eer towards Drona's array.
The charioteer, urged by him with the words, "Proceed, Proceed," replied
unto Abhimanyu, O king, in these words, "O thou that art blest with
length of days, heavy is the burthen that hath been placed upon thee by
the Pandavas! Ascertaining by thy judgment as to whether thou art able to
bear it or not, thou shouldst then engage in battle. The preceptor Drona
is a master of superior weapons and accomplished (in battle). Thou,
however, hast been brought up in great luxury and art unused to battle."

"'Hearing these words, Abhimanyu replied unto his charioteer, saying with
a laugh, "O charioteer, who is this Drona? What, again, is this vast
assemblage of Kshatriyas? Sakra himself on his Airavata and aided by all
the celestials, I would encounter in battle. I do not feel the slightest
anxiety about all these Kshatriyas today. This hostile army doth not come
up to even a sixteen part of myself. O son of a Suta, getting my maternal
uncle Vishnu himself, the conqueror of the universe or my sire, Arjuna,
as an antagonist in battle, fear would not enter my heart." Abhimanyu
then, thus disregarding those words of the charioteer, urged the latter,
saying, "Go with speed towards the army of Drona." Thus commanded, the
charioteer, with a heart scarcely cheerful, urged Abhimanyu's three-year
old steeds, decked with golden trappings. Those coursers, urged by
Sumitra towards Drona's army, rushed towards Drona himself, O king, with
great speed and prowess. Beholding him coming (towards them) in that way,
all the Kauravas, headed by Drona, advanced against him, as, indeed, the
Pandavas followed him behind. Then Arjuna's son, superior to Arjuna's
self cased in golden mail and owning an excellent standard that bore the
device of a Karnikara tree, fearlessly encountered, from desire of
battle, warriors headed by Drona, like a lion-cub assailing a herd of
elephants. Those warriors then, filled with joy, began to strike
Abhimanyu while he endeavoured to pierce their array. And for a moment an
agitation took place there, like to the eddy that is seen in the ocean
where the current of the Ganga mingles with it. The battle, O king, that
commenced there, between those struggling heroes striking one another,
became fierce and terrible. And during the progress of that awful battle,
Arjuna's son, in the very sight of Drona, breaking that array, penetrated
into it. Then large bodies of elephants and steeds and cars and infantr