07.144
Core and Pancharatra: Intense battle between Shakuni and Nakula where finally unconscious Shakuni is taken away. Shikandin fights Kripa and faces defeat. In the night, their own people and others killed each other without any limits. The battle was terrible and frightening.
Sanjaya said:
Nakula was fiercely attacking your army in the battle. Saubala, in anger, approached him and said, "Stop, stop."
The two heroes, having enmity and desiring to kill each other, attacked each other with arrows that were fully drawn and released.
Just as Saubala swiftly releases volleys of arrows, Nakula, O king, shows his skill in battle.
Those two heroes, in the midst of battle, appeared resplendent, O great king, like a silk-cotton tree adorned with thorns of arrows.
O king, they looked at each other with wide-open, bloodshot eyes, filled with anger, as if they were burning each other.
But your brother-in-law, in anger, seemed to smile as he pierced Mādri's son in the heart with a single sharp arrow.
Nakul, severely injured by your brother-in-law, the archer, sat down on the chariot seat, and was overtaken by faintness.
Upon seeing the arrogant and extreme enemy thus arrived, the bird roared, O king, just like a cloud does at the end of summer.
Nakula, the son of Pandu, having regained his senses, approached Saubala once more, resembling death with his mouth wide open.
The enraged bull of the Bharatas struck Shakuni with sixty arrows, and then once more with a hundred arrows in the chest.
Then he swiftly cut off his bowstring with an arrow at the grip, and quickly severed the flag, causing it to fall from the chariot to the ground.
Pierced deeply, the great king sat on the chariot seat. Observing the unconscious and fallen brother-in-law, the charioteer swiftly carried him away from the army's front.
Then the sons of Pritha and their followers shouted in triumph. After defeating the enemies in battle, Nakul, known for tormenting his foes, angrily instructed his charioteer, "Take me to Drona's army."
Upon hearing the words of the wise son of Mādrī, Droṇa, the warrior, departed to engage in battle.
In the battle, Kripa, the son of Sharadvata, swiftly moved against Shikhandin, who was eager to confront Drona, O lord of men.
Śikhaṇḍī, with a smile, swiftly shot nine arrows at Gautama, who was approaching near Droṇa, the subduer of enemies.
The teacher, O great king, first struck him with five swift arrows and then again targeted the beloved sons with twenty arrows.
A fierce and great battle occurred between the two, reminiscent of the legendary battles between gods and demons, specifically between Śambara and the king of the gods.
The two great charioteers created a sky covered with a net of arrows. By nature, it was a terrifying sight, and it became even more dreadful.
The night, O best of the Bharatas, was terrifying and dreadful, resembling the night of destruction, as it enveloped the warriors engaged in battle.
Shikhandi, O great king, using a crescent-shaped arrow, cut off the great bow of Gautama, which was strung and equipped with an arrow, at that moment.
In his anger, Kṛpa, O king, hurled a dreadful spear with a golden shaft, sharp-pointed and polished by a smith.
As Shikhandi attacked with numerous arrows, she fell to the ground, her brilliance illuminating the earth with a great light.
Then Gautama, the foremost among charioteers, took another bow and showered Shikhandi with sharp arrows, O great king.
Śikhaṇḍī, the best of charioteers, was overwhelmed in battle by the illustrious Gautama and became despondent on his chariot seat.
Seeing him collapsing in battle, Kṛpa, the son of Śaradvat, attacked with many arrows, as if intending to kill, O Bhārata.
Upon seeing Yajnaseni, the great chariot-warrior, turn away in battle, the Panchalas and the Somakas surrounded him from all directions.
In the same manner, your sons, along with a great army, surrounded the best of the twice-born, and then the battle resumed.
O king, in the battle, as the chariots rushed towards each other, there arose a tumultuous sound akin to the roaring of clouds.
O lord of the people, the fierce battle between the charging horsemen and elephants unfolded all around, O king.
The earth shook with the sound of footsteps as if the leaves were flowing, O great king, like a frightened woman.
The chariots, having approached the other chariots, rushed with great speed; many restrained them, O king, like crows restrain grasshoppers.
In that place, O Bhārata, the great elephants, both broken and well-broken, were restrained with effort.
The attackers and foot-soldiers, having approached each other in battle, did not overstep their bounds, being excited.
At night, there was a very loud noise from the armies, made by those who were running, fleeing, and returning again.
The shining lamps on the chariots, elephants, and horses appeared, O great king, like meteors falling from the sky.
The night was so brightly lit with lamps that it appeared like day on the battlefield, O best of Bharatas, O king.
Just as the darkness in the world is dispelled by the sun, so too is the terrible darkness dispelled by bright and adorned lamps.
The brilliance of the weapons, armors, and jewels of the great souls vanished, as they were illuminated by the lamps.
During the tumultuous battle at nightfall, a father killed his son in the battlefield, O noble Bharata.
Due to delusion, a son considers his father as a friend, a relative as another relative, and a sister's son as a maternal uncle.
In the night, their own people and others killed each other without any limits. The battle was terrible and frightening.
