Mahabharata · The Slaying of Jayadratha

About 145 min read · 24,602 words

On the day the sun began to slide down from the middle of the sky, one vow was ringing through the dust of Kurukshetra, and it was Arjuna’s. The story ahead comes to us from the mouth of Sanjaya, who sat beside Dhritarashtra telling him the whole of a battle he could not see with his eyes, only with the sight the gods had given him. Duryodhana had churned the Pandava army the way an elephant tramples a thicket of lotus stalks in a lake. Watching his son ravage the host like that, the Panchalas came at him behind Bhima, and Duryodhana answered by piercing Bhima with ten arrows, each of the twins Nakula and Sahadeva with three, and Yudhishthira with seven. Then Yudhishthira cut Duryodhana’s bow apart with two broad-headed shafts, but the ten arrows he drove at the king’s vital parts shattered to splinters against his armor. Drona, eighty-five years old, dark of skin, his white locks hanging to his ears, moved through the fighting like a youth of sixteen, and to his enemies he looked like Indra with the thunderbolt in his fist.

Drona’s fierce slaughter and Drupada’s cry

In the later part of the day a terrible battle flared up again between Drona and the Somakas, its roar as deep as the sound of thunderheads. The teacher born in a jar rode his car of red horses, felling one great warrior after another with his keen arrows, playing at the work of war as though it were sport. Then Vrihatkshatra, the great car-warrior of the Kaikeyas, the eldest of the five brothers of that line, who never once had turned from a fight, fell upon Drona. Both invoked the Brahma weapon, that celestial arm charged by the power of mantras, and Vrihatkshatra spent Drona’s Brahma weapon with a Brahma weapon of his own. In the end, though, one strong shaft of Drona’s pierced the prince’s armor and his body and passed on into the earth, and Vrihatkshatra fell from his car.

The instant the Kaikeya hero went down, Dhrishtaketu, the son of Shishupala, that bull among the Chedis, rushed at Drona the way a moth rushes at a burning flame. He pierced Drona, his horses, his car, and his standard with sixty arrows. But Drona killed his four horses, sheared off his charioteer’s head, and with one keen shaft pierced his armor and his chest and took his life, the way a hungry fire swallows a small insect. His son tried to take up the father’s burden, and Drona, smiling, sent that boy too to the house of Yama, as a mighty tiger in deep forest kills a fawn.

Meanwhile the brave son of Jarasandha, Jalasandha, came running at Drona and buried him under a rain of arrows until he could not be seen. But Drona, who was to the Kshatriyas a grinding mill, loosed arrows by the hundred and the thousand and killed him too, in full view of all those masters of the bow. Then Drona, announcing his own name, made the Panchalas shudder with arrows marked with that name. The warriors of the Panchalas, the Srinjayas, the Kashis, and the Kosalas came at him crying, “Drona is slain! Drona is slain!” and Drona sent those forest-dwelling Chedis near to Yama. Then Kshatradharma, the son of Dhrishtadyumna, cut Drona’s bow in anger, and Drona took up a still harder bow, drew the string to his ear, and let fly one sharp shaft that split Kshatradharma’s chest and sank into the ground, and the prince dropped from his car. Chekitana closed with Drona next, and was worn down to nothing.

Watching all of this, the wise Drupada said, “This Drona is killing the Kshatriyas the way a hungry tiger kills small beasts. The wicked-souled Duryodhana will surely come to a most wretched state in the world to come, for it is out of his greed that so many of the finest Kshatriyas lie fallen on the field, food for dogs and jackals.” Having said that, Drupada, lord of a whole akshauhini, put the Parthas at his head and rushed at speed toward Drona.

The gist: before the day was out Drona brought down great car-warriors one after another, Vrihatkshatra, Dhrishtaketu, Jalasandha, Kshatradharma, and set the Pandava host trembling. Drupada, crying out, named even the teacher Drona a mere instrument of the Kauravas’ greed.

Yudhishthira’s dilemma and the sending of Bhima

While the Pandava army was being churned from every side and Drona kept sounding his lion-roar, Yudhishthira the son of Dharma, finding no refuge in that danger, began to wonder how it would all end. He turned his eyes in every direction and saw no sign of Arjuna the left-handed archer, heard no twang of Gandiva, could not find Satyaki the Vrishni hero anywhere in view. The king’s mind grew sick with worry. He said to himself, “First I had one anxiety, now I have two. I sent Satyaki after Arjuna. Now whom do I send after Satyaki? If I go looking only for my brother and forget Yuyudhana, the world will blame me. My love for the Vrishni hero Satyaki is no less than my love for Arjuna. I have laid a very heavy load upon him. The time has come for me to think of his rescue. It seems to me I must send the bowman Bhima there, to where those two great warriors are. There is nothing on this earth that Bhima cannot bear.”

Having settled it, Yudhishthira told his charioteer, “Take me to Bhima.” Reaching Bhima, the king, overcome with grief, said, “Bhima, I cannot see the banner of that Arjuna who on a single car once conquered all the gods, the gandharvas, and the asuras!” Bhimasena steadied him and said, “Rise, O king of kings, and give me your command, tell me what I am to do for you. Do not set your heart on grieving.” Then Yudhishthira, his eyes wet with tears, breathing deep like a black snake, said, “Vasudeva is blowing Panchajanya in a great rage. From that I fear your brother Dhananjaya lies lifeless on the field this hour, and that with Arjuna dead, Janardana himself is now fighting. I cannot see his banner, and grief has left me numb. Satyaki too is nowhere to be seen. Son of Kunti, if you count my word as your duty, go there, to where Dhananjaya is and the mighty Satyaki. Remember that I am your elder brother. When you have found both Krishnas and Satyaki safe, send me the word with a lion-roar.”

Bhima answered, “The car that once carried Brahma, Ishana, Indra, and Varuna into battle is the car the two Krishnas ride. No fear can touch them. Still, I take your command on my head, and see, I am going. Do not grieve. When I have found those best of men, I will send you word.” Then Bhimasena, handing Yudhishthira into the keeping of Dhrishtadyumna, said to him, “Son of Prishata, you know that the great car-warrior Drona lies always in wait to seize Yudhishthira the son of Dharma by any means. Today guard the king in this battle with a firm resolve. That is your highest duty.” Dhrishtadyumna gave his word: “Not until Drona kills Dhrishtadyumna on the field will he ever put a hand to Yudhishthira. Go without a care.”

A sub-tale: before Bhima set out, the brahmanas performed the rites of good omen for him. He touched the eight auspicious things and drank of the Kirata wine, the liquor brewed by the Kirata hill peoples, until the corners of his eyes turned red and he felt his strength doubled. A favorable wind began to blow, and the signs of victory showed themselves.

The gist: sunk in worry for Arjuna and Satyaki, and moved both by the fear of the world’s blame and by his love for Satyaki, Yudhishthira sent Bhima after them. Bhima set out only after handing the king’s protection to Dhrishtadyumna.

Bhima breaks through the host and meets Drona

Bhimasena, in his armor, wearing his earrings and armlets, leather guards bound to his hands, mounted his splendid car. His mail of black steel and gold shone like a lightning-charged cloud. He blew his conch, gave his lion-roar, shook the hearts of his enemies with the twang of his bow, and fell upon them. His charioteer Vishoka held the wind-swift horses steady. Then many of Dhritarashtra’s sons, Duhshasana, Chitrasena, Kundabhedi, Vivimshati, Durmukha, Duhsaha, Sala, Vinda, and Anuvinda among them, ringed Bhima together. Bhima came at them the way a lion comes at small beasts. First he scattered the elephant force with his arrows, then pressed on toward Drona.

Drona blocked his path and, smiling, struck Bhima on the head with an arrow. The teacher supposed that Bhima, like Arjuna, would greet him with a show of respect. He said, “Bhimasena, you cannot enter the enemy host without first defeating me, your foe. Krishna and your younger brother went into this army by my leave, but you will never be able to do so.” Bhima, his eyes red with anger, answered, “It cannot be that Arjuna entered this host by your leave. He can pass unseen even through a host that Indra himself had drawn up. If he gave you honor, it was only to honor you. But know this, Drona: I am not tender-hearted the way Arjuna is. We have held you as father, teacher, and friend, and thought of ourselves as your sons. Yet when you speak to us today the way you do, it seems all of that has changed. If you count yourself our enemy, then let it be as you suppose.”

Having said it, Bhima swung a mace like the rod of Yama and hurled it at Drona. Drona sprang from his car at once, and that was what saved him, for the mace drove his horses, his charioteer, his standard, and his car into the earth. Bhima felled warriors by the score, like trees torn up by a storm. Drona climbed another car and made for the mouth of his battle array. Then Duhshasana flung an iron lance at Bhima, and Bhima cut it in two in the air. With three arrows Bhima sent Kundabhedi, Sushena, and Dirghanetra, and with others the sons of Dhritarashtra named Vrindaraka, Abhaya, Raudrakarma, Durvimochana, Vinda, Anuvinda, Suvarma, and Sudarshana, all to the house of Yama. The rest of the sons fled in fear, and Bhima pressed on toward Drona, roaring and slapping his arms.

Drona tried again to hold Bhima off with arrows, but Bhima leaped from his car, shut his eyes, ran on foot at Drona’s car, seized it, and hurled it down. Drona went off once more on another car to the mouth of the array. Bhima climbed back onto his own car and drove on, trampling the Bhoja force that Kritavarma the son of Hridika guarded, cutting through the Kamboja and Mlechchha companies. He saw Satyaki locked in battle, then saw Arjuna showing his prowess as he strove to kill the Sindhu king, and Bhima gave a lion-roar that broke like thunder. Arjuna and Vasudeva heard that roar and roared back in joy. Yudhishthira, hearing the sound, knew that both Bhima and Arjuna were safe, and his grief lifted. He thought to himself, “Dhananjaya, burning with grief for his son, has sworn to kill Jayadratha. Guarded by Vasudeva, will he be able to kill the Sindhu king before the sun sets? Shall I see that Arjuna again?”

The gist: Bhima overturned Drona’s car twice, killed many of Dhritarashtra’s sons, and cut a road through the enemy host all the way to Arjuna. His roar lifted Yudhishthira’s grief, though the king’s mind stayed fixed on the anxiety of Arjuna’s vow against Jayadratha.

The long duel of Bhima and Karna

Unable to bear Bhima’s roar, Karna fell upon him. The sound of the two men’s palms set the limbs of the warriors trembling; horses and elephants voided themselves in terror, and flocks of vultures wheeled overhead. This was that duel of Bhima and Karna about which Dhritarashtra kept questioning Sanjaya again and again, for he feared Bhima more than he feared Arjuna or Krishna. Sanjaya said the fight was like the collision of two rutting elephants.

Karna pierced Bhima with twenty arrows and his charioteer with five. Bhima, smiling, loosed sixty-four arrows at Karna, cut his bow, and pierced him with ten straight shafts. Karna took up a second bow and rained arrows again, but Bhima cut its string, sent his charioteer to Yama’s house with a broad-headed shaft, and killed all four of his horses. Karna leaped down from his horseless car and climbed onto the car of Vrishasena. Hearing of it, Yudhishthira was overjoyed, for he knew Karna had been beaten by Bhima. The Pandava army sounded its conches, Arjuna drew Gandiva and Krishna blew Panchajanya, but Bhima’s roar drowned all those sounds.

The battle broke out again and again. Bhima struck Karna in the chest with three keen arrows, and Karna, streaming blood, looked like a mountain with three peaks. Karna too pierced Bhima with many arrows, but Bhima felt no pain. Between rounds Duryodhana kept sending his brothers to guard Karna. Each time one of Dhritarashtra’s sons came between, Bhima sent him to Yama’s house. To Dhritarashtra’s words Sanjaya said plainly, “O Kaurava, you yourself are the root of this ruin of the world. Heeding the wicked counsel of your sons, you were the one who kindled this dreadful enmity. Now taste its fruit.”

Bhima called to mind every insult that lived in Karna’s heart, everything he and the Kauravas had heaped on the Pandavas in the dicing hall, in the years of exile, in the city of Virata. He remembered the hard words Karna had said to Draupadi, that she should now choose another husband, that all her husbands were dead, that the sons of Pritha had dropped like hollow sesame seeds into hell. Remembering all of it, Bhima threw away all care for his own life and came at Karna. He knocked the great earring from Karna’s ear with an arrow, drove ten arrows into his head so that they looked like a garland of blue lotuses. Karna slumped fainting against the pole of his car, then came to and grew mad with rage. Karna made many attempts even to disarm Bhima, and when Bhima’s weapons ran out, Bhima went and hid himself among the elephants Arjuna had killed and began lifting up their carcasses, chariot-wheels, and dead horses and hurling them at Karna.

A sub-tale: the heart of this duel lies hidden in two vows. Bhima wanted to kill Karna with his fists, but he remembered Arjuna’s vow that Arjuna himself would kill Karna, and so, though he was able, Bhima spared Karna’s life. Karna, for his part, remembered the word he had given to his mother Kunti, that he would kill no Pandava but Arjuna, and so he did not kill the disarmed Bhima, but only touched him with the tip of his bow and flung hard words at him, “eunuch, fool, glutton.” Each warrior, enemy of the other, was bound in the cords of his own vow.

At Karna’s hard words Bhima laughed aloud so all could hear and said, “Base man, you have been beaten by me again and again, so how do you brag so uselessly now? Man of low birth, meet me in a fight of arms, and I will kill you the way I killed the huge Kichaka.” Understanding what Bhima meant, Karna backed away from that fight of arms. Then, urged by Keshava, the ape-bannered Arjuna sent many arrows from Gandiva down into Karna’s body like herons settling, and drove him away from Bhima. Bhima climbed onto Satyaki’s car and followed his brother the left-handed archer, and Arjuna drove Ashvatthama too back into the Kaurava host with his arrows.

The gist: this long duel of Bhima and Karna flared up again and again, and in it Bhima made Karna carless several times and killed many of Dhritarashtra’s sons. The turning point was the vows of both men, on account of which each let the other go though each could have killed the other.

Satyaki breaks through, and closes with Bhurishrava

Elsewhere Satyaki, the grandson of Sini, on his car of silver-white horses, roaring like a thundercloud and shaking the Kaurava host, was pressing on behind Arjuna. King Alambusha blocked his way, but Satyaki killed his four horses and with one broad arrow sheared off his earring-crowned head. Then fifty princes of the Trigarta country ringed him, but Satyaki’s motion was so uncanny that one instant he was seen in the west and the next in the east, as though a hundred warriors lived in a single body. He passed the Surasenas and the Kalingas too and reached Arjuna at last, the way a tired swimmer reaches the bank and knows relief.

Keshava said to Arjuna, “Partha, your pupil and friend Satyaki is coming up behind you. He has trampled Drona and Kritavarma of the Bhoja line, killed many great warriors, counted the Kaurava host as grass, and is coming toward you.” But Arjuna was not glad. He said, “Keshava, Satyaki’s coming does not please me. I do not know in what state Yudhishthira the son of Dharma is now. Parted from the Satvata hero, will he still be alive? The sun is sinking low. Satyaki is tired, his weapons are spent, his horses and his charioteer are worn out. Bhurishrava, on the other hand, is fresh, and has helpers behind him. Will the victory in this meeting be Satyaki’s?” The fear came true, for Bhurishrava the son of Somadatta had already advanced in fury toward Satyaki.

Bhurishrava called out as he came, “Satvata, today you have come within my sight. Today I will kill you and gladden Suyodhana the Kuru king. As Ravana’s son Indrajit was killed by Lakshmana the younger brother of Rama, so today you go to Yama’s house.” Satyaki laughed and answered, “Kuru, I am never afraid in battle. You cannot frighten me with words alone. Whoever disarms me, he alone will kill me. What use is this long brag of words? Do in deed what you say.” Then the two closed, raining arrows. Killing each other’s horses, cutting each other’s bows, they lost their cars and came at each other with swords, then locked in a wrestling match, showing the thirty-two holds and turns of the art. Both were broad of chest and long of arm, both masters of wrestling.

When Satyaki’s weapons were spent, Vasudeva said to Arjuna, “Look, Satyaki has lost his car and is wrestling with Bhurishrava. He has fought all the warriors of Bharata’s line coming up behind you, and he is exhausted. Protect your pupil.” Just then a cry of horror rose from the army, for Bhurishrava had thrown Satyaki to the ground. He drew his sword, seized Satyaki by the hair, set his foot on his chest, and made ready to cut off his head. Vasudeva spoke again, “Partha, your pupil has fallen into the power of Somadatta’s son. Do quickly whatever must be done.” Arjuna, admiring Bhurishrava’s valor even in his own heart, still, to save Satyaki, set a keen razor-headed arrow to Gandiva and cut off the very arm of Bhurishrava that held the sword raised to take Satyaki’s head.

The gist: Satyaki alone broke through the vast Kaurava host and made a road to Arjuna, but worn out as he was, he fell into the power of the fresh Bhurishrava. To save Satyaki, Arjuna broke the rule of the fight and cut off, from a distance, the arm of a Bhurishrava who was busy with another man.

Bhurishrava’s fast unto death, and his slaying

That armlet-decked arm, the sword still in its grip, fell to the earth like a serpent with five hoods, and all creatures grieved to see it. Bhurishrava let Satyaki go and reproached Arjuna bitterly, “Son of Kunti, you have done a most cruel and heartless thing, for without meeting me, out of my sight, you cut off my arm. The righteous never strike the unwary, the frightened, the carless, or the one who has asked for shelter. Partha, born in the line of Kuru, how have you fallen so far from the Kshatriya’s dharma? This base deed was surely done at the counsel of Vasudeva.” Arjuna answered, “It seems that with the body the mind has aged too, or you would not speak such empty words. Knowing the rules of war, I would never do a sinful deed. A Kshatriya fights ringed by his kin and friends, and the man who is busy in another’s work must be protected by that other. Satyaki is my pupil and my dear kinsman; he came into danger of his life for my sake. Why should I not protect him? When you were raising the sword to take his head, I could not stand by and look on. And Abhimanyu, that disarmed, carless, armor-stripped boy whom all of you killed together, who among the righteous will call that just?”

Hearing this, Bhurishrava laid his severed right arm on the ground with his left, bowed his head, and fell silent. Arjuna, softening, said, “Elder brother of Sala, the love I bear Yudhishthira, Bhima, Nakula, and Sahadeva, that same love I bear you. By my word and Krishna’s, go to the world of Shibi the son of Ushinara, the world of the good.” Vasudeva too said, “You have always performed sacrifices and the fire-rite. Go now, without delay, to those pure, ever-shining worlds of mine.” Then Bhurishrava, whose banner bore the mark of the sacrificial post, gave up Yuyudhana and took the vow of fasting unto death. With his left hand he spread a bed of arrows, fixed his eyes on the sun, set his clear mind on the moon, and calling to mind the mantras of the great Upanishad, held himself in yoga and stilled his voice. Then the whole army began to blame Krishna and Arjuna and to praise Bhurishrava.

Just then Satyaki, freed from Somadatta’s son, rose to his feet, drew his sword, and moved to cut off Bhurishrava’s head. All the warriors cried out against it. Krishna, Partha, Bhima, Ashvatthama, Kripa, Karna, Vrishasena, and even the Sindhu king tried to stop him. But Satyaki, against the refusal of them all, cut off the head of Bhurishrava, who sat in his death-fast and was as good as dead already. No one praised the act. The Siddhas, the Charanas, and the gods began to praise the Indra-like Bhurishrava, who had been killed while holding to his vow of fasting.

Satyaki defended what he had done, saying, “You wicked Kauravas wearing the outer cloth of dharma, you tell me in the words of dharma that Bhurishrava should not have been killed. But where was this dharma of yours when you killed the disarmed boy son of Subhadra? I once took a vow in my pride that whoever threw me living to the earth and kicked me in anger with his foot, him I would surely kill, even if he took a vow of penance. My arms and my eyes were whole, and yet you counted me dead; that was your error. What the maker ordained has come to pass; where is my sin in it? In ancient days Valmiki sang this verse, ‘Vanara, you say that women should not be killed; but in every age a man should firmly do that which gives pain to the enemy.’” After this no one spoke, yet all of them praised Bhurishrava in their hearts. His severed head, with its dove-red eyes and dark-blue locks, was as beautiful as a horse’s head set on the altar of a horse-sacrifice, and that boon-giving hero, filling the sky with his high virtues, went to the worlds above.

A sub-tale: Dhritarashtra asked how the unconquerable Satyaki had been thrown down by Bhurishrava. Sanjaya answered with an old story. From Atri came Soma, from Soma Budha, from Budha Pururavas, then Ayu, Nahusha, Yayati, and the line of Yadu, in which came Shura and then Vasudeva and Sini. At a bride-choosing, Sini carried off Devaki for Vasudeva, and though he threw Somadatta in wrestling, seized him by the hair, and kicked him with his foot, he spared his life. The humiliated Somadatta, by worship of Mahadeva, won a boon that his son would throw a descendant of Sini to the earth among thousands of kings and kick him with his foot. As the fruit of that boon he got the son Bhurishrava, and so it was that Bhurishrava threw Satyaki down in just that way.

The gist: with his arm cut off by Arjuna, Bhurishrava took the vow of fasting unto death, and in that very state Satyaki, against the refusal of all, cut off his head. Two disputed deeds run through this passage, Arjuna’s hidden stroke and Satyaki’s killing of a man seated in his death-fast.

Arjuna races at Jayadratha, and six great warriors ring the Sindhu king

The moment Bhurishrava went to the world beyond, Arjuna said to Vasudeva, “Krishna, drive the horses faster and take me to where King Jayadratha is. The sun is racing toward the western mountain. This great task I must finish before sunset, so that my vow comes true.” Then Krishna, a master of the science of horses, drove those silver-white steeds toward Jayadratha’s car. Duryodhana, Karna, Vrishasena, and the Sindhu king himself came at speed to stand before Arjuna.

Duryodhana said to Karna, “Son of Vikartana, the hour of the battle has come. See to it that Jayadratha is not killed by Arjuna. The day is almost done. If the day passes, the victory is ours, for if the Sindhu king is kept safe until sunset, then Partha, his vow broken, will walk into a blazing fire.” Karna answered, “Man of honor, Bhimasena has pierced my body cruelly with arrows, and every limb of mine burns with pain. Still I will fight with all my strength. My life is yours. I will try to see that the best of the Pandavas cannot kill the Sindhu king. As for victory, that rests with fate.”

Meanwhile Arjuna, slaughtering the Kaurava host with his keen arrows, cutting the trunks of elephants, the necks of horses, and the axles of cars, came near to the Sindhu king. Then Duryodhana, Karna, Vrishasena, Shalya the king of the Madras, Ashvatthama, Kripa, and Jayadratha himself set the Sindhu king behind them and ringed Arjuna on every side. The sun had turned red in the sky. Longing for its quick setting, the Kaurava warriors poured hundreds of arrows at Arjuna. Ashvatthama, whose banner bore the mark of the lion’s tail, planted himself in Arjuna’s path and pierced him with ten arrows and Vasudeva with seven. Arjuna, baffling all their weapons with his own, pierced each of them with nine arrows, and by calling up the Varuna weapon he filled the Kauravas with fear.

The gist: Arjuna reached Jayadratha through the slaughter, but Duryodhana, Karna, Ashvatthama, Kripa, Shalya, Vrishasena, and Jayadratha himself together kept the Sindhu king safe within their ring. Both sides knew that the battle was now against the sun and against time.

The cataclysm of Gandiva, and the false dusk raised by Krishna’s power

The twang of Gandiva, which was the very call of death or the roar of Indra’s thunderbolt, made the Kaurava host shudder like an ocean churned by the storm at the end of an age. Arjuna seemed to be present in every direction at once. When he drew an arrow, when he set it to the string, when he pulled, and when he loosed, no one could tell. He called up the Aindra weapon, from which came thousands of fire-mouthed arrows, and the darkness of arrows the Kauravas had raised scattered the way the morning sun scatters the dark of night. The field where Arjuna fought became the sporting ground of Yama, littered with cut elephants, headless horses, ground-up cars, and warriors with their entrails torn out. Arjuna sent flowing a dreadful river like the Vaitarani, of blood, marrow, and fat, in which crows and vultures swam like crocodiles and jackals like alligators.

Arjuna pierced Ashvatthama with fifty arrows, Vrishasena with three, Kripa with nine, Shalya with sixteen, Karna with thirty-two, and the Sindhu king with sixty-four, and gave a lion-roar. Jayadratha, from his boar-marked banner, loosed many arrows at Arjuna, piercing Govinda with three, Arjuna with six, and the horses with eight. Arjuna, with a pair of arrows at the same instant, struck off the head of Jayadratha’s charioteer and cut down his well-decked banner.

All this while the sun was sinking fast. Janardana said to Arjuna, “Partha, look, six great car-warriors have set the Sindhu king in their midst, and Jayadratha stands there in fear. Without defeating these six you will not be able to kill Jayadratha, even if you strive without pause. So I will take recourse to yoga and cover the sun. Then the Sindhu king will think the sun has set. In his hope of life the wretch will drop his guard and stop hiding himself. Seize that moment and strike him. Do not give up the work, thinking the sun has truly set.” Arjuna said, “Let it be so.” Then Hari, endowed with the power of yoga, made that darkness. The Kaurava warriors, not seeing the sun, were filled with joy that Partha would now give up his life. All of them tilted their heads back and gazed at the sky; Jayadratha too gazed at the sun in that same posture.

While Jayadratha, his fear of Arjuna cast off, was looking at the sun, Krishna spoke again, “Best of the Bharatas, look, the Sindhu king has dropped his fear of you and is staring at the sun. This is the moment to kill that wicked soul. Quickly cut off his head and make your vow true.” Hearing it, Arjuna began the slaughter of the Kaurava host with his arrows. When the army abandoned the Sindhu king and fled, so that two men could not be seen together, Arjuna, slaughtering creatures like Rudra, drove his car toward Jayadratha.

A sub-tale: in this false dusk Krishna stands at the very edge of the law of war. He did not truly set the sun; he wove by yoga a darkness that gave the enemy the illusion of sunset. And at the same time he warned Arjuna not to take the illusion for the truth himself.

The gist: Arjuna’s Aindra-weapon storm dealt the Kaurava host a slaughter like the end of an age. While six great warriors ringed Jayadratha, Krishna by the power of yoga wove a false darkness and raised the illusion of sunset, and Jayadratha, dropping his fear, tilted his head back to look at the sky.

The slaying of Jayadratha, and the bursting of Vriddhakshatra’s head

Arjuna took up a terrible arrow, one like the thunderbolt of Indra, charged with celestial mantras, able to bear any strain, always worshipped with incense and garlands. When that blazing shaft was set to the string, high voices rang out in the sky. Janardana said to Arjuna again, “Dhananjaya, quickly cut off the head of this wicked-souled Sindhu king. The sun is about to touch the western mountain. But first hear my word about the slaying of Jayadratha.

“Jayadratha’s father is Vriddhakshatra, known through all the world, who got this son only after a long time. At the son’s birth an unseen, bodiless voice, deep as the clouds or the drum, said to King Vriddhakshatra that this son would be a Kshatriya foremost in blood, in conduct, and in self-restraint, worshipped by heroes, but that while he struggled in battle some fine Kshatriya, some man famous in the world, would in anger cut off his head. Hearing this, Vriddhakshatra, overcome with love for his son, called all his kinsmen together and said, ‘The man who makes my son’s head fall to the earth while he struggles in battle, that man’s own head will surely crack into a hundred pieces.’ Having said it and given Jayadratha the kingdom, Vriddhakshatra went to the forest for penance. He is still there now, doing the hardest of austerities just outside this Samantapanchaka. So, slayer of foes, cut off Jayadratha’s head, and with your celestial weapon throw it into the very lap of Vriddhakshatra. If you drop Jayadratha’s head on the earth, your own head will beyond doubt crack into a hundred pieces. And do it in such a way that the old Sindhu king does not know.”

Hearing this, Arjuna, licking the corners of his mouth, loosed that mantra-charged arrow. Sped from Gandiva, it flew fast and snatched up Jayadratha’s head the way a hawk snatches a small bird from a treetop. Then Arjuna, with more arrows, kept the head aloft in the sky, not letting it fall to the earth, and drove it on beyond the border of Samantapanchaka. At that hour Jayadratha’s father Vriddhakshatra was seated at his evening prayers. The head, decked with black locks and earrings, dropped into his lap, but seated as he was, Vriddhakshatra did not see it. The moment he finished his prayer and stood up, the head suddenly fell to the earth, and as Jayadratha’s head touched the ground, Vriddhakshatra’s own head cracked into a hundred pieces. Seeing this, all creatures were filled with wonder and began to praise Vasudeva and the mighty Vibhatsu.

When the Sindhu king had been killed, Vasudeva drew back that darkness. Then Dhritarashtra’s sons and their followers understood that the darkness they had seen was nothing but the illusion woven by Vasudeva. So it was that the Sindhu king, who had caused the slaughter of eight akshauhinis of troops, was himself killed by Partha of unimaginable energy. Seeing Jayadratha dead, tears of grief fell from the eyes of Dhritarashtra’s sons. Keshava blew his conch, and Arjuna his, and Bhimasena filled the sky with a mighty lion-roar, a message to Yudhishthira. Yudhishthira the son of Dharma, hearing that sound, knew that the Sindhu king was dead, and with the blare of instruments he advanced toward Drona for battle.

The gist: between Krishna’s signal and the false darkness, Arjuna cut off Jayadratha’s head with the mantra-charged arrow and, by the sky-road, without letting it fall to the earth, dropped it into the lap of the penance-bound Vriddhakshatra. The moment the head fell to the ground as Vriddhakshatra rose, the father’s own head cracked into a hundred pieces, by his own boon, and Arjuna’s vow came true.

The fighting after Jayadratha’s death, and the sunset

Seeing the Sindhu king dead, Kripa the son of Sharadwat rained arrows on Arjuna in anger, and Ashvatthama the son of Drona fell upon him too. It pained Arjuna to fight these two elders. Wishing to kill neither his teacher Kripa nor his teacher’s son Ashvatthama, Arjuna loosed only gentle arrows, yet even so their number left Kripa distressed, and he fainted on his car. His charioteer carried him away from the fighting, and Ashvatthama too fled in fear. Then Arjuna made a piteous lament, “A curse on the Kshatriya’s dharma! A curse on my strength and my valor! Who but a man like me would fight his own teacher, a brahmana? Kripa is the son of a rishi, my teacher, and Drona’s dear friend. Him I have pierced with arrows. When I studied, Kripa told me never to strike a teacher, and I have not obeyed that command.”

Just then Karna rushed at Satyaki’s car. Arjuna told Janardana not to let Karna reach Satyaki, but Krishna answered, “Partha, Satyaki alone is a match for Karna, and with Drupada’s two sons beside him he is more than a match. It is not right for you to fight Karna now, for Karna carries that blazing celestial dart given by Vasava, which he has kept for you alone. I know the hour of that wretch, when you will bring him down from his car.”

Then Satyaki mounted Krishna’s car that Daruka had brought and closed with Karna. He cut Karna’s horses, charioteer, and banner and left him carless, but out of respect for the vows of Bhima and Arjuna he did not take the lives of Dhritarashtra’s sons, only weakened them. Sanjaya said, “There are three great bowmen in this world, Krishna, Partha, and Satyaki; a fourth I do not see.” Meanwhile Bhima, whom Karna had left carless and called “eunuch, fool, glutton,” told Arjuna to make true the joint vow to kill Karna.

Arjuna went up to Karna and said, “Son of a Suta, you fight falsely and you praise yourself. Yuyudhana left you carless and brought you to the very mouth of death, but remembering my vow to kill Karna, he did not take your life. You did make Bhima carless, but to insult him was a sin. You and others, out of my sight, killed the son of Subhadra and cut his bow; and so today, before your eyes, I will kill Vrishasena in battle.” When they heard this vow to kill Vrishasena, a great uproar rose among the great warriors. In that dreadful moment the thousand-rayed sun, dimming its rays, sank into the western mountain. Then Hrishikesha embraced Arjuna, who had fulfilled his vow, and said, “Jishnu, by good fortune your great vow is accomplished; by good fortune Vriddhakshatra has been killed along with his son. Scorcher of foes, in all three worlds I see no one but you able to fight this host.”

The gist: even after Jayadratha’s death the battle went on. Arjuna reproached himself for striking his teacher Kripa, Satyaki left Karna carless, and Arjuna took a new vow to kill Vrishasena. At that very moment the sun truly set, and Krishna embraced Arjuna and praised him for a vow fully accomplished.

Satyaki’s new car, and the cleverness of Daruka’s younger brother

Sanjaya said to Dhritarashtra, “O king, now we tell you what happened in that battle. When Satyaki, the grandson of Sini, the great archer of the Yadu line, had made Karna carless while mounted on that unconquerable car of Vasudeva whose driver was Daruka, a question rose in your mind whether he then took some other car or not. We give you the answer.”

Daruka’s clever younger brother quickly brought up another car for Satyaki, fitted out with everything needed. In it the arrows were bound with links of iron and gold and cords of silk. It was decked with a thousand stars, adorned with pennons, and its flag bore the figure of a lion. To it were yoked horses swift as the wind, harnessed in gold, and its rumble was as deep as the thunder of clouds. Mounting that car, the grandson of Sini fell upon your host, while Daruka, of his own will, went off to Keshava.

For Karna too a new car was brought, O king, yoked with four horses of the finest breed. They wore trappings of gold and were white as a conch or as milk. Its side-guard and its flag were of gold. Fitted with pennons and engines, and served by an excellent charioteer, that fine car had weapons of every kind in plenty. Mounting it, Karna too rushed upon his enemies.

Sanjaya said, “We have now told you all you asked. But, O king, hear once more the measure of the ruin bred of your own bad policy. Bhimasena has killed thirty-one of your sons, chief among them Durmukha, all skilled in every art of war. Satyaki and Arjuna too, with Bhimasena at their head, have killed hundreds of heroes and Bhagadatta as well, O noble one. So, O king, this ruin, born of your bad policy, has begun.”

A key to reading this (lineage): Satyaki is a Yadava, kin to Krishna. He is called the grandson of Sini, the Shaineya. Karna is called again and again “Suta’s son” and “Radha’s son,” the Radheya, because he was raised by the charioteer Adhiratha and his wife Radha.

The gist: this is the scene just after Jayadratha’s death. Satyaki and Karna were both put back into the battle with new cars by their charioteers. Sanjaya reminds Dhritarashtra that all this deluge is the fruit of his own bad judgment.

Bhima’s anguish, and Arjuna’s vow to kill Vrishasena

Dhritarashtra asked, “When the battle went on in such a state between our heroes and theirs, what did Bhima do, O Sanjaya?”

Sanjaya said, “Made carless and wounded by Karna’s arrow-like words, Bhimasena filled with rage and, turning to Arjuna, said, ‘Dhananjaya, before your very eyes Karna has said to me again and again, “Eunuch, fool, glutton, unskilled in weapons, do not fight, boy, you cannot bear the weight of war.” Whoever speaks so to me will be killed by my hand. Karna has said those words to me, O Bharata. Mighty-armed one, you know the vow I took jointly with you. Remember the words I spoke then. Best of men, act so that my vow, son of Kunti, and your own vow too, does not become false. Dhananjaya, do that by which my vow is proved true.’”

Hearing Bhima’s words, the immeasurable Arjuna went up to Karna in that battle and said, “Karna, you fight falsely. Son of a Suta, you praise yourself. Man of poor sense, hear now what we say. Brave men win one of two things in battle, victory or defeat. Both are uncertain, Radheya, even when Indra himself is engaged. Made carless by Yuyudhana, and losing all hold on your senses, you had all but reached the mouth of death. But remembering that I have vowed your slaughter, that hero let you go without taking your life.”

Arjuna went on, “It is true you succeeded in making Bhimasena carless. But your foul speech to that hero, Radheya, was sinful. The men who are truly righteous and truly brave do not, after beating an enemy, praise themselves or slander another. Your knowledge is small, son of a Suta, and so you speak such words. And the abuse you flung at the battling Bhimasena, a man of great valor and courage set on the practice of dharma, was not according to the truth. Before all the armies, before Keshava, before me, you were made carless by Bhimasena many times over. Yet that son of Pandu never spoke to you one harsh word.”

Arjuna said further, “But since you have said many hard words to Vrikodara, and since you, with others, out of my sight, killed the son of Subhadra, today you shall reap the fruit of those crimes. Wretch, for your own ruin you cut Abhimanyu’s bow that day. For that, man of small mind, you shall be killed by my hand with all your followers, armies, and animals. Do now whatever you would do, for a great danger hangs over you. Before your very eyes I will kill Vrishasena in battle. And every other king who stands and comes forward against me I will send to Yama’s house. This I say truly, my hand upon my weapon. You are a fool, without sense, filled with pride. I tell you, when the wicked Duryodhana sees you laid on the field, he will wail aloud.”

A sub-tale: this vow of Arjuna’s is the second link in the chain of revenge for Abhimanyu’s death. The first vow was for Jayadratha’s slaying, now fulfilled. Now Arjuna vows to kill Vrishasena, the son of Karna, because Vrishasena was among those who ringed Abhimanyu and killed him. This vow will be fulfilled much later, in the Karna Parva.

After Arjuna had vowed the slaughter of Karna’s son, a fierce and dreadful uproar rose among the car-warriors. And in that very terrible moment, while confusion spread on every side, the thousand-rayed sun, dimming its rays, sank into the western mountain.

The gist: carless and stung by Karna’s taunts, Bhima reminds Arjuna of their joint vow. Arjuna reproaches Karna for his self-praise and for the killing of Abhimanyu, and before Karna’s eyes vows to kill Vrishasena. At this very moment the sun sets, and the field begins to slide into the darkness of dusk.

Keshava’s felicitation, and the sight of the field

Then, O king, Hrishikesha, standing at the front of the battle, embraced Arjuna, who had fulfilled his vow, and said these words, “Jishnu, by good fortune your great vow is accomplished. By good fortune Vriddhakshatra has been killed along with his son. Bharata, even the commander of the gods, Kartikeya, if he faced the Dhartarashtra host, would lose his wits in the fight, of that there is no doubt. Except for you, tiger among men, I do not see in all three worlds, even in thought, a single person who could fight this host. Many royal heroes, your equals or your betters, were gathered by Duryodhana’s command. In their armor they still could not come near your terrible form when you were roused. Your energy and your strength are like those of Rudra the destroyer. The valor you have shown today, alone and unaided, no one else is able to show. When Karna is killed, with his followers, I will praise you again. When that enemy of yours has been beaten and killed, then I will sing your fame.”

To this Arjuna answered, “Madhava, by your grace this vow, which even the gods complete only with difficulty, has been accomplished by me. For those whose lord you are, Keshava, victory is no wonder. By your grace alone, Govinda, Yudhishthira will win the whole earth. All of this is the fruit of your power, scion of the Vrishnis. This is your victory, Lord. Our prosperity is your care, and we are your servants, Madhusudana.”

Addressed so, Krishna smiled gently and slowly urged the horses on. And as he went forward he showed Arjuna the field of battle, crowded with cruel sights.

Then Krishna said, “Many heroic kings, desiring victory or a fame that would fill the world, lie fallen to the earth, pierced by your arrows. Their weapons and ornaments are scattered, and their horses, cars, and elephants lie broken and mangled. Their coats of mail are pierced or cut, and they have come to bitter grief. Some of them are still alive and some are dead. Yet even the dead, by the light still on them, seem to this hour to be living. See, the earth is covered with their gold-winged arrows, with their many weapons of attack and defense, and with their lifeless animals.”

Krishna went on, “Truly this earth shines with coats of mail and strings of gems, with heads decked in earrings, helmets, and crowns, with garlands and the jewels set in crowns, with necklaces and armlets, with chains of gold, and with ornaments of every kind of beauty. With quivers and pennons, with banners, with the broken wheels and fine axles of cars, with the yokes and trappings of horses, with girdles, bows, and arrows, with the housings of elephants, with spiked maces and iron hooks, with lances and short arrows, with javelins and darts, with clubs and pikes, with Shataghnis and Bhushundis, with swords and battle-axes, with gold-mounted whips, with the bells of rutting elephants, and with costly garments loosened and fallen from bodies, this earth is as bright as the autumn sky ablaze with planets and stars.”

Krishna said further, “These lords of the earth, killed for the sake of the earth, sleep now embracing the earth with their limbs as a man embraces his beloved. As mountains send down streams of chalk from their caves and clefts, so these elephants, vast as Airavata and as the hills, pour streams of blood from their wounds. See, hero, those huge creatures pierced by arrows writhing on the ground. See the horses too, in their gold trappings, fallen to the earth. And see, Partha, those cars, without masters and without drivers, that once looked like the chariots of the gods or the cloud-shapes of the evening sky, now broken to pieces, their banners, pennons, axles, and yokes cut apart, their poles and finials broken, lying on the ground. And the foot-soldiers too, with their bows and shields, killed in their thousands upon thousands, bathed in blood, their hair fouled with dust, embrace the earth with every limb.”

Krishna said, “See, mighty-armed one, those warriors whose bodies are mangled by your weapons. See this earth, covered as if with an embroidered sheet with chowries and fans, umbrellas and banners, horses, cars, and elephants, with blankets of every kind, with the reins of horses, with fine garments, and with the costly car-frames. Many warriors, fallen with their well-caparisoned elephants, look like lions struck by the thunderbolt and thrown from mountain peaks. Best of men, the face of this earth is terrible to look on, for it is covered with a vast heap of dead elephants, horses, and car-warriors, mired with blood, fat, and rotting flesh, and dogs, wolves, ghouls, and creatures of the night roam over it in joy. This great feat, which raises fame, only you could have done, best of men, or that lord of the gods, Indra, who slays the daityas and danavas in great battle.”

Sanjaya said, “Having thus shown the diadem-crowned Arjuna the field of battle, Krishna blew his conch Panchajanya, and the glad soldiers of the Pandava army blew their conches too. Having shown the battlefield to the crowned hero, the foe-slaying Janardana went quickly toward Yudhishthira, the son of Pandu whose enemy was unborn, and gave him the news of Jayadratha’s death.”

A key to reading this (concept): Jayadratha was guarded by his father Vriddhakshatra’s boon, that whoever dropped his head to the earth would have his own head burst. This is why Arjuna threw the severed head with his arrows into the lap of the distant Vriddhakshatra, so that when the old man rose the head fell to the ground and Vriddhakshatra’s head burst. Keshava’s words, that Vriddhakshatra was killed along with his son, point to this.

The gist: Keshava congratulates Arjuna on a nearly impossible vow fulfilled, and Arjuna gives all the credit to Krishna’s grace. Then Krishna, driving the car slowly, shows Arjuna in detail the terrible field the slaying of Jayadratha had made, where kings, elephants, horses, and cars lie destroyed. At last he sets out to carry the news of victory to Yudhishthira.

Yudhishthira’s joy, and his praise of Krishna

Sanjaya said, “When the Sindhu king had been killed by Partha, Krishna went to King Yudhishthira the son of Dharma and, glad at heart, congratulated him, saying, ‘Overlord of kings, by good fortune your prosperity grows. Best of men, your enemy is killed. By good fortune your younger brother has fulfilled his vow.’ At these words of Krishna, King Yudhishthira, conqueror of hostile cities, filled with joy, got down from his car, O Bharata. His eyes brimmed with tears of joy, and embracing the two Krishnas, Vasudeva and Arjuna, and wiping his own bright lotus face, he said these words to Vasudeva and to Dhananjaya the son of Pandu.”

Yudhishthira said, “Great warriors, by good fortune I see the two of you returned with your task accomplished. By good fortune that sinful Sindhu king is dead. By good fortune, O Krishnas, you have done the thing that has filled me with great happiness. By good fortune our enemies are sunk in a sea of grief. You are the overlord of all the worlds, Madhusudana. For those whose teacher you are in the three worlds, nothing remains beyond reach. By your grace, Govinda, we will conquer our enemies as Indra of old conquered the danavas.”

Yudhishthira went on, “Whether it be the conquest of the world or of the three worlds, scion of the Vrishnis, for those with whom you are pleased, everything is certain. Those with whom you are pleased, lord of the gods, can be touched by no sin, can meet no defeat in battle. By your grace, Hrishikesha, Indra became lord of the gods. By your grace he won in battle the mastery of the three worlds, gained deathlessness, and enjoyed the eternal worlds of bliss. By the valor born of your grace, killing thousands of daityas, Indra won the lordship of the gods.”

Yudhishthira said further, “By your grace, Hrishikesha, this world of moving and unmoving things holds to its appointed course and is busy in prayer and offering. In the beginning this world was wrapped in darkness and was one vast mass of water. By your grace, mighty-armed one, this world came to be, best of men. You are the maker of all the worlds, you are the Supreme Self, and you are imperishable. Those who see you, Hrishikesha, never fall into delusion. You are the highest god, the god of gods, and you are eternal. Those who take refuge in you, lord of the gods, are never deluded. Without beginning and without end, you are divine, the creator of all the worlds and imperishable. Those who are devoted to you, Hrishikesha, cross over every hardship.”

Yudhishthira said, “You are the highest, the ancient, the divine Person, and you are that which is higher than the highest. He who reaches that supreme form of yours is sure of the highest good. You are sung in the four Vedas. The four Vedas sing of you alone. Great soul, taking refuge in you, I will enjoy an unequaled prosperity. You are the highest god, the god even of the highest gods, the lord of birds and the master of all men. You are the supreme lord of all things. I bow to you, best of beings. You are the lord, the lord even of lords, best of men. Blessings on you, Madhava. Wide-eyed one, soul of the universe, you are the root of all things. He who is Dhananjaya’s friend, or is set on Dhananjaya’s good, reaching you, the teacher of Dhananjaya, wins happiness.”

Addressed so, the great Keshava and Arjuna answered that lord of the earth gladly, “The sinful king Jayadratha is burnt in the fire of your wrath. Best of men, though the Dhartarashtra host is vast and full of pride, still, Bharata, wounded and killed, it is going to ruin. Slayer of foes, it is by your wrath alone that the Kauravas are coming to destruction. You, who can kill by your glance alone, having angered you, the foolish Suyodhana will give up his life in battle with his friends and kin. First by your wrath, and then struck by the gods themselves, that unconquerable Bhishma, the grandsire of the Kurus, now lies on a bed of arrows.”

They went on, “Slayer of foes, those whose enemy you are, son of Pandu, cannot win in battle, and death waits for them. Slayer of foes, the man against whom you are angered soon loses kingdom, life, loved ones, children, and every kind of pleasure. Slayer of foes, keeper of the duties of a king, those Kauravas against whom you are angered I count already as ruined, with their sons and their kin.”

Then, O king, Bhima and the great warrior Satyaki, both cut and mangled with arrows, came to bow to their eldest. And the two great archers, ringed by the Panchalas, sat down on the earth. Seeing the two heroes full of joy, waiting with folded hands, the son of Kunti welcomed them both.

Yudhishthira said, “By good fortune I see you two heroes come safe out of that sea of enemy troops, that sea in which Drona was an unconquerable crocodile and the son of Hridika a fierce shark. By good fortune you two have beaten all the kings of the earth. By good fortune I see you victorious in battle. By good fortune Drona has been beaten in battle, and that great warrior the son of Hridika as well. By good fortune Karna too has been beaten by your arrows. By good fortune you two have forced Shalya to turn back from the field, best of men. By good fortune I see you two returned safe from the battle, best of car-warriors, skilled in war. By good fortune I see you heroes again, who at my command crossed that sea of troops and went into the fight to keep my honor. You are heroes who delight in battle. You are dear to me as my own life. By good fortune I see you both.”

Having said this, O king, the son of Pandu embraced those two tigers among men, Yuyudhana and Vrikodara, and shed tears of joy. Then, O king, the whole Pandava army grew glad and full of joy. And all of them set their minds once more on battle.

The gist: Yudhishthira gets down from his car to embrace Krishna and Arjuna and offers a long praise of Krishna, calling him the Supreme Self, the maker of all the worlds, and the highest Person sung in the Vedas. Krishna and Arjuna answer that the ruin of the Kauravas is the fruit of Yudhishthira’s own wrath. Then the wounded Bhima and Satyaki return, and Yudhishthira embraces them, glad to see them come safe from the sea of troops.

Suyodhana’s lament, and his self-reproach before Drona

Sanjaya said, “When the Sindhu king had fallen, O king, your son Suyodhana’s face was wet with tears, and, filled with grief, he began to breathe hot like a snake with broken fangs. That offender against all the world, your son, felt a keen pain. Seeing the terrible slaughter of his army in battle by Jishnu, Bhimasena, and the Satvata hero, he grew pale, weary, and low, and his eyes filled with tears. And he began to think that on earth there was no warrior like Arjuna. Not Drona, not Radheya, not Ashvatthama, not Kripa, O noble one, could stand before Arjuna blazing with wrath.”

Suyodhana said in his heart, “Beating all the great warriors of my army, Partha killed the Sindhu king. None could face him. My vast army is all but destroyed by the Pandavas. It seems to me none can save my army now, not even Indra himself. He on whom I leaned in this war, that Karna, alas, is beaten in battle, and Jayadratha is killed. That Karna on whose strength I counted Krishna as grass, Krishna who came to me begging for peace, that very Karna, alas, is beaten in battle.”

Grieving so in his heart, O king, that offender against all the world went to Drona for his sight, best of the Bharatas. Reaching him, he told Drona of that vast slaughter of the Kurus, of the victory of his enemies, and of the dire calamity of the Dhartarashtras.

Suyodhana said, “Teacher, look on this vast slaughter of kings. I went into the war with my grandsire, the brave Bhishma, at my head. Having killed him, Shikhandi, his own longing satisfied, ringed by all the Panchalas, hungry for another victory, stands at the front of all the armies. Another pupil of yours, that unconquerable left-handed archer, having destroyed seven akshauhinis of troops, has sent King Jayadratha to Yama’s house. Teacher, how shall I clear my debt to those friends of mine who, wishing my victory and ever set on my good, have gone to Yama’s house? Those lords of the earth who longed for the mastery of the earth now lie fallen on it, giving up all their worldly wealth.”

Suyodhana went on, “Truly I am a coward. Having caused such a slaughter of friends, I do not think that even a hundred horse-sacrifices could make me clean. I am greedy, sinful, a trampler of dharma. By my own deeds these lords of the earth, longing for victory, have gone to Yama’s house. Why does the earth not give me, before these kings, a crack to sink into, sinful as I am in conduct, a kindler of family strife? Alas, the grandsire with his blood-red eyes, who has won the world beyond, when he meets me among the kings, what will he say to me?”

Suyodhana said further, “See, that great archer Jalasandha is killed by Satyaki’s hand. That great warrior, that hero, came proudly into the battle for me, ready to give his life. Seeing the king of the Kambojas, and Alambusha, and many other of my helpers killed, what use have I in keeping my life? Those heroes who fought for me without turning their backs, and strove with all their might to beat my enemies, and gave their lives, from that debt I will free myself today, slayer of foes, by using my full strength, going to the Yamuna and satisfying them there with offerings of water.”

Suyodhana said, “Best of all who bear weapons, I say to you truly, and I swear it by my good deeds, by my valor, and by my sons, that either I will kill all the Pandavas and the Panchalas and find peace of mind, or, killed by their hands, I will go to those worlds where my helpers have gone. I will surely go where those best of men have gone, killed by Arjuna’s hand while fighting for me. Our helpers, seeing that we do not guard them well, no longer wish to stand by us. Mighty-armed one, they now count the Pandavas better than us.”

Suyodhana said, “You, whose aim never fails, have resolved on our destruction in this war, because you are generous toward Arjuna, since he is your pupil. And so all who strove for our victory are killed. It seems now that only Karna wishes us victory. The man of weak sense who, without testing another well, counts him a friend and sets him to tasks that call for friends, surely comes to grief. Just so has my task been taken in hand by my best of friends. I am very greedy, sinful, crooked of heart, and stricken with meanness. Alas, King Jayadratha is killed, and the great and splendid son of Somadatta, Bhurishrava, and Abhishaha, Surasena, Shibi, and Vasati too. Today I will go where those best of men have gone, killed fighting for me by Arjuna’s hand. Without those best of men I have no need of life. Teacher of the sons of Pandu, in this let me have your leave.”

A sub-tale: this self-reproach of Duryodhana’s is a rare moment of the Mahabharata’s moral depth. Here he calls himself “greedy, sinful, crooked of heart, a kindler of family strife,” and finds himself unable to meet Bhishma’s eyes. This is the same Duryodhana who elsewhere clings hard to his obstinacy. Vyasa does not make him a villain of one color.

A key to reading this (numbers in modern terms): the passage speaks of Savyasachin destroying “seven akshauhinis” of troops. By tradition one akshauhini holds 21,870 chariots, as many elephants, 65,610 horses, and 109,350 foot soldiers, which comes to roughly two hundred eighteen thousand fighters per akshauhini. Seven akshauhinis then means a slaughter on the order of about one and a half million warriors, an epic figure meant to stagger, not to be counted literally.

The gist: broken by Jayadratha’s death, Duryodhana goes to Drona and laments. He reproaches himself as a coward, greedy and sinful, remembers the friends who died for him, and declares that he will either kill the Panchalas or die and go where they have gone. At the same time he hints a charge against Drona, that the teacher is generous toward his pupil Arjuna.

Drona’s reply, and the memory of Vidura’s unheeded words

Dhritarashtra asked, “When the Sindhu king had been killed by Savyasachin and Bhurishrava had fallen, what was the mood of you all? And when Duryodhana was thus addressed among the Kurus, what did the teacher Drona then say to him? Tell me all of this, O Sanjaya.”

Sanjaya said, “After the slaughter of Bhurishrava and the Sindhu king, O Bharata, loud wails rose in your army. All of them cursed those counsels of your son by which hundreds of leaders of men had been killed. As for Drona, hearing your son’s words, he grew full of grief. Reflecting a moment, O king, he spoke these words in great pain.”

Drona said, “Duryodhana, why do you pierce me with these words for arrows? I told you before that Arjuna is unconquerable in battle. Guarded by the crowned Arjuna, Shikhandi killed Bhishma. By that very deed, Kuru, the strength of Arjuna in battle has been well tested. When I saw Bhishma, unconquerable even by gods and danavas, truly killed in battle, then I knew that this Bharata host was doomed to perish. Those whom we counted the very best of all heroes in the three worlds, when they have fallen, on whom else are we to lean?”

Drona went on, “Noble one, those dice with which Shakuni once played in the Kuru hall were not dice, they were keen arrows able to kill our foes. Those very arrows, noble one, sped by Jaya, now kill us. Though Vidura told you all this, still you did not understand it so. And the words too that the wise and great-souled Vidura spoke to you then with tears in his eyes, those good words counseling peace, you did not hear then. The calamity he foretold has now come. Duryodhana, this dreadful slaughter has come as the fruit of your contempt for Vidura’s words. The fool who, spurning the good counsel of trusted friends, follows his own idea, soon comes to a pitiable state.”

Drona said further, “Son of Gandhari, this great wrong, the dragging of Draupadi, who never deserved such treatment, born in a fine family and set on every virtue, into the Kuru hall before our very eyes, know that this is but a little, for in the world beyond you will bear consequences more dreadful still. Winning the Pandavas by fraud at dice, you clothed them in deerskins and sent them to the forests. Who but me in all this world would be a brahmana willing to harm those princes, ever set on the practice of dharma, who are to me as my own sons?”

Drona said, “With Dhritarashtra’s approval, in the midst of the Kuru hall, making Shakuni your helper, you kindled the wrath of the Pandavas. With Duhshasana, Karna fanned that wrath higher. Spurning Vidura’s words, you yourself fanned it again and again. With firm care you all ringed Arjuna, resolved to stand with the Sindhu king. Then why were you all beaten, and why was Jayadratha killed? When you are alive, and Karna, and Kripa, and Shalya, and Ashvatthama too, O Kaurava, then why was the Sindhu king killed? To guard the Sindhu king the kings on your side put out all their fierce energy. Then why, in the very midst of them, was Jayadratha killed?”

Drona said, “Trusting in me, King Jayadratha hoped to be saved from Arjuna’s hand. But the protection he hoped for he did not get. I do not see safety even for myself. Until I have killed the Panchalas with Shikhandi, I feel like a man sinking in the mire that is Dhrishtadyumna. Bharata, having failed to guard the Sindhu king, why do you pierce me with these words for arrows, when I too am burning with grief? Those golden banners of Bhishma, whose aim never failed and who never tired in battle, you no longer see on the field. How then can you hope for victory? When even the Sindhu king and Bhurishrava were killed in the midst of so many great warriors, what do you suppose the end will be?”

Drona went on, “Kripa, who is hard to beat, is still alive, O king. That he did not follow the road of Jayadratha, for this I praise him much. When I myself saw Bhishma, that hero and doer of the hardest deeds, unkillable in battle even by the gods with Vasava, killed before your eyes and your brother Duhshasana’s, then, Kaurava, I concluded that the earth had forsaken you. Now the joined host of the Pandavas and the Srinjayas is breaking upon me. Son of Dhritarashtra, to work your good in the war, I will not take off my armor until I have killed all the Panchalas.”

Drona said, “O king, go and tell my son Ashvatthama, who is present in the battle, not to spare the Somakas even at the risk of his life. Tell him too to hold to all the teachings he had from his father. Let him be firm in humility, self-restraint, truth, and dharma. Serving dharma, wealth, and pleasure, without neglecting dharma and wealth, let him always do the deeds in which dharma is foremost. Brahmanas should always be kept content with gifts. They are all worthy of his worship. He should never do anything that is harmful to them. They are like the flames of fire.”

Drona said, “As for me, slayer of foes, pierced by your words for arrows, I will go into the enemy host to do great battle. If you can, Duryodhana, go and guard your armies. Both Kurus and Srinjayas are enraged. They will fight even in the night.” Saying this, Drona advanced against the Pandavas and began to cover the splendor of the Kshatriyas the way the sun covers the light of the stars.

A key to reading this (lineage): Drona is called “son of Bharadwaja” and “jar-born,” for his birth is said to have happened in a sacrificial jar. Ashvatthama is called “son of the daughter of Sharadwat” and “son of the daughter of Gautama,” for his mother Kripi was the sister of Kripacharya and the daughter of Sharadwat Gautama. This is why Kripa is Ashvatthama’s maternal uncle.

The gist: Drona gives Duryodhana a hard answer. He reminds him that when Bhishma fell he foresaw the ruin of the army, that Shakuni’s crooked dice and the outrage of Draupadi in the hall and Vidura’s unheeded counsel of peace are the roots of this deluge. Then, sending a message of dharma and self-restraint for Ashvatthama, he plunges into the Pandava host with a resolve to fight through the night.

The Duryodhana and Karna dialogue, and Karna’s discourse on destiny

Sanjaya said, “Urged on by Drona, King Duryodhana filled with wrath and set his mind on battle. And your son Duryodhana said to Karna, ‘See, the crowned son of Pandu, with only Krishna for his helper, entered the array that the teacher had built, an array even the gods could not pierce, and while the splendid Drona and many other fine warriors strove on, before their very eyes he killed the Sindhu king. Radheya, see, many fine kings, killed in battle, lie fallen on the earth. Though the splendid Drona, and I, and all of us, strove like small beasts before a lion, Partha alone did that deed.’”

Duryodhana went on, “The son of Indra has reduced my army to a mere remnant. Though Drona blocked the battle, how could Arjuna kill the Sindhu king and fulfill his vow? If Drona had not himself wished it, hero, how could the son of Pandu have passed his struggling teacher and pierced that unbreakable array? Truly, Arjuna is very dear to the splendid teacher. That is why he gave him entry without a fight. See my ill luck. Though he first gave the Sindhu king his word of protection, that slayer of foes Drona let the crowned Arjuna into the array.”

Duryodhana said, “If the teacher had at the start given the Sindhu king leave to go home, then surely such a dreadful slaughter would never have come. Alas, Jayadratha wished to go home in the hope of saving his life. Getting Drona’s word of protection in battle, I, the fool, was the one who kept him from going. Alas, today my brothers, chief among them Chitrasena, have all perished before the eyes of us wretches.”

Karna said, “Do not blame the teacher. That brahmana is fighting to the utmost of his strength and courage, with no care even for his own life. If Arjuna of the white horses passed him and entered our array, no blame at all falls on the teacher for that. Arjuna is a master of weapons, of great swiftness, in the fullness of youth, expert in every weapon, and famous for the speed of his motion. Armed with celestial weapons, mounted on his ape-bannered car whose horses’ reins were in Krishna’s hands, cased in armor none can pierce, holding his unfailing celestial Gandiva, scattering keen arrows, and proud in the strength of his arms, that hero Arjuna passed Drona. In this there is no wonder.”

Karna went on, “The teacher, on the other hand, O king, is old and cannot move quickly. He cannot, O king, ply his arms for long either. That is why Arjuna, with his white horses and Krishna for his charioteer, was able to pass the teacher. For this reason too I see no blame in Drona. Still, since Arjuna passed the teacher and entered our array, it seems that they, however skilled in weapons, are unable to beat the Pandavas in battle. My view is that what fate has fixed never turns out otherwise.”

Karna said, “And since, Suyodhana, the Sindhu king was killed in battle despite our fighting to the utmost, it seems fate itself is all-powerful. All of us, you included, strove on the field to the last of our strength. But fate did not favor us; it made our efforts vain. We have always used both fraud and valor to harm the Pandavas. The deed a man does when he is afflicted by fate is undone by fate, however hard he strives to accomplish it. Still, a man of enterprise should do without fear what he must do. Success rests on fate.”

Karna went on, “The sons of Pritha were cheated by fraud, O Bharata, and by poison too. They were burnt in the house of lac, beaten at dice, and, by the rule of policy, exiled to the forests. All this, done by us with care, was made vain by fate. O king, disregarding fate, fight on with firmness. Between you and them, when both put out the utmost of their valor, fate may yet favor the side that surpasses the other. The Pandavas have used no clever plan with the help of a superior wisdom. Nor, O increaser of the Kuru line, do we see that you have done any foolish thing through want of wisdom. Of deeds, whether of the wise or the unwise, it is fate that fixes the result. Fate, ever busy in its own purposes, keeps awake even when all else sleeps.”

Karna said, “Your army was vast and your warriors many. So the war began. From their smaller army, made of hard hitters, our far larger army has been much reduced. I fear it is the work of fate that has made our efforts vain.”

Sanjaya said, “While they were talking so, O king, the Pandava divisions came out for battle. Then a fierce fight took place between your warriors and theirs, in which cars and elephants clashed together. All this, O king, was the fruit of your own bad policy.”

A key to reading this (concept): in this passage Karna speaks again and again of “fate,” daiva. This is a central tension of the Mahabharata, human effort, purushartha, against fate, daiva. Karna openly admits the Kauravas’ tricks, the house of lac, the poison, the dice, and calls even those undone by fate. Vyasa does not hide the wrong of the Kaurava side; he has it spoken from Karna’s own mouth.

The gist: before Karna, Duryodhana repeats the charge of favoritism against Drona, that he let Arjuna into the array on purpose. Karna defends the teacher, points to Arjuna’s mastery of weapons and Drona’s age, and calls the whole defeat a play of fate, admitting the Kauravas’ old tricks along the way. Just then the Pandava army surges out again for battle.

The Ghatotkacha-vadha Parva begins: Duryodhana’s fury and Yudhishthira’s counterstroke

Sanjaya said, “That elephant force of yours, O king, surging with strength, began everywhere to press hard upon the Pandava host. The Panchalas and the Kauravas, resolved to go to the world beyond, fought one another for a way into the wide kingdom of Yama. Brave warriors closing with brave rivals pierced one another with arrows, javelins, and darts, and quickly sent each other to Yama’s house. Fierce fighting broke out between car-warriors and car-warriors, and a great current of blood flowed. Rutting elephants closing with rutting rivals pierced one another with their tusks. Horsemen, hungry for fame, in that terrible press pierced and cut down horsemen with javelins, darts, and battle-axes.”

Sanjaya went on, “So great was the confusion that the Panchalas and the Kurus could be told apart only by the clan, family, and personal names one heard them cry. Warriors, sending one another to the world beyond with arrows, darts, and axes, moved through the field without fear. But, O king, on account of the thousands of arrows and the setting of the sun, the ten points of the compass no longer shone as before. When the Pandavas were fighting so, O Bharata, Duryodhana, O king, plunged into the midst of their host. Filled with great wrath at the killing of the Sindhu king, and resolved to give his life, he entered the enemy army.”

Sanjaya said, “Filling and shaking the earth with the rumble of his car-wheels, your son reached the Pandava host. A terrible collision took place between him and them, O Bharata, which caused a great slaughter of the armies. Like the noon sun scorching everything with its rays, your son scorched the enemy host with his rain of arrows. The Pandavas could not even look at that brother of theirs. Despairing of beating their foe, they made up their minds to flee the field. Struck by your splendid son, a bowman with his gold-winged, blazing-mouthed arrows, the Panchalas fled in all directions.”

Sanjaya went on, “Wounded by those keen arrows, the Pandava host began to fall to the earth. Truly, the Pandavas had never seen in battle such valor as your royal son then showed, O king. The Pandava host looked as if trampled and crushed by an elephant. As a bed of lotuses loses its beauty when the water dries up under sun and wind, so under your son the splendor of the Pandava host dried away.”

Then Duryodhana pierced the Panchalas, Bhimasena with ten arrows, each of Madri’s two sons with three, Virata and Drupada with six each, Shikhandi with a hundred, Dhrishtadyumna with seventy, Yudhishthira with seven, the Kaikeyas and the Chedis with countless keen shafts, Satyaki with five, each of Draupadi’s five sons with three, and Ghatotkacha too with some arrows, and gave a lion-roar. Cutting with his fierce arrows the bodies of hundreds of other warriors and of elephants and horses, he moved through that great battle like the destroyer himself in wrath, killing creatures.

Sanjaya said, “But while he was thus destroying his enemies, Yudhishthira with two broad-headed arrows cut his gold-decked bow into three pieces. And Yudhishthira pierced Duryodhana with ten keen arrows shot with great force. Piercing Duryodhana’s vital parts, those arrows passed through and sank into the earth in a straight line. Then the army standing around ringed Yudhishthira the way the gods ringed Indra for the killing of Vritra. Then King Yudhishthira, who cannot easily be beaten, loosed a fierce arrow at your son in that battle. Pierced deep by it, Duryodhana sat down on his fine car.”

Sanjaya said, “Then a loud cry rose in the Panchala army. And this, O king, was the dreadful cry, namely, ‘The king is killed.’ There too was heard the fierce whir of arrows, O Bharata. Then Drona quickly appeared in that battle. Meanwhile Duryodhana, recovering his senses, took a firm hold on his bow. Then, crying, ‘Wait, wait,’ he rushed at prince Yudhishthira. Then the Panchalas too, hungry for victory, pressed forward at speed. Drona, wishing to guard the Kuru prince, met them all. And the teacher began to destroy them the way the fierce-rayed sun destroys clouds scattered here and there by the storm. Then, O king, between your side and theirs, closing for battle, a fierce fight took place, full of dreadful slaughter.”

A sub-tale: this is one of the rare moments when Yudhishthira the son of Dharma, who is usually shown as the least aggressive of them all in battle, himself forces Duryodhana to sit down on his car. The cry “the king is killed” was misleading, but for a moment it shook the Kaurava army. Only Drona’s timely arrival saved Duryodhana’s life.

The gist: the Ghatotkacha-vadha Parva begins here. In the shadow of night battle after sunset, Duryodhana plunges alone into the Pandava host and does dreadful slaughter, piercing many great warriors at once with counted arrows. Then Yudhishthira turns and cuts his bow, pierces him with arrows, and forces him to sit down on his car. Drona arrives just in time to save Duryodhana.

The terrible night battle begins

Dhritarashtra asked, “Having spoken those words, when the great archer Drona in wrath entered the Pandava host, and when that hero, mounted on his car, moved through the field, how did the Pandavas block his path? In that terrible battle who guarded the right wheel of the teacher’s car? And when he was fiercely destroying the foe, who guarded his left? Who among the brave followed behind that battling hero? And who stood before that car-warrior? When that unconquerable great archer, as if dancing on the axle of his car, plunged into the Pandava host, his enemies, I think, must have felt the harsh cold of an unseasonable frost. That all-destroying warrior, who burned the whole Panchala army like a fierce forest fire, how did he meet his own death?”

Sanjaya said, “At dusk, having killed the Sindhu king, and joining Yudhishthira and the great archer Satyaki, Partha advanced toward Drona. Then Yudhishthira and Bhimasena the son of Pandu, each with his own separate division, advanced quickly toward Drona. So too the wise Nakula, the unconquerable Sahadeva, Dhrishtadyumna with his division, Virata, and the Shalva king with a great host advanced against Drona in battle. So too Drupada, the father of Dhrishtadyumna, guarded by the Panchalas, O king, advanced toward Drona. And the sons of Draupadi and the rakshasa Ghatotkacha, with their armies, advanced toward the splendid Drona. The Prabhadraka Panchalas, six thousand strong, all hard hitters, with Shikhandi at their head, advanced toward Drona. And the other fine and great Pandava warriors, joining together, advanced toward Drona too.”

Sanjaya went on, “When those brave warriors advanced to battle, best of the Bharatas, the night grew thick with darkness, which deepened the fear of the timid. And in that hour of darkness, O king, many warriors gave up their lives. That night was the death of many elephants, horses, and foot-soldiers. In that dark night jackals howling everywhere with their blazing mouths raised a great terror. Fierce owls perched on the banners of the Kauravas hooted and foretold fear.”

Sanjaya said, “Then, O king, a great uproar rose in the armies. The loud sound of drums and cymbals, mingling with the trumpeting of elephants, the neighing of horses, and the beat of hooves, spread everywhere. Then in that hour of dusk a fierce fight took place between Drona and all the Srinjayas. Wrapped in darkness, the world showed nothing at all. The sky was covered with the dust the warriors raised. The blood of men, horses, and elephants mingled together, and then the dust settled. We all lost heart entirely. In that night, like the sound of a bamboo forest burning on a mountain, the dreadful clash of weapons was heard.”

Sanjaya went on, “With the sound of drums, tabors, lyres, and kettledrums, with the screams of men and the neighing of horses, a terrible confusion spread everywhere, O lord. When the field was wrapped in darkness, friend could not be told from foe. In that night all were seized by a kind of frenzy. The risen dust soon settled under a rain of blood. Then, because of the warriors’ golden mail and bright ornaments, that darkness cleared. The Bharata host, decked with gems and gold, then looked like the night sky studded with stars.”

Sanjaya said, “In the deep night the Bharata host seemed lit by the armlets, earrings, coats of mail, and weapons of the warriors. There the elephants and cars decked with gold looked in that night like lightning-charged clouds. Falling swords, spears, maces, sabers, mallets, javelins, and axes seemed like the dazzling sparks of fire. Duryodhana was the leading gust of that storm-like host. Cars and elephants were its dry clouds. The loud din of drums and other instruments was its thunder. The bows with their banners were its lightning-flashes. Drona and the Pandavas were its raining clouds. The arrows were its heavy downpour, and the other weapons its ceaseless winds. And the winds that blew were both very hot and very cold. Terrible, stunning, and fierce, it was a destroyer of life. From it there was no shelter at all.”

Sanjaya went on, “In that dreadful night ringing with fearful sounds, the warriors hungry for battle entered that terrible host, which raised both the fear of the timid and the joy of the brave. And at the time of that fierce night battle the Pandavas and Srinjayas, joining together, fell upon Drona in wrath. But, O king, whoever came before the splendid Drona had either to turn back or to go to Yama’s house. Truly, in that night, Drona alone pierced thousands of elephants, tens of thousands of cars, and countless foot-soldiers and horses with his arrows.”

A key to reading this (concept): this is the scene of the Mahabharata’s rare night battle, the ratri-yuddha. By the laws of the ancient just war, fighting stopped at sunset, but here, in wrath and revenge, both sides fight through the night. Vyasa describes plainly how in this darkness the difference of friend and foe disappears, and how a frenzy takes the warriors, a thing that will lead on to still greater breaches of dharma.

The gist: all the Pandava great warriors, with Ghatotkacha and the Prabhadraka Panchalas, fall upon Drona together. The fighting does not stop at sunset; a terrible night battle breaks out in the deep dark. Jackals and owls give evil omens, friend and foe vanish from sight, and the armies look like a star-filled sky with the shine of their armor and ornaments. Even in this darkness Drona alone kills thousands.

Drona’s slaughter, and the slaying of King Shivi

Dhritarashtra asked, “When the unconquerable, immeasurably splendid Drona, unable to bear the killing of Jayadratha, entered the Srinjayas in wrath, what did you all think? When that high-minded warrior, having spoken those words to my disobedient son Duryodhana, entered the enemy lines, what step did Partha take? When, after the fall of the heroes Jayadratha and Bhurishrava, the unconquerable Drona advanced against the Panchalas, what did Arjuna think? And what did Duryodhana judge the fittest step of all? Who followed behind that boon-giving best of brahmanas? Who fought before him as he killed?”

Sanjaya said, “At the time of that fierce night battle, O king, the Pandavas with the Somakas fell upon Drona. Then Drona, with his swift arrows, sent all the Kaikeyas and the sons of Dhrishtadyumna to the world beyond. Truly, O king, whatever great warrior came before Drona, all those lords of the earth he sent to the world of the dead. Then the mighty King Shivi, filled with wrath, advanced against that great warrior, the brave son of Bharadwaja, as he was grinding the enemy warriors. Seeing that great Pandava warrior come, Drona pierced him with ten arrows made wholly of iron. Shivi, in return, pierced Drona with thirty arrows fitted with the feathers of the kanka bird. And smiling, he brought down Drona’s charioteer with one broad-headed arrow. Then Drona, killing the splendid Shivi’s horses and his charioteer, cut off Shivi’s head, helmet and all, from his trunk. Then Duryodhana quickly sent a charioteer for Drona. As soon as the new charioteer took the reins of the horses, Drona fell once more upon his enemies.”

The gist: Dhritarashtra asks about the mood of Arjuna and Duryodhana. Sanjaya tells how the enraged Drona, in the dark of night, kills the Somakas, the Kaikeyas, and the sons of Dhrishtadyumna. King Shivi meets him bravely and brings down Drona’s charioteer, but Drona kills his horses, his charioteer, and then cuts off his head. Duryodhana at once sends a new charioteer and sets Drona back into the battle.

Bhima’s terrible wrath: the slaying of the Kalinga prince, Dhruva, and Jayarata

Sanjaya said, “The son of the Kalinga king, guarded by the Kalinga army, filled with wrath at his father’s death by Bhima’s hand, fell upon Bhimasena. Piercing Bhima with five arrows, he pierced him again with seven. And he pierced Bhima’s charioteer Vishoka with three arrows and his banner with one. Then Vrikodara, filled with wrath, leaped from his car onto the enemy’s car and killed that angry Kalinga hero with his fists alone. Beaten so in battle by the fists of the son of Pandu, the bones of that prince broke apart from one another and fell to the earth.”

Sanjaya went on, “Karna, and the brothers of the killed prince, and others, could not bear this deed of Bhima’s. They all began to strike Bhimasena with arrows keen as venom-filled snakes. Then, leaving the enemy car on which he stood, Bhima climbed onto Dhruva’s car and crushed that prince, who was striking him without pause, with one blow of his fist. Struck so by the son of Pandu, Dhruva fell down. Having killed him, O king, the mighty Bhimasena went to the car of Jayarata and roared again and again like a lion. Then, dragging Jayarata with his left arm, roaring all the while, he killed that warrior with one slap of his palm, before Karna’s very eyes.”

Sanjaya said, “Then Karna hurled at the son of Pandu a gold-decked lance. But the Pandava, smiling, caught that lance in his hand. And the unconquerable Vrikodara hurled that same lance back at Karna in the battle. Then Shakuni, with an oil-fed arrow, cut that lance in two as it flew toward Karna. Having done these fierce feats in battle, the wondrous Bhima returned to his car and fell upon your host.”

Sanjaya went on, “While Bhima was thus advancing and destroying your army like the destroyer himself, your sons tried to check that mighty-armed hero. Those great warriors covered him with a thick rain of arrows. Then Bhima, smiling, sent the charioteer and horses of Durmada to Yama’s house with his arrows. At this Durmada quickly climbed onto the car of Dushkarna. Then those two foe-slaying brothers, mounted on a single car, fell upon Bhima in the front of the battle the way Varuna and the sun fell upon the daitya chief Taraka. Then your sons Durmada and Dushkarna, mounted on a single car, pierced Bhima with arrows.”

Sanjaya said, “Then, before the very eyes of Karna, Ashvatthama, Duryodhana, Kripa, Somadatta, and Bahlika, that foe-crushing son of Pandu, with one blow of his foot, drove the car of the brave Durmada and Dushkarna into the earth. Filled with wrath, Bhima crushed your brave and mighty sons Durmada and Dushkarna with his fists and roared aloud. Then a cry of horror rose in the armies. And the kings, seeing Bhima, said, ‘This is Rudra himself fighting among the Dhartarashtras in the form of Bhima.’ Saying these words, O Bharata, all the kings lost their wits and fled, driving their mounts at full speed. Truly, not even two of them could be seen running together.”

Sanjaya went on, “Then, when a great slaughter of the Kaurava host had been done in that night, the mighty Vrikodara, his eyes lovely as full-blown lotuses, much praised by many fine kings, went to Yudhishthira and bowed to him. Then Nakula and Sahadeva, Drupada, Virata, the Kaikeyas, and Yudhishthira himself too were filled with great joy. And all of them welcomed Vrikodara the way the gods welcomed Mahadeva at the killing of Andhaka. Then your sons, all like the sons of Varuna, filled with wrath, ringed Vrikodara on every side, hungry for battle, with the splendid teacher and a vast number of cars, foot-soldiers, and elephants. Then, best of kings, in that terrible night, when everything was wrapped in cloud-thick darkness, a dreadful fight took place among those splendid warriors, a fight that gladdened the wolves, crows, and vultures.”

A sub-tale: this fist-fighting of Bhima is the mark of his character. Leaping from his own car onto the enemy’s, crushing princes with bare hands, driving a car into the earth with a blow of his foot, this is that same mace-bearing Bhima in whom the kings see a reflection of Rudra. Crying, “This is Rudra fighting in the form of Bhima,” the Kaurava kings turn and flee.

The gist: Bhima’s terrible wrath breaks loose. He leaps from his car and kills the Kalinga prince, Dhruva, and Jayarata with bare fists and slaps, catches Karna’s thrown lance and flings it back (which Shakuni cuts down), and with a blow of his foot drives the car of Durmada and Dushkarna into the earth, crushing them both. The kings, taking him for Rudra, flee, and the Pandava camp welcomes Bhima with joy.

Ghatotkacha’s entry, and his first clash with Ashvatthama

Sanjaya said, “Seeing Satyaki in the battle, Ashvatthama, filled with wrath at the killing of Somadatta’s son Bhurishrava, fell fiercely upon that Satvata hero at the front of the field. Seeing him rush toward the car of Sini’s grandson, the mighty and huge rakshasa Ghatotkacha, the son of Bhimasena, fell upon him. He rode a vast and terrible car of black iron covered with bear-skins. That huge car was thirty nalvas in height and breadth. Fitted with engines in their places, its rumble was like the roar of a mass of thunderheads. No horses or elephants were yoked to it; in their place were yoked creatures that looked like elephants. On its high banner perched a king of vultures, wings and legs outstretched, eyes wide open, shrieking horribly. It was hung with red pennons and decked with the entrails of many beasts. And that huge car had eight wheels.”

Sanjaya went on, “Mounted on it, Ghatotkacha was ringed by a full akshauhini of terrible-looking rakshasas armed with darts, heavy maces, rocks, and trees. Seeing him come with his bow raised, like the mace-bearing destroyer at the hour of dissolution, the enemy kings filled with fear. That king of the rakshasas, Ghatotkacha, who looked like a terrible mountain peak, with fierce teeth and a grim mouth, ears like arrows and high cheekbones, stiff hair standing up, dreadful eyes, a sunken belly, a mouth wide and blazing like a pit, a crown on his head, able to fill every creature with fear, jaws split like the destroyer’s, great in splendor and able to shake all his foes, seeing him coming toward them, the army of your son was thrown into great confusion, the way the current of the Ganga is churned into fierce whirlpools by the wind.”

Sanjaya said, “Frightened by Ghatotkacha’s lion-roar, the elephants voided themselves and the kings trembled. Then a thick rain of stones, thrown by the rakshasas grown stronger for the night, began to fall on the field. And a ceaseless rain of iron wheels, bhushundis, darts, javelins, pikes, Shataghnis, and axes fell there too. Seeing that fierce and terrible fight, the kings, your sons, and Karna too, sorely troubled, fled away. Only the son of Drona, ever proud of the strength of his weapons, stood fearless. And he quickly destroyed the illusion Ghatotkacha had woven. When his illusion was destroyed, Ghatotkacha in wrath loosed fierce arrows at Ashvatthama. Those arrows pierced the son of Drona the way angry snakes swiftly pierce an anthill. Piercing Ashvatthama’s body, stained with his blood, those arrows sank swiftly into the earth like snakes entering an anthill.”

Sanjaya went on, “But the light-handed and mighty Ashvatthama, filled with wrath, pierced Ghatotkacha with ten arrows. Pierced deep in his vital parts by the son of Drona, and feeling great pain, Ghatotkacha took up a discus with a thousand spokes. Its edge was keen as a razor, and it blazed like the rising sun and was set with many gems and diamonds. Wishing to kill him, the son of Bhimasena hurled that discus at Ashvatthama. And as that discus sped fast toward the son of Drona, Ashvatthama cut it to pieces with his arrows. Foiled, that discus fell to the earth the way the fostered hope of some luckless man falls.”

A key to reading this (lineage): Ghatotkacha is the son of Bhimasena and the rakshasi Hidimba, and so a nephew of the Pandavas. He is a master of the war of illusion, the indrajala, and grows fiercer at night, when the strength of the rakshasas increases. His car, his rakshasa host, and his terrible form are among Vyasa’s peak examples of the wondrous and the fearful rasa.

A key to reading this (numbers in modern terms): Ghatotkacha’s car is said to be “thirty nalvas” in height and breadth. A nalva is an old unit of length, reckoned at about four hundred cubits, something like a hundred to a hundred and fifty meters. Thirty nalvas would make a car several kilometers across, an impossible size, an epic device for magnifying the unearthliness of this rakshasa car.

The gist: Ashvatthama falls upon Satyaki, but the rakshasa Ghatotkacha, son of Bhima, comes between them with his vast iron car and an akshauhini of rakshasas. The night doubles his strength, and even the Kaurava kings and Karna flee in fear. Only Ashvatthama stands unafraid, destroys Ghatotkacha’s illusion, and cuts down his thousand-spoked discus with his arrows.

The slaying of Anjanaparva, and the dialogue on father and son

Sanjaya said, “Seeing his discus foiled, Ghatotkacha quickly covered the son of Drona with his arrows the way Rahu swallows the sun. Meanwhile Ghatotkacha’s son, the splendid Anjanaparva, who looked like a heap of antimony, began to block the advancing son of Drona the way the mountain king Meru blocks the course of the wind. Struck by the arrow-rain of the brave Anjanaparva, grandson of Bhimasena, Ashvatthama looked like Meru bearing a downpour from a fierce cloud. Then Ashvatthama, valiant as Rudra or Upendra, filled with wrath. With one arrow he cut off Anjanaparva’s banner, with two his two charioteers, and with three his triple bamboo pole. And with one arrow he cut the rakshasa’s bow, and with four other arrows his four horses.”

Sanjaya went on, “Made carless, Anjanaparva took up a scimitar. With another keen arrow Ashvatthama cut in two that gold-threaded scimitar in the rakshasa’s hand. Then the grandson of Hidimba, O king, swung a gold-decked mace and quickly hurled it at Ashvatthama. But the son of Drona struck it with his arrows and brought it down to the earth. Then Anjanaparva soared into the sky and roared like a cloud. And from the sky he rained trees upon his enemy. As the sun pierces a mass of clouds with its rays, so Ashvatthama began to pierce that illusion-woven son of Ghatotkacha in the sky with his arrows. The splendid rakshasa came down once more onto his gold-decked car, and then he looked like a tall and lovely hill of antimony on the earth. Then the son of Drona killed that iron-mailed Anjanaparva, grandson of Bhima, the way Mahadeva of old killed the asura Andhaka.”

Sanjaya said, “Seeing his mighty son killed by Ashvatthama, Ghatotkacha came up to the son of Drona and, fearless, addressed that son of the daughter of Sharadwat, who was then burning the Pandava host like a fierce forest fire.”

Ghatotkacha said, “Wait, wait, son of Drona. You shall not escape me with your life. Today I will kill you the way the son of Agni, Kartikeya, killed Krauncha.”

Ashvatthama said, “Go, son, and fight with others, you who have the valor of a god. It is not proper, son of Hidimba, that a father should battle with a son. Son of Hidimba, I bear you no grudge. But when a man’s wrath is roused, he may kill his own self.”

Sanjaya said, “Hearing these words, Ghatotkacha, filled with grief at the killing of his son, his eyes copper-red with wrath, came up to Ashvatthama and said, ‘Son of Drona, am I some coward, some low fellow in battle, that you frighten me with words? Your words are improper. Truly, I am born of Bhima in the celebrated line of the Kurus. I am the son of the Pandava heroes, who never retreat from battle. I am the king of the rakshasas, equal in might to the Ten-necked Ravana. Wait, wait, son of Drona. You shall not escape me with your life. Today, on the field of battle, I will quench your thirst for war.’”

Sanjaya said, “Having answered Ashvatthama so, that mighty rakshasa, his eyes copper-red with wrath, rushed at the son of Drona the way a lion rushes at a prince of elephants. And Ghatotkacha began to shower upon that best of car-warriors, the son of Drona, arrows of the size of a car’s axle, the way a cloud pours a downpour of rain. But the son of Drona checked that rain of arrows with his own before it could reach him. At that hour it seemed as if another battle were being fought in the sky between the arrows themselves. Then in the night the sky, from the sparks of those weapons clashing, blazed as if with countless fireflies.”

A sub-tale: this dialogue is a moving moment of the Mahabharata’s moral tangle. In what sense is Ashvatthama the “father” of Anjanaparva? By the reckoning of the tradition he stands as a generational elder to Ghatotkacha, or the word is a figure, that as the son of the teacher he is like a father to the pupil’s line. Ashvatthama wants to turn the fight aside and says that in wrath a man kills his own self. But Ghatotkacha, blind with grief for his son, does not hear that counsel of restraint. Vyasa gives the pain of both sides equal room.

The gist: Ghatotkacha’s son Anjanaparva blocks Ashvatthama, but Ashvatthama cuts away, one after another, his banner, charioteers, bow, horses, scimitar, and mace, and kills him at last. Ghatotkacha, burning with grief for his son, calls out his challenge. Ashvatthama first tries to stop him with a plea about the dharma of father and son and the self-ruin of wrath, but the grieving rakshasa will not stop, and a fierce, spark-filled battle of arrows breaks out between them in the sky.

The war of illusion, and the answer of celestial weapons

Sanjaya said, “Seeing his illusion destroyed by the son of Drona, Ghatotkacha, proud of his valor in battle, made himself invisible once more and wove an illusion. He took the form of a high mountain crowded with cliffs and trees, with fountains from which flowed ceaselessly spears, javelins, swords, and heavy maces. Seeing that mountain-like mass of antimony, from which countless weapons fell, the son of Drona was not moved at all. He called up the Vajra weapon. Struck by that weapon, the mountain king was quickly destroyed. Then the rakshasa, becoming a mass of blue clouds in the sky, decked with a rainbow, began to shower stones and rocks fiercely on the son of Drona. Then Ashvatthama, best of all who know weapons, loosing the Vayavya weapon, destroyed that blue cloud risen in the sky.”

Sanjaya went on, “Then the son of Drona, that best of men, covered all the points of the compass with his arrows and killed a hundred thousand car-warriors. Then he saw Ghatotkacha coming fearlessly toward him, his bow drawn, ringed by a vast number of rakshasas like lions or mighty rutting elephants, some mounted on elephants, some on cars, some on horses. The son of Hidimba was ringed by his fierce followers, terrible in mouth, head, and neck. Those rakshasas were of both the Paulastya and the Yatudhana lines. Their valor was like Indra’s own. They were armed with weapons of every kind and cased in armor of every kind. Terrible to look on, they were swollen with wrath.”

Sanjaya said, “Seeing Ghatotkacha come ringed by those rakshasas, your son Duryodhana grew very low. To him the son of Drona said, ‘Wait, Duryodhana. You have no need of fear. Draw aside with these brave brothers of yours and these Indra-like lords of the earth. I will kill your enemies. You will not be defeated, I say it truly. Meanwhile, hearten your army.’ Duryodhana said, ‘What you say is no wonder to me, for your heart is great. Son of the daughter of Gautama, your love for us is great.’”

Sanjaya went on, “Having said these words to Ashvatthama, Duryodhana turned to the son of Subala, Shakuni, and said, ‘Dhananjaya is engaged in battle, ringed by a hundred thousand mighty car-warriors. Go against him with sixty thousand cars. Karna, Vrishasena, Kripa, Nila, the warriors of the northern country, Kritavarma, the sons of Purumitra, Duhshasana, Nikumbha, Kundabhedi, Puranjaya, Dridharatha, Hemakampana, Shalya, Aruni, Indrasena, Sanjaya, Vijaya, Jaya, Purakrathin, Jayavarma, and Sudarshana, these will follow you with sixty thousand foot-soldiers. Uncle, kill Bhima, the two twins, and Yudhishthira the son of Dharma, the way the lord of the gods kills the asuras. My hope of victory rests in you. All their limbs are already pierced and mangled by the arrows of the son of Drona. Kill the sons of Kunti, uncle, the way Kartikeya killed the asuras.’ Addressed so by your son, Shakuni set out at once for the ruin of the Pandavas, and your son’s heart filled with joy.”

A key to reading this (concept): the war of illusion, indrajala, is answered with celestial weapons. Ghatotkacha becomes a mountain and a blue cloud and rains weapons; Ashvatthama destroys the mountain-illusion with the Vajra weapon and the cloud-illusion with the Vayavya, the wind weapon. These named weapons are mantra-perfected divine arms bound to some god or element, each with its own counter.

The gist: Ghatotkacha fights his war of illusion, taking the form of a mountain and a blue cloud, but Ashvatthama destroys both illusions with the Vajra and Vayavya weapons and kills a hundred thousand car-warriors. Seeing Ghatotkacha ringed by his rakshasa host, Duryodhana grows anxious, but Ashvatthama gives him courage. Duryodhana sends Shakuni with sixty thousand cars and many great warriors against Arjuna and the rest of the Pandavas.

The slaughter of the rakshasa host, and the river of blood

Sanjaya said, “Meanwhile, O king, a most terrible fight took place in that night between the rakshasas and the son of Drona, such as took place of old between Shakra and Prahlada. Ghatotkacha, filled with wrath, struck the son of Drona in the chest with ten arrows fierce as poison or fire. Pierced deep by those arrows of the son of Bhimasena, Ashvatthama trembled on the terrace of his car like a tall tree shaken by a storm. Then Ghatotkacha, with one broad-headed arrow, quickly cut the bright bow in the hands of the son of Drona. Then Ashvatthama took up another bow, one that could bear great strain, and rained keen arrows like a downpour on his enemy. Then the son of the daughter of Sharadwat, O Bharata, loosed at that sky-ranging rakshasa many gold-winged, sky-ranging, foe-killing arrows.”

Sanjaya went on, “Struck by those arrows, that vast army of broad-chested rakshasas looked like a herd of rutting elephants tormented by lions. Burning those rakshasas with their horses, charioteers, and elephants with his arrows, Ashvatthama shone like the worshipful fire burning creatures at the end of an age. Having burned a full akshauhini of the rakshasa host with his arrows, Ashvatthama shone like the divine Maheshvara in heaven after the burning of Tripura. Then Ghatotkacha, filled with wrath, urged that vast rakshasa host, ‘Kill the son of Drona.’ The terrible rakshasas obeyed Ghatotkacha’s command, their teeth bright, their mouths huge, their forms fearful, their jaws open, their tongues long, and their eyes blazing with wrath. Filling the earth with their loud lion-roars and armed with weapons of every kind, they fell upon the son of Drona to kill him.”

Sanjaya said, “Those fierce and mighty rakshasas, their eyes red with wrath, fearlessly hurled at Ashvatthama’s head, by hundreds and thousands, darts, Shataghnis, spiked maces, thunder-stones, long javelins, axes, sabers, maces, short arrows, heavy mallets, hatchets, pikes, swords, polished lances and clubs, spears, fire-arrows, stones, pots of hot molasses, columns of black iron, and pestles, all of terrible form and able to kill the foe. Seeing that thick rain of weapons falling on the head of the son of Drona, your warriors were greatly troubled. But the son of Drona, fearless, with his sharp, thunder-strong arrows, destroyed that terrible rain of weapons that looked like a risen cloud.”

Sanjaya went on, “Then the high-minded son of Drona, with other gold-winged, mantra-perfected weapons, quickly killed many rakshasas. Struck by those arrows, that vast rakshasa host looked like a herd of rutting elephants tormented by lions. Then the mighty rakshasas, wounded so, filled with wrath, fell upon the son of Drona. At that hour the valor the son of Drona showed was most wondrous, for that deed no other living being could have done, since, alone and unaided, that hero who knew weapons burned that rakshasa host with his blazing arrows, before the very eyes of the rakshasa king. Burning that rakshasa host, the son of Drona shone like the Samvartaka fire burning creatures at the end of an age.”

Sanjaya said, “Truly, among those thousands of kings and the Pandavas, O Bharata, there was none but the brave rakshasa king Ghatotkacha who could even look at the son of Drona, burning armies with his arrows like venom-filled snakes. Then, best of the Bharatas, that rakshasa, his eyes rolling with wrath, slapping his palms and biting his lower lip, said to his charioteer, ‘Take me to the son of Drona.’ Mounted on that fierce car decked with victory-banners, that slayer of foes advanced once more against the son of Drona, hungry for single combat. That fierce and mighty rakshasa, giving a loud lion-roar, swung and hurled at the son of Drona a fierce thunderbolt of celestial make, fitted with eight bells. But the son of Drona leaped from his car, dropped his bow there, caught it, and hurled it back at Ghatotkacha. Meanwhile Ghatotkacha too had quickly leaped from his car. That dazzling, fierce thunderbolt, burning the rakshasa’s car with its horses, charioteers, and banner, pierced the earth and sank into it. Seeing this deed of the son of Drona, that he leaped and caught that celestial thunderbolt, all creatures praised him.”

Sanjaya went on, “Then, going to the car of Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Bhimasena took up a fierce bow like the great bow of Indra and loosed many keen arrows again at the splendid son of Drona. Dhrishtadyumna too, fearless, struck the son of Drona in the chest with many fine gold-winged arrows like venom-snakes. Then the son of Drona loosed thousands of arrows and long shafts. But those two heroes, Ghatotkacha and Dhrishtadyumna, with their fire-touched arrows checked and foiled the arrows of Ashvatthama. Then, with a thousand cars, three hundred elephants, and six thousand horses, Bhimasena arrived at that place. But the son of Drona, whose valor never tired, went on fighting Ghatotkacha the son of Bhima and Dhrishtadyumna, guarded by his followers.”

Sanjaya said, “The valor the son of Drona then showed was most wondrous, for, O Bharata, no other creature could do such deeds. In the twinkling of an eye, with his keen arrows, he destroyed a full akshauhini of the rakshasa host, with its horses, charioteers, cars, and elephants, before the very eyes of Bhimasena, the son of Hidimba, Dhrishtadyumna, the twins, the son of Dharma, Arjuna, and Achyuta. Pierced deep by the straight arrows of Ashvatthama, elephants fell upon elephants like peakless mountains. With the cut trunks of elephants, still writhing, scattered all around, the earth looked as if covered with crawling snakes. And the son of Drona set flowing there a fierce and swift river of blood.”

Sanjaya went on, “The blood of elephants, horses, and warriors was its water; the high banners its frogs; the drums its huge tortoises; the umbrellas its rows of swans; the many chowries its kankas and vultures; the weapons its fish; the huge elephants the stones and rocks of its banks; the elephants and horses its sharks; the cars its unsteady wide banks; and the pennons its lovely rows of trees. The short arrows were its little fish, the javelins, spears, and swords its snakes; the marrow and flesh its mire; and the headless bodies floating on it its rafts. It was full of the hair of men and beasts for its moss. It filled the timid with gloom and fear. On its surface the waves of blood could be seen. Full of foot-soldiers, that river flowed toward the sea that was the abode of Yama.”

A key to reading this (concept): the “river of blood,” the rudhira-nadi, is a stock war-figure of the Mahabharata and the Puranas, in which the field is drawn as a dreadful river that flows into the Vaitarani, the river of the world of Yama. Every kind of war-gear and every corpse is matched to some part of the river, its water, mire, fish, banks, rafts. This is the peak of the gruesome rasa, which shows not the glory of war but its horror.

The gist: Ashvatthama alone burns Ghatotkacha’s whole akshauhini of rakshasa troops with his arrows and mantra-perfected weapons, and even catches Ghatotkacha’s hurled celestial thunderbolt by leaping from his car and flings it back. Dhrishtadyumna and Bhima come to help, but Ashvatthama fights on untiring and turns the field into a river of blood flowing to the world of Yama.

Ashvatthama’s terrible arrow, and Ghatotkacha’s swoon

Sanjaya said, “Having killed the rakshasas, the son of Drona began again to torment the son of Hidimba with arrows. Filled once more with wrath, the valiant son of Drona, piercing those great warriors, the Parthas with Vrikodara and Dhrishtadyumna, killed Suratha, one of the sons of Drupada. Then in that battle he killed Suratha’s younger brother Shatrunjaya. And then he killed Balanika, Jayanika, and Jaya. And once more, with one keen arrow, the son of Drona, roaring like a lion, killed Prishadhra, and then the proud Chandrasena. And then with ten arrows he killed the ten sons of Kuntibhoja. Then, O king, the son of Drona sent Shrutayu to Yama’s house. And with three other keen, well-feathered, red-eyed arrows he sent the mighty Shatrunjaya to the world of Shakra.”

Sanjaya went on, “Then Ashvatthama, filled with wrath, set to his string a fierce, straight arrow. Drawing the string to his ear, he quickly loosed at Ghatotkacha that fierce and fine arrow, like the very rod of death. That fierce, well-feathered arrow passed through the rakshasa’s chest and, O lord of the earth, pierced the earth and sank into it. At this Ghatotkacha fell down on his car. Taking him for fallen and dead, the great warrior Dhrishtadyumna carried him away from before the son of Drona and set him on another car. So, O king, that car-force of Yudhishthira turned its face from the battle. Having beaten his enemies, the brave son of Drona gave a loud lion-roar. And all men and all your sons welcomed him, noble one.”

Sanjaya said, “Covered all around with the fallen bodies of the killed rakshasas, pierced and mangled by hundreds of arrows, that earth grew terrible to look on and hard to cross, as if strewn with mountain peaks. The Siddhas, the gandharvas, the pishachas, the nagas, the birds, the fathers, the crows, and the great throngs of man-eaters and ghosts, and the apsaras and the gods, all together greatly praised the son of Drona.”

A sub-tale: note that this is not the death of Ghatotkacha, only his swoon. Struck by Ashvatthama’s arrow he falls and seems dead, but Dhrishtadyumna carries him away and saves him. Ghatotkacha’s true death will come later in this same parva, from that unfailing dart of Karna, the Vasava-given dart of Indra, which Karna had kept in store for Arjuna. That dart will be spent on killing Ghatotkacha, and this will prove a part of Krishna’s far-seeing strategy.

The gist: Ashvatthama kills the sons of Drupada, the ten sons of Kuntibhoja, and many other heroes, then, with a fierce arrow like the rod of death, pierces Ghatotkacha in the chest and leaves him in a swoon. Dhrishtadyumna carries him away on another car, and Yudhishthira’s car-force falls back. Even the gods praise the lone valor of Ashvatthama.

The end of Somadatta and Bahlika, and Yudhishthira’s fury

Sanjaya said, “Seeing his son Bhurishrava killed by Satyaki’s hand, and killed even while seated in the fast unto death, the wrathful Somadatta had already reproached Satyaki and sworn that he would kill him before this night was out, unless Pritha’s son Arjuna guarded him. A fierce war of words and then of arrows had already broken out between the two. Now, seeing the sons of Drupada and the sons of Kuntibhoja and thousands of rakshasas killed by the son of Drona, Yudhishthira, Bhimasena, Dhrishtadyumna, and Yuyudhana, joining together, set their minds firmly on battle.”

Sanjaya went on, “Then Somadatta, seeing Satyaki in the battle, filled again with wrath, began to cover him with a thick rain of arrows. Then between your warriors and the enemy’s, both hungry for victory, a fierce and most wondrous fight took place. Fighting on Satyaki’s side, Bhima pierced that Kaurava hero Somadatta with ten arrows. But Somadatta, in return, pierced that hero with a hundred arrows. Then Satyaki, filled with wrath, with ten keen, thunder-strong arrows pierced that old warrior, who was sunk in grief for the death of his son and who was endowed with every virtue like Yayati the son of Nahusha. Piercing him with great force, he struck him again with seven arrows.”

Sanjaya said, “Then Bhimasena, fighting for Satyaki, hurled a new, hard, and fierce iron club at Somadatta’s head. Satyaki too, filled with wrath, struck Somadatta in the chest in that battle with a fine, keen, well-feathered arrow blazing like fire. The club and the arrow, both fierce, fell together on the body of the brave Somadatta. That great warrior fell down at this.”

Sanjaya went on, “Seeing his son Somadatta fallen in a swoon, Bahlika fell upon Satyaki, scattering a cloud-like rain of arrows. Then Bhima, for Satyaki’s sake, tormented the splendid Bahlika with nine arrows and pierced him at the front of the battle. Then the mighty-armed Bahlika, son of Pratipa, filled with great wrath, hurled a dart at Bhima’s chest the way Indra hurls the thunderbolt. Struck by it, Bhima trembled on his car and fainted. Then that hero, recovering his senses, hurled a mace at his foe. That mace, hurled by the son of Pandu, struck off Bahlika’s head, and he fell lifeless to the earth like a tree felled by lightning.”

Sanjaya said, “At the killing of the brave Bahlika, that best of men, ten of your sons, each equal in valor to Rama the son of Dasharatha, began to torment Bhima. They were Nagadatta, Dridharatha, Virabahu, Ayobhuja, Dridha, Suhasta, Viraja, Pramatha, and Ugrayayin. Seeing them, Bhimasena filled with wrath. Then he took up many arrows that could bear great strain. Aiming at each in turn, he loosed those arrows at them, piercing the vital part of each. Pierced by them, they fell from their cars like tall trees torn from mountain peaks by a storm. Having killed those ten sons of yours with those ten arrows, Bhima covered the dear son of Karna with a rain of arrows.”

Sanjaya went on, “Then Karna’s brother, the famous Vrikaratha, pierced Bhima with many arrows. But the mighty Pandava quickly finished him off. Then, O Bharata, having killed with his arrows the seven car-warriors who were your brothers-in-law, the brave Bhima drove Satachandra into the earth. Unable to bear the killing of the great warrior Satachandra, the brothers of Shakuni, namely the brave Gavaksha, Sharabha, Vibhu, Subhaga, and Bhanudatta, these five great warriors, rushed at Bhimasena and tormented him with their keen arrows. Struck like a mountain by a downpour, Bhima still killed those five kings with five arrows. Seeing those heroes killed, many great kings wavered.”

Sanjaya said, “Then Yudhishthira, filled with wrath, O sinless one, began to destroy your lines before the very eyes of the jar-born Drona and your sons. Truly, with his arrows Yudhishthira began to send the Ambashthas, the Malavas, the brave Trigartas, and the Shivis to the world of Yama. And cutting down the Abhishahas, the Surasenas, the Bahlikas, and the Vasatis, he made the earth miry with flesh and blood. And in the twinkling of an eye, with his arrows, he sent the Yaudheyas, the Malavas, and a great number, O king, of the Madrakas to the kingdom of Yama. Then a loud cry rose near Yudhishthira’s car, in which was heard, ‘Kill,’ ‘Seize,’ ‘Take prisoner,’ ‘Pierce,’ ‘Cut to pieces.’”

A key to reading this (lineage): Somadatta and Bahlika belong to the elder generation of the Kuru line. Bahlika is the son of Pratipa and thus an elder and contemporary of Bhishma; Somadatta is his son, and Bhurishrava is Somadatta’s son. In a single passage the grandfather Bahlika and the father Somadatta are both killed after the son, which shows the complete ruin of this branch of the line.

The gist: enraged at Bhurishrava’s death, Somadatta falls upon Satyaki, but Bhima and Satyaki together bring him down with club and arrow. Bahlika, coming to save his son, has his head struck off by Bhima’s mace. Then Bhima kills ten of your sons, Karna’s brother Vrikaratha, and the five brothers of Shakuni, while Yudhishthira sends the armies of the Ambashthas, Malavas, Trigartas, Madrakas, and other peoples to the world of Yama.

The celestial-weapon duel of Drona and Yudhishthira

Sanjaya said, “Seeing Yudhishthira thus destroying and routing your army, Drona, urged on by your son, covered him with a rain of arrows. Filled with great wrath, Drona loosed the Vayavya weapon at Yudhishthira. But the son of Pandu foiled that celestial weapon with a like weapon of his own. Seeing his weapon foiled, the son of Bharadwaja, filled with great wrath and wishing to kill the son of Pandu, loosed at Yudhishthira celestial weapons of many kinds, the Varuna, the Yamya, the Agneya, the Tvashtra, and the Savitra. But the mighty-armed Pandava, who knows dharma, fearlessly foiled all those weapons of Drona, both those already loosed and those in the loosing.”

Sanjaya went on, “Then Drona, resolved to fulfill his vow and to work your son’s good by killing the son of Dharma, O Bharata, called up the Aindra and the Prajapatya weapons. Then Yudhishthira, best of the Kurus, that hero with the gait of an elephant or a lion, broad of chest and large and red of eye, whose splendor was but a little less than Drona’s, called up the Mahendra weapon. With it he foiled Drona’s weapon. Seeing all his weapons foiled, Drona, filled with wrath and wishing to destroy Yudhishthira, called up the Brahma weapon. Then we all, wrapped in thick darkness, could see nothing. All creatures too, O king, were filled with great fear. Seeing the Brahma weapon raised, Kunti’s son Yudhishthira, O king, foiled it with his own Brahma weapon.”

Sanjaya said, “Then all the fine warriors praised those two best of men, Drona and Yudhishthira, great archers who knew every art of war. Leaving Yudhishthira, Drona then, his eyes copper-red with wrath, began to burn the army of Drupada with the Vayavya weapon. Tormented by Drona, the Panchalas fled in fear before the very eyes of Bhimasena and the splendid Partha. Then the crowned Arjuna and Bhimasena, checking that flight of their army, met that enemy host at once with two great masses of cars. Attacking from the right came Arjuna, and from the left Vrikodara, and the son of Bharadwaja was hemmed in by two fierce rains of arrows. Then the Kaikeyas, the Srinjayas, and the splendid Panchalas, with the Matsyas and the Satvatas, followed behind those two brothers. Then the Bharata host, slaughtered by the crowned Arjuna and overcome by sleep and darkness, began to break. Drona and your son too tried to hold it together. But, O king, those warriors could not be checked in their flight.”

A key to reading this (concept): this is the peak scene of the science of celestial weapons. Each divine weapon is bound to some god: the Varuna to Varuna and water, the Yamya to Yama, the Agneya to Agni, the Tvashtra to Vishvakarma, the Savitra to the sun, the Aindra to Indra, the Prajapatya to Prajapati, the Mahendra, and, above all, the Brahma weapon. Each is countered by its equal. Yudhishthira, who usually stands in the shadow of Arjuna and Bhima, here shows his own mastery by foiling every weapon of a teacher like Drona, the Brahma weapon included, with a like weapon.

The gist: to kill Yudhishthira, Drona looses the Vayavya, Varuna, Yamya, Agneya, Aindra, Prajapatya, and at last the Brahma weapon, but the son of Dharma foils every one with its equal. Beaten, Drona turns on Drupada’s army; Bhima and Arjuna ring him from both sides, but the Bharata host, worn out by sleep and darkness, begins to break, and neither Drona nor Duryodhana can hold it.

Karna’s vow, and Kripa’s bitter retort

Sanjaya said, “Seeing the Pandava host, surging with wrath, grown irresistible, your son Duryodhana said these words to Karna, ‘You who are devoted to your friends, the hour has come when your friends have the greatest need of your help. Karna, guard all my warriors in this battle. Our warriors are now ringed on every side by the great warriors of the Panchalas, the Kaikeyas, the Matsyas, and the Pandavas, all like angry hissing snakes. And the Pandavas, hungry for victory, are roaring with joy.’”

Karna answered, “If even Indra himself came here to save Partha, I would quickly beat him too and kill that son of Pandu. I say it truly. Be glad, Bharata. I will kill the son of Pandu and all the gathered Panchalas. I will give you victory, as the son of the fire-god, Kartikeya, gave victory to Vasava. Among all the Parthas, Phalguna is the strongest. On him I will loose that deadly dart made by the craft of Shakra. When that great archer is dead, his brothers will either surrender to you or go again to the forest. While I live, Kaurava, never grieve. I will beat in battle all the gathered Pandavas, and all the gathered Panchalas, Kaikeyas, and Vrishnis. Making them like porcupines with my rain of arrows, I will give you the earth.”

Sanjaya went on, “As Karna was speaking these words, the mighty-armed Kripa, son of Sharadwat, smiling, said these words to the son of a Suta, ‘Karna, your speech is fine. If success came from words alone, then, Radheya, having you for a protector, the protection of this best of the Kurus would be counted complete. You brag much, Karna, before the Kuru chief, but your valor is rarely seen, nor any result of your brags. Many times we have seen you fighting the Pandavas. On every occasion, son of a Suta, you have been beaten by the Pandavas.’”

Kripa said further, “When the gandharvas were carrying off the son of Dhritarashtra as their prisoner, the whole army fought except you; you alone were the first to flee. In the city of Virata too, with your brothers and all the Kauravas, you were beaten in battle by Partha. You are not the equal even of Phalguna, one of the sons of Pandu. Then how do you dare to hope to beat all the sons of Pandu with Krishna at their head? You brag too much, son of a Suta. Fight in battle without a word. To show valor without a brag is the mark of the good. Ever roaring high like the dry clouds of autumn, Karna, you prove yourself hollow. But the king does not understand this.”

Kripa went on, “You roar only so long, Radheya, as you do not see the son of Pritha. When Partha comes near, these roars vanish. Truly, you roar only so long as you are out of the reach of Phalguna’s arrows. The moment you are pierced by Partha’s arrows, these roars of yours vanish. Kshatriyas show their worth with their arms, brahmanas with their speech, Arjuna with his bow, but Karna with the castles he builds in the air. Who can face that Partha who once even pleased Rudra himself in battle?”

A sub-tale: Kripa’s mention of “pleasing Rudra” points to the Kirata episode, when Arjuna, having done penance, challenged the god Shiva, who had come in the guise of a Kirata, a hill hunter, to a fight. Pleased with Arjuna’s valor, Shiva gave him the Pashupata weapon. Kripa is recalling just this, that before a man who satisfied Mahadeva himself, Karna’s brags are empty.

The gist: Duryodhana calls on Karna to guard the army, and Karna brags again that with the Vasava-given dart he will kill Arjuna and hand the earth to Duryodhana. Kripa reminds him with bitter sarcasm that at the cattle-raid and at the battle of Virata Karna was beaten by Arjuna again and again, that Karna’s valor lives only in his speech, and that before Arjuna his roars vanish.

Karna’s reply, Ashvatthama’s wrath, and the quarrel in the Kuru camp

Sanjaya said, “Thus reproached by the son of Sharadwat, that best of hard hitters, Karna, answered Kripa in these words, ‘Heroes ever roar like the clouds of the rainy season, and, like seeds sown in ready ground, they soon bear fruit. I see no fault in those heroes who, taking great burdens on their shoulders, brag on the field of battle. When a man resolves in his mind to carry a burden, fate itself helps in its accomplishment. In the wish to carry a great burden in my heart, I always gather resolve enough. If, having killed in battle the sons of Pandu with the Satvatas and Krishna, I roar so, then, brahmana, what is that to you? Those who are heroes do not roar in vain like the autumn clouds. Only the wise, aware of their own strength, roar.’”

Karna went on, “In my heart I have firmly resolved that today, fighting with firmness in battle, I will beat the gathered Krishna and Partha. This is why I roar, son of Gautama. See the fruit of these roars of mine, brahmana. Having killed in battle the son of Pandu with all his followers, and Krishna and the Satvatas, I will give Duryodhana the whole earth free of thorns.”

Kripa said, “Son of a Suta, I count these ranting words of yours, which show only your fancies and not your deeds, as nothing at all. You always speak in slander of the two Krishnas and of Yudhishthira the son of Dharma. Karna, the victory will surely be his in whose camp those two war-skilled heroes stand. Truly, Krishna and Arjuna are unconquerable even by the gods, the gandharvas, the yakshas, men, nagas, and birds, by all who bear armor. Yudhishthira the son of Dharma is devoted to the brahmanas, truthful and self-restrained. He honors the fathers and the gods, is set on truth and dharma, and is skilled in weapons too.”

Sanjaya said, “Naming many heroes of the Pandava side, Dhrishtadyumna, Shikhandi, the sons of Draupadi, Ghatotkacha, and other great warriors, Kripa said that while these and many others lived, the sons of Pandu would not come to ruin. ‘Beyond doubt, Bhima and Phalguna, by the strength of their weapons, can destroy the whole universe with its gods, asuras, and men. As for Yudhishthira, by his angry glance alone he can burn the whole world. Karna, those enemies for whose sake the immeasurably strong Sauri has put on armor, how do you dare to hope to beat them in battle? This is great folly of yours, son of a Suta, for you always dare to fight Sauri himself.’”

Sanjaya went on, “Addressed so, best of the Bharatas, Radheya Karna, smiling, said these words to the teacher Kripa, ‘What you have said of the Pandavas, brahmana, is all true. These and many other virtues are seen in the sons of Pandu. It is true too that the Parthas are unconquerable even by the gods led by Vasava and by the daityas, yakshas, and rakshasas. Still, I will beat the Parthas with the help of the Vasava-given dart. You know, brahmana, that the dart given by Shakra is unfailing. With it I will kill Savyasachin in battle. When Arjuna falls, Krishna and Arjuna’s brothers will never be able to enjoy the earth without Arjuna. So they will all be ruined.’”

Karna went on, “As for you, you are old, a brahmana by birth, and unskilled in war. You bear great love for the Pandavas. That is why you insult me so. If, brahmana, you ever speak such words to me again, I will draw my scimitar and cut out your tongue, wretch. Then, wishing to slander Kripa’s cause, Karna counted up the killing of Bhishma, Vikarna, Jayadratha, Bhurishrava, Jalasandha, Sudakshina, Bhagadatta, and many other great heroes, and said, ‘When these heroes, hard to beat even by the gods, lie killed on the field by the Pandavas, then, basest of men, what do you take this to be but the fruit of fate? The armies of both sides are dwindling. In this I see no special valor of the Pandavas, only fate. Still, for Duryodhana’s good, I will fight them to the utmost of my strength. As for victory, that rests with fate.’”

Sanjaya said, “Seeing his uncle addressed by the son of a Suta with such hard and insulting words, Ashvatthama, drawing his scimitar, before the very eyes of the Kuru king, fell upon Karna in fierce wrath the way a lion falls upon a rutting elephant.”

Ashvatthama said, “Basest of men, Kripa was describing the true virtues of Arjuna. Fool that you are, out of malice you reproach my brave uncle. Filled with pride and arrogance, you brag today of your valor and count no archer in the world as anything. Where was your valor and where your weapons when the wielder of Gandiva beat you in battle and, before your very eyes, killed Jayadratha? Base son of a Suta, you nurse in vain the hope of beating him who first fought Mahadeva himself. The gods led by Indra, joined with the asuras, could not beat Arjuna, whose only helper was Krishna. Then, Suta, how do you hope, with the help of these kings, to beat that unconquerable Arjuna? See, wicked Karna, today I will cut off your head from your trunk.”

Sanjaya went on, “Saying this, Ashvatthama rushed fiercely at Karna. But the splendid king Duryodhana and the good Kripa held him back with force. Then Karna said, ‘This foolish, base brahmana counts himself a hero and brags in battle of his valor. Let him go, best of the Kurus. Let him feel the touch of my strength.’ Ashvatthama said, ‘Son of a Suta, this fault of yours is forgiven by us. But Phalguna will surely quiet this risen pride of yours.’”

Sanjaya said, “Then Duryodhana said, ‘Ashvatthama, calm your wrath. Man of honor, it becomes you to forgive. Sinless one, you should not be angry with the son of a Suta. On you, and Karna, and Kripa, and Drona, and the Madra king Shalya, and the son of Subala rests a great burden. Put away your wrath, best of brahmanas. The whole Pandava host is coming, hungry to fight Radheya.’ Thus calmed by the king, the high-minded Ashvatthama, whose wrath had blazed up, held it down and forgave Karna. Then the mild and gentle-natured teacher Kripa too came back, repeating to the son of a Suta, ‘This fault of yours is forgiven, but Phalguna will quiet this pride of yours.’”

A key to reading this (lineage and kinship): this quarrel shows the inner split of the Kaurava camp. Kripa is the maternal uncle of Ashvatthama, brother of his mother Kripi, and so, hearing his uncle insulted, Ashvatthama draws his scimitar and rushes at Karna. Duryodhana must hold back his own chief warriors, Karna and Ashvatthama, and make peace between them. At the deciding hour of the war, the leaders of the army are fighting one another.

The gist: Karna calls Kripa a partisan of the Pandavas and unskilled in war and threatens to cut out his tongue, and calls the ruin of all those heroes the fruit of fate. Hearing his uncle insulted, Ashvatthama draws his scimitar and rushes at Karna, reminding him of his failure when Jayadratha was killed. Duryodhana and Kripa hold Ashvatthama back, and this quarrel in the Kuru camp is stilled as best it can be while the Pandava army bears down.

Karna’s battle with the Pandava host, and his duel with Arjuna

Sanjaya said, “Then the Pandavas and the Panchalas, famed for valor, O king, joining together in their thousands, advanced with loud cries. Karna too, ringed by many Kuru warriors and like Shakra among the gods, stood with his bow drawn, trusting in the strength of his own arms. Then a most terrible fight, full of loud lion-roars, began between Karna and the Pandavas. The Pandavas and Panchalas, seeing the mighty-armed Karna, cried out aloud, ‘There is Karna,’ ‘Where is Karna in this dreadful battle,’ ‘Fool, basest of men, fight with us.’ Others, seeing Radheya, said with eyes wide with wrath, ‘Let the joined kings kill this proud, small-minded son of a Suta. He has no need to live. This sinful man is ever hostile to the Parthas. Obedient to Duryodhana’s counsels, he is the root of all these evils. Kill him.’”

Sanjaya went on, “Saying such words, the great Kshatriya car-warriors, urged by the son of Pandu, fell upon him, covering him with a thick rain of arrows to kill him. Seeing all those mighty Pandavas advancing, the son of a Suta neither trembled nor felt fear. Truly, seeing that wondrous sea of troops like death itself, Karna, that mighty and light-handed friend of your sons, ever unbeaten in battle, began to check that host on every side with masses of arrows. The Pandavas too fought, raining arrows on their foe. Shaking their thousands of bows, they fought Radheya the way the daityas of old fought Shakra. But the mighty Karna, with his own thick rain of arrows, scattered that arrow-current pouring on him from every side from those lords of the earth.”

Sanjaya said, “The lightness of hand of the son of a Suta was then most wondrous, for all his enemies, though they fought with firmness, could not pierce him in that battle. Checking the arrow-rain of the enemy kings, that great warrior Radheya loosed at their yokes, poles, umbrellas, cars, and horses fierce arrows marked with his own name. Then, tormented by Karna and losing their steadiness, those kings wandered over the field like cattle troubled by cold. Countless horses, elephants, and car-warriors, struck by Karna, were seen falling lifeless there. The whole field, O king, was covered with the fallen heads and arms of heroes who never turned their backs. With the dead, the dying, and the wailing warriors, that field, O king, looked like the abode of Yama.”

Sanjaya went on, “Then, O king, seeing Karna’s valor, Duryodhana went to Ashvatthama and said, ‘See, Karna in his armor is fighting all the enemy kings. See the enemy host, tormented by Karna’s arrows, fleeing like the asura host overcome by the splendor of Kartikeya. Seeing his army beaten by the wise Karna, Arjuna is coming to kill the son of a Suta. So let steps be taken by which the son of Pandu, before the eyes of us all, cannot kill that great warrior the son of a Suta.’ Addressed so, the son of Drona, Kripa, Shalya, and the great warrior son of Hridika, seeing the son of Kunti coming like Shakra against the asura host, advanced against Partha to guard the son of a Suta. Meanwhile, O king, Arjuna, ringed by the Panchalas, advanced toward Karna the way Indra advanced against the asura Vritra.”

Dhritarashtra asked, “Seeing Phalguna blazing with wrath and like the destroyer at the end of an age, what, O Suta, did Karna, the son of Vikartana, then do? Truly, the great warrior Karna had always challenged Partha, and had always said that he was able to beat that terrible Arjuna. Then, O Suta, meeting all at once with that ever-deadly enemy of his, what did that warrior do?”

Sanjaya said, “Seeing the son of Pandu coming toward him like an elephant against a rival elephant, Karna, fearless, advanced toward Dhananjaya. But Partha quickly covered the fast-approaching Karna with a rain of straight gold-winged arrows. Karna too covered Arjuna with his arrows. Then the son of Pandu again covered Karna with masses of arrows. Then Karna, filled with wrath, pierced Arjuna with three arrows. The great warrior Arjuna could not bear the lightness of Karna’s hand. That foe-crusher loosed at the son of a Suta thirty straight arrows, whetted on stone and blazing at the point. And the splendid Arjuna, smiling, in wrath, struck with one long arrow the wrist of Karna’s left arm. Then Karna’s bow, held in that arm pierced with great force, slipped and fell.”

Sanjaya went on, “Then the mighty Karna, in the twinkling of an eye, took up that bow again and, showing the lightness of his hand, once more covered Phalguna with masses of arrows. Then Dhananjaya, O Bharata, smiling, foiled with his own arrows that rain of arrows loosed by the son of a Suta. Coming near each other, each wishing to make the other’s skill fruitless, those two great archers covered each other with rains of arrows. That fight between them, between Karna and the son of Pandu, was most wondrous, like the fight of two wild elephants battling over a she-elephant in season.”

Sanjaya said, “Then the great archer Partha, seeing Karna’s valor, quickly cut off Karna’s bow near the grip. And with many broad-headed arrows he sent Karna’s four horses to Yama’s house. And that foe-crusher struck off too the head of Karna’s charioteer from his trunk. Then the Pandava, the son of Pritha, pierced with four arrows the bowless, horseless, and driverless Karna. Then that best of men, Karna, wounded by those arrows, quickly leaped from that horseless car and climbed onto the car of Kripa. Seeing Radheya beaten, best of the Bharatas, your warriors fled in all directions.”

Sanjaya went on, “Seeing them flee, King Duryodhana himself checked them and said these words, ‘Heroes, do not flee. Best of Kshatriyas, stand firm in battle. I myself will now advance to kill Partha. I myself, with all the gathered Panchalas, will kill Partha. Today, when I fight the wielder of Gandiva, Partha will see my valor like that of the destroyer at the end of an age. Today Partha will see my thousands of arrows like swarms of locusts. Stand firm, heroes, and cast off your fear of Phalguna.’ Saying this, that king, red-eyed with wrath, ringed by a great host, advanced toward Phalguna.”

Sanjaya said, “Seeing the mighty-armed Duryodhana advancing so, the son of Sharadwat, Kripa, went to Ashvatthama and said, ‘Yonder the mighty-armed Duryodhana, his senses lost in wrath, wishes to fight Phalguna the way an insect wishes to leap into a blazing fire. Check him before this best of kings gives up his life in this battle with Partha, before our very eyes. The brave Kuru king can live in battle only so long as he does not come within the reach of Partha’s arrows. Let the king be checked, before he is burned by the fierce arrows of Partha, who is like a snake that has cast its slough.’”

Sanjaya went on, “At his uncle’s words, the son of Drona, best of all who know weapons, quickly went to Duryodhana and said, ‘While I am alive, son of Gandhari, it does not become you to disregard me and go into battle, Kuru, for I am ever your well-wisher. You need have no worry at all about beating Partha. I will check Partha. Stay here, Suyodhana.’”

Sanjaya said, “At this Duryodhana said, ‘The teacher ever guards the sons of Pandu as if they were his own sons. And you too never truly fight my enemies. Or it may be my ill luck that your valor is never fierce in battle. It may be too for your love of Yudhishthira or of Draupadi. I myself do not know the true reason. A curse on my greedy nature, for which all the friends who wish to make me happy are themselves beaten and sunk in grief.’”

Duryodhana went on, “Son of the daughter of Gautama, except you, what other hero, what warrior truly like Mahadeva in battle, is there among all who know weapons, who, though able, would not destroy the enemy? Ashvatthama, be pleased with me and destroy my enemies. Neither the gods nor the danavas can stand before your weapons. Son of Drona, kill the Panchalas and the Somakas with all their followers. The rest, guarded by you, we will kill. Brahmana, slayer of foes, go there quickly. This work, noble one, whether now or a little later, you must surely do. Mighty-armed one, you are born for the destruction of our enemies.”

A sub-tale: note that though Arjuna makes Karna bowless, horseless, and driverless, he does not kill him on this occasion. This is bound up with his vow that Karna’s slaying will come at a chosen hour, and the center of this parva is now Drona and Ghatotkacha, not Karna. Karna’s life is spared here too because his Vasava dart has not yet been spent, and it will be spent later on Ghatotkacha; this is the hidden strategy of Krishna.

The gist: Karna alone holds off the whole Pandava host and their taunting kings with his rain of arrows, but the moment Arjuna comes a wondrous duel breaks out. Arjuna cuts Karna’s bow, his four horses, and his charioteer and leaves him weaponless, and Karna flees onto Kripa’s car. In his heat Duryodhana himself goes to fight Arjuna, but Kripa and Ashvatthama hold him back. Duryodhana repeats his charge of favoritism against Drona and begs Ashvatthama to destroy the enemy.

Source: the Mahabharata (Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa), Drona Parva; in the Gita Press, Gorakhpur tradition.