“Sanjaya said, ‘O monarch, beholding Vasudeva and Dhananjaya penetrate
into their host, having already pierced through many divisions, the kings
of the army, fled away in fear. A little while after, however, those
high-souled ones, filled with rage and shame, and urged on by their
might, became cool and collected, and proceeded towards Dhananjaya. But
those, O king, who filled with rage and vindictiveness, proceeded against
the son of Pandu in battle, returned not, like rivers never returning
from the ocean. Seeing this, many ignoble Kshatriyas incurred sin and
hell by flying away from battle, like atheists turning away from the
Vedas.[144] Transgressing that throng of cars those two bulls among men,
at last, issued out of it, and looked like the sun and the moon freed
from the jaws of Rahu. Indeed, the two Krishnas, their fatigue dispelled,
having pierced through that vast host, looked like two fishes that had
passed through a strong net. Having forced through that impenetrable
division of Drona, the way through which was obstructed by dense showers
of weapons, those two high-souled heroes looked like Yuga-suns risen (on
the welkin). Piercing through those dense showers of weapons and freed
from that imminent danger, those high-souled heroes, themselves
obstructing the welkin with thick clouds of weapons, seemed like persons
escaped from a raging conflagration, or like two fishes from the jaws of
a makara. And they agitated the (Kuru) host like a couple of makaras
agitating the ocean. Thy warriors and thy sons, while Partha and Krishna
were in the midst of Drona’s division, had thought that those two would
never be able to issue out of it. Beholding, however, those two heroes of
great splendour issue out of Drona’s division, they no longer, O monarch,
hoped for Jayadratha’s life. Hitherto they had strong hopes of
Jayadratha’s life, for they had thought, O king, that the two Krishnas
would never be able to escape from Drona and Hridika’s son. Frustrating
that hope, those two scorchers of foes had, O monarch, crossed the
division of Drona, as also the almost uncrossable division of the Bhojas.
Beholding them, therefore, ford through those divisions and look like two
blazing fires, thy men became possessed with despair and no longer hoped
for Jayadratha’s life. Then those two fearless heroes, viz., Krishna and
Dhananjaya, those enhancers of the fears of foes, began to converse
between themselves about the slaughter of Jayadratha. And Arjuna said,
“This Jayadratha hath been placed in their midst by six of the foremost
car-warriors among the Dhartarashtras. The ruler of the Sindhus, however,
shall not escape me if once he is seen by me. If Sakra himself, with all
the celestials, become his protector in battle, yet shall we slay him.”
Thus did the two Krishnas talk. Even so, O mighty-armed one, did they
converse amongst themselves, while looking after the ruler of the
Sindhus. (Having heard what they said), thy sons set up a loud wail.
Those two chastisers of foes then looked like a couple of thirsty
elephants of great quickness of motion, refreshed by drinking water,
after having passed through a desert. Beyond death and above decrepitude,
they then looked like two merchants that have passed over a mountainous
country abounding with tigers and lions and elephants. Indeed, beholding
them freed (from Drona and Kritavarman), thy warriors regarded the colour
of Partha’s and Krishna’s face to be dreadful; and thy men then, from all
sides, set up a loud wail. Freed from Drona who resembled a snake of
virulent poison or a blazing fire, as also from the other lords of the
earth, Partha and Krishna looked like two blazing suns. Indeed, those two
chastisers of foes, freed from Drona’s division, which resembled the very
ocean, seemed to be filled with joy like persons that have safely crossed
the vasty deep. Freed from those dense showers of weapons, from those
divisions protected by Drona and Hridika’s son, Kesava and Arjuna looked
like Indra and Agni, or blazing effulgence. The two Krishnas, pierced
with sharp shafts of Bharadwaja’s son, and with bodies dripping with
blood, looked resplendent like two mountains decked with flowering
Karnikaras. Having forded that wide lake, of which Drona constituted the
alligator, darts formed the fierce snakes, shafts, the Makaras, and
Kshatriyas, the deep waters, and having issued out of that cloud,
constituted by Drona’s weapons, whose thunders were the twang of bows and
the sound of palms, and whose lightning flashes were constituted by maces
and swords, Partha and Krishna looked like the sun and moon freed from
darkness. Having crossed the region obstructed by the weapons of Drona,
all creatures regarded those mighty and famous bowmen viz., the two
Krishnas, as persons who had forded, with the aid of their arms, the five
rivers, (viz., the Satadru, the Vipasa, the Ravi, the Chandrabhaga, and
the Vitasta) having the ocean for their sixth, when full of water during
the season of rains, and abounding with alligators. Casting their eyes,
from desire of slaughter, on Jayadratha who was not far off from them,
the two heroes looked like two tigers waiting from desire of falling upon
a Ruru deer. Such was then the colour of their faces, that thy warriors,
O monarch, regarded Jayadratha as one already slain. Possessed of red
eyes, O mighty-armed one, and staying together, Krishna and the son of
Pandu, at the sight of Jayadratha were filled with joy and roared
repeatedly. Indeed, O monarch, the splendour then of Sauri, standing with
reins in hand, and of Partha armed with bow, was like that of the sun or
fire. Freed from the division of Drona, their joy, at sight of the ruler
of the Sindhus, was like that of a couple of hawks at the sight of a
piece of flesh. Beholding the ruler of the Sindhus not far off, they
rushed in wrath towards him like a couple of hawks swooping down towards
a piece of meat. Seeing Hrishikesa and Dhananjaya transgress (the
divisions of Drona), thy valiant son, king Duryodhana, whose armour had
been bound on his person by Drona, and who was well-versed in grooming
and guiding horses, rushed, on a single car, O lord, for the protection
of the Sindhus. Leaving those mighty bowmen, viz., Krishna and Partha,
behind, thy son, O king, turned back, facing Kesava of lotus-like eyes.
When thy son thus outran Dhananjaya, diverse musical instruments were
joyfully blown and beat among all thy troops. And leonine roars were
uttered mingled with the blare of conchs, beholding Duryodhana staying in
the face of the two Krishnas. They also, O king, resembling blazing
fires, that stood as the protectors of Jayadratha, were filled with joy
upon beholding thy son in battle. Seeing Duryodhana transgress them with
his followers, Krishna, O monarch, said unto Arjuna these words suited to
the occasion.’”