SECTION CXLII
“SANJAYA SAID, ‘THAT arm (of Bhurisravas) decked with Angada and the sword in its grasp (thus cut off), fell down on the earth to the great grief of all living creatures. Indeed, that arm, which was to have cut off Satyaki’s head itself, cut off by the unseen Arjuna, quickly dropped down on the earth, like a snake of five heads. The Kuru warrior, beholding himself incapacitated by Partha abandoned his hold on Satyaki and wrathfully reproved the son of Pandu.’
“‘Bhurisravas said, “Thou hast, O son of Kunti, done a cruel and heartless deed, since without being engaged with me, thou hast, unseen by me, cut off my arm. Shalt thou not have to say unto Yudhishthira, the royal son of Dharma, even this, viz., ‘Bhurisravas, while otherwise engaged, was slain by me in battle?’ Wert thou taught this use of weapons by the high-souled Indra or by Rudra, O Partha, or by Drona, or by Kripa? Thou art, in this world, better acquainted with the rules about the use of weapons than all others. Why then hast thou cut off in battle the arm of a warrior who was not engaged with thee? The righteous never strike him that is heedless, or him that is terrified, or him that is made carless, or him that beggeth for life or protection, or him that hath fallen into distress. Why, then, O Partha, hast thou perpetrated such an extremely unworthy deed that is sinful, that is worthy only of a low wretch, and that is practised by only a wicked bloke! A respectable person, O Dhananjaya, can easily accomplish a deed that is respectable. A deed, however, that is disrespectable becomes difficult of accomplishment by a person that is respectable. A man quickly catches the behaviour of those with whom and amongst whom he moves. This is seen in thee, O Partha! Being of royal lineage and born, especially, in Kuru’s race, how hast thou fallen off from the duties of a Kshatriya, although thou wert of good behaviour and observant of excellent vows. This mean act that thou hast perpetrated for the sake of the Vrishni warrior, is without doubt, conformable to Vasudeva’s counsels. Such an act does not suit one like thee. Who else, unless he were a friend of Krishna’s, would inflict such a wrong upon one that is heedlessly engaged with another in battle? The Vrishnis and the Andhakas are bad Kshatriyas, ever engaged in sinful deeds, and are, by nature, addicted to disreputable behaviour. Why, O Partha, hast thou taken them as model?” Thus addressed in battle, Partha replied unto Bhurisravas, saying, “It is evident that with the decrepitude of the body one’s intellect also becomes decrepit, since, O lord, all those senseless words have been uttered by thee. Although thou knowest Hrishikesa and myself well, how is it that thou rebukest us thus? Knowing as I do the rules of battle and conversant as I am with the meaning of all the scriptures, I would never do an act that is sinful. Knowing this well, thou rebukest me yet. The Kshatriyas fight with their foes, surrounded by their own followers, their brothers, sires, sons, relatives, kinsmen, companions, and friends. These also fight, relying on the (strength of) arms of those they follow. Why, then, should I not protect Satyaki, my disciple and dear kinsman, who is fighting for our sake in this battle, regardless of life itself, that is so difficult of being laid down.169 Invincible in fight, Satyaki, O king, is my right arm in battle. One should not protect one’s own self only, when one goes to battle, he, O king, who is engaged in the business of another should be protected (by that other). Such men being protected, the king is protected in press of battle. If I had calmly beheld Satyaki on the point of being slain in great battle (and had not interfered for saying him), sin would, then, owing to Satyaki’s death, have been mine, for such negligence! Why then dost thou become angry with me for my having protected Satyaki? Thou rebukest me, O king, saying, ‘Though engaged with another, I have yet been maimed by thee.’ In that matter, I answer, I judged wrongly. Sometimes shaking my armour; sometimes riding on my car, sometimes drawing the bow-string, I was fighting with my enemies in the midst of a host resembling the vast deep, teeming with cars and elephants and abounding with steeds and foot-soldiers and echoing with fierce leonine shouts. Amongst friends and foes engaged with one another, how could it be possible that the Satwata warrior was engaged with only one person in battle? Having fought with many and vanquished many mighty car-warriors, Satyaki had been tired. He himself, afflicted with weapons, had become cheerless. Having, under such circumstances, vanquished the mighty car-warrior, Satyaki, and brought him under thy control, thou soughtest to display thy superiority. Thou hadst desired to cut off, with thy sword, the head of Satyaki in battle. I could not possibly behold with indifference Satyaki reduced to that strait.170 Thou shouldst rather rebuke thy own self, since thou didst not take care of thyself (when seeking to injure another). Indeed, O hero, how wouldst thou have behaved towards one who is thy dependant?”’
“Sanjaya continued, ‘Thus addressed (by Arjuna), the mighty-armed and illustrious Bhurisravas, bearing the device of the sacrificial stake on his banner, abandoning Yuyudhana, desired to die according to the vow of Praya.171 Distinguished by many righteous deeds, he spread with his left hand a bed of arrows, and desirous of proceeding to the region of Brahman, committed his senses to the care of the deities presiding over them. Fixing his gaze on the sun, and setting his cleansed heart on the moon, and thinking of (the mantras in) the great Upanishad, Bhurisravas, betaking himself to Yoga, ceased to speak. Then all the persons in the entire army began to speak ill of Krishna and Dhananjaya and applauded Bhurisravas, that bull among men. Though censured, the two Krishnas, however, spoke not a word disagreeable (to the dying hero). The stake-bannered Bhurisravas also, though thus applauded, felt no joy. Then Pandu’s son Dhananjaya, called also Phalguna, incapable of bearing thy sons speaking in that strain, as also of putting up with their words and the words of Bhurisravas, O Bharata, in grief and without an angry heart, and as if for reminding them all, said these words, “All the kings are acquainted with my great vow, viz., that no one shall succeed in slaying anybody that belongs to our side, as long as the latter is within the range of my shafts. Remembering this, O stake-bannered one, it behoveth thee not to censure me. Without knowing rules of morality, it is not proper for one to censure others. That I have cut off thy arm while thou, well-armed in battle, wert on the point of slaying (the unarmed) Satyaki, is not all contrary to morality. But what righteous man is there, O sire, that would applaud the slaughter of Abhimanyu, a mere child, without arms, deprived of car, and his armour fallen off?” Thus addressed by Partha, Bhurisravas touched the ground with his left arm the right one (that had been lopped off). The stake-bannered Bhurisravas, O king of dazzling effulgence, having heard those words of Partha, remained silent, with his head hanging down. Then Arjuna said, “O eldest brother of Sala, equal to what I bear to king Yudhishthira the Just, or Bhima, that foremost of all mighty persons, or Nakula, or Sahadeva, is the love I bear to thee. Commanded by me as also by the illustrious Krishna, repair thou to the region of the righteous, even where Sivi, the son of Usinara, is.”
“‘Vasudeva also said, “Thou hast constantly performed sacrifices and Agnihotras. Go thou then, without delay, into those pure regions of mine that incessantly blaze forth with splendour and that are desired by the foremost of deities with Brahma as their head, and becoming equal to myself, be thou borne on the back to Garuda.”’
“Sanjaya continued, ‘Set free by Somadatta’s son, the grandson of Sini, rising up, drew his sword and desired to cut off the head of the high-souled Bhurisravas. Indeed, Satyaki desired to slay the sinless Bhurisravas, the eldest brother of Sala, that giver of plenty in sacrifices who was staying with his senses withdrawn from battle, who had already been almost slain by the son of Pandu, who was sitting with his arm lopped off and who resembled on that account a trunkless elephant. All the warriors loudly censured him (for his intention). But deprived of reason, and forbidden by Krishna and the high-souled Partha, Bhima, and the two protectors of the two wheels (of Arjuna’s car, viz., Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas), and Aswatthaman, and Kripa and Karna, and Vrishasena, and the ruler of the Sindhus also, and while the soldiers were yet uttering shouts of disapproval, Satyaki slew Bhurisravas while in
the observance of his vow. Indeed, Satyaki, with his sword, cut off the head of the Kuru warrior who had been deprived of his arm by Partha and who was then sitting in Praya for freeing his soul from the body. The warriors did not applaud Satyaki for that act of his in slaying that perpetuator of Kuru’s race who had before been almost slain by Partha. The Siddhas, the Charanas, and the men there present, as also the gods, beholding the Sakra-like Bhurisravas slain in that battle, through sitting in the observance of that Praya vow, began to applaud him, amazed at the acts, accomplished by him. Thy soldiers also argued the matter, “It is no fault of the Vrishni hero. That which was pre-ordained has happened. Therefore, we should not give way to wrath. Anger is the cause of men’s sorrow. It was ordained that Bhurisravas would be slain by the Vrishni hero. There is no use of judging of its propriety or otherwise. The Creator had ordained Satyaki to be the cause of Bhurisrava’s death in battle.”
“‘Satyaki said, “Ye sinful Kauravas, wearing the outward garment of righteousness, ye tell me, in words of virtue, that Bhurisravas should not be slain. Where, however, did this righteousness of yours go when ye slew in battle that child, viz., the son of Subhadra, while destitute of arms? I had in a certain fit of haughtiness vowed that he who would, throwing me down alive in battle, strike me with his foot in rage, he would be slain by me even though that foe should adopt the vow of asceticism. Struggling in the encounter, with my arms and eyes hale and sound, ye had yet regarded me as dead. This was an act of folly on your part. Ye bulls among the Kurus, the slaughter of Bhurisravas, accomplished by me, hath been very proper! Partha, however, by cutting off this one’s arm with sword in grasp for fulfilling, from his affection for me, his own vow (about protecting all on his side), hath simply robbed me of glory. That which is ordained must happen. It is destiny that works. Bhurisravas hath been slain in press of battle. What sin have I perpetrated? In days of yore, Valmiki sang this verse on earth, viz., ‘Thou sayest, O ape, that women should not be slain. In all ages, however, men should always, with resolute care, accomplish that which gives pain to enemies.’”’
“Sanjaya continued, ‘After Satyaki had said these words, none amongst the Pandavas and the Kauravas, O king, said anything. On the other hand, they mentally applauded Bhurisravas. No one there applauded the slaughter of Somadatta’s illustrious son who resembled an ascetic living in the woods, or one sanctified with mantras in a great sacrifice, and who had given away thousands of gold coins. The head of that hero, graced with beautiful blue locks and eyes, red as those of pigeons, looked like the head of a horse cut off in a Horse-sacrifice and placed on the sacrificial altar.172 Sanctified by his prowess and the death he obtained at the edge of the weapon, the boon-giving Bhurisravas, worthy of every boon, casting off his body in great battle, repaired to regions on high, filling the welkin with his high virtues.’”
SECTION CXLIII
“DHRITARASHTRA SAID, ‘UNVANQUISHED by Drona, and Radha’s son and Vikarna and Kritavarman, how could the heroic Satyaki, never before checked in battle, having after his promise to Yudhishthira crossed the ocean of the Kaurava troops, being humiliated by the Kuru warrior Bhurisravas and forcibly thrown on the ground?’
“Sanjaya said, ‘Hear, O king, about the origin, in the past times, of Sini’s grandson, and of how Bhurisravas also came to be descended. This will clear thy doubts. Atri had for son Soma. Soma’s son was called Vudha. Vudha had one son, of the splendour of the great Indra, called Pururavas. Pururavas had a son called Ayus. Ayus had for his son Nahusha. Nahusha had for his son Yayati who was a royal sage equal to a celestial. Yayati had by Devayani Yadu for his eldest son. In Yadu’s race was born a son of the name of Devamidha of Yadu’s race had a son named Sura, applauded in the three worlds. Sura had for his son that foremost of men, viz., the celebrated Vasudeva. Foremost in bowmanship, Sura was equal to Kartavirya in battle. In Sura’s race and equal unto Sura in energy was born Sini, O king! About this time, O king, occurred the Swayamvara of the high-souled Devaka’s daughter, in which all the Kshatriyas were present. In that self-choice, Sini vanquishing all the kings, quickly took up on his car the princess Devaki for the sake of Vasudeva. Beholding the princess Devaki on Sini’s car, that bull among men, viz., the brave Somadatta of mighty energy could not brook the sight. A battle, O king, ensued between the two which lasted for half a day and was beautiful and wonderful to behold. The battle that took place between those two mighty men was a wrestling encounter. That bull among men, viz., Somadatta, was forcibly thrown down on the earth by Sini. Uplifting his sword and seizing him by the hair, Sini struck his foe with his foot, in the midst of many thousands of kings who stood as spectators all around. At last, from compassion, he let him off, saying, “Live!” Reduced to that plight by Sini, Somadatta, O sire, under the influence of wrath began to pay his adorations to Mahadeva for inducing the latter to bless him. That great lord of all boon-giving deities viz., Mahadeva, became gratified with him and asked him to solicit the boon he desired. The royal Somadatta then solicited the following boon, “I desire a son, O divine lord, who will strike Sini’s son in the midst of thousands of kings and who will in battle strike him with his foot.” Hearing these words, O king, of Somadatta, the god saying, “So be it,” disappeared then and there. It was in consequence of the gift of that boon that Somadatta subsequently obtained the highly charitable Bhurisravas for son, and it was for this, Somadatta’s son threw down Sini’s descendant in battle and struck him, before the eyes of the whole army, with his foot. I have now told thee, O king, what thou hadst asked me. Indeed, the Satwata hero is incapable of being vanquished in battle by even the foremost of men. The Vrishni heroes are all of sure aim in battle, and are conversant with all modes of warfare. They are vanquishers of the very gods, the Danavas and the Gandharvas. They are never confounded. They always fight, relying upon their own energy. They are never dependent on others. None, O lord, are seen in this world to be equal to the Vrishni’s. None, O bull of Bharata’s race, have been, are, or will be equal in might to the Vrishni’s. They never show disrespect to their kinsmen. They are always obedient to the commands of those that are reverend in years. The very gods and Asuras and Gandharvas, the Yakshas, the Uragas and the Rakshasas cannot vanquish the Vrishni heroes, what need be said of men, therefore, in battle? They never covet also the possessions of those that ever render them aid on any occasion of distress. Devoted to the Brahmanas and truthful in speech, they never display any pride although they are wealthy. The Vrishnis regard even the strong as weak and rescue them from distress. Always devoted to the gods, the Vrishnis are self-restrained, charitable, and free from pride. It is for this that the prowess173 of the Vrishnis is never baffled. A person may remove the mountains of Meru or swim across the ocean but cannot defeat the Vrishnis. I have told thee everything about which thou hadst thy doubts. All this, however, O king of the Kurus, that is happening is due to thy evil policy, O best of men!’”
SECTION CXLIV
“DHRITARASHTRA SAID, ‘AFTER the Kuru warrior Bhurisravas had been slain under those circumstances, tell me, O Sanjaya, how proceeded the battle.’
“Sanjaya said, ‘After Bhurisravas had proceeded to the other world, O Bharata, the mighty-armed Arjuna urged Vasudeva, saying, “Urge the steeds, O Krishna, to greater speed for taking me to the spot where king Jayadratha is. O sinless one, the sun is quickly proceeding towards the Asta hills. O tiger among men, this great task should be achieved by me. The ruler of the Sindhus is, again, protected by many mighty car-warriors among the Kuru army. Urge thou the steeds, therefore, O Krishna, in such a way that I may, by slaying Jayadratha before the sun sets, make my vow true.” Then the mighty-armed Krishna conversant with horse-lore, urged those steeds of silvery hue towards the car of Jayadratha. Then, O king, many leaders of the Kuru army, such as Duryodhana and Karna and Vrishasena and the ruler of the Sindhus himself, rushed with speed, O king, against Arjuna whose shafts were never baffled and who was proceeding, on his car drawn by steeds of great fleetness. Vibhatsu,
however, getting at the ruler of the Sindhus who was staying before him, and casting his glances upon him, seemed to scorch him with his eyes blazing with wrath. Then, king Duryodhana, quickly addressed the son of Radha. Indeed, O monarch, thy son Suyodhana said unto Karna, “O son of Vikartana, that time of battle hath come at last. O high-souled one, exhibit now thy might. O Karna, act in such a way that Jayadratha may not be slain by Arjuna! O foremost of men, the day is about to expire, strike now the foe with clouds of shafts! If the day expire, O foremost of men, victory, O Karna, will certainly be ours! If the ruler of the Sindhus can be protected till the setting of the sun, then Partha, his vow being falsified, will enter into blazing fire. O giver of honours, the brothers, then, of Arjuna, with all their followers, will not be able to live for even a moment in a world that is destitute of Arjuna! Upon the death of the sons of Pandu, the whole of the earth, O Karna, with her mountains and waters and forests, we will enjoy without a thorn on our side! O giver of honours, it seems that Partha, who without ascertaining what is practicable and what is impracticable, made this vow in battle, was afflicted by destiny itself, his judgment having taken a misdirected course! Without doubt, O Karna, the diadem-decked son of Pandu must have made this vow about the slaughter of Jayadratha for his own destruction! How, O son of Radha, when thou art alive will Phalguna succeed in slaying the ruler of the Sindhus before the sun goes to the Asta hills? How will Dhananjaya slay Jayadratha in battle when the latter is protected by the king of the Madras and by the illustrious Kripa? How will Vibhatsu, who seems to have been urged on by Fate, get at the ruler of the Sindhus when the latter is protected by Drona’s son, by myself, and Duhsasana? Many are the heroes engaged in fight. The sun is hanging low in the sky. Partha will not even get at Jayadratha in battle, O giver of honours. Do thou therefore, O Karna, with myself and other brave and mighty car-warriors, with Drona’s son and the ruler of the Madras and Kripa fight with Partha in battle, exerting thyself with the greatest firmness and resolution.” Thus addressed by thy son, O sire, the son of Radha replied unto Duryodhana, that foremost one among the Kurus, in these words, “Deeply hath my body been pierced in battle by the brave bowman Bhimasena, capable of striking vigorously with repeated showers of arrows. O giver of honours, that I am yet present in battle is because that one like me should be present here. Scorched with the powerful shafts of Bhimasena, every limb of mine is suffering from torturing pain. I shall, however, for all that, fight to the best of my powers. My life itself is for thee. I shall strive my best so that this foremost one of the sons of Pandu may not succeed in slaying the ruler of the Sindhus. As long as I shall fight, shooting my whetted shafts, the heroic Dhananjaya, capable of drawing the bow with even his left hand, will not succeed in getting at the ruler of the Sindhus. All that a person, bearing love and affection to thee and always solicitous of thy good, may do, shall be done by me, O thou of Kuru’s race! As regards victory, that depends on destiny. I shall in battle today exert myself to my utmost for the sake of the ruler of the Sindhus, and for achieving thy good. O king, victory, however, is dependent on destiny. Relying on my manliness, I shall fight with Arjuna today for thy sake, O tiger among men! Victory, however, is dependent on destiny. O chief of the Kurus, let all the troops behold today the fierce battle, making the very hair stand on end, that takes place between myself and Arjuna.” While Karna and the Kuru king were thus talking to each other in battle, Arjuna began, with his keen arrows, to slaughter thy host. With his broad-headed arrows of great sharpness he began to cut off in that battle the arms, looking like spiked clubs or the trunks of elephants, of unreturning heroes. And the mighty-armed hero also cut off their heads with whetted shafts. And Vibhatsu also cut off the trunks of elephants and the necks of steeds and the Akshas of cars all around, as also blood-dyed horsemen, armed with spears and lances, with razor-faced arrows into two or three fragments. And steeds and foremost of elephants and standards and umbrellas and bows and Yak-tails and heads fell fast on all sides. Consuming thy host like a blazing fire consuming a heap of dry grass, Partha soon caused the earth to be covered with blood. And the mighty and invincible Partha, of prowess incapable of being baffled, causing an immense slaughter in that army of thine, soon reached the ruler of the Sindhus. Protected by Bhimasena and by Satwata, Vibhatsu, O chief of the Bharatas, looked resplendent like a blazing fire. Beholding Phalguna in that state, the mighty bowmen of thy army, those bulls among men, endued with wealth of energy, could not brook him. Then Duryodhana and Karna and Vrishasena and the ruler of the Madras, and Aswatthaman and Kripa and the ruler of the Sindhus himself, excited with wrath and fighting for the sake of the Sindhu king, encompassed the diadem-decked Arjuna on all sides. All those warriors, skilled in battle, placing the ruler of the Sindhus at their back, and desirous of slaying Arjuna and Krishna, surrounded Partha, that hero conversant with battle, who was then dancing along the track of his car, producing fierce sounds with the bowstring and his palms and resembling the Destroyer himself with wide-opened mouth. The sun then had assumed a red hue in the sky. Desirous of his (speedy) setting, the Kaurava warriors, bending their bows with arms, resembling the (tapering) bodies of snake sped their shafts in hundreds towards Phalguna, resembling the rays of the sun. Cutting off those shafts thus sped towards him, into two, three, or eight fragments the diadem-decked Arjuna, invincible in battle, pierced them all in that encounter. Then Aswatthaman, bearing on his banner the mark of a lion’s tail, displaying his might, began, O king, to resist Arjuna. Indeed, the son of Saradwata’s daughter piercing Partha with ten shafts and Vasudeva with seven, stayed in the track of Arjuna’s car, protecting the ruler of the Sindhus. Then, many foremost ones among the Kurus, great car-warriors, all encompassed Arjuna on all sides with a large throng of cars. Stretching their bows and shooting countless shafts, they began to protect the ruler of the Sindhus, at the command of thy son. We then beheld the prowess of the brave Partha as also the inexhaustible character of his shafts, and the might, too, of his bow Gandiva. Baffling with his own weapons those of Drona’s son and Kripa, he pierced every one of those warriors with nine shafts. Then, Drona’s son pierced him with five and twenty arrows, and Vrishasena with seven, and Duryodhana pierced him with twenty, and Karna and Salya each with three. And all of them roared at him and continued to pierce him frequently, and shaking their bows, they surrounded him on all sides. And soon they caused their cars to be drawn up in a serried line around Arjuna. Desirous of the (speedy) setting of the sun, those mighty car-warriors of the Kaurava army, endued with great activity, began to roar at Arjuna, and shaking their bows, covered him with showers of keen arrows like cloud pouring rain on a mountain. Those brave warriors, with arms resembling heavy clubs, also discharged on that occasion, O king, on Dhananjaya’s body celestial weapons. Having caused an immense slaughter in thy army, the mighty and invincible Dhananjaya, of prowess incapable of being baffled came upon the ruler of the Sindhus. Karna, however, O king, with his arrows, resisted him in that battle in the very sight, O Bharata, of Bhimasena and Satwata. The mighty-armed Partha, in the very sight of all the troops, pierced the Suta’s son, in return, with ten arrows, on the field of battle. Then Satwata, O sire, pierced Karna with three arrows. And Bhimasena pierced him with three arrows, and Partha himself, once more, with seven. The mighty car-warrior, Karna, then pierced each of those three warriors with sixty arrows. And thus, O king, raged that battle between Karna alone (on one side) and the many (on the other). The prowess, O sire, that we then beheld of the Suta’s son was wonderful in the extreme, since, excited with wrath in battle, he singly resisted those three great car-warriors. Then the mighty-armed Phalguna, in that battle, pierced Karna, the son of Vikartana, in all his limbs with a hundred arrows. All his limbs bathed in blood, the Suta’s son of great prowess and bravery, pierced Phalguna in return with fifty arrows. Beholding that lightness of hand displayed by him in battle, Arjuna brooked it not. Cutting off his bow, that hero, viz., Dhananjaya, the son of Pritha, quickly pierced Karna in the centr
e of the chest with nine arrows. Then Dhananjaya, with great speed at a time, when speed was necessary shot in that battle a shaft of solar effulgence for the destruction of Karna. Drona’s son, however, with a crescent-shaped arrow, cut off that shaft as it coursed impetuously (towards Karna). Thus cut off by Aswatthaman, that shaft fell down on the earth. Endued with great prowess, the Suta’s son, then, O king, took up another bow, and covered the son of Pandu with several thousands of arrows. Partha, however, like the wind dispersing flight of locusts, dispelled with his own arrows that extraordinary shower of arrows issuing out of Karna’s bow. Then Arjuna, displaying his lightness of hands, covered Karna, in that battle, with his arrows, in the very sight of all thy troops. Karna also, that slayer of hosts, desirous of counteracting Arjuna’s feat, covered Arjuna with several thousands of arrows. Roaring at each other like two bulls, those lions among men, those mighty car-warriors, shrouded the welkin with clouds of straight shafts. Each rendered invisible by the other’s arrowy showers, they continued to strike each other. And they roared at each other and pierced each other with their wordy darts, saying, “I am Partha, wait” — or, “I am Karna, wait, O Phalguna!” Indeed these two heroes fought with each other wonderfully, displaying great activity and skill. And the sight they presented was such that other warriors became witnesses of that battle. And applauded by Siddhas, Charnas and Pannagas, they fought with each other, O king, each desirous of slaying the other. Then Duryodhana, O king addressing thy warriors, said, “Carefully protect the son of Radha! Without slaying Arjuna he would not abstain from battle. Even this is what Vrisha told me.” Meanwhile, O monarch, beholding the prowess of Karna, Arjuna, of white steeds, with four shafts shot from the bow-string drawn to the ear, despatched the four steeds of Karna to Yama’s domain. And he also felled with a broad-headed arrow, Karna’s charioteer from his niche in the car. And he covered Karna himself with clouds of shafts in the very sight of thy son. Thus shrouded with arrows the steedless and driverless Karna, stupefied by that arrowy shower, knew not what to do. Beholding him made carless, Aswatthaman, O king, caused him to ride on his car, and continued to fight with Arjuna. Then the ruler of the Madras pierced the son of Kunti with thirty arrows. Saradwata’s son pierced Vasudeva with twenty arrows. And he struck Dhananjaya also with a dozen shafts. And the ruler of the Sindhus pierced each with four arrows, and Vrishasena also pierced each of them, O king, with seven arrows. Kunti’s son, Dhananjaya, pierced all of them in return. Indeed, piercing Drona’s son with four and sixty shafts, and the ruler of the Madras with a hundred, and the Sindhu king with ten broad-headed arrows, and Vrishasena with three arrows and Saradwata’s son with twenty, Partha uttered a loud shout. Desirous of baffling the vow of Savyasachin, thy warriors, excited with wrath, quickly rushed at Dhananjaya from all sides. Then Arjuna, frightening the Dhartarashtras, invoked into existence the Varuna weapon on all sides. The Kauravas, however, on their costly cars, pouring showers of arrows, advanced against the son of Pandu. But, O Bharata, in course of that stupefying and fierce engagement, fraught with the greatest confusion, that prince, viz., Arjuna, decked with diadem and gold chain never lost his senses. On the other hand, he continued to pour showers of arrows. Desirous of recovering the kingdom and recollecting all the wrongs he had suffered for twelve years in consequence of the Kurus, the high-souled and immeasurable Arjuna darkened all the points of the compass with shafts from Gandiva. The welkin seemed ablaze with meteors. Innumerable crows, alighting from the sky, perched on the bodies (of dead combatants). Meanwhile, Arjuna continued to slay the foe with his Gandiva, like Mahadeva slaying the Asuras with his Pinaka equipped with tawny string.174 Then the illustrious Kiritin, that subjugator of (hostile) ranks, dispersing the shafts of the foe by means of his own formidable bow, slaughtered with his arrows many foremost ones among the Kurus, mounted on their foremost of steeds and elephants. Then many kings, taking up heavy maces and clubs of iron and swords and darts and diverse other kinds of powerful weapons, assuming terrible forms, rushed suddenly against Partha in that battle. Then Arjuna, bending with his arms his formidable bow Gandiva which resembled the bow of Indra himself and whose twang was as loud as the roar of the clouds congregating at the end of the Yuga, and laughing the while, went on consuming thy troops and increasing the population of Yama’s kingdom. Indeed, that hero caused those enraged warriors with their cars and elephants and with the foot-soldiers and bowmen supporting them, to be deprived of their arms and lives and thus to swell the population of Yama’s domain.’”
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