Chapter 269

Vaisampayana said, “Meanwhile, the king of Sindhu was giving orders tothose princes, saying, ‘Halt, strike, march, quick’, and like. And onseeing Bhima, Arjuna and the twin brothers with Yudhishthira, thesoldiers sent up a loud shout on the field of battle. And the warriors ofthe Sivi, Sauvira and Sindhu tribes, at the sight of those powerfulheroes looking like fierce tigers, lost heart. And Bhimasena, armed witha mace entirely of Saikya iron and embossed with gold, rushed towards theSaindhava monarch doomed to death. But Kotikakhya, speedily surroundingVrikodara with an array of mighty charioteers, interposed between andseparated the combatants. And Bhima, though assailed with numberlessspears and clubs and iron arrows hurled at him by the strong arms ofhostile heroes, did not waver for one moment. On the other hand, hekilled, with his mace, an elephant with its driver and fourteenfoot-soldiers fighting in the front of Jayadratha’s car. And Arjuna also,desirous of capturing the Sauvira king, slew five hundred bravemountaineers fighting in the van of the Sindhu army. And in thatencounter, the king himself slew in the twinkling of an eye, a hundred ofthe best warriors of the Sauviras. And Nakula too, sword in hand, jumpingout of his chariot, scattered in a moment, like a tiller sowing seeds,the heads of the combatants fighting in the rear. And Sahadeva from hischariot began to fell with his iron shafts, many warriors fighting onelephants, like birds dropped from the boughs of a tree. Then the king ofTrigartas, bow in hand descending from his great chariot, killed the foursteeds of the king with his mace. But Kunti’s son, king Yudhishthira thejust, seeing the foe approach so near, and fighting on foot, pierced hisbreast with a crescent-shaped arrow. And that hero, thus wounded in thebreast began to vomit blood, and fell down upon the ground besidesPritha’s son, like an uprooted tree. And king Yudhishthira the just,whose steeds had been slain taking this opportunity, descended withIndrasena from his chariot and mounted that of Sahadeva. And the twowarriors, Kshemankara and Mahamuksha, singling out Nakula, began to pouron him from both sides a perfect shower of keen-edged arrows. The son ofMadri, however, succeeded in slaying, with a couple of long shafts, boththose warriors who had been pouring on him an arrowy shower–like cloudsin the rainy season. Suratha, the king of Trigartas, well-versed inelephant-charges, approaching the front of Nakula’s chariot, caused it tobe dragged by the elephant he rode. But Nakula, little daunted at this,leaped out of his chariot, and securing a point of vantage, stood shieldand sword in hand, immovable as a hill. Thereupon Suratha, wishing toslay Nakula at once, urged towards him his huge and infuriate elephantwith trunk upraised. But when the beast came near, Nakula with his swordsevered from his head both trunk and tusks. And that mail-clad elephant,uttering a frightful roar, fell headlong upon the ground, crushing itsriders by the fall. And having achieved this daring feat, heroic son ofMadri, getting up on Bhimasena’s car, obtained a little rest. And Bhimatoo, seeing prince Kotikakhya rush to the encounter, cut off the head ofhis charioteer with a horse-shoe arrow. That prince did not even perceivethat his driver was killed by his strong-armed adversary, and his horses,no longer restrained by a driver, ran about on the battle-field in alldirections. And seeing that prince without a driver turn his back, thatforemost of smiters, Bhima the son of Pandu, went up to him and slew himwith a bearded dart. And Dhananjaya also cut off with his sharpcrescent-shaped arrows, the heads, as well as the bows of all the twelveSauvira heroes. And the great warrior killed in battle, with the arrow,the leaders of the Ikshwakus and the hosts of Sivis and Trigartas andSaindhavas. And a great many elephants with their colours, and chariotswith standards, were seen to fall by the hand of Arjuna. And headswithout trunks, and trunks without heads, lay covering the entire fieldof battle. And dogs, and herons and ravens, and crows, and falcons, andjackals, and vultures, feasted on the flesh and blood of warriors slainon that field. And when Jayadratha, the king of Sindhu, saw that hiswarriors were slain, he became terrified and anxious to run away leavingKrishna behind. And in that general confusion, the wretch, setting downDraupadi there, fled for his life, pursuing the same forest path by whichhe had come. And king Yudhishthira the just, seeing Draupadi with Dhaumyawalking before, caused her to be taken up on a chariot by the heroicSahadeva, the son of Madri. And when Jayadratha had fled away Bhima beganto mow down with his iron-arrows such of his followers as were runningaway striking each trooper down after naming him. But Arjuna perceivingthat Jayadratha had run away exhorted his brother to refrain fromslaughtering the remnant of the Saindhava host. And Arjuna said, ‘I donot find on the field of battle Jayadratha through whose fault alone wehave experienced this bitter misfortune! Seek him out first and maysuccess crown thy effort! What is the good of thy slaughtering thesetroopers? Why art thou bent upon this unprofitable business?’

Vaisampayana continued, “Bhimasena, thus exhorted by Arjuna of greatwisdom, turning to Yudhishthira, replied, saying, ‘As a great many of theenemy’s warriors have been slain and as they are flying in alldirections, do thou, O king, now return home, taking with thee Draupadiand the twin brothers and high-souled Dhaumya, and console the princessafter getting back to our asylum! That foolish king of Sindhu I shall notlet alone as long as he lives, even if he find a shelter in the internalregions or is backed by Indra himself! And Yudhishthira replied, saying,’O thou of mighty arms remembering (our sister) Dussala and thecelebrated Gandhari, thou shouldst not slay the king of Sindhu eventhough he is so wicked!’

Vaisampayana continued, “Hearing these words, Draupadi was greatlyexcited. And that highly intelligent lady in her excitement said to hertwo husbands, Bhima and Arjuna with indignation mixed with modesty, ‘Ifyou care to do what is agreeable to me, you must slay that mean anddespicable wretch, that sinful, foolish, infamous and contemptible chiefof the Saindhava clan! That foe who forcibly carries away a wife, and hethat wrests a kingdom, should never be forgiven on the battle-field, eventhough he should supplicate for mercy!’ Thus admonished, those twovaliant warriors went in search of the Saindhava chief. And the kingtaking Krishna with him returned home, accompanied by his spiritualadviser. And on entering the hermitage, he found it was laid over withseats for the ascetics and crowded with their disciples and graced withthe presence of Markandeya and other Brahmanas. And while those Brahmanaswere gravely bewailing the lot of Draupadi, Yudhishthira endued withgreat wisdom joined their company, with his brothers. And beholding theking thus come back after having defeated the Saindhava and the Sauvirahost and recovered Draupadi, they were all elated with joy! And the kingtook his seat in their midst. And the excellent princess Krishna enteredthe hermitage with the two brothers.

“Meanwhile Bhima and Arjuna, learning the enemy was full two miles aheadof them urged their horses to greater speed in pursuit of him. And themighty Arjuna performed a wonderful deed, killing the horse of Jayadrathaalthough they were full two miles ahead of them. Armed with celestialweapons undaunted by difficulties he achieved this difficult feat witharrows inspired with Mantras. And then the two warriors, Bhima andArjuna, rushed towards the terrified king of Sindhu whose horses had beenslain and who was alone and perplexed in mind. And the latter was greatlygrieved on seeing his steeds slain. And beholding Dhananjaya do such adaring deed, and intent on running away, he followed the same foresttrack by which he had come. And Falguna, seeing the Saindhava chief soactive in his fright, overtook him and addressed him saying, ‘Possessedof so little manliness, how couldst thou dare to take away a lady byforce? Turn round, O prince; it is not meet that thou shouldst run away!How canst thou act so, leaving thy followers in the midst of thy foes?’Although addressed by the sons of Pritha thus, the monarch of Sindhu didnot even once turn round. And then bidding him to what he chose themighty Bhima overtook him in an instant, but the kind Arjuna entreatedhim not to kill that wretch.”