all the sons of Pandu, endued though they are with
terrible energy and prowess.’ Even this,
O Bharata, was the boon he had solicited. Thus
prayed to that foremost of the deities said unto Jayadratha,
’O amiable one, I grant thee the boon.
Except Dhananjaya, the son of Pritha, thou shalt in
battle check the four other sons of Pandu.’
‘So be it,’ said Jayadratha unto that
Lord of the gods and then awoke, O monarch, from his
slumber. In consequence of that boon which he
had received and of the strength also of his celestial
weapons, Jayadratha, single-handed, held in check the
entire army of the Pandavas. The twang of his
bow-string and the slaps of his palms inspired the
hostile Kshatriyas with fear, filling thy troops,
at the same time with delight. And the Kshatriyas
(of the Kuru army), beholding that the burthen was
taken up by the ruler of the Sindhus, rushed with
loud shouts, O monarch, to that part of the field where
Yudhishthira’s army was.’”
“Sanjaya said, ’Thou askest me, O monarch,
about the prowess of the ruler of the Sindhus.
Listen to me as I describe in detail how he fought
with the Pandavas. Large steeds of the Sindhu
breed, well-trained and fleet as the wind, and obedient
to the commands of the charioteer, bore him (on that
occasion). His car, duly equipped, looked like
a vapoury edifice in the welkin. His standard
bearing the device of a large boar in silver, looked
exceedingly beautiful. With his white umbrella
and banners, and the yak-tails with which he was fanned—which
are regal indications—he shone like the
Moon himself in the firmament. His car-fence made
of iron was decked with pearls and diamonds and gems
and gold. And it looked resplendent like the
firmament bespangled with luminous bodies. Drawing
his large bow and scattering countless shafts, he once
more filled up that array in those places where openings
had been made by the son of Arjuna. And he pierced
Satyaki with three arrows, and Vrikodara with eight;
and having pierced Dhrishtadyumna. with sixty arrows,
he pierced Drupada with five sharp ones, and Sikhandin
with ten. Piercing then the Kaikeyas with five
and twenty arrows, Jayadratha pierced each of the five
sons of Draupadi with three arrows. And piercing
Yudhishthira then with seventy arrows, the ruler of
the Sindhus pierced the other heroes of the Pandava
army with thick showers of shafts. And that feat
of his seemed exceedingly wonderful. Then, O
monarch, the valiant son of Dharma, aiming Jayadratha’s
bow, cut it off with a polished and well-tempered shaft,
smiling the while. Within the twinkling, however,
of the eye, the ruler of the Sindhus took up another
bow and piercing Pratha (Yudhishthira) with ten arrows
struck each of the others with three shafts. Marking
that lightness of hands showed by Jayadratha, Bhima
then with three broad-headed shafts, quickly felled
on the earth his bow, standard and umbrella.
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