64. THE FIRST DAY'S BATTLE :

DUHSASANA was leading the Kaurava
forces and Bhimasena did the same on the
Pandava side. The noise of battle rolled
and rent the air. The kettledrums,
trumpets, horns and conchs made the sky
ring with their clamor.


Horses neighed, charging elephants
trumpeted and the warriors uttered their
lion-roars. Arrows flew in the air like
burning meteors. Fathers and sons, uncles
and nephews slew one another forgetful of
old affection and ties of blood. It was a
mad and terrible carnage. In the forenoon
of the first day's battle the Pandava army
was badly shaken. Wherever Bhishma's
chariot went, it was like the dance of the
destroyer. Abhimanyu could not bear this
and he attacked the grandsire. When the
oldest and the youngest warriors thus met
in battle, the gods came to watch the
combat. Abhimanyu's flag, displaying the
golden karnikara tree brightly waved on
his chariot.


Kritavarma was hit by one of his arrows
and Salya was hit five times. Bhishma
himself was hit nine times by
Abhimanyu's shafts. Durmukha's
charioteer was struck by one of
Abhimanyu's sword-edge arrow and his
severed head rolled on the ground.


Another broke Kripa's bow. Abhimanyu's
feats brought down showers of flowers
from the gods who looked on. Bhishma
and the warrior supporting him exclaimed:
"Indeed, a worthy son to Dhananjaya!"
Then the Kaurava warriors made a
combined attack on the valiant youth. But
he stood against them all. He parried with
his own all the shafts discharged by
Bhishma.


One of his well-aimed arrows brought the
grandsire's palm tree flag down. Seeing
this, Bhimasena was overjoyed and made
a great lion-roar that further inspired the
valiant nephew. Great was the grandsire's
joy, seeing the valor of the young hero.
Unwillingly, he had to use his full
strength against the boy. Virata, his son
Uttara, Dhrishtadyumna, the son of
Drupada and Bhima came to relieve the
young hero and attacked the grandsire
who then turned his attentions on them.


Uttara, the son of Virata, rode an elephant
and led a fierce charge on Salya. Salya's
chariot horses were trampled to death and
thereupon he hurled a javelin at Uttara. It
went with unerring aim and pierced him in
the chest.


The goad he had in his hand dropped and
he rolled down dead. But the elephant did
not withdraw. It continued charging until
Salya cut off its trunk and hit it in many
places with his arrows. And then it uttered
a loud cry and fell dead. Salya got into
Kritavarma's car.


Virata's son Sveta saw Salya slay his
younger brother. His anger rose, like fire
fed by libations of butter. And he drove
his chariot towards Salya. Seven chariot
warriors at once came up in support of
Salya and protected him from all sides.


Arrows were showered on Sveta and the
missiles sped across like lightning in
clouds. Sveta defended himself
marvelously. He parried their shafts with
his own and cut their javelins down as
they sped towards him. The warriors in
both armies were amazed at the skill
displayed by Sveta. Duryodhana lost no
time now and sent forces to relieve Salya.
Whereupon there was a great battle.


Thousands of soldiers perished, and
numerous were the chariots broken and
the horses and elephants killed. Sveta
succeeded in putting Duryodhana's men to
flight and he pushed forward and attacked
Bhishma.


Bhishma's flag was brought down by
Sveta. Bhishma, in his turn, killed Sveta's
horses and charioteer. There upon, they
hurled javelins at one another and fought
on.


Sveta took a mace, and swinging it, sent it
at Bhishma's car which was smashed to
pieces. But the grandsire, even before the
mace dashed against the chariot, had
anticipated it and jumped down. From the
ground he pulled the string of his bow to
his ear and sent a fatal arrow at Sveta.


Sveta was struck and fell dead. Duhsasana
blew his horn and danced in joy. This was
followed by a great attack on the Pandava
army by Bhishma.


The Pandava forces suffered greatly on
the first day of the battle. Dharmaputra
was seized with apprehension, and
Duryodhana's joy was unbounded. The
brothers came to Krishna and were
engaged in anxious consultations.


"Chief among Bharatas," said Krishna to
Yudhishthira, "do not fear. God has
blessed you with valiant brothers. Why
should you entertain any doubts? There is
Satyaki and there are Virata, Drupada and
Dhrishtadyumna, besides myself. What
reason is there for you to be dejected? Do
you forget that Sikhandin is awaiting for
his predestined victim Bhishma?" Thus
did Krishna comfort Yudhishthira.


Next : - 65. THE SECOND DAY

Continues....