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| Karna to lead!!! |
Cheered
on Duryodhana’s words, with Karna as their new generalissimo, with delighted
heart, the Kaurava soldiers proceeded against the Pandava army, forming the
mighty Makara array. The Pandava army, setting their hearts in the
battle and victory formed the Crescent Moon array(also known as Chandra Kala
array). Along with the doors of heaven kept open, the troops waited in the
battlefield, setting their eyes in the east, waiting for the sun to give
approval to start the day and the battle.
With
the first golden ray of sunlight spreading from the east, the conchs were
blown, both in the heaven and in the battlefield. Teemed with rage and desire
for victory, both the armies proceeded against each other. Blessed by his
father, the magnificent sun, Karna began to slaughter the Pandava army with his
pointy darts. Staying enclosed in their array formation, proceeding towards
their foe, the Maharathas along with their platoon began to strike their opponent.
Arjuna engaged in battling with the mighty heroes of the Samshaptakas while
Dhrishtadyumna rushed against Krpacharya. Sahadeva engaged with Duchadhana as
Sikandi encountered Kritavarma.
Heroic
Satyaki covered the rushing Avanti Kings, Vinda and Anuvinda, with his sharp
and blazing darts. Rain of arrows filled
the spot and pierced the earth and the chariots of the three warriors. The
showers did not fail to break the bows of the warriors too. Beholding his
broken arrow in the battle, skilled Satyaki, without wasting time, took another
bow and with rage, he sped a razor pointed dart which slew King Anuvinda the
moment it pierced his throat. Witnessing their King slain, the soldiers of
Avanti rushed against Satyaki and started striking him with their arrows, unto
which Satyaki responded by breaking those arrows with his pointy ones, before
they could reach him. Vinda shot thousands of arrows on Satyaki piercing him in
the chest and the vital parts, not before slaying Satyaki’s charioteer, steeds
and making Satyaki stand on a grounded chariot with a broken bow. Feeling raged
more than pain, Satyaki, with his sword, slew King Vinda. Then, with his new bow in hand and ascending
Yudhamanyu’s chariot, Satyaki began to slaughter the Avanti warriors along with
Yudhamanyu.
Bhīma
was opposed by the Kuluta King, Kshemadhurti. The battle between them was
fierce like the duel among two elephants gone wild. Standing on their
elephant’s forehead, both of them pierced each other with pointy darts and broke
the foe’s bow. With his rain of arrows, before Bhīma
could react, King Kshemadhurti slew Bhīma’s
elephant. Raged, Bhīma
took his mace and rushed against the King and with one jump, he struck the
forehead of King Kshemadhurti’s elephant and crushed its skull. Before the King
could attack Bhīma
with his sword, Bhīma
slew him by hitting hard on his head. Bhīma
then engaged in a battle with Aswathama, who singly came rushing towards him,
witnessing King Kshemadhurti lying dead.
Meanwhile,
Srutakarma, who was battling the Gandharva King, Chitrasena, though attacked by
the King and pierced in vital parts, with his broad headed arrow he cut off the
head of the mighty King. Similarly, Prathivindhya who was engaged in a fierce
duel with King Chitra broke the bow of the King and his standard, not before
slaying the charioteer. Rushing with his mace, King Chitra viciously slew the
steeds and the charioteer of Prathivindhya. Jumping from his chariot before the
upraised mace of the King crush the chariot, Prathivindhya sped a sharp dart
towards the King, who, skilled in archery like Arjuna, got the speeding arrow
in his very own hands. Striking Prathivindhya in his right arm with the very
same arrow, King Chitra laughed at the son of Yudhistra. Filled with wrath,
Prathivindhya hurled a spear in the chest of the King, which came out piercing
the armor at the back. Not expecting a sudden response from the fallen
Prathivindhya, struck by the spear, the magnificent King fell dead on the
ground, amazed at the skill of the little prince. Then, Prathivindhya began to
slaughter the platoons of the fallen King who were approaching him, blinded by
rage.
The duel between Bhīma and Aswathama was fierce and brutal. The
battle continued for hours. Exhausted, both of them rested on their chariot’s
seat for some time, though the rage in them decreased not. Continuing the
battle, Bhīma’s
arrows pierced Aswathama in the chest as Aswathama’s pierced Bhīma in his shoulders and chest. Pierced Aswathama,
unable to take the blow, fell unconscious on the chariot and his charioteer
drove him away from the spot promptly.
While Arjuna was proceeding, slaughtering the Samshaptakas
along with their steeds, elephants, elephant riders and charioteers in
hundreds, he came across the mighty Girivraja King, Dandhadhara who was
crushing the Pandava warriors with his skills. On Krishna’s advice, ceasing the
massacre of Samshaptakas, Arjuna turned towards King Dandhadhara. Beholding the
rushing Arjuna, terrified not, the courageous King sped arrows that pierced
Krishna and Arjuna. Raged not but focused in his response, Arjuna, shooting
broad headed arrows in hundreds, broke the standard, flag pole, bow of the King
and slew the elephant and its rider, along with the foot soldiers and spike men
protecting the King. Responding to the fierce arrows of the raged King,
Arjuna’s arrows cut off the hands and the head of the King, who was standing on
a falling elephant. The elephant and the King fell on the ground lifeless.
Arjuna then began to slaughter the elephants and warriors of the King’s
platoon, in hundreds.
Prince
Kshemya, Son of King Ugrayudha rushed along with the Samshaptakas to slay
Arjuna. Piercing Arjuna with his pointy darts, Kshemya invited Arjuna for a
duel, to which Arjuna responded with cheered heart. Slaying the Samshaptakas
and at the same time, responding to the shafts of Prince Kshemya, Arjuna
covered the platoon of Samshaptakas with his arrows and slew the Prince before
the Samshaptakas could respond.
Karna who was quelling the Pandava warriors,
engaged with Nakula, who was destroying the Kaurava warriors. The duel lasted
only for short time as like lightning, Karna’s arrows broke the bow of Nakula
and pierced him in his shoulders. Struck by the darts but pierced not, Nakula who
was on the verge of death, fled from Karna. Remembering his promise to his
mother Kunti, Karna ceased attacking Nakula and engaged in slaughtering the
Pandava troops, beholding his father delighted at his son’s prowess from the
meridian. Karna slew the Pandava warriors in hundreds, along with their steeds,
elephants and charioteers. Downpour of arrows from Karna’s bow failed not to
slay the fleeing soldiers too.
The sweltering sun passed his meridian and began
to descend witnessing the battle and at the same time, warming up the
battlefield. Summoned by Aswathama, Arjuna began to strike the son of his Guru,
on the command of his charioteer Krishna. As the duel proceeded for a long time
and was fierce, the Kaurava warriors rushed on their elephants to protect
Aswathama. Bathed in blood, Arjuna, without losing his patience and senses,
shot pointy darts on the Kalinga and Nishada elephant warriors rushing against
him and slew them along with their elephants and riders. Without losing a
moment, he broke the bow of Aswathama and slew the charioteer too. The steeds
ran without control and bore Aswathama away from Arjuna before Aswathama could
take control of the steeds. With Aswathama gone, Arjuna engaged in crushing the
Samshaptakas.
Getting control of his
steeds and with a new charioteer and with a new cart of arrows, Aswathama
returned to the field and engaged in battling against the Pandya King
Malayadhwaja. King Malayadhwaja, the foremost and mightiest warrior of the
Pandavas was devastating the troops of the Kauravas like a powerful tornado.
Well versed in the science of every weapon and packed with energy and power,
the King slaughtered the enemies in hundreds. Even Pithamaha Bhishma and
Krishna were excited and thrilled witnessing the prowess of King Malayadhwaja
at the start of the war. Pithamaha Bhishma had called him as the “Mighty and
Foremost Maharatha of the Pandavas”. Witnessing King Malayadhwaja viciously
slaughtering the Kaurava troops by constantly changing his weapon and
responding to the enemies, Aswathama came in as a protector for his warriors
and engaged in a duel with the mighty King Malayadhwaja. The duel was fierce
and Aswathama was unable to find a gap to slay the mighty King. None of his
arrows pierced the King. Karna rushed in as the defense shield and engaged in slaughtering the elephant
warriors of the Pandya King. The battle prolonged, but with ease the King was
cutting off the arrows shot by Aswathama. The King also succeeded in slaying
the two protectors of Aswathama. With intensified rage, Aswathama slew the
steeds of the Pandya King and his charioteer. With another pointy dart, he
broke the bow of the King and with hundreds of arrows he trashed the chariot of
the Pandya King, but not before the King jumped from his chariot.
In the meantime,
witnessing a rider less elephant that came roaring in pain as a result of the
pointy darts of Karna, the Pandya King ascended to its neck in elegance and
began attacking Aswathama by standing on an uncontrolled elephant. Aswathama
too was surprised witnessing the skill of the Pandya King. Regaining his senses and filled with
rage, Aswathama pierced the elephant’s legs and before the King could gain
control, Aswathama with hid two pointy darts, he cut off the arms of the King
and with a pointy dart he cut off the head of the falling King Malayadhwaja.
Still raged Aswathama cut off the elephant into ten pieces and slew the six
Pandya Maharathas who followed the King. Along with Karna, Aswathama then began
to slaughter the rushing Pandya warriors, as eight bullock carts engaged in
carrying the shot darts of Aswathama in his duel with the Pandya King and
soldiers.
With the time for sunset nearing, the armies
engaged in battling with heart full of rage, desiring victory. Bhīma, with his mighty mace engaged in a duel with
Kritavarma as King Yudhistra engaged in a duel with his brother, King
Duryodhana. The battle among the brothers was at its extreme and yet, the
warriors were unable to find who might succeed. Duryodhana, witnessing King
Yudhistra’s prowess, with rage filled heart, shot pointy darts which slew the
charioteer of King Yudhistra. King Yudhistra responded with five darts which
slew the four steeds and the charioteer of Duryodhana. Piercing the armor of
Duryodhana with his pointy darts, Yudhistra succeeded in cutting off the
standard and the flag pole of Duryodhana. Unable to tolerate the insult, raged
Duryodhana broke the bow of King Yudhistra, standing on the grounded chariot.
With ease, Yudhistra took another bow and shot arrows which cut off the twain
of Duryodhana’s bow and pierced his armor in chest. Ceasing not, King Yudhistra
kept showering arrows at Duryodhana. Stupefied and deeply hurt, King Duryodhana
fell on his grounded chariot.
As Yudhistra, desire of ending the battle and
further deaths, aimed a pointy dart on Duryodhana and before he could let his
dart leave the bow, Bhīma came in yelling, “Brother! I have vowed to
slay him. This Duryodhana should be slain by me, in my own hands, after he
witnesses the death of all his brothers. Don’t slay him now.”
King Yudhistra, recollecting Bhīma’s vow,
dropped his dart and saved by Bhīma, Duryodhana who was already deeply hurt, fell
unconscious on his chariot. Witnessing Duryodhana lying unconscious, Karna and
Aswathama rushed along with Krpacharya. Nakula and Sahadeva, along with their
platoon rushed in for protecting their brother along with Bhīma. Krpacharya bore Duryodhana away from the
field in his chariot as Karna and Aswathama engaged in slaughtering the Pandava
warriors.
Bhīma began to battle against the mighty brothers of
Duryodhana and their legion. With his mighty bow, Bhīma engaged with Sama, Dussalan, Dridhasandha,
Chitrakundala and ten more brothers. Surrounded by the brothers and their
platoon, raged Bhīma showered hundreds and thousands of sharp darts
from his celestial bow called Vayavya. The darts failed not to pierce
the armor and the vital body parts of the warriors and their steeds. Dridhasandha,
the mighty brother of Duryodhana lost his life pierced by seven arrows of Bhīma. Raged on witnessing their brother’s death,
Prince Dussalan, Prince Chitrakundala and Prince Sama rushed against Bhīma and succeeded in piercing the arms and armor
of Bhīma. The brothers covered Bhīma with their arrows. Filled with wrath, Bhīma’s fifty
pointy darts swiftly rushed towards the brothers and cut off the hands of
Prince Dussalan and broke the bow of Prince Sama and Prince Pasi. With his
feathered arrow, Bhīma then slew Prince Dussalan and before he could
fell on the ground lifeless, Bhīma’s
arrows slew Prince Chitrakundala. Beholding the rest of the brothers standing
raged, before they could recollect their senses, Bhīma shot his darts and beheaded Prince Sama and
slew Prince Bhimaratha. Ceasing not, still remembering his vow, Bhīma slayed Prince Dridhakshatra, after slaying his
charioteer and steeds. He then began to slay the spike men and the knights of
the Kaurava army. Unable to withstand the downpour of
arrows, the soldiers, along with the brothers of Duryodhana flew in all
directions, with desire to live.
Dhrishtadyumna, along with Sikandi, Chekitana,
the UpaPandavas, Yuyutsu and the Chedis, the Kekayas and the Matsya warriors
and King Yudhistra, with their vast platoon engaged in showering darts on Karna
and his legion. Dreaded not, Karna, with ire, began to destroy the troops
surrounding him with his mighty darts.
Witnessing Karna’s mightiness, Arjuna, who was
rushing towards Karna, was welcomed by the combined warriors of the Samshaptakas, the
Trigarthas, the Sivis and the Salvas. Arjuna, beholding the mighty warriors,
began showering arrows at them. Though pierced by the arrows of the Kings and
the Princes, Arjuna responded to their darts and succeeded in piercing them and
in cutting off their shafts. Beholding the Kings closing, with well-aimed
darts, Arjuna slew King Satrunjaya and beheaded
Susruta’s son, Prince Jaya. Ceasing not, with pointy darts, Arjuna then slew
Candradeva and slew his protectors with five arrows. In the meantime,
Satyasena’s golden spear with iron head pierced the left arm of Krishna and
Krishna lost control of the steeds. Witnessing Krishna hurt, raged Arjuna sped
his pointy darts which beheaded Satyasena in front of his army. Arjuna then
despatched the charioteer and steeds of Citravarman to heaven, before killing
Citravarman with his pointy arrow. With a razor sharp dart, Arjuna beheaded
Mitrasena. Though the Sivis and the Salvas fled in fear, the Samshaptakas
rushed towards Arjuna with madness.
Arjuna’s hundreds and
thousands of arrows slew thousands of the Samshaptakas. Terrified not, the
raged Samshaptakas enclosed Arjuna. Proficient in archery than all those
Samshaptakas, Arjuna, with ease, invoked the celestial Aindra weapon and
as a result, thousands and thousands of pointy darts kept pouring on the
Samshaptakas from the sky and pierced the spike men, the swordsmen, the cavalries,
the riders, the elephants, the charioteers, the steeds and the warriors,
resulting in slaying them all. As the weapon ceased its mightiness, no Kaurava
warrior was seen alive near Arjuna’s chariot while the Samshaptakas and the Trigarthas
who fled in fear escaped from the weapon’s prowess. Arjuna then rushed against
Karna.
Arjuna and Karna showered
arrows on each other and covered the whole place with either dead or wounded
warriors. Before the duel between Arjuna and Karna could get fierce, the
exhausted sun retired for the day, setting in west. Crushed by Arjuna’s
prowess, the Kaurava warriors left the field wounded and worn-out whereas the
Pandava warriors retired to their camp deprived of their energy after
witnessing the skill and mightiness of Karna.
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