Mahabharata: Vol. 5 (68 page)

‘“But the elephant was controlled by the skill and enterprise of the rider. It began to fling away enemies, to the left and to the right. Like a herd of animals controlled in the forest by a cowherd with a staff, the soldiers were repeatedly afflicted by Bhagadatta. A grievous sound of lamentation arose among the fleeing Pandaveyas, like the cawing of crows when they are quickly attacked by a hawk. O king! When goaded by the hook, the king of elephants looked like a winged mountain in ancient times. It afflicted the enemy with great fear, like a group of traders at the sight of a turbulent ocean. As they ran away in fright, the elephants, charioteers, horses and kings made a terrible noise. O king! In that battle, it filled the earth, the directions and the sub-directions. The king was astride that supreme of elephants and severely oppressed the army of the enemy. This was like Virochana against the army of the gods in ancient times, when it was well-protected in battle by the gods. The friend of the fire
⁸⁷
began to blow violently and created dust. This covered the sky and the soldiers in a short instant. The people thought that a single elephant had become hundreds of elephants and began to run away in every direction.”’

‘Sanjaya said, “You have asked me about the deeds performed by Partha in that battle. O great king! Listen to what Partha accomplished in that battle. On seeing that a dust had arisen and on hearing the roar of the elephant, when Bhagadatta caused subjugation, Kounteya spoke to Krishna. ‘O Madhusudana! It is certain that this tumult has been caused by the elephant of the king of Pragjyotisha, when he has swiftly attacked. He is not inferior to Indra in battle. He is skilled in steering an elephant. In my view, on this earth, he is the first or the second.
⁸⁸
He possesses the best of elephants and there is no elephant which can withstand it in battle. It can tolerate all the sounds of battle. It is accomplished in deeds and has conquered exhaustion. O unblemished one! It can tolerate the downpour of all weapons and can even bear the touch of fire. It is evident that it will destroy the Pandava army today. With the exception of the two of us, there is no one who is capable of countering it. Therefore, swiftly go to the spot where the lord of Pragjyotisha is. He is Shakra’s friend.
⁸⁹
He is strong because of the elephant. He should be marvelled at, despite his age. I will dispatch him today, as a beloved guest, to the destroyer of Bala.’ As soon as Savyasachi spoke these words, Krishna left and went to the spot where Bhagadatta was mauling the Pandava army. As he was going there, fourteen thousand maharatha samshaptakas summoned him from the back. O lord of men! Ten thousand of those were Trigartas and another four thousand were followers of Vasudeva.
⁹⁰
O venerable one! On seeing that Bhagadatta was shattering the army and on also being challenged, he
⁹¹
was caught in two minds and thought, ‘What is the best course of action for me? Should I return here, or
should I go to Yudhishthira?’ O extender of the Kuru lineage! Thus did Arjuna reflect in his mind and decided that he should kill the samshaptakas. The one with the foremost of monkeys on his banner suddenly returned. Vasava’s son wished to single-handedly kill thousands of rathas in battle. This is what Duryodhana and Karna had also plotted, when the two of them had thought about means of killing Arjuna. That is the reason they had arranged for this divided feeling in Pandava’s mind. But he foiled them by deciding to take on those foremost of rathas on his chariot.

‘“O king! The maharatha samshaptakas shot hundreds and thousands of arrows with drooping tufts towards Arjuna. O king! Enveloped by those arrows, Partha, Kunti’s son, Krishna Janardana, the horses and the chariot could not be seen. Janardana was deprived on his senses and began to sweat. At this, Partha used the vajra weapon and killed most of them. Hundreds of arms, still holding bowstrings and bows, were severed. Standards, horses, charioteers and rathas fell down on the ground. Slain by Partha’s arrows and bereft of their riders, elephants fell down on the ground. They were like mountain summits with trees and looked like well-crafted rain clouds. Their seats and harnesses were shredded. Their temples were shattered and they were destroyed. Wounded by Partha’s arrows, horses fell down, together with their riders. With their arms severed, but still holding on to swords, shields, scimitars like nails, clubs and battleaxes, men were brought down by Kiriti’s broad-headed arrows. O venerable one! There were youthful and dazzling heads, as beautiful as the morning sun, the lotus, or the moon. These were severed by Arjuna’s arrows. The enemy soldiers who were slaughtered by the enraged Phalguna, with arrows that fed on lives, seemed to blaze in many different forms. The soldiers were agitated, like lotuses by an elephant. Masses of beings applauded and worshipped Dhananjaya. On witnessing Partha’s deeds there, like those of Vasava himself, Madhava was overcome by great wonder and applauded him with his hands. Having killed most of the samshaptakas who were stationed there, Partha urged Krishna to take him to Bhagadatta.”’

‘Sanjaya said, “According to Partha’s wishes, Krishna urged the horses, which were as swift as thought, white and caparisoned in gold, and drove them towards Drona’s army. While that best of the Kurus departed to save those on his side who were tormented by Drona, Susharma and his brothers followed him from the rear, wishing to do battle. The unvanquished Jaya, possessor of the white horses, spoke to Krishna. ‘O Achyuta! Susharma and his brothers are challenging me. O destroyer of enemies! Our soldiers are being shattered towards the north. Because of the samshaptakas, I am again caught in two minds now. Should I kill the samshaptakas or should I protect our soldiers who are afflicted by the enemy? Know that this is what I am thinking of. What is more beneficial for me?’ Having been thus addressed, Dasharha reversed the chariot and took Pandava to the spot where the lord of Trigarta was challenging him. Arjuna pierced Susharma with seven swift arrows and brought down his standard and bow with a razor-sharp arrow. Partha then used six iron arrows to swiftly send the brother of the lord of Trigarta, his horses and his charioteer to Yama’s abode. At this, Susharma grasped an iron javelin that was like a serpent and hurled this towards him, also throwing a spear at Vasudeva. Arjuna used three arrows to shatter the javelin and another three to fragment the spear. He then confounded Susharma with his storm of arrows and forced him to retreat. O king! Like Vasava pouring down rain, he showered down many fierce arrows on your soldiers and there was no one who could oppose him. Dhananjaya advanced, slaying all the maharatha Kouravas with his arrows, like a fire consuming dry wood. Like beings who cannot bear the touch of fire, no one was capable of withstanding the force of Kunti’s intelligent son.

‘“O king! Pandava showered down arrows on the assembled army, and like Suparna
⁹²
swooping down, approached Pragjyotisha. Jishnu held the bow which was like the granter of boons to virtuous Bharatas
and was the bringer of tears to enemies in battle. O king! Because of your son’s deceit in gambling with the dice, Arjuna grasped the bow that would destroy kshatriyas. O great king! Thus it was that your army was agitated by Partha, like a boat that is shattered when it strikes a mountain. Ten thousand archers advanced. Those angry and brave ones had made up their minds to do battle, regardless of victory or defeat. Their hearts were devoid of fear. Headed towards calamity, they obstructed the ratha’s path. Partha was capable of handling a grave burden and could withstand all burdens in battle. He was like an enraged elephant with rent temples that is sixty years of age and is let loose on a forest of lotuses, destroying it. In that fashion, Partha shattered your army. When the soldiers were thus being crushed, King Bhagadatta suddenly attacked Dhananjaya on that elephant. The tiger among men remained on his chariot and received him. A tumultuous encounter commenced between the chariot and the elephant, when the two brave ones, Bhagadatta and Dhananjaya, fought each other. The elephant was like a cloud and Lord Bhagadatta, who was like Indra, showered down arrows on Dhananjaya. Vasava’s son repulsed that shower of arrows released by the valiant Bhagadatta with his own shower of arrows and sliced them down before they could reach him. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! King Pragjyotisha also repulsed that shower of arrows and tried to kill the mighty-armed Partha and Krishna with his arrows. Those two were enveloped with a giant shower of arrows and he urged the elephant on, to kill Achyuta and Partha. On seeing that the elephant was descending, like angry Death, Janardana quickly wheeled the chariot, so that it
⁹³
remained on the left. Dhananjaya thus got an opportunity to slay the mighty elephant and its rider. But remembering his dharma, he did not do this.
⁹⁴
O venerable one! That elephant descended on elephants, chariots and horses and dispatched them to the world of the dead. At this, Dhananjaya was enraged.”’

‘Dhritarashtra asked, “Having been enraged, how did Pandava act against Bhagadatta? What did Pragjyotisha do to Partha? Tell me everything as it happened.”

‘Sanjaya replied, “When Dasharha and Pandava were thus engaged with Pragjyotisha, all the beings thought that they had reached the jaws of death. O lord! Stationed on the neck of the elephant, Bhagadatta incessantly showered down arrows on the two Krishnas,
⁹⁵
as they were stationed on the chariot. He stretched his bow back to its full extent and pierced Devaki’s son with black arrows that were completely made out of iron, gold-tufted and sharpened on stone. Released by Bhagadatta, they were sharp and their touch was like that of the fire. Those arrows pierced Devaki’s son and penetrated the ground. At this, Partha severed his bow and his quiver and began to fight with King Bhagadatta, as if he was sporting with him. He
⁹⁶
hurled fourteen javelins at Savyasachi. They were sharp and were as bright as the rays of the sun. But he sliced each of them down into three fragments. Then the son of Paka’s destroyer
⁹⁷
penetrated the elephant’s armour with his net of arrows and it looked like a king of mountains, covered with clouds. Pragjyotisha hurled a javelin towards Vasudeva. It had a golden handle and was made completely out of iron. Arjuna severed it into two fragments. Arjuna used his arrows to slice down the king’s umbrella and standard. He then smiled and swiftly pierced the lord of the mountains with ten arrows. He was thus pierced by Arjuna’s arrows, which had excellent tufts and the feathers of herons. Bhagadatta became angry at the great-souled Pandava. He hurled javelins towards his head and roared. In that battle, these dislodged Arjuna’s diadem. Phalguna adjusted the diadem back and spoke these words to the king. ‘Look upon this world with delight.’
⁹⁸
Having been thus addressed, he grasped
a radiant bow and angrily showered down arrows on Pandava and Govinda. Partha severed his bow and destroyed his quiver and quickly struck him with seventy-two arrows that afflicted all his inner organs.

‘“Having been thus pierced and pained, he angrily resorted to the vaishnava weapon. He invoked the mantra on his goad and hurled it towards Pandava’s chest.
⁹⁹
That weapon was capable of slaying everything and was released by Bhagadatta. Covering Partha, Keshava received it on his own chest. On Keshava’s chest, that weapon became the
vaijayanti
garland.
¹⁰⁰
Distressed in his mind, Arjuna spoke to Keshava. ‘O Janardana! You are not supposed to fight. You are only supposed to steer my horses. O Pundarikaksha! This is what you said. But you did not keep your promise. If I am in distress, or if I am incapable of countering, it is only then that you should act in this way. You should not act in this way if I am standing. With my arrows and with my bow, I am capable of conquering all the worlds, with the gods, the asuras and humans. This is known to you.’ Having been thus addressed by Arjuna, Vasudeva replied in these words. ‘O Partha! O unblemished one! Listen to this ancient and secret account. I am engaged in saving the worlds and have four forms. For the sake of the welfare of the worlds, I divide myself into different parts. One of my forms is based on earth and is engaged in austerities. Another form beholds the virtuous and evil deeds in the universe. Another form resorts to the world of men and performs deeds. The fourth and final form lies down and sleeps for a thousand years. This form of mine awakes at the end of a thousand years and at that time, grants the best of boons to those who are deserving of boons. On one such occasion, the earth got to know and, for the sake of Naraka,
¹⁰¹
asked a boon from me. Listen to this. “Having
obtained the vaishnava weapon, let it be such that my son cannot be killed by gods and asuras. Grant me this boon.” In ancient times, having heard of this boon, I gave the invincible vaishnava weapon to the earth’s son and said, “O earth! Let this weapon be infallible in protecting Naraka. No one will be able to kill him. Protected by this weapon, your son will be able to crush the armies of all enemies. He will always be invincible in all the worlds.” Having been thus addressed, the intelligent goddess departed, her wishes having been fulfilled. That is how Naraka, the scorcher of enemies, became invincible. O Partha! It was from him that Pragjyotisha obtained this weapon of mine.
¹⁰²
O venerable one! There is no one in the worlds, not even Indra and Rudra, who cannot be killed by it. It is for your sake that I repulsed the weapon and violated my pledge. O Partha! The great asura has now lost his supreme weapon. Kill him, as I killed Naraka earlier, for the sake of welfare. The invincible Bhagadatta is your enemy in battle. He is an enemy of the gods.’
¹⁰³
Thus addressed by the great-souled Keshava, Partha suddenly shrouded Bhagadatta with sharp arrows. Without any fear, the mighty-armed and high-minded Partha struck the elephant between its frontal lobes with an iron arrow. That arrow struck the elephant, like the vajra against a mountain. It penetrated right up to its tufts, like a snake entering a termite hill. With its limbs paralysed, it fell down and struck the ground with its tusks. The giant elephant roared in woe and gave up its life. Partha then used an arrow with a drooping tuft, with a head that was in the shape of the half-moon, and pierced King Bhagadatta in the heart with this. With his heart thus pierced by Kiriti, King Bhagadatta let go of his bow and arrows and lost his life. His head fell down and so did the beautiful goad, like a petal falling off a lotus, when the stalk of the lotus has been destroyed. Garlanded in gold, he fell down from the golden housing on the elephant that was like a mountain. He was like a blossoming karnikara,
¹⁰⁴
dislodged
from the summit of a mountain by the violent force of the wind. The king was like Indra in his valour. He was Indra’s friend and was killed by Indra’s son in the battle. Desiring victory, the men then began to shatter the ones on your side, like the strength of the wind unleashed on trees.”’