restrainer of the wicked and a protector of the righteous. That scorcher
of foes who hath given up his life for the wretched Duryodhana, upon
whose prowess rested that hope of victory which my wicked sons
entertained, who was equal to Vrihaspati or Usanas himself in
intelligence, alas, how was he slain? His large steeds of red hue,
covered with a net of gold, fleet as the wind and incapable of being struck
with any weapon in battle, endued with great strength, neighing
cheerfully, well-trained and of the Sindhu breed, yoked unto his car and
drawing the vehicle excellently, always preserving in the midst of
battle, did they become weak and faint? Coolly bearing in battle the roar
of elephants, while those huge creatures trumpeted at the blare of conchs
and the beat of drums, unmoved by the twang of bows and showers of arrows
and other weapons, foreboding the defeat of foes by their very
appearance, never drawing long breaths (in consequence of toil), above
all fatigue and pain, how were those fleet steeds that drew the car of
Bharadwaja's son soon over-powered? Even such were the steeds yoked unto
his golden car. Even such were the steeds yoked thereto by that foremost
of human heroes. Mounted on his own excellent car decked with pure gold,
why, O son, could he not cross the sea of the Pandava army? What feats
were achieved in battle by Bharadwaja's son, that warrior who always drew
tears from other heroes, and upon whose knowledge (of weapons) all the
bowmen of the world rely? Firmly adhering to truth, and endued with great
might, what, indeed, did Drona do in battle? Who were those car-warriors
that encountered that achiever of fierce deeds, that foremost of all
wielders of the bow, that first of heroes, who resembled Sakra himself in
heaven? Did the Pandava fly away beholding him of the golden car and of
mighty strength who invoked into existence celestial weapons? Or, did
king Yudhishthira the just, with his younger brothers, and having the
prince of Panchala (Dhrishtadyumna) for his binding chord,[13] attack
Drona, surrounding him with his troops on all sides? Verily, Partha must
have, with his straight shafts, checked all the other car-warriors, and
then Prishata's son of sinful deeds must have surrounded Drona. I do not
see any other warrior, save the fierce Dhrishtadyumna protected by
Arjuna, who could have compassed the death of that mighty hero. It seems
that when those heroes, viz., the Kekayas, the Chedis, the