“Dhritarashtra said, ‘My heart, O Sanjaya, is agitated with different
emotions, viz., shame and gratification, upon hearing that Subhadra’s son
singly held in check the whole army of my son. O son of Gavalgana, tell me
everything once more in detail about the encounter of youthful Abhimanyu,
which seems to have been pretty like Skanda’s encounter with the Asura
host.’
“Sanjaya said, ‘I will relate to thee that fearful encounter, that fierce
battle, as it took place between one and the many. Mounted upon his car,
Abhimanyu, with great daring, showered his arrows on the warriors of thy
army mounted on their cars, all of whom were chastisers of foes, endued
with great courage. Careering with great speed like a circle of fire, he
pierced Drona and Karna, and Kripa, and Salya and Drona’s son, and
Kritavarman of the Bhoja race, and Vrihadvala, and Duryodhana, and
Somadatta, and mighty Sakuni, and diverse kings and diverse princes and
diverse bodies of troops. While engaged in slaying his foes by means of
superior weapons, the valiant son of Subhadra, endued with mighty energy,
seemed, O Bharata, to be present everywhere. Beholding that conduct of
Subhadra’s son of immeasurable energy, thy troops trembled repeatedly.
Seeing that warrior of great proficiency in battle, Bharadwaja’s son of
great wisdom, with eyes expanded in joy, quickly came towards Kripa, and
addressing him said, as if crushing (by that speech of his) the very
vitals of thy son, O Bharata, the following words, “Yonder cometh the
youthful son of Subhadra at the head of the Parthas, delighting all his
friends, and king Yudhishthira, and Nakula, and Sahadeva, and Bhimasena,
the son of Pandu, and all his kinsmen, and relatives by marriage, and all
who are watching the battle as spectators without taking any part in it.
I do not regard any bowman to be his equal in battle. If only he
entertains the wish, he can slay this vast host. It seems, that for some
reason or other, he doth not entertain that wish.” Hearing these words of
Drona, so expressive of the gratification he felt, thy son, enraged with
Abhimanyu, looked at Drona, faintly smiling the while. Indeed, Duryodhana
said unto Karna and king Valhika and Duhsasana and the ruler of the
Madras and the many other mighty car-warriors of his army, these words,
“The preceptor of the entire order of the Kshatriyas,--he that is the
foremost of all conversant with Brahma, doth not, from stupefaction, wish
to slay this son of Arjuna. None can, in battle, escape the preceptor
with life, not even the Destroyer himself, if the latter advanceth
against the preceptor as a foe. What, O friend, shall we say then of any
mortal? I say this truly. This one is the son of Arjuna, and Arjuna is
the preceptor’s disciple. It is for this that the preceptor protecteth
this youth. Disciples and sons and their sons are always dear to the
virtuous people. Protected by Drona, the youthful son of Arjuna regardeth
himself valourous. He is only a fool entertaining a high opinion of
himself. Crush him, therefore, without delay.” Thus addressed by the Kuru
king, those warriors, O monarch, excited with rage and desirous of
slaying their foe, rushed, in the very sight of Drona at the son of
Subhadra that daughter of the Satwata race. Duhsasana, in particular,
that tiger among the Kurus, hearing those words of Duryodhana, answered
the latter, saying, “O monarch, I tell thee that even I will slay this
one in the very sight of the Pandavas and before the eyes of the
Panchalas. I shall certainly devour the son of Subhadra today, like Rahu
swallowing Surya (sun).” And once more addressing the Kuru king loudly,
Duhsasana said, “Hearing that Subhadra’s son hath been slain by me, the
two Krishnas, who are exceedingly vain, will without doubt, go to the
region of the departed spirits, leaving this world of men. Hearing then
of the death of the two Krishnas, it is evident that the other sons born
of Pandu’s wives, with all their friends, will, in course of a single
day, cast away their lives from despair. It is evident, therefore, that
this one foe of thine being slain, all thy foes will be slain. Wish me
well, O king, even I will slay this foe of thine.” Having said these
words, O king, thy son Duhsasana, filled with rage and uttering a loud
roar, rushed against the son of Subhadra and covered him with showers of
arrows. Abhimanyu then, O chastiser of foes, received that son of thine
thus advancing upon him wrathfully, with six and twenty arrows of sharp
points. Duhsasana, however, filled with rage, and looking like an
infuriated elephant, fought desperately with Abhimanyu, the son of
Subhadra in that battle. Both of them masters in car-fight, they fought
on describing beautiful circles with their cars, one of them to the left
and other to the right. The warriors then, with their Panavas and
Mridangas and Dundubhis and Krakachas and great Anakas and Bheris and
Jharjaras, caused a deafening noise mingled with leonine roars, such as
arise from the great receptacle of salt waters!’”