“Dhritarashtra said, ‘After that shafts of Drona had been cut off and
Dhrishtadyumna thus rescued, O Sanjaya, by Yuyudhana, that foremost one
of the Vrishni race, what did that great bowman, that foremost of all
wielders of weapons, viz., Drona, do in battle unto that tiger among men,
viz., the grandson of Sini?’
“Sanjaya said, ‘Then Drona, like a mighty snake, having wrath for his
poison, his stretched bow for his wide-open mouth, his sharp shafts for
his teeth and whetted arrows for his fangs, with eyes red as copper from
rage, and breathing hard, that mighty hero among men, perfectly fearless,
borne on his red steeds of great speed, that seemed to soar into the
skies or get at the top of a mountain, rushed towards Yuyudhana,
scattering his arrows equipped with golden wings. Then that subjugator of
hostile cities, that hero of Sini’s race invincible in battle, beholding
that irresistible Drona cloud having showers of arrows for its watery
downpour, the rattle of car-wheels for its roar, the out-stretched bow
for its volume, long shafts for its lightning-flashes, darts and swords
for its thunder, wrath for the winds and urged on by those steeds that
constituted the hurricane (impelling it forwards), rushed towards him,
addressed his charioteer and smilingly said, “O Suta, proceed quickly and
cheerfully, urging the steeds to their greatest speed, against that
heroic Brahmana, fallen off from the duties of his order, that refuge of
Dhritarashtra’s son, that dispeller of the (Kuru) king’s sorrows and
fear, that preceptor of all the princes, that warrior ever boastful of
his prowess.” Then the excellent steeds of silvery hue belonging to him
of Madhu’s race, endued with the speed of the wind, quickly proceeded
towards Drona. Then those two chastisers of foes, viz., Drona and Sini’s
grandson, fought with each other, each striking the other with thousands
of shafts. Those two bulls among men filled the welkin with their arrowy
showers. Indeed, the two heroes covered the ten points of the compass
with their shafts. And they poured on each other their shafts like two
clouds pouring their contents (on the earth) on the expiration of summer.
The sun became invisible. The very wind ceased to blow. And in
consequence of those showers of shafts filling the welkin, a continuous
and thick gloom was caused there that became unbearable to the other
heroes. And when the shafts of Drona and Sini’s grandson had caused that
gloom there, none beheld any cessation in shooting in either of them.
They were both quick in the use of weapons, and they were both looked
upon as lions among men. The sound produced by those torrents of arrows,
shot by both striking against each other was heard to resemble the sound
of the thunder hurled by Sakra. The forms of heroic warriors pierced with
long shafts looked like those of snakes, O Bharata, hit by snakes of
virulent poison. Brave warriors incessantly heard the twangs of their
bows and the sounds of their palms to resemble the sound of thunder
falling upon summits of mountains. The cars of both of those warriors, O
king, their steeds, and their charioteers pierced with shafts of golden
wings, became beautiful to behold. Fierce was the downpour, O monarch, of
shafts that were bright and straight and that looked resplendent like
snakes of virulent poison freed from their sloughs. The umbrellas of both
were cut off, as also the standards of both. And both of them were
covered with blood, and both were inspired with the hope of victory. With
blood trickling down every limb of theirs, they resembled a couple of
elephants with secretions trickling down their bodies. And they continued
to strike each other with fatal shafts. The roars and shouts and other
cries of the soldiers, the blare of conchs and the beat of drums ceased,
O king, for none uttered any sound. Indeed, all the divisions became
silent, and all the warriors stopped fighting. People, filled with
curiosity became spectators of that single combat. Car-warriors and
elephant riders and horsemen and foot-soldiers, surrounding those two
bulls among men, witnessed their encounter with steadfast eyes. And the
elephant-divisions stood still and so also the horse-divisions, and so
also the car-divisions. All stood still, disposed in array. Variegated
with pearls and corals, decked with gems and gold, adorned with standards
and ornaments, with coats of mail made of gold, with triumphal banners
with rich caparisons of elephants, with fine blankets, with bright and
sharp weapons, with yak-tails, ornamented with gold and silver, on the
heads of steeds, with garlands, round the frontal globes of elephants and
rings round their tusks, O Bharata, the Kuru and the Pandava hosts then
looked like a mass of clouds at the close of summer, decked with rows of
cranes and myriads of fire-flies (under them) and adorned with rainbows
and flashes of lightning. Both our men and those of Yudhishthira, beheld
that battle between Yuyudhana and high-souled Drona; the gods also,
headed by Brahma and Soma, and the Siddhas, and the Charanas, and the
Vidyadharas, and the great Snakes, saw it, stationed on their foremost of
sky-ranging cars. And beholding the diverse motion, forward and backward,
of those lions among men, and their acts of striking each other, the
spectators were filled with wonder. And both endued with great strength,
Drona and Satyaki, displaying their lightness of hand in the use of
weapons, began to pierce each other with shafts. Then he of Dasarha’s
race, with his mighty shafts, cut off those of the illustrious Drona in
that battle, and then, within a moment, the latter’s bow also. Within,
however, the twinkling of an eye, the son of Bharadwaja took up another
bow and strung it. Even that bow of his was cut off by Satyaki. Drona
then, with utmost quickness waited with another bow in hand. As often,
however, as Drona strung his bow, Satyaki cut it off. And this he did
full nine and seven times. Beholding then that superhuman feat of
Yuyudhana in battle, Drona, O monarch, thought in his mind, “This force
of weapons that I see in this foremost one among the Satwatas exists in
Rama and Dhananjaya and was seen also in Kartavirya and that tiger among
men, viz., Bhishma.” The son of Bharadwaja, therefore, mentally applauded
the prowess of Satyaki. Beholding that lightness of hand equal unto that
of Vasava himself, that foremost of regenerate ones, that first of all
persons conversant with weapons, was highly gratified with Madhava. And
the gods also, with Vasava at their head, were gratified with it. The
gods and the Gandharvas, O monarch, had never before witnessed that
lightness of hand of the quickly moving Yuyudhana, although they and the
Siddhas and the Charanas had been acquainted with the feats of which
Drona was capable. Then Drona, that foremost of persons acquainted with
weapons, that grinder of Kshatriyas, taking up another bow, aimed some
weapons. Satyaki, however, baffling those weapons with the illusion of
his own weapon struck him with some sharp shafts. All this seemed highly
wonderful. Beholding that superhuman feat of his in battle, that feat of
which nobody else was capable, and which displayed very great skill,
those amongst thy warriors that were judges of skill, applauded it.
Satyaki shot the same weapons that Drona shot. Beholding this, that
scorcher of foes, viz., the preceptor, fought with a little less
boldness, than usual. Then that master of military science, O king,
filled with wrath, invoked celestial weapons for the destruction of
Yuyudhana. Beholding that terrible foe-slaughtering Agneya weapon,
Satyaki, that mighty bowman, invoked another celestial weapon, viz., the
Varuna. Seeing them both take up celestial weapons, loud cries of Oh and
Alas arose there. The very creatures having the sky for their element
ceased to range through it. Then the Varuna and the Agneya weapons which
had thus been grafted on their shafts coming against each other became
fruitless.[140] Just at that time, the sun passed down in his course.
Then king Yudhishthira and Bhimasena, the son of Pandu, and Nakula, and
Sahadeva, desirous of protecting Satyaki, and the Matsyas, and the
Salweya troops, speedily proceeded towards Drona. Then thousands of
princes placing Duhsasana at their head, hastily proceeded towards Drona
(for protecting him) who was surrounded by foes. Then, O king, commenced
a fierce battle between them and thy bowmen. The earth was covered with
dust and with showers of arrows shot (by both sides). And everything
being thus covered, nothing could any longer be discerned. Indeed, when
the troops were thus overwhelmed with dust, the battle proceeded in utter
disregard (of persons and rules).’”