07.019
Core and Pancharatra: Yudhishthira responds with a semi-circular military formation, and Drishtadyumna takes assures to protect Yudhisthira at any cost. Intense battle progresses.
Sanjaya said:
After spending the night, Bharadvaja, the great charioteer, spoke at length and then addressed King Suyodhana.
Arjuna, having devised a strategy with the Saṃśaptaka warriors, left the battlefield to confront and kill them.
Then Drona, having arranged his troops, advanced towards the mighty army of the Pandavas, O best of the Bharatas, with the intention of capturing Yudhishthira.
Upon observing the formation crafted by Bharadvaja, Yudhishthira responded strategically with a semi-circular formation.
The face belonged to Suparna, Bharadvaja was the great charioteer; the head was Duryodhana, the king, along with his brothers and followers.
Kritavarma and Gautama, with their eyes, let the boon be cast. Bhutavarma, Kshemasarma, and the mighty Karakarsha are present.
The Kalingas, Sinhalese, Easterners, Shuras, Abhiras, Daserakas, Shakas, Yavanas, Kambojas, and Hamsapadas are mentioned here.
On the neck of the army, the Śūrasenas, Daradas, Madras, and Kekayas stood with multitudes of elephants, horses, chariots, and infantry, numbering in hundreds of thousands.
Bhūriśravāḥ, Śalaḥ, Śalyaḥ, Somadattaḥ, and Bāhlikaḥ, the heroes, took their positions on the southern side, supported by the army.
Vinda, Anuvinda, the Avanti princes, Kamboja, and Sudakshina took position on the left wing, led by Drona's son.
Behind them were the Kalingas, Sambasthas, Magadhas, Paundra-Madras, Gandharas, the wise ones of Shakuni, and those dwelling in the mountains.
At the rear, Karna, the son of Vikartana, stood with his sons, relatives, and friends, leading a great army adorned with various banners.
Jayadratha, Bhīmaratha, Sāṃyātrikasabha, Jaya, Bhūmiñjaya, Vṛṣakrātha, Naiṣadha, and the mighty one.
Surrounded by great strength and honored by Brahmaloka, they stand above the formation, O king, as experts in warfare.
The formation arranged by Drona with infantry, horses, chariots, and elephants appears as if it is an ocean agitated by the wind.
Warriors emerge from all sides and opposite sides, resembling clouds with lightning and thunder appearing from all directions during the hot season.
In the middle of Prāgjyotiṣa, his properly arranged elephant shone brightly, O king, like the rising sun.
The king, adorned with a garland and shaded by a white umbrella, appeared like the moon on a full moon night during the conjunction with Krittika.
The intoxicated elephant appeared like a mass of dark-blue, as if it were a great mountain being showered by massive clouds.
He was accompanied by various kings and heroes, adorned with diverse weapons and ornaments, similar to how Indra is accompanied by the groups of gods.
Then Yudhishthira, observing the formidable and superhuman battle formation that was invincible to enemies, addressed Parshata.
O lord, I will not submit to the Brahmin's control today. Let the policy for the pigeon and the similar horse be established accordingly.
Dhṛṣṭadyumna spoke:
"O virtuous one, you will not fall under Drona's control. Today, I will stop Drona and his followers."
As long as I am alive, O Kauravya, you need not worry. Droṇa cannot defeat me in battle under any circumstances.
Sanjaya said:
Having declared thus, the mighty son of Drupada, riding a pigeon-colored horse, launched an attack on Drona, showering arrows.
Upon seeing Dhrishtadyumna standing there, Drona was immediately filled with a sense of unease, as if he was not very pleased.
Upon seeing him, your son Durmukha, known for tormenting enemies, sought to please Drona by stopping Dhrishtadyumna.
The fierce battle seemed like a great war, involving the son of Prishata and the hero Durmukha, O Bharata.
The son of Prishata swiftly enveloped Durmukha with a barrage of arrows and effectively restrained Bharadwaja with a great multitude of arrows.
Seeing Drona being blocked, your son, in great distress, confused Parshata with various signs and volleys of arrows.
In the battle, Droṇa skillfully dispersed the army of Yudhishthira, which consisted of the Pāñcālas and the chief warriors of the Kurus, using his arrows in various ways.
Just as the wind scatters clouds in all directions, so too are Arjuna's armies scattered in various places.
The battle initially seemed brief and pleasing to the eyes, but then, O king, it turned chaotic and unrestrained, like the actions of a madman.
O king, neither their own nor others could recognize each other. The battle took place by inference and signs.
The rays emanating from their crest jewels, necklaces, ornaments, swords, and shields shone brilliantly like the sun.
In the battle, the form with scattered flags of chariots, elephants, and horses appeared like a cloud of cranes.
The men indeed killed other men, and the mighty horses killed other horses. The charioteers destroyed the chariots, and the elephants killed the excellent elephants.
In an instant, a fierce and tumultuous battle ensued among the elephants with their flags raised high.
As their bodies became entangled and they pulled at each other, the friction and collision of their teeth produced a fire with smoke.
The scattered flags appeared like clouds with lightning, produced by the fires from the horns, reaching the sky.
The earth was filled with elephants that were scattering, roaring, and falling, resembling the autumn sky filled with clouds.
The sound of the elephants, as they were struck by a rain of arrows and javelins, was like the roar of clouds during a deluge.
Some great elephants were struck by spears and arrows, and others were frightened by the sound of all beings and fled.
Some elephants there, struck by the tusks of other elephants, made a terrible distressed sound like ominous clouds.
The elephants, driven by supreme goads, uprooted obstacles and were brought back again by excellent elephants, moving against the flow.
The great ministers, having been struck by arrows and spears, descended from the elephants to the ground, abandoning their weapons and hooks.
The elephants, devoid of humans and trumpeting from various directions, rushed towards each other like scattered clouds.
The great serpents, controlled by mighty weapons and carrying the dead, went in all directions, some appearing like solitary wanderers.
The elephants, struck and being struck by spears, lances, and axes, fell down with cries of distress during the slaughter.
As their mountain-like bodies fell all around, the earth was suddenly struck, shook, and echoed with sound.
The ground appeared majestic, surrounded by elephants with their riders and flags, resembling scattered mountains.
The great officers mounted on elephants, their hearts pierced, were struck down in battle by charioteers using arrows, and their weapons, goads, and spears were scattered.
Like herons screaming, other elephants struck by iron arrows, ran in all directions, crushing both enemies and their own.
O king, the earth was covered with masses of bodies from elephants, horses, and chariots, becoming muddy with flesh and blood.
The great charioteers, having crushed with the tips of the horns and lifted by the elephants, both with and without wheels, indeed by chariots.
The chariots, now without their charioteers, the riderless horses, and the elephants whose riders were slain, all scattered in every direction, driven by the fear of arrows.
In the fierce battle, fathers killed sons and sons killed fathers, and nothing could be recognized.
The men were sinking up to their ankles in the bloody mud, surrounded by blazing fires like great trees in a forest fire.
The garments, armors, umbrellas, and flags were all seen to be red as they were being sprinkled with blood.
The groups of horses, chariots, and men were struck down, but they turned back and returned in various ways, driven by the wheels of the chariots.
The army, resembling an ocean, moved with the speed of elephant herds, while the enemy soldiers were like seaweed, and the chariots created a tumultuous whirlpool, shining brilliantly.
The warriors, eager for victory and wealth, embarked on great ships and plunged in without causing any confusion.
The warriors, drenched in a rain of arrows, could not maintain their composure, as they were struck with distinguishing marks.
In the current fierce and terrifying battle, Drona, having confused the enemies, attacked Yudhishthira.
