The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 2,393 pages of information about The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2.

The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 2,393 pages of information about The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2.
The latter piercing Abhimanyu with three arrows, said unto Duryodhana, ’Let us all together grind this one, else, fighting singly with us he will slay us all.  O king, think of the means of slaying this one, taking counsel with Drona and Kripa and others.’  The Karna, the son of Vikartana, said unto Drona, ’Abhimanyu grindeth us all.  Tell us the means by which we may slay him.’  Thus addressed, the mighty bowman, Drona, addressing them all, said, ’Observing him with vigilance, have any of you been able to detect any defeat in this youth?  He is careening in all directions.  Yet have any of you been able to detect today the least hole in him?  Behold the lightness of hand and quickness of motion of this lion among men, this son of Arjuna.  In the track of his car, only his bow drawn to a circle can be seen, so quickly is he aiming his shafts and so quickly is he letting them off.  Indeed, this slayer of hostile heroes, viz., the son of Subhadra, gratifieth me although he afflicteth my vital breath and stupefieth me with shafts.  Even the mightiest car-warriors, filled with wrath, are unable to detect any flaw in him.  The son of Subhadra, therefore, careering on the field of battle, gratifieth me greatly.  I do not see that in battle there is any difference between the wielder of Gandiva himself and this one of great lightness of hand, filling all the points of the horizon with his mighty shafts.’  Hearing these words, Karna, afflicted with the shafts of Arjuna’s son, once more said unto Drona, ’Exceedingly afflicted with the shafts of Abhimanyu, I am staying in battle, only because (as a warrior) I should stay here.  Indeed, the arrows of this south of great energy are exceedingly fierce.  Terrible as they are and possessed of the energy of fire, these arrows are weakening my heart.’  The preceptor then, slowly and with a smile, said unto Karna, ’Abhimanyu is young, his prowess is great.  His coat of mail is impenetrable.  This one’s father had been taught by me the method of wearing defensive armour.  This subjugator of hostile towns assuredly knoweth the entire science (of wearing armour).  With shafts well shot, you can, however, cut off his bow, bow-string, the reins of his steeds, the steeds themselves, and two Parshni charioteers.  O mighty bowman, O son of Radha, if competent, do this.  Making him turn back from the fight (by this means), strike him then.  With his bow in hand he is incapable of being vanquished by the very gods and the Asuras together.  If you wish, deprive him of his car, and divest him of his bow.’.  Hearing these words of the preceptor, Vikartana’s son Karna quickly cut off, by means of his shafts, the bow of Abhimanyu, as the latter was shooting with great activity.  He, of Bhoja’s race (viz., Kritavarman) then slew his steeds, and Kripa slew his two Parshni charioteers.  The others covered him with showers of arrows after he had been divested of his bow.  Those six great car-warriors, with great speed, when speed was so necessary,
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The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.