impetuously towards Kripa, resembling Indra’s
bolt in effulgence. Thereupon that foremost of
., Sini’s grandson, abandoning
Gautama, rushed in battle towards Drona’s son
like Rahu in the firmament against the Moon. Drona’s
son, however, O Bharata, cut Satyaki’s bow in
twain. After his bow had thus been cut off, the
former began to strike the latter with his shafts.
Satyaki then, taking up another bow capable of bearing
a great strain and slaughtering the foe, struck Drona’s
son, O king, in the chest and arms with six shafts.
Pierced therewith and feeling great pain, for a moment
he was deprived of his senses, and he sat down on the
terrace of his car, catching hold of his flag-staff.
Regaining his consciousness then, the valiant son
of Drona, excited with rage afflicted him of Vrishni’s
race in that battle, with one long shaft. That
shaft, piercing Sini’s grandson through, entered
the earth like a vigorous young snake entering its
hole in the season of spring. And with another
broad-headed arrow, Drona’s son in that battle
cut off the excellent standard of Satyaki. And
having achieved this feat he uttered a leonine roar.
And once more, O Bharata, he covered his adversary
with a shower of fierce shafts like the clouds, O
king covering the Sun after summer is past, Satyaki
also, O monarch, baffling that arrowy shower, soon
covered the son of Drona with diverse showers of arrows
That slayer of hostile heroes, viz
., the grandson
of Sini, freed from that arrowy shower like the Sun
from the clouds, began to scorch the son of Drona
(with his energy). Swelling with rage the mighty
Satyaki once more covered his foe with a thousand arrows
and uttered a loud shout. Beholding his son then
thus afflicted like the Moon by Rahu, the valiant
son of Bharadwaja rushed towards the grandson of Sini.
Desirous, O king, of rescuing, his son who was afflicted
by the Vrishni hero, Drona, in that great battle,
pierced the latter with a shaft of exceeding sharpness.
Satyaki then, abandoning the mighty car-warrior Aswatthaman,
pierced Drona himself in that battle with twenty arrows
of exceeding sharpness. Soon after, that scorcher
of foes and mighty car-warrior, viz
son of immeasurable soul, excited with wrath, rushed
in that battle against Drona. Then Drona and Partha
encountered each other in fierce combat like the planets
Budha and Sukra, O king, in the firmament.
Dhritarashtra said, “How did those bulls among
men, viz., that great bowman Drona, and Dhananjaya
the son of Pandu, encounter each other in battle?
The son of Pandu is ever dear to the wise son of Bharadwaja.
The preceptor also is ever dear to Pritha’s
son, O Sanjaya. Both of those car-warriors delight
in battle, and both of them are fierce like lions.
How therefore, did Bharadwaja’s son and Dhananjaya,
both fighting with care encounter each other in battle?”