Khandava, given him a couple of inexhaustible
quivers. And he began to think, ’Alas, my
arrows are all exhausted. What shall I shoot
now from my bow? Who is this person that swalloweth
my arrows? Slaying him with the end of my bow,
as elephants are killed with lances, I shall send
him to the domains of the mace-bearing Yama.’
The illustrious Arjuna then, taking up his bow and
dragging the Kirata with his bow-string, struck
him some fierce blows that descended like thunderbolts.
When, however, that slayer of hostile heroes—the
son of Kunti—commenced the conflict with
the end of the bow, the mountaineer snatched from
his hands that celestial bow. And beholding his
bow snatched from him, Arjuna took up his sword, and
wishing to end the conflict, rushed at his foe.
And then the Kuru prince, with the whole might of
his arms, struck that sharp weapon upon the head of
the Kirata, a weapon that was incapable of being
resisted even by solid rocks. But that first
of swords, at touch of the Kirata’s crown,
broke into pieces. Phalguna then commenced the
conflict with trees and stones. The illustrious
god in the form of the huge-bodied Kirata,
however, bore that shower of trees and rocks with
patience. The mighty son of Pritha then, his mouth
smoking with wrath, struck the invincible god in the
form of a Kirata, with his clenched fists, blows that
descended like thunderbolts. The god in the Kirata
form returned Phalguna’s blows with fierce blows
resembling the thunderbolts of Indra. And in
consequence of that conflict of blows between the
son of Pandu and the Kirata, there arose in
that place loud and frightful sounds. That terrible
conflict of blows, resembling the conflict of yore
between Vritra and Vasava, lasted but for a moment.
The mighty Jishnu clasping the Kirata began
to press him with his breast, but the Kirata,
possessed of great strength pressed the insensible
son of Pandu with force. And in consequence of
the pressure of their arms and of their breasts, their
bodies began to emit smoke like charcoal in fire.
The great god then, smiting the already smitten son
of Pandu, and attacking him in anger with his full
might, deprived him of his senses. Then, O Bharata,
Phalguna, thus pressed by the god of the gods, with
limbs, besides, bruised and mangled, became incapable
of motion and was almost reduced to a ball of flesh.
And struck by the illustrious god, he became breathless
and, falling down on earth without power of moving,
looked like one that was dead. Soon, however,
he regained consciousness, and, rising from his prostrate
position, with body covered with blood, became filled
with grief. Mentally prostrating himself before
the gracious god of gods, and making a clay image of
that deity, he worshipped it, with offerings of floral
garlands. Beholding, however, the garland that
he had offered to the clay image of Bhava, decking
the crown of the Kirata, that best of Pandu’s