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76.TO SEIZE YUDHISHTHIRA ALIVE
Between Kripacharya and
Dhrishtaketu there was a battle in which
the latter was worsted.
So also was there fierce fighting between
Satyaki and Kritavarma and between
Virata and Karna. Abhimanyu's valor was
also demonstrated as he fought Paurava,
Kritavarma, Jayadratha and Salya singlehanded
and made them withdraw.
Then there was a great combat between
Salya and Bhimasena in which Salya was
defeated and made to retire. The Kaurava
forces began to lose courage and the
Pandava army, who saw this, attacked the
Kaurava army with renewed energy and
broke its ranks.
When Drona saw this, he decided to
restore lost morale by leading a straight
attack on Yudhishthira. His golden chariot
went forward, drawn by four noble Sindhu
horses, in the direction of Yudhishthira.
Yudhishthira answered with barbed
arrows, feathered with eagle-feathers. But
Drona did not mind, and advanced at great
speed. Yudhishthira's bow was cut down
and Drona was coming very near.
Dhrishtadyumna tried to intercept Drona
but in vain. The whole army shouted:
"Yudhishthira has been taken!" So near
came Drona.
Suddenly, then, Arjuna appeared on the
battlefield, the earth rumbling under the
wheels of his chariot, as it coursed swiftly
over the bloody field, over bones and
bodies lying in heaps. Drona held back,
for Arjuna had come on the scene. From
his Gandiva bow issued a continuous
stream of arrows. No one could see the
shafts taken out of the quiver or placed in
position. It seemed as if, from out of the
great bow, an unending flood of arrows
issued without intermission. The
battlefield was darkened by flying
missiles.
Drona retreated. Yudhishthira was not
taken. The battle was stopped for the day
and the Kaurava forces went to their camp
in chastened mood.
The Pandava army marched proudly to
camp and behind them walked Kesava
(Krishna) and Arjuna conversing. Thus
closed the eleventh day of the battle.
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