“Sanjaya said, ‘When the field of battle which had before been enveloped
in darkness and dust had thus become illuminated, heroic warriors
encountered one another, desirous of taking one another’s life.[218]
Encountering one another in battle, O king, those combatants, armed with
lances and swords and other weapons, gazed at one another under the
influence of rage. With thousands of lamps blazing all around and with
the more blazing lamps of the gods and the Gandharvas, set upon golden
stands decked with jewels, and fed with fragrant oil, the field of
battle, O Bharata, looked resplendent like the firmament bespangled with
stars. With hundreds upon hundreds of blazing brands, the earth looked
exceedingly beautiful. Indeed, the earth seemed to be in a conflagration,
like what happens at the universal destruction.[219] All the points of
the compass blazed up with those lamps all around and looked like trees
covered by fire-flies at an evening in the season of rains. Heroic
combatants, then, O king, engaged in battle with heroic rivals. Elephants
engaged with elephants, and horsemen with horsemen, and car-warriors with
car-warriors, filled with joy, on that fierce night at the command of thy
son. The clash of the two armies both consisting of four kinds of forces,
became terrible. Then Arjuna, O monarch, began, with great speed, to
destroy the Kaurava ranks, weakening all the kings.’
“Dhritarashtra said, ‘When the invincible Arjuna, excited with wrath and
unable to brook (the feats of the Kurus), penetrated into the army of my
son, what became the state of your minds? Indeed, when that scorcher of
foes entered into their midst, what did the soldiers think? What steps
also did Duryodhana think fit to be adopted then? Who were those
chastisers of foes that proceeded in that battle against that hero?
Indeed, when Arjuna, of white steeds, entered (our army), who were they
that protected Drona? Who guarded the right wheel and who the left wheel
of Drona’s car? Who were those heroes that protected the rear of that
battling hero? Indeed, when Bharadwaja’s son proceeded, slaying the foe
(along his route), who were they that proceeded in his van? That mighty
and invincible bowman who penetrated into the midst of the Panchalas,
that tiger among men endued with great valour, who proceeded, as if
dancing, along the track of his car, and consumed large throngs of
Panchala cars by means of his shafts like a raging conflagration; alas,
how did that Drona meet with his death? Thou always speakest of my foes
as cool and unvanquished and cheerful and swelling with might in battle.
Thou dost not, however, speak of mine in such words. On the other hand,
thou describest them to be slain, pale, and routed, and thou speakest of
my car-warriors, as always deprived of their cars in all the battles they
fight!’
“Sanjaya continued, ‘Understanding the wishes of Drona who was bent on
battle, Duryodhana, on that night, O king, addressing his obedient
brothers, viz., Vikarna and Chitrasena and Suparsva and Durdharsha and
Dirghavahu, and all those that followed them, said those words, “Ye
heroes of great valour, struggling with resolution, all of you protect
Drona from the rear. The son of Hridika will protect his right and Sala
his left.” Saying this, thy son then urged forward placing them at the
van, the remnant of the brave and mighty Trigarta car-warriors, saying,
“The preceptor is merciful. The Pandavas are fighting with great
resolution. While engaged in slaughtering the foe in battle, protect him
well, uniting together. Drona is mighty in battle; is endued with great
lightness of hand and great valour. He can vanquish the very gods in
battle,--what need then be said of the Pandavas and the Somakas? All of
you, however, united together and struggling with great resolution in
this terrible battle, protect the invincible Drona from that mighty
car-warrior, viz., Dhrishtadyumna. Except Dhrishtadyumna, I do not see
the man amongst all the warriors of the Pandavas that can vanquish Drona
in battle. I, therefore, think that we should, with our whole soul,
protect the son of Bharadwaja. Protected (by us), he is sure to slay the
Somakas and the Srinjayas, one after another. Upon the slaughter of all
the Srinjayas at the head of the (Pandava) army, Drona’s son without
doubt, will slay Dhrishtadyumna in battle. Similarly, the mighty
car-warrior Karna will vanquish Arjuna in battle. As regards Bhimasena
and others clad in mail, I will subjugate them all in fight. The rest of
the Pandavas deprived of energy, will be easily defeated by the warriors.
It is evident, my success then will last for ever. For these reasons,
protect the mighty car-warrior Drona in battle.” Having said these words,
O chief of the Bharatas, thy son Duryodhana, urged his troops on that
night of terrible darkness. Then commenced a battle, O chief of the
Bharatas, between the two hosts, O Monarch, both actuated by the desire
of victory. Arjuna began to afflict the Kauravas, and the Kauravas began
to afflict Arjuna, with diverse kinds of weapons. Drona’s son covered
the ruler of the Panchalas, and Drona himself covered the Srinjaya, with
showers of straight shafts in that battle. And as the Pandava and the
Panchala troops (on the one side) and the Kaurava troops (on the other),
O Bharata, were engaged in slaughtering each other, there arose a furious
uproar on the field. The battle that took place on that night was so
terrible and fierce that its like had never been previously witnessed by
ourselves or those gone before us.’”