Then, those foremost among men pressed forward against the Pañcālas, striking down their adversaries as they advanced, until at last they reached the city of the mighty King Drupada. Among their number were Duryodhana, Karṇa, the powerful Yuyutsu, Duḥśāsana, Vikarna, Jalasandha, and Sulocana—each a renowned warrior. Alongside them came many other valiant princes, all eager for glory, each proclaiming, “I will go first! I will go first!”—such was their zeal to prove themselves in battle. Mounted on splendid chariots and attended by their followers, these princes entered the city, proceeding along the royal road with great pomp. At that very moment, King Drupada of the Pañcālas, hearing and seeing the arrival of this vast army, swiftly left his palace accompanied by his brothers, ready to meet the challenge. Fully armed, the brothers of Yajñasena unleashed a torrent of arrows, their voices rising together in a mighty roar. Then Yajñasena himself, unconquerable in battle, approached the Kaurava army in his gleaming chariot and rained down fierce arrows upon them. But before these events, Arjuna, after conferring with his brothers, spoke to Droṇa, the foremost of Brahmins, about the arrogance displayed by the assembled princes. He said, “At the end of their display of valor, we shall perform a daring deed; with these, the Pañcāla cannot be seized in the midst of battle.” Having agreed upon this, the sinless son of Kuntī, along with his brothers, remained stationed half a krośa outside the city, awaiting the right moment. Meanwhile, Drupada, seeing the Kauravas, charged forth on all sides, bewildering their army with a great volley of arrows. So fearsome was his advance, alone in his swift chariot, that the Kauravas imagined him to be many warriors, such was the terror he inspired. Drupada’s fierce arrows flew in every direction, and then the air was filled with the sounds of thousands of conches, kettledrums, and drums. In the encampment of the Pañcālas, O king, the musical instruments blared, and the mighty Pañcāla warriors raised a lion’s roar. In answer, the great sound of bowstrings striking the sky came from Duryodhana, Vikarna, Subahu, and Dirghalochana. Duhśāsana, filled with rage, showered arrows upon the mighty archer Parshata, who was difficult to overcome in battle. Parshata, undaunted, scattered other troops at once, and attacked Duryodhana, Vikarna, and the mighty Karna. Moving among them like a wheel of fire, he struck down various armies and heroic sons of kings, satisfying them with his arrows. Then, all the citizens of Kampilya, armed with clubs and staffs, poured forth upon the Kauravas, descending upon them like clouds pouring rain. Hearing the tumultuous battle, the young and old of Kampilya advanced against the Kauravas, O Bharata. They ran, shouted, and cried out against the Pandavas; and when the Pandavas heard the cries of the distressed, their hair stood on end. At this, after saluting Drona, the Pandavas mounted their chariots, quickly restraining Yudhishthira, saying, “Do not fight, O Pandava.” The sons of Madri took up the defense, and Arjuna did the same; while Bhimasena, the leader of the army, stood ready with his mace. But now, hearing the cries of the enemy, the faultless son of Kunti, together with his brothers, advanced swiftly in his chariot, the sound of their approach resounding in all directions. Bhimasena, mighty-armed and terrible as Death with his staff, plunged into the Pañcāla army, whose roar was like a storm-tossed sea. He entered the great army, filled with all four divisions—elephants, chariots, cavalry, and infantry—like a makara entering the ocean during the festival of battle. Bhima, wielding his mace, rushed against the elephant division. Fierce Partha, his arms strong, struck the elephants with his mace, assuming the very aspect of Death itself. The elephants, resembling mountains, shed torrents of blood, their heads shattered by Bhimasena’s blows. They fell to the ground like mountains struck by thunderbolts, and the Pandava caused elephants, horses, and chariots to be brought low. The elder brother of Arjuna slew foot soldiers and charioteers, much as a cowherd with his staff scatters herds of cattle in the forest. Vrikodara shook and overturned chariots and elephants, while Arjuna, intent on pleasing his teacher Bharadvaja, did likewise. The son of Pandu released a shower of arrows upon Parshata, felling hosts of horses, chariots, and elephants on all sides. Like a blazing fire at the end of an age, he felled them in battle, and the Pañcālas and Srinjayas were struck down. Then, the Pañcālas covered Arjuna completely with swift arrows of many kinds, roaring like lions as they engaged him in fierce combat. The battle became wondrous to behold, and hearing the lion-like roars, the son of Pandu could not endure it. With diadem shining, Arjuna swiftly charged at the Pañcālas in battle, covering them with a great shower of arrows and confounding them. So rapidly did he draw and release his arrows that nothing could be seen of the illustrious son of Kuntī. The directions, the sky, the earth—nothing at all was visible in that tumultuous conflict, O king. From both the Pañcālas and the Kurus arose shouts of “Well done! Well done!” The sound of drums and the great blare of conchs filled the air, resounding over the battlefield.