Chapter 13

“Sanjaya said, ‘Then the mighty and heroic bowman Karna began to smitethe Pandava army in that battle, with his straight shafts. Similarly,those great car-warriors, viz., the Pandavas, O king, filled with wrath,began to smite the army of thy son in the very sight of Karna. Karnaalso, O king, in that battle slew the Pandava army with his cloth-yardshafts bright as the rays of the Sun and polished by the hands of thesmith. There, O Bharata, the elephants, struck by Karna with his shafts,uttered loud cries, lost strength, became faint, and wandered on allsides. While the army was being thus destroyed by the Suta’s son, Nakularushed with speed against that mighty car-warrior. And Bhimasena rushedagainst Drona’s son who was engaged in the accomplishment of the mostdifficult feats. Satyaki checked the Kaikaya princes Vinda and Anuvinda.King Citrasena rushed against the advancing Srutakarman; and Prativindhyaagainst Citra owning a beautiful standard and a beautiful bow. Duryodhanarushed against king Yudhishthira the son of Dharma; while Dhananjayarushed against the angry throngs of the samsaptakas. In that slaughter ofgreat heroes, Dhrishtadyumna proceeded against Kripa. The invincibleShikhandi closed with Kritavarma. Srutakirti encountered Shalya, andMadri’s son, the valiant Sahadeva, O king, encountered thy sonDuhshasana. The two Kaikaya princes, in that battle, shrouded Satyakiwith a shower of blazing arrows, and the latter also, O Bharata, shroudedthe two Kaikaya brothers. Those two heroic brothers deeply struck Satyakiin the chest like two elephants striking with their tusks a hostilecompeer in the forest. Indeed, O king, those two brothers, in thatbattle, their own vitals pierced with shafts, pierced Satyaki of truedeeds with their shafts. Satyaki, however, O great king, covering all thepoints of the compass with a shower of arrows and smiling the while,checked the two brothers, O Bharata. Checked by those showers of arrowsshot by the grandson of Sini, the two brothers speedily shrouded the carof Sini’s grandson with their shafts. Cutting off their beautiful bows,Saurin of great fame checked them both with his keen arrows in thatbattle. Taking up two other beautiful bows, and a number of powerfulshafts, the two began to cover Satyaki and career with great activity andskill. Shot by the two brothers, those mighty shafts equipped with thefeathers of the Kanka and the peacock and decked with gold, began tofall, illumining all the points of the compass. In that dreadful battlebetween them, O king, the arrows they shot caused a darkness there. Thosemighty car-warriors then cut off each other’s bows. Then the invincibleSatwata, O king, filled with rage, took up another bow in that battle,and stringing it, cut off Anuvinda’s head with a keen razor-headed shaft.Decked with earrings, that large head, O king, fell like the head ofSamvara slain in the great battle (of old). And it reached the Earth inno time, filling all the Kaikayas with grief. Beholding that bravewarrior slain, his brother, the mighty car-warrior Vinda, stringinganother bow began to resist the grandson of Sini from every side.Piercing with sixty arrows equipped with wings of gold and whetted onstone, he uttered a loud shout and said, “Wait, Wait!” Then that mightycar-warrior of the Kaikayas speedily struck Satyaki with many thousandsof shafts in his arms and chest. All his limbs wounded with arrows,Satyaki, of prowess incapable of being baffled, looked resplendent inthat battle, O king, like a flowering Kinsuka. Pierced by the high-souledKaikaya in that encounter, Satyaki, with the greatest ease, pierced theKaikaya (in return) with five and twenty arrows. Then those two foremostof car-warriors, having each cut off the other’s handsome bow in thatencounter, and having each quickly slain the other’s driver and steedsapproached each other on foot for a fight with swords. Both endued withmassive arms, they looked resplendent on that extensive arena, eachhaving taken up a shield decked with a hundred moons, and each armed withan excellent sword, like Jambha and Sakra, both endued with great might,in the battle between the gods and the Asuras (of old). Both of them, inthat great battle, then began to career in circles. And then theyspeedily encountered each other in battle, each approaching the othernear. And each of them made great efforts for the destruction of theother. Then Satwata cut in twain the shield of Kaikeya. The latter also,O king, cut in twain the shield of Satyaki. Having cut off hisantagonist’s shield covered with centuries of stars, Kaikeya began tocareer in circles, advancing and receding (at times). Then the grandsonof Sini, endued with great activity, cut off by a sidestroke the princeof the Kaikeyas thus careering in that great arena armed with excellentsword. Cased in armour that great bowman, viz., the Kaikeya prince, Oking, thus cut off in twain in that great battle, fell down like a hillriven with thunder. Having slain him in battle that foremost ofcar-warriors that scorcher of foes, viz., the brave grandson of Siniquickly got upon the car of Yudhamanyu. Afterwards riding upon anothercar duly equipped (with everything), Satyaki began to slay with hisshafts the large force of the Kaikeyas. The vast army of the Kaikeyas,thus slaughtered in battle, leaving that foe of theirs fled away on allsides.'”