Mahabharata Drona Parva Chapter 155:5

Prev.png
Mahabharata Drona Parva (Ghatotkacha-badha Parva) Chapter 155:5


Meanwhile, Ghatotkacha's son endued with great splendour and looking like a mass of antimony, checked the advancing son of Drona like the king of mountain (Meru) checking the (course of the) wind. Afflicted with showers of shafts by Bhimasena's grandson, viz., the brave Anjanaparvan, Aswatthaman looked like the mountain Meru bearing a torrent of rain from a mighty cloud. Then Aswatthaman, equal unto Rudra or Upendra in prowess, became filled with rage. With one shaft he cut off the standard of Anjanaparvan. With two others, his two drivers, and with three others, his Trivenuka. And he cut off the Rakshasa's bow with one arrow, and his four steeds with four other arrows. Made carless, Anjanaparvan took up a scimitar. With another keen shaft, Aswatthaman cut off in two fragments that scimitar, decked with golden stars, in the Rakshasa's hand. The grandson of Hidimva then, O king, whirling a gold adorned mace, quickly hurled it at Aswatthaman. Drona's son, however, striking it with his shafts, caused it to fall down on the earth. Soaring up then into the sky, Anjanaparvan began to roar like a cloud. And from the welkin he showered trees upon his foe. Like the sun piercing a mass of clouds with his rays, Aswatthaman then began to pierce with his shafts the son of Ghatotkacha, that receptacle of illusions, in the welkin. Gifted with great energy, the Rakshasa once more came down on his gold decked car. He then looked like a high and beautiful hill of antimony on the surface of the earth. The son of Drona then slew that son of Bhima's son, viz., Anjanaparvan, cased in an iron coat of mail, even as Mahadeva had slain in days of yore the Asura Andhaka. Beholding his mighty son slain by Aswatthaman, Ghatotkacha, coming unto the son of Drona, fearlessly addressed the heroic son of Saradwata's daughter, who was then consuming the Pandava troops like a raging forest-conflagration, in these words

Ghatotkacha said, "Wait, Wait, O son of Drona! Thou shalt not escape me with life! I shall slay thee today like Agni's son slaying Krauncha.

Aswatthaman said, "Go, O son, and fight with others, O thou that hast the prowess of a celestial. It is not proper, O son of Hidimva, that sire should battle with son.[1] I do not cherish any grudge against thee, O son of Hidimva! When, however, one's ire is excited, one may kill one's own self.

Next.png

References

  1. Aswatthaman and the Pandavas were like brothers, for both were disciples of Drona. Ghatotkacha, therefore, having been Bhima's son was Aswatthaman's brother's son.