fat exuded by the bodies of creatures, blazed forth
with all his flames, filling the universe with his
roar. Then numerous birds of the Garuda tribe
bearing excellent feathers, beholding that the forest
was protected by Krishna and Arjuna, descended filled
with pride, from the upper skies, desirous of striking
those heroes with their thunderlike wings, beaks and
claws. Innumerable Nagas also, with faces emitting
fire descending from high, approached Arjuna, vomiting
the most virulent poison all the while. Beholding
them approach, Arjuna cut them into pieces by means
of arrows steeped in the fire of his own wrath.
Then those birds and snakes, deprived of life, fell
into the burning element below. And there came
also, desirous of battle, innumerable Asuras with Gandharvas
and Yakshas and Rakshasas and Nagas sending forth
terrific yells. Armed with machines vomiting
from their throats (mouths?) iron balls and bullets,
and catapults for propelling huge stones, and rockets,
they approached to strike Krishna and Partha, their
energy and strength increased by wrath. But though
they rained a perfect shower of weapons, Vibhatsu,
addressing them reproachfully, struck off their heads
with his own sharp arrows. That slayer of foes,
Krishna, also, endued with great energy, made a great
slaughter of the Daitya and the Danava with his discus.
Many Asuras of immeasurable might, pierced with Krishna’s
arrows and smitten with the force of his discus, became
motionless like waifs and strays stranded on the bank
by the violence of the waves. Then Sakra the lord
of the celestials, riding on his white elephant, rushed
at those heroes, and taking up his thunderbolt which
could never go in vain, hurled it with great force.
And the slayer of Asuras said unto the gods, ’These
two are slain.’ Beholding the fierce thunderbolt
about to be hurled by their chief, the celestials
all took up their respective weapons. Yama, O
king, took up the death-dealing mace, and Kuvera his
spiked club, and Varuna his noose and beautiful missile.
And Skanda (Kartikeya) took up his long lance and
stood motionless like the mountain of Meru. The
Aswins stood there with resplendent plants in their
hands. Dhatri stood, bow in hand, and Jaya with
a thick club. Tvashtri of great strength took
up in wrath, a huge mountain and Surya stood with
a bright dart, and Mrityu with a battle-axe.
Aryaman stalked about with a terrible bludgeon furnished
with sharp spikes, and Mitra stood there with a discus
sharp as a razor. And, O monarch, Pusha and Bhaga
and Savitri, in wrath, rushed at Krishna and Partha
with bows and scimitars in hand. And Rudras and
the Vasus, the mighty Maruts and the Viswedevas and
the Sadhyas, all resplendent with their own energy,—these
and many other celestials, armed with various weapons
rushed against those exalted of men, Krishna and Partha,
for smiting them down. Then were seen in that
great conflict wonderful portents all around robbing
every creature of his sense, and resembling those