The flight of Jayadratha

Vaishampayana said: In the interval, the king of Sindhu was commanding the princes saying, “Halt, strike, march quick."

Then there arose a dreadful noise in the encounter when the soldiers saw, Bhima, Arjuna and the twin brothers with Yudhishthira.

Seeing those powerful heroes like dreadful tigers the heroes of Shibi, Sauvira and Sindhu tribes lost heart.

Then armed with a mace made entirely of Shaikya iron and coated with gold, Bhimasena rushed towards the Saindhava king doomed to death.

Thereupon quickly encircling Vrikodara with mighty charioteers Kotikasya interposed between and separated the combatants.

And although assailed by many clubs and iron shafts hurled at him by the mighty arms of hostile heroes, Bhima did not waver for a moment.

But he slew, with mace, an elephant with its driver and fourteen foot-soldiers fighting in front of a Jayadratha's chariot.

Wishing to seize the Sauvira king, Partha too killed five hundred brave mountaineers fighting in the van of the Sindhu army.

In the twinkling of an eye the king himself destroyed, in that encounter, the flowers of the Sauviras.

And Nakula was seen there coming down from the chariot, with a sword in hand and scattering in no time the heads of the battalions fighting on the rear like a cultivator sowing seeds.

From his chariot, Sahadeva began to cut down with his iron arrows, many heroes fighting on elephants like birds dropped from the branches of a tree.

Thereupon descending from his huge car Trigarta, with bow in hand, slew the four horses of the king with his mace.

Seeing the enemy approach so near and fighting on foot the pious king Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, pierced his breast with a crescent-shaped shaft.

Thus struck on the breast that hero began to vomit blood and fell down on earth like an uprooted tree by the side of Pritha's son.

Having his horse thus slain the pious king, with Indrasena, descended from his chariot and got upon the huge car of Sahadeva.

Then singling out Nakula, the two heroes Kshemankara and Mahamukha began to hurl at him from both sides with keen-edged arrows.

With two arrows however the son of Madri succeeded in killing those two heroes who had been pouring on him a shower of arrows like clouds in rains.

Going to the front of Nakula's chariot, Suratha, the king of Trigarta, expert in driving elephants, caused it to be dragged by the elephant of which he mounted.

Little afraid at this, Nakula jumped out of his car and securing an advantageous position, stood, shield and sword in hand immoveable as a hill.

Thereupon desiring to kill Nakula at once Suratha goaded his huge and infuriated elephant with its trunk upraised (to rush towards him).

But he with his sword cut off from his head both trunk and tusks when the elephant came near him.

Then emitting a loud noise that elephant, clad with mail, fell headlong upon the ground crushing its riders by its fall.

Performing that great exploit the heroic and mighty car-warrior, son of the Madri, ascending Bhimasen's car, got some rest.

Beholding the prince Kotikasya rush to the battle, Bhima, with a horse shoe shaft, sundered the head of his charioteer.

The king could not perceive that his charioteer had been slain by the mighty-armed (enemy). The horses, no longer restrained by the driver, ran about hither and thither in the battle field.

The Pandava Bhima, the foremost of heroes, slew, with a bearded arrow, that prince who had lost his chariot and was flying from the battle-field.

With his sharp crescent-shaped shafts Dhananjaya also cut off the heads and bows of all the twelve Sauvira heroes.

That great warrior slew with shafts in battle, the leader of the Ikshvakus, the army of the Shibis, Trigarta and Saindhava.

Many elephants with flags and great cars with standards were to have been destroyed by Savyasachi. seen

There lay covering the entire field of battle heads without trunks and trunks without heads.

Dogs, heroes, ravens, crows, falcons, jackals and vultures feasted on the flesh and blood of the heroes killed in the battle-field.

Beholding his warriors slain, Jayadratha, the king of Sindhu became terrified and anxious to run away leaving Krishna behind.

Getting Draupadi down, the wretch, in the confusion, fled away for life following the same forest path by which he had come.

Beholding Draupadi with Dhaumya walking before, the pious king Yudhishthira made her taken up on the car by the heroic Sahadeva, the son of Madri.

After Jayadratha had fled away Vrikodara, with Narachas, slew all those soldiers who were running away, marking (each one of them).

Beholding Jayadratha fled, Savyasachi asked Bhima to desist from killing the remnant of the Saindhava army.

Arjuna said: I do not see Jayadratha in the battle-field through whose folly we have met with this misfortune.

Seek him out; may good betide you. What is the use of killing these soldiers? Why are you bent upon this useless business?

Vaishampayana said : Being thus accosted by the intelligent Gudakesha, Bhimasena, skilled in speech, turning to Yudhishthira, said,

"Many of the enemy's heroes have been slain; others have fled away to various directions; taking Draupadi with you, O king, return home.

O king of kings, O king, reaching hermitage with the twins and the high-souled Dhaumya console Draupadi.

I shall not let along the stupid king of Sindhu even if he finds shelter in the nether world or is supported by Indra himself.

Yudhishthira said: O you of mighty arms, remembering our sister Dushala and the illustrious Gandhari, the wicked-minded Saindhava should not be slain by you.

Vaishampayana said: Hearing those words Draupadi was excited; that bashful, angry and intelligent (lady) said to her husbands Bhima and Arjuna.

“If you wish to encompass my pleasure, that vile, wretch of a man, the wicked-minded, infamous and despicable king of the Saindhava race should be killed by you.

The enemy who carries away one's wife or wrests his kingdom, should by no means be forgiven in battle even if he craves for mercy.”

Having been thus addressed those two foremost of men went where Saindhava was; taking Draupadi with him, the king alone with his priest returned.

Entering the hermitage he saw it covered with the seats for the ascetics, filled with their disciples and graced with the presence of Markandeya and other Brahmanas.

While those self-controlled Brahmanas where lamenting for Draupadi, the greatly wise (king) with his wife and brothers joined them.

Beholding the king then return, having vanquished the Sindhu and Sauvira princes and taken Draupadi, they were delighted.

Encircled by them the king sat there and the good Krishna, alone with the twins, entered the hermitage.

Hearing that the enemy has gone only two miles Bhima and Arjuna spurred their horses to greatest speed in pursuit of him.

The heroic Arjuna performed a wonderful fcat by killing the horses of Saindhava, which were at a distance of two miles.

Armed with celestials weapons and undaunted by difficulties he performed this difficult work with weapons inspired with Mantras.

Then the two heroes Bhima and Arjuna rushed towards the terror-stricken king of Sindhu whose horses had been killed and who was perplexed in mind.

Beholding his own horses slain and Dhananjaya perform such a greatly powerful exploits Saindhava was greatly sorry.

Determined on flying away he followed the same forest path by which he had come. Beholding Saindhava thus engaged in flying away.

The mighty-armed Falguna, following him, said "with such prowess how could you desire to take away a female by force?

Desist, O princes it does not behoove you, leaving your followers in the midst of enemies, to take to your heels?

(Although) addressed by Partha thus Saindhava did not return. Saying "Wait, wait! the mighty Bhima all on a sudden overtook him. But the merciful Partha said, "Don't kill him."