शल्य पर्व — शकुनिको नकुल, सहदेव तथा अन्य नायकहरूसँग युद्ध

Sanjaya said Upon the destruction of that great king of Madra and great car-warrior, that invincible hero, (viz., Shalya) in battle, your troops and sons almost all fled away from the field.

Indeed, upon the slaughter of that hero by the illustrious Yudhishthira, your troops were like ship-wrecked merchants on the deep ocean want to cross it.

After the destruction of the Madra king, O monarch, you troops, filled with fear and wounded with arrows, were like men having none to help them and desirous of a protector or a herd of deer assailed by a lion.

Like bulls deprive of their horns or elephants with tusks broken, your troops, defeated by Yudhishthira having no enemies, fled away at mid-day.

After the fall of Shalya, O king, none amongst your troops had the mind of either rallying the army or displaying his prowess.

O king, we expressed that grief, which had been ours upon the fall of Bhishma, of Drone and of the Suta's son, O Bharata.

Giving up hopes of success upon the fall of the great car-warrior Shalya, the Kuru army, with its heroes slain and exceedingly confused, were killed with keen arrows. Upon the destruction of the Madra king, O monarch, your warriors all fled away in fear.

Some on horse-back, some on elephants, some on cars, great car-warriors and footsoldiers, all fled away in fear.

Two thousand elephants, looking like hills and capable of smiting, fled away, after Shalya's fall, goaded with hooks and toes.

Indeed chief of the Bharatas, your soldiers fled on all sides. Stuck with arrows, they were seen to run, breathing hard.

Beholding them defeated the Pandavas, filled with the desire of victory, pursued them.

The sound of arrows and the loud leonine roars and the blare of conchs, of heroic warriors were heard there,

Beholding the Kauravas agitated with fear and flying away, the Panchalas and the Pandavas addressed one another, saying.

To day the truthful king Yudhishthira, had defeated his enemies. Today Duryodhana has been divested of his splendour and royal prosperity.

Today, hearing of his son's death, Dhritarashtra, that king of men, will lose consciousness, lie down on the Earth and feel the keenest pain.

Let him know today that the son of Kunti is the most powerful of all bowmen. Today that sinful and wicked-hearted king will blame his own self.

Let him recollect today the time and wholesome words of Vidura. Let him from this day wait upon the Parthas as their slave. Let that king today feel the grief that had been experienced by the sons of Pandu.

Let that king know today the greatness of Krishna. Let him hear today the terrible twang of Arjuna's bow in battle, as also the force of all his weapons and the strength of his arms in fight.

Today he will know the dreadful power of the great Bhima when Duryodhana will be slain in battle like the Asura Vali by Indra.

Except Bhima there is none else in this world that can achieve that which Bhima accomplished by killing Dushasana.

Hearing of the death of the ruler of the Madras who was incapable of defeat by the very celestials, that king will know the prowess of Yudhishthira.

After the destruction of the heroic son of Subala and of all the Gandharas he will know the strength, in battle of the two sons of Madri by Pandu.

Why will they not be victorious who have Dhananjaya for their warrior, as also Satyaki and Bhimasena and Dhrishtadyumna the son of Prishata and the five sons of Draupadi and the Iwo sons of and the great bowman Shikhandin and king Yudhishthira.

Why will they be not victorious who have for their protector Krishna, called Janardana, the protector of the universe? Why will they not be victorious who are righteous?

Who else than Yudhishthira the son of Pritha, who has Hrishikesha, the refuge of justice and glory for his protector, is competent to defeat in battle Bhishma, Drona and Karna and the king of the Madras and the other kings by hundreds and thousands.

Saying these words and filled with joy, the Srinjayas pursued your soldiers in that battle who had been exceedingly wounded with arrows. as

Then Dhananjaya proceeded against the car-division of the foe. The two sons of Madri and the great car-warrior Satyaki proceeded against Shakuni.

Beholding them all flying quickly in fear of Bhimasena, Duryodhana, if smiling, addressed his driver, saying-Partha, who is there with his bow, is going before me. Take my horses to the back of the army.

Like the ocean that cannot go beyond its continents, Kunti's son Dhananjaya will never dare go before me if I stand in the fear.

Look, O driver, at this vast army that is pursued by the Pandavas! Behold this cloud of dust that has arisen on all sides on account of the motion of the troops.

Hear, those various leonine roars that are so awful and loud. Therefore, O driver, move slowly and wait in the rear.

If I stay in battle and fight the Pandavas, my army, O driver, will rally and fight again vigorously. Hearing these words of your son becoming a hero and a man of honour, the driver slowly drove his horses adorned with gold trappings.

One and twenty thousand foot-soldiers, deprived of elephants and horses and carwarriors and who were ready to lose their lives, still stood for battle.

Born in different countries and coming from different towns, those warriors maintained their ground, desirous of gaining great fame.

The clash of those rushing warriors elated with joy was loud and exceedingly terrible.

Then Bhimasena, O king and Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Prishata, opposed them with four-fold forces.

Other foot-soldiers, all actuated with the desire of victory, proceeded against Bhima, uttering loud cries and slapping their armpits, by the desire of going to heaven.

Filled with rage and invincible in battle those heroes, belonging to your party, approached Bhimasena and cried aloud. They then spoke not to one another. Encircling Bhima in that battle, they began to strike him from all sides.

Encircled by that huge body of infantry and struck by them in that battle Bhima did not stir from where he stood are remained motionless like the Mainaka mountain.

His antagonists meanwhile, filled with rage, O monarch, tried to assail that great car-warrior of the Pandavas and opposed other combatants (that tried to rescue him).

Encountered by those warriors, Bhima became furious. And quickly getting down from his car, he proceeded on foot against them.

Taking up his massive mace adorned with gold, he began to kill your soldiers like the destroyer himself armed with his club.

The mighty Bhiina, with his mace, crushed those twenty one thousand foot-soldiers who deprived of cars and horses and elephants.

Having killed that strong army 3hima, of great prowess, showed himself with Dhrishtadyumna in his front.

The foot-soldiers, of your party thus slain, lay down on the ground, bathed in blood, like Karnikaras with their flowers struck down by a storm.

Adorned with garlands made of various kinds of flowers and with diverse kinds of earrings, those combatants of various races, who were had come from various kingdoms, lay down on the field, lifeless.

Covered with banners and standards, that large army of foot-soldiers looked fierce and terrible and lay prostrate on the field.

The great car-warriors, with their followers, that fought under Yudhishthira, all pursued you illustrious son Duryodhana.

Beholding your troops turn away from the battle, those great bowmen proceeded against Duryodhana, but they could not overcome him even as the ocean cannot go beyond its continents.

The prowess of your son was highly wonderful, since all the Parthas, in a body, could not transgress his single self.

Addressing his own army which had not fled far but which, wounded with arrows, were bent upon flying, Then Duryodhana said these words: "I do not see a place on plain or mountain, where if you fly, the Pandavas will not pursue and kill you. What is the use of flight?

The army of the Pandavas had been reduced in nuinbers. The two Krishnas are greatly wounded. If all of us make a stand, we will surely acquire victory.

If you fly away, in confusion, the sinful Pandavas will pursue you and kill you. If on the other hand we made a bold stand, it will do us good.

Listen, all you Kshatriyas that are here. When Dcath always kills heroes and cowards alike what man is there so foolish that, calling himself a Kshatriya, will not fight.

It will be to our interest if we stay before the angry Bhimasena. Death in battle, while fighting in pursuance of the Kshatriya practices, leads to happiness.

Gaining victory, one obtains happiness here. If killed, one reaps great fruits in the other world. You Kauravas, there is no better path to heaven than that of battle. Killed in battle, you will in no time obtain all those regions of blessedness.” Hearing those words of his and applauding them highly, the Kuru kings once more rushed against the Pandavas for fighting with them.

Seeing them advancing quickly the Parthas, arrayed in order of battle, skilled in smiting, worked up with rage and filled with the desire of victory, proceeded against them.

Stretching his bow Gandiva celebrated over the three worlds, the brave Dhananjaya proceeded on his car against the foe.

The two sons of Madri and Satyaki rushed against Shakuni and the other Pandava heroes smilingly proceeded against your army.