Chapter 115

“Sanjaya said, ‘Having vanquished Drona and other warriors of thy army,headed by the son of Haridika, that foremost of men, viz., that bullamongst the Sinis, O foremost one of the Kurus, laughing said unto hischarioteer, ‘Our foes, O Suta, had already been consumed by Kesava andPhalguna. In vanquishing them (again), we have only been the (ostensible)means. Already slain by that bull among men, viz., the son of thecelestial chief, we have but slain the dead.’ Saying these words unto hischarioteer, that bull amongst the Sinis, that foremost of bowmen, thatslayer of hostile heroes, that mighty warrior, scattering with greatforce his arrows all around in that dreadful battle, proceeded like ahawk in search of prey. The Kuru warriors, although they attacked himfrom all sides, succeeded not in resisting that foremost of car-warriors,resembling the sun himself of a thousand rays, that foremost of men, who,having pierced the Kaurava ranks, was proceeding, borne by thoseexcellent steeds of his that were white as the moon or a conch. Indeed, OBharata, none amongst those that fought on thy side could resistYuyudhana of irresistible prowess, of might incapable of impairment, ofvalour equal to that Of him of a thousand eyes, and looking like theautumnal sun in the firmament. Then that foremost of kings, viz.,Sudarsana, conversant with all modes of warfare, clad in golden coat ofmail, armed with bow and arrows and filled with rage, advanced againstthe rushing Satyaki and endeavoured to check his course. Then theencounter that took place between them was fierce in the extreme. Andboth thy warriors and the Somakas, O king highly applauded the encounteras between Vritra and Vasava. Sudarsana endeavoured to pierce thatforemost one of the Satwata’s in that battle with hundreds of keen shaftsbefore they could reach him. Similarly, Sudarsana, stationed on hisforemost of cars, cut off, by means of his own excellent shafts in two orthree fragments all the shafts that Satyaki, resembling Indra himself,sped at him. Beholding his shafts baffled by the force of Satyaki’sshafts, Sudarsana of fierce energy, as if to consume (his foe),wrathfully shot beautiful arrows winged with gold. And once more hepierced his enemy with three beautiful arrows resembling fire itself andequipped with wings of gold, shot from his bow-string drawn to the ear.Those piercing through Satyaki’s armour, penetrated into the latter’sbody. Similarly, that (prince, viz., Sudarsana), aiming four otherblazing arrows, smote therewith the four steeds of Satyaki that werewhite as silver in hue. Thus afflicted by him the grandson of Sini,endued with great activity and possessed of prowess equal to that ofIndra himself speedily slew with his keen shafts the steeds of Sudarsanaand uttered a loud roar. Then cutting off with a broad-headed arrowendued with the force of Sakra’s thunder, the head of Sudarsana’s driver,the foremost one amongst the Sinis. with a razor-faced arrow resemblingthe Yuga-fire, cut off from Sudarsana’s trunk his head graced withear-rings, resembling the moon at full, and decked with an exceedinglyradiant face, like the wielder of the thunder, O king, in days of old,forcibly cutting off the head of the mighty Vala in battle. Thathigh-souled bull among the Yadus then, endued with great activity thusslaying that grandson of a prince, became filled with delight and shoneresplendent, O monarch, like the chief of the celestials himself.Yuyudhana, then, that hero among men, proceeded along the track by whichArjuna had passed before him, checking (as he went) by means of clouds ofshafts, all thy troops, and riding on that same car of his, O king, untowhich were yoked those excellent steeds and filling everybody withamazement. All the foremost of warriors there, assembled together,applauded that foremost of amazing feats achieved by him, for he consumedall foes that came within reach of his arrows, like a conflagrationconsuming everything in its way.'”