Maha-bharata Part 31

"Sacred is our great preceptor, sacred is _acharya's_ life, Arjun may not slay his teacher even in this mortal strife!

Saving this, command, O monarch, Arjun's bow and warlike sword, For thy safety, honoured elder, Arjun stakes his plighted word!

Matchless in the art of battle is our teacher fierce and dread, But he comes not to Yudhishthir save o'er blood of Arjun shed!"

Morning witnessed doughty Drona foremost in the battle's tide, But Yudhishthir's warlike chieftains compa.s.sed him on every side,

Foremost of the youthful chieftains came resistless Arjun's son,-- Father's blood and milk of mother fired his deeds of valour done,

As the lion of the jungle drags the ox into his lair, Abhimanyu from his chariot dragged Paurava by the hair!

Jayadratha king of Sindhu marked the faint and bleeding chief, Leaping from his car of battle, wrathful came to his relief,

Abhimanyu left his captive, turned upon the mightier foe, And with sword and hardened buckler gave and parried many a blow,

Rank to rank from both the forces cry of admiration rose, Streaming men poured forth in wonder, watched the combat fierce and close!

Piercing Abhimanyu's buckler Jayadratha sent his stroke, But the turned and twisted sword-blade snapping in the midway broke,

Weaponless the king of Sindhu ran into his sheltering car, Salya came unto his rescue from a battle-field afar,

Dauntless, on the new a.s.sailant, Arjun's son his weapon drew, Interposing 'twixt the fighters Bhima's self on Salya flew!

Stoutest wrestlers in the armies, peerless fighters with the mace, Bhima and the stalwart Salya stood opposed face to face!

Hempen fastening bound their maces and the wire of twisted gold, Whirling bright in circling flashes, shook their staff the warriors bold!

Oft they struck, and sparks of red fire issued from the seasoned wood, And like horned bulls infuriate Madra's king and Bhima stood!

Closer still they came like tigers closing with their reddened paws, Or like tuskers with their red tusks, eagles with their rending claws!

Loud as INDRA'S peals of thunder still their blows were echoed round Rank to rank the startled soldiers heard the oft-repeated sound!

But as strikes in vain the lightning on the solid mountain-rock, Bhima nor the fearless Salya fell or moved beneath the shock!

Closer drew the watchful heroes, and their clubs were wielded well, Till by many blows belaboured both the fainting fighters fell!

Like a drunkard dazed and reeling Bhima rose his staff to wield, Senseless Salya, heavy-breathing, henchman carried from the field,

Writhing like a wounded serpent, lifted from the field of war, He was carried by his soldiers to the shelter of his car!

Drona still with matchless prowess would redeem his plighted word, Sought to take Yudhishthir captive to Duryodhan, Kuru's lord,

Vainly then the twin-born brothers came to cross the conqueror's path, Matsya's lord, Panchala's monarch, vainly faced him in his wrath,

Rank to rank the cry resounded circling o'er the battle-field, "Drona takes Yudhishthir captive with his weapons, sword and shield!"

Arjun heard the dreadful message and in haste and fury came, Strove to save his king and elder and redeem his loyal fame,

Speeding with his milk-white coursers dashed into the thick of war, Blew his shrill and dreaded _sankha_, drove his sounding battle-car,

Fiercer, darker grew the battle, when above the reddened plain, Evening drew her peaceful mantle o'er the living and the slain!

II

Standards of the Pandavs

Morning came; still round Yudhishthir Drona led the gathering war, Arjun fought the Sam-saptakas in the battle-field afar,

But the prince of fair Panchala marked his father's ancient foe, And against the doughty Drona, Dhrishta-dyumna bent his bow!

But as darksome cloudy ma.s.ses angry gusts of storm divide, Through the scattered fainting foemen Drona drove his car in pride,

Steeds went down and riven chariots, young Panchala turned and fled, Onward drove resistless Drona o'er the dying and the dead!

One more prince of fair Panchala 'gainst the mighty Drona came,-- Ancient feud ran in the red blood of Panchala's chiefs of fame,--

Fated youth! with reckless valour still he fought his father's foe, Fought and fell; relentless Drona laid the brave Satyajit low!

Surging still like ocean's billows other Pandav warriors came, To protect their virtuous monarch and redeem their ancient fame,

Came in various battle-chariots drawn by steeds of every hue, Various were the chieftains' standards which the warring nations knew!

Bhima drove his stalwart horses tinted like the dappled deer, Grey and pigeon-coloured coursers bore Panchala's prince and peer,

Horses bred in famed Kamboja, fiery, parrot-green in hue, Brave Nakula's sumptuous chariot in the deathful battle drew,

Piebald horses trained to battle did young Sahadeva rein, Ivory-white Yudhishthir's coursers with their flowing ebon mane,

And by him with gold umbrella valiant monarch Drupad came, Horses of a bright-bay colour carried Matsya's king of fame.

Varied as their various coursers gallantly their standards rose, With their wondrous strange devices, terror of their armed foes!

Water-jar on tawny deerskin, such was Drona's sign of war,-- Drona as a tender infant rested in a water-jar,

Golden moon with stars surrounding was Yudhishthir's sign of yore, Silver lion was the standard tiger-waisted Bhima bore,

Brave Nakula's sign was red deer with its back of burnished gold, Silver swan with bells resounding Sahadeva's onset told,

Golden peac.o.c.k rich-emblazoned was young Abhimanyu's joy, Vulture shone on Ghatotkacha, Bhima's proud and gallant boy.

Now Duryodhan marked the foemen heaving like the rising tide, And he faced the wrathful Bhima towering in his tameless pride,

Short the war, for proud Duryodhan wounded from the battle fled, And his warriors from fair Anga rested with the countless dead!

Wild with anger Bhagadatta, monarch of the farthest East, With his still unconquered forces on the valiant Bhima pressed,

Came from far the wrathful Arjun and the battle's front he sought, Where by eastern foes surrounded still the stalwart Bhima fought!