sang and some danced about uttering loud sounds, and some leapt forward
and cut capers and jumped sideways. Endued with great fleetness, they ran
about most fiercely, the hair on their heads waving in the air, like huge
elephants infuriated with passion and frequently uttering loud roars.
Terrible, and of frightful mien and armed with lances and battle-axes,
they were attired in robes of diverse hues and decked with beautiful
garlands and unguents. Adorned with angadas decked with gems, and with
uplifted arms, they were endued with great courage. Capable of forcibly
slaying all foes, they were irresistible in prowess. Drinkers of blood
and fat and other animal matter, they subsisted on the flesh and entrails
of animals. Some had their locks tied in tall tufts above their heads.
Some had single tufts on their heads; some had rings on their ears; and
some had stomachs resembling earthen vessels used for cooking. Some were
of very short statures, and some were very high in stature. Some were
tall and very fierce. Some had grim features, some had long lips, and the
genital limbs of some were very long. Some had costly and diverse kinds
of crowns upon their heads; and some had bald heads, and the heads of
others were covered with matted locks.
They were capable of bringing down the firmament with the sun, moon, and
stars, on earth, and exterminating the four orders of created things.
They know not what it is to fear, and are capable of enduring the frowns
of Hara. They always act as they like, and are the lords of the lords of
the three worlds. Always engaged in merry sports, they are thorough
masters of speech and are perfectly free from pride. Having obtained the
eight kinds of divine attributes, they are never elated with pride. The
divine Hara is always filled with wonder at their feats. They are devout
worshippers of Mahadeva. Adored by them in thought, word, and deed, the
great god protects those worshippers of his, looking upon them, in
thought, word, and deed as children of his own loins. Filled with rage,
they always drink the blood and fat of all haters of Brahma. They always
drink also the soma juice endued with four kinds of taste. Having adored
the trident-bearing god with Vedic recitations, with brahmacarya, with
austerities, and with self-restraint, they have obtained the
companionship of Bhava. The divine Maheshvara, that lord of the past, the
present, and the future as also Parvati, eat with those diverse tribes of
mighty beings that partake of their own nature.
Causing the universe to resound with the peal of diverse kinds of
instruments, with noise of laughter, with loud sounds and shrieks and
leonine roar, they approached Ashvatthama. Uttering the praises of
Mahadeva and spreading an effulgent light all around, desirous of
enhancing the honour of Ashvatthama and the glory of the high-souled
Hara, and wishing to ascertain the extent of Ashvatthama's energy, and
desirous also of beholding the slaughter during the hour of sleep, armed
with terrible and fierce bludgeons and fiery wheels and battle-axes, that
crowd of strange beings, endued with terrible forms, came from every
side. They were capable of inspiring the three worlds with dread at their
sight. The mighty Ashvatthama, however, beholding them, felt no fear.
Drona's son, armed with bow, and with fingers cased in fences made of
iguana skins, himself offered up his own self as a victim unto Mahadeva.
Bows were the fuel, and sharp shafts were the ladles, and his own soul
possessed of great might was the libation, O Bharata, in that act of
sacrifice. The valiant and wrathful son of Drona then, with propitiating
mantras, offered up his own soul as the victim. Having with fierce rites
adored Rudra of fierce deeds, Ashvatthama with joined hands, said these
words unto that high-souled god.
Ashvatthama said, "Sprung from Angirasa's line, I am about to pour my
soul, O god, as a libation on this fire! Accept, O lord, this victim! In
this hour of distress, O Soul of the universe, I offer up my own self as
the sacrificial victim, from devotion to thee and with heart concentrated
in meditation! All creatures are in thee and thou art in all creatures!
Assemblage of all high attributes occur in thee! O lord, O thou art the
refuge of all creatures. I wait as a libation for thee, since I am unable
to vanquish my foes. Accept me, O god." Having said these words, Drona's
son, ascending that sacrificial altar on which a fire blazed brightly,
offered himself up as the victim and entered that blazing fire.
Beholding him stand immovable and with uplifted hands and as an offering
up to himself, the divine Mahadeva appeared in person and smilingly said,
"With truth, purity, sincerity, resignation, ascetic austerities, vows,
forgiveness, devotion, patience, thought, and word, I have been duly
adored by Krishna of pure deeds. For this there is none dearer to me than
Krishna. For honouring him and at his word I have protected the Pancalas
and displayed diverse kinds of illusion. By protecting the Pancalas I
have honoured him. They have, however, been afflicted by time. The period
of their lives hath run out."
Having said these words unto the high-souled Ashvatthama, the divine
Mahadeva entered Ashvatthama's body after giving him an excellent and
polished sword. Filled by that divine being, Drona's son blazed up with
energy. In consequence of that energy derived from godhead, he became
all-powerful in battle. Many invisible beings and rakshasas proceeded
along his right and his left as he set out, like the lord Mahadeva
himself, for entering the camp of his foes."
8
Dhritarashtra said, "While Drona's son, that mighty car-warrior, thus
proceeded towards the hostile camp, did Kripa and Bhoja stop from fear? I
hope those two car-warriors checked by vulgar guards, did not fly away
secretly, thinking their opponents irresistible? Or, have they, after
grinding the camp, the Somakas, and the Pandavas, followed, while still
engaged in battle, the highly glorious path in which Duryodhana has gone?
Are those heroes, slain by the Pancalas, sleeping on the bare Earth? Did
they achieve any feat? Tell me all this, O Sanjaya!"
Sanjaya said, "When the high-souled son of Drona proceeded towards the
camp, Kripa and Kritavarma waited at the gate. Beholding them ready to
exert themselves, Ashvatthama became filled with joy, and addressing them
whisperingly, O king, said, "If you two exert, you are competent to
exterminate all the kshatriyas! What need I say, therefore, of this
remnant of the (Pandava) army, particularly when it is buried in sleep? I
shall enter the camp and career like Yama. I am sure that you two will
act in such way that no man may escape you with life."
Having said these words, the son of Drona entered the vast camp of the
Parthas; casting off all fear, he penetrated into it by a spot where
there was no door. The mighty-armed hero, having entered the camp,
proceeded, guided by signs, very softly, towards the quarters of
Dhrishtadyumna. The Pancalas, having achieved great feats, had been much
tired in battle. They were sleeping in confidence, assembled together,
and by the side of one another. Entering into Dhrishtadyumna's chamber, O
Bharata, Drona's son beheld the prince of the Pancalas sleeping before
him on his bed. He lay on a beautiful sheet of silk upon a costly and
excellent bed. Excellent wreaths of flowers were strewn upon that bed and
it was perfumed with powdered dhupa. Ashvatthama, O king, awoke with a
kick the high-souled prince sleeping trustfully and fearlessly on his
bed. Feeling that kick, the prince, irresistible in battle and of
immeasurable soul, awaked from sleep and recognised Drona's son standing
before him. As he was rising from his bed, the mighty Ashvatthama seized
him by the hair of his head and began to press him down on the earth with
his hands. Thus pressed by Ashvatthama with great strength, the prince,
from fear as also from sleepiness, was not able to put forth his strength
at that time. Striking him with his foot, O king, on both his throat and
breast while his victim writhed and roared, Drona's son endeavoured to
kill him as if he were an animal. The Pancala prince tore Ashvatthama
with his nails and at last softly said, "O preceptor's son, slay me with
a weapon, do not tarry! O best of men, let me, through thy act, repair to
the regions of the righteous!"
Having said this much, that slayer of foes, the son of the Pancala king,
assailed with strength by that mighty hero, became silent. Hearing those
indistinct sounds of his, Drona's son said, "O wretch of thy race, there
is no region for those that slay their preceptors. For this, O thou of
wicked understanding, thou deservest not to be slain with any weapon!"
While saying so, Ashvatthama, filled with rage, began to strike the vital
parts of his victim with violent kicks of his heels, and slew his foe
like a lion slaying an infuriated elephant. At the cries of that hero
while he was being slain, his wives and guards that were in his tent all
awake, O king! Beholding somebody crushing the prince with superhuman
force, they regarded the assailant to be some preternatural being and,
therefore, uttered no cries from fear. Having despatched him to Yama's
abode by such means, Ashvatthama of great energy went out and getting
upon his beautiful car stayed on it. Indeed, coming out of
Dhrishtadyumna's abode, O king, Ashvatthama caused all the points of the
compass to resound with his roars, and then proceeded on his car to other
parts of the camp for slaying his foes.
After Drona's son, that mighty car-warrior, had gone away, the women and
all the guards set up a loud wail of woe. Seeing their king slain, all
the wives of Dhrishtadyumna, filled with great sorrow, cried. At that
wail of theirs many mighty kshatriyas, awaking, put on their armour and
came there for enquiring after the cause of those cries. Those ladies,
terrified at the sight of Ashvatthama, in piteous tones asked the men to
pursue him without delay. They said, "Whether he is a rakshasa or a human
being, we know not what he is! Having slain the Pancala king, he stayeth
there!" At these words, those foremost of warriors suddenly surrounded
Drona's son. The latter slew them all by means of the rudrastra. Having
slain Dhrishtadyumna and all those followers of his, he beheld Uttamauja
sleeping on his bed. Attacking him with his foot on the throat and chest,
Drona's son slew that great hero also while the latter writhed in agony.
Yudhamanyu, coming up and believing his comrade to have been slain by a
rakshasa, speedily struck Drona's son in the chest with a mace. Rushing
towards him, Ashvatthama seized him and brought him down to the ground
and slew him like an animal while the latter uttered loud shrieks.
Having slain Yudhamanyu thus, that hero proceeded against the other
car-warriors of the king, who were all asleep. He slew all those
trembling and shrieking warriors like animals in a sacrifice. Taking up
his sword then, he slew many others. Proceeding along the diverse paths
of the camp, one after another, Ashvatthama, accomplished in the use of
the sword, beheld diverse gulmas and slew in a trice the unarmed and
tired warriors sleeping within them. With that excellent sword he cut off
combatants and steeds and elephants. Covered all over with blood, he
seemed then to be Death himself commissioned by time. Causing his foes to
tremble by the repeated blows of his sword that were of three kinds,
Ashvatthama became bathed in blood. Covered as he was with blood, and
wielding as he did a blazing sword, his form, as he careered in battle,
became exceedingly terrible and superhuman. Those who awaked from sleep,
O Kaurava, became stupefied with the loud noise (they heard around).
Beholding Drona's son, they looked at each other's faces and trembled
(with fear). Those kshatriyas, beholding the form of that crusher of
foes, believed him to be a rakshasa and closed their eyes.
Of terrible form, he careered in the camp like Yama himself, and at last
saw the sons of Draupadi and the remnant of the Somakas. Alarmed by the
noise, and learning that Dhrishtadyumna had been slain, those mighty
car-warriors, the sons of Draupadi, armed with bows, fearlessly poured
their shafts on Drona's son. Awakened by their noise, the Prabhadrakas
with Shikhandi at their head, began to grind the son of Drona with their
arrows. Drona's son, beholding them shower their arrows on him, uttered a
loud roar and became desirous of slaying those mighty car-warriors.
Recollecting the death of his sire, Ashvatthama became filled with rage.
Alighting from the terrace of his car, he rushed furiously (against his
enemies). Taking up his bright shield with a 1,000 moons and his massive
and celestial sword decked with gold, the mighty Ashvatthama rushed
against the sons of Draupadi and began to lay about him with his weapon.
Then that tiger among men, in that dreadful battle, struck Prativindhya
in the abdomen, at which the latter, O king, deprived of life, fell down
on the Earth. The valiant Sutasoma, having pierced the son of Drona with
a lance, rushed at him with his uplifted sword. Ashvatthama, however cut
off Sutasoma's arm with the sword in grasp, and once more struck him in
the flank. At this, Sutasoma fell down, bereft of life. The valiant
Shatanika, the son of Nakula, taking up a car-wheel with his two hands,
violently struck Ashvatthama at the chest. The regenerate Ashvatthama
violently assailed Shatanika after he had hurled that car-wheel.
Exceedingly agitated, Nakula's son fell down upon the Earth, upon which
Drona's son cut off his head. Then Shrutakarma, taking up a spiked
bludgeon, attacked Ashvatthama. Furiously rushing at Drona's son, he
assailed him violently on the left part of his forehead. Ashvatthama
struck Shrutakarma with his excellent sword on the face. Deprived of
senses and his face disfigured, he fell down lifeless on the Earth. At
this noise, the heroic Shrutakirti, that great car-warrior, coming up,
poured showers of arrows on Ashvatthama. Baffling those arrowy showers
with his shield, Ashvatthama cut off from the enemy's trunk the latter's
beautiful head adorned with ear-rings. Then the slayer of Bhishma, the
mighty Shikhandi, with all the Prabhadrakas, assailed the hero from every
side with diverse kinds of weapons. Shikhandi struck Ashvatthama with an
arrow in the midst of his two eyebrows. Filled with rage at this, Drona's
son, possessed of great might, approached Shikhandi and cut him into
twain with his sword. Having slain Shikhandi, Ashvatthama, filled with
rage, rushed furiously against the other Prabhadrakas. He proceeded also
against the remnant of Virata's force.
Endued with great strength, Drona's son made a heavy carnage amongst the
sons, the grandsons, and the followers of Drupada, singling them out one
after another. Accomplished in the use of the sword, Ashvatthama then,
rushing against other combatants, cut them down with his excellent sword.
The warriors in the Pandava camp beheld that Death-Night in her embodied
form, a black image, of bloody mouth and bloody eyes, wearing crimson
garlands and smeared with crimson unguents, attired in a single piece of
red cloth, with a noose in hand, and resembling an elderly lady, employed
in chanting a dismal note and standing full before their eyes, and about
to lead away men and steeds and elephants all tied in a stout cord. She
seemed to take away diverse kinds of spirits, with dishevelled hair and
tied together in a cord, as also, O king, many mighty car-warriors
divested of their weapons. On other days, O sire, the foremost warriors
of the Pandava camp used to see in their dreams that figure leading away
the sleeping combatants and Drona's son smiting them behind! The Pandava
soldiers saw that lady and Drona's son in their dreams every night from
the day when the battle between the Kurus and the Pandavas first
commenced. Afflicted before by Destiny, they were now smitten by Drona's
son who terrified them all with the frightful roars uttered by him.
Afflicted by Destiny, the brave warriors of the Pandava camp,
recollecting the sight they had seen in their dreams, identified it with
what they now witnessed.
At the noise made, hundreds and thousands of Pandava bowmen in the camp
awoke from their slumbers. Ashvatthama cut off the legs of some, and the
hips of others, and pierced some in their flanks, careering like the
Destroyer himself let loose by Time. The Earth, O lord, was soon covered
with human beings that were crushed into shapelessness or trodden down by
elephants and steeds and with others that roared in great affliction.
Many of them loudly exclaimed, "What is this?" "Who is this one?" "What
is this noise?" "Who is doing what?" While uttering such shrieks, Drona's
son became their Destroyer. That foremost of smiters, the son of Drona,
despatched to regions of Yama all those Pandus and Srinjayas who were
without armour and weapons. Terrified at that noise, many awoke from
sleep. Possessed with fear, blinded by sleep, and deprived of their
senses, those warriors seemed to vanish (before the fury of Ashvatthama).
The thighs of many were paralysed and many were so stupefied that they
lost all their energy. Shrieking and possessed with fear, they began to
slay one another. Drona's son once more got upon his car of terrible
clatter and taking up his bow despatched many with his shafts to Yama's
abode. Others awoke from sleep, brave warriors and foremost of men, as
they came towards Ashvatthama, were slain before they could approach him
and were thus offered up as victims unto that Death-Night. Crushing many
with that foremost of cars, he careered through the camp, and covered his
foes with repeated showers of arrows. Once again with that beautiful
shield of his, adorned with hundred moons, and with that sword of his
which was of the hue of the welkin, he careered amidst his enemies. Like
an elephant agitating a large lake, Drona's son, irresistible, in battle,
agitated the camp of the Pandavas.
Awaked by the noise, O king, many warriors, afflicted still with sleep
and fear, and with senses still under a cloud, ran hither and thither.
Many shrieked in harsh tones and many uttered incoherent exclamations.
Many succeeded not in obtaining their weapons and armour. The locks of
many were dishevelled, and many failed to recognise one another. Having
risen from sleep, many fell down, fatigued; some wandered here and there
without any purpose. Elephants and steeds, breaking their cords, passed
excreta and urine. Many, causing great confusion, huddled together.
Amongst these, some through fear laid themselves down on the earth. The
animals of the camp crushed them there.
While the camp was in this state, rakshasas, O king, uttered loud roars
in joy, O chief of the Bharatas! The loud noise, O king, uttered by
ghostly beings in joy, filled all the points of the compass and the
welkin. Hearing the wails of woe, elephants, steeds, breaking their
cords, rushed hither and thither, crushing the combatants in the camp. As
those animals rushed hither and thither, the dust raised by them made the
night doubly dark. When that thick gloom set in, the warriors in the camp
became perfectly stupefied; sires recognised not their sons, brothers
recognised not their brothers. Elephants assailing riderless elephants,
and steeds assailing riderless steeds, assailed and broke and crushed the
people that stood in their way. Losing all order, combatants rushed and
slew one another, and felling those that stood in their way, crushed them
into pieces. Deprived of their senses and overcome with sleep, and
enveloped in gloom, men, impelled by fate, slew their own comrades. The
guards, leaving the gates they watched, and those at duty at the outposts
leaving the posts they guarded, fled away for their lives, deprived of
their senses and not knowing whither they proceeded. They slew one
another, the slayers, O lord, not recognising the slain. Afflicted by
Fate, they cried after their sires and sons. While they fled, abandoning
their friends and relatives, they called upon one another, mentioning
their families and names. Other, uttering cries of "Oh!" and "Alas!" fell
down on the earth. In the midst of the battle, Drona's son, recognising
them, slew them all.
Other kshatriyas, while being slaughtered, lost their senses, and
afflicted by fear, sought to fly away from their camps. Those men that
sought to fly away from their camp for saving their lives, were slain by
Kritavarma and Kripa at the gate. Divested of weapons and instruments and
armour, and with dishevelled hair, they joined their hands. Trembling
with fear, they were on the ground. The two Kuru warriors, however, (who
were on their cars) gave quarter to none. None amongst those that escaped
from the camp was let off by those two wicked persons, Kripa and
Kritavarma. Then again, for doing that which was highly agreeable to
Drona's son, those two set fire to the Pandava camp in three places.
When the camp was lighted, Ashvatthama, that delighter of his sires, O
monarch, careered, sword in hand and smiting his foes with great skill.
Some of his brave foes rushed towards him and some ran hither and
thither. That foremost of regenerate ones, with his sword, deprived all
of them of their lives. The valiant son of Drona, filled with rage,
felled some of the warriors, cutting them in twain with his sword as if
they were sesame stalks. The Earth, O bull of Bharata's race, became
strewn with the fallen bodies of the foremost of men and steeds and
elephants mingled together and uttering woeful wails and cries. When
thousands of men had fallen down deprived of life, innumerable headless
trunks stood up and fell down. Ashvatthama, O Bharata, cut off arms
adorned with angadas and holding weapons in grasp, and heads, and thighs
resembling trunks of elephants, and hands, and feet. The illustrious son
of Drona mangled the backs of some, cut off the heads of some, and caused
some to turn away from the fight. And he cut off some at the middle, and
lopped off the ears of others, and struck others on the shoulders, and
pressed down the heads of some into their trunks.
As Ashvatthama careered in this way, slaughtering thousands of men, the
deep night became more terrible in consequence of the darkness that set
in. The earth became terrible to behold, strewn with thousands of human
beings dead and dying and innumerable steeds and elephants. Cut off by
the enraged son of Drona, his foes fell down on the earth that was then
crowded with yakshas and rakshasas, and frightful with (broken) cars and
slain steeds and elephants. Some called upon their brothers, some upon
their sires, and some upon their sons. And some said, "The Dhartarashtras
in rage could never accomplish such feats in battle as these which
rakshasas of wicked deeds are achieving (upon us) during the hour of
sleep! It is only in consequence of the absence of the Parthas that this
great slaughter is going on. That son of Kunti, who hath Janardana for
his protector, is incapable of being vanquished by gods, asuras,
gandharvas, yakshas and rakshasas! Devoted to Brahma, truthful in speech,
self-restrained, and compassionate towards all creatures, that son of
Pritha, called Dhananjaya, never slaughters one that is asleep, or one
that is heedless, or one that has laid aside his weapons or one that has
joined his hands in supplication, or one that is retreating, or one whose
locks have been dishevelled. Alas, they are rakshasas of wicked deeds who
are perpetrating such terrible act upon us." Uttering such words, many
laid themselves down.
The loud din caused by the cries and groans of human beings died away
within a short space of time. The earth being drenched with blood, O
king, that thick and frightful dust soon disappeared. Thousands of men
moving in agony, overwhelmed with anxiety and overcome with despair, were
slain by Ashvatthama like Rudra slaying living creatures. Many who laid
themselves down on the ground clasping one another, and many who sought
to fly away, and many who sought to hide themselves, and many who
struggled in battle, were all slain by the son of Drona. Burnt by the
raging flames and slaughtered by Ashvatthama, the men, losing their
senses, slew one another. Before half the night was over, the son of
Drona, O monarch, despatched the large host of the Pandavas unto Yama's
abode.
That night, so terrible and destructive unto human beings and elephants
and steeds filled with joy all creatures that wander in the dark. Many