07.066
Sanjaya said:
After defeating Duḥśāsana's forces, Arjuna, known as Savyasachi, aimed to capture the Sindhu king and launched an attack on Drona's army.
He approached Droṇa, who was standing at the forefront of the formation, and with folded hands, he spoke this sentence with Krishna's permission.
O Brahman, meditate on me with Shiva's grace and speak of well-being to me. With your blessing, I wish to enter the formidable army.
You are as dear to me as a father, akin to Yudhishthira and Krishna. I speak this truth to you.
Just as Ashwatthama is to be protected by you, my father, so too am I always to be protected by you, O noble Brahmin.
With your blessing, I desire to defeat the king of Sindhu in battle. Please safeguard my vow, O supreme among bipeds, O Lord.
The teacher, as if smiling, replied: "Jayadratha cannot be defeated without first conquering me."
After speaking thus, Droṇa, smiling, showered sharp arrows upon him, covering his chariot, horses, and banner, along with his charioteer.
Then Arjuna, skillfully deflecting Drona's volleys of arrows, launched his own fierce and mighty arrows at Drona.
Respecting Droṇa in battle, the lord of men pierced him again with nine arrows, adhering to the warrior's duty.
Droṇa, having intercepted his arrows with his own, struck both Krishna and Pandava with arrows that seemed like poison and fire.
The Pāṇḍava aimed to sever his opponent's bow with arrows. As Phalguna, the noble soul, contemplated, Droṇa, with unwavering composure, swiftly severed the bowstring with his arrows.
He pierced the flag and the charioteer of the chariot, and with a smile, showered arrows on the heroic Arjuna.
During this interval, Arjuna prepared his great bow, aiming to surpass his teacher, the foremost among all experts in weaponry, and swiftly released six hundred arrows as if they were one.
Once more, seven hundred others and a thousand warriors who would not return were sent forth, and in tens of thousands, they destroyed Drona's army.
Pierced by the arrows of the strong and skillful warrior, the men, horses, and elephants fell lifeless.
The charioteers and horses, afflicted by arrows, fled and fell in battle, their lives and weapons cut off, from the chief chariots.
Elephants, resembling each other, were crushed, thrown, and burnt by thunderbolts, wind, and fire, and they fell from the mountains, clouds, and houses.
Thousands of horses fell, hit by Arjuna's arrows, resembling swans hit by water on the slopes of the Himalayas.
The battlefield was filled with chariots, horses, elephants, and foot-soldiers, resembling floods of water, creating a wondrous sight. The Pāṇḍavas were slain by arrows that shone like the sun's rays at the end of an era.
Droṇa, like a cloud, covered the Kuru heroes in battle with a net of sun-like arrows from the Pāṇḍavas, as clouds cover the sun's rays.
Then, Droṇa, with an iron arrow released exceedingly by the life-consuming enemies, struck Dhananjaya on the chest.
In the midst of the earthquake, like a mountain, Arjuna, though agitated, gathered his courage and struck Drona with arrows.
Drona, however, attacked Vasudeva with five arrows, Arjuna with seventy-three arrows, and also hit his flag with three arrows.
Droṇa, the valiant teacher, intending to showcase his disciple's prowess, made Arjuna disappear in an instant under a barrage of arrows, O king.
We observed the arrows of Bharadvaja falling in a circular formation, and his bow appeared truly marvelous.
O king, many warriors created by Drona, adorned with peacock feathers, approached Vasudeva and Dhananjaya in the battle.
Upon witnessing the intense battle between Drona and the Pandavas, Vasudeva, known for his great wisdom, contemplated his responsibilities.
Then Vasudeva spoke to Arjuna, saying: "O son of Pritha, O mighty-armed one, there will be no delay for us."
Leaving Drona behind, we must attend to this greater duty. Arjuna also told Krishna, "Do as you wish, O Keshava."
Then, the mighty-armed warrior, having circumambulated Droṇa, turned back and Bībhatsu proceeded, releasing arrows.
Then, with a smile, Droṇa asked, "Where are you heading, Pāṇḍava? Surely, you do not intend to return without defeating your enemy in the battle?"
Arjuna said:
You are my teacher, not my enemy. I am your disciple, like a son. There is no man in the world who can defeat you in battle.
Sanjaya said:
Arjuna, speaking thus and eager to kill Jayadratha, swiftly attacked the army with his mighty arms.
Yudhāmanyu and Uttamaujas, the valiant sons of Panchala, followed and entered your army as protectors of the chariots.
Then, O great king, Kritavarma, Sattvata, Kamboja, and Shrutayu blocked Dhananjaya.
Among them were ten thousand chariots of followers, including the Abhishahas, Shurasenas, Shibis, and Vasatis.
The Mācellakas, Lalitthas, Kekayas, Madrakas, Nārāyaṇas, and Gopalas, along with the tribes of the Kambojas, are mentioned here.
Previously conquered by Karna and approved by heroes in battle, they placed Bharadvaja in front and, having renounced their lives, moved towards Arjuna.
Tormented by the grief of his son and filled with anger like death itself, he was abandoning his life amidst the tumult, prepared as a skilled warrior.
The great archer, valiant like a leader elephant entering the troops, was stopped as a tiger among men.
Then a fierce and hair-raising battle commenced between the warriors and Arjuna, each desiring the other.
The warriors, desiring to kill Jayadratha, approached like a bull among men. Together, they halted the actions as one would stop an arising disease.
