Maha-bharata Part 33

Good Yudhishthir's tent is voiceless, and my brothers look so pale, Abhimanyu comes not joyous Krishna and his sire to hail!

Abhimanyu's love and greeting bless like blessings from above, Fair Subhadra's joy and treasure, Arjun's pride and hope and love!"

Softly and with many tear-drops did the sad Yudhishthir tell, How in dreadful field of battle gallant Abhimanyu fell!

How the impious Jayadratha fell on Arjun's youthful son,-- He with six proud Kuru chieftains,--Abhimanyu all alone!

How the young prince, reft of weapon and deprived of steed and car, Fell as falls a Kshatra warrior fighting on the field of war!

Arjun heard; the father's bosom felt the cruel cureless wound, "Brave and gallant boy!" said Arjun;--and he sank upon the ground!

Moments pa.s.sed of voiceless sorrow and of speechless bitter tear, Sobs within his mailed bosom smote the weeping listener's ear!

Moments pa.s.sed; with rising anger quivered Arjun's iron frame, Abhimanyu's cruel murder smote the father's heart to flame!

"Didst thou say that Sindhu's monarch on my Abhimanyu bore,-- He alone,--and Jayadratha leagued with six marauders more?

Didst thou say the impious Kurus stooped unto this deed of shame, Outrage on the laws of honour, stain upon a warrior's fame?

Father's curse and warrior's hatred sting them to their dying breath, For they feared my boy in battle, hunted him to cruel death,

Hear my vow, benign Yudhishthir, hear me, Krishna righteous lord, Arjun's hand shall slay the slayer, Arjun plights his solemn word!

May I never reach the bright sky where the righteous fathers dwell, May I with the darkest sinners live within the deepest h.e.l.l,--

With the men who slay their fathers, shed their loving mothers' blood, Stain the sacred bed of _gurus_, steal their gold and holy food,

Cherish envy, cheat their kinsmen, speak the low and dastard lie,-- If, ere comes to-morrow's sunset, Jayadratha doth not die!

Jayadratha dies to-morrow, victim to my vengeful ire, Arjun else shall yield his weapons, perish on the flaming pyre!"

Softer tear-drops wept the mother, joyless was Subhadra's life,-- Krishna's fair and honoured sister, Arjun's dear and loved wife:

"Dost thou lie on field of battle smeared with dust and foeman's gore, Child of light and love and sweetness whom thy hapless mother bore?

Soft thine eye as budding lotus, sweet and gentle was thy face, Are those soft eyes closed in slumber, faded in that peerless grace?

And thy limbs so young and tender, on the bare earth do they lie, Where the hungry jackal prowleth and the vulture flutters nigh?

Gold and jewels graced thy bosom, gems bedecked thy lofty crest, Doth the crimson mark of sabre decorate that manly breast?

Rend Subhadra's stony bosom with a mother's cureless grief, Let her follow Abhimanyu and in death obtain relief!

Earth to me is void and cheerless, joyless in my hearth and home, Dreary without Abhimanyu is this weary world to roam!

And oh! cheerless is that young heart, Abhimanyu's princess-wife, What can sad Subhadra offer to her joyless sunless life?

Close our life in equal darkness, for our day on earth is done, For our love and light and treasure, Abhimanyu, dead and gone!"

Long bewailed the anguished mother, fair Draupadi tore her hair, Matsya's princess, early widowed, shed her young heart's blood in tear!

IV

Standards of the Kurus: Arjun's Revenge

Morning from the face of battle night's depending curtain drew, Long and shrill his sounding _sankha_ then the wrathful Arjun blew,

Kurus knew the vow of Arjun, heard the _sankha's_ deathful blare, As it rose above the red field, thrilled the startled morning air!

"Speed, my Krishna," out spake Arjun, as he held aloft his bow, "For to-day my task is dreadful, cruel is my mighty vow!"

Fiery coursers urged by Krishna flew with lightning's rapid course, Das.h.i.+ng through the hostile warriors and the serried Kuru force!

Brave Durmarsan faced the hero, but he strove and fought in vain, Onward thundered Arjun's chariot o'er the dying and the slain!

Fierce Duhsasan with his tuskers rushed into the fine of war, But the tuskers broke in panic, onward still went Arjun's car!

Drona then, the proud preceptor, Arjun's furious progress stayed, Tear-drops filled the eye of Arjun as these gentle words he said:

"Pardon, father! if thy pupil shuns to-day thy offered war, 'Gainst his Abhimanyu's slayer Arjun speeds his battle-car!

Not against my great _acharya_ is my wrathful bow-string drawn, Not against a loved father fights a loving duteous son!

Heavy on this bleeding bosom sits the darkening load of woe, And an injured father's vengeance seeks the slaughtered hero's foe!

Pardon then if sorrowing Arjun seeks a far and distant way, Mighty is the vow of Arjun, cruel is his task to-day!"

Pa.s.sing by the doughty Drona onward sped the fiery car, Through the broken line of warriors, through the shattered ranks of war,

Angas and the brave Kalingas vainly crossed his wrathful way, Proud Avantis from the regions where fair Chambal's waters stray!

Famed Avanti's fated princes vainly led their highland force, Fell beneath the wrath of Arjun, stayed nor stopped his onward course,

Onward still with speed of lightning thundered Arjun's battle-car, To the spot where Jayadratha stood behind the ranks of war!

Now the sun from highest zenith red and fiery radiance lent, Long and weary was the pa.s.sage, Arjun's foaming steeds were spent,

"Arjun!" said the faithful Krishna, "arduous is thy cruel quest, But thy foaming coursers falter and they need a moment's rest,"

"Be it so," brave Arjun answered, "from our chariot we alight, Rest awhile the weary horses, Krishna, I will watch the fight!"

Speaking thus the armed Arjun lightly leaped upon the lea, Stood on guard with bow and arrow by the green and shady tree,

Krishna groomed the jaded horses, faint and feeble, red with gore, With a healing hand he tended wounds the bleeding coursers bore,

Watered them beside a river by the zephyrs soft caressed, Gave unto them welcome fodder, gave unto them needful rest,

Thus refreshed, the n.o.ble coursers Krishna harnessed to the car, And the gleaming helmed Arjun rushed once more into the war!