“You are armored. Now fight.”
— Duryodhana. Bibek Debroy. Mhb. Chapter 908
Drona Parva covers days 11-15, during the time Drona is the general of the Kuru army.
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“Who is Drona? Who are these warriors? I am not bewildered by these men,” Abhimanyu laughed.
Bibek Debroy. Mhb. Chapter 1012
Sequence
The Kauravas form the chakravyuha. They repeat their strategy of drawing Arjuna away from the main force to fight the Samshaptakas.
(0) Abhimanyu attacks Drona’s array.
(1) Arjuna fights the Samshaptakas.
(2) Abhimanyu enters the Kaurava Chakravyuha.
Those on your side descended upon Abhimanyu. But the brave one was swift. He used weapons that penetrated the inner organs. He slaughtered them by many different kinds of sharp arrows. They were like helpless insects descending into the fire. Their bodies soon covered the earth. He spread severed limbs around like a priest covering the altar with kusha grass. There were arms with armguards and finger-guards, holding bows and arrows, swords and shields, goads, reins, lances and battleaxes, balls with iron spikes, spears, scimitars, spikes, javelins, catapults, clubs, darts, whips, giant conch shells, spears, hair catchers, maces, slings, nooses, heavy maces and stones. The arms bore armlets and bracelets. They were smeared with unguents. Arjuna's son severed those arms by the thousands. They were strewn around, deprived of cushions. Their tongues lolled. Their eyes bulged. Entrails and livers spilled out of their torn bodies. This delighted large numbers of flesh-eaters.
- Bibek Debroy. Mhb. Chapter 1012
“Grind him down,” Shakuni said to Duryodhana.
Bibek Debroy. Mhb. Chapter 1024
Sequence
Yudhishthira dispatches Abhimanyu to penetrate the chakravyuha.
(3) Abhimanyu drives off all the Kauravas with an onslaught of arrows
(4) Abhimanyu kills Ashmaka, Sushena, Kundabhedi and Dirgalochana
(5) Abhimanyu kills Shalya’s brother
(6) Abhimanyu rocks Duhshasana
(7) Abhimanyu kills Karna’s brother
(8) Jayadratha fights out of his mind and checks all the Pandavas that try to follow Abhimanyu into the chakravyuha
Abhimanyu descended on the Bharatas. He mangled chariots, elephants, horses and men with sharp arrows. The earth became impassable, because it was strewn with large numbers of headless torsos. They held swords and were adorned with armlets. They were decorated in golden ornaments. They had bows and arrows. there were bodies and heads with earrings and garlands. There were thousands of these on the ground. It was impenetrable because of the decorations, seats, long poles, shattered axles and yokes, fragmented wheels and chariots. There were javelins, swords and other weapons. Giant standards fell down. He roamed in all directions and nothing could be seen because of the dust that arose. Since they were enveloped in dust, we could not see the soldiers then. We say him emerge from the dust in the next instant, like the midday sun.
— Bibek Debroy. Mhb. Chapter 1017
“What will I say to Arjuna? How can I look at Subhadra?”, Yudhishthira asked.
— Bibek Debroy. Mhb. Chapter 1026
Sequence
(9)
Abhimanyu kills Vasativa
(10)
Abhimanyu kills Shalya’s son Rukmaratha
(11)
Abhimanyu kills many of Duryodhanas soldiers and rushes him.
Abhimanyu rocks Duhshasana and Shalya.
(12)
Abhimanyu kills Duryodhana’s son Lakshmana.
(13)
Abhimanyu kills Brihadbala.
(14)
Abhimanyu kills Vasativa, Suryabhasa, Mahavega, Shatrunjaya, Suvarcha, Chandraketu.
(15-16)
Drona severed Abhimanyu’s sword from his hand. Karna cut down his shield. Abhimanyu picked up a chariot wheel and rushed at Drona. Blood flowed from his body. They sliced his wheel into many fragments. With a club in his hand, Abhimanyu rushed against Ashvatthama. Abhimanyu killed Ashvatthama’s horses and the two charioteers that guarded his wheels. With arrows on all his limbs, he looked like a porcupine. He then brought down Kalakeya, Shakuni’s son, and his followers. Duhshasana’s son attacked with his club. They both struck each other and fell down, but Duhshasana’s son arose first and struck Abhimanyu on the head with his club, as he was about to get up. Abhimanyu fell down, unconscious.
— Bibek Debroy. Mhb. Chapter 1025