command, loud leonine roars arose among thy troops and diverse musical
instruments also, O Bharata, were beat and blown. The Kaurava warriors
became very cheerful, as also the mighty car-warriors among the Madrakas.
And all of them praised the royal Shalya, that ornament of battle,
saying, "Victory to thee, O king. Long life to thee! Slay all the
assembled foes! Having obtained the might of thy arms, let the
Dhartarashtras endued with great strength, rule the wide Earth without a
foe. Thou art capable of vanquishing in battle the three worlds
consisting of the gods, the Asuras, what need be said of the Somakas and
the Srinjayas that are mortal?" Thus praised, the mighty king of the
Madrakas obtained great joy that is unattainable by persons of unrefined
souls.
"'Shalya said, "Today, O king, I will either slay all the Pancalas with
the Pandavas in battle, or, slain by them, proceed to heaven. Let the
world behold me today careering (on the field of battle) fearlessly.
Today let all the sons of Pandu, and Vasudeva, and Satyaki, and the sons
of Draupadi, and Dhrishtadyumna, and Shikhandi, and all the Prabhadrakas,
behold my prowess and the great might of my bow, and my quickness, and
the energy of my weapons, and the strength of my arms, in battle. Let the
Parthas, and all the Siddhas, with the Charanas behold today the strength
that is in my arms and the wealth of weapons I possess. Beholding my
prowess today, let the mighty car-warriors of the Pandavas, desirous of
counteracting it, adopt diverse courses of action. Today I will rout the
troops of the Pandavas on all sides. Surpassing Drona and Bhishma and the
Suta's son, O lord, in battle, I will career on the field, O Kauravas,
for doing what is agreeable to thee."'
"Sanjaya continued, 'After Shalya had been invested with the command, O
giver of honours, no one among thy troops, O bull of Bharata's race, any
longer felt any grief on account of Karna. Indeed, the troops became
cheerful and glad. They regarded the Parthas as already slain and brought
under the power of the ruler of the Madras. Having obtained great joy,
thy troops, O bull of Bharata's race, slept that night happily and became
very cheerful. Hearing those shouts of thy army, king Yudhishthira,
addressing him of Vrishni's race, said these words, in the hearing of all
the Kshatriyas, "The ruler of the Madras, Shalya, that great bowman who
is highly regarded by all the warriors hath, O Madhava, been made the
leader of his forces by Dhritarashtra's son. Knowing this that has
happened, do, O Madhava, that which is beneficial. Thou art our leader
and protector. Do that which should next be done." Then Vasudeva, O
monarch, said unto that king, "I know Artayani, O Bharata, truly. Endued
with prowess and great energy, he is highly illustrious. He is
accomplished, conversant with all the modes of warfare, and possessed of
great lightness of hand. I think that the ruler of the Madras is in
battle equal to Bhishma or Drona or Karna, or perhaps, superior to them.
I do not, O ruler of men, even upon reflection, find the warrior who may
be a match for Shalya while engaged in fight. In battle, he is superior
in might to Shikhandi and Arjuna and Bhima and Satyaki and
Dhrishtadyumna, O Bharata. The king of the Madras, O monarch, endued with
the prowess of a lion or an elephant, will career fearlessly in battle
like the Destroyer himself in wrath amongst creatures at the time of the
universal destruction. I do not behold a match for him in battle save
thee, O tiger among men, that art possessed of prowess equal to that of a
tiger. Save thee there is no other person in either heaven or the whole
of this world, who, O son of Kuru's race, would be able to slay the ruler
of the Madras while excited with wrath in battle. Day after day engaged
in fight, he agitates thy troops. For this, slay Shalya in battle, like
Maghavat slaying Samvara. Treated with honour by Dhritarashtra's son,
that hero is invincible in battle. Upon the fall of the ruler of the
Madras in battle, thou art certain to have victory. Upon his slaughter,
the vast Dhartarashtra host will be slain. Hearing, O monarch, these
words of mine now, proceed, O Partha, against that mighty car-warrior,
the ruler of the Madras. Slay that warrior, O thou of mighty arms, like
Vasava slaying the Asura Namuchi. There is no need of showing any
compassion here, thinking that this one is thy maternal uncle. Keeping
the duties of a Kshatriya before thee, slay the ruler of the Madras.
Having crossed the fathomless oceans represented by Bhishma and Drona and
Karna, do not sink, with thy followers, in the print of a cow's hoof
represented by Shalya. Display in battle the whole of thy ascetic power
and thy Kshatriya energy. Slay that car-warrior." Having said these
words, Keshava, that slayer of hostile heroes, proceeded to his tent in
the evening, worshipped by the Pandavas. After Keshava had gone, king
Yudhishthira the just, dismissing all his brothers and the Somakas,
happily slept that night, like an elephant from whose body the darts have
been plucked out. All those great bowmen of the Pancalas and Pandavas,
delighted in consequence of the fall of Karna, slept that night happily.
Its fever dispelled, the army of the Pandavas, abounding with great
bowmen and mighty car-warriors having reached the shore as it were,
became very happy that night, in consequence of the victory, O sire, it
had won by the slaughter of Karna.'"
8
"Sanjaya said, 'After that night had passed away, king Duryodhana then,
addressing all thy soldiers, said, "Arm, you mighty car-warriors!"
Hearing the command of the king, the warriors began to put on their
armour. Some began to yoke their steeds to their cars quickly, others ran
hither and thither. The elephants began to be equipped. The foot-soldiers
began to arm. Others, numbering thousands, began to spread carpets on the
terraces of cars. The noise of musical instruments, O monarch, arose
there, for enhancing the martial enthusiasm of the soldiers. Then all the
troops, placed in their proper posts, were seen, O Bharata, to stand,
clad in mail and resolved to make death their goal. Having made the ruler
of the Madras their leader, the great car-warriors of the Kauravas,
distributing their troops, stood in divisions. Then all thy warriors,
with Kripa and Kritavarma and Drona's son and Shalya and Subala's son and
the other kings that were yet alive, met thy son, and arrived at this
understanding, that none of them would individually and alone fight with
the Pandavas. And they said, "He amongst us that will fight, alone and
unsupported, with the Pandavas, or he that will abandon a comrade engaged
in fight, will be stained with the five grave sins and all the minor
sins." And they said, "All of us, united together, will fight with the
foe." Those great car-warriors, having made such an understanding with
one another placed the ruler of the Madras at their head and quickly
proceeded against their foes. Similarly, all the Pandavas, having arrayed
their troops in great battle, proceeded against the Kauravas, O king, for
fighting with them on every side. Soon, O chief of the Bharatas, that
host, whose noise resembled that of the agitated ocean, and which seemed
to be wonderful in consequence of its cars and elephants, presented the
aspect of the vast deep swelling with its surges.'
"Dhritarashtra said, 'I have heard of the fall of Drona, of Bhishma and
of the son of Radha. Tell me now of the fall of Shalya and of my son.
How, indeed, O Sanjaya, was Shalya slain by king Yudhishthira the just?
And how was my son Duryodhana slain by Bhimasena of great might?'
"Sanjaya said, 'Hear, O king, with patience, of the destruction of human
bodies and the loss of elephants and steeds, as I describe (to thee) the
battle. The hope became strong, O king, in the breasts of thy sons that,
after Drona and Bhishma and the Suta's son had been overthrown, Shalya, O
sire, would slay all the Parthas in battle. Cherishing that hope in his
heart, and drawing comfort from it, O Bharata, thy son Duryodhana,
relying in battle upon that mighty car-warrior, the ruler of the Madras,
regarded himself as possessed of a protector. When after Karna's fall the
Parthas had uttered leonine roars, a great fear, O king, had possessed
the hearts of the Dhartarashtras. Assuring him duly, the valiant king of
the Madras, having formed, O monarch, a grand array whose arrangements
were auspicious in every respect, proceeded against the Parthas in
battle. And the valiant king of the Madras proceeded, shaking his
beautiful and exceedingly strong bow capable of imparting a great
velocity to the shafts sped from it. And that mighty car-warrior was
mounted upon the foremost of vehicles, having horses of the Sindhu breed
yoked unto it. Riding upon his car, his driver made the vehicle look
resplendent. Protected by that car, that hero, that brave crusher of foes
(Shalya), stood, O monarch, dispelling the fears of thy sons. The king of
the Madras, clad in mail, proceeded at the head of the array, accompanied
by the brave Madrakas and the invincible sons of Karna. On the left was
Kritavarma, surrounded by the Trigartas. On the right was Gautama (Kripa)
with the Sakas and the Yavanas. In the rear was Ashvatthama surrounded by
the Kambojas. In the centre was Duryodhana, protected by the foremost of
the Kuru warriors. Surrounded by a large force of cavalry and other
troops, Subala's son Shakuni, as also the mighty car-warrior Uluka,
proceeded with the others. The mighty bowmen amongst the Pandavas, those
chastisers of foes, dividing themselves, O monarch, into three bodies,
rushed against thy troops. Dhrishtadyumna and Shikhandi and the mighty
car-warrior Satyaki proceeded with great speed against the army of
Shalya. Then king Yudhishthira, accompanied by his troops, rushed against
Shalya alone, from desire of slaughtering him, O bull of Bharata's race.
Arjuna, that slayer of large bands of foes, rushed with great speed
against that great bowman Kritavarma and the Samsaptakas. Bhimasena and
the great car-warriors among the Somakas rushed, O monarch, against
Kripa, desirous of slaughtering their foes in battle. The two sons of
Madri, accompanied by their troops, proceeded against Shakuni and the
great car-warrior Uluka at the head of their forces. Similarly, thousands
upon thousands of warriors of thy army, armed with diverse weapons and
filled with rage, proceeded against the Pandavas in that battle.'
"Dhritarashtra said, 'After the fall of the mighty bowmen Bhishma and
Drona and the great car-warrior Karna, and after both the Kurus and the
Pandavas had been reduced in numbers, and when, indeed, the Parthas,
possessed of great prowess, became once more angry in battle, what, O
Sanjaya, was the strength of each of the armies?'
"Sanjaya said, 'Hear, O king, how we and the enemy both stood for battle
on that occasion and what was then the strength of the two armies. 11,000
cars, O bull of Bharata's race, 10,700 elephants, and full 200,000
horses, and three millions of foot, composed the strength of thy army.
6,000 cars, 6,000 elephants, 10,000 horses, and one million of foot, O
Bharata, were all that composed the remnant of the Pandava force in the
battle. These, O bull of Bharata's race, encountered each other for
battle. Having distributed their forces in this way, O monarch,
ourselves, excited with wrath and inspired with desire of victory,
proceeded against the Pandavas, having placed ourselves under the command
of the ruler of the Madras. Similar, the brave Pandavas, those tigers
among men, desirous of victory, and the Pancalas possessed of great fame,
came to battle. Even thus, O monarch, all those tigers among men,
desirous of slaughtering their foes, encountered one another at dawn of
day, O lord. Then commenced a fierce and terrible battle between thy
troops and the enemy, the combatants being all engaged in striking and
slaughtering one another.'"
9
"Sanjaya said, 'Then commenced the battle between the Kurus and the
Srinjayas, O monarch, that was as fierce and awful as the battle between
the gods and the Asuras. Men and crowds of cars and elephants, and
elephant-warriors and horsemen by thousands, and steeds, all possessed of
great prowess, encountered one another. The loud noise of rushing
elephants of fearful forms was then heard there resembling the roars of
the clouds in the welkin, in the season of rains. Some car-warriors,
struck by elephants, were deprived of their cars. Routed by those
infuriate animals other brave combatants ran on the field. Well-trained
car-warriors, O Bharata, with their shafts, despatched large bodies of
cavalry and the footmen that urged and protected the elephants, to the
other world. Well-trained horsemen, O king, surrounding great
car-warriors, careered on the field, striking and slaying the latter with
spears and darts and swords. Some combatants armed with bows,
encompassing great car-warriors, despatched them to Yama's abode, the
many unitedly battling against individual ones. Other great car-warriors,
encompassing elephants and foremost warriors of their own class, slew
some mighty one amongst that fought on the field, careering all around.
Similarly, O king, elephants, encompassing individual car-warriors
excited with wrath and scattering showers of shafts, despatched them to
the other world. Elephant-warrior rushing against elephant-warrior and
car-warrior against car-warrior in that battle slew each other with darts
and lances and cloth-yard shafts, O Bharata. Cars and elephants and
horses, crushing foot-soldiers in the midst of battle, were seen to make
confusion worse confounded. Adorned with yak-tails, steeds rushed on all
sides, looking like the swans found on the plains at the foot of Himavat.
They rushed with such speed that they seemed ready to devour the very
Earth. The field, O monarch, indented with the hoofs of those steeds,
looked beautiful like a beautiful woman bearing the marks of (her
lover's) nails on her person. With the noise made by the tread of heroes,
the wheels of cars, the shouts of foot-soldiers, the grunts of elephants,
the peal of drums and other musical instruments, and the blare of conchs,
the Earth began to resound as if with deafening peals of thunder. In
consequence of twanging bows and flashing sabres and the glaring armour
of the combatants, all became so confused there, that nothing could be
distinctly marked. Invulnerable arms, lopped off from human bodies, and
looking like the tusks of elephants, jumped up and writhed and moved
furiously about. The sound made, O monarch, by heads falling on the field
of battle, resembled that made by the falling fruits of palmyra trees.
Strewn with those fallen heads that were crimson with blood, the Earth
looked resplendent as if adorned with gold-coloured lotuses in their
season. Indeed, with those lifeless heads with upturned eyes, that were
exceedingly mangled (with shafts and other weapons), the field of battle,
O king, looked resplendent as if strewn with full blown lotuses. With the
fallen arms of the combatants, smeared with sandal and adorned with
costly Keyuras, the earth looked bright as if strewn with the gorgeous
poles set up in Indra's honour. The field of battle became covered with
the thighs of kings, cut off in that battle and looking like the tapering
trunks of elephants. Teeming with hundreds of headless trunk and strewn
with umbrellas and yak-tails, that vast army looked beautiful like a
flowering forest. Then, on the field of battle, O monarch, warriors
careered fearlessly, their limbs bathed in blood and therefore looking
like flowering Kinsukas. Elephants also, afflicted with arrows and
lances, fell down here and there like broken clouds dropped from the
skies. Elephant divisions, O monarch, slaughtered by high-souled
warriors, dispersed in all directions like wind-tossed clouds. Those
elephants, looking like clouds, fell down on the Earth, like mountains
riven with thunder, O lord, on the occasion of the dissolution of the
world at the end of the Yuga. Heaps upon heaps, looking like mountains,
were seen, lying on the ground, of fallen steeds with their riders. A
river appeared on the field of battle, flowing towards the other world.
Blood formed its waters and cars its eddies. Standards formed its trees,
and bones its pebbles. The arms (of combatants) were its alligators, bows
its current, elephants its large rocks, and steeds its smaller ones. Fat
and marrow formed its mire, umbrellas its swans, and maces its rafts.
Abounding with armour and head-gears, banners constituted its beautiful
trees. Teeming with wheels that formed its swarms of Chakravakas, it was
covered with Trivenus and Dandas. Inspiring the brave with delight and
enhancing the fears of the timid, that fierce river set in, whose shores
abounded with Kurus and Srinjayas. Those brave warriors, with arms
resembling spiked bludgeons, by the aid of their vehicles and animals
serving the purposes of rafts and boats, crossed that awful river which
ran towards the region of the dead. During the progress of that battle, O
monarch, in which no consideration was shown by anybody for anyone, and
which, fraught with awful destruction of the four kinds of forces,
therefore, resembled the battle between the gods and the Asuras in days
of old, some among the combatants, O scorcher of foes, loudly called upon
their kinsmen and friends. Some, called upon by crying kinsmen, returned,
afflicted with fear. During the progress of that fierce and awful battle,
Arjuna and Bhimasena stupefied their foes. That vast host of thine, O
ruler of men, thus slaughtered, swooned away on the field, like a woman
under the influence of liquor. Having stupefied that army, Bhimasena and
Dhananjaya blew their conchs and uttered leonine roars. As soon as they
heard that loud peal, Dhrishtadyumna and Shikhandi, placing king
Yudhishthira at their head, rushed against the ruler of the Madras.
Exceedingly wonderful and terrible, O monarch, was the manner in which
those heroes, unitedly and as separate bodies, then fought with Shalya.
The two sons of Madri, endued with great activity, accomplished in
weapons, and invincible in battle, proceeded with great speed against thy
host, inspired with desire of victory. Then thy army, O bull of Bharata's
race, mangled in diverse ways with shafts by the Pandavas eager for
victory, began to fly away from the field. That host, thus struck and
broken by firm bowmen, O monarch, fled away on all sides in the very
sight of thy sons. Loud cries of "Oh!" and "Alas!" O Bharata, arose from
among thy warriors, while some illustrious Kshatriyas among the routed
combatants, desirous of victory, cried out saying, "Stop, stop!" For all
that, those troops of thine, broken by the Pandavas, fled away, deserting
on the field their dear sons and brothers and maternal, uncles and
sister's sons and relatives by marriage and other kinsmen. Urging their
steeds and elephants to greater speed, thousands of warriors fled away, O
bull of Bharata's race, bent only upon their own safety.'"
10
"Sanjaya said, 'Beholding the army broken, the valiant king of the
Madras, addressed his driver, saying, "Quickly urge these steeds endued
with the fleetness of thought. Yonder stays king Yudhishthira, the son of
Pandu, looking resplendent with the umbrella held over his head. Take me
thither with speed, O driver, and witness my might. The Parthas are
unable to stand before me in battle." Thus addressed, the driver of the
Madra king proceeded to that spot where stood king Yudhishthira the just
of true aim. Shalya fell suddenly upon the mighty host of the Pandavas.
Alone, he checked it like the continent checking the surging sea. Indeed,
the large force of the Pandavas, coming against Shalya, O sire, stood
still in that battle, like the rushing sea upon encountering a mountain.
Beholding the ruler of the Madras standing for battle on the field, the
Kauravas returned, making death their goal. After they had returned, O
king, and separately taken up their positions in well-formed array, an
awful battle set in, in which blood flowed freely like water.
"'The invincible Nakula encountered Chitrasena. These two heroes, both of
whom were excellent bowmen, approaching, drenched each other with showers
of arrows in that battle, like two pouring clouds risen in the welkin on
the south and the north. I could not mark any difference between the son
of Pandu and his antagonist. Both of them were accomplished in weapons,
both endued with might, and both conversant with the practices of
car-warriors. Each bent upon slaying the other, they carefully looked for
each other's lapses. Then Chitrasena, O monarch, with a broad-headed
shaft, well-tempered and sharp, cut off Nakula's bow at the handle.
Fearlessly then the son of Karna struck the bowless Nakula at the
forehead with three shafts equipped with wings of gold and whetted on
stone. With a few other keen arrows he then despatched Nakula's steeds to
Yama's abode. Next, he felled both the standard and the driver of his
antagonist, each with three arrows. With those three arrows sped from the
arms of his foe sticking to his fore-head, Nakula, O king, looked
beautiful like a mountain with three crests. Deprived of his bow and his
cars, the brave Nakula, taking up a sword, jumped down from his vehicle
like a lion from a mountain-summit. As, however, he rushed on foot, his
antagonist poured a shower of arrows upon him. Possessed of active
prowess, Nakula received that arrowy shower on his shield. Getting at the
car then of Chitrasena, the mighty-armed hero, the son of Pandu,
conversant with all modes of warfare and incapable of being tired with
exertion, ascended it in the very sight of all the troops. The son of
Pandu then cut off from Chitrasena's trunk his diadem-decked head adorned
with ear-rings, and graced with a beautiful nose and a pair of large
eyes. At this, Chitrasena, endued with the splendour of the sun, fell
down on the terrace of his car. Beholding Chitrasena slain, all the great
car-warriors there uttered loud cries of praise and many leonine roars.
Meanwhile, the two sons of Karna, Sushena and Satyasena, both of whom
were great car-warriors, beholding their brother slain, shot showers of
keen shafts. Those foremost of car-warriors rushed with speed against the
son of Pandu like a couple of tigers, O king, in the deep forest rushing
against an elephant from desire of slaying him. Both of them poured their
keen shafts upon the mighty car-warrior Nakula. Indeed, as they poured
those shafts, they resembled two masses of clouds pouring rain in
torrents. Though pierced with arrows all over, the valiant and heroic son
of Pandu cheerfully took up another bow after ascending on another car,
and stood in battle like the Destroyer himself in rage. Then those two
brothers, O monarch, with their straight shafts, cut off Nakula's car
into fragments. Then Nakula, laughing, smote the four steeds of Satyasena
with four whetted and keen shafts in that encounter. Aiming a long shaft
equipped with wings of gold, the son of Pandu then cut off, O monarch,
the bow of Satyasena. At this, the latter, mounting on another car and
taking up another bow, as also his brother Sushena, rushed against the
son of Pandu. The valiant son of Madri fearlessly pierced each of them, O
monarch, with couple of shafts at the van of battle. Then the mighty
car-warrior Sushena, filled with wrath, cut off in that battle, laughing
the while, the formidable bow of Pandu's son with a razor-headed arrow.
Then Nakula, insensate with rage, took up another bow and pierced Sushena
with five arrows and struck his standard with one. Without losing a
moment, he then cut off the bow and the leathern fence of Satyasena also,
O sire, at which all the troops there uttered a loud shout. Satyasena,
taking up another foe-slaying bow that was capable of bearing a great
strain, shrouded the son of Pandu with arrows from every side. Baffling
those arrows, Nakula, that slayer of hostile heroes, pierced each of his
antagonists with a couple of shafts. Each of the latter separately
pierced the son of Pandu in return with many straight-coursing shaft.
Next they pierced Nakula's driver also with many keen shafts. The valiant
Satyasena then, endued with great lightness of hand, cut off without his
brother's help the shafts of Nakula's car and his bow with a couple of
arrows. The Atiratha Nakula, however, staying on his car, took up a dart
equipped with a golden handle and a very keen point, and steeped in oil
and exceedingly bright. It resembled, O lord, a she-snake of virulent
poison, frequently darting out her tongue. Raising that weapon he hurled
it at Satyasena in that encounter. That dart, O king, pierced the heart
of Satyasena in that battle and reduced it into a hundred fragments.
Deprived of his senses and life, he fell down upon the Earth from his
car. Beholding his brother slain, Sushena, insensate with rage, suddenly
made Nakula carless in that battle. Without losing a moment, he poured
his arrows over the son of Pandu fighting on foot. Seeing Nakula carless,
the mighty car-warrior Sutasoma, the son of Draupadi, rushed to that spot
for rescuing his sire in battle. Mounting then upon the car of Sutasoma,
Nakula, that hero of Bharata's race, looked beautiful like a lion upon a
mountain. Then taking up another bow, he fought with Sushena. Those two
great car-warriors, approaching each other, and shooting showers of
arrows, endeavoured to encompass each other's destruction. Then Sushena,
filled with rage, struck the son of Pandu with three shafts and Sutasoma
with twenty in the arms and the chest. At this, the impetuous Nakula, O
monarch, that slayer of hostile heroes, covered all the points of the
compass with arrows. Then taking up a sharp shaft endued with great
energy and equipped with a semi-circular head, Nakula sped it with great
force at Karna's son in that battle. With that arrow, O best of kings,
the son of Pandu cut off from Sushena's trunk the latter's head in the
very sight of all the troops. That feat seemed exceedingly wonderful.
Thus slain by the illustrious Nakula, Karna's son fell down like a lofty
tree on the bank of a river thrown down by the current of the stream.
Beholding the slaughter of Karna's sons and the prowess of Nakula, thy
army, O bull of Bharata's race, fled away in fear. Their commander,
however, the brave and valiant ruler of the Madras, that chastiser of
foes, then protected, O monarch, those troops in that battle. Rallying
his host, O king, Shalya stood fearlessly in battle, uttering loud
leonine roars and causing his bow to twang fiercely. Then thy troops, O
king, protected in battle by that firm bowman, cheerfully proceeded
against the foe once more from every side. Those high-souled warriors,
surrounding that great bowman, the ruler of the Madras, stood, O king,
desirous of battling on every side. Then Satyaki, and Bhimasena, and
those two Pandavas, the twin sons of Madri, placing that chastiser of
foes and abode of modesty, Yudhishthira, at their head, and surrounding
him on all sides in that battle, uttered leonine roars. And those heroes
also caused a loud whizz with the arrows they shot and frequently
indulged in diverse kinds of shouts. Smilingly, all thy warriors, filled
with rage, speedily encompassed the ruler of the Madras and stood from
desire of battle. Then commenced a battle, inspiring the timid with fear,
between thy soldiers and the enemy, both of whom made death their goal.
That battle between fearless combatants, enhancing the population of
Yama's kingdom, resembled, O monarch, that between the gods and the
Asuras in days of yore. Then the ape-bannered son of Pandu, O king,
having slaughtered the Samsaptakas in battle, rushed against that portion
of the Kaurava army. Smiling, all the Pandavas, headed by Dhrishtadyumna,
rushed against the same division, shooting showers of keen arrows.
Overwhelmed by the Pandavas, the Kaurava host became stupefied. Indeed,
those divisions then could not discern the cardinal point from the
subsidiary points of the compass. Covered with keen arrows sped by the
Pandavas, the Kaurava army, deprived of its foremost warriors, wavered
and broke on all sides. Indeed, O Kaurava, that host of thine began to be
slaughtered by the mighty car-warriors of the Pandavas. Similarly, the
Pandava host, O king, began to be slaughtered in hundreds and thousands
in that battle by thy sons on every side with their arrows. While the two
armies, exceedingly excited, were thus slaughtering each other, they
became much agitated like two streams in the season of rains. During the
progress of that dreadful battle, O monarch, a great fear entered the
hearts of thy warriors as also those of the Pandavas.'"
11
Sanjaya said, "When the troops, slaughtered by one another, were thus
agitated, when many of the warriors fled away and the elephants began to
utter loud cries, when the foot-soldiers in that dreadful battle began to
shout and wail aloud, when the steeds, O king, ran in diverse directions,
when the carnage became awful, when a terrible destruction set in of all
embodied creatures, when weapons of various kinds fell or clashed with
one another, when cars and elephants began to be mangled together, when
heroes felt great delight and cowards felt their fears enhanced, when
combatants encountered one another from desire of slaughter, on that
awful occasion of the destruction of life, during the progress of that
dreadful sport, that is, of that awful battle that enhanced the
population of Yama's kingdom, the Pandavas slaughtered thy troops with
keen shafts, and, after the same manner, thy troops slew those of the
Pandavas.
During that battle inspiring the timid with terror, indeed, during the
progress of the battle as it was fought on that morning about the hour of
sunrise, the Pandava heroes of good aim, protected by the high-souled
Yudhishthira, fought with thy forces, making death itself their goal. The
Kuru army, O thou of the race of Kuru, encountering the proud Pandavas
endued with great strength, skilled in smiting, and possessed of sureness
of aim, became weakened and agitated like a herd of she-deer frightened
at a forest conflagration.
Beholding that army weakened and helpless like a cow sunk in mire,
Shalya, desirous of rescuing it, proceeded against the Pandava army.
Filled with rage, the ruler of the Madras, taking up an excellent bow,
rushed for battle against the Pandava foes. The Pandavas also, O monarch,
in that encounter, inspired with desire of victory, proceeded against the
ruler of the Madras and pierced him with keen shafts. Then the ruler of
the Madras, possessed of great strength, afflicted that host with showers
of keen arrows in the very sight of king Yudhishthira the just.
At that time diverse portents appeared to the view. The Earth herself,
with her mountains, trembled, making a loud noise. Meteors, with keen
points bright as those of lances equipped with handles, piercing the air,
fell upon the Earth from the firmament. Deer and buffaloes and birds, O
monarch, in large numbers, placed thy army to their right, O king. The
planets Venus and Mars, in conjunction with Mercury, appeared at the rear
of the Pandavas and to the front of all the (Kaurava) lords of Earth.
Blazing flames seemed to issue from the points of weapons, dazzling the
eyes (of the warriors). Crows and owls in large numbers perched upon the
heads of the combatants and on the tops of their standards. Then a fierce
battle took place between the Kaurava and the Pandava combatants,
assembled together in large bodies. Then, O king, the Kauravas, mustering
all their divisions, rushed against the Pandava army. Of soul incapable
of being depressed, Shalya then poured dense showers of arrows on
Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti like the thousand-eyed Indra pouring rain
in torrents. Possessed of great strength, he pierced Bhimasena, and the
five sons of Draupadi and Dhristadyumna, the two sons of Madri by Pandu,
and the grandson of Sini, and Shikhandi also, each with ten arrows
equipped with wings of gold and whetted on stone. Indeed, he began to
pour his arrows like Maghavat (Indra) pouring rain at the close of the
summer season. Then the Prabhadrakas, O king, and the Somakas, were seen
felled or falling by thousands, in consequence of Shalya's arrows.
Multitudinous as swarms of bees or flights of locusts, the shafts of
Shalya were seen to fall like thunderbolts from the clouds. Elephants and
steeds and foot-soldiers and car-warriors, afflicted with Shalya's
arrows, fell down or wandered or uttered loud wails. Infuriate with rage
and prowess, the ruler of the Madras shrouded his foes in that battle
like Destroyer at the end of the Yuga. The mighty ruler of the Madras
began to roar aloud like the clouds. The Pandava army, thus slaughtered
by Shalya, ran towards Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti (for protection).
Possessed of great lightness of hand, Shalya, having in that battle
crushed them with whetted arrows, began to afflict Yudhishthira with a
dense shower of shafts. Beholding Shalya impetuously rushing towards him
with horsemen and foot-soldiers, king Yudhishthira, filled with wrath,
checked him with keen shafts, even as an infuriate elephant is checked
with iron-hooks. Then Shalya sped a terrible arrow at Yudhishthira that
resembled a snake of virulent poison. Piercing through the high-souled
son of Kunti, that arrow quickly fell down upon the Earth. Then
Vrikodara, filled with wrath, pierced Shalya with seven arrows, and
Sahadeva pierced him with five, and Nakula with ten. The (five) sons of
Draupadi poured upon that foe-slaying hero, the impetuous Artayani
(Shalya), showers of arrows like a mass of clouds pouring rain upon a
mountain. Beholding Shalya struck by the Parthas on every side, both
Kritavarma and Kripa rushed in wrath towards that spot. Uluka also of
mighty energy, and Shakuni the son of Subala, and the mighty car-warrior
Ashvatthama with smiles on his lips, and all thy sons protected Shalya by
every means in that battle. Piercing Bhimasena with three arrows,
Kritavarma, shooting a dense shower of shafts, checked that warrior who
then seemed to be the embodiment of wrath. Excited with rage, Kripa
struck Dhrishtadyumna with many arrows. Shakuni proceeded against the
sons of Draupadi, and Ashvatthama against the twins. That foremost of
warriors, Duryodhana, possessed of fierce energy, proceeded, in that
battle, against Keshava and Arjuna, and endued with might, he struck them
both with many arrows. Thus hundreds of combats, O monarch, that were
fierce and beautiful, took place between thy men and the enemy, on
diverse parts of the field. The chief of the Bhojas then slew the brown
steeds of Bhimasena's car in that encounter. The steedless son of Pandu,
alighting from his car, began to fight with his mace, like the Destroyer
himself with his uplifted bludgeon. The ruler of the Madras then slew the
steeds of Sahadeva before his eyes. Then Sahadeva slew Shalya's son with
his sword. The preceptor Gautama (Kripa) once more fearlessly fought with
Dhrishtadyumna, both exerting themselves with great care. The preceptor's
son Ashvatthama, without much wrath and as if smiling in that battle,
pierced each of the five heroic sons of Draupadi with ten arrows. Once
more the steeds of Bhimasena were slain in that battle. The steedless son
of Pandu, quickly alighting from his car, took up his mace like the
Destroyer taking his bludgeon. Excited with wrath, that mighty hero
crushed the steeds and the car of Kritavarma. Jumping down from his
vehicle, Kritavarma then fled away. Shalya also, excited with rage, O
king, slaughtered many Somakas and Pandavas, and once more afflicted
Yudhishthira with many keen shafts. Then the valiant Bhima, biting his
nether lip, and infuriate with rage, took up his mace in that battle, and
aimed it at Shalya for the latter's destruction. Resembling the very
bludgeon of Yama, impending (upon the head of the foe) like kala-ratri
(Death Night), exceedingly destructive of the lives of elephants and
steeds and human beings, twined round with cloth of gold, looking like a
blazing meteor, equipped with a sling, fierce as a she-snake, hard as
thunder, and made wholly of iron, smeared with sandal-paste and other
unguents like a desirable lady, smutted with marrow and fat and blood,
resembling the very tongue of Yama, producing shrill sounds in
consequence of the bells attached to it, like unto the thunder of Indra,
resembling in shape a snake of virulent poison just freed from its
slough, drenched with the juicy secretions of elephants, inspiring
hostile troops with terror and friendly troops with joy, celebrated in
the world of men, and capable of riving mountain summits, that mace, with
which the mighty son of Kunti had in Kailasa challenged the enraged Lord
of Alaka, the friend of Maheshvara, that weapon with which Bhima, though
resisted by many, had in wrath slain a large number of proud Guhyakas
endued with powers of illusion on the breasts of Gandhamadana for the
sake of procuring Mandara flowers for doing what was agreeable to
Draupadi, uplifting that mace which was rich with diamonds and jewels and
gems and possessed of eight sides and celebrated as Indra's thunder, the
mighty-armed son of Pandu now rushed against Shalya. With that mace of
awful sound, Bhima, skilled in battle, crushed the four steeds of Shalya
that were possessed of great fleetness. Then the heroic Shalya, excited
with wrath in that battle, hurled a lance at the broad chest of Bhima and
uttered a loud shout. That lance, piercing through the armour of Pandu's
son, presented into his body. Vrikodara, however, fearlessly plucking out
the weapon, pierced therewith the driver of Shalya in the chest. His
vitals pierced, the driver, vomiting blood, fell down with agitated
heart. At this, the ruler of the Madras came down from his car and
cheerlessly gazed at Bhima. Beholding his own feat thus counteracted,
Shalya became filled with wonder. Of tranquil soul, the ruler of the
Madras took up his mace and began to cast his glances upon his foe.
Beholding that terrible feat of his in battle, the Parthas, with cheerful
hearts, worshipped Bhima who was incapable of being tired with exertion.'"
12
"Sanjaya said, 'Seeing his driver fallen, Shalya, O king, quickly took up
his mace made wholly of iron and stood immovable as a bull. Bhima,
however, armed with his mighty mace, rushed impetuously towards Shalya
who then looked like the blazing Yuga-fire, or the Destroyer armed with
the noose, or the Kailasa mountain with its formidable crest, or Vasava
with his thunder, or Mahadeva with his trident, or an infuriate elephant
in the forest. At that time the blare of thousands of conchs and trumpets
and loud leonine roars arose there, enhancing the delight of heroes. The
combatants of both armies, looking at those two foremost of warriors from
every side, applauded them both, saying, "Excellent, Excellent! Save the
ruler of the Madras, or Rama, that delighter of the Yadus, there is none
else that can venture to endure the impetuosity of Bhima in battle.
Similarly, save Bhima, there is no other warrior that can venture to
endure the force of the mace of the illustrious king of the Madras in