victory, one obtains happiness here.  If slain, one obtains great fruits in the other world!  You Kauravas, there is no better path to heaven than that offered by battle!  Slain in battle, you may, without delay, obtain all those regions of blessedness.”  Hearing these words of his, and applauding them highly, the (Kuru) kings once more rushed against the Pandavas for battling with them.  Seeing them advancing with speed, the Parthas, arrayed in order of battle, skilled in smiting, excited with rage, and inspired with desire of victory, rushed against them.  The valiant Dhananjaya, stretching his bow Gandiva celebrated over the three worlds, proceeded on his car against the foe.  The two sons of Madri, and Satyaki, rushed against Shakuni, and the other (Pandava) heroes, smiling, rushed impetuously against thy forces.’”

20

“Sanjaya said, ’After the (Kuru) army had been rallied, Shalva, the ruler of the Mlecchas, filled with rage, rushed against the large force of the Pandavas, riding on a gigantic elephant, with secretions issuing from the usual limbs, looking like a hill, swelling with pride, resembling Airavata himself, and capable of crushing large bands of foes.  Shalva’s animal sprung from a high and noble breed.  It was always worshipped by Dhritarashtra’s son.  It was properly equipped and properly trained for battle, O king, by persons well-conversant with elephant-lore.  Riding on that elephant, that foremost of kings looked like the morning sun at the close of summer.  Mounting on that foremost of elephants, O monarch, he proceeded against the Pandavas and began to pierce them on all sides with keen and terrible shafts that resembled Indra’s thunder in force.  While he shot his arrows in that battle and despatched hostile warriors to Yama’s abode, neither the Kauravas nor the Pandavas could notice any lapses in him, even as the Daityas, O king, could not notice any in Vasava, the wielder of the thunder, in days of yore, while the latter was employed in crushing their divisions.  The Pandavas, the Somakas, and the Srinjayas, beheld that elephant looking like a 1,000 elephants careering around them, even as the foes of the gods had in days of yore beheld the elephant of Indra in battle.  Agitated (by that animal), the hostile army looked on every side as if deprived of life.  Unable to stand in battle, they then fled away in great fear, crushing one another as they ran.  Then the vast host of the Pandavas, broken by king Salwa, suddenly fled on all sides, unable to endure the impetuosity of that elephant.  Beholding the Pandava host broken and flying away in speed, all the foremost of warriors of thy army worshipped king Salwa and blew their conchs white as the moon.  Hearing the shouts of the Kauravas uttered in joy and the blare of their conchs, the commander of the Pandava and the Srinjaya forces, the Pancala prince (Dhrishtadyumna) could not, from wrath, endure it.  The illustrious Dhrishtadyumna then, with great speed, proceeded for vanquishing