Section CVI

“Sanjaya said, ‘Kshemadhurti, O monarch, pierced the advancing Vrihatkshatra of great valour, that prince of the Kaikeyas, with many arrows in the chest. King Vrihatkshatra then, O monarch, desirous of piercing through Drona’s division, quickly struck his antagonist with ninety straight shafts. Kshemadhurti, however, filled with rage, cut off, with a sharp well-tempered, and broad-headed shaft, the bow of that high-souled prince of the Kaikeyas. Having cut off his bow, Kshemadhurti then, with a keen and straight shaft, quickly pierced in that encounter that foremost of all bowmen. Then Vrihatkshatra, taking up another bow and smiling (at his foe), soon made the mighty car-warrior Kshemadhurti steedless and driverless and carless. And with another broad-headed shaft that was well-tempered and sharp, he cut off, from the trunk of his royal antagonist his head blazing with (a pair of) ear-rings. That head, graced with only locks and a diadem, suddenly cut off, fell down on the earth and looked resplendent like a luminary fallen from the firmament. Having slain his foe, the mighty car-warrior Vrihatkshatra became filled with joy and fell with great force upon thy troops for the sake of the Parthas. The great bowman Viradhanwan, O Bharata, endued with great prowess, resisted Dhrishtaketu who was advancing against Drona. Encountering each other, those two heroes having arrows for their fangs, and both endued with great activity, struck each other with many thousands of arrows. Indeed, those two tigers among men fought with each other, like two leaders of elephantine herds in the deep woods with fury. Both endued with great energy, they fought, each desirous of slaying the other, like two enraged tigers in a mountain-cave. That combat, O monarch, became exceedingly fierce. Deserving to be witnessed, it became highly wonderful. The very Siddhas and the Charanas, in large numbers, witnessed it with wonder-waiting eyes. Then Viradhanwan, O Bharata, with a laugh, cut off in rage Dhrishtaketu’s bow in twain by means of broad-headed arrows. Abandoning that broken bow, the ruler of the Chedis, that mighty car-warrior took up a fierce dart made of iron and equipped with a golden staff. Bending with his hands, O Bharata, that dart of fierce energy towards the car of Viradhanwan, Dhrishtaketu hurled it carefully and with great force. Struck with great force by that hero-slaying dart, and his heart pierced by it through, Viradhanwan, quickly fell down on the earth from his car. Upon the fall of that hero, that mighty car-warrior among the Trigartas, thy army, O lord, was broken by the Pandavas. (Thy son) Durmukha sped sixty shafts at Sahadeva, and uttered a loud shout in that battle, challenging that son of Pandu. The son of Madri, then, filled with rage, pierced Durmukha with many keen arrows, smiling the while, the brother striking the brother. Beholding the mighty Durmukha fighting furiously, Sahadeva, then, O Bharata, once more struck him with nine shafts. Endued with great strength, Sahadeva then cut off Durmukha’s standard with a broad-headed arrow and struck down his four steeds with four other arrows. And then with another broad-headed arrow, well-tempered and sharp, he cut off, from his trunk, the head of Durmukha’s charioteer that shone with a pair of ear-rings. And cutting off Durmukha’s large bow with a razor-faced arrow, Sahadeva pierced Durmukha himself in that battle with five arrows. Durmukha fearlessly jumping down from that steedless car, mounted the car, O Bharata, of Niramitra. Then that slayer of hostile heroes, viz., Sahadeva, filled with rage slew in that great battle Niramitra in the midst of his division with a broad-headed arrow. Thereupon, prince Niramitra, the son of the ruler of the Trigartas, fell down from his car, afflicting thy army with great grief. Slaying him, the mighty-armed Sahadeva looked resplendent like Rama, the son of Dasaratha, after slaying the mighty (Rakshasa) Khara. Beholding that mighty car-warrior, viz., prince Niramitra slain, loud cries of Oh and Alas arose, O monarch, among the Trigarta warriors. Nakula, O king, in a moment vanquished thy son Vikarna of large eyes. This seemed highly wonderful. Vyaghradatta, by means of his straight shafts, made Satyaki invisible with his steeds and driver and standard in the midst of his division. The brave grandson of Sini, baffling those shafts with great lightness of hand, felled Vyaghradatta by means of his arrows, with his steeds and driver and standard. Upon the fall, O lord, of that prince of the Magadhas, the latter, struggling vigorously, rushed against Yuyudhana from all sides. Scattering their shafts and lances by thousands, and sharp arrows and spears and mallets and thick clubs, those brave warriors fought in that battle with that invincible hero of the Satwata race. Endued with great might, invincible Satyaki, that bull among men, with the greatest ease and laughing the while, vanquished them all. The Magadhas were nearly exterminated. A small remnant flew from the field. Beholding this, thy army, already afflicted with the arrows of Yuyudhana, broke, O lord! Then that foremost one of Madhu’s race, having slaughtered in battle thy troops, that illustrious hero, looked resplendent as he shook his bow. The army, O king, was thus routed by that high-souled one of the Satwata race. Indeed, frightened by that hero of long arms, none approached him for fight. Then Drona filled with rage and rolling his eyes, himself rushed impetuously towards Satyaki, of feats incapable of being baffled.’”