Sanjaya said When the son of Kunti, out of a desire for slaying the king of the Sindhus, had penetrated into the Bharata army, after having pierced through the invincible division of Drona and the Bhoja king.

When also, O king, the heir of the king of Kambojas, namely prince Sudakshina, also the powerful Shrutayudha, had been slain by Savyasachin.

When the divisions of your army had been broken and routed in all directions, your son seeing his troops shattered speedily proceeded towards Drona.

Hastily riding on a single car, he repaired to Drona ‘and addressing him said "That foremost of men Arjuna has already passed through this mighty army, having crushed it completely.

Now decide with the help of your understanding, what should be done next, for bringing about the slaughter of Arjuna, taking into consideration this fearful carnage.

Do you so arrange that, that foremost of inen may not slay Jayadratha. May good betide you. You are our sole protector.

Like a raging fire consuming a heap of dry grass and fuel, this Dhananjaya-fire urged on by the wind of his anger, is consuming the grass and fuel formed by my troops.

O afflicter of your foes, being informed that the son of Kunti had passed through the division having pierced through it, the warriors entrusted with the protection of Jayadratha, are being preyed upon by anxiety.

O you foremost of those conversant with the kings that Dhananjaya would never be able to escape Drona alive.

O you of burning splendour, when Pritha's son has succeeded in penetrating through you division before your very eyes. I consider all my troops to be involved in a great catastrophy Indeed, I think I have no troops.

I know you, O illustrious one, to be attached to the interests of the Pandavas, therefore, O Brahmana. I am losing my sense in the thought what should be done by me next.

To the best of my prowess, O Brahmana, I try to behave well with you. I also, exert to the best of my capabilities for satisfying you; still you do not seem to attach any value to all these.

you of prowess infinite, although we are ever devoted to you, you do not wish us well; but you are ever satisfied with the Pandavas who are intent on injuring ourselves.

Though you live upon our bread, yet you are instrumental in injuring us. I knew not before that, you are but a razor soaked in honey.

If you had not given me assurances of vanquishing the Pandavas, I would never have prevented the ruler of the Sindhus from returning to his own dominions.

Fool that I am, hoping to obtain protection from you, I gave assurances of safety to the kirig of the Sindhus; now I see that I have virtually offered him as a victim to Death.

It possible for a man to escape even when he goes inside the jaws of Death, but there is not the slightest chance of escape for Jayadratha, when he once comes within the reach of Partha in battle.

O you owning crimson steeds, do you so manage that the ruler of the Sindhus may yet be saved. Be not angry with me for all these raving of mine afflicted as I am with grief. Oh! save, save the ruler of the Sindhus!

Drona said I do not take your words in ill-part; you are to me like Ashvatthaman himself, I tell you this for sooth. O ruler of men, do you now act up to my advices.

Krishna is the best of all drivers of chariots and his horses are the fleetest and the best of the species. Creating a small breath only, Dhananjaya can pass very quickly through it.

Can you not see the innumerable arrows shot by the diadem-decked Arjuna with his Gandiva bow, are falling full two miles behind his car as he is advancing?

Grown up in years, I cannot indeed proceed so has ily. Moreover, there! do you see the whole army of the Parthas assailing our van.

Yudhishthira also should be captured by myself, before they eyes of all bowmen. Even this, O mighty armed one, has been the vow undertaken by me amidst all Kshatriya warriors.

Abandoned by Dhananjaya, O king, he now stands at the head of his divisions. For these reasons I shall not fight with Phalguna, leaving the van of our array uncared for.

Duly supported, do you go yourself and fight with your unsupported foe who is equal to you in nobility of birth and in the achievement of feasts. Be not afraid! You are the lord of this world.

You are a sovereign, a hero, possessed of fame and skilful in defeating (your opponents). O valorous subjugator of hostile fortresses, hie yourself, therefore to that part of the field where Dhananjaya is.

Duryodhana said O preceptor, how is it possible for me to hold in check that Dhananjaya who has passed even yourself, the foremost of all wielders of weapons?

It may be possible for me to conquer in battle Purandara armed with his thunder-bolt, but it is not possible for me to conquer Arjuna that subjugator of hostile towns,

He by whom the son of Hridika, the ruler of the Bhojas and yourself equal to a god, have all been vanquished with the showers of his weapons, he by whom Shrutayusha has been slain.

as He by whom Sudakshina and king Shrutayusha have been slain, also Shrutayusha and Achytayusha and myriads of Mlechchas also have been slain.

How can I encounter that invincible son of Pandu, accomplished in the use of all kinds of weapons and resembling the all-destroying fire itself.

How it is that you today think me competent to fight with him? I am entirely dependent on you and am your slave; Oh! save my honour!

Drona said o foremost descendant of the Kuru race, you speak all that is true. Really Dhananjaya is incapable of suffering defeat. But I myself will so act by which you will be able to bear him.

Let all wielders of bow inhabiting this world, behold today the marvellous fact, of the son of Kunti being held in check by you, even before Vasudeva himself.

This golden coat of mail of yours, O king, I shall so tie on you that all weapons discharged by human hands will not be able to pierce you in battle.

Even if the three worlds, with the Asuras, the celestials, the Yakshas, the Reptiles and the Rakshasas, together with all human beings, fight with today, still you need entertain no fear.

Neither Krishna, nor the son of Kunti, nor any other wielder of weapons, will be able to pierce your armour in baitle with his arrows.

So, cased in this golden armour, do you hastily advance upon the wrathful Arjuna, yourself; he shall not be able to beat you in battle today.

Sanjaya said Having thus spoken, Drona quickly rinced his mouth with water and then bound that lustrous armour on Duryodhana, having duly reiterated most marvellous incantations.

In that dreadful battle, that foremost of persons conversant with the knowledge of the Vedas, was desirous of bestowing victory on your son and of exciting the wonder of the worlds with his excellent learning.

Drona said May all the Vedas, the Brahmanas and Brahman himself and the Reptiles and other beings of superior order bless you, O Bharata!

May Yayati, Nahusha, Dhundhumara and Bhagiratha and other royal sage bless you in all acts!

May you obtain blessing from creatures having one leg only and creatures having many also! May you also get blessings from those who have no legs at all!

May Svaha and Svadha and Sachi all oless you always! O sinless one, may Lakshmi and Arundhati also pronounce benedictions on you!

May Asita, Devala, Vishvamitra, Angiras, Vasistha and Kashyapa, O monarch, bless you!

May Dhatri and Vidhatri, the quarters of heaven and their regents and the six-headed Kartikeya do all that is beneficial you!

May the illustrious Vivasvat bless you today! May the four elephants guarding the cardinal points, the earth, the firmament, the planets.

And he who is underneath this earth and o king who ever upholds her, viz., Shesha, that foremost of snakes-may all these do what is beneficial to you!

O Son of Gandhari, in days gone by, the Asura named Vritra, exerting his might in battle, had defeated the foremost of celestials in battle.

All those dwellers of heaven then with Indra at their head, destitute of their head, destitute of their energy and prowess, sought refuge with Brahman being highly afraid of the mighty Asura Vritra.

The celestials said O foremost of the celestials, O best of the gods, be you the protector of the gods now, crushed as they are by the Asura Vritra. Save us from this our great fear.

Drona continued Thereupon Brahman addressing Vishnu standing by his side, as also the other foremost of celestials headed by Indra, spoke to them that were are depressed, these words, all perfectly true.

The celestials with Indra at their head, as also the regenerate order are ever deserving of my protection. But the energy of Tvashtri from which Vritra has been created is indeed irrepressible.

In days gone by, observing ascetic austerities for millions of years, Tvashtri created, O Gods, Vritra, having obtained permission thereto from Mahadeva.

Hence that mighty energy of ours has succeeded in vanquishing you through the grace of that god. Without repairing to the place where Sankara stays, you cannot except to obtain a sight of him.

After you have seen that god, you will be able to conquer Vritra. Therefore, his yourselves to the Mandara mountain; there dwells that origin of ascetic austerities, that destroyer of Daksha's sacrifice.

That wielder of the Pinaka, that lord of all creatures, that slayer of the Asura that Bhaganetra. Thereupon all those celestials accompanied by Brahma, proceeded to the Mandara mountain.

And there, beheld that heap of energy, who resembled in radiance a million of suns. (Seeing the gods come) Mahadeva said, "All hail O god! speak what am I to do for you!

A sight of my self cannot be barren. So let the fruition of your desires proceed from this!” Thus spoken to, all those denizens of heaven

All our energy has been robbed by Vritra. Be you the protector of us the dwellers of heaven. O God, look upon our bodies mangled and mutilated with the wounds inflicted by the Asura. We seek protection from you; O God of gods, be you our refuge.

Sharva said O Gods, it is well-known to all of you, how this Asura, surcharged with strength, dreadful and incapable of being held in check by persons devoid of ascetic merit, came into being, created by the energy of Tvashtri.

Surely it is my duty to protect the denizens of heaven. O Shakra, take this radiant coat of mail off my body; and O lord of the gods, don it, reiterating these Mantras.

O sovereign gods! Tie this to your body by reciting hymn through mental japa as told by men. Then you will able enough to kill Vritra, the monster king and enemy to the gods.

Drona continued Having thus spoken, that giver of boons, gave that armour and the necessary Mantras to Indra. Clad in that coat of mail Indra then assaulted the army of Vritra.

Although then in that dreadful battle myriads of weapons of diverse description were hurled at him, yet they could not slacken or pierce through the joints, of that armour.

Then the lord of the celestials slew Vritra in battle and gave afterwards that armour of which the joints were composed of Mantras, unto Angiras.

Angiras again gave those Mantras to Brihaspati his son conversant with all Mantras. Brihaspati next imparted them to the intelligent Agniveshya.

Agniveshya gave them to me; and now with the help of those mantras I have bound up this armour on you, O foremost of the kings, in order to guard your body from all weaponwounds.

Sanjaya said Having thus spoken, Drona that foremost of all preceptors, once more addressed your son

“O ruler of men, I don this armour on your body joining its parts by means of Brahmathreads. Even thus did Brahman springing from the golden lotus, put it on Vishnu.

I do it on you, even in the same manner in which Brahman himself had put this armour of celestial make on Indra, during the battle caused by the abduction of Taraka."

Thus having tied that Duryodhana with due mantras, the regenerate Drona dispatched the king to the mighty encounter.

Then the mighty-armed king, accoutered by the illustrious preceptor, supported by a thousand car-warriors of the Trigartta country, all accomplished in smiting down.

As also by a thousand infuriate elephants endued with great mighty and a hundred thousand horses and numerous other mightycar-warriors. armour on

Advanced against the chariot of Arjuna. He then proceeded accompanied by the sounds of various kinds of musical instruments, even like the son of Virochana (in the days of yore).

Thereupon O Bharata, a loud uproar was created by your troops as they beheld the illustrious Kuru king advance like the fathomless deep itself.