Anugita Parva — The speech of Dushala

Vaishampayana said The irresistible holder of Gandiva, ready for battle, stood immovable on the field like Himavat himself.

The Saindhava warriors, more rallying, showered in great rage repeated down-pours of arrows on him.

The mighty-armed hero, laughing at his enemies, who had once more rallied but who were on the point of death, addressed them in these soft words.

Do you fight to to best of your power and do you try to defeat me. Do you, however, accomplish all necessary deeds, for a great danger awaits you all.

See, I fight all of you, baffling your clouds of arrows! Bent as you are on battle, wait a little. I shall soon quell your pride.

The holder of Gandiva, having said these words in anger, recollected, however, the words, O Bharata, of his eldest brother.

Those words were :-You should not, O child, kill those Kshatriyas who will come against you for battle! They should, however, be defeated by you! That foremost of men, Phalguna, had been thus addressed by king Yudhishthira the just, of great soul. He, therefore, began to reflect thus. Thus was I commissioned by my by my brother. Warriors advancing against me should not be killed.

I must act in such a way as not to falsify the words of king Yudhishthira the just. Having arrived at this conclusion, Phalguna, that foremost of men, then said to those Saindhavas who were all dreadful in battle, these words:

I say what is for your benefit. Though staying before me, I do not wish to kill you. He amongst you who will say to me that he has been defeated by me and that he is mine, will be spared by me.

Having heard these words of mine, act towards me in that way which may best secure your well-being. By acting in a different way you will place yourselves in a situation of great fear and danger.

Having said these words to those heroic warriors, the chief of the Kurus began to fight them. Arjuna was worked up with rage. His enemies, desirous of victory, were equally enraged.

The Saindhavas then, O king, shot hundreds and thousands of straight arrows at the wielder of Gandiva.

Dhananjaya, with his own whetted arrows, cut off those arrows of sharp and terrible points, resembling stakes of dreadful poison, before could come up to him.

Having off those sharp arrows bedecked with Kanka-feathers, Arjuna pierced each of the warriors opposed to him with a whetted arrow.

The Saindhava Kshatriyas, recollecting that it was Dhananjaya who had killed their king Jayadarth, then hurled at him darts and javelins with great force.

The diadem-decked Dhananjaya of great power baffled their aim by cutting off all those weapons before any of them could reach him. At length the son of Pandu became highly angry.

With many straight and broad headed arrows, he cut off the heads of many of those warriors who were rushing at him from desire of victory.

Many fled, many rushed at Arjuna; many moved not; all of them, however, uttered such a loud noise that it resembled the roar of the Ocean,

As they were killed by Partha of immeasurable power, they fought him, each according to his strength and prowess.

Their animals being all exhausted, Partha succeeded in depriving a large number of those warriors of their senses by means of his sharpest arrows in that battle.

Then Dushala, their queen, the daughter of Dhritarastra, knowing that they were rendered cheerless by Arjuna, took her grandson in her arms and went to Arjuna.

The child was the son of Suratha (the son of Jayadratha). The brave prince proceeded to his maternal uncle on his car for the safety or all the Saindhava warriors.

The queen, arrived before Dhananjaya, began to weep in sorrow. Seeing her, the powerful Dhananjaya cast off his bow.

Leaving off his bow, Partha duly received his sister and enquired of her as to what he could do for her. The queen replied to him, saying, O chief of the Bharatas, this child is the son of your sister's son. He salutes you, O Partha. Look at him, O foremost of men.

Thus addressed by her, Partha enquired after his son (Suratha), saying, Where is he? Dushala answered him, saying, Burning with grief on account of the destruction of his father, the heroic father of this child disd brokenheated. Listen from me as to how that hero was dead.

O Dhananjaya, he had heard before that his father Jayadratha had been killed by you, o sinless one. Exceedingly afflicted with grief at this, and hearing of your arrival here as the follower and protector of this sacrificial horse, he at once fell down and gave up his life. Indeed, deeply afflicted with grief, as he was, as soon as he heard of your arrival, he gave up his life seeing him prostrate on the Earth, O lord, o took his intent son with me and have come to you, seeking your protection. Having said these words, the daughter of Dhritarashtra began to lament in deep sorrow.

Arjuna stood before her great cheerlessness of heart. His face was turned towards the Earth. The cheerless sister then said to her brother, who was equally cheerless, these words : See your sister. See the child of your sister's son.

O perpetuator of Kuru's race, O you who are fully conversant with every duty, you should show mercy to this child, forgetting the Kuru prince (Duryodhana) and the wicked Jayadratha. in

As that destroyer of hostile heroes, Parikshit, has been born of Abhimanyu, so has this mighty-armed child, my grandson, originated from Suratha.

Taking him with me, O king, I have come to you desirous of the safety of all the warriors! Do you listen to these words of mine.

This child of that wicked enemy of yours has now come to you, O mighty armed hero. You should, therefore, show mercy to this infant.

O chastiser of enemies this intent seeks to please you by bending his head. He solicits you for peace! O mighty armed hero, be inclined to make peace.

O you who know every duty, be pleased with the child whose friends and kinsmen have all been killed and who himself knows nothing of what has taken place. Do not yield to anger.

Forgetting his disreputable and cruel grandfather, who offended against you so highly, it is but fit that you should extend your grace towards this child.

Recollecting queen Gandhari and king Dhritarashtra, Dhananjaya, afflicted with grief, addressed Dushala who had said so to him, and answered her, censuring Kshatriya practices all the time.

Fie on Duryodhana, that mean person covetous of kingdom and full of vanity! Alas, it was for him that all my kinsmen have been sent by me to the abode of Yama.

Having said so, Dhananjaya comforted his sister and became inclined to make peace. Cheerfully, he embraced her and then dismissed her, asking her to return to her palace.

Dushala asked all her warriors to desert from that great battle, and adoring Partha, she of beautiful face returned towards her palace.

Having defeated those heroes, viz., the Saindhavas, thus, Dhananjaya began to follow that horse which ranged at its will.

The heroic Arjuna duly followed that sacrificial horse even as the divine holder of Pinaka had in days of yore followed the deer through the sky.

The horse, at its will, passed through various kingdoms successively, multiplying the feats of Arjuna.

In course of time, O king, the horse wandering at its pleasure, at last arrived within the kingdom of Manipura, followed by the son of Pandu.