Shalya Parva — The death of Shalya, the king of Mlechchhas

Sanjaya said After the (Kuru) army had been gathered Shalya, the king of the Mlechchhas, filled with rage, rushed against the large army of the Pandavas, riding on a gigantic clephant, with temporal juice trickling, looking like a hill, elated with pride, resembling Airavata himself and capable of crushing large numbers of foes.

Shalya's animal was of a good breed, was always adored by Dhritarashtra's sons and was properly equipped and properly trained for battle, O king, by persons well conversant with the science of elephant training. Riding on that elephant, that foremost of kings looked like the morning sun at the close of summer.

Riding that best of elephants, O king, he went against the Pandavas and began to strike them on all sides with keen and dreadful arrows resembling Indra's thunder in force.

While he discharged his arrows in that battle and killed the hostile warriors neither the Kauravas nor the Pandavas could mark any defect in him, even as the Daityas, O king, could not notice any in Vasava, the wielder of the thunder, in the days of yore while he killed them.

The Pandavas, the Somakes and the Srinjayas, saw one elephant look like a thousand elephants moving around them as the enemies of the gods had in days of yore seen the elephant of Indra in battle.

The army so driven by thai elephant seemed as if trapped from all sides. It could not stay for moments in the battle-field on account of sheer fright. All soldiers started crushing in hue and cry over mutual pull and push.

Agitated by that animal, the hostile army looked life-less. Unable to stand in battle, they then fled away in great fear, crushing one another. Then the huge army of the Pandavas, routed by king Shalya, suddenly fled on all sides unable to stand the vigor of that elephant.

Seeing the Pandava army routed and flying away quickly all your leading warriors worshipped king Shalya and blew their moonwhite conchs.

Hearing the war-cries of the Kauravas uttered in joy and the blare of their conchs, the commander of the Pandava and the Srinjaya forces, viz., the Panchala prince Dhrishtadyumna could not, from wrath, bear it.

The illustrious Dhrishtadyumna then quickly proceeded for defeating that elephant, as the Asura Jainbha had proceed against Airavata, the carrier of Indra, while he fought with Indra.

Beholding the king of the Pandavas proceed against him, Shalya, the foremost of kings, quickly urged his elephant, O king, for the destruction of Drupada's son.

Seeing the animal approaching the latter struck it with three best arrows, polished, keen, blazing, powerful and resembling fire itself in effulgence and force.

Then that illustrious hero struck the animal on the trunk with five other whetted and best arrows. Struck therewith, that prince of elephants, turning away from the battle, ran quickly away.

Suddenly checking that foremost of elephants which had been greatly wounded and compelled to retreat Shalya, however, caused it to turn back and with hooks and keen lances urged it forward against the car of the Panchala king, pointing it out to the infuriate animal.

Beholding the animal rushing forcibly at him, the heroic Dhrishtadyumna, taking up a mace, quickly leaped down on the Earth from his car, his limbs benumbed with fear.

That huge elephant, meanwhile, suddenly crushing that gold-decked car with its horses and driver, raised it up in the air with his trunk and then dashed it down on the Earth.

Beholding the driver of Panchala king thus crushed by that best of elephants. Bhima and Shikhandin and the grandson of Shini rushed with great force against that animal.

With their arrows they quickly restrained that animal. Thus restrained by them in battle, the elephant began to tremble.

Meanwhile king Shalya began to discharge arrows like the Sun shedding his rays on all sides. Struck with those arrows, the (Pandava) car-warriors began to fly away.

Beholding that feat of Shalya, the Panchalas, the Srinjayas and the Matsyas. O king, bewailed aloud in that battle. All those foremost of men however, surrounded the animal entirely.

Then, taking up his mace resembling the crest of a mountain, the brave Panchalas appeared there. Fearlessly, O king, that hero, that striker of foes, rushed quickly against the clephant.

The active prince of the Panchala, approaching, began to strike with his mace that animal which was huge as a hill and which shed temporal juice like a mass of pouring clouds.

Its trunk cut open, the animal cried aloud; and vomiting enough blood, the animal, huge as a hill, suddenly dropped down as a mountain falling down during an earthquake.

While that best of elephants was falling down and while your son's ariny were bewailing at the spectacle, that best of warriors among the Shinis cut off the head of king Shalya with a sharp and broad-headed arrow.

His head having been sundered by the Satwata hero, Shalya dropped down on the Earth along with his best of elephants, like a mountain summit suddenly clapped by the thunder-bolt discharged by the best of the celestials.