Chapter 63

Sanjaya said, “When that elephant division was exterminated, thy sonDuryodhana urged his entire army, commanding the warriors to slayBhimasena. Then the entire army at the command of thy son, rushed towardsBhimasena who was uttering fierce shouts. That vast and unlimited hostdifficult of being borne by the very gods, incapable of being crossedlike the surging sea on the day of full moon or new moon, abounding withcars, elephants, and steeds, resounding with the blare of conches and thebeat of drums, numbering untold foot-soldiers and car-warriors, andshrouded by the dust (raised), that very sea of hostile troops incapableof being agitated, thus coming towards him, Bhimasena checked in battle,O king, like the bank resisting the ocean. That feat, O king, which webeheld, of Bhimasena the high-souled son of Pandu, was exceedinglywonderful and superhuman. With his mace, he fearlessly checked all thosekings angrily rushing towards him, with their steeds and cars, andelephants. Checking that vast force with mace, that foremost of mightymen, Bhima, stood in that fierce melee, immovable as the mountain Meru.And in that dreadful, fierce, and terrific encounter his brother and sonsand Dhrishtadyumna of Prishata’s race, and the sons of Draupadi andAbhimanyu, and the unvanquished Sikhandin–these mighty warriors,–didnot abandon him from fear. Taking up his massive and weighty mace made ofSaika iron, he rushed towards the warriors of thy army like the Destroyerhimself, armed with his club. And pressing crowds of cars and crowds ofhorsemen down into the earth, Bhima wandered over the field like the fireat the end of the Yuga. And Pandu’s son of infinite prowess crushingcrowds of cars with the impetus of his thighs and slaying thy warriors inbattle, wandered like the Destroyer himself at the end of the Yuga. Andhe began to grind thy troops with the greatest ease like an elephantcrushing a forest of reeds. And dragging car-warriors down from theircars, and warriors fighting from the backs of heroes, and foot soldiersas they stood on the ground, in the army of thy son, the mighty-armedBhimasena slew them all with his mace like the wind crushing trees by itsforce. And that mace of his, slaying elephants and steeds, became smearedwith fat, marrow, flesh, and blood, and looked exceedingly terrible. Andwith the bodies of slain men and cavalry lying scattered about, the fieldof battle wore the appearance of the abode of Yama. And the terrible andslaughtering mace of Bhimasena, resembling the fierce bludgeon of Deathand endued with the effulgence of Indra’s bolt, looked like Pinaka of theangry Rudra while destroying living creatures. Indeed, that mace of thehigh-souled son of Kunti, who was slaying all around, looked fiercelyresplendent like the bludgeon of the Destroyer himself at the time of theuniversal dissolution. And beholding him thus routing that large armyrepeatedly and advancing like Death’s self, all the warriors becamecheerless. Withersoever the son of Pandu, raising his mace, cast hiseyes, in consequence of his look alone, O Bharata, all the troops thereseemed to melt away. Beholding Vrikodara of terrible deeds, thus routingthe army and unvanquished by even so large a force and devouring the(hostile) division like the Destroyer himself with wide-open mouth,Bhimasena speedily came towards him, on his car of solar effulgence andrattle loud as that of the clouds, (shrouding the welkin) with his arrowyshowers like a vapoury canopy charged with rain. Then the mighty-armedBhimasena, beholding Bhishma thus advancing like the Destroyer himselfwith wide-open mouth, rushed towards him, excited with wrath. At thatmoment, that foremost hero of Sini’s race viz., Satyaki of sure aim, fellupon the grandsire, slaying his enemies (along the way) with his firm bowand causing thy son’s army to tremble. And all the combatants whobelonged to thy army were then, O Bharata, unable to impede the progressof that hero thus advancing with his steeds of silvery hue and scatteringhis sharp shafts furnished with handsome wings. At that time the RakshasaAlamvusha (only) succeeded in piercing him with ten shafts. But piercingAlamvusha in return with four shafts, the grandson of Sini proceeded onhis car. Beholding that hero of Vrishni’s race thus advancing and rolling(as it were) through the very midst of his enemies, and checking (as heproceeded) the foremost of Kuru warriors, and repeatedly uttering loudshouts in that battle, thy warriors then like masses of clouds pouringrain in torrents on the mountain breast, showered their arrowy downpourson him. They were, however, incapable of impeding the progress of thathero who looked like the noon-day sun in his glory. And there was nonewho was not then cheerless, save Somadatta’s son, O king, andBhurisravas, the son of Somadatta, O Bharata, beholding the car-warriorsof his own side driven away, rushed against Satyaki from desire ofbattle, taking up his bow of fierce impetus.”