Mahabharata Vol. 6 (Penguin Translated Texts) (25 page)

“He then wished to proceed along the path that Dhananjaya had followed. But as Satyaki proceeded, he was obstructed by Drona. O venerable one! Yuyudhana confronted Bharadvaja’s son. But the angry one did not retreat, like the store of water on encountering the shoreline. In that battle, Drona repulsed maharatha Satyaki. He pierced him with five sharp arrows that penetrated the inner organs. O king! In that encounter, Satyaki pierced Drona with seven arrows that were gold-tufted, sharpened on stone and with the feathers of herons, peacocks and hawks. Drona struck his horses and the charioteer with six arrows. Maharatha Satyaki could not tolerate this on Drona’s part. Satyaki roared like a lion and pierced Drona with ten other arrows and yet again with another fourteen. Yuyudhana again pierced Drona with ten arrows, his charioteer with one and his four horses with four arrows. O venerable one! In that battle, he pierced his standard with an arrow. Drona swiftly enveloped his horses, his charioteer, his chariot and his standard with swift arrows, like flying locusts. Yuyudhana also fearlessly covered Drona with many swift arrows. Drona said, ‘Your preceptor
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has abandoned the battle and departed like a coward. He was fighting me. But keeping me to the right, he has left. O Madhava! If you do not swiftly avoid me in this battle, like your preceptor did, and continue to fight with me, you will not escape with your life today.’ Satyaki replied, ‘I am following Dhananjaya’s footsteps on Dharmaraja’s instruction. O brahmana! Be fortunate. I am leaving. I do not wish to waste time.’ O king! Having
said this, Shini’s descendant abandoned the preceptor and proceeded quickly. He told the charioteer, ‘Drona will make every effort to restrain me. O charioteer! Take care in this battle. Listen to these supreme words of mine. Behold. There is the extremely resplendent army of the Avantis. Next to that, there is the extremely powerful army from the south. Next to that, there is the large army of the Bahlikas. Joined to the Bahlikas, there is the large force of Karna. O charioteer! These armies are different from one another, but are dependent on each other. They support each other and will not give up the field of battle. Cheerfully goad the horses into the space that is between them. O charioteer! Adopt a medium speed and take me there, where the Bahlikas can be seen, with many weapons raised in their arms and there are many from the south, with the son of the suta at the forefront. His army of elephants, horses and chariots can be seen in an array. They have been raised from many countries and are stationed in the midst of the infantry.’ He avoided the brahmana and spoke thus to his charioteer. ‘Pass through the gap, towards Karna’s extremely large and fierce army.’ Drona became angry at this and followed him, releasing many arrows. But the mighty-armed Yuyudhana left and did not return.

‘“Satyaki struck Karna’s extremely large army with sharp arrows and penetrated into the limitless army of the Bharatas. When Yuyudhana penetrated and the soldiers began to run away, the intolerant Kritavarma repulsed Satyaki. As he was advancing, the valiant Satyaki quickly struck him with six arrows and killed his four horses with four arrows. Satyaki again used sixteen swift arrows with drooping tufts to pierce Kritavarma between the breasts. O great king! Having been thus afflicted by many arrows of great energy released by Satvata, Kritavarma could not tolerate this. O king! He affixed a vatsadanta arrow that was like a tongue of fire. He stretched his bow up to his ear and struck Satyaki in the chest. The gold-tufted arrow penetrated the armour on his body and passing through the body, penetrated the earth, drenched in blood. O king! Kritavarma knew about supreme weapons. He used many arrows to slice down his bow, with the arrows affixed to them. O king! In that battle, he pierced Satyaki, for whom truth was his valour. He
angrily struck him between the breasts with ten sharp arrows. With his bow shattered, Satyaki, supreme among strong ones, picked up a javelin and used this to strike Kritavarma’s right arm. The brave Satyaki then grasped another firm bow and quickly released hundreds and thousands of arrows. He enveloped Kritavarma and his chariot. With a broad-headed arrow, he sliced down the charioteer’s head. Having been slain, Hardikya’s charioteer fell down from the great chariot. When the charioteer was slain, the horses fled at great speed. Disturbed, Bhoja himself controlled the horses, with the bow in one hand. At this, the soldiers honoured him. In an instant, he urged those well-trained horses on. He did not suffer from any fear, but caused great terror among his enemies. However, Satyaki had gone on ahead and he
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attacked Bhima.

‘“O Indra among kings! Yuyudhana emerged from Drona’s army and swiftly advanced towards the great army of the Kambojas. He was countered there by many brave maharathas. O king! Though truth was Satyaki’s valour, he could not move at all. Having arranged his army, Drona entrusted the burden to Bhoja and followed Yuyudhana in the battle, wishing to fight with him. He followed Yuyudhana from the rear and the largest of the Pandu armies angrily began to resist him. Having encountered the chariot of Hardikya, who was supreme among rathas, the Panchalas, with Bhimasena at the forefront, lost their enterprise. O king! The brave Kritavarma repulsed them with his valour. Though they endeavoured, all of them lost their spirits. Fearlessly, Bhoja used his torrent of arrows to obstruct and afflict their mounts. In that battle, those brave ones were oppressed by Bhoja’s army. But desiring great fame, they remained stationed, like noble ones.”’

‘Dhritarashtra said, “Our army possesses many kinds of soldiers, who are supreme and have been tested. O Sanjaya! They are
many and have been arrayed in the proper way. They have always been honoured by us and have always been devoted to us. They are mature
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and are wonderful in form. The firmness and valour have been seen earlier. They are not aged, nor young. They are not thin, nor are they obese. They are agile and tall and all their limbs are free of disease. They are adorned with armour and have many kinds of weapons. They are accomplished in many kinds of knowledge connected with weapons. They know how to ascend on the shoulders,
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advance and retreat. They are accomplished in striking, moving forward and back. They have been tested in many ways, on elephants, horses and chariots. They have been examined properly and have been paid their wages, not on account of lineage, favour or relationships.
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They have not arrived without being summoned. Nor have soldiers in my army not been paid. They have been born in good lineages and are noble. They are contented, well fed and submissive. They have been rewarded well. They are illustrious and spirited. O son!
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They are sustained by the best of men, who are the equals of the guardians of the worlds. These are the foremost of advisers and many others who have performed the best of deeds. There are many kings who wish to do what is beneficial for us and protect them. They have voluntarily sided with us, with their forces and their followers. Our army is like a giant ocean, with flowing rivers merging into it from every direction. It possesses many chariots and horses. Though they are without wings, they are like birds. The large number of warriors constitutes the water. The fierce mounts are the waves. There are catapults, swords, maces, spears, lances, arrows and javelins that are like fish. There are standards and ornaments, decorated with bejewelled garments. The advancing mounts are like the force of the wind that agitates it.
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Drona is the fathomless nether regions. Kritavarma is a giant lake. Jalasandha is a giant crocodile. Karna is the rising moon.
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O Sanjaya!
When that bull among the Pandavas
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swiftly entered and penetrated my ocean of soldiers on a single chariot and Yuyudhana followed him, I do not see any remnant being left. O Sanjaya! After Savyasachi penetrated my soldiers, so did Satvata, supreme among rathas. On seeing those two valiant ones fearlessly and spiritedly advance and on seeing the king of Sindhu within the reach of Gandiva’s arrows, what did the Kurus do, driven by destiny? When that terrible time arrived, what happened to them? O son! I think that the assembled Kouravas were devoured by death. Today, their valour in battle can no longer be seen. In the battle, Krishna and Pandava have penetrated, without being injured. O Sanjaya! There is no one who can resist them. There are many paid warriors and tested maharathas. Some have been paid due wages and others served with pleasant words. O son! There is no one among my soldiers who has not been served, without due cause. The devoted ones have all obtained due wages, in accordance with their deeds. O Sanjaya! There is no warrior in my army who has been paid less than what is his due. O son! There is no man who has not been paid. To the best of my capacity, they have been honoured with gifts, honours and seats. O son! My sons, kith and kin have also acted in the same way. But when they confronted Savyasachi in the battle, they have been vanquished. They have been supremely crushed by Shini’s descendant. Other than destiny, what can this be? O Sanjaya! Those who are the protectors and those who are being protected are following the same path, the protectors, as well as those who are protected. On seeing Arjuna stationed in the battle in front of Saindhava, what did my extremely foolish son do? On seeing Satyaki fearlessly penetrate in the battle, what course of action, appropriate to the occasion, did Duryodhana adopt? Those supreme rathas, who are beyond the reach of all weapons, penetrated the army. On witnessing this in the encounter, what did those on my side decide to do? On beholding Dasharha Krishna stationed for Arjuna’s sake and on seeing the bull among the Shini lineage, I think that my sons must have been full of sorrow. On seeing that Satvata and Arjuna had passed through the soldiers and that the Kurus were running away, I
think that my sons must have been full of sorrow. On seeing that the rathas were routed and had lost interest in subjugating the enemy and on seeing that they had set their minds on running away, I think that my sons must have been full of sorrow. The seats of the chariots were rendered empty by Satvata and Arjuna. On seeing that the warriors were slain, I think that my sons must have been full of sorrow. On seeing horses, elephants and chariots and thousands of brave ones anxiously running away from the field of battle, I think that my sons must have been full of sorrow. Horses were deprived of brave ones. Men were deprived of their chariots by Satyaki and Partha. I think that my sons must have been full of sorrow. On seeing that all the masses of infantry had given up all hope of victory and were running away in every direction, I think that my sons must have been full of sorrow. On seeing that those two brave ones had instantly passed through Drona’s array, without being defeated, I think that my sons must have been full of sorrow. O son! I am extremely benumbed on hearing that Krishna and Dhananjaya, the ones without decay, have penetrated my soldiers, together with Satvata. Shini’s descendant, supreme among rathas, penetrated the army. After he had passed through Bhoja’s array, what did the Kouravas do? O Sanjaya! Tell me everything about how Drona afflicted the Pandus in the battle and how that battle progressed there. Drona is brave and powerful. He is skilled in the use of weapons and is firm in his valour. How did the Panchalas fight against that great archer in the battle? Desiring Dharmaraja’s victory, they are firm in their enmity towards Drona. Bharadvaja’s maharatha son is also firm in his enmity towards them. Wishing to kill the king of Sindhu, what did Arjuna do? O Sanjaya! You are skilled in this. Tell me everything about what transpired.”’

‘Sanjaya said, “O bull among the Bharata lineage! This hardship is the result of your own transgressions. O brave one! You
should not grieve like an ordinary person. O supreme among kings! Knowing your absence of qualities, your partiality towards your sons, your duplicity about dharma, your malice towards the Pandavas and your many piteous lamentations, Vasudeva, the one who knows about all the worlds and the lord and preceptor of all the worlds, caused the great war to arise among the Kurus. This great and pervasive destruction has arisen because of your own crimes. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! No good deeds by you can be seen at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end. That is the root of this defeat. Therefore, knowing the fate of this world, be patient and listen to how the battle raged, like the terrible one between the gods and the asuras.

‘“Shini’s descendant, with truth as his valour, penetrated amidst your soldiers. The Parthas, with Bhimasena at the forefront, advanced against your army. Maharatha Kritavarma alone resisted the Pandus in that battle, as they arrived in violence and anger, together with their followers. Just as the shoreline holds back the salty ocean, Hardikya repulsed the Pandu soldiers in that battle. Hardikya’s valour was regarded as extraordinary. The united Parthas could not crush him in that battle. The mighty-armed Bhima pierced Kritavarma with three iron arrows and blew on his conch shell, delighting all the Pandavas. Sahadeva pierced Hardikya with twenty arrows, Dharmaraja with five and Nakula with one hundred. Droupadi’s sons pierced him with seventy-three, Ghatotkacha with seven and Dhrishtadyumna struck Kritavarma with three. Virata, Drupada and Yajnasena’s son
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pierced him with five each. Shikhandi pierced Hardikya with five swift arrows and laughing, again pierced him with twenty arrows. O king! Kritavarma pierced each of those maharathas with five arrows and piercing Bhima with seven, brought down his bow and his standard from his chariot. Once the bow was severed, the spirited maharatha angrily struck him in the chest with seventy arrows. Having been severely and powerfully struck by Hardikya’s supreme arrows, he trembled on his chariot, like a mountain during
an earthquake. On seeing Bhimasena in that state, they,
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with Dharmaraja at the forefront, afflicted Kritavarma with the release of terrible arrows. O venerable one! They hemmed him in with a large number of chariots. To protect the son of the wind god in the battle, they cheerfully pierced him with arrows.”