Chapter 59

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Then, O mighty king, Drona’s son rushed to anencounter with Arjuna in battle. And beholding his rush to the conflictlike a hurricane, showering shafts like a rain charged cloud Pritha’s sonreceived him with a cloud of arrows. And terrible was the encounterbetween them, like that between the gods and the Danavas. And they shotarrows at each other like Virata and Vasava. And the welkin beingenveloped on all sides with arrows, the sun was completely hidden, andthe air itself was hushed. And, O conqueror of hostile cities, as theyassailed and struck each other, loud sounds arose as of bamboos on fire.And, O king, Aswatthaman’s horses being sorely afflicted by Arjuna, theybecame bewildered and could not ascertain which way to go. And asPritha’s son ranged on the field, the powerful son of Drona finding anopportunity, cut off the string of the Gandiva with an arrow furnishedwith a horse-shoe head And beholding that extraordinary feat of his, thecelestials applauded him highly. And exclaiming–‘Well done’!—‘Welldone’! Drona and Bhishma, and Karna, and the mighty warrior Kripa, allapplauded that feat of his greatly. And the son of Drona, drawing hisexcellent bow, pierced with his shafts, furnished with the feathers ofthe Kanka bird, the breast of Partha, that bull among warriors.Thereupon, with a loud laughter, the mighty-armed son of Pritha attacheda strong and fresh string to Gandiva. And moistening his bow-string withthe sweat that stood on his forehead resembling the crescent moon,Pritha’s son advanced towards his adversary, even as an infuriated leaderof a herd of elephants rusheth at another elephant. And the encounterthat took place between those two matchless heroes on the field of battlewas exceedingly fierce and made the bristles of the spectators stand ontheir ends. And as those heroes endued with mighty energy fought on, thetwo mighty elephants, the Kurus beheld them with wonder. And those bravebulls among men assailed each other with arrows of snaky forms andresembling blazing fires. And as the couple of quivers belonging to thePandava was inexhaustible, that hero was able to remain on the fieldimmovable as a mountain. And as Aswatthaman’s arrows, in consequence ofhis ceaseless discharge in that conflict, were quickly exhausted, it wasfor this that Arjuna prevailed over his adversary. Then Karna, drawinghis large bow with great force twanged the bow-string. And thereuponarose loud exclamation of ‘Oh’! and ‘Alas’! And Pritha’s son, casting hiseyes towards the spot where that bow was twanged, beheld before him theson of Radha. And at that sight his wrath was greatly excited. Andinflamed with ire and desirous of slaying Karna, that bull of the Kururace stared at him with rolling eyes. And, O king, beholding Partha turnaway from Aswatthaman’s side, the Kuru warriors discharged thousands ofarrows on Arjuna. And the mighty-armed Dhananjaya, that conqueror offoes, leaving Drona’s son, all on a sudden rushed towards Karna. Andrushing towards Karna, with eyes reddened in anger the son of Kunti,desirous of a single combat with him, said these words.”