07.141
Core and Pancharatra: Satyki kills a major Kaurava warrior. Then Ghaṭotkaca takes on Ashwatthama, who comes to attack Satyaki. In the intense battle that follows, Ashwatthama makes Ghaṭotkaca retreat. In the intense battle that follows, Duyodhana faces defeat and goes absconding, leading the Pandavas to think they have slain the Kaurava King.

Sanjaya said:

In the battle, O king, the valiant son of Śini, the best among charioteers, skillfully warded off the approaching enemy like an elephant protecting its watering hole.

Then, in a fit of anger, Satyaki swiftly pierced him in the heart with five sharp arrows, causing his blood to flow.

Similarly, in the battle, the Kaurava shot ten sharp arrows into the arms of Satyaki, who was fierce in combat.

The two warriors, with eyes red in anger, fiercely attacked each other with arrows, drawing their bows in rage, O great king.

O great king, there was a fierce and terrible shower of weapons from the angry archers, who resembled Yama and Antaka.

The two warriors, O king, covered each other with arrows and stood firm in battle. For a moment, the battle seemed perfectly balanced.

Then, the great king Śaineya, with a smile of anger, severed the bow of the noble Kaurava in the battle.

Then he swiftly pierced the one with the broken bow in the heart with nine sharp arrows and commanded, "Stay, stay."

He, the tormentor of enemies, was deeply pierced by the strong enemy. Taking another bow, he shot back at Sātvata (Krishna).

He pierced Sātvata with three arrows and, smiling as if in triumph, cut his bow with a sharp arrow, O lord of men.

The great king Satyaki, in a fit of rage after his bow was broken, hurled a powerful spear at his opponent's chest.

He, pierced by the spear, fell from the excellent chariot, resembling a red-bodied shining ray falling from the sky by chance.

Upon seeing the fallen hero, Aśvatthāmā, the great chariot-warrior, charged swiftly towards Śaineya in the battle, unleashing a torrent of arrows like a rainstorm from a cloud upon Mount Meru.

Ghaṭotkaca, the great chariot-warrior, made a sound and addressed the approaching and angry Śaineya, saying, "O King."

"Stay, stay, son of Drona, you will not leave alive. Today, I will kill you like the king Skanda kills a buffalo. Today, I will destroy your faith in battle on the battlefield."

Having spoken thus, the demon with eyes red with anger, the slayer of enemy heroes, charged at Drona's son in fury, like a lion attacking an elephant.

Ghatotkacha rained down arrows as large as chariot axles upon Ashwatthama, the formidable warrior, just as a cloud pours down rain.

Drona's son, with a smile, forcefully cut down the incoming shower of arrows that resembled venomous snakes during the battle.

Then, he attacked Ghatotkacha, the mighty demon lord and subduer of enemies, with a barrage of sharp and swift arrows that pierced through vital points.

Then, in a fit of rage, the valiant son of Bhimasena fiercely attacked Drona's son with arrows that roared like thunder.

The weapons were equipped with razors, half-moon shaped blades, iron arrows with sharp points, boar-eared tips, tubular and sharp edges, and also barbed features.

Drona's son, unperturbed in senses, angrily faced the incomparable rain of weapons, sounding like thunder and lightning, falling from above.

The mighty warrior, with his immense power, scattered the fierce and unbearable arrows, which were empowered with divine incantations, just as the wind scatters massive clouds.

Then, O great king, there was another battle of arrows in the sky, which appeared in a terrible form and increased the joy of the warriors.

Then, at night, the sky appeared as if covered with fireflies, due to the sparks caused by the collision of weapons.

Drona's son, to please your sons, covered all directions with volleys of arrows and showered the demon everywhere.

Then, in the deep of night, a battle commenced between Drona's son and the demon, reminiscent of the legendary battle between Indra and Prahlada.

Then, in the battle, the enraged Ghatotkacha struck Drona's son on the chest with ten arrows, resembling the fire of destruction.

Pierced by the mighty demon, he shook in battle like a tree blown by the wind. In his confusion, he leaned on the flagstaff.

Then, O ruler of people, your entire army was panic-stricken, thinking that all your men were indeed slain, O lord of the people.

Upon witnessing Aśvatthāmā in such a state during the battle, the Pāñcālās and the Sṛñjayas let out a triumphant lion's roar.

Regaining his senses, the mighty Ashwatthama grasped his bow with his left hand, ready to torment his enemies.

He swiftly released a powerful arrow from his fully drawn bow, resembling the dreadful staff of Yama, targeting Ghatotkacha.

The best arrow, having pierced the demon's heart, fiercely entered the earth, O king.

He, O great king, deeply pierced, sat down on the chariot seat. The powerful lord of the demons was struck by Aśvatthāmā, the battle-minded warrior.

Upon seeing the bewildered Hidimba, the charioteer, agitated by the presence of Drona's son, quickly took him away from the battlefield.

In the battle, the mighty son of Drona, having pierced the demon king Ghatotkacha, let out a great roar.

Honored by your sons and all warriors, O Bharata, he shone like the midday sun.

King Duryodhana himself pierced Bhimasena, who was fighting towards Bharadvaja's chariot, with sharp arrows.

Bhimasena struck him with nine arrows, O sir, while Duryodhana retaliated with twenty arrows.

The two warriors, shrouded by a barrage of arrows, disappeared from sight on the battlefield, resembling the moon and sun obscured by a mass of clouds in the sky.

Then King Duryodhana shot five arrows at Bhima and said, "Stay, stay, O best of the Bharatas."

Bhima, after cutting down his bow and flag with nine arrows, struck the foremost of the Kauravas with ninety arrows aimed at the joints.

Then, in a fit of anger towards Bhimasena, Duryodhana hurled arrows in full view of all the archers, O king.

Bhima, having struck down those arrows, offered Duryodhana's fallen bow to the Kaurava along with twenty-five small warriors.

Duryodhana, in his anger, cut down Bhimasena's bow with a razor-sharp arrow and retaliated by piercing him with ten arrows, O sir.

Then, the mighty Bhimasena, taking another bow, swiftly pierced the king with seven sharp arrows.

He swiftly cut his bow like a nimble-handed person, and similarly the second, third, fourth, and fifth.

O great king, your son Jitakashi, in his arrogance, cut off Bhima's bow.

Then he repeatedly threw the all-pervading auspicious weapon in battle as the bows were being cut.

The Kaurava, in the presence of all and the noble Bhima, divided the unattained power into three parts.

Then Bhima, the mighty warrior, swung and hurled his massive, radiant mace swiftly towards Duryodhana's chariot, O great king.

Then, O best of the Bharatas, she suddenly attacked in the battle, crushing the horses and the charioteer of your son with her heavy mace.

Your son, O King, suddenly leaped from the gold-adorned chariot to the vehicle of the noble Nandaka.

Then Bhima, believing that your son, the great warrior, was killed, roared like a lion, as if to intimidate the Kauravas.

Your soldiers also believed that the king was slain. Then, all of them cried out in lamentation, 'Alas, oh!' from all sides.

O king, having heard the sound of all the frightened warriors and also the sound of the great-souled Bhimasena.

Then King Yudhishthira, believing Suyodhana to be slain, swiftly moved to the place where Arjuna and Bhima were present.

The Panchalas, Kekayas, Matsyas, and Srinjayas, O lord of men, all approached Drona with the intent to battle.

In that place, there was a very intense battle involving Drona and others, all fighting together in the dreadful darkness, where they were immersed, killing each other.