attack on Drona. There, see Bhima,
But Bhima escaped
Satyaki, Yudhamanyu, Kshatradharma,
Nakula, Uttamaujas, Drupada, Virata,
Sikhandin. Dhrishtaketu and other
warriors have all come to protect
Yudhishthira and are pressing Drona hard.
We should not stand idly watching, when
we have put such a heavy burden on the
acharya. Great as he is, there is a limit to
the load even he can carry. Even wolves
combined in large numbers can harass and
kill a mighty elephant, Let us proceed. It
will not do any longer to leave Drona
unsupported."
78. BRAVE BHAGADATTA
DRONA made many attempts to take
Yudhishthira prisoner, but failed.
Duryodhana led a large elephant division
against Bhima. Bhima defended himself
from his chariot with well-aimed arrows.
He sent crescent-headed shafts and tore
down Duryodhana's flag and cut down his
bow even as he held it in his hand. Seeing
the king harassed in this manner, the
Mlechchha king Anga marched against
Bhimasena seated on a huge elephant.
But Bhima sent shafts that laid the
elephant low and killed the Mlechchha
king, which resulted in scattering that
section of the Kaurava forces in fear and
confusion. When the elephants
stampeded, the horses also took fright and
thousands of footmen were trampled
under the feet of the elephants and the
horses, flying in wild panic.
Seeing this great confusion and the
scattering of the Kaurava forces in all
directions, the king of Pragjyotisha, the
brave Bhagadatta grew indignant.
He got up on his renowned elephant
Supratika and charged against Bhimasena.
The gigantic beast rushed forward with
widespread ears and twirling trunk,
crashed into Bhimasena's chariot. And in
an instant, horses and vehicle were an
unrecognizable mass.
by jumping off the car in the nick of time.
He knew all about elephants. He got
below the great and fierce elephant and
showered blows on its vital points. The
great beast got mad and whirled round
like a potter's wheel, trying to throw off
Bhimasena, who was sticking to its legs
and attcking it from below.
It bent down and caught Bhima by its
trunk and was about to crush him under its
knees, when Vrikodara somehow released
himself from its hold and again got below,
in between its limbs and sticking to the
elephant's under-regions, caused
exceeding pain to the beast.
Bhima was thus gaining time in the hope
that some elephant on the Pandava side
would be led to attack Bhagadatta's
elephant and enable him to get away.
But, when Bhima disappeared from view,
being hidden in between the beast's legs,
the soldiers thought Bhima was slain.
They exclaimed: "Bhima is dead!
Bhagadatta's elephant has crushed
Bhimasena!" and the cry was repeated all
over Kurukshetra.
Yudhishthira heard the cry and, thinking
Bhima was slain, urged the forces to
destroy Bhagadatta. The king of Dasarna
charged against Bhagadatta. Dasarna's
elephant was also a fierce beast and there
was great battle between Supratika and
Dasarna's elephant.
But Supratika's tusk pierced Dasarna's
beast in the side and it crashed down dead.
At that moment, Bhima emerged from
below Supratika and ran out safe. And the
Pandava army cheered when they saw
Bhima alive.
Bhagadatta was now attacked on all sides,
but he did not lose heart. Resplendent on
his elephant, he shone like a forest fire on
a hill. Ignoring the enemies around him,
he drove his beast on Satyaki's chariot.