Mahabharata Vol. 6 (Penguin Translated Texts) (39 page)

This parva has 1642 shlokas and thirty-three chapters.

Chapter 1099(122): 88 shlokas
Chapter 1100(123): 41 shlokas
Chapter 1101(124): 33 shlokas
Chapter 1102(125): 33 shlokas
Chapter 1103(126): 39 shlokas
Chapter 1104(127): 26 shlokas
Chapter 1105(128): 34 shlokas
Chapter 1106(129): 35 shlokas
Chapter 1107(130): 40 shlokas
Chapter 1108(131): 135 shlokas
Chapter 1109(132): 42 shlokas
Chapter 1110(133): 64 shlokas
Chapter 1111(134): 81 shlokas
Chapter 1112(135): 54 shlokas
Chapter 1113(136): 19 shlokas
Chapter 1114(137): 51 shlokas
Chapter 1115(138): 34 shlokas
Chapter 1116(139): 33 shlokas
Chapter 1117(140): 41 shlokas
Chapter 1118(141): 61 shlokas
Chapter 1119(142): 44 shlokas
Chapter 1120(143): 42 shlokas
Chapter 1121(144): 42 shlokas
Chapter 1122(145): 68 shlokas
Chapter 1123(146): 51 shlokas
Chapter 1124(147): 38 shlokas
Chapter 1125(148): 62 shlokas
Chapter 1126(149): 37 shlokas
Chapter 1127(150): 103 shlokas
Chapter 1128(151): 21 shlokas
Chapter 1129(152): 47 shlokas
Chapter 1130(153): 40 shlokas
Chapter 1131(154): 63 shlokas

This section is named after the death or killing of Ghatotkacha by Karna. When Jayadratha is killed on the fourteenth day of the war, the battle continues to rage through the night. Drona kills King Shibi of
Kashi, Bhima kills the princes of Kalinga and some of Duryodhana’s brothers, Ashvatthama kills Anjanaparva (Ghatotkacha’s son) and several warriors on the Pandava side, Bhima kills Bahlika, Karna’s brother and Shakuni’s brothers, Ashvatthama kills many Panchalas, Satyaki kills Somadatta and Bhuri, Shalya kills Shatanika (Virata’s brother), Dhrishtadyumna kills Drumasena, Ghatotkacha kills Alambala (Jatasura’s son) and the rakshasa Alayudha and finally, Karna kills Ghatotkacha with the spear that he has saved for Arjuna.

‘Dhritarashtra asked, “O Sanjaya! After the brave Saindhava was killed by Savyasachi, what did those on my side do? Tell me that.”

‘Sanjaya replied, “O venerable one! On seeing that Saindhava had been killed in the battle by Partha, Kripa, Sharadvata’s son, was overcome by great intolerance. He covered Pandava with a great shower of arrows. Drona’s son also stationed himself on his chariot and attacked Partha Phalguna. Those two best of rathas were stationed on two chariots that were supreme among chariots. They showered down sharp arrows from both sides. The mighty-armed one, supreme among rathas, was afflicted by that great shower of arrows and felt extreme pain. But in that battle, he did not wish to slay his preceptor or his preceptor’s son.
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Kunti’s son, Dhananjaya, then began to act like a preceptor there.
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He countered the weapons of Drona’s son and Sharadvata’s son with his weapons. However, since he did not wish to kill them, he released arrows at them that were
only mild in speed. But though he did not shoot them powerfully, the many arrows shot by Jaya caused supreme difficulties and they were overcome by those arrows. O king! Oppressed by Kounteya’s arrows, Sharadvata’s son sat down on the floor of his chariot and lost his consciousness. On seeing that his master was unconscious and was afflicted by arrows, his charioteer thought that he was dead and bore him away. O great king! After Kripa, Sharadvata’s son, had been taken away from the field of battle, Ashvatthama also took to his chariot and fled from Pandaveya.

‘“Seeing that Sharadvata’s son was unconscious and afflicted by arrows, the great archer, Partha, lamented miserably on his chariot. ‘The immensely wise Kshatta
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had foreseen this and had spoken to the king, as soon as the wicked Suyodhana, the exterminator of his lineage, was born. “Let this destroyer of the lineage be conveyed to the world of the hereafter. Because of him, the foremost ones of the Kuru lineage will confront a great calamity.” Those words, spoken by the one who tells the truth, have come true. It is because of his deeds that I see Kripa lying on a bed of arrows. Shame on the dharma of kshatriyas! Shame on strength and manliness! Is there anyone like me, raising his weapons against a brahmana, especially one who is a preceptor? He is the son of a rishi. He is the beloved friend of my preceptor, Drona. He is lying down on the floor of his chariot, afflicted by my arrows. Though I did not desire it, my arrows have severely wounded him. He has sunk down on the floor of his chariot and this causes pain to my heart. Even though he afflicted me with arrows, I should only have looked at that immensely radiant one.
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Struck by my numerous arrows, he has attained the state that everyone must duly obtain.
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I am overcome by greater sorrow than from the death of my son. O Krishna! Behold the miserable state he has been reduced to on his chariot. Those bulls among men, who obtain knowledge from their preceptors, and then give them what they desire, attain divinity. But the worst of men, who obtain
knowledge from their preceptors, and then strike them, are of evil conduct and go to hell. There is no doubt that my deed today will take me to hell, since my preceptor, Kripa, was on his chariot and I have covered him with arrows. When he had instructed me about weapons earlier, Kripa had said, “O Kouravya! Do not ever strike your preceptor.” I have not obeyed the words of my great-souled preceptor. I have struck him with a shower of arrows. I bow down and worship Goutama, who does not retreat. O Varshneya! Shame on me for having struck him.’ While Savyasachi was thus lamenting, Radheya saw that Saindhava had been killed and attacked him.

‘“On seeing that Radheya was advancing, maharatha Partha laughed and spoke these words to Devaki’s son.
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‘Adhiratha’s son is advancing towards Satyaki’s chariot. There is no doubt that he cannot tolerate Bhurishrava’s death in the battle. O Janardana! Urge the horses towards the spot where he is going. Let not Vrisha make Satyaki follow in the footsteps of Somadatta’s son.’ Having been thus addressed by Savyasachi, the mighty-armed and immensely energetic Keshava spoke words that were appropriate to the occasion. ‘O Pandava! The mighty-armed one is alone enough for Karna. In addition, the bull among the Satvata lineage is with Droupadi’s sons. O Partha! It is not proper for you to fight with Karna now. O destroyer of enemy heroes! He possesses the blazing weapon that was given to him by Vasava.
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It is like a giant meteor. He worships it and has preserved it for you. Therefore, let Karna proceed to the spot where Satvata is. O Kouravya! I know when the time will come for the evil-souled one.’”

‘Dhritarashtra said, “O Sanjaya! Tell me about the clash between the brave Karna and Varshneya, which took place after Bhurishrava and Saindhava had been brought down. Satyaki was without a chariot. Which chariot did he mount? Also tell me about the two Panchalas
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who protected the chariot wheels.”

‘Sanjaya said, “I will tell you everything that happened in that great battle. Listen patiently. All this is because of your own evil conduct. O lord! Mentally, Krishna had already known earlier that the brave Satyaki would be defeated by the one with the sacrificial altar on his standard.
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O king! Janardana knows the past and the future. O king! Therefore, the immensely strong one had summoned his charioteer, Daruka, and had given him instructions. ‘Let my chariot be yoked for tomorrow.’
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The gods, the gandharvas, the yakshas, the serpents, the rakshasas and men can never defeat the two Krishnas. The gods and the siddhas, with the grandfather
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at the forefront, know about the infinite prowess of those two. Listen to the battle, as it happened. On seeing that Satyaki was without a chariot and Karna was attacking him with raised weapons, Madhava blew a rishabha note on his conch shell with great force.
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From the sound of that conch shell, Daruka got the message. He took that chariot, with Suparna
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decorating the standard. With Keshava’s permission, Daruka yoked the chariot, which was like the fire or the sun, and made Shini’s grandson ascend it. It could go wherever one wished and it was drawn by Sainya, Sugriva, Meghapushpa and Balahaka.
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It possessed a great speed and was decorated with gold. He ascended that chariot, which was like a celestial vehicle
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and which had been yoked.

‘“He attacked Radheya and showered down many arrows on him. The two protectors of the chariot wheels, Yudhamanyu and Uttamouja, also abandoned Dhananjaya’s chariot and attacked Radheya. O great king! Radheya also showered down arrows. In that battle, he angrily attacked Shini’s undecaying grandson. The gods, the gandharvas, the asuras, the serpents and the rakshasas have not
heard of such a battle having taken place in heaven or on earth earlier. O great king! On witnessing their deeds, the soldiers, the rathas, the horses, the men and the elephants were senseless with wonder and became spectators, witnessing those superhuman exploits. O king! They withdrew and also watched Daruka’s skill as a charioteer. He moved forward and back, executed circular motions and retreated. The charioteer of that chariot, descended from Kashyapa’s lineage, caused great wonder.
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The gods, the gandharvas and the danavas assembled in the sky, to watch that encounter between Karna and Shini’s descendant with great attention. For the sake of their friends, those two powerful ones vigorously challenged each other in that battle. O great king! Karna, who was like an immortal, and Yuyudhana Satyaki showered down arrows on each other. Unable to tolerate the death of Kouravya Jalasandha,
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Karna ground Shini’s descendant down with a shower of arrows. Overcome by anger, Karna sighed like a giant serpent. In that encounter, his angry glances seemed to burn up Shini’s descendant. The scorcher of enemies repeatedly attacked him, with great force. On seeing that he was in great rage, Satyaki pierced him back with a great shower of arrows, like an elephant countering another elephant. Those two tigers among men clashed, as spirited as tigers. In that battle, unparalleled in valour, they wounded each other. Shini’s grandson, the scorcher of enemies, repeatedly pierced Karna, all over his limbs, with arrows that were completely made out of iron. With a broad-headed arrow, he brought down his charioteer from his seat on the chariot. He killed the four white horses with sharp arrows. The bull among men shattered his standard into a hundred fragments with a hundred arrows. O king! On seeing that Karna was without a chariot, your sons and the bulls among men on your side were distressed.

‘“Karna’s son, Vrishasena, Shalya, the lord of Madra, and Drona’s son surrounded Shini’s descendant from all sides. There was a melee everywhere and nothing could be discerned. O king! Seeing that the
brave son of the suta had been deprived of his chariot by Satyaki, a great lamentation arose from all the soldiers. O king! Having been oppressed by Satvata’s arrows, Karna was also benumbed. O king! He ascended Duryodhana’s chariot and sighed deeply. He remembered the respect he bore towards your son, the affection since childhood and the promise that he had made about returning the kingdom to him. O king! When Karna was deprived of his chariot, your brave sons, with Duhshasana at the forefront, succumbed to Satyaki. But he did not kill them, to protect the pledge that Bhimasena had taken earlier. He deprived them of their chariots and made them senseless, but did not take their lives away from them. Bhimasena had taken a pledge to kill your sons and at the time of the second gambling match, so had Partha
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about killing Karna. With Karna at the forefront, though they made efforts to kill Satyaki, supreme among rathas, they did not succeed in killing him. With a single bow, he defeated Drona’s son, Kritavarma, other maharathas and hundreds of bulls among the kshatriyas. Satyaki, the destroyer of enemies, possessed a valour that was like that of the two Krishnas and for the sake of attaining to the afterworld and to do that which would bring pleasure to Dharmaraja. O tiger among men! In this world, there are only three archers—Krishna, Partha and Shini’s descendant. No fourth one can be seen.”

‘Dhritarashtra said, “Saytaki ascended Vasudeva’s invincible chariot. The young one, who is Vasudeva’s equal, deprived Karna of his chariot. He was proud because of the strength of his own arms and that chariot was yoked by Daruka. Did Satyaki then climb onto another chariot? I wish to hear this and you are skilled in recounting. O Sanjaya! Tell me that. I think that he is impossible to withstand.”

‘Sanjaya replied, “O king! Listen to what happened. Daruka’s immensely intelligent younger brother quickly brought another chariot that had been prepared in the proper fashion. The pole was of iron and gold and was tied with cloth. There was a lion on the standard, decorated with a thousand stars. The horses were as fast
as the wind and possessed golden harnesses. They were as white as the moon. The chariot was firm and its speed was beyond that of sound. O lord of the earth! Those were the best of horses and they were colourful with gold. There was the sound of nets of bells and the lances and spears were like lightning. It was stocked with implements of war and many weapons and garments. That chariot rumbled like the roar of the clouds and it was prepared. Ascending this, Shini’s descendant attacked your soldiers. Following his desire, Daruka went to where Keshava was. O great king! The best of chariots was also brought for Karna. There were well-trained horses that had a great speed and they were as white as conch shells or milk. The harnesses were colourful and golden. The sides and standard were made out of gold and there were machines and flags. There were many weapons and garments and there was a good charioteer. Ascending this chariot, Karna rushed against the enemy again. This is the entire account, as you have asked me to recount it. Know about the great destruction that was brought about because of your bad policy. Thirty-one of your sons were brought down by Bhimasena. With Durmukha at the forefront, they were colourful in fighting.
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O venerable one! Hundreds of brave ones were killed by Satvata and Arjuna, with Bhishma and Bhagadatta as the foremost. O king! This was the destruction that was brought about by your evil counsel.”’