Maha-bharata Part 26

Mingled with the rolling thunder of each swiftly-speeding car, And with pealing bells proclaiming mighty elephants of war!

Bhishma led the Kuru forces, strong as Death's resistless flail, Human chiefs nor bright Immortals could against his might prevail,

Helmet-wearing, gallant Arjun came in pride and mighty wrath, Held aloft his famed _gandiva_, strove to cross the chieftain's path!

Abhimanyu, son of Arjun, whom the fair Subhadra bore, Drove against Kosala's monarch famed in arms and holy lore,

Hurling down Kosala's standard he the dubious combat won, Barely escaped with life the monarch from the fiery Arjun's son!

With his fated foe Duryodhan, Bhima strove in deathful war, And against the proud Duhsasan brave Nakula drove his car,

Sahadeva, mighty bowman, then the fierce Durmukha sought, And the righteous king Yudhishthir with the car-borne Salya fought,

Ancient feud and deathless hatred fired the Brahman warrior bold, Drona with the proud Panchalas fought once more his feud of old!

Nations from the Eastern regions 'gainst the bold Virata pressed, Kripa met the wild Kaikeyas hailing from the furthest West,

Drupad, proud and peerless monarch, with his cohorts onward bore 'Gainst the warlike Jayadratha, chief of Sindhu's sounding sh.o.r.e,

Chedis and the valiant Matsyas, nations gathered from afar, Bhojas and the fierce Kambojas mingled in the dubious war!

Through the day the battle lasted, and no mortal tongue can tell What unnumbered chieftains perished and what countless soldiers fell,

And the son knew not his father, and the sire knew not his son, Brother fought against his brother, strange the deeds of valour done!

Horses fell, and shafts of chariots s.h.i.+vered in resistless shock, Hurled against the foreman's chariots, speeding like the rolling rock,

Elephants by _mahuts_ driven furiously each other tore, Trumpeting with trunks uplifted on the serried soldiers bore!

Ceaseless plied the gallant troopers, with a stern unyielding might, Pikes and axes, clubs and maces, swords and spears and lances bright,

Hors.e.m.e.n flew as forked lightning, heroes fought in s.h.i.+ning mail, Archers poured their feathered arrows like the bright and glistening hail!

Bhishma, leader of the Kurus, as declined the dreadful day, Through the shattered Pandav legions forced his all-resistless way,

Onward went his palm-tree standard through the hostile ranks of war, Matsyas, Kasis, nor Panchalas faced the mighty Bhishma's car!

But the fiery son of Arjun, filled with shame and bitter wrath, Turned his car and tawny coursers to obstruct the chieftain's path,

Vainly fought the youthful warrior, though his darts were pointed well, And dissevered from his chariot Bhishma's palm-tree standard fell,

Anger stirred the ancient Bhishma, and he rose in all his might, Abhimanyu, pierced with arrows, fell and fainted in the fight!

Then to save the son of Arjun, Matsya's gallant princes came, Brave Uttara, n.o.ble Sweta, youthful warriors known to fame,

Ah! too early fell the warriors in that sad and fatal strife, Matsya's dames and dark-eyed maidens wept the princes' shortened life!

Slain by cruel fate, untimely, fell two brothers young and good, Dauntless still the youngest brother, proud and gallant Sankha stood!

But the helmet-wearing Arjun came to stop the victor's path, And to save the fearless Sankha from the ancient Bhishma's wrath,

Drupad too, Panchala's monarch, swiftly rushed into the fray, Strove to s.h.i.+eld the broken Pandavs and to stop the victor's way,

But as fire consumes the forest, wrathful Bhishma slew the foe, None could face his sounding chariot and his ever-circled bow!

And the fainting Pandav warriors marked the foe, resistless, bold, Shook like unprotected cattle tethered in the blighting cold!

Onward came the mighty Bhishma and the slaughter fiercer grew, From his bow like hissing serpents still the glistening arrows flew!

Onward came the ancient warrior, and his path was strewn with dead, And the broken Pandav forces, crushed and driven, scattered fled!

Friendly night and gathering darkness closed the slaughter of the day, To their tents the sons of Pandu held their sad and weary way!

II

Kurus routed by Arjun

Grieved at heart the good Yudhishthir wept the losses of the day, Sought the aid of gallant Krishna for the morning's fresh array,

And when from the eastern mountains SURYA drove his fiery car, Bhishma and the helmed Arjun strove to turn the tide of war!

Bhishma's glorious palm-tree standard o'er the field of battle rose, Arjun's monkey-standard glittered cleaving through the serried foes,

_Devas_ from their cloud-borne chariots, and _gandharvas_ from the sky, Gazed in mute and speechless wonder on the human chiefs from high!

While with dauntless valour Arjun still the mighty Bhishma sought, Warlike prince of fair Panchala with the doughty Drona fought,

Ceaseless 'gainst the proud preceptor sent his darts like summer rain, Baffled by the skill of Drona, Dhrista-dyumna strove in vain!

But the fiercer darts of Drona pierced the prince's shattered mail, Hurtling on his battle chariot like an angry shower of hail,

And they rent in twain his bowstring, and they cut his pond'rous mace, Slew his steeds and chariot-driver, streaked with blood his G.o.dlike face!

Dauntless still, Panchala's hero, springing from his shattered car, Like a hungry desert lion with his sabre rushed to war,

Dashed aside the darts of Drona with his broad and ample s.h.i.+eld, With his sabre brightly flaming fearless trod the reddened field!

In his fury and his rashness he had fallen on that day, But the ever-watchful Bhima stopped the proud preceptor's way!

Proud Duryodhan marked with anger Bhima rus.h.i.+ng in his car, And he sent Kalinga's forces to the thickening ranks of war,

Onward came Kalinga warriors with the dark tornado's might, Dusky chiefs, Nishada warriors, gloomy as the sable night!

Rose the shout of warring nations surging to the battle's fore, Like the angry voice of tempest and the ocean's troubled roar!

And like darkly rolling breakers ranks of serried warriors flew, Scarcely in the thickening darkness friends and kin from foemen knew!

Fell the young prince of Kalinga by the wrathful Bhima slain, But against Kalinga's monarch baffled Bhima fought in vain,