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Having bathed and dressed, the king faced east and worshipped Kṛṣṇa with Vedic prayers, his heart absorbed After this he went before the sacred fire and made offerings to Viṣṇu and the gods, invoking auspiciousness and praying for victory in battle.

Thousands of drums sounded and the hall was filled with cheers and shouts of approval. Yudhiṣṭhira distributed charity to the many Brahmins present, beginning with Dhaumya and the priests He gave away heaps of gold and gems and was repeatedly blessed and eulogized.

All the Pāṇḍava warriors roared and waved their upper garments. Some twanged their bowstrings and others blew their conches. Others beat drums and laughed loudly. Jumping about and sporting, they praised Bhīma, applauding him for striking down Duryodhana and even

Abhimanyu and Draupadīs sons, along with Nakula, Sahadeva and Dṛṣṭadyumna, advanced in a body and tore

Beautiful bows, their staves decked with gold and jewels, lay discarded on the field. Precious ornaments and arrows soaked in oil shone from the ground. Lances, darts, battle-axes and maces, all ornately worked with gold and jewels, were scattered about. Others lay butchered and twisted, their arms and legs akimbo and their mouths hanging open. The smell of blood and burning flesh filled the air.

A few days before the sacrifice, Kṛṣṇa arrived with His son Pradyumna, and Sātyaki and Balarāma. Numerous other Yadus and Vrishnis accompanied Him and they all entered the sacrificial arena like gods Yudhiṣṭhira and his brothers worshipped Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma and offered Them the best mansions for Their He told the other Pāṇḍavas that He had received news about him and that he would be arriving the next

Screaming, he and his loyal followers met Duryodhana’s forces. Appearing as fiends, goblins and hideous demons, the mighty Rākṣasas attacked the elephants. With arrows, darts, sabers, lances, mallets and battle-axes, they slew the warriors who rode them, then lifted boulders and trees and killed the elephants. Crushing and butchering the entire division, the Rākṣasas roared in triumph.

Karṇa charged into the midst of the Pañchālas and slew them on all sides. Dṛṣṭadyumna, Śikhaṇḍī and Draupadī’s sons challenged him and fired thousands of shafts. Three of Karṇa’s sons, Bhanusena, Sushena and Vrishasena, came to his assistance. They were all maharathas and they contended powerfully with the Pāṇḍava warriors. Soon Bhīma entered the fray, and Karṇa was joined by Dushashana.

Arjuna and Bhīma dragged Aśvatthāmā to his feet and, unbinding him, drove him from the camp. Deprived of his jewel and cursed by Kṛṣṇa, his power was gone and he disappeared into the woods to begin

His voice trailed off and he closed his eyes. Duryodhana said nothing. Kara stood by his side, and he looked balefully at Arjuna. and chariots. spears and swords. Great elephants rocked about and trumpeted furiously.

But the Kalinga and Niṣadha forces were fearless. Other Pāṇḍava troops moved in to assist Bhīma. The Matsyas, Cediś and Karushas together attacked the armies surrounding him. The clash of weapons and the screams of men and animals was deafening. Hacking and chopping, the soldiers made the field resemble a ghastly crematorium strewn with flesh and They could hardly distinguish between friend and foe, and warriors slew others from their own side.

Yudhiṣṭhira and the twins, seeing Sātyaki under attack by Droṇa, roared in anger and entered the fight Bhīma and Dṛṣṭadyumna joined them, and Duryodhana, Karṇa and Kṛpa came to support the Kauravas. Arrows, darts, lances and other weapons flew through the air. Maces collided in showers of sparks and swords clashed. Wrathful warriors hacked and lunged at each other.

After saying this and pretending to smile, my mother vanished, leaving Amba in her waters. She performed even more severe austerities, abstaining from all food and water and controlling even her She wandered on, and when she arrived at Vatsabhumi, she fell down and began to run as a river. It is recorded that the river in Vatsabhumi runs only during the rainy season and is unapproachable due to its many crocodiles and dangerous fish.

He was surrounded both by Pāṇḍavas and Kauravas. They stood with folded palms and gazed at his face. Duryodhana and his brothers were shamefaced. They had failed to protect their finest fighter and the leader of their forces. The old grandfather and Kuru guide had fallen. Remorse consumed Duryodhana’s heart. It was by his insistence only that this war had had to be fought and Bhīṣma be slain.

On the neck of the eagle stood Bhīṣma, and its two eyes were Droṇa and Kṛtavarmā. At its head stood Aśvatthāmā and Kṛpa, backed by the Matsya, Kekaya and Vatadhana armies. Other armies made up its two wings and back. Duryodhana, with all his followers, were its center and tail.

Yudhiṣṭhira entered the water and emerged with a resplendent god-like form. All his grief and anxiety vanished. As he came out of the waters he was honored and worshipped by the Siddhas and Cāraṇas. He then saw Kṛṣṇa seated in Indra’s palace manifesting a four-armed form of astonishing beauty and splendor When Kṛṣṇa saw Yudhiṣṭhira, He smiled and lifted a hand to bless him.

Tears flowed from his eyes and he sighed again and again. He and the other Kuru chiefs went over to Karṇa and stood around him.

The sun was slowly disappearing over the western horizon and Arjuna and Dṛṣṭadyumna withdrew their troops The two armies entered their respective camps for the night, the Pāṇḍavas cheerlessly and the Kauravas laughing and shouting. As darkness fell, thousands of vultures and jackals came onto the battlefield, their cries mixing with

Satyasena jumped aboard his brother’s chariot and the two princes stood side by side, shooting their Unshaken, Nakula hurled a bright dart, steeped in oil and resembling a dreadful snake. It hit Satyasena and penetrated his heart. His brother roared in anger and increased his attack on Nakula, killing his horses and smashing his chariot

The prince did as he was told and, almost at once, Arjuna opened his eyes. His wound healed and he sat up and looked around. Babhruvahana sighed with relief. He bowed at his father’s feet and begged forgiveness. Kettledrums resounded in the sky and a shower of flowers fell.