The thirteenth day of war-1: The killing of Abhimanyu

OM! Having bowed down unto Narayan, and unto that most exalted of male beings, viz., Nara, and unto the goddess Saraswati also, must the word Jaya be uttered.

Conversation between Duryodhana and Drona

Next morning, Duryodhana said unto Drona, these words, from petulance and wrath, and in great cheerlessness of heart at the sight of the prosperity of their foe. Skilled in speech, and filled with rage at the success of the foe, the king said these words in the hearing of all the troops,

“O foremost of regenerate ones, without doubt you have set us down for men who should be destroyed by you. You did not seize Yudhishthira today even though you had got him within your reach. That foe whom you would seize in battle is incapable of escaping you if once you get him within sight, even if he be protected by the Pandavas, aided by the very gods. Gratified, you gave me a boon; now, however, you do not act according to it. They that are noble (like you), never falsify the hopes of one devoted to them.”

Thus addressed by Duryodhana, Bharadwaja's son felt greatly ashamed. Addressing the king, he said,

“It befits you not to take me to be such. I always endeavour to achieve what is agreeable to you. The three worlds with the gods, the Asuras, the Gandharvas, the Yakshas, the Nagas and the Rakshasas, cannot defeat the force that is protected by the diadem-decked (Arjuna). There where Govinda, the Creator of the universe is, and there where Arjuna is the commander, whose might can avail, save three-eyed Mahadeva's, O lord? O sire, I tell the truly today and it will not be otherwise. Today, I will slay a mighty car-warrior, one of the foremost heroes of the Pandavas. Today I will also form an array that impenetrable by the very gods. Do, however, O king, by some means take Arjuna away from the field. There is nothing that he doth not know or cannot achieve in battle. From various places has he acquired all that is to be known about battle.”

After Drona had said these words, the Samshaptakas once more challenged Arjuna to battle and took him away to the southern side of the field. Then an encounter took place between Arjuna and his enemies, the like of which had never been seen or heard of. On the other hand, the array formed by Drona looked resplendent. Indeed, that array was incapable of being looked at like the sun himself when in his course he reaches the meridian and scorches (everything underneath).

Chakra Vyuha

The preceptor had formed the great circular array. In it were placed all the kings (of Dhritarashtra’s side) that are each equal to Shakra himself. At the entrance were stationed all the princes possessed of solar effulgence. All of them had taken oaths (about standing by one another). All of them had standards decked with gold. All of them were attired in red robes, and all had red ornaments. All of them had red banners and all were adorned with garlands of gold, smeared with sandal-paste and other perfumed unguents; they were decked with floral wreaths. In a body they rushed towards the enemy, desirous of battle. Firm bowmen, all they numbered ten thousand. Placing Dhritarashtra’s handsome grandson, Lakshmana, at their head, all of them, sympathising with one another in joy and grief, and emulating one another in feats of courage, desiring to excel one another, and devoted to one another's good, they advanced to battle. Duryodhana was stationed in the midst of his forces. The king was surrounded by the mighty car-warriors, Karna, Duhshasana, and Kripa, and had a white umbrella held over his head. Fanned with yak tails, he looked resplendent like the chief of the celestials. At the head of that army was the commander Drona looking like the rising sun. There stood the ruler of the Sindhus, of great beauty of person, and immovable like the cliff of Meru. Standing by the side of the ruler of the Sindhus and headed by Ashwatthaman, were Dhritarashtra’s thirty sons, resembling the very gods. There also on Jayadratha's flank, were those mighty car-warriors, viz., the ruler of Gandhara, i.e., the gamester (Shakuni), and Shalya, and Bhurishrava. Then commenced, the battle, fierce, and making the hairs stand on their ends, between Dhritarashtra’s warriors and those of the foe. Both sides fought, making death itself the goal.

The Parthas then, headed by Bhimasena, approached that invincible array protected by Bharadwaja's son. Satyaki, and Chekitana, and Dhrishtadyumna. the son of Prishata, and Kuntibhoja of great prowess, and the mighty car-warrior Drupada. and Arjuna's son (Abhimanyu), and Kshatradharman, and the valiant Brihatkshatra, and Dhrishtaketu, the ruler of the Chedis, and the twin sons of Madri, (viz., Nakula and Sahadeva), and Ghatotkacha, and the powerful Yudhamanyu and the unvanquished Shikhandin, and the irresistible Uttamaujas and the mighty car-warrior Virata, and the five sons of Draupadi, these all excited with wrath, and the valiant son of Shishupala, and the Kaikeyas of mighty energy, and the Srinjayas by thousands, these and others, accomplished in weapons and difficult of being resisted in battle, suddenly rushed, at the head of their respective followers, against Bharadwaja's son, from a desire of battle.

Yudhishthira asks Abhimanyu to break the Chakra Vyuha

The valiant son of Bharadwaja, however, fearlessly checked all those warriors, as soon as they came near, with a thick shower of arrows. Like a mighty wave of waters coming against an impenetrable hill, or the surging sea itself approaching its bank, those warriors were pushed back by Drona. The Pandavas, afflicted by the shafts shot from Drona's bow, were unable to stay before him. The strength of Drona's arms was wonderful in the extreme, inasmuch as the Panchalas and the Srinjayas failed to approach him. Beholding Drona advancing in rage, Yudhishthira thought of diverse means for checking his progress. At last, regarding Drona incapable of being resisted by any one else, Yudhishthira placed that heavy and unbearable burden on the son of Subhadra. Addressing Abhimanyu, that slayer of hostile heroes, who was not inferior to Vasudeva himself and whose energy was superior to that of Arjuna, the king said,

“O child, act in such a way that Arjuna, returning (from the Samshaptakas), may not reprove us. We do not know how to break the circular array. Yourself, or Arjuna or Krishna, or Pradyumna, can pierce that array. O mighty-armed one, no fifth person can be found (to achieve that teat). O child, it befits you, O Abhimanyu, to grant the boon that your sires, your maternal uncles, and all these troops ask of you. Taking up your arms quickly, destroy this array of Drona, else Arjuna, returning from the fight, will reprove us all.”

Abhimanyu said,

“Desiring victory to my sires, soon shall I in battle penetrate into that firm, fierce and foremost of arrays formed by Drona. I have been taught by my father the method of (penetrating and) smiting this kind of array. I shall not be able, however, to come out if any kind of danger overtakes me.”

Yudhishthira said,

“Break this array once, O foremost of warriors, and make a passage for us. All of us will follow you in the track by which you wilt go. In battle, you are equal to Dhananjaya himself. Seeing you enter, we shall follow you, protecting you on all sides.”

Bhima said,

“I myself will follow you, and Dhrishtadyumna and Satyaki, and the Panchalas, and the Prabhadrakas. After the array once is broken by you, will enter it repeatedly and slay the foremost warriors within it.”

Abhimanyu said,

“I will penetrate into this invincible array of Drona, like an insect filled with rage entering a blazing fire. Today, I will do that which will be beneficial to both races (viz., my sire's and my mother's). I will do that which will please my maternal uncle as also my mother. Today all creatures will behold large bodies of hostile soldiers continually slaughtered by myself, an unaided child. If anybody, encountering me, escapes today with life, I shall not then regard myself begotten by Partha and born of Subhadra. If on a single car I cannot in battle cut off the whole Kshatriya race into eight fragments, I will not regard myself the son of Arjuna.”

Yudhishthira said,

“Since protected by these tigers among men, these great bowmen endued with fierce might, these warriors that resemble the Sadhyas, the Rudras, or the Maruts, or are like the Vasus, or Agni or Aditya himself in prowess, you venture to pierce the invincible array of Drona, and since you speak so, let your strength, O son of Subhadra, be increased.”

Abhimanyu enters Chakra Vyuha

Hearing these words of Yudhishthira, Abhimanyu ordered his charioteer, Sumitra, saying, “Quickly urge the steeds towards Drona's army”. The charioteer, urged by him with the words, “Proceed, Proceed,” replied unto Abhimanyu in these words,

“O you that are blessed with length of days, heavy is the burden that has been placed upon you by the Pandavas! Ascertaining by your judgment as to whether you are able to bear it or not, you should then engage in battle. The preceptor Drona is a master of superior weapons and accomplished (in battle). You, however, have been brought up in great luxury and are unused to battle.”

Hearing these words, Abhimanyu replied unto his charioteer, saying with a laugh,

“O charioteer, who is this Drona? What, again, is this vast assemblage of Kshatriyas? Shakra himself on his Airavata and aided by all the celestials, I would encounter in battle. I do not feel the slightest anxiety about all these Kshatriyas today. This hostile army does not come up to even a sixteen part of myself. O son of a Suta, getting my maternal uncle Vishnu himself, the conqueror of the universe or my sire, Arjuna, as an antagonist in battle, fear would not enter my heart.”

Abhimanyu then, thus disregarding those words of the charioteer, urged the latter, saying, “Go with speed towards the army of Drona.” Thus commanded, the charioteer, with a heart scarcely cheerful, urged Abhimanyu's three-year old steeds, decked with golden trappings. Those coursers, urged by Sumitra towards Drona's army, rushed towards Drona himself with great speed and prowess. Beholding him coming (towards them) in that way, al! the Kauravas, headed by Drona, advanced against him, as, indeed, the Pandavas followed him behind. Then Arjuna's son, superior to Arjuna's self cased in golden mail and owning an excellent standard that bore the device of a Karnikara tree, fearlessly encountered, from desire of battle, warriors headed by Drona, like a lion-cub assailing a herd of elephants. Those warriors then, filled with joy, began to strike Abhimanyu while he endeavoured to pierce their array. For a moment an agitation took place there, like to the eddy that is seen in the ocean where the current of the Ganga mingles with it. The battle that commenced there, between those struggling heroes striking one another, became fierce and terrible. During the progress of that awful battle, Arjuna's son, in the very sight of Drona, breaking that array, penetrated into it.

Then large bodies of elephants and steeds and cars and infantry, filled with joy, encompassed that mighty warrior after he had thus penetrated into the midst of the foe, and commenced to smite him. [Causing the earth to resound] with noise of diverse musical instruments, with shouts and slaps of arm-pits and roars, with yells and leonine shouts, with exclamations of “Wait, Wait,” with fierce confused voices with cries of, “Do not go, Wait, Come to me”, with repeated exclamations of, “This one, It is I, The foe,” with grunt of elephants, with the tinkling of bells and ornaments, with bursts of laughter, and the clatter of horse-hoofs and car-wheels, the (Kaurava) warriors rushed at the son of Arjuna. That mighty hero, however, endued with great lightness of hands and having a knowledge of the vital parts of the body, quickly shooting weapons capable of penetrating into the very vitals, stew those advancing warriors. Slaughtered by means of sharp shafts of diverse kinds, those warriors became perfectly helpless, and like insects falling upon a blazing fire, they continued to fall upon Abhimanyu on the field of battle. Abhimanyu strewed the earth with their bodies and diverse limbs of their bodies like priests strewing the altar at a sacrifice with blades of Kusha grass. Arjuna's son cut off by thousands the arms of those warriors. Some of these were eased in corselets made of iguana skin and some held bows and shafts, and some held swords or shields or iron hooks and reins; and some, lances of battle axes. Some held maces or iron balls or spears and some, rapiers and crow-bars and axes. Some grasped short arrows, or spiked maces, or darts, or Kampanas. Some had goads and prodigious conchs; and some bearded darts and Kachagrahas. Some had mallets and some other kinds of missiles. Some had nooses, and some heavy clubs, and some brickbats. All those arms were decked with armlets and laved with delightful perfumes and unguents. With those arms dyed with gore and looking bright the field of battle became beautiful, as if strewn with five-headed snakes slain by Garuda. Phalguni's son also scattered over the field of battle countless heads of foes, heads graced with beautiful noses and faces and locks, without pimples, and adorned with ear-rings. Blood flowed from those heads copiously, and the nether-lips in all were bit with wrath. Adorned with beautiful garlands and crowns and turbans and pearls and gems, and possessed of splendour equal to that of the sun or the moon, they seemed to be like lotuses severed from their stalks. Fragrant with many perfumes, while life was in them, they could speak words both agreeable and beneficial. Diverse cars, well-equipped, and looking like the vapoury edifices in the welkin, with shafts in front and excellent bamboo poles and looking beautiful with the standards set up on them, were deprived of their Janghas, and Kuvaras, and Nemis, and Dasanas, and wheels, and standards and terraces. The utensils of war in them were all broken. The rich clothes with which they were overlaid, were blown away, and the warriors on them were slain by thousands.

Mangling everything before him with his shafts, Abhimanyu was seen coursing on all sides. With his keen-edged weapons, he cut into pieces elephant-warriors, and elephants with standards and hooks and banners, and quivers and coats of mail, and girths and neck-ropes and blankets, and bells and trunks and tusks as also the foot-soldiers that protected those elephants from behind. Many steeds of the Vanayu, the hilly, the Kamboja, and the Balhika breeds, with tails and ears and eyes motionless and fixed, possessed of great speed, well-trained, and ridden by accomplished warriors armed with swords and lances, were seen to be deprived of the excellent ornaments on their beautiful tails. Many lay with tongues lolling out and eyes detached from their sockets, and entrails and livers drawn out. And the riders on their backs lay lifeless by their sides. The rows of bells that adorned them were all torn. Strewn over the field thus, they caused great delight to Rakshasas and beasts of prey. With coats of mail and other leathern armour (casing their limbs) cut open, they weltered in excreta ejected by themselves. Thus slaying many foremost of steeds of Dhritarashtra’s army, Abhimanyu looked resplendent. Alone achieving the most difficult feat, like the inconceivable Vibhu himself in days of old, Abhimanyu crushed Dhritarashtra’s vast host of three kinds of forces (cars, elephants, and steeds), like the three-eyed (Mahadeva) of immeasurable energy crushing the terrible Asura host. Indeed, Arjuna's son, having achieved in battle feats incapable of being borne by his foes, everywhere mangled large divisions of foot-soldiers belonging to Dhritarashtra’s army.

Beholding then Dhritarashtra’s host extensively slaughtered by Subhadra's son single-handed with his whetted shafts like the Asura host by Skanda (the celestial generalissimo), Dhritarashtra’s warriors and Dhritarashtra’s sons cast vacant looks on all sides. Their mouths became dry; their eyes became restless; their bodies were covered with sweat; and their hairs stood on their ends. Hopeless of vanquishing their foe, they set their hearts on flying away from the field. Desirous of saving their lives, called one another by their names and the names of their families, and abandoning their wounded sons and sires and brothers and kinsmen and relatives by marriage lying around on the field, they endeavoured to fly away, urging their steeds and elephants (to their utmost speed).

Beholding his army routed by Subhadra's son of immeasurable energy, Duryodhana, filled with rage, himself proceeded against the former. Seeing the king turn back towards Subhadra's son in battle, Drona, addressing all the (Kaurava) warriors, said,

“Rescue the king. Before us, in our very sight, the valiant Abhimanyu is slaying all he aims at. Rush you, therefore, speedily against him, without fear and protect the Kuru king.”

Then many grateful and mighty warriors, having Duryodhana's good at heart, and always graced with victory, inspired with fear, surrounded Dhritarashtra’s son. Drona, and Drona's son, and Kripa and Karna and Kritavarman and Subala's son, Brihadbala, and the ruler of the Madras, and Bhuri, and Bhurishravas, and Shala, and Paurava and Vrishasena, shooting sharp shafts, checked Subhadra's son by means of those arrowy showers. Confounding him with those showers of shafts, they rescued Duryodhana.

The son of Arjuna, however, brooked not that act of snatching a morsel from his mouth. Covering those mighty car-warriors, their charioteers, and steeds with thick showers of arrows and causing them to turn back, the son of Subhadra uttered a leonine roar. Hearing that roar of his, resembling that of a lion hungering after prey, these angry car-warriors, headed by Drona, tolerated it not. Encompassing him on all sides with a large body of cars they shot at him showers of diverse kinds of arrows. The grandson, however, cut them off in the welkin (before any of them could reach him) by means of sharp shafts, and then pierced all of them with his shafts. That feat of his seemed exceedingly wonderful. Provoked by him thus by means of those shafts of his that resembled snakes of virulent poison, they surrounded that unretreating son of Subhadra, desirous of slaying him. That sea of (Kaurava) troops, however, the son of Arjuna singly held in check by means of his shafts, like the continent resisting the surging ocean. Among those heroes thus fighting with and striking one another, viz., Abhimanyu and his man on one side and all those warriors together on the other, none turned back from the field.

In that dreadful and fierce battle, Duhsaha pierced Abhimanyu with nine shafts. Duhshasana pierced him with a dozen; and Sharadwata's son Kripa, with three. Drona pierced him with seventeen shafts, each resembling a snake of virulent poison. Vivimshati, pierced him with seventy shafts, and Kritavarman with seven. Brihadbala pierced him with eight, and Ashwatthaman with seven shafts. Bhurishrava pierced him with three shafts and the ruler of the Madras with six. Shakuni pierced him with two, and king Duryodhana with three shafts. The valiant Abhimanyu, however, seemingly dancing on his car, pierced each of those warriors in return with three shafts. Then Abhimanyu, filled with rage in consequence of Dhritarashtra’s sons' endeavouring to frighten him thus, displayed the wonderful strength he had acquired from culture and practice.

Abhimanyu kills Ashmaka’s son

Borne by his well-broken steeds, endued with the speed of Garuda or the Wind, and thoroughly obedient to the behests of him who held their reins, he quickly checked the heir of Ashmaka. Staying before him, the handsome son of Ashmaka, endued with great might, pierced him with ten shafts and addressing him, said, “Wait, Wait.” Abhimanyu then, with ten shafts, cut off the former's steeds and charioteer and standard and two arms and bow and head, and caused them to fall down on the earth, smiling the while. After the heroic ruler of the Ashmakas had thus been slain by the son of Subhadra, the whole of his force wavered and began to fly away from the field.

Abhimanyu kills Sushena, Drighalochana, and Kundabedhin

Then Karna and Kripa, and Drona and Drona's son, and the ruler of the Gandharas, and Shala and Shalya, and Bhurishravas and Kratha, and Somadatta, and Vivimshati, and Vrishasena, and Sushena, and Kundabedhin, and Pratardana, and Vrindaraka and Lalithya, and Prabahu, and Drighalochana, and angry Duryodhana, showered their arrows upon him. Then Abhimanyu, excessively pierced by those great bowmen with their straight shafts, shot shafts at Karna which was capable of piercing through every armour and body. That shaft, piercing through Karna's coat of mail and then his body, entered the earth like a snake piercing through an anthill. Deeply pierced, Karna felt great pain and became perfectly helpless. Indeed, Karna began to tremble in that battle like a hill during an earthquake. Then with three other shafts of great sharpness, the mighty son of Arjuna, excited with rage, slew those three warriors, viz., Sushena, Drighalochana, and Kundabedhin.

Abhimanyu defeats Shalya and kills Shalya’s brother

Meanwhile, Karna (recovering from the shock) pierced Abhimanyu with five and twenty shafts. Ashwatthaman struck him with twenty, and Kritavarman with seven. Covered all over with arrows, that son of Shakra's son, filled with rage, careered over the field. He was regarded by all the troops as Yama's self armed with the noose. He then scattered over Shalya, who happened to be near him thick showers of arrows. That mighty-armed warrior then uttered loud shouts, frightening Dhritarashtra’s troops therewith. Meanwhile, Shalya, pierced by Abhimanyu accomplished in weapons, with straight shafts penetrating into his very vitals, sat down on the terrace of his car and fainted away. Beholding Shalya thus pierced by the celebrated son of Subhadra, all the troops fled away in the very sight of Bharadwaja's son. Seeing that mighty-armed warrior, viz., Shalya, thus covered with shafts of golden wings, Dhritarashtra’s army fled away like a head of deer attacked by a lion. Abhimanyu glorified by the Pitris, the gods, and Charanas, and Siddhas, as also by diverse classes of creatures on the earth, with praises about (his heroism and skill in) battle, looked resplendent like a sacrificial fire fed with clarified butter.

Beholding the ruler of the Madras disabled in battle by Subhadra's son with his shafts, the younger brother of Shalya, filled with wrath, advanced against Abhimanyu, scattering his shafts. Arjuna's son however. endued with great lightness of hand, cut off his antagonist's head and charioteer, his triple bamboo-pole, his bed (on the car), his car-wheels, his yoke, and shafts and quiver, and car-bottom, by means of his arrows, as also his banner and every other implements of battle with which his car was equipped. So quick were his movements that none could obtain a sight of his person. Deprived of life, that foremost and chief of all ornaments of battle fell down on the earth, like a huge hill uprooted by a mighty tempest. His followers then, struck with fear, fled away in all directions. Beholding that feat of the son of Arjuna, all creatures were highly gratified, and cheered him with loud shouts of “Excellent, Excellent!”

After Shalya's brother had thus been slain, many followers of his, loudly proclaiming their families, places of residence, and names, rushed against Arjuna's son, filled with rage and armed With diverse weapons. Some of them were on cars, some on steeds and some on elephants; and others advanced on foot. All of them were endued with fierce might. They rushed frightening the son of Arjuna with the loud whiz of their arrows, the deep roar of their car-wheels, their fierce whoops and shouts and cries, their leonine roars, the loud twang of their bow-string, and the slaps of their palms. They said, “You shalt not escape us with life today!” Hearing them say so, the son of Subhadra, smiling the while, pierced with his shafts those amongst them that had pierced him first. Displaying diverse weapons of beautiful look and of great celerity, the heroic son of Arjuna battled mildly with them. Those weapons that he had received from Vasudeva and those that he had received from Dhananjaya, Abhimanyu displayed in the very same way as Vasudeva and Dhananjaya. Disregarding the heavy burden he had taken upon himself and casting off all fear, he repeatedly shot his arrows. No interval, again, could be noticed between his aiming and letting off an arrow. Only his trembling bow drawn to a circle could be seen on every side, looking like the blazing disc of the autumnal sun. The twang of his bow, and the slap of his palms were heard to resound like the roaring of clouds charged with thunder. Modest, wrathful, reverential to superiors, and exceedingly handsome, the son of Subhadra, out of regard for the hostile heroes, fought with them mildly. Commencing gently, he gradually became fierce, like the illustrious maker of the day when autumn comes after the season of the rains is over. Like the Sun himself shedding his rays, Abhimanyu, filled with wrath, shot hundreds and thousands of whetted arrows, furnished with golden wings. In the very sight of Bharadwaja's son, that celebrated warrior covered the car-division of the Kaurava army with diverse kinds of arrows. Thereupon, that army thus afflicted by Abhimanyu with his shafts, turned its back on the field.

Drona praises Abhimanyu

Mounted upon his car, Abhimanyu, with great daring, showered his arrows on the warriors of Dhritarashtra’s army mounted on their cars, all of whom were chastisers of foes, endued with great courage. Careering with great speed like a circle of fire, he pierced Drona and Karna, and Kripa, and Shalya and Drona's son, and Kritavarman of the Bhoja race, and Brihadbala, and Duryodhana, and Somadatta, and mighty Shakuni, and diverse kings and diverse princes and diverse bodies of troops. While engaged in slaying his foes by means of superior weapons, the valiant son of Subhadra, endued with mighty energy, seemed to be present everywhere. Beholding that conduct of Subhadra's son of immeasurable energy, Dhritarashtra’s troops trembled repeatedly. Seeing that warrior of great proficiency in battle, Bharadwaja's son of great wisdom, with eyes expanded in joy, quickly came towards Kripa, and addressing him said, as if crushing (by that speech of his) the very vitals of Dhritarashtra’s son, the following words,

“There comes the youthful son of Subhadra at the head of the Parthas, delighting all his friends, and king Yudhishthira, and Nakula, and Sahadeva, and Bhimasena, the son of Pandu, and all his kinsmen, and relatives by marriage, and all who are watching the battle as spectators without taking any part in it. I do not regard any bowman to be his equal in battle. If only he entertains the wish, he can slay this vast host. It seems, that for some reason or other, he does not entertain that wish.”

Hearing these words of Drona, so expressive of the gratification he felt, Dhritarashtra’s son, enraged with Abhimanyu, looked at Drona, faintly smiling the while. Indeed, Duryodhana said unto Karna and king Balhika and Duhshasana and the ruler of the Madras and the many other mighty car-warriors of his army, these words,

“The preceptor of the entire order of the Kshatriyas, he that is the foremost of all conversant with Brahma, does not, from stupefaction, wish to slay this son of Arjuna. None can, in battle, escape the preceptor with life, not even the Destroyer himself, if the latter advances against the preceptor as a foe. What, O friend, shall we say then of any mortal? I say this truly. This one is the son of Arjuna, and Arjuna is the preceptor's disciple. It is for this that the preceptor protects this youth. Disciples and sons and their sons are always dear to the virtuous people. Protected by Drona, the youthful son of Arjuna regards himself valourous. He is only a fool entertaining a high opinion of himself. Crush him, therefore, without delay.”

Duhshasana fights Abhimanyu

Thus addressed by the Kuru king, those warriors, excited with rage and desirous of slaying their foe, rushed, in the very sight of Drona at the son of Subhadra that daughter of the Satwata race. Duhshasana, in particular, that tiger among the Kurus, hearing those words of Duryodhana, answered the latter, saying,

“O monarch, I tell you that I will slay this one in the very sight of the Pandavas and before the eyes of the Panchalas. I shall certainly devour the son of Subhadra today, like Rahu swallowing Surya (sun).”

Once more addressing the Kuru king loudly, Duhshasana said,

“Hearing that Subhadra's son has been slain by me, the two Krishnas, who are exceedingly vain, will without doubt, go to the region of the departed spirits, leaving this world of men. Hearing then of the death of the two Krishnas, it is evident that the other sons born of Pandu's wives, with all their friends, will, in course of a single day, cast away their lives from despair. It is evident, therefore, that this one foe of yours being slain, all your foes will be slain. Wish me well, O king, even I will slay this foe of yours.”

Having said these words, Dhritarashtra’s son Duhshasana, filled with rage and uttering a loud roar, rushed against the son of Subhadra and covered him with showers of arrows. Abhimanyu then received that son of Dhritarashtra thus advancing upon him wrathfully, with six and twenty arrows of sharp points. Duhshasana, however, filled with rage, and looking like an infuriated elephant, fought desperately with Abhimanyu, the son of Subhadra in that battle. Both of them masters in car-fight, they fought on describing beautiful circles with their cars, one of them to the left and other to the right. The warriors then, with their Panavas and Mridangas and Dundubhis and Krakachas and great Anakas and Bheris and Jharjaras, caused a deafening noise mingled with leonine roars, such as arise from the great receptacle of salt waters!

Then the intelligent Abhimanyu, with limbs mangled with arrows, smilingly addressed his foe, Duhshasana, stationed before him saying,

“By good luck it is that I behold in battle that vain hero arrived before me, who is cruel, who has cast away all righteousness, and who brawls out lustily his own praises. In the assembly (for the Kurus) and in the hearing of king Dhritarashtra, you had, with your harsh speeches, angered king Yudhishthira. Relying on the deception of the dice and the skill (therein) of Subala's son, you had also maddened by success, addressed many delirious speech to Bhima! In consequence of the anger of those illustrious persons, you are, at last, about to obtain the fruit of that conduct of yours!. O you of wicked understanding, obtain you without delay the fruit of the robbery of other people's possessions, wrathfulness, of your hatred of peace, of avarice, of ignorance, of hostilities (with kinsmen), of injustice and persecution, of depriving my sires, those fierce bowmen, of their kingdom, and of your own fierce temper. I shall today chastise you with my arrows in the sight of the whole army. Today, I shall in battle disburden myself of that wrath which I cherish against you. I shall today free myself of the debt I owe to angry Krishna and to my sire who always craves for an opportunity to chastise you. O Kaurava, today I shall free myself of the debt I owe to Bhima. With life you shall not escape me, if indeed, you do not abandon the battle.”

Having said these words, that mighty-armed warrior, that slayer of hostile heroes, aimed a shaft endued with the splendour of Yama or of Agni or of the Wind-god, capable of despatching Duhshasana to the other world. Quickly approaching Duhshasana's bosom, that shaft fell upon his shoulder-joint and penetrated into his body up to the very wings, like a snake into an ant-hill. Soon Abhimanyu once more struck him with five and twenty arrows whose touch resembled that of fire, and which were sped from his bow drawn to its fullest stretch, Deeply pierced and greatly pained, Duhshasana, sat down on the terrace of his car and was, overtaken by a swoon. Afflicted thus by the arrows of Subhadra's son and deprived of his senses, Duhshasana. was speedily borne away from the midst of the fight by his charioteer.

Beholding this, the Pandavas, the five sons of Draupadi, Virata, the Panchalas, and the Kekayas, uttered leonine shouts. The troops of the Pandavas, filled with joy, caused diverse kinds of musical instruments to be beat and blown. Beholding that feat of Subhadra's son they laughed with joy. Seeing that implacable and proud foe of theirs thus vanquished, those mighty car-warriors, viz., the (five) sons of Draupadi, who had on their banners the images of Yama and Maruta and Shakra and the twin Ashwins, and Satyaki, and Chekitana, and Dhrishtadyumna, and Shikhandin, and the Kekayas, and Dhrishtaketu, and the Matsyas, Panchalas, and the Srinjayas, and the Pandavas headed by Yudhishthira, were filled with joy. All of them rushed with speed, desirous of piercing Drona's array. Then a dreadful battle took place between the warriors and those of the foe, all of them were unretreating heroes, and inspired by desire of victory. During the progress of that dreadful encounter, Duryodhana, addressing the son of Radha, said,

“Behold, the heroic Duhshasana, who resembles the scorching sun who was hitherto slaying the foe in battle, has at last himself succumbed to Abhimanyu. The Pandavas also, filled with rage and looking fierce like mighty lions, are rushing towards us, desirous of rescuing the son of Subhadra.”

Karna fights Abhimanyu; Abhimanyu kills Karna’s brother

Thus addressed, Karna with rage and desirous of doing good to Dhritarashtra’s son, rained showers of sharp arrows on the invincible Abhimanyu. The heroic Karna, as if in contempt of his antagonist, also pierced the latter's followers on the field of battle, with many excellent shafts of great sharpness. The high-souled Abhimanyu, however, desirous of proceeding against Drona, quickly pierced Radha's son with three and seventy shafts. No car-warrior of Dhritarashtra’s army succeeded at that time in obstructing the progress towards Drona, of Abhimanyu, who was the son of Indra's son and who was afflicting all the foremost car-warriors of the Kaurava host. Then Karna, the most honoured of all bowmen, desirous of obtaining victory, pierced the son of Subhadra with hundreds of arrows, displacing his best weapons. That foremost of all persons conversant with weapons, that valiant disciple of Rama, by means of his weapons, thus afflicted Abhimanyu who was incapable of being defeated by foes. Though afflicted in battle by Radha's son with showers of weapons, still Subhadra's son who resembled a very celestial (for prowess) felt no pain. With his shafts whetted on stone and furnished with sharp points, the son of Arjuna, cutting off the bows of many heroic warriors, began to afflict Karna in return. With shafts resembling snakes of virulent poison and shot from his bow drawn to a circle, Abhimanyu quickly cut off the umbrella, standard, the charioteer, and the steeds of Karna, smiling the while. Karna then shot five straight arrows at Abhimanyu. The son of Phalguna, however, received them fearlessly. Endued with great valour and courage, the latter then, in a moment, with only a single arrow, cut off Karna's bow and standard and caused them to drop down on the ground. Beholding Karna in such distress, his younger brother, drawing the bow with great force, speedily proceeded against the son of Subhadra. The Parthas then, and their followers uttered loud shouts and beat their musical instruments and applauded the son of Subhadra [for his heroism].

Then the younger brother of Karna, uttering loud roars, bow in hand, and repeatedly stretching the bow-string, quickly placed himself between those two illustrious warriors. Karna's brother, with ten shafts, pierced invincible Abhimanyu and his umbrella and standard and charioteer and steeds, smiling the while. Beholding Abhimanyu thus afflicted with those arrows, although he had achieved those superhuman feats in the manner of his sire and grandsire, the warriors of Dhritarashtra’s army were filled with delight. Then Abhimanyu, forcibly bending the bow and smiling the while, with one winged arrow cut off his antagonist's head. That head, severed from the trunk, fell down on the earth.

Beholding his brother slain and overthrown, like a Karnikara tree shaken and thrown down by the wind from the mountain top, Karna was filled with pain. Meanwhile, the son of Subhadra, causing Karna by means of his arrows to turn away from the field, quickly rushed against the other great bowmen. Then Abhimanyu of fierce energy and great fame, filled with wrath, broke that host of diverse forces abounding with elephants and steeds and cars and infantry. As regards Karna, afflicted by Abhimanyu with countless shafts, he fled away from the field borne by swift steeds.

The Kaurava array then broke. When the welkin was covered with Abhimanyu's shafts, like flights of locusts or thick showers of rain, nothing could be distinguished. Amongst Dhritarashtra’s warriors thus slaughtered by Abhimanyu with sharp shafts, none stayed any longer on the field of battle except the ruler of the Sindhus. Then that bull among men, viz., the son of Subhadra, blowing his conch, speedily, fell upon the Bharata host. Like a burning brand thrown into the midst of dry grass, Arjuna's son began to consume his foes, quickly careering through the Kaurava army. Having pierced through their array, he mangled cars and elephants and steeds and human beings by means of his sharp shafts and caused the field of battle teem with headless trunks. Cut off by means of excellent arrows shot from the bow of Subhadra's son, the Kaurava warriors fled away, slaying, as they fled, their own comrades before them. Those fierce arrows, of terrible effect whetted on stone and, countless in number, slaying car-warriors and elephants, steeds, fell fast on the field. Arms, decked with Angadas and other ornaments of gold, cut off and hands cased in leathern covers, and arrows, and bows, and bodies and heads decked with car-rings and floral wreaths, lay in thousands on the field. Obstructed with Upashkaras and Adhishthanas and long poles also with crushed Akshas and broken wheels and yokes, numbering thousands, With darts and bows and swords and fallen standards, and with shields and bows lying all about, with the bodies of slain Kshatriyas and steeds and elephants, the field of battle, looking exceedingly fierce, soon became impassable. The noise made by the princes, as they called upon one another while slaughtered by Abhimanyu, became deafening and enhanced the fears of the timid. That noise filled all the points of the compass. The son of Subhadra, rushed against the (Kaurava) troops, slaying foremost of car-warriors and steeds and elephants, Quickly consuming his foes, like a fire playing in the midst of a heap of dry grass, the son of Arjuna was seen careering through the midst of the Bharata army. Encompassed as he was by Dhritarashtra’s troops and covered with dust, none of them could obtain a sight of that warrior when he was careening over the field in all directions, cardinal and subsidiary. He took the lives of steeds and elephants and human warriors almost incessantly. Indeed, he then scorching his foes like the meridian sun (scorching everything with his rays). Equal to Vasava himself in battle, that son of Vasava's son viz., Abhimanyu, looked resplendent in the midst of the (hostile) army.

Jayadratha blocks the Pandavas from following Abhimanyu

Yudhishthira and Bhimasena, and Shikhandin and Satyaki, and the twins Nakula and Sahadeva, and Dhrishtadyumna and Virata, and Drupada, and Kekaya, and Dhristaketu, all filled with wrath, and the Matsya warrior, rushed to battle. Indeed, Abhimanyu's sires accompanied by his maternal uncles, those smiters of foes, arrayed in order of battle rushed along the self-same path that Abhimanyu had created, desirous of rescuing him. Beholding those heroes rushing, Dhritarashtra’s troops turned away from the fight. Seeing then that vast army of Dhritarashtra’s son turning away from the fight, the son-in-law of great energy rushed to rally them. Indeed, king Jayadratha, the son of the ruler of the Sindhus, checked, with all their followers, the Parthas, desirous of rescuing their son. That fierce and great bowman, viz. the son of Vriddhakshatra, invoking into existence celestial weapons resisted the Pandavas, like an elephant sporting in a low land.

On the occasion of his insult to Draupadi, Jayadratha was vanquished by Bhimasena. From a keen sense of his humiliation, the king practised the severest of ascetic austerities, desirous of a boon. Restraining his senses from all objects dear to them, bearing hunger, thirst and heat, he reduced his body till his swollen veins became visible. Uttering the eternal words of the Veda, he paid his adoration to the god Mahadeva. That illustrious Deity, always inspired with compassion for his devotees, at last, became kind towards him. Indeed, Hara, appearing in a dream unto the ruler of the Sindhus, addressed him, saying

“Solicit the boon you desire. I am gratified with you, O Jayadratha! What do you desire?”

Thus addressed by Mahadeva, Jayadratha, the ruler of the Sindhus, bowed down unto him and said with joined palms and restrained soul,

“Alone, on a single car, I shall check in battle all the sons of Pandu, endued though they are with terrible energy and prowess.”

This was the boon he had solicited. Thus prayed to that foremost of the deities said unto Jayadratha,

“O amiable one, I grant you the boon. Except Dhananjaya, the son of Pritha, you shall in battle check the four other sons of Pandu.”

“So be it,” said Jayadratha unto that Lord of the gods and then awoke from his slumber. In consequence of that boon which he had received and of the strength also of his celestial weapons, Jayadratha, single-handed, held in check the entire army of the Pandavas. The twang of his bow-string and the slaps of his palms inspired the hostile Kshatriyas with fear, filling your troops, at the same time with delight. The Kshatriyas (of the Kuru army), beholding that the burthen was taken up by the ruler of the Sindhus, rushed with loud shouts to that part of the field where Yudhishthira's army was.

Large steeds of the Sindhu breed, well-trained and fleet as the wind, and obedient to the commands of the charioteer, bore him (on that occasion). His car, duly equipped, looked like a vapoury edifice in the welkin. His standard bearing the device of a large boar in silver, looked exceedingly beautiful. With his white umbrella and banners, and the yak-tails with which he was fanned, which are regal indications, he shone like the Moon himself in the firmament. His car-fence made of iron was decked with pearls and diamonds and gems and gold. It looked resplendent like the firmament bespangled with luminous bodies. Drawing his large bow and scattering countless shafts, he once more filled up that array in those places where openings had been made by the son of Arjuna.

He pierced Satyaki with three arrows, and Vrikodara with eight; and having pierced Dhrishtadyumna. with sixty arrows, he pierced Drupada with five sharp ones, and Shikhandin with ten. Piercing then the Kaikeyas with five and twenty arrows, Jayadratha pierced each of the five sons of Draupadi with three arrows. Piercing Yudhishthira then with seventy arrows, the ruler of the Sindhus pierced the other heroes of the Pandava army with thick showers of shafts. That feat of his seemed exceedingly wonderful. Then, the valiant son of Dharma, aiming Jayadratha's bow, cut it off with a polished and well-tempered shaft, smiling the while. Within the twinkling, however, of the eye, the ruler of the Sindhus took up another bow and piercing Pratha (Yudhishthira) with ten arrows struck each of the others with three shafts. Marking that lightness of hands showed by Jayadratha, Bhima then with three broad-headed shafts, quickly felled on the earth his bow, standard and umbrella. The mighty Jayadratha then, taking up another bow, strung it and felled Bhima's standard and bow and steeds. His bow cut off, Bhimasena then jumping down from that excellent car whose steeds had been slain, mounted on the car of Satyaki, like a lion jumping to the top of a mountain. Seeing this, Dhritarashtra’s troops were filled with joy. They loudly shouted, “Excellent! Excellent!” They repeatedly applauded that feat of the ruler of the Sindhus. Indeed, all creatures highly applauded that feat of his, which consisted in his resisting, single-handed, all the Pandavas together, excited with wrath.

The path that the son of Subhadra had made for the Pandavas by the slaughter of numerous warriors and elephants was then filled up by the ruler of the Sindhus. Indeed, those heroes, viz., the Matsyas, the Panchalas, the Kaikeyas, and the Pandavas, exerting themselves vigorously, succeeded in approaching the presence of Jayadratha, but none of them could bear him. Everyone amongst Dhritarashtra’s enemies who endeavoured to pierce the array that had been formed by Drona, was checked by the ruler of the Sindhus in consequence of the boon he had got (from Mahadeva).

Abhimanyu defeats Vrishasena and kills Vasatiya

When the ruler of the Sindhus checked the Pandavas, desirous of success, the battle that took place then between Dhritarashtra’s troops and the enemy became awful. The invincible son of Arjuna, of sure aim and mighty energy, having penetrated in the (Kaurava) array agitated it like a Makara agitating the ocean. Against that chastiser of foes then, viz., the son of Subhadra, who was thus agitating the hostile host with his arrowy showers, the principal warriors of the Kaurava army rushed, each according to his rank and precedence. The clash between them of immeasurable energy, scattering their arrowy showers with great force, on the one side and Abhimanyu alone on the other, became awful. The son, of Arjuna, encompassed on all sides by those enemies with crowds of cars, slew the charioteer of Vrishasena and also cut off his bow. The mighty Abhimanyu then pierced Vrishasena's steeds with his straight shafts, upon which those coursers, with the speed of the wind, bore Vrishasena away from the battle.

Utilizing that opportunity, Abhimanyu's charioteer freed his car from that press by taking it away to another part of the field. Those numerous car-warriors then, (beholding this feat) were filled with joy and exclaimed, “Excellent! Excellent!” Seeing the lion-like Abhimanyu angrily slaying the foe with his shafts and advancing from a distance. Vasatiya, proceeding towards him quickly fell upon him with great force. The latter pierced Abhimanyu with sixty shafts of golden wings and addressing him, said,

“As long as I am alive, you shall not escape with life.”

Cased though he was in an iron coat of mail, the son of Subhadra pierced him in the chest with a far-reaching shaft. Thereupon Vasatiya fell down on the earth, deprived of life.

Beholding Vasatiya slain, many bulls among Kshatriyas became filled with wrath, and surrounded Dhritarashtra’s grandson from a desire of slaying him. They approached him, stretching their countless bows of diverse kinds, and the battle then that took place between the son of Subhadra and his foes was exceedingly fierce. Then the son of Phalguni, filled with wrath, cut off their arrows and bows, and diverse limbs of their bodies, and their heads decked with ear-rings and floral garlands. Arms were seen lopped off, that were adorned with various ornaments of gold, and that still held scimitars and spiked maces and battle-axes and the fingers of which were still cased in leathern gloves. [the earth became strewn] with floral wreaths and ornaments and cloths, with fallen standards, with coats of mail and shields and golden chains and diadems and umbrellas and yak-tails; with Upashkaras and Adhishthanas, and Dandakas, and Vandhuras with crushed Akshas, broken wheels, and yokes, numbering thousands, with Anukarashas, and banners, and charioteers, and steeds; as also with broken cars, and elephants, and steeds. The field of battle, strewn with slain Kshatriyas endued (while living) with great heroism, rulers of diverse realms, inspired with desire of victory, presented a fearful sight. When Abhimanyu angrily careered over the field of battle in all directions, his very form became invisible. Only his coat of mail, decked with gold, his ornaments, and bow and shafts, could be seen. Indeed, while he slew the hostile warriors by means of his shafts, staying in their midst like the sun himself in his blazing effulgence, none could gaze at him with his eyes.

Abhimanyu kills Satyashravas

Engaged in taking the lives of brave warriors, Arjuna's son then resembled the Destroyer himself, when the latter takes the lives of all creatures on the arrival of the Universal Dissolution. Possessed of prowess resembling that of Shakra himself, the mighty son of Shakra's son, viz., Abhimanyu, agitating the Katirava army looked exceedingly resplendent. Penetrating into the Katirava host, that destroyer of foremost Kshatriyas resembling Yama himself, seized Satvashravas, like an infuriated tiger seizing a deer. Beholding Satyashravas, seized by him, many mighty car-warriors, taking up diverse kinds of weapons, rushed upon him. Indeed, those bulls among Kshatriyas, from a spirit of rivalry, rushed at the son of Arjuna from desire of slaying him, all exclaiming, “I shall go first, I shall go first!” As a whale in the sea obtaining a shoal of small fish seizes them with the greatest ease, even so did Abhimanyu receive that whole division of the rushing Kshatriyas. Like rivers that never go back when they approach the sea, none amongst those unretreating Kshatriyas turned back when they approached Abhimanyu. That army then reeled like a boat tossed on the ocean when overtaken by a mighty tempest, (with its crew) afflicted with panic caused by the violence of the wind.

Abhimanyu kills Shalya’s son Rukmaratha and hundred Madra princes

Then the mighty Rukmaratha, son of the ruler of the Madras, for assuring the frightened troops, fearlessly said,

“You heroes, you need not fear! When I am here, what is Abhimanyu? Without doubt, I will seize this one a living captive.”

Having said these words, the valiant prince, borne on his beautiful and well-equipped car, rushed at Abhimanyu. Piercing Abhimanyu with three shafts in the chest, three in the right arm, and three other sharp shafts in the left arm, he uttered a loud roar. Phalguni's son, however, cutting off his bow, his right and left arms, and his head adorned with beautiful eyes and eye-brows quickly felled them on the earth.

Beholding Rukmaratha, the honoured son of Shalya, slain by the illustrious son of Subhadra, that Rukmaratha viz., who had vowed to consume his foe or take him alive, many princely friends of Shalya's son, accomplished in smiting and incapable of being easily defeated in battle, and owning standards decked with gold, (came up for the fight). Those mighty car-warriors, stretching their bows full six cubits long, surrounded the son of Arjuna, all pouring their arrowy showers upon him. Beholding the brave and invincible son of Subhadra singly encountered by all those wrathful princes endued with heroism and skill acquired by practice and strength and youth, and seeing him covered with showers of arrows, Duryodhana rejoiced greatly, and regarded Abhimanyu as one already made a guest of Yama's abode. Within the twinkling of an eye, those princes, by means of their shafts of golden wings, and of diverse forms and great impetuosity, made Arjuna's son invisible. Himself, his standard, and his car were seen covered with shafts like (trees overwhelmed with) flights of locusts. Deeply pierced, he became filled with rage like an elephant struck with the hook. He then applied the Gandharva weapon and the illusion consequent to it. Practising ascetic penances, Arjuna had obtained that weapon from the Gandharva Tumburu and others. With that weapon, Abhimanyu now confounded his foes. Quickly displaying his weapons, he careered in that battle like a circle of fire, and was seen sometimes as a single individual, sometimes as a hundred, and sometimes as a thousand ones. Confounding his foes by the skill with which his car was guided and by the illusion caused by his weapons, he cut in a hundred pieces the bodies of the kings (opposed to him). By means of his sharp shafts the lives of living creatures were despatched. These attained to the other world while their bodies fell down on the earth. Their bows, and steeds and charioteers, and standards, and armies decked with Angadar, and heads, the son of Phalguni cut off with his sharp shafts. Those hundred princes were slain and felled by Subhadra's son like a tope of five-year old mango-trees just on the point of bearing fruit (laid low by a tempest). Beholding those youthful princes brought up in every luxury, and resembling angry snakes of virulent poison, all slain by the single-handed Abhimanyu, Duryodhana was filled with fear. Seeing (his) car-warriors and elephants and steeds and foot-soldiers crushed, the Kuru king quickly proceeded in wrath against Abhimanyu. Continued for only a short space of time, the unfinished battle between them became exceedingly fierce. Dhritarashtra’s son then, afflicted with Abhimanyu's arrows, was obliged to turn back from the fight.

Abhimanyu kills Lakshmana

Their mouths became dry, and eyes restless. Sweat covered their bodies, and their hairs stood on their ends. Despairing of vanquishing their foe, they became ready to leave the field. Abandoning their wounded brothers and sires and sons and friends and relatives by marriage and kinsmen they fled, urging their steeds and elephants to their utmost speed. Beholding them broken and routed, Drona and Drona's son, and Brihadbala, and Kripa, and Duryodhana, and Karna, and Kritavarman, and Subala's son (Shakuni), rushed in great wrath against the unvanquished son of Subhadra. Almost all these were beaten back by Dhritarashtra’s grandson. Only one warrior then, viz., Lakshmana, brought up in luxury, accomplished in arrows, endued with great energy, and fearless in consequence of inexperience and pride, proceeded against the son of Arjuna. Anxious about his son, his father (Duryodhana) turned back for following him. Other mighty car warriors, turned back for following Duryodhana. All of them then drenched Abhimanyu with showers of arrows, like clouds pouring rain on the mountain-breast. Abhimanyu, however, single-handed, began to crush them like the dry wind that blows in every direction destroying gathering masses of clouds. Like one infuriated elephant encountering another, Arjuna's son then encountered Dhritarashtra’s invincible grandson, Lakshmana, of great personal beauty, endued with great bravery, staying near his father with outstretched bow, brought up in every luxury, and resembling a second prince of the Yakshas[74]. Encountering Lakshmana, that slayer of hostile heroes, viz., the son of Subhadra, had his two arms and chest struck with his sharp shafts.

Dhritarashtra’s grandson, the mighty-armed Abhimanyu then, filled with rage like a snake struck (with a rod), addressing Dhritarashtra’s (other) grandson, said,

“Look well on this world, for you shall (soon) have to go to the other. In the very sight of all your kinsmen, I will despatch you to Yama's abode.”

Saying thus that slayer of hostile heroes, viz., the mighty-armed son of Subhadra, took out a broad-headed arrow that resembled a snake just emerged from its slough. That shaft, sped by Abhimanyu's arms, cut off the beautiful head, decked with ear-rings, of Lakshmana, that was graced with a beautiful nose, beautiful eye-brows, and exceedingly good-looking curls. Beholding Lakshmana slain, Dhritarashtra’s troops uttered exclamations of “Oh” and “Alas”.

Abhimanyu kills Kratha’s son

Upon the slaughter of his dear son, Duryodhana became filled with rage. That bull among Kshatriyas then loudly urged the Kshatriyas under him, saying, “Slay this one!” Then Drona, and Kripa, and Karna, and Drona's son and Brihadbala, and Kritavarman, the son of Hridika, these six car-warriors, encompassed Abhimanyu. Piercing them with sharp arrows and beating them off from him, the son of Arjuna fell with great speed and fury upon the vast forces of Jayadratha. Thereupon, the Kalingas, the Nishadas, and the valiant son of Kratha, all clad in mail, cut off his path by encompassing him with their elephant-division. The battle then that took place between Phalguni's son and those warriors was obstinate and fierce. Then the son of Arjuna began to destroy that elephant-division as the wind coursing in every direction destroys vast masses of gathering clouds in the welkin. Then Kratha covered the son of Arjuna with showers of arrows, while many other car-warriors headed by Drona, having returned to the field, rushed at him, scattering sharp and mighty weapons. Checking all those weapons by means of his own arrows, the son of Arjuna began to afflict the son of Kratha with ceaseless showers of shafts, with great despatch and inspired by the desire of slaying his antagonist. The latter's bow and shafts, and bracelets, and arms, and head decked with diadem, and umbrella, and standard, and charioteer, and steeds, were all cut off and felled by Abhimanyu. When Kratha's son, possessed of nobility of lineage, good behaviour, acquaintance with the scriptures, great strength, fame, and power of arms, was slain, the other heroic combatants almost all turned away from the fight.

Abhimanyu kills Vrindaraka

Having penetrated into Dhritarashtra’s array, Abhimanyu of Pandu's race, by means of his sharp shafts, made all the kings turn away from the fight. Then Drona, and Kripa, and Karna, and Drona's son, and Brihadbala and Kritavarman, the son of Hridika, these six car-warriors, encompassed him. As regards the other combatants of Dhritarashtra’s your army, beholding that Jayadratha had taken upon himself the heavy duty (of keeping off the Pandavas), they supported him by rushing against Yudhishthira. Many amongst them, endued with great strength, drawing their bows full six cubits long, showered on the heroic son of Subhadra arrowy downpours like torrents of rain. Subhadra's son, however, that slayer of hostile heroes, paralysed by his shafts all those great bowmen, conversant with every branch of learning. He pierced Drona with fifty arrows and Brihadbala with twenty. Piercing Kritavarman with eighty shafts, he pierced Kripa with sixty. The son of Arjuna pierced Ashwatthaman with ten arrows equipped with golden wings, endued with great speed and shot from his bow drawn to its fullest stretch. The son of Phalguni pierced Karna, in the midst of his foes, in one of his cars, with a bright, well-tempered, and bearded arrow of great force. Felling the steeds yoked to Kripa's car, as also both his Parshni charioteers, Abhimanyu pierced Kripa himself in the centre of the chest with ten arrows. The mighty Abhimanyu, then, in the very sight of Dhritarashtra’s heroic sons, slew the brave Vrindaraka, that enhancer of the fame of the Kurus.

Abhimanyu kills Brihadbala

While Abhimanyu was thus engaged in fearlessly slaying one after another the foremost warriors among his enemies, Drona's son Ashwatthaman pierced him with five and twenty small arrows. The son of Arjuna, however, in the very sight of all the Dhartarashtras quickly pierced Ashwatthaman in return with many whetted shafts. Drona's son, however, in return, piercing Abhimanyu. with sixty fierce arrows of great impetuosity and keen sharpness, failed to make him tremble, for the latter, pierced by Ashwatthaman, stood immovable like the Mainaka mountain. Endued with great energy, the mighty Abhimanyu then pierced his antagonist with three and seventy straight arrows, equipped with wings of gold. Drona then, desirous of rescuing his son, pierced Abhimanyu with a hundred arrows. Ashwatthaman pierced him with sixty arrows, desirous of rescuing his father. Karna struck him with two and twenty broad-headed arrows and Kritavarman struck him with four and ten. Brihadbala pierced him with fifty such shafts, and Sharadwata's son, Kripa, with ten. Abhimanyu, however, pierced each of these in return with ten shafts.

The ruler of the Kosala struck Abhimanyu, in the chest with a barbed arrow. Abhimanyu, however, quickly felled on the earth his antagonist's steeds and standard and bow and charioteer. The ruler of the Kosalas, then, thus deprived of his car, took up a sword and wished to sever from Abhimanyu's trunk his beautiful head, decked with ear-rings. Abhimanyu then pierced king Brihadbala, the ruler of the Kosalas, in the chest, with a strong arrow. The latter then, with riven heart, fell down. Beholding this, ten thousand illustrious kings broke and fled. Those kings, armed with swords and bows, fled away, uttering words inimical (to king Duryodhana's Interest). Having slain Brihadbala thus, the son of Subhadra careered it battle, paralysing Dhritarashtra’s warriors, those great bowmen, by means of arrowy downpours, thick as rain.

Abhimanyu kills Ashwaketu, Maritkavata, Shatrunjaya, Chandraketu, Mahamegha, Suvarchas, and Suryabhasa

Phalguni's son once more pierced Karna in the car with a barbed arrow, and for angering him still further, he pierced him with fifty other shafts. The son of Radha pierced Abhimanyu in return with as many shafts. Covered all over with arrows, Abhimanyu, then looked exceedingly beautiful. Filled with rage, he caused Karna also to be bathed in blood. Mangled with arrows and covered with blood, the brave Karna also shone greatly. Both of them pierced with arrows, both bathed in blood, those illustrious warriors then resembled a couple of flowering Kinsukas. The son of Subhadra then slew six of Karna's brave counsellors, conversant with all modes of warfare, with their steeds and charioteers and cars. As regards other great bowmen Abhimanyu fearlessly pierced each of them in return, with ten arrows. That feat of his seemed highly wonderful. Slaying next the son of the ruler of the Magadhas, Abhimanyu, with six straight shafts, slew the youthful Ashwaketu with his four steeds and charioteer. Then slaying, with a sharp razor-headed arrow, the Bhoja prince of Martikavata, bearing the device of an elephant (on his banner), the son of Arjuna uttered a loud shout and began to scatter his shafts on all sides.

Then the son of Duhshasana pierced the four steeds of Abhimanyu with four shafts, his charioteer with one and Abhimanyu himself with ten. The son of Arjuna, then, piercing Duhshasana's son with ten fleet shafts, addressed him in a loud tone and with eyes red in wrath, said,

“Abandoning the battle, your sire has fled like a coward. It is well you know how to fight. You shall not, however, escape today with life.”

Saying these words unto him, Abhimanyu sped a long arrow, well polished by smith's hand, at his foe. The son of Drona cut that arrow with three shafts of his own. Leaving Ashwatthaman alone, Arjuna's son struck Shalya, in return, fearlessly pierced him in the chest with highly nine shafts, equipped with vulture's feathers. That feat seemed highly wonderful. The son of Arjuna then cut off Shalya's bow and slew both his Parshni charioteers. Abhimanyu then pierced Shalya himself with six shafts made wholly of iron. Thereupon, the latter, leaving that steedless car, mounted another. Abhimanyu then slew five warriors., named Shatrunjaya, and Chandraketu, and Mahamegha, and Suvarchas, and Suryabhasa.

Abhimanyu’s car is destroyed

He then pierced Subala's son. The latter piercing Abhimanyu with three arrows, said unto Duryodhana,

“Let us all together grind this one, else, fighting singly with us he will slay us all. O king, think of the means of slaying this one, taking counsel with Drona and Kripa and others.”

The Karna, the son of Vikartana, said unto Drona,

“Abhimanyu grinds us all. Tell us the means by which we may slay him.”

Thus addressed, the mighty bowman, Drona, addressing them all, said,

“Observing him with vigilance, have any of you been able to detect any defeat in this youth? He is careening in all directions. Yet have any of you been able to detect today the least hole in him? Behold the lightness of hand and quickness of motion of this lion among men, this son of Arjuna. In the track of his car, only his bow drawn to a circle can be seen, so quickly is he aiming his shafts and so quickly is he letting them off. Indeed, this slayer of hostile heroes, viz., the son of Subhadra, gratifies me although he afflicts my vital breath and stupefies me with shafts. Even the mightiest car-warriors, filled with wrath, are unable to detect any flaw in him. The son of Subhadra, therefore, careering on the field of battle, gratifies me greatly. I do not see that in battle there is any difference between the wielder of Gandiva himself and this one of great lightness of hand, filling all the points of the horizon with his mighty shafts.”

Hearing these words, Karna, afflicted with the shafts of Arjuna's son, once more said unto Drona,

“Exceedingly afflicted with the shafts of Abhimanyu, I am staying in battle, only because (as a warrior) I should stay here. Indeed, the arrows of this south of great energy are exceedingly fierce. Terrible as they are and possessed of the energy of fire, these arrows are weakening my heart.”

The preceptor then, slowly and with a smile, said unto Karna,

“Abhimanyu is young, his prowess is great. His coat of mail is impenetrable. This one's father had been taught by me the method of wearing defensive armour. This subjugator of hostile towns assuredly knows the entire science (of wearing armour). With shafts well shot, you can, however, cut off his bow, bow-string, the reins of his steeds, the steeds themselves, and two Parshni charioteers. O mighty bowman, O son of Radha, if competent, do this. Making him turn back from the fight (by this means), strike him then. With his bow in hand he is incapable of being vanquished by the very gods and the Asuras together. If you wish, deprive him of his car, and divest him of his bow.”

Hearing these words of the preceptor, Vikartana's son Karna quickly cut off, by means of his shafts, the bow of Abhimanyu, as the latter was shooting with great activity. He, of Bhoja's race (viz., Kritavarman) then slew his steeds, and Kripa slew his two Parshni charioteers. The others covered him with showers of arrows after he had been divested of his bow. Those six great car-warriors, with great speed, when speed was so necessary, ruthlessly covered that carless youth, fighting single-handed with them, with showers of arrows.

Bowless and carless, with an eye, however, to his duty (as a warrior), handsome Abhimanyu, taking up a sword and a shield, jumped into the sky. Displaying great strength and great activity, and describing the tracks called Kaushika and others, the son of Arjuna fiercely coursed through the sky, like the prince of winged creatures (viz., Garuda.). “He may fall upon me sword in hand,” with such thoughts, those mighty bowmen, were on the lookout for the laches of Abhimanyu, and began to pierce him in that battle, with their gaze turned upwards. Then Drona of mighty energy, that conqueror of foes with a sharp arrow quickly cut off the hilt, decked with gems, of Abhimanyu's sword. Radha's son Karna, with sharp shafts, cut off his excellent shield. Deprived of his sword and shield thus, he came down, with sound limbs, from the welkin upon the earth.

Then taking up a car-wheel, he rushed in wrath against Drona. His body bright with the dust of car-wheels, and himself holding the car-wheel in his upraised arms, Abhimanyu looked exceedingly beautiful, and imitating Vasudeva (with his discus), became awfully fierce for a while in that battle. His robes dyed with the blood flowing (from his wounds), his brow formidable with the wrinkles visible thereon, himself uttering loud leonine roars, lord Abhimanyu of immeasurable might, staying in the midst of those kings, looked exceedingly resplendent on the field of battle.

That joy of Vishnu's sister (viz., Abhimanyu), that Atiratha, decked with the weapons of Vishnu himself, looked exceedingly beautiful on the field of battle and looked like a second Janardana. With the end of his locks waving in the air, with that supreme weapon upraised in his hands, his body became incapable of being looked at by the very gods. The kings beholding it and the wheel in his hands, became filled with anxiety, and cut that off in a hundred fragments. Then that great car-warrior, the son of Arjuna, took up a mighty mace. Deprived by them of his bow and car and sword, and divested also of his wheel by his foes, the mighty-armed Abhimanyu (mace in hand) rushed against Ashwatthaman. Beholding that mace upraised, which looked like the blazing thunderbolt, Ashwatthaman, that tiger among men, rapidly alighted from his car and took three (long) leaps (for avoiding Abhimanyu). Slaying Ashwatthaman's steeds and two Parshni charioteers with that mace of his, Subhadra's son, pierced all over with arrows, looked like a porcupine. Then that hero pressed Subala's son, Kalikeya, down into the earth, and stew seven and seventy Gandhara followers of the latter. Next, he slew ten car-warriors of the Brahma-Vasatiya race, and then ten huge elephants.

Abhimanyu is killed

Proceeding next towards the car of Duhshasana's son, he crushed the latter's car and steeds, pressing them down into the earth. The invincible son of Duhshasana, then taking up his mace, rushed at Abhimanyu. saying, “Wait, Wait!” Then those cousins, those two heroes, with upraised maces, began to strike each other, desirous of achieving each other's death, like three-eyed (Mahadeva) and (the Asura) Andhaka in the days of old. Those chastisers of foes, struck with the other's mace-ends fell down on the earth, like two uprooted standards erected to the honour of Indra. Then Duhshasana's son, that enhancer of the fame of the Kurus, rising up first, struck Abhimanyu with the mace on the crown of his head, as the latter, was on the point of rising. Stupefied with the violence of that stroke as also with the fatigue he had undergone, that slayer of hostile hosts, viz., the son of Subhadra, fell on the earth, deprived of his senses. Thus was one slain by many in battle, one who had ground the whole army, like an elephant grinding lotus-stalks in a lake.

As he lay dead on the field, the heroic Abhimanyu looked like a wild elephant slain by the hunters, The fallen hero was then surrounded by Shatrunjaya, and Chandraketu, and Mahamegha, and Suvarchas, and Suryabhasa Dhritarashtra’s troops. He looked like an extinguished fire in the summer season after (as it lies) having consumed a whole forest, or like a tempest divested of its fury after having crushed mountain crests; or like the sun arrived at the western hills after having blasted with his heat the Bharata host; or like Soma swallowed up by Rahu; or like the ocean reft of water. The mighty car-warriors of Dhritarashtra’s army beholding Abhimanyu whose face had the splendour of the full moon, and whose eyes were rendered beautiful in consequence of lashes black as the feathers of the raven, lying prostrate on the bare earth, were filled with great joy. They repeatedly uttered leonine shouts. Indeed, Dhritarashtra’s troops were in transports of joy, while tears fell fast from the eyes of the Pandava heroes. Beholding the heroic Abhimanyu lying on the field of battle, like the moon dropped from the firmament, diverse creatures in the welkin, said aloud,

“Alas, this one lies on the field, slain, while fighting singly, by six mighty car-warriors of the Dhartarashtra army, headed by Drona and Karna. This act has been, we hold, an unrighteous one.”

Upon the slaughter of that hero, the earth looked exceedingly resplendent like the star-bespangled firmament with the moon. Indeed, the earth was strewn with shafts equipped with wings of gold, and covered with waves of blood. Strewn with the beautiful heads of heroes, decked with ear-rings and variegated turbans of great value, and banner and yak-tails and beautiful blankets, and begemmed weapons of great efficacy, and the bright ornaments of cars and steeds, and men and elephants, and sharp and well-tempered swords, looking like snakes freed from their sloughs, and bows, and broken shafts, and darts, and swords, and lances, and Kampanas, and diverse other kinds of weapons, she assumed a beautiful aspect. In consequence of the steeds dead or dying, but all weltering in blood, with their riders (lying about them), felled by Subhadra's son, the earth in many places became impassable. With iron hooks, and elephants, huge as hills, equipped with shields and weapons and standards, lying about, crushed with shafts, with excellent cars deprived of steeds and charioteers and car-warriors, lying scattered on the earth, crushed by elephants and looking like agitated lakes, with large bodies of foot-soldiers decked with diverse weapons and lying dead on the ground, the field of battle, wearing a terrible aspect, inspired all timid hearts with terror.

The armies retreat

Beholding Abhimanyu, resplendent as the sun or the moon, lying on the ground, Dhritarashtra’s troops were in transport of joy, while Pandavas were filled with grief. When youthful Abhimanyu, yet in his minority, fell, the Pandava divisions fled away in the very sight of king Yudhishthira. Beholding his army breaking upon the fall of Subhadra's son, Yudhishthira addressed his brave warriors, slaying,

“The heroic Abhimanyu, who without retreating from battle has been slain, has certainly ascended to heaven. Stay then, and fear not, for we shall yet vanquish our foes.”

Endued with great energy and great splendour, king Yudhishthira the just, that foremost of warriors, saying such words unto his soldiers inspired with grief, endeavoured to dispel their stupor. The king continued,

“Having in the first instance, slain in battle hostile princes, resembling snakes of virulent poison, the son of Arjuna has then given up his life. Having slain ten thousand warriors, viz., the king of the Kosalas, Abhimanyu, who was even like Krishna or Arjuna himself, has assuredly gone to the abode of Indra. Having destroyed cars and steeds and men and elephants by thousands, he was still not content with what he did. Performing as he did such meritorious feats, we should not certainly grieve for him, he has gone to the bright regions of the righteous, regions that men acquire by meritorious deeds.”

Having thus slain one of their foremost warriors, and having been afflicted with their arrows, the Kaurava army came back to its encampment in the evening, covered with blood. Steadfastly gazed at by the enemy, they slowly left the field of battle, having sustained a severe loss and nearly deprived of our senses. Then came that wonderful hour intervening between day and night. Inauspicious howls of jackals were heard. The sun, with the pale-red hue of the filaments of the lotus, sank low in the horizon, having approached the western hills. He took away with him the splendour of their swords and darts, rapiers and car-fences, and shields and ornaments. Causing the firmament and the earth to assume the same hue, the sun assumed his favourite form of fire. The field of battle was strewn with the motionless bodies of innumerable elephants deprived of life, Looking like crests of cloud-capped hills riven by the thunder, and lying about with their standards and hooks and riders fallen from their backs. The earth looked beautiful with large cars crushed to pieces, and with their warriors and charioteers and ornaments and steeds and standards and banners crushed, broken and torn. Those huge cars looked like living creatures deprived of their lives by the foe with his shafts. The field of battle assumed a fierce and awful aspect in consequence of large number of steeds and riders all lying dead, with costly trappings and blankets of diverse kinds scattered about, and tongues and teeth and entrails and eyes of those creatures bulging out of their places. Men decked with costly coats of mail and ornaments and robes and weapons, deprived of life, lay with slain steeds and elephants and broken cars, on the bare ground, perfectly helpless, although deserving of costly beds and blankets. Dogs and jackals, and crown and cranes and other carnivorous birds, and wolves and hyenas, and ravens and other food-drinking creatures, all diverse tribes of Rakshasas, and large number of Pishachas, on the field of battle, tearing the skins of the corpse and drinking their fat, blood and marrow, began to eat their flesh. They began to suck also the secretions of rotten corpses, while the Rakshasas laughed horribly and sang aloud, dragging dead bodies numbering thousands. An awful river, difficult to cross, like the Vaitarani itself, was caused there by foremost of warriors. Its waters were constituted by the blood (of fallen creatures). Cars constituted the rafts (or, which to cross it), elephants formed its rocks, and the heads of human beings, its smaller stones. And it was miry with the flesh (of slain steeds and elephants and men). Diverse kinds of costly weapons constituted the garlands (floating on it or lying on its banks). That terrible river flowed fiercely through the middle of the field of battle, wafting living creatures to the regions of the dead. Large numbers of Pishachas, of horrible and repulsive forms, rejoiced, drinking and eating in that stream. Dogs and jackals and carnivorous birds, all eating of the same food, and inspiring living creatures with terror, held their high carnival there. The warriors, gazing on that field of battle which, enhancing the population of Yama's domain, presented such an awful sight, and where human corpses rising up, began to dance, slowly left it as they beheld the mighty car-warrior Abhimanyu who resembled Shakra himself, lying on the field, his costly ornaments displaced and fallen off, and looking like a sacrificial fire on the altar no longer drenched with clarified butter.