Kurukshetra War - Day 7

            

            The sun rose in the east and witnessed the mighty Kaurava army arrayed in the form of Mandala Vyuha and the Pandava warriors in the Vajra Vyuha. With the legions waiting to start the seventh day’s battle in the great Kurukshetra battlefield, intensifying his rays of hope and light and indicating the arrival of dawn, the sun gave his approval and with the blow of the conches and drums beaten, the war began, hoping for victory.

           Desire of breaking the foe’s array, both the armies rushed with renewed rage and dynamism. Duryodhana rushed for battling against Dhrishtadyumna while his brothers Chitrasena, Vikarna and Durmarshana raged against the heroic Abhimanyu. King Yudhistra rushed against Kalinga King Srutayush as Nakula and Sahadeva proceeded against their uncle, King Salya. Arjuna was opposed by the Trigartha warriors while Sikandi confronted the undefeatable Aswathama. Bhīma rushed against Kritavarman as the Kekaya King, Dhrishtaketu fought against King Bhurisravas and Kekaya Prince, Chekitana conflicted against Krpacharya.

            Excited in battling the Trigarthas, Arjuna welcomed them for the battle by showering pointy arrows which pierced and slew hundreds of Kaurava warriors and animals. The Trigartha Kings and Princes showered their oil dipped blazing arrows on Arjuna and Krishna but Arjuna, standing heroic on his chariot, invoked the divine Aindra weapon. Summoned by Arjuna, the divine celestial weapon slew thousands of Trigartha warriors, their steeds and elephants. Those arrows did not miss and every single Trigartha warrior was either wounded or slayed. Terrified, the Trigarthas fled towards Bhishma for protection. Bhishma, the patriarch of the Kuru family rushed against his favorite Arjuna with rage and seeing him, on Duryodhana’s command, the fleeing Trigarthas and the platoon under King Susarman rushed in defense for their grandsire. Arjuna, excited on seeing Bhishma, rushed with rage towards his Patriarch.

            In the meantime, Dronacharya, who was engaged in a duel with King Virata, cut off the standard and the bow of the King. Before King Virata could respond, Drona slew the steeds and the charioteer of Virata. Descending from his grounded chariot, the King ascended on his son, Prince Sankha’s chariot and began to strike Dronacharya along with his son. Aswathama came in defense for his father and encountering Prince Sankha, he slew the prince in the very sight of King Virata. Witnessing his son dead, Virata bore the chariot away from Drona and his son out of pain and fear.

            Aswathama, who was then engaged in slaying the resisting Pandava soldiers, was encountered by Sikandi. Like lightning, Aswathama struck Sikandi with his pointy darts and slew the charioteer and steeds of Sikandi and covered Sikandi’s grounded chariot with his arrows. Descending from the grounded chariot, Sikandi, with a shield and sword came running towards Aswathama. With his pointy well-aimed darts, Aswathama broke the shield and the sword and pierced Sikandi in the shoulders. Witnessing the defeated Sikandi standing defenseless and deserted, King Satyaki came in defense and bore him away from the spot in his chariot.

            Generalissimo of the Pandavas, the heroic Dhrishtadyumna who was engaged in battling with Duryodhana, broke his bow into halves and slew his steeds and charioteer. Before Duryodhana could react, in a wink of an eye, Dhrishtadyumna pierced Duryodhana with his pointy darts and the vanquished Duryodhana was removed from the spot by King Saguni.

            Kritavarman, who was engaged in a conflict with Bhīma, was also defeated by the mighty Bhimasena. Forenoon and the Pandava warriors were causing severe damage to their foes. King Bhagadatta engaged in thrashing the Pandava army while Bhīma and Arjuna were crushing the Kaurava army. King Salya, who was battling against Sahadeva and Nakula, slew the steeds and charioteer of Nakula. Encountering Nakula and Sahadeva who were battling from Sahadeva’s chariot, fearless King Salya covered them with his arrows. But, unable to face Sahadeva, whose pointy darts pierced the armor and reached for his chest, King Salya fell unconscious and his charioteer rushed the chariot to the camp.

            By noon, as the sun reached the meridian, the warriors kept fighting under the scorching sun, holding no respect for their life and health in their heart. Brave and heroic Abhimanyu fought against the brothers of Duryodhana, viz., Vikarna, Chitrasena and Durmarshana. Though the battle was fierce, the brothers were no match to Abhimanyu’s prowess and they lost their steeds, charioteers and standards to Abhimanyu’s pointy darts. Though Abhimanyu could have slayed them in a wink of an eye, he chose not to, remembering the vow of his uncle Bhīma and left the spot after vanquishing the brothers.   

            Kalinga King Srutayush engaged in battling with King Yudhistra. Srutayush pierced Yudhistra in his chest and shoulders with his Kanka feathered arrows. Filled with rage, roaring like a lion, Yudhistra in return shot pointy darts on Srutayush and broke his standard, flag pole and his bow. Without letting his bowstring to rest, Yudhistra kept shooting arrows on Srutayush and slayed his enemies’ charioteer and steeds. Srutayush, along with his platoons, on witnessing the rage of Yudhistra ran on foot, disregarding his honor.

            Meanwhile, Arjuna was encountered by the mighty Trigartha King Susarman and his platoon. With the support from the legions of the brothers of Duryodhana and the Trigartha Rathas and Maharathas, Susarman covered Arjuna and Krishna with his showers of arrows and with all his mightiness he faced the raged Arjuna. Shooting pointy darts effectively and continuously, Arjuna broke the standards and the flag poles of the Rathas and the Maharathas around him. And resting not, to see what happened, he shot arrows dipped in oil, unceasingly, breaking the bows and slaying the steeds and charioteers of the chariot warriors.  Before the warriors could think, he began to slay Trigartha’s mighty Rathas and Maharathas. In that battle, Arjuna slaughtered 32 chariot warriors and more princes and Kings of the small tribes. Ceasing not, he slew the 60 Trigartha chariot warriors who rushed towards him in rage.

            Before Susarman could encounter Arjuna, Sikandi came in defense for Arjuna and engaged in battling with the Trigartha King, letting Arjuna rush towards Bhishma. In the meantime, King Yudhistra, along with Bhīma, Nakula and Sahadeva and their platoons rushed towards Bhishma. Though attacked by the five sons of Pandu, the mighty Bhishma, fought against them with ease and with cheered heart. Defended by his defenders viz., King Jayadratha, King Salya, Krpacharya, Chitrasena and Duryodhana, Bhishma began to attack the Pandavas and their warriors. Vanquishing Susarman, Sikandi too joined the Pandavas and battled against Bhishma’s defenders.

            Unable to face the mightiness of King Salya and King Jayadratha, Sikandi turned back and began to flee, not before King Yudhistra could notice it. Raged on Sikandi’s conduct, King Yudhistra yelled –“Sikandi, you have vowed to slay Bhishma and you are the only one who can defeat the undefeatable Pithamaha. How can you flee like this, without fulfilling your vow and also without any respect for your mightiness and family? Do you think you can attain peace leaving your platoon, your friends and relatives like this? Of course, everyone’s terrified on witnessing Pithamaha’s prowess, but still, we all stand against him. Why is it, you, who has lived all these years waiting for an opportunity to slay Pithamaha, is absconding?”

            Motivated and raged on hearing the punitive words of King Yudhistra, Sikandi turned back and began to battle against Bhishma. But, considering the feminineness of Sikandi, Bhishma ignored Sikandi and began battling against the Srinjayas and as a result, Sikandi faced Bhishma’s defender, King Salya. Meanwhile, Bhīma encountered King Jayadratha and slew his four steeds with his mace. Chitrasena came in defense for King Jayadratha. Chitrasena, taking his shield and sword, descended from his chariot and engaged in a duel with Bhīma singly as his squad of soldiers fled in all directions witnessing the exceedingly raged Bhīma. Terrified not, Bhīma slew Chitrasena’s steeds and also broke his chariot into pieces, by striking with his mighty mace. Witnessing his brother standing grounded, Vikarna came in defense and bore Chitrasena away from Bhīma, in his chariot.

       King Yudhistra, along with Nakula and Sahadeva, engaged in battling with Pithamaha Bhishma. Bhishma battled with ease, yet again proving that he is invincible. Vanquished by Bhishma, King Yudhistra, after losing his charioteer, steeds and chariot to Bhishma, ascended on the chariot of Nakula and began to battle against their Patriarch. Witnessing the impudence of King Yudhistra in approaching him even after being defeated, Bhishma felt proud while the enthused Pandava warriors rushed against the Kaurava warriors with cheered heart and engaged in duel with the foe they come across.

      As a result of the fierce and interminable battle, both the arrays were broken by afternoon. Yet, none of the soldiers from the armies retreated from the battle or even looked up to notice the position of the blistering sun. Duryodhana and his brothers battled defending Bhishma. King Satyaki and Dhrishtadyumna, who were crushing the Kaurava warriors with their pointy darts, came across the Avanti princes – Vinda and Anuvinda. In no time, the mighty Avanti princes slew the charioteer and the steeds of Dhrishtadyumna. King Satyaki bore Dhrishtadyumna in his chariot as King Yudhistra along with his platoon, rushed against the Avanti princes. Drona came in defense for the Avanti princes and begun to slaughter the Panchala soldiers.

            Though the heroic warriors of both the armies were not tired after battling the whole day, witnessing the vindictiveness in the battlefield and the dreadful river of blood running flooded, exhausted sun began to set behind the hills. Witnessing the twilight, both the armies ceased their fight and retired to their respective camps, with cheered hearts and wounded bodies, making it undisputable that the battle will continue tomorrow.