Sanjaya said Taking up another very strong bow the king of the Madras struck Yudhishthira and roared like a lion.

Then that best of Kshatriyas, of great cnergy, poured upon all the Kshatriyas showers of arrows even like Indra pouring rain in torrents.

Piercing Satyaki with ten arrows and Bhima with three and Sahadeva with as many, he assailed Yudhishthira greatly.

And he assailed all the other great bowmen with their horses and cars and elephants with many arrows like hunters assailing elephants with burning rods.

That foremost of car-warriors destroyed elephants and elephant-riders, horses and horse-men and cars and car-warriors,

And he cut off the arms of combatants holding weapons and the standards of cars and filled the earth with (slain) warriors like the sacrificial altar with blades of Kusha grass.

Then the Pandus, the Panchalas and the Somakas, encompassed angrily that hero who was thus killing their soldiers like alldestroying Death.

Bhimasena and the grandson of Shini and those two foremost of men, the two sons of Madri surrounded that hero while he was fighting with the highly powerful (Pandava) king. Ana all of them challenged him to battle.

Then those heroes, O king, having obtained the king of the Madras, that best of warriors in battle, opposed that first of men in that encounter and began to strike him with powerful winged arrows.

Protected by Bhimasena and the two sons of Madri and Krishna the royal son of Dharma struck the king of the Madras on the chest with powerful winged arrows.

Then beholding the king of the Madras greatly wounded with arrows in that battle, the car-warriors and other combatants of your army, clad in mail and armed with weapons, surrounded him on all sides at Duryodhana's behest.

They king of the Madras at this time quickly struck Yudhishthira with seven arrows in that battle. The great son of Pritha. O king, in return, struck his foe with nine arrows in that dreadful battle.

Those two great car-warriors, viz., Shalya and Yudhishthira, began to cover each other with arrows bathed in oil and shot off bows drawn to their ears.

Those two best of kings, both gifted with great strength, both incapable of being defeated by foes and both foremost of car-warriors looking at each other's loop-holes, quickly and deeply struck each other's shafts.

The loud noise of their bows, bowstrings and palms, resembled that of Indra's thunder as those great car-warriors showered upon each other innumerable arrows.

They moved about in the field of battle like two young tigers in the deep forest fighting for a piece of meat. Elated with the pride of prowess, they wounded each other like a couple of infuriate elephants of powerful tusks.

Displaying his vigor, then the illustrious king of the Madras struck the heroic Yudhishthira of terrible might in the chest with an arrow effulgent like the fire or the sun.

Deeply struck, O king, that best of Kurus, the illustrious Yudhishthira, then struck the king of the Madras with a well aimed arrow and was filled with joy.

Regaining his consciousness within a moment that foremost of kings viz., Shalya, powerful like Indra with eyes reddened in wrath, quickly struck the son of Pritha with a hundred arrows.

At this the illustrious son of Dharma, filled with rage, quickly struck Shalya's chest an then, without losing a moment, struck his golden mail with six arrows.

Filled with joy, the 1. ing of the Madras then, drawing his bow and having discharged many arrows, at last cut off, with a pair of razorfaced shafts, the bow of his royal foe.

The illustrious Yudhishthira then, taking a new and more powerful bow in that battle, struck Shalya with many keen pointed arrows from all sides like Indra striking the Asura Namuchi.

Cutting off the golden coats of mail of both Bhima and king Yudhishthira with nine arrows, the illustrious Shalya then struck the arins of both of them.

With another razor-faced arrow effulgent like the fire of the sun, he then cut off the bow of Yudhishthira. At this time Kripa, with six arrows, killed the king's driver who fell down in front of the car.

The king of the Madras then killed with four arrows the four horses of Yudhishthira. Having slain the horses of the king, the great Shalya then began to kill the soldiers of the royal son of Dharma.

When the (Pandava) king had been reduced to that plight, the great Bhimasena, quickly cutting off the bow of the Madra king with an arrow of great force, struck the king himself with a couple of arrows,

With another arrow he cut off the head of Shalya's driver from his trunk the middle of which was encased in mail. Beside himself with anger, Bhimasena next killed without a moment's delay, the four horses of his enemy.

That foremost of all bowmen, viz., Bhima, then covered with a hundred arrows that hero who, gifted with great energy, was moving about alone in the field. Sahadeva, the son of Madri, did the same. Beholding Shalya stupefied with those arrows, Bhima cut off his armour with other arrows.

His armour having been cut off by Bhimasena, the great king of Madras, taking up a sword and a shield adorned with a thousand stars, leaped down from his car and rushed towards the son of Kunti. Cutting off the shaft of Nakula's car, the powerful Shalya rushed towards Yudhishthira.

Beholding him rushing with great force towards the king even like the Destroyer himself rushing in anger, Dhristadyumna and Sikhandin and the (five) sons of Draupadi and the grandson of Sini suddenly advanced towards him.

Then the illustrious Bhima cut off the ten arrows the matchless shield of that hero. With another broad-headed arrow he cut off the sword also of that warrior. Filled with joy at this, he cried aloud in the midst of the army.

Beholding that feat of Bhima, all the foremost car-warriors among the Pandavas were filled with joy. Laughing aloud, they uttered terrible roars and blew their moonwhite conchs.

At that terrible noise the army, protected by your warriors, were depressed, covered with sweat, bathed in blood, exceedingly melancholy and dispirited.

Assailed by those foremost of Pandava warriors headed by Bhimasena, the king of the Madras proceeded towards Yudhishthira, like a lion going to catch a deer.

Deprived of his car and horses, king Yudhishthira, looked like a blazing fire for the anger with which he was then excited. Beholding the king of the Madras before him, he rushed towards that foe with great force.

Recollecting the words of Govinda, he quickly set his heart on the destruction of Shalya. Indeed, king Yudhishthira, staying on his steedless and driverless car, waited to take up a dart.

Beholding that feat of Shalya and thinking that the person who had been allotted to him as his share was not yet killed the son of Pandu firmly made up his mind to do what Indra's younger brother had advised him to do.

King Yudhishthira took up a dart whose handle was made of gold and set with gems and which was bright like gold. Rolling his wide open eyes, he looked at the king of Madras, his heart filled with anger.

Thus looked at, O god among men, by that king of pure and sinless soul the king of the Madras was not reduced to ashes. This was indeed wonderful, O monarch.

The chief of the Kurus then hurled with great force at the king of the Madras that blazing dart of beautiful and fierce handle set with gems and corals.

All the Kauravas beheld that blazing dart sending forth scintillations of fire as it passed through the sky after having been discharged with great force, like a large meteor dropping from the sky at the end of the cycle.

King Yudhishthira, in that battle, carefully discharged that dart which resembled the Death-night armed with the dreadful noose or the dreadful mother of Yama himself and which like the Brahmana's curse, was of sure effect.

Carefully the sons of Pandu had always worshipped that weapon with scents, garland, seats and the best food and drinks. That weapon seemed to born like the Samvartaka fire and was as dreadful as a rite performed according to the Atharvan of Angirasa.

Made by Tashtri the celestial architect for the use of Shiva it destroyed the vital airs and the bodies of all foes. It could destroy by its force the earth, the sky and all the reservoirs of water and animals of every description.

Adorned with bells, flags, gems, diamonds, lapis lazuli and equipt with a golden handle, the celestial Architect himself had made it with great care after having practised many vows. This fatal weapon was destructive of all haters of Brahma.

Having inspired it with many mantras and impregnated it with terrible velocity by the exercise of great power and care, king Yudhishthira hurled it by the best path for the destruction of the king of the Madras.

Saying in a loud voice the words-"you are killed, O wretch”-the king hurled it, even as Rudra had, in days of yore, shot his arrow for the destruction of the Asura Andhaka, extending his strong arm adorned with a beautiful hand and dancing in anger.

Shalya cried aloud and tried to catch that excellent dart of great energy hurled by Yudhishthira with all his strength even as a fire laps forth for catching the clarified butter poured over it.

Cutting through his very vitals and his fair and broad chest, that dart entered the Earth as easily as it would water without the slightest obstruction and carrying away the world-wide reputation of Shalya.

Covered with the blood that came out of his nostrils, cyes, ears and mouth and that which flowed from his wound, he looked like the huge Krauncha mountain when it was pierced by Skanda.

His armour having been cut off by Yudhishthira the illustrious Shalya, strong as Indra's elephant, stretching his arms, dropped down on the Earth, like a mountain summit clapped by a thunder-bolt.

Stretching his arms, the king of the Madras fell down on the Earth, with his face directed towards king Yudhishthira like Indra's pole dropped down on the ground.

Like a dear wife advancing to reserve her dear husband about to fall on her breast, the Earth as if, out of affection, rose a little for receiving that best of men as he fell down with wounded limbs covered with blood.

Having enjoyed long the Earth like a dear wife, the powerful Shalya, now to sleep on the Earth's breast, embraced her.

Slain by Dharma's son in a fair fight, Shalya shone like fire lying extinguished on the sacrificial altar.

Though deprived of his weapons and standard and though his heart had been cut and slain still his body was not shorn of beauty.

Taking up his bow resplendent like Indra's bow then Yudhishthira began to destroy his foes in that battle like Garuda killing snakes. With the greatest speed he began to cut off the bodies of his enemies with the keen arrows.

Your troops were entirely covered with the showers of arrows that the son of Pritha then shot. Possessed with fear and with eyes shut, they began to strike one another. With their bodies bathed in blood they were deprived of their offensive and defensive arins and divested of their vital-breaths.

Upon the fall of Shalya, the youthful younger brother of the king of the Madras who equal his brother in every accomplishment and who was a great carwarrior, proceeded against Yudhishthira.

Invincible in battle and desirous of satisfying the last dues of his brother, that foremost of men struck speedily the Pandava with many arrows.

King Yudhishthira immediately struck him with six arrows. He then cut off the bow and the standard of his antagonist with two razorfaced arrows.

Then with a blazing and keen arrow of great power and broad heat, he cut off the head of his foe who stood before him. was to

That head adorned with ear-rings was seen to fall down from the car like a denizen of heaven falling down on the exhaustion of his virtues.

Beholding his headless trunk, bathed in blood, fallen down from his car, the Kaurava troops were dispersed.

Indeed, upon the destruction of the younger brother of the Madras clad in beautiful armour, the Kurus bewailed and fled away quickly.

Beholding Shalya's younger brother killed your troops, hopeless of their lives; were pursued by the fear of the Pandavas and fled, coated with dust.

Then Shini's grandson Satyaki, O foremost of Bharatas, shooting his arrows, proceeded against the frightened Kauravas in the course of their fight.

The Hridika's son, O king, quickly and fearlessly opposed that invincible warrior, that irresistible and powerful bowman, as he proceeded against them.

Those two illustrious and invincible Vrishni heroes, Hridika's son and Satyaki, encountered each other like two enraged lions.

Both effulgent like the sun, they covered each other with burning arrows resplendent like the rays of the sun.

The arrows of those two Vrishni chiefs, shot off their bows, appeared like swiftlycoursing insects in the sky.

Piercing Satyaki with ten arrows and his horses with three, the son of Hridika cut off his bow with a straight arrow.

Casting off his bow which was thus cut off, that heroe, quickly took up another that was stronger than the first.

Having taken up that best of bows, that first of bowmen struck the son of Hridika with ten arrows on the chest.

Then cutting off his car and the shaft of that car with many well-aimed arrows, Satyaki quickly killed the horses of his antagonist and his two Parshni drivers.

O Lord, Saradvat, seeing Hridika's son made carless, the valiant Kripa then, the son Saradvat of speedily carried him away, on his car.

The king of the Madras being slain and upon Kritavarma having been made carless, the entire arıny of Duryodhana fled away from the battle field.

At this time the army was covered with a cloud of dust. We could not perceive anything. The major portion, however, of your army were killed. They, who remained alive, took to their heels from the battle-field.

Soon it was seen that the cloud of dust was suppressed, O foremost of men, on account of the streams of blood that flowed on all sides.

Then seeing his army routed Duryodhana, alone, resisted all the Parthas advancing furiously.

Beholding the Pandavas on their cars as also Dhrishtadyumna the son of Prishata and the invincible Satyaki, the Kuru king struck them with sharp arrows.

The enemy (at that time) could not approach him, like mortals fearing to approach the Death standing before thein. Meanwhile the son of Hridika, riding upon another car, advanced there.

The great car-warrior Yudhishthira then quickly killed the four horses of Kritavarman with four arrows and struck the son of Gotama with six broad-headed powerful arrows.

Then Ashvatthaman, taking upon his car, the son of Hridika who had been deprived of his horses by the (Pandava) king, took him away from Yudhishthira's presence.

The son of Sharadvata struck Yudhishthira in return with eight arrows and his horses also with cight keen arrows.

Thus, O king, the battle raged on all sides on account of the evil policy of yourself and your soni, O Bharata.

After the destruction of that foremost of bow men on the field of battle by that foremost of Kuru's race, the Parthas, beholding Shalya slain, in a body filled with great joy, blew their conchs.

And all of them praised Yudhishthira in that battle, even as the celestials, in days of yore, had praised Indra after the destruction of Vritra. And they beat and blew various kinds of musical instruments, making the Earth resound on all sides.