water for drink, but not for a bath.’ Thus
addressed by Vasudeva, Arjuna cheerfully said, ‘Here
it is!’ And so saying, he pierced the earth with
a weapon and made an excellent lake from which the
steeds could drink. And that lake abounded in
swans and ducks, and was adorned with Chakravakas.
And it was wide and full of transparent water, and
abounded in full-blown lotuses of the finest species.
And it teemed with diverse kinds of fish. And
fathomless in depth, it was the resort of many a Rishi.
And the celestial Rishi, Narada, came to have a look
at that lake created there in a moment. And Partha,
capable of achieving wonderful works like (the celestial
artificer) Tvashtri himself, also constructed there
an arrowy hall, having arrows for its beams and rafters,
arrows for its pillars, and arrows for its roof.
Then Govinda smiling in joy, said, ’Excellent,
Excellent,’ upon seeing the high-souled Partha
create that arrowy hall.’”
“Sanjaya said, ’After the high-souled
son of Kunti had created that water, after he had
commenced to hold in cheek the hostile army, and after
he had built also that arrowy hall, Vasudeva of great
splendour, alighting from the car, unyoked the steeds
pierced and mangled with arrows. Beholding that
sight never seen before, loud uproars of applause
were heard there, uttered by the Siddhas and the Charanas
and by all the warriors. Mighty car-warriors
(assembled together) were unable to resist the son
of Kunti, even when he fought on foot. All this
seemed highly wonderful. Although throngs upon
throngs of cars, and myriads of elephants and steeds,
rushed towards him, yet Partha felt no fear but fought
on, prevailing upon all his foes. And the (hostile)
kings shot showers of shafts at the son of Pandu.
That slayer of hostile heroes, however, viz.,
the son of Vasava, of virtuous soul, felt no anxiety
whatever. Indeed, the valiant Partha received
hundreds of arrowy showers and maces and lances coming
towards him as the ocean receives hundreds upon hundreds
of rivers flowing towards it. With the impetuous
might of his own weapons and strength of his arms,
Partha received the foremost of shafts shot at him
by those foremost of kings. Although staying on
the ground, and alone, he succeeded yet in baffling
all those kings on their cars, like that one fault,
avarice, destroying a host of accomplishments.
The Kauravas, O king, applauded the highly wonderful
prowess of Partha as also of Vasudeva, saying, ’What
more wonderful incident hath ever taken place in this
world, or will ever take place than this, viz.,
that Partha and Govinda, in course of battle, have
unyoked their steeds? Displaying fierce energy
on the field of battle and the greatest assurance,
those best of men have inspired us with great thoughts.’
Then Hrishikesa, of eyes like lotus-petals, smiling
with the coolest assurance, as if, O Bharata, he was
in the midst of an assembly of women (and not armed
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