The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 2,886 pages of information about The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3.

The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 2,886 pages of information about The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3.
from his trunk.  The steeds of Duryodhana’s car, deprived of their driver, ran wildly on all sides, O Bharata, dragging the car after them, at which loud wails arose (in the Kuru army).  Then the mighty car-warrior Ashvatthama, and Kripa and Kritavarma, followed that car, desirous of rescuing thy son.  The (Kaurava) troops (at sight of this) became exceedingly agitated.  The followers of Duryodhana became terrified.  At that time, the wielder of Gandiva, drawing his bow, began to slay them with his arrows.  Then Yudhishthira, excited with rage, rushed against the ruler of the Madras, himself urging his steeds white as ivory and fleet as thought.  We then saw something that was wonderful in Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, for though very mild and soft, he then became exceedingly fierce.  With eyes opened wide and body trembling in rage, the son of Kunti cut off hostile warriors in hundreds and thousands by means of his sharp shafts.  Those amongst the soldiers against whom the eldest Pandava proceeded, were overthrown by him, O king, like mountain summits riven with thunder.  Felling cars with steeds and drivers and standards and throwing down car-warriors in large numbers, Yudhishthira, without any assistance, began to sport there like a mighty wind destroying masses of clouds.  Filled with rage, he destroyed steeds with riders and steeds without riders and foot-soldiers by thousands in that battle, like Rudra destroying living creatures (at the time of the universal dissolution).  Having made the field empty by shooting his shafts on all sides, Yudhishthira rushed against the ruler of the Madras and said, “Wait, Wait!” Beholding the feats then of that hero of terrible deeds, all thy warriors became inspired with fear.  Shalya, however, proceeded against him.  Both of them filled with rage, blew their conchs.  Returning and challenging each other, each then encountered the other.  Then Shalya covered Yudhishthira with showers of arrows.  Similarly, the son of Kunti covered the ruler of the Madras with showers of arrows.  Then those two heroes, the ruler of the Madras and Yudhishthira, mangled in that battle with each other’s arrows and bathed in blood, looked like a Salmali and a Kinsuka tree decked with flowers.  Both possessed of splendour and both invincible in battle, those two illustrious warriors uttered loud roars.  Beholding them both, the soldiers could not conclude which of them would be victorious.  Whether the son of Pritha would enjoy the Earth, having slain Shalya, or whether Shalya having slain the son of Pandu would bestow the Earth on Duryodhana, could not be ascertained, O Bharata, by the warriors present there.  King Yudhishthira, in course of that battle, placed his foes to his right.  Then Shalya shot a hundred foremost of arrows at Yudhishthira.  With another arrow of great sharpness, he cut off the latter’s bow.  Taking up another bow, Yudhishthira pierced Shalya with three hundred shafts and cut off the latter’s bow with a razor-faced
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The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.