शल्य पर्व — अर्जुन का कृपाचार्य और कृतवर्मा से युद्ध; शल्य अकेले समस्त पाण्डव-सेना से लड़ते हैं; शल्य और युधिष्ठिर का युद्ध

Sanjaya said Then, O king, your soldiers, led by Shalya, once more rushed against the Parthas in that battle with great impetuosity.

Although assailed still those troops, who were fierce in battle, rushing against the Parthas, very soon agitated them on account of the superiority in numbers.

Struck by the Kurus, the Pandava troops, in the very presence of the two Krishnas, could not stand in the field though checked by Bhimasena. Worked up with anger Dhananjaya covered Kripa and his followers, as also Kritavarman, with showers of arrows.

Sahadeva checked Shakuni and his detachment. Nakula looked at the king of the Madras from his flanks.

The (five) sons of Draupadi opposed numerous kings (of the Kuru army). The Panchala prince Shikhandin checked the son of Drona.

Arined with his mace, Bhimasena opposed the king. Kunti's son Yudhishthira resisted Shalya at the head of his army.

Again an encounter took place between those pairs as they stood, among your warriors and those of the enemy, none of whom had ever retreated from fight.

Shalya performed a wonderful feat because alone he fought with the whole Pandava ariny.

Shalya, then, as he stood near Yudhishthira in that battle, looked like the planet Saturn near the Moon.

Afflicting the king with arrows that resembled Venomous serpents Shalya proceeded against Bhima, covering him with showers of arrows.

Beholding the lightness of hand and mastery over weapons displayed by Shalya, both the armies spoke highly of him.

Assailed by Shalya, the Pandavas, exceedingly wounded, fled away, from the battle, disregarding orders of Yudhishthira to stop them.

While soldiers were thus being killed by the king of the Madras, Pandu's son king Yudhishthira was worked up with rage.

Relying upon his strength that powerful carwarrior began to assail the king of the Madras being determined upon either gaining victory or meeting with death.

Summoning all his others and also Krishna he said to them— Bhishma and Drona and Karna and other kings who fought for the Kauravas, have all died in battle. You all have shown valour and courage in the tasks allotted। to you.

Only one portion about the great carwarrior Shalya remains, I desire to defeat that king of the Madras to-day in battle. I will now tell you my wishes about the accomplishment of that work.

These two heroes, viz., the two sons of Madravati will protect my wheels. They are heroes whom even Vasava himself cannot defeat. Observing the duties of a Kshatriya these two, that deserve every honour and are firm in their vows, will fight with their maternal uncle.

Either Shalya will kill me in battle or I will kill him. Blessed be you. Listen to these true words, O foremost of heroes in the world.

Observing Kshatriya duties I will fight with my maternal uncle, determined to either win victory or be slain.

Let them that furnish car quickly supply my car according to the rules of science, with all kinds of weapons and implements more than what Shalya possesses.

The grandson of Shini will protect my right wheel and Dhristadyumna my left. Let Pritha's son Dhananjaya guard my rear to-day.

And let Bhima, the foremost of warriors, fight in my front. I shall thus be superior to Shalya in the great battle that will soon take place.”

Thus accosted by the king, all his wellwishers did what they were asked to do.

Then the Pandava troops were again filled up with joy, especially the Panchalas, the Somakas and the Matsyas.

Having made that vow, the king proceeded against the king of the Madras. The Panchalas then blew and beat numberless conchs and drums and sent up leonine roars.

Endued with great activity and worked up with ire they rushed, with loud shouts of joy, against the king of the Madras, that foremost of the Kurus. And they made the earth resound with the noise of the elephant's bells and the loud sound of conchs and trumpets.

Then your son and the brave king of the Madras, like the rising the setting hills, received those assailants.

Bragging Shalya poured a shower of arrows of that chastiser of foes, king Yudhishthira like Indra pouring rain.

Also, having taken up his beautiful bow, the great king of the Kurus displayed various lessons received by him from Drona.

And beautifully, quickly and with great skill, he made successive downpours of arrows. As he moved about in battle, none could mark anything in him.

The powerful Shalya and Yudhishthira wounded each other, like a couple of igers fighting for a piece of meat.

Bhima fought with your son, the delighter in batlle. Dhristadyumna, Satyaki and the two sons of Madri by Pandu received Shakuni and the other Kuru heroes around.

On account of your vile policy, O king, there again occurred a dreadful battle between your people and those of the foe, all of whom were actuated with the desire of victory.

Aiming at the gold-decked standard of Bhima, Duryodhana then, with a straight arrow, cut it off in that battle.

The beautiful standard of Bhimasena, adorned with many bells, dropped down, O giver of honours.

Again the king, with a sharp razor-faced arrow, cut off the beautiful bow of Bhima resembling the trunk of an elephant.

Gifted with great energy Bhima, who had been deprived of his bow, then displaying his prowess, struck on the chest of your son with a dart. Thereat your son sat down on the terrace of his car.

When Duryodhana fainted Vrikodara, with a razor-faced arrow, cut off the head of his driver from his trunk.

Deprived of their driver the horses, of Duryodhana's car, ran wildly on all sides, O Bharata, dragging the car after them at which the Kurus bewailed loudly.

Then the great car-warrior Ashvatthaman and Kripa and Kritavarman, followed the car, with a view to save your son.

Thereat the troops troops were were exceedingly agitated. The followers of Duryodhana were terrified. At that time the wilder or Gandiva, drawing his bow, began to kill them with his arrows.

Then filled with rage, Yudhishthira rushed against the king of the Madras, himself driving his horses white as ivory and fleet as mind. We then saw some thing wonderful in Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, for though very mild by nature he then 'ecame highly terrific.

With eyes opened wide and body trembling in anger the son of Kunti killed hostile warriors in hundreds and thousands with sharp arrows.

Many soldiers were overthrown by him, O king, like mountain summits broken with thunder.

Striking down cars with steeds and drivers and standards and throwing down many carwarriors, Yudhishthira, without any help, began to sport there like a powerful wind dissipating masses of clouds.

Filled with anger, he killed horses with riders and horses without riders and the infantry by thousands in that battle, like Rudra destroying living creatures at the time of the universal dissolution.

Having made the field empty by discharging his arrows on all sides, Yudhishthira proceeded against the king of the Madras and said-Wait, Wait.

Beholding the feats of that hero of terrible deeds, all your warriors were filled with fear. Shalya, however, rushed again him.

Both of them, in anger, blew their respective conchs. Returning and challenging each other, each then met the other.

Then Shalya enshrouded Yudhishthira with showers of arrows. Likewise the son of Kunti covered the king of the Madras with showers of arrows.

Then those two horses, Shalya and Yudhishthira, wounded in that battle with each others' arrows and bathed in blood, looked. Like a blossoming Salmali and a Kinshuka, Resplendent and invincible in battle, those two illustrious warriors sent up loud war-cries.

Beholding them both, the soldiers could not decide which of them would win. Whether the son of Pritha would enjoy the Earth, having killed the king of the Madras or, Shalya, having slain the son of Pandu, would bestow the Earth on Duryodhana, could not be decided, O Bharata, by the warriors present there.

King Yudhishthira, in the course of that battle, placed his enemy to his right. Then Shalya shot a century of best arrows, at Yudhisthira. With another sharp arrow, he cut off the latter's bow.

Taking up another bow, Yudhishthira struck Shalya with three hundred arrows and cut off the latter's bow with a razor-faced arrow.

The son of Pandu then killed the four horses of his antagonist with some straight arrows. With two other very sharp arrows he then cut off the two Parshni drivers of Shalya.

Then with another shining, well-tempered and sharp arrow, he cut off the standard of Shalya who stood before him. Then, O chastiser of foes, the army of Duryodhana were scattered.

The son of Drona, at this time, speedily proceeded towards the king of the Madras who had been reduced to that strait and quickly taking him up on his own car, fled away.

After the two had gone for a moment, they heard Yudhishthira cry aloud. Stopping, the ruler of the Madras he then got upon another well equipi car.

That best of cars had a rattle deep as the muttering of the clouds. Well furnished with weapons and instruments and all kinds of utensils, that vehicle made the hairs of foes stand erect.