Chapter 138

“Sanjaya said, ‘Then the great bowmen of the Trigarta country owningstandards, adorned with gold, encompassed on all sides the mighty-armedSatyaki, that warrior who accomplished with great activity everythingthat demanded accomplishment and who, having penetrated into that host,unlimited as the sea, was rushing against Duhsasana’s car from desire ofDhananjaya’s success. Checking his course with a large throng of cars onall sides, those great bowmen, excited with rage, covered him withshowers of arrows. Having penetrated into the midst of the Bharata armywhich resembled a shoreless sea, and which, filled with the sound ofpalms abounded with swords and darts and maces, Satyaki, of prowessincapable of being baffled, alone vanquished his foes, those fifty(Trigarta) princes shining brilliantly in that battle. On that occasionwe saw that the conduct of Sini’s grandson in battle was extremelywonderful. So great was the lightness (of his movements) that having seenhim on the west, we immediately saw him in the east. North, south, east,west, and in the other subsidiary directions, that hero seemed to careerdancingly, as if he constituted a hundred warriors in his single self.Beholding that conduct of Satyaki, endued with the sportive tread of thelion, the Trigarta warriors, unable to bear his prowess fled away towards(the division of) their own (countrymen). Then the brave warriors of theSurasenas endeavoured to check Satyaki, striking him with showers ofshafts, like a driver striking an infuriated elephant with the hook. Thehigh-souled Satyaki struggled with them for a short space of time andthen that hero of inconceivable prowess began to fight with the Kalingas.Transgressing that division of the Kalingas which was incapable of beingcrossed, the mighty-armed Satyaki approached the presence of Dhananjaya,the son of Pritha. Like a tired swimmer in water when he reaches theland, Yuyudhana became comforted on obtaining the sight of Dhananjaya,that tiger among men. Beholding him approach, Kesava, addressing Partha,said, ‘Yonder cometh the grandson of Sini, O Partha, following in thywake. O thou of prowess incapable of being baffled, he is thy discipleand friend. That bull among men, regarding all the warriors as straw,hath vanquished them. Inflicting terrible injuries upon the Kauravawarriors, Satyaki, who is dear to thee as life, cometh towards thee, OKiritin! Having with his shafts crushed Drona himself and Kritavarman ofthe Bhoja race, this Satyaki cometh to thee, O Phalguna! Intent onYudhishthira’s good, having slain many foremost of warriors, the braveSatyaki, skilled in weapons, is coming to thee, O Phalguna! Havingachieved the most difficult feat in the midst of the (Kaurava) troops,the mighty Satyaki, desirous of obtaining thy sight cometh to thee, O sonof Pandu! Having on a single car fought in battle many mightycar-warriors with the preceptor (Drona) on their head, Satyaki cometh tothee, O Partha! Despatched by Dharma’s son, this Satyaki cometh to thee,O Partha, having pierced through the Kaurava army, relying on the mightof his own arms. Invincible in battle, that Satyaki, who hath no warrioramongst the Kauravas equal to him, is coming to thee, O son of Kunti!Having slain, countless warriors, this Satyaki cometh to thee, O Partha,freed from amid the Kaurva troops, like a lion from amid a herd of kine.Having strewn the earth with the faces, beautiful as the lotus, ofthousands of kings, this Satyaki is coming to thee, O Partha! Havingvanquished in battle Duryodhana himself with his brothers, and havingslain Jalasandha, Satyaki is coming quickly. Having caused a river ofblood for its mire, and regarding the Kauravas as straw, Satyaki comethtowards thee.’ The son of Kunti, without being cheerful, said these wordsunto Kesava, ‘The arrival of Satyaki, O mighty-armed one, is scarcelyagreeable to me. I do not, O Kesava, know how king Yudhishthira the Justis. Now that he is separated from Satwata, I doubt whether he is alive; Omighty-armed one, this Satyaki should have protected the king. Why then,O Krishna, hath this one, leaving Yudhishthira followed in my wake? Theking, therefore, hath been abandoned to Drona. The ruler of the Sindhushath not yet been slain. There, Bhurisravas is proceeding against Satyakiin battle. A heavier burthen hath been cast upon me on account ofJayadratha. I should know how the ling is and I should also protectSatyaki. I should also slay Jayadratha. The sun hangeth low. As regardsthe mighty-armed Satyaki, he is tired; his weapons also have beenexhausted. His steeds as also their driver, are tired, O Madhava!Bhurisravas, on the other hand, is not tired, he hath supporters behindhim, O Kesava! Will success be Satyaki’s in this encounter? Havingcrossed the very ocean, will Satyaki of unbaffled prowess, will that bullamongst the Sinis, of great energy, succumb, obtaining (before him) thevestige of a cow’s foot?[166] Encountering that foremost one amongst theKurus, viz., the high-souled Bhurisravas, skilled in weapons, willSatyaki have good fortune? I regard this, O Kesava, to have been an errorof judgment on the part of king Yudhishthira the Just. Casting of allfear of the preceptor, he hath despatched Satyaki (from away his side).Like a sky-ranging hawk after a peace of meat, Drona always endeavourethafter the seizure of king Yudhishthira the Just. Will the king be freefrom all danger?’