Mahabharata Drona Parva Chapter 19

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Mahabharata Drona Parva (Dronabhisheka Parva) Chapter 19


Sanjaya said, 'Beholding those Samsaptakas once more return to the field, Arjuna addressed the high-souled Vasudeva, saying, "Urge the steeds, O Hrishikesa, towards the Samsaptakas. They will not give up the battle alive. This is what I think. Today thou shalt witness the terrible might of my arms as also of my bow. Today I shall slay all these, like Rudra slaying creatures (at the end of the Yuga)." Hearing these words, the invincible Krishna smiled, and gladdening him with auspicious speeches, conveyed Arjuna to those places whither the latter desired to go. While borne in battle by those white steeds, that car looked exceedingly resplendent like a celestial car borne along the firmament. And like Sakra's car, O king, in the battle between the gods and the Asuras in days of old, it displayed circular, forward, backward, and diverse other kinds of motion. Then the Narayanas, excited with wrath and armed with diverse weapons, surrounded Dhananjaya, covering him with showers of arrows. And, O bull of Bharata's race, they soon made Kunti's son, Dhananjaya, together with Krishna, entirely invisible in that battle. Then Phalguni, excited with wrath, doubled his energy, and quickly rubbing its string, grasped Gandiva (firmly) in the battle. Causing wrinkles to form themselves on his brow, sure indications of wrath, the son of Pandu blew his prodigious conch, called Devadatta, and then he shot the weapon called Tvashtra that is capable of slaying large bodies of foes together. Thereupon, thousands of separate forms started into existence there (of Arjuna himself and of Vasudeva). Confounded by those diverse images after the form of Arjuna, the troops began to strike each other, each regarding the other as Arjuna's self. "This is Arjuna!" "This is Govinda!

They are Pandu's son and he is of Yadu's race!" Uttering such exclamations, and deprived of their senses, they slew one another in that battle. Deprived of their senses by that mighty weapon, they slew one another. Indeed, those warriors (while striking one another) looked beautiful like blossoming Kinsukas. Consuming those thousands of arrows shot by them, that (mighty) weapon despatched those heroes to Yama's abode. Then Vibhatsu, laughing, crushed with his arrows the Lalithya, the Malava, the Mavellaka, and the Trigarta warriors. While those Kshatriyas, urged by fate, were thus slaughtered by that hero, they shot at Partha showers of diverse kinds of arrows. Overwhelmed with those terrible showers of arrows, neither Arjuna, nor his car, nor Kesava, could any longer be seen. Seeing their arrows strike the aim, they uttered joyous shouts. And regarding the two Krishnas as already slain, they joyously waved their garments in the air. And those heroes also blew their conchs and beat their drums and cymbals by thousands, and uttered many leonine shouts, O sire! Then Krishna, covered with sweat, and much weakened, addressed Arjuna, saying, "Where art thou, O Partha! I do not see thee. Art thou alive, O slayer of foes?" Hearing those words of his, Dhananjaya with great speed dispelled, by means of the Vayavya weapon, that arrowy downpour shot by his foes.

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