06.088
Core and Pancharatra: Drona along with other Kaurava warriors comes to the rescue of Duryodhana; the combined Kaurava forces face defeat in front of great Ghatotkacha.
Sanjaya said:
Then the king of kings bore that unbearable shower of arrows in battle, just as a great elephant withstands the rain.
Then, your son, overwhelmed with anger and breathing heavily like a serpent, was seized by great doubt, O best of the Bharatas.
He released twenty-five sharp arrows that fell suddenly on the foremost of demons, like angry serpents on the Gandhamadana mountain, O king.
Pierced by them and bleeding like a wounded elephant, he resolved to destroy the king. The flesh-eater then seized a mighty weapon, capable of shattering mountains.
The mighty-armed hero, blazing like a great meteor and like Indra's thunderbolt, rose up with the intent to kill your son.
The lord of the Vangas, upon seeing her rise, quickly directed the massive elephant towards the demon.
In the battle, he, with the help of a strong and swift elephant, followed the path of Duryodhana's chariot. Your son's elephant then stopped the chariot.
Upon observing the path obstructed by the wise King Vanga, Ghatotkacha, with eyes inflamed by rage, cast his mighty weapon at the elephant.
He was struck by her released arm, O king, causing blood to gush out, and he fell down dead.
Then the mighty lord of the Vangas, with great speed, descended upon the elephant and reached the ground.
Duryodhana, upon seeing the fallen great elephant and the shattered army, was deeply distressed.
The king, upholding the warrior's duty and his own pride, stood firm like an immovable mountain when the time to retreat arrived.
In a fit of extreme anger, he fixed a sharp arrow, blazing like the fire of dissolution, and released it at the dreadful night-wanderer.
Ghatotkacha, with his massive form, skillfully dodged the oncoming arrow that shone like Indra's thunderbolt.
Once more, the fierce one roared with eyes bloodshot in anger, frightening all beings like a storm cloud at the end of an era.
Upon hearing the dreadful sound made by Bhishma's demon, Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, went to his teacher and spoke:
The terrible sound you hear is from the demon, indicating that Hidimba is surely fighting with King Duryodhana.
It is impossible for anyone to win this battle. Go there and protect your king. May good fortune be with you.
The wicked demon attacked the illustrious one. This indeed is our supreme duty, O scorcher of foes, for all of us.
Upon hearing the words of the grandsire, the great warriors quickly set out with great speed to the place where the Kauravas were.
Drona, Somadatta, Bahlika, Jayadratha, Kripa, Bhurishrava, Shalya, Citrasena, and Vivimshati are mentioned.
Ashwatthama, Vikarna, Avanti, and Brihadbala, along with many thousands of chariots, who were their followers, attacked in an attempt to protect your son, Duryodhana.
The best of demons, seeing the invincible army protected by the best of people, did not tremble, just like the mighty-armed Mainaka mountain.
He stood there holding a great bow, surrounded by his kinsmen who were armed with spears, clubs, and various other weapons.
Then a fierce and terrifying battle arose between the demons and the chief forces of Duryodhana.
The tumultuous sound of twanging bows echoed everywhere, O great king, as if the dynasties themselves were being consumed by fire.
O king, the clamor of weapons striking the armors of warriors was like the sound of mountains splitting apart.
O lord of men, the spears released by the strong arms appeared like serpents moving through the sky.
Then, the mighty-armed king of demons, extremely enraged, stretched his great bow and roared a terrible sound.
In his anger, he severed the teacher's bow with a crescent-shaped arrow. Then, uprooting Somadatta's flag with an arrow, he let out a roar.
Bahlika was pierced in the chest with three arrows, and Kripa pierced Citrasena with three arrows using one.
With his bow fully drawn and properly aimed, he struck Vikarna at the collar-bone. Then, drenched in blood, he sat down on the chariot seat.
Then, once more, the immeasurable warrior, in his wrath, launched fifteen arrows at Bhurishravas, O noble Bharata. These arrows, having pierced his armor, swiftly embedded themselves into the ground.
The charioteers of Vivimshati and Drona's son were struck and fell onto the chariot seat, letting go of the horses' reins.
The great king, with a crescent-shaped weapon, struck the gold-adorned boar-like elephant king and severed the bow with his second strike.
The great-souled king of Avanti, with eyes reddened in anger, used four iron arrows to kill four horses.
The prince Brihadbala was pierced by the fully stretched and released, yellow, sharp arrow, O great king. Deeply wounded and distressed, he sat down on the chariot seat.
Possessed by intense anger, the demon king standing on his chariot hurled sharp arrows resembling venomous snakes, which pierced Śalya, the expert warrior, O great king.
