07.024
Core and Pancharatra: Description of how the Kauravas defended against the rallying Pandava army.
Sanjaya said:
It was a terrifying sight for us when the Pāṇḍavas withdrew, seeing Droṇa being covered by them like the sun is covered by clouds.
The intense dust raised by them covered your army, and then we thought that Droṇa was slain in sight.
Duryodhana, upon seeing those valiant warriors and great archers eager to commit a cruel deed, swiftly rallied his troops.
O kings, restrain the Pandavas' army with all your ability, enthusiasm, and strength, as deemed appropriate.
Then, your son Durmarshana approached Bhima from afar, showering arrows with the intent to take Drona's life.
In the battle, the angry warrior pierced his opponent with arrows, resembling death itself. Bhima also struck him with arrows, leading to a great tumultuous scene.
Commanded by the lord, the wise and brave strikers overcame their fear of death and stood firm against their enemies in battle.
Kritavarma, the son of Shini, eager to support Drona, surrounded the lord of the people, who was approaching as a hero, shining in the battle.
The son of Śinī, in his anger, stopped the furious one with volleys of arrows. Kṛtavarmā, like an enraged elephant, and the son of Śinī.
The Sindhu prince, a fierce bowman and great archer, attentively warded off the approaching shower of arrows from Drona.
The warrior, in his anger, severed the bow of the ocean lord's banner with numerous arrows, striking at all the vital points.
Then the Sindhu prince, having taken another bow and being ready-handed, pierced the warrior in the battle with iron arrows.
Subāhu, the heroic brother, striving for the sake of the Pāṇḍavas, courageously warded off Droṇa.
Subahu, armed with a bow and arrows that resembled iron clubs, eager for battle, severed the arms with sharp, yellow razors.
The king of Madra restrained Yudhishthira, the virtuous soul and best of the Pandavas, like the shore restrains the agitated ocean.
Dharmaraja attacked fiercely with numerous piercing arrows. The king of Madra, after striking with sixty-four arrows, let out a loud roar.
The best of the Pandavas cut off the roaring banner along with the bow using razors, and then the people shouted in response.
Similarly, King Bahlika halted King Drupada, who was advancing with his army, using arrows.
The battle became fierce between the elder leaders of the armies, resembling the clash of two mighty elephant chiefs.
Vinda and Anuvinda, the princes of Avanti, launched an attack on Virata and Matsya with their combined forces, reminiscent of how Indra and Agni once confronted Bali in the past.
The fierce battle resembled the legendary wars between gods and demons, fought by the Matsyas alongside the Kekayas, with fearless horses, chariots, and elephants.
Nakula, however, Śatānīka, the master of ceremonies known for his magical feats, intercepted the barrage of arrows coming from Droṇa.
Then Nakula's descendant skillfully shot three well-sharpened arrows, severing Vibahu's head and defeating Bhutakarman in the battle.
Viviṃśati intercepted the brave Sutasoma, who was advancing with a shower of arrows towards Drona.
Sutasoma, in his anger, shot twenty straight arrows at his uncle and did not retreat, as if stung.
Then Bhīmaratha, with six swift and sharp iron arrows, took Śālva along with his horses and charioteer to the realm of Yama, the god of death.
O great king, your grandson Caitraseni stopped Śrutakarmāṇa, who was coming with horses that resembled peacocks.
Your grandsons, who were invincible and eager to kill each other, engaged in a great battle to fulfill the purpose of their ancestors.
Drona's son, upon seeing Prativindhya standing ahead in the battle, honored his father by restraining Prativindhya with arrows.
In his anger, Prativindhya shot sharp arrows at Simhalangula Lakshmana, who stood firm for his father's cause.
Aśvatthāmā attacked the son of Draupadī with a barrage of arrows, resembling the act of sowing seeds during the sowing season, O best of men.
Lakshmana, known as the most valiant among both armies, restrained the enemy's slayer, O king.
He cut Lakshmana's bow and shone brightly as he released many arrows at Lakshmana, O Bharata.
Vikarna, known for his wisdom, confronted the young warrior Yajnaseni Shikhandi as he approached in the battlefield.
Then Yajnaseni enveloped him with a net of arrows. However, shaking off that barrage, your strong son stood radiant.
Angada confronted the brave Uttamaujas in the battle and halted his advance towards Drona with the help of the Vatsadantas.
The fierce battle between the two lion-like warriors brought joy to all the soldiers and to the two warriors themselves.
Durmukha, a great archer, intercepted the brave and strong Purujit as he advanced towards Drona, confronting Kuntibhoja.
He struck Durmukha in the middle of the eyebrows with an arrow, and his face shone like a lotus with its stalk.
Karna stopped the five red-bannered Kekaya brothers, who were advancing towards Drona, with a shower of arrows.
The warriors, in their intense anger, showered arrows upon him. In response, he repeatedly covered them with his own volleys of arrows.
Neither Karna nor the five Pandavas could see each other as they were all covered with arrows, along with their horses, charioteers, flags, and chariots, all pierced by arrows.
Your son Durjaya, along with Jaya and Vijaya, Nīla, Kāśya, and Jaya, the three heroes, blocked the three.
The battle was fierce and delighted the spectators, resembling a fight between lions, tigers, and bears against elephants, buffaloes, and bulls.
Kṣemadhūrti and Bṛhantau, the two brothers, attacked Sātvata with sharp arrows as he advanced towards Droṇa in the battle.
The battle between those two and that one was astonishing, like a lion fighting with the chief elephants in the forest, both sides being equally matched.
The Chedi king, in his anger, shot arrows and warded off Drona, while the king, Ambashtha, rejoiced in the battle.
Ambaṣṭha, struck by a bone-piercing arrow, abandoned his bow and arrow and fell from the chariot to the ground.
Kṛpa, the son of Śaradvat, with his arrows, nobly restrained the descendant of Vṛṣṇi from Droṇa's wrathful form.
Kṛpa and Vārṣṇeya, engaged in battle, saw the brilliant warriors and were so absorbed in the fight that they did not comprehend any other actions.
Saumadatti, however, surrounded the tireless King Manimant as he approached, thereby enhancing Drona's fame.
He swiftly severed the bow and banner of Saumadatta, then proceeded to knock down the flag, charioteer, and umbrella from the chariot.
Then Yūpaketu, the destroyer of enemies, swiftly leaped from his chariot and with his excellent sword, cut down the enemy's chariot along with its horses, charioteer, and flag.
He mounted his chariot, took another bow, and controlling the horses himself, O king, he scattered the Pandava army.
Armed with pestles, hammers, discs, clubs, and axes, and using elements like sand, wind, fire, water, ashes, clods, grass, and trees as weapons.
Ghatotkacha, in his fierce form, came tearing apart, breaking, shattering, killing, scattering, and terrifying the army, with the intent to confront Drona.
The angry demon Alambusa attacked the other demon using a variety of weapons and war techniques.
A battle occurred between the two leaders, the chief of the demons, just as it had in the past between Shambara and the king of the gods.
Thus, there were hundreds of pairs of chariots, elephants, and horses, along with foot soldiers, all auspiciously gathered for you and them, creating a crowded scene.
This battle was unprecedented and unheard of, occurring as it did among those who were engaged in the absence of Drona.
"This is terrible, wonderful, and fierce, O lord." There, many battles were seen spread out.
