in that battle, saying, ’I am glad that, Bhurisravas, that enhancer of the fame of the Kurus, is dragging Satyaki in battle, as if in sport.  Without slaying Satyaki that foremost one among the heroes of the Vrishni race, the Kuru warrior is only dragging him like a mighty lion in the forest dragging a huge elephant.’  Mentally applauding the Kuru warrior thus, O king, the mighty-armed Arjuna, the son of Pritha, replied unto Vasudeva, saying, ’My eyes having rested upon of the Sindhus, I could not, O Madhava, see Satyaki.  I shall, however, for the sake of that Yadava warrior, achieve a most difficult feat.’  Having said these words, in obedience to Vasudeva, the son of Pandu, fixed on Gandiva a sharp razor-headed arrow.  That arrow, shot by Partha’s hand and resembling a meteor flashing down from the firmament, cut off the Kuru warrior’s arm with the sword in the grasp and decked with Angada.’”

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, of 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