Mb091. The Tenth Day Of The Battle Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

MAHABHARATA

On the tenth day of the war,
Shikandin was at the centre,
Arjuna placed on the right side,
Bhima stood on the left side.

Bhisma at Kauravas' centre,
Shikandin at Pandavas centre,
Purposely the latter was placed.
A spirit of vengeance it traced.

Arrows after arrows Shikandin shot.
Behind him Arjuna also sent a lot.
No resistance Bhisma did show,
To shoot a female, he felt it low.

He knew, his job was over,
And his end was coming near.
Up he kept his promise.
He rendered equal justice.

With his body full of arrows,
That came, nonstop, in rows,
He came down and lied,
O'er the makeshift arrows-bed

To his head as a support,
Three arrows Arjuna kept.
An arrow then he shot,
To quench his burning thirst.

The sharp arrow cut opened
A deep hole in the ground.
There came with a gush sound,
A stream of water, they found.

It was from his mother,
The famous Ganges River.
In time she came there,
To give him sweet water.

"Duryodhana, be wise now
Arjuna brought water how?
With Pandavas make peace
After me, let this war cease."

Duryodhana spurned his advice.
In his mind, peace had no place.
He arranged for proper watch,
At night he kept a burning torch.