67. THE FOURTH DAY :

THE battle was very much the same every
day and the narrative is one of
monotonous fighting and killing. Still, the
great battle is the central event in the
Mahabharata and, if we skip over it, we
cannot fully understand the epic heroes of
that crowded stage.


At break of day, Bhishma arrayed the
Kaurava forces again. Surrounded by
Drona, Duryodhana and others, the
grandsire looked verily like great Indra,
holding his thunder bolt, surrounded by
the devas.


The Kaurava army, with its chariots,
elephants and horses all arrayed in battle
order and ready for the fight, presented
the appearance of the sky in a great
thunderstorm.


The grandsire gave orders for advance.
Arjuna watched the hostile movements
from his chariot, whereon the Hanuman
flag was waving, and he too got ready.
The battle commenced. Aswatthama,
Bhurisravas, Salya, Chitrasena and the son
of Chala surrounded Abhimanyu and
attacked him. The warrior fought like a
lion opposing five elephants.


Arjuna saw this combined attack on his
son and, with a wrathful lion roar joined
his son whereat the tempo of fighting
flared up. Dhrishtadyumna also arrived
with a large force. The son of Chala was
killed.


Chala himself now joined and he with
Salya, made a strong attack on
Dhrishtadyumna. The latter's bow was
severed into two by a sharp missile
discharged by Salya.


Abhimanyu saw this and sent a shower of
arrows on Salya and put him in such
danger that Duryodhana and his brothers
rushed to Salya's help. Bhimasena also
appeared on the scene at this juncture.


When Bhima raised his mace aloft,
Duryodhana's brothers lost courage.
Duryodhana, who saw this, was
exceedingly angry and immediately
charged against Bhima with a large force
of elephants.


As soon as Bhima saw the elephants
coming up, he descended from his chariot,
iron mace in hand, attacked them so
fiercely that they scattered in a wild
stampede, throwing the Kaurava ranks
into disorder.


It will be seen that even in our Puranic
stories elephants fared as badly in battle as
they did in the wars of the Greeks and the
Romans. Bhima's attack on the elephants
was like Indra's devastating onslaught on
the winged mountains.


The slaughtered elephants lay dead on the
field like great hills. Those that escaped
fled in panic and caused great havoc in the
Kaurava army, trampling numerous
soldiers in their wild race. Duryodhana,
thereupon, ordered a wholesale attack on
Bhima.


But he stood firm as a rock and presently,
the Pandava warriors came up and joined
him. A number of Duryodhana's arrows
struck Bhima's chest and he climbed up
his chariot again.


"Visoka, now is the glad hour," said
Bhima to his charioteer. "I see a number
of Dhritarashtra's sons before me, ready to
be shaken down like ripe fruits on a tree.
Keep your hold well on the reins and
drive on. I am going to dispatch these
wretches to Yama's abode." Bhima's
arrows would have killed Duryodhana
then and there, had it not been for his
armor.


Eight of Duryodhana's brothers were slain
in that day's battle by Bhima. Duryodhana
fought fiercely. Bhima's bow was
smashed by one of Duryodhana's arrows.


Taking up a fresh bow, Bhima sent an
arrow with a knife-edge at Duryodhana
that cut the latter's bow into two.
Not baffled by this, Duryodhana took up a
fresh bow and discharged a well-aimed
shaft which struck Bhima on his chest
with such force that he reeled and sat
down.


The Pandava warriors now poured a great
shower of arrows on Duryodhana.
Ghatotkacha, who saw his father sit dazed
with the force of the blow, got
exceedingly angry and fell on the Kaurava
army, which was unable to stand against
his onslaught.


"We cannot fight this Rakshasa today."
said Bhishma to Drona. "Our men are
weary. It is nearing sunset and at night of
the Rakshasas grows stronger with the
darkness. Let us deal with Ghatotkacha
tomorrow."


The grandsire ordered his army to retire
for the night. Duryodhana sat musing in
his tent, his eyes filled with tears. He had
lost many of his brothers in that day's
battle.


"Sanjaya," exclaimed Dhritarashtra.
"Every day, you give me nothing but bad
news. Your tale has ever been one of
sorrow, of defeat and loss of dear ones! I
cannot stand this any more. What
stratagem can save my people? How are
we going to win in this fight? Indeed, I am
full of fear. It seems fate is more powerful
than human effort."


"King " said Sanjaya in reply, "is this not
all the result of your own folly? Of what
avail is grief? How can I manufacture
good news for you? You should hear the
truth with fortitude."
"Ah! Vidura's words are coming true,"
said the blind old king, plunged in great
grief.


Taking up a fresh bow, Bhima sent an
arrow with a knife-edge at Duryodhana
that cut the latter's bow into two.
Not baffled by this, Duryodhana took up a
fresh bow and discharged a well-aimed
shaft which struck Bhima on his chest
with such force that he reeled and sat
down.


The Pandava warriors now poured a great
shower of arrows on Duryodhana.
Ghatotkacha, who saw his father sit dazed
with the force of the blow, got
exceedingly angry and fell on the Kaurava
army, which was unable to stand against
his onslaught.


"We cannot fight this Rakshasa today."
said Bhishma to Drona. "Our men are
weary. It is nearing sunset and at night of
the Rakshasas grows stronger with the
darkness. Let us deal with Ghatotkacha
tomorrow."


The grandsire ordered his army to retire
for the night. Duryodhana sat musing in
his tent, his eyes filled with tears. He had
lost many of his brothers in that day's
battle.


"Sanjaya," exclaimed Dhritarashtra.
"Every day, you give me nothing but bad
news. Your tale has ever been one of
sorrow, of defeat and loss of dear ones! I
cannot stand this any more. What
stratagem can save my people? How are
we going to win in this fight? Indeed, I am
full of fear. It seems fate is more powerful
than human effort."


"King " said Sanjaya in reply, "is this not
all the result of your own folly? Of what
avail is grief? How can I manufacture
good news for you? You should hear the
truth with fortitude."


"Ah! Vidura's words are coming true,"
said the blind old king, plunged in great
grief.


68. THE FIFTH DAY


Continues...