaral laghu suṣṭhu ca
 16 maṇḍalīkṛtam evāsya dhanuḥ paśyāma māriṣa
     sūryamaṇḍala saṃkāśaṃ tapatas tava vāhinīm
 17 taṃ dṛṣṭvā kṣatriyāḥ śūrāḥ pratapantaṃ śarārcibhiḥ
     dviphalgunam imaṃ lokaṃ menire tasya karmabhiḥ
 18 tenārditā mahārāja bhāratī sā mahācamūḥ
     babhrāma tatra tatraiva yoṣin madavaśād iva
 19 drāvayitvā ca tat sainyaṃ kampayitvā mahārathān
     nandayām āsa suhṛdo mayaṃ jitveva vāsavaḥ
 20 tena vidrāvyamāṇāni tava sainyāni saṃyuge
     cakrur ārtasvaraṃ ghoraṃ parjanyaninadopamam
 21 taṃ śrutvā ninadaṃ ghoraṃ tava sainyasya māriṣa
     mārutoddhūta vegasya samudrasyeva parvaṇi
     duryodhanas tadā rājā ārśya śṛṅgim abhāṣata
 22 eṣa kārṣṇir maheṣvāso dvitīya iva phalgunaḥ
     camūṃ drāvayate krodhād vṛtro deva camūm iva
 23 tasya nānyaṃ prapaśyāmi saṃyuge bheṣajaṃ mahat
     ṛte tvāṃ rākṣasaśreṣṭha sarvavidyāsu pāragam
 24 sa gatvā tvaritaṃ vīraṃ jahi saubhadram āhave
     vayaṃ pārthān haniṣyāmo bhīṣmadroṇapuraḥsarāḥ
 25 sa evam ukto balavān rākṣasendraḥ pratāpavān
     prayayau samare tūrṇaṃ tava putrasya śāsanāt
     nardamāno mahānādaṃ prāvṛṣīva balāhakaḥ
 26 tasya śabdena mahatā pāṇḍavānāṃ mahad balam
     prācalat sarvato rājan pūryamāṇa ivārṇavaḥ
 27 bahavaś ca narā rājaṃs tasya nādena bhīṣitāḥ
     priyān prāṇān parityajya nipetur dharaṇītale
 28 kārṣṇiś cāpi mudā yuktaḥ pragṛhītaśarāsanaḥ
     nṛtyann iva rathopasthe tad rakṣaḥ samupādravat
 29 tataḥ sa rākṣasaḥ kruddhaḥ saṃprāpyaivārjuniṃ raṇe
     nātidūre sthitas tasya drāvayām āsa vai camūm
 30 sā vadhyamānā samare pāṇḍavānāṃ mahācamūḥ
     pratyudyayau raṇe rakṣo deva senā yathābalim
 31 vimardaḥ sumahān āsīt tasya sainyasya māriṣa
     rakṣasā ghorarūpeṇa vadhyamānasya saṃyuge
 32 tataḥ śarasahasrais tāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahācamūm
     vyadrāvayad raṇe rakṣo darśayad vai parākramam
 33 sā vādhyamānā ca tathā pāṇḍavānām anīkinī
     rakṣasā ghorarūpeṇa pradudrāva raṇe bhayāt
 34 tāṃ pramṛdya tataḥ senāṃ padminīṃ vāraṇo yathā
     tato 'bhidudrāva raṇe draupadeyān mahābalān
 35 te tu kruddhā maheṣvāsā draupadeyāḥ prahāriṇaḥ
     rākṣasaṃ dudruvuḥ sarve grahāḥ pañca yathā ravim
 36 vīryavadbhis tatas tais tu pīḍito rākṣasottamaḥ
     yathā yugakṣaye ghore candramāḥ pañcabhir grahaiḥ
 37 prativindhyas tato rakṣo bibheda niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ
     sarvapāraśavais tūrṇam akuṇṭhāgrair mahābalaḥ
 38 sa tair bhinnatanu trāṇaḥ śuśubhe rākṣasottamaḥ
     marīcibhir ivārkasya saṃsyūto jalado mahān
 39 viṣaktaiḥ sa śaraiś cāpi tapanīyaparicchadaiḥ
     ārśyaśṛṅgir babhau rājan dīptaśṛṅga ivācalaḥ
 40 tatas te bhrātaraḥ pañca rākṣasendraṃ mahāhave
     vivyadhur niśitair bāṇais tapanīyavibhūṣitaiḥ
 41 sa nirbhinnaḥ śarair ghorair bhujagaiḥ kopitair iva
     alambuso bhṛśaṃ rājan nāgendra iva cukrudhe
 42 so 'tividdho mahārāja muhūrtam atha māriṣa
     praviveśa tamo dīrghaṃ pīḍitas tair mahārathaiḥ
 43 pratilabhya tataḥ saṃjñāṃ krodhena dviguṇīkṛtaḥ
     ciccheda sāyakais teṣāṃ dhvajāṃś caiva dhanūṃṣi ca
 44 ekaikaṃ ca tribhir bāṇair ājaghāna smayann iva
     alambuso rathopasthe nṛtyann iva mahārathaḥ
 45 tvaramāṇaś ca saṃkruddho hayāṃs teṣāṃ mahātmanām
     jaghāna rākṣasaḥ kruddhaḥ sārathīṃś ca mahābalaḥ
 46 bibheda ca susaṃhṛṣṭaḥ punaś cainān susaṃśitaiḥ
     śarair bahuvidhākāraiḥ śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ
 47 virathāṃś ca maheṣvāsān kṛtvā tatra sa rākṣasaḥ
     abhidudrāva vegena hantukāmo niśācaraḥ
 48 tān arditān raṇe tena rākṣasena durātmanā
     dṛṣṭvārjuna sutaḥ saṃkhye rākṣasaṃ samupādravat
 49 tayoḥ samabhavad yuddhaṃ vṛtravāsavayor iva
     dadṛśus tāvakāḥ sarve pāṇḍavāś ca mahārathāḥ
 50 tau sametau mahāyuddhe krodhadīptau parasparam
     mahābalau mahārāja krodhasaṃraktalocanau
     parasparam avekṣetāṃ kālānalasamau yudhi
 51 tayoḥ samāgamo ghoro babhūva kaṭukodayaḥ
     yathā devāsure yuddhe śakraśambarayor iva

SECTION XCVI

Sanjaya said, "After that great battle, king Duryodhana, approaching Ganga's son and saluting him with humility, began to narrate to him all that had happened about the victory won by Ghatotkacha and his own defeat. That invincible warrior, O king, sighing repeatedly, said these words unto Bhishma, the grandsire of the Kurus, 'O lord, relying upon thee, as Vasudeva hath been (relied upon) by the foe, a fierce war hath been
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commenced by me with the Pandavas. These eleven Akshauhinis of celebrated troops that I have, are, with myself, obedient to thy command, O chastiser of foes. O tiger among the Bharatas, though thus situated, yet have I been defeated into battle by the Pandava warriors headed by Bhimasena relying upon Ghatotkacha. It is this that consumeth my limbs like fire consuming dry tree. O blessed one, O chastiser of foes, I therefore, desire, through thy grace, O grandsire, to slay Ghatotkacha myself, that worst of Rakshasas, relying upon thy invincible self. It behoveth thee to see that wish of mine may be fulfilled.' Hearing these words of the king, that foremost one among the Bharatas, viz., Bhishma, the son of Santanu, said these words unto Duryodhana, 'Listen, O king, to these words of mine that I say unto thee, O thou of Kuru's race, about the way in which thou, O chastiser of foes, shouldst always behave. One's own self, under all circumstances, should be protected in battle, O repressor of foes. Thou shouldst always, O sinless one, battle with king Yudhishthira--the Just, or with Arjuna, or with the twins, or with Bhimasena. Keeping the duty of a king before himself, a king striketh a king. Myself, and Drona, and Kripa, and Drona's son, and Kritavarman of the Satwata race, and Salya, and Somadatta's son, and that mighty car-warrior Vikarna, and thy heroic brothers headed by Dussasana, will all, for thy sake, battle against that mighty Rakshasas. Or if thy grief on account of that fierce prince of the Rakshasas be too great, let this one proceed in battle against that wicked warrior, that is to say, king Bhagadatta who is equal unto Purandara himself in fight'. Having said this much unto the king, the grandsire skilled in speech then addressed Bhagadatta in the presence of the (Kuru) king, saying, 'Proceed quickly, O great monarch, against that invincible warrior, viz., the son of Hidimva. Resist in battle, with care, and in view of all the bowmen, that Rakshasa of cruel deeds, like Indra in days of old resisting Taraka. Thy weapons are celestial. Thy prowess also is great, O chastiser of foes. In days of old many have been the encounters that thou hadst with Asura, O tiger among kings, thou art that Rakshasa's match in great battle. Strongly supported by thy own troops, slay, O king, that bull among Rakshasas'. Hearing these words of Bhishma the generalissimo (of the Kaurava army), Bhagadatta specially set out with a leonine roar facing the ranks of the foe. Beholding him advance towards them like a mass of roaring clouds, many mighty car-warriors of the Pandava army proceeded against him, inflamed with wrath. They were Bhimasena, and Abhimanyu and the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha; and the sons of Draupadi, and Satyadhriti, and Kshatradeva, O sire, and the rulers of the Chedis, and Vasudana, and the king of the Dasarnas. Bhagadatta then, on his elephant named Supratika, rushed against them. Then commenced a fierce and awful battle between the Pandavas and Bhagadatta, that increased the population of Yama's kingdom. Shafts of terrible energy and great impetuosity, shot by car-warriors, fell, O king, on elephants and cars. Huge elephants with rent temples and trained (to the fight) by their guides, approaching fell upon one another fearlessly. Blind (with fury) in consequence
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of the temporal juice trickling down their bodies, and excited with rage, attacking one another with their tusks resembling stout bludgeons, they pierced one another with the points of those weapons. 1 Graced with excellent tails, and ridden by warriors armed with lances, steeds, urged by those riders fell fearlessly and with great impetuosity upon one another. And foot-soldiers, attacked by bodies of foot-soldiers with darts and lances, fell down on the earth by hundreds and thousands. And car-warriors upon their cars, slaughtering heroic adversaries in that battle by means of barbed arrows and muskets and shafts, uttered leonine shouts. 2 And during the progress of the battle making the hair stand on end, that great bowman, viz., Bhagadatta, rushed towards Bhimasena, on his elephant of rent temples and with juice trickling down in seven currents and resembling (on that account) a mountain with (as many) rillets flowing down its breast after a shower. And he came, O sinless one, scattering thousands of arrows from the head of Supratika (whereon he stood) like the illustrious Purandara himself on his Airavata. King Bhagadatta afflicted Bhimasena with that arrowy shower like the clouds afflicting the mountain breast with torrents of rain on the expiry of summer. That mighty bowman Bhimasena, however, excited with rage, slew by his arrowy showers the combatants numbering more than a hundred, that protected the flanks and rear of Bhagadatta. 3 Beholding them slain, the valiant Bhagadatta, filled with rage, urged his prince of elephants towards Bhimasena's car. That elephant, thus urged by him, rushed impetuously like an arrow propelled from the bowstring towards Bhimasena, that chastiser of foes. Beholding that elephant advancing, the mighty car-warriors of the Pandava army, placing Bhimasena at their head, themselves rushed towards it. Those warriors were the (five) Kekaya princes, and Abhimanyu, and the (five) sons of Draupadi and the heroic ruler of the Dasarnas, and Kshatradeva also, O sire, and the ruler of the Chedis, and Chitraketu. And all these mighty warriors came, inflamed with anger, and exhibiting their excellent celestial weapons. And they all surrounded in anger that single elephant (on which their adversary rode). Pierced with many shafts, that huge elephant, covered with gore flowing from his wounds, looked resplendent like a prince of mountain variegated with (liquified) red chalk (after a shower). The ruler of the
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[paragraph continues] Dasarnas then, on an elephant that resembled a mountain, rushed towards Bhagadatta's elephant. That prince of elephants, however, viz., Supratika, bore (the rush of) that advancing compeer like the continent bearing (the rush of) the surging sea. Beholding that elephant of the high souled king of the Dasarnas thus resisted, even the Pandava troops, applauding, cried out 'Excellent, excellent!' Then that best of kings, viz., the ruler of the Pragjyotishas, excited with rage, sped four and ten lances at that elephant. These, speedily penetrating through the excellent armour, decked with gold, that covered the animal's body, entered into it, like snakes entering anthills. Deeply pierced and exceedingly pained, that elephant, O chief of the Bharatas, its fury quelled, speedily turned back with great force. And it fled away with great swiftness, uttering frightful shrieks, and crushing the Pandava ranks like the tempest crushing trees with its violence. After that elephant was (thus) vanquished, the mighty car-warriors of the Pandava army, uttering loud leonine shouts, approached for battle. Placing Bhima at their head, they rushed at Bhagadatta scattering diverse kinds of arrows and diverse kinds of weapons. Hearing the fierce shouts, O king, of those advancing warriors swelling with rage and vengeance, that great bowman Bhagadatta, filled with rage and perfectly fearless, urged his own elephant. That prince of elephants then, thus urged with the hook and the toe, soon assumed the form of the (all-destructive) Samvarta fire (that appears at the end of the Yuga). Crushing crowds of cars and (hostile) compeers and steeds with riders, in that battle, it began, O king, to turn hither and thither. Filled with rage it also crushed foot-soldiers by hundreds and thousands. Attacked and agitated by that elephant, that large force of the Pandavas shrank in dimensions, O king, like a piece of leather exposed to the heat of fire. Beholding, then the Pandava array broken by the intelligent Bhagadatta, Ghatotkacha, of fierce mien, O king, with blazing face and eyes red as fire, filled with rage, rushed towards him. Assuming a terrible form and burning with wrath, he took up a bright dart capable of riving the very hills. Endued with great strength, he forcibly hurled that dart that emitted blazing flames from every part desirous of slaying that elephant. Beholding it coursing towards him with great impetuosity, the ruler of the Pragjyotishas sped at it a beautiful but fierce and sharp arrow with a crescent head. Possessed of great energy he cut off that dart with that arrow of his. Thereupon that dart, decked with gold, thus divided in twain, dropped down on the ground, like the bolt of heaven, hurled by Indra, flashing through the welkin. Beholding that dart (of his adversary), O king, divided in twain and fallen on the ground, Bhagadatta took up a large javelin furnished with a golden staff and resembling a flame of fire in effulgence, and hurled it at the Rakshasa, saying, 'Wait, Wait'. Seeing it coursing towards him like the bolt of heaven through the welkin, the Rakshasa jumped up and speedily seizing it uttered a loud shout. And quickly placing it against his knee, O Bharata, he broke it in the very sight of all the kings. All this seemed exceedingly wonderful. Beholding that feat achieved by the mighty Rakshasa, the celestials in the firmament, with the Gandharvas
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and the Munis, were filled with wonder. And the Pandava warriors also, headed by Bhimasena, filled the earth with cries of 'Excellent, Excellent'. Hearing, however, those loud shouts of the rejoicing Pandavas, that great bowman, viz., the valiant Bhagadatta, could not bear it (coolly). Drawing his large bow whose effulgence resembled that of Indra's bolt, he roared with great energy at the mighty car-warriors of the Pandava army, shooting at the same time many bright arrows of great sharpness and possessed of the effulgence of fire. And he pierced Bhima with one arrow, and the Rakshasa with nine. And he pierced Abhimanyu with three, and the Kekaya brothers with five. And with another straight arrow shot from his bow drawn to its fullest stretch, he pierced, in that battle, the right arm of Kshatradeva. Thereupon the latter's bow with arrow fixed on the bowstring dropped down from his hand. And he struck the five sons of Draupadi with five arrows. And from wrath, he slew the steeds of Bhimasena. And with three shafts winged with feathers, he cut down Bhimasena's standard bearing the device of a lion. And with three other shafts he pierced Bhima's charioteer. Deeply pierced by Bhagadatta in that battle, and exceedingly pained, Visoka thereupon, O chief of the Bharatas, sat down on the terrace of the car. Then, O king, that foremost of car-warriors, viz., Bhima, thus deprived of his car, quickly jumped down from his large vehicle taking up his mace. Beholding him with mace upraised and looking like a crested hill, all thy troops, O Bharata, became filled with great fear. Just at this time that son of Pandu who had Krishna for his charioteer, O king, slaughtering the foe on all sides as he came, appeared at that spot where those tigers among men, those mighty car-warriors, viz., Bhimasena and Ghatotkacha, sire and son, were engaged with the ruler of the Pragjyotishas. Beholding his brothers, those mighty car-warriors, engaged in battle, that son of Pandu quickly commenced to fight, profusely scattering his shafts, O chief of the Bharatas. Then that mighty car-warrior, viz., king Duryodhana, speedily urged on a division of his troops abounding with cars and elephants. Towards that mighty division of the Kauravas thus advancing with impetuosity, Arjuna of white steeds rushed with great impetuosity. Bhagadatta also, upon that elephant of his, O Bharata, crushing the Pandava ranks, rushed towards Yudhishthira. Then commenced a fierce battle between Bhagadatta, O sire, and the Panchalas, the Srinjayas, and the Kekayas, with upraised weapons. Then Bhimasena, in that battle told both Kesava and Arjuna in detail about the slaughter of Iravat as it had occurred."

Book 6
Chapter 97

1 [dhṛ]
      ārjuniṃ samare śūraṃ vinighnantaṃ mahāratham
      alambusaḥ kathaṃ yuddhe pratyayudhyata saṃjaya
  2 ārśyaśṛṅgiṃ kathaṃ cāpi saubhadraḥ paravīrahā
      tan mamācakṣva tattvena yathāvṛttaṃ sma saṃyuge
  3 dhanaṃjayaś ca kiṃ cakre mama sainyeṣu saṃjaya
      bhīmo vā balināṃ śreṣṭho rākṣaso vā ghaṭotkacaḥ
  4 nakulaḥ sahadevo vā sātyakir vā mahārathaḥ
      etad ācakṣva me sarvaṃ kuśalo hy asi saṃjaya
  5 [s]
      hanta te 'haṃ pravakṣyāmi saṃgrāmaṃ lomaharṣaṇam
      yathābhūd rākṣasendrasya saubhadrasya ca māriṣa
  6 arjunaś ca yathā saṃkhye bhīmasenaś ca pāṇḍavaḥ
      nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca raṇe cakruḥ parākramam
  7 tathaiva tāvakāḥ sarve bhīṣmadroṇapurogamāḥ
      adbhutāni vicitrāṇi cakruḥ karmāṇy abhītavat
  8 alambusas tu samare abhimanyuṃ mahāratham
      vinadya sumahānādaṃ tarjayitvā muhur muhuḥ
      abhidudrāva vegena tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti cābravīt
  9 saubhadro 'pi raṇe rājan siṃhavad vinadan muhuḥ
      ārśyaśṛṅgiṃ maheṣvāsaṃ pitur atyantavairiṇam
  10 tataḥ sameyatuḥ saṃkhye tvaritau nararākṣasau
     rathābhyāṃ rathināṃ śreṣṭhau yathā vai devadānavau
     māyāvī rākṣasaśreṣṭho divyāstrajñaś ca phālguniḥ
 11 tataḥ kārṣṇir mahārāja niśitaiḥ sāyakais tribhiḥ
     ārśyaśṛṅgiṃ raṇe viddhvā punar vivyādha pañcabhiḥ
 12 alambuso 'pi saṃkruddhaḥ kārṣṇiṃ navabhir āśugaiḥ
     hṛdi vivyādha vegena tottrair iva mahādvipam
 13 ataḥ śarasahasreṇa kṣiprakārī niśācaraḥ
     arjunasya sutaṃ saṃkhye pīḍayām āsa bhārata
 14 abhimanyus tataḥ kruddho navatiṃ nataparvaṇām
     cikṣepa niśitān bāṇān rākṣasasya mahorasi
 15 te tasya viviśus tūrṇaṃ kāyaṃ nirbhidya marmaṇi
     sa tair vibhinnasarvāṅgaḥ śuśubhe rākṣasottamaḥ
     puṣpitaiḥ kiṃśukai rājan saṃstīrṇa iva parvataḥ
 16 sa dhārayañ śarān hemapuṅkhān api mahābalaḥ
     vibabhau rākṣasaśreṣṭhaḥ sa jvāla iva parvataḥ
 17 tataḥ kruddho mahārāja ārśyaśṛṅgir mahābalaḥ
     mahendrapratimaṃ kārṣṇiṃ chādayām āsa patribhiḥ
 18 tena te viśikhā muktā yamadaṇḍopamāḥ śitāḥ
     abhimanyuṃ vinirbhidya prāviśan dharaṇītalam
 19 tathaivārjuninirmuktāḥ śarāḥ kāñcanabhūṣaṇāḥ
     alambusaṃ vinirbhidya prāviśanta dharātalam
 20 saubhadras tu raṇe rakṣaḥ śaraiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥ
     cakre vimukham āsādya mayaṃ śakra ivāhave
 21 vimukhaṃ ca tato rakṣo vadhyamānaṃ raṇe 'riṇā
     prāduścakre mahāmāyāṃ tāmasīṃ paratāpanaḥ
 22 atas te tamasā sarve hṛtā hy āsan mahītale
     nābhimanyum apaśyanta naiva syān na parān raṇe
 23 abhimanyuś ca tad dṛṣṭvā ghorarūpaṃ mahat tamaḥ
     prāduścakre 'stram atyugraṃ bhāskaraṃ kurunandanaḥ
 24 tataḥ prakāśam abhavaj jagat sarvaṃ mahīpate
     tāṃ cāpi jaghnivān māyāṃ rākṣasasya durātmanaḥ
 25 saṃkruddhaś ca mahāvīryo rākṣasendraṃ narottamaḥ
     chādayām āsa samare śaraiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥ
 26 bahvīs tathānyā māyāś ca prayuktās tena rakṣasā
     sarvāstravid ameyātmā vārayām āsa phālguniḥ
 27 hatamāyaṃ tato rakṣo vadhyamānaṃ ca sāyakaiḥ
     rathaṃ tatraiva saṃtyajya prādravan mahato bhayāt
 28 tasmin vinirjite tūrṇaṃ kūṭayodhini rākṣase
     ārjuniḥ samare sainyaṃ tāvakaṃ saṃmamarda ha
     madāndho vanyanāgendraḥ sa padmāṃ padminīm iva
 29 tataḥ śāṃtanavo bhīṣmaḥ sainyaṃ dṛṣṭvābhividrutam
     mahatā rathavaṃśena saubhadraṃ paryavārayat
 30 koṣṭhakī kṛtyataṃ vīraṃ dhārtarāṣṭrā mahārathāḥ
     ekaṃ subahavo yuddhe tatakṣuḥ sāyakair dṛḍham
 31 sa teṣāṃ rathināṃ vīraḥ pitus tulyaparākramaḥ
     sadṛśo vāsudevasya vikrameṇa balena ca
 32 ubhayoḥ sadṛśaṃ karma sa pitur mātulasya ca
     raṇe bahuvidhaṃ cakre sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ varaḥ
 33 tato dhanaṃjayo rājan vinighnaṃs tava sainikān
     āsasāda raṇe bhīṣmaṃ putra prepsur amarṣaṇaḥ
 34 tathaiva samare rājan pitā devavratas tava
     āsasāda raṇe pārthaṃ svarbhānur iva bhāskaram
 35 tataḥ sarathanāgāśvāḥ putrās tava viśāṃ pate
     parivavrū raṇe bhīṣmaṃ jugupuś ca samantataḥ
 36 tathaiva pāṇḍavā rājan parivārya dhanaṃjayam
     raṇāya mahate yuktā daṃśitā bharatarṣabha
 37 śādadvatas tato rājan bhīṣmasya pramukhe sthitam
     arjunaṃ pañcaviṃśatyā sāyakānāṃ samācinot
 38 patyudgamyātha vivyādha sātyakis taṃ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ
     pāṇḍava priyakāmārthaṃ śārdūla iva kuñjaram
 39 gautamo 'pi tvarāyukto mādhavaṃ navabhiḥ śaraiḥ
     hṛdi vivyādha saṃkruddhaḥ kaṅkapatra paricchadaiḥ
 40 śaineyo 'pi tataḥ kruddho bhṛśaṃ viddho mahārathaḥ
     gautamānta karaṃ ghoraṃ samādatta śilīmukham
 41 tam āpatantaṃ vegena śakrāśanisamadyutim
     dvidhā ciccheda saṃkruddho drauṇiḥ paramakopanaḥ
 42 samutsṛjyātha śaineyo gautamaṃ rathināṃ varam
     abhyadravad raṇe drauṇiṃ rāhuḥ khe śaśinaṃ yathā
 43 tasya droṇasutaś cāpaṃ dvidhā ciccheda bhārata
     athainaṃ chinnadhanvānaṃ tāḍayām āsa sāyakaiḥ
 44 so 'nyat kārmukam ādāya śatrughnaṃ bhārasādhanam
     drauṇiṃ ṣaṣṭyā mahārāja bāhvor urasi cārpayat
 45 sa viddho vyathitaś caiva muhūrtaṃ kaśmalāyutaḥ
     niṣasāda rathopasthe dhvajayaṣṭim upāśritaḥ
 46 pratilabhya tataḥ saṃjñāṃ droṇaputraḥ pratāpavān
     vārṣṇeyaṃ samare kruddho nārācena samardayat
 47 śaineyaṃ sa tu nirbhidya prāviśad dharaṇītalam
     vasanta kāle balavān bilaṃ sarvaśiśur yathā
 48 tato 'pareṇa bhallena mādhavasya dhvajottamam
     ciccheda samare drauṇiḥ siṃhanādaṃ nanāda ca
 49 punar cainaṃ śarair ghoraiś chādayām āsa bhārata
     nidāghānte mahārāja yathā megho divākaram
 50 sātyakiś ca mahārāja śarajālaṃ nihatya tat
     drauṇim abhyapatat tūrṇaṃ śarajālair anekadhā
 51 tāpayām āsa ca drauṇiṃ śaineyaḥ paravīrahā
     vimukto meghajālena yathaiva tapanas tathā
 52 śarāṇāṃ ca sahasreṇa punar enaṃ samudyatam
     sātyakiś chādayām āsa nanāda ca mahābalaḥ
 53 dṛṣṭvā putraṃ tathā grastaṃ rāhuṇeva niśākaram
     abhyadravata śaineyaṃ bhāradvājaḥ pratāpavān
 54 vivyādha ca pṛṣatkena sutīkṣṇena mahāmṛdhe
     parīpsan svasutaṃ rājan vārṣṇeyenābhitāpitam
 55 sātyakis tu raṇe jitvā guruputraṃ mahāratham
     droṇaṃ vivyādha viṃśatyā sarvapāraśavaiḥ śaraiḥ
 56 tadantaram ameyātmā kaunteyaḥ śvetavāhanaḥ
     abhyadravad raṇe kruddho droṇaṃ prati mahārathaḥ
 57 tato droṇaś ca pārthaś ca sameyātāṃ mahāmṛdhe
     yathā budhaś ca śukraś ca mahārāja nabhastale

SECTION XCVII

Sanjaya said, "Hearing that his son Iravat had been slain, Dhananjaya was filled with great grief and sighed like a snake. And addressing Vasava
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in the midst of battle, he said these words, 'Without doubt, the high-souled Vidura of great wisdom had before seen (with his mind's eye) this awful destruction of the Kurus and the Pandavas. It was for this that he forbade king Dhritarashtra. 1 In this battle, O slayer of Madhu, many other heroes have been slain by the Kaurava and many amongst the Kauravas have similarly been slain by ourselves. O best of men, for the sake of wealth vile acts are being done. Fie upon that wealth for the sake of which such slaughter of kinsmen is being perpetrated. For him that hath no wealth, even death would be better than the acquisition of wealth by the slaughter of kinsmen. What, O Krishna, shall we gain by slaying our assembled kinsmen? Alas, for Duryodhana's, fault, and also of Sakuni the son of Suvala, as also through the evil counsels of Karna, the Kshatriya race is being exterminated, O slayer of Madhu, I now understand, O mighty-armed one, that the king acted wisely by begging of Suyodhana 2 only half the kingdom, or, instead, only five villages. Alas, even that was not granted by that wicked-souled wight. Beholding so many brave Kshatriyas lying (dead) on the field of battle, I censure myself, (saying) fie upon the profession of a Kshatriya. The Kshatriyas will regard me powerless in battle. For this alone, I am battling. Else, O slayer of Madhu, this battle with kinsmen is distasteful to me. Urge the steeds on with speed towards the Dhartarashtra army, I will, with my two arms, reach the other shore of this ocean of battle that is so difficult to cross. There is no time, O Madhava, to lose in action'. Thus addressed by Partha, Kesava, that slayer of hostile heroes, urged those steeds of white hue endued with the speed of the wind. Then, O Bharata, loud was the noise that was heard among thy troops, resembling that of the ocean itself at full tide when agitated by the tempest. 3 In the afternoon, O king, the battle that ensued between Bhishma and the Pandavas was marked by noise that resembled the roar of the clouds. Then, O king, thy sons, surrounding Drona like the Vasus surrounding Vasava, rushed in the battle against Bhimasena. Then Santanu's son, Bhishma, and that foremost of car-warriors, viz., Kripa, and Bhagadatta, and Susarman, all went towards Dhananjaya. And Hridika's son (Kritavarman) and Valhika rushed towards Satyaki. And king Amvashta placed himself before Abhimanyu. And other great car-warriors, O king, encountered other great car-warriors. Then commenced a fierce battle that was terrible to behold. Bhimasena then, I O king, beholding thy sons, blazed up with wrath in that battle, like fire with (a libation of) clarified butter. Thy sons, however, O monarch, covered that son of Kunti with their arrows like the clouds drenching the mountain-breast in the season of rains. While being (thus) covered in diverse ways by thy sons, O king, that hero, possessed of the activity of the tiger, licked
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the corners of his mouth. 1 Then, O Bharata, Bhima felled Vyudoroska with a sharp horse-shoe-headed arrow. Thereupon that son of thine was deprived of life. With another broad-headed arrow, well-tempered and sharp, he then felled Kundalin like a lion overthrowing a smaller animal. Then, O sire, getting thy (other) sons (within reach of his arrows), he took up a number of shafts, sharp and well-tempered, and with careful aim speedily shot these at them. Those shafts, sped by that strong bowman, viz., Bhimasena, felled thy sons, those mighty car-warriors, from their vehicles. (These sons of thine that were thus slain were) Anadhriti, and Kundabhedin, and Virata, and Dirghalochana, and Dirghavahu, and Suvahu, and Kanykadhyaja. While falling down (from their cars), O bull of Bharata's race, those heroes looked resplendent like falling mango trees variegated with blossoms in the spring. Then thy other sons, O monarch, fled away, regarding the mighty Bhimasena as Death himself. Then like the clouds pouring torrents of rain on the mountain breast, Drona in that battle covered with arrows from every side that hero who was thus consuming thy sons. The prowess that we then beheld of Kunti's son was exceedingly wonderful, for though held in check by Drona, he still slew thy sons. Indeed, as a bull beareth a shower of rain falling from above. Bhima cheerfully bore that shower of arrows shot by Drona. Wonderful, O monarch, was the feat that Vrikodara achieved there, for he slew thy sons in that battle and resisted Drona the while. Indeed, the elder brother of Arjuna sported amongst those heroic sons o thine, like a mighty tiger, O king, among a herd of deer. As a wolf, staying in the midst of a herd of deer, would chase and frighten those animals, so did Vrikodara, in that battle chase and frighten thy sons.
"Meanwhile, Ganga's son, and Bhagadatta, and that mighty car-warrior, viz., Gautama, began to resist Arjuna, that impetuous son of Pandu. That Atiratha, baffling with his weapons the weapons of those adversaries of his in that battle, despatched many prominent heroes of thy army to the abode of Death. Abhimanyu also, with his shafts, deprived that renowned and foremost of car-warriors, viz., king Amvashta, of his car. Deprived of his car and about to be slain by the celebrated son of Subhadra, that king quickly jumped down from his car in shame, and hurled his sword in that battle at the high-souled Abhimanyu. Then, that mighty monarch got up on the car of Hridika's son, conversant with all movements in battle, Subhadra's son, that slayer of hostile heroes, beholding that sword coursing towards him, baffled it by the celerity of his movements. Seeing that sword thus baffled in that battle by Subhadra's son, loud cries of 'well done' 'well done' were, O king, heard among the troops. Other warriors headed by Dhrishtadyumna battled with thy troops, while thy troops, also, all battled with those of the Pandavas. Then, O Bharata, fierce was the engagement that took place between thine and theirs, that combatants smiting
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one another with great force and achieving the most difficult feats. Brave combatants, O sire, seizing one another by the hair, fought using their nails and teeth, and fists and knees, and palms and swords, and their well-proportioned arms. And seizing one another's laches, they despatched one another to the abode of Yama. Sire slew son, and son slew sire. Indeed, the combatants fought with one another, using every limb of theirs. Beautiful bows with golden staves, O Bharata, loosened from the grasp of slain warriors, and costly ornaments, and sharp shafts furnished with wings of pure gold or silver and washed with oil, looked resplendent (as they lay scattered on the field), the latter resembling, in particular, snakes that had cast off their slough. And swords furnished with ivory handles decked with gold, and the shield also of bowmen, variegated with gold, lay on the field, loosened from their grasp. Bearded darts and axes and swords and javelins, all decked with gold, beautiful coats of mail, and heavy and short bludgeons, and spiked clubs, and battle-axes, and short arrows, O sire, and elephants' housings of diverse shapes, and yak tails, and fans, lay scattered on the field. And mighty car-warriors lay on the field with diverse kinds of weapons in their hands or beside them, and looking alive, though the breath of life had gone. 1 And men lay on the field with limbs shattered with maces and heads smashed with clubs, or crushed by elephants, steeds, and cars. And the earth, strewn in many places with the bodies of slain steeds, men, and elephants, looked beautiful, O king, as if strewn with hills. And the field of battle lay covered with fallen darts and swords and arrows and lances and scimitars and axes and bearded darts and iron crows and battle-axes, and spiked clubs and short arrows and Sataghnis 2 and bodies mangled with weapons. And, O slayer of foes, covered with blood, warriors lay prostrate on the field, some deprived of life and therefore, in the silence of death, and others uttering low moans. And the earth, strewn with those bodies, presented a variegated sight. And strewn with the arms of strong warriors smeared with sandal paste and decked with leathern fences and bracelets, with tapering thighs resembling the trunks of elephants, and with fallen heads, graced with gems attached to turbans and with earrings of large-eyed combatants, O Bharata, the earth assumed a beautiful sight. And the field of battle, overspread with blood, dyed coats of mail and golden ornaments of many kinds, looked exceedingly beautiful as if with (scattered) fires of mild flames. And with ornaments of diverse kinds fallen off from their places, with bows lying about, with arrows of golden wings scattered around, with many broken cars adorned with rows of bells, with many slain steeds scattered about covered with blood and with their tongues protruding, with bottoms of cars, standards, quivers, and banners, with gigantic conches, belonging to great heroes, of milky whiteness lying about, and with trunkless elephants lying prostrate, the earth looked beautiful
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like a damsel adorned with diverse kinds of ornaments. And there, with other elephants pierced with lances and in great agony, and frequently uttering low moans with their trunks, the field of battle looked beautiful as if with moving hills. With blankets of diverse hue, and housings of elephants, with beautiful hooks falling about having handles decked with stones of lapis lazuli, with bells lying about that had adorned gigantic elephants, with clean and variegated cloths as also skins of the Ranku deer, with beautiful neck-chains of elephants, with gold-decked girths, with broken engines of diverse kinds, with bearded darts decked with gold, with embroidered housings of steeds, embrowned with dust, with the lopped off arms of cavalry soldiers, decked with bracelets and lying about, with polished and sharp lances and bright swords, with variegated head-gears fallen off (from heads) and scattered about, with beautiful crescent-shaped arrows decked with gold, with housings of steeds, with skins of the Ranku deer, torn and crushed, with beautiful and costly gems that decked the head-gears of kings, with their umbrellas lying about and yak tails and fans, with faces, bright as the lotus or the moon, of heroic warriors, decked with beautiful ear-rings and graced with well-cut beards, lying about and radiant with other ornaments of gold, the earth looked like the firmament besmangled with planets and stars. Thus, O Bharata, the two armies, viz., thine and theirs, encountering each other in battle, crushed each other. And after the combatants had been fatigued, routed, and crushed, O Bharata, dark night set in and the battle could no longer be seen. Thereupon both the Kurus and the Pandavas withdrew their armies, when that awful night of pitchy darkness came. And having withdrawn their troops, both the Kurus and the Pandavas took rest for the night, retiring to their respective tents.



(My humble salutations to the lotus feet of Sreeman Brahmasri  K M Ganguli ji for the collection)