of diverse weapons, began to move from one point to
another. Struck by one another, they reeled or
uttered wails of woe in affliction or fell down deprived
of life. When such was the state of affairs,
thy son Duhshasana, the younger brother of the king,
fearlessly advanced against Bhima, shooting showers
of shafts. Vrikodara also rushed impetuously
against him, like a lion springing towards a large
Ruru deer. The encounter then that took place
between those two heroes incensed with each other
and who engaged in battle’s sport making life
itself the stake, became exceedingly fierce, resembled
that between Samvara and Sakra in days of old.
They struck each other deeply with shafts possessed
of great energy and capable of piercing each other’s
body, like two mighty elephants excited with lust
and with juicy secretions incessantly trickling down
their bodies, fighting with each other in the vicinity
of a she-elephant in her season. Vrikodara, with
great speed, cut off, with a couple of razor-headed
arrows, the bow and the standard of thy son.
With another winged arrow he pierced his antagonist’s
forehead and then (with a fourth) cut off from his
trunk the head of the latter’s driver.
Prince Duhshasana, taking up another bow, pierced Vrikodara
with a dozen shafts. Himself holding the reins
of his steeds, he once more poured over Bhima a shower
of straight arrows. Then Duhshasana sped a shaft
bright as the rays of the sun, decked with gold, diamonds,
and other precious gems, capable of piercing the body
of his assailant, and irresistible as the stroke of
Indra’s thunder. His body pierced therewith,
Vrikodara fell, with languid limbs and like one deprived
of life and with outstretched arms, upon his own excellent
car. Recovering his senses, however, he began
to roar like a lion.’”
83
“Sanjaya said, ’Fighting fiercely, prince
Duhshasana achieved the most difficult feats in that
encounter. With a single shaft he cut off Bhima’s
bow, and then with six shafts he pierced his foe’s
driver. Having achieved those feats, the prince,
endued with great activity, pierced Bhima himself
with nine shafts. Indeed the high-souled warrior,
without losing a moment, then pierced Bhimasena with
many shafts of great energy. Filled with rage
at this, Bhimasena, endued with great activity, sped
at thy son a fierce dart. Beholding that terrible
dart impetuously coursing towards him like a blazing
brand, thy high-souled son cut it off with ten shafts
shot from his bow drawn to its fullest stretch.
Seeing that difficult feat achieved by him, all the
warriors, filled with joy, applauded him highly.
Thy son then once more pierced Bhima deeply with another
shaft. Blazing with wrath at sight of Duhshasana,
Bhima then addressed him, saying, “Pierced I
have been, O hero, quickly and deeply, by thee.
Bear now, however, once more, the stroke of my mace.”
Having said this, the enraged Bhima took up that terrible
mace of his for Duhshasana’s slaughter.