Chapter 101

“Sanjaya said, ‘Thy warriors, as soon as they beheld those foremost ofpersons of the Vrishni-Andhaka and the Kuru races, lost no time, eachstriving to be first, in proceeding against them from a desire ofslaughtering them. And so Vijaya also rushed against those foes of his.On their great cars, decked with gold, cased in tiger-skins, producingdeep rattle, and resembling blazing fire, they rushed, illumining the tenpoints of the compass, armed, O king, with bows, the backs of whosestaves were decked with gold, and which in consequence of theirsplendour, were incapable of being looked at, and uttering loud cries,and drawn by angry steeds. Bhurisravas, and Sala and Karna, andVrishasena, and Jayadratha, and Kripa. and the ruler of the Madras, andthat foremost of car-warriors, viz., the son of Drona. these eight greatcar-warriors, as if devouring the skies (as they proceeded) illuminatedthe ten points of the compass with their splendid cars, cased intiger-skins and decked with golden moons. Clad in mail, filled with wrathand mounted upon their cars the rattle of which resembled the roar ofmasses of clouds, they covered Arjuna on every side with a shower ofsharp shafts. Beautiful steeds of the best breed, endued with greatspeed, bearing those great car-warriors, looked resplendent as theyillumined the points of the compass. Their cars drawn by foremost steedsof great fleetness were of diverse countries and of diverse species, somebred in mountainous regions, some in rivers, and some in the country ofthe Sindhus, many foremost of car-warriors among the Kurus desirous, Oking, of rescuing thy son quickly rushed towards Dhananjaya’s car fromevery side. Those foremost of men, taking up their conchs blew them,filling O king, the welkin and the earth with her seas (with that blare).Then those foremost ones among the gods, viz., Vasudeva and Dhananjaya,also blew their foremost of conchs on earth. The son of Kunti blewDevadatta, and Kesava blew Panchajanya. The loud blast of Devadatta, sentforth by Dhananjaya, filled the earth, the welkin, and ten points of thecompass. And so Panchajanya also blown by Vasudeva, surpassing allsounds, filled the sky and the earth. And while that awful and fiercenoise continued, a noise that inspired the timid with fear and the bravewith cheers, and while drums and Jharjharas, and cymbals and Mridangas, Ogreat king, were beat by thousands, great car-warriors invited to theKuru side and solicitous of Dhananjaya’s welfare, those great bowmen,filled with rage and unable to bear the loud blast of Arjuna’s andKrishna’s conchs, those kings from diverse realms supported by theirrespective troops, in rage blew their great conchs, desiring to answerwith their own blasts the blasts of Kesava and Arjuna. The Kuru armythen, urged forward by that blare of conchs, had its car-warriors,elephants, and steeds filled with anxiety and fear. Indeed, O lord, thathost looked as if they that comprised it were ill. The agitated Kuruhost, echoing with that blare of conchs blown by brave warriors, seemedto be like the welkin resounding with the noise of thunder and fallendown (through some convulsion of nature).[146] That loud uproar, Omonarch, resounded through the ten points and frightened that host likecritical incidents at the end of the Yuga frightening all livingcreatures. Then, Duryodhana and those eight great car-warriors appointedfor the protection of Jayadratha all surrounded the son of Pandu. The sonof Drona struck Vasudeva with three and seventy shafts, and Arjunahimself with three broad-headed shafts, and his standard and (four)steeds with five others. Beholding Janardana pierced, Arjuna, filled withrage, struck Aswatthaman with hundred shafts. Then piercing Karna withten arrows and Vrishasena with three, the valiant Dhananjaya cut offSalya’s bow with arrows fixed on the string, at the handle. Salya then,taking up another bow, pierced the son of Pandu. And Bhurisravas piercedhim with three arrows whetted on stone, and equipped with golden wings.And Karna pierced him with two and thirty arrows, and Vrishasena withseven. And Jayadratha pierced Arjuna with three and seventy shafts andKripa pierced him with ten. And the ruler of the Madras also piercedPhalguna in that battle with ten arrows. And the son of Drona pierced himwith sixty arrows. And he, once more, pierced Partha with five arrows,and Vasudeva with twenty. Then the tiger among men, viz., Arjuna owningwhite steeds and having Krishna for his driver, pierced each of thosewarriors in return, displaying the lightness of his hand. Piercing Karnawith a dozen shafts and Vrishasena with three, Partha cut off Salya’s bowat the handle. And piercing the son of Somadatta with three arrows andSalya with ten, he pierced Kripa with five and twenty arrows, and theruler of the Sindhus with a hundred, Partha struck Drona’s son withseventy arrows. Then Bhurisravas filled with rage, cut off the goad inKrishna’s hand, and struck Arjuna with three and twenty shafts. ThenDhananjaya, of white steeds, filled with rage, mangled those enemies ofhis with hundreds upon hundreds of arrows, like a mighty tempest tearingmasses of clouds.'”