Chapter 64

“Vaisampayana said, ‘After Bhishma had fled, leaving the van of battle,the illustrious son of Dhritarashtra hoisting high flag approachedArjuna, bow in hand and setting up a loud roar. And with a spear-headedshaft shot from his bow stretched to the ear, he pierced on the foreheadof that terrible bowman of fierce prowess, Dhanajaya, ranging amidst thefoes. And pierced with that keen shaft of golden point on the forehead,that hero of famous deeds looked resplendent, O king, like unto abeautiful hill with a single peak. And cut by that arrow, the warmlife-blood gushed out profusely from the wound. And the blood tricklingdown his body shone beautifully like a wreath of golden flowers. Andstruck by Duryodhana with the shaft, the swift-handed Arjuna of unfailingstrength, swelling with rage, pierced the king in return, taking uparrows that were endued with the energy of snakes of virulent poison. AndDuryodhana of formidable energy attacked Partha, and Partha also, thatforemost of heroes, attacked Duryodhana. And it was that those foremostof men, both born in the race of Ajamida, struck each other alike in thecombat. And then (seated) on an infuriate elephant huge as a mountain andsupported by four cars, Vikarna rushed against Jishnu, the son of Kunti.And beholding that huge elephant, advancing with speed, Dhananjaya struckhim on the head between the temples with an iron arrow of great impetusshot from the bow-string stretched to the ear. And like the thunderbolthurled by Indra splitting a mountain, that arrow furnished with vulturinewings, shot by Partha, penetrated, up to the very feathers, into the bodyof that elephant huge as hill. And sorely afflicted by the shaft, thatlord of the elephant species began to tremble, and deprived of strengthfell down on the ground in intense anguish, like the peak of mountainriven by thunder. And that best of elephants falling down on the earth,Vikarna suddenly alighting in great terror, ran back full eight hundredpaces and ascended on the car of Vivingsati. And having slain with thatthunder-like arrow that elephant huge as a mighty hill and looking like amass of clouds, the son of Pritha smote Duryodhana in the breast withanother arrow of the same kind. And both the elephant and the king havingthus been wounded, and Vikarna having broken and fled along with thesupporters of the king’s car, the other warriors, smitten with the arrowsshot from the Gandiva, fled from the field in panic. And beholding theelephant slain by Partha, and all the other warriors running away,Duryodhana, the foremost of the Kurus, turning away his car precipitatelyfled in that direction where Partha was not. And when Duryodhana was fastrunning away in alarm, pierced by that arrow and vomitting forth blood,Kiritin, still eager for battle and capable of enduring every enemy, thuscensured him from wrath, ‘Sacrificing thy great fame and glory, why dostthou fly away, turning the back? Why are not those trumpet? sounded now,as they were when thou hadst set out from thy kingdom? Lo, I am anobedient servant of Yudhishthira, myself being the third son of Pritha,standing here for battle. Turn back, show me thy face, O son ofDhritarashtra, and bear in thy mind the behaviour of kings. The nameDuryodhana bestowed on thee before is hereby rendered meaningless. Whenthou runnest away, leaving the battle, where is thy persistence inbattle? Neither do I behold thy body-guards. O Duryodhana, before norbehind. O foremost of men, fly thou away and save thy life which is dearfrom the hands of Pandu’s son.'”