“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘Seeing the Pandavas and
the son of Dhritarashtra accomplished in weaponry, Drona thought the time had
come when he could demand the fee for Guru (Dakshina
in Sanskrit). O king (Janamejaya), assembling his pupils one day together,
the Guru Drona asked of them the fee, saying, ‘Capture Drupada, the king of
Panchala in battle and bring him to me. That shall be the most acceptable fee.’
Those warriors then answering, ‘So be it’, speedily mounted up on their
chariots, and for giving upon their Dakshina he had demanded, marched out,
accompanied by him. Those bulls among men, attacking the Panchalas on their
way, laid siege to the capital of the great Drupada. Duryodhana, Karna
(possibly Duryodhana’s brother Karna and not Kunti’s son Karna), the mighty Yuyutsu, Duhshaasana, Vikarna,
Jalasandha and Sulochana -- these and many other foremost of Kshatriya princes
of great capability, competed with one another in becoming the foremost in the
attack. The princes, riding in first class chariots and following the cavalry,
entered the hostile capital (of Drupada), and proceeded along the streets.
“Meanwhile, the king of Panchala (Drupada), seeing that mighty
force and hearing its loud sound, came out of his palace, accompanied by his
brothers. Though king Yagnasena (Drupada) was well-armed, the Kuru army attacked him with a shower of arrows,
uttering their war-cry. Yagnasena (Drupada), however, not easy to be defeated in battle, approaching the Kurus
upon his white chariot, began to rain his fierce arrows around.
“Before the battle commenced, Arjuna, seeing the pride
of capabilities displayed by the princes, addressed his Guru, that best of
Brahmanas – Drona, and said, ‘We shall exert ourselves after these have
displayed their capability. The king of Panchala (Drupada) can never be taken on the field of the
battle by any of these.’ Having said this, the sinless son of Kunti (Arjuna) surrounded by his brothers, waited outside
the town at a distance of a mile from it. Meanwhile Drupada seeing the Kuru army,
rushed forward and pouring a fierce shower of arrows around, terribly pained the
Kuru ranks.
“Such was his (Drupada’s) lightness of motion on the battlefield
that, though he was fighting unsupported on a single chariot, the Kurus from
panic thought that there were many Drupadas opposed to them. The fierce arrows
of that monarch (Drupada) fell fast
on all sides, till conchs (Shankha in Sanskrit), trumpets and drums by thousands began to be sounded by the Panchalas
from their houses (giving the alarm).
Then there arose from the mighty Panchala army a roar terrible as that of the
lion, while the twang of their bow-strings seemed to tear the very heavens.
Then Duryodhana, Vikarna, Subahu, Dirghalochana and Duhshaasana becoming
furious, began to shower their arrows upon the enemy.
“O Bharata (Janamejaya), but the mighty bowman, Prishata's son (Drupada), invincible in battle, though very much
pierced with the arrows of the enemy, instantly began to pain the hostile ranks
with greater vigour. Careering over the battlefield like a fiery wheel, king
Drupada with his arrows attacked Duryodhana, Vikarna, the mighty Karna and many
other heroic princes and numberless warriors, and satisfied their thirst for
battle. Then all the citizens showered upon the Kurus various missiles like
clouds showering rain-drops upon the earth. Young and old, they all rushed to
battle, attacking the Kurus with stength. O Bharata (Janamejaya), the Kauravas then seeing the battle
become frightful, broke and fled crying towards the Pandavas.
“The Pandavas, hearing the terrible cry of the
beaten army, respectfullt saluted Drona and ascended their chariots. Then
Arjuna quickly bidding Yudhishthira not to engage in the fight, rushed forward,
appointing the sons of Maadri (Nakula and Sahadeva) the protectors of his chariot-wheels,
while Bhimasena ever fighting in the forefront, mace (Gada in Hindi) in hand, ran ahead. The sinless Arjuna,
thus accompanied by his brothers, hearing the shouts of the enemy, advanced
towards them, filling the whole region with the sound of his chariot-wheels. Like
a Makara entering the sea, the mighty-armed Bhima, resembling a second Yama, Gada
in hand, entered the Panchala ranks, fiercely roaring like the ocean in a storm.
“Bhima, Gada in hand, first rushed towards the array
of elephants in the hostile force, while Arjuna, proficient in battle, attacked
that force with the skill of his arms. Bhima, like the great Destroyer himself,
began to slay those elephants with his Gada. Those huge animals, like to
mountains, struck with Bhima's Gada, had their heads broken into pieces.
Covered with stream of blood, they began to fall upon the ground like mountains
loosened by Vajra. The Pandavas crushed on the ground elephants, horses,
chariots by thousands and slew many foot-soldiers and many chariot-warriors.
Indeed, as a herdsman in the forest drives before him with his staff countless
cattle with ease, so did Vrikodara (Bhimasena) drive before him the chariots and elephants
of the hostile force.
“Meanwhile, Phalguna (Arjuna) driven by the desire of doing good to
Bharadwaja's son (Drona), attacked
the son of Prishata (Drupada) with a
shower of arrows and felled him from the elephant on which he was seated. O
monarch (Janamejaya), Arjuna, like
to the terrible fire that consumes all things at the end of the Yuga, began to crush
on the ground horses, chariots and elephants by thousands. The Panchalas and
the Srinjayas, on the other hand, thus attacked by the Pandava (Arjuna), met him with a perfect shower of weapons
of various kinds. They sent up a loud shout and fought desperately with Arjuna.
The battle became furious and terrible to see. Hearing the enemy's shouts, the
son of (Lord) Indra (Arjuna) was filled with anger and attacking the
hostile army with a thick shower of arrows, rushed towards it furiously attacking
it with renewed strength.
“They who observed the illustrious Arjuna at that time
could not mark any interval between his fixing the arrows on the bowstring and
letting them off. Loud were the shouts that rose there, mingled with cheers of approval.
Then the king of the Panchalas, accompanied by (the
Senaapati of his forces) Satyajit,
rushed with speed at Arjuna like the Asura Samvara rushing at the chief of Devas
(in ancient days).
“Then Arjuna covered the king of Panchala (Drupada) with a shower of
arrows. Then there arose a frightful uproar among the Panchala army like to the
roar of a mighty lion springing at the leader of a herd of elephants. Seeing
Arjuna rushing at the king of Panchala to capture him, (Senaapati) Satyajit of great prowess rushed at him. The
two warriors (Arjuna and Satyajit),
like to (Lord) Indra and the Asura
Virochana's son (Bali), approaching each other for combat, began to grind each
other's ranks. Then Arjuna with great force pierced Satyajit with ten keen arrows
at which feat the spectators were all amazed. But Satyajit, without losing any
time, attacked Arjuna with a hundred arrows. Then that mighty chariot-warrior,
Arjuna, endued with remarkable lightness of motion, thus covered by that shower
of arrows, rubbed his bow-string to increase the force and velocity of his arrows.
Then cutting in twain his antagonist's (Satyajit’s) bow, Arjuna rushed at the king of the Panchalas (Drupada), but Satyajit, quickly taking up a tougher
bow, pierced with his arrows Paartha, his chariot, charioteer, and horses.
Arjuna, thus attacked in battle by the Panchala warrior (Satyajit), forgave not his enemy. Eager to slay him
at once, he pierced with a number of arrows his antagonist's (Satyajit’s) horses, flags, bow, held (left) fist, charioteer, and the attendant at his
back. Then Satyajit, finding his bows repeatedly cut in twain and his horses
slain, stopped from the fight.
“The king of the Panchalas (Drupada), seeing his general
(Satyajit) thus embarassed in the
encounter, himself began to shower his arrows upon the Pandava prince (Arjuna). Then Arjuna, that foremost of warriors,
crowned with success, began to fight furiously, and quickly cutting his enemy's
bow in twain as also his flagstaff which he caused to fall down, pierced his
antagonist's (Drupada’s) horses, and
charioteer also with five arrows. Then throwing aside his bow Arjuna took his arrow
basket, and taking out a sword and sending forth a loud shout, leaped from his
own chariot upon that of his enemy (Drupada). Standing there with perfect fearlessness he captured Drupada as
Garuda captures a huge snake after agitating the waters of the ocean. At the
sight of this, the Panchala troops ran away in all directions.
“Then Dhananjaya (Arjuna), having thus exhibited the might of his
arm in the presence of both armies, sent forth a loud shout and came out of the
Panchala ranks. Looking him returning (with his captive), the princes began to lay waste Drupada's
capital. Addressing them Arjuna said, ‘This best of monarchs, Drupada, is a
relative of the Kuru heroes. Therefore, O Bhima, do not slay his soldiers. Let
us only give to our Guru his fee.’
“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘O king (Janamejaya), thus prevented
by Arjuna, the mighty Bhimasena, though unsatisfied with the exercise of
battle, refrained from the act of slaughter. O bull of the Bharata race (Janamejaya), the princes then, taking Drupada with
them after having captured him on the battlefield along with his friends and
counsellors, offered him to Drona.
“Drona seeing Drupada thus brought under complete
control -- humiliated and deprived of wealth -- remembered that monarch's (Drupada’s) former hostility
and addressing him said, ‘Your kingdom and capital have been laid waste by me.
But do not fear for your life, though it depends now on the will of your enemy.
Do you now desire to revive your friendship (with me)?’ Having said this, he smiled a little and again said, ‘Fear not for your
life, brave king! We, Brahmanas, are ever forgiving. O bull among Kshatriyas (Drupada), my affection and love for you have grown
with me in consequence of our having sported together in childhood in the ashrama.
Therefore, O king (Drupada), I ask
for your friendship again. As a boon, I give you half the kingdom (that was
yours). You told me before that none who
was not a king could be a king's friend. O Yagnasena (Drupada), therefore is it that I retain half your
kingdom. You are the king of all the territory lying on the southern side of
the Bhagirathi (River Ganga), while
I become king of all the territory on the north of that river. O Panchala (Drupada), if it pleases you, know me hence for your
friend.’
“On hearing these words, Drupada answered, ‘You are of
noble soul and great prowess. O Brahmana (Drona), therefore I am not surprised at what you
do. I am very much pleased with you, and I desire your eternal friendship.’
“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘O Bharata (Janamejaya), after this
Drona released the king of Panchala (Drupada), and cheerfully performing the usual offices of regard, gave upon him
half the kingdom. From that time, Drupada began to reside sorrowfully in (the
city of) Kaampilya within (the
province of) Maakandi on the banks of
Ganga filled with many towns and cities. After his defeat by Drona, Drupada
also ruled the southern Panchalas up to the bank of the Charmanwati river (present-day
Chambal river). Drupada from that day
was well-convinced that he could not, by Kshatriya might alone, defeat Drona,
being very much his inferior in Brahma (spiritual) power. He, therefore, began to wander over the whole earth to find out
the means of obtaining a son (who would subjugate his Brahmana enemy, Drona).
“Meanwhile
Drona continued to reside in Ahichchatra (capital of Northern Panchala kingdom). O king (Janamejaya), thus was the territory of Ahichchatra
full of towns and cities, obtained by Arjuna, and gave upon Drona.’”
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