Dhananjaya, glad as he was in beholding the valour
of Dhritavarman, did not take his life. While,
however, Partha of immeasurable energy fought mildly
with him without wishing to take his life, Dhritavarman
shot a blazing arrow at him. Deeply pierced in
the hand by that arrow, Vijaya became stupefied and
his bow Gandiva fell down on the Earth from his relaxed
grasp. The form of that bow, O king, when it
fell from the grasp of Arjuna, resembled, O Bharata,
that of the bow of Indra (that is seen in the welkin
after a shower). When that great and celestial
bow fell down, O monarch, Dhritavarman laughed loudly
in battle. At this, Jishnu, excited with rage,
wiped the blood from his hand and once more taking
up his bow, showered a perfect downpour of arrows.
Then a loud and confused noise arose, filling the
welkin and touching the very heavens as it were, from
diverse creatures who applauded that feat of Dhananjaya.
Beholding Jishnu inflamed with rage and looking like
Yama himself as he appears at the end of the Yuga,
the Trigarta warriors hastily surrounded him, rushing
from their posts and desirous of rescuing Dhritavarman.
Seeing himself surrounded by his foes, Arjuna became
more angry than before. He then quickly despatched
eight and ten of their foremost warriors with many
shafts of hard iron that resembled the arrows of the
great Indra himself. The Trigarta warriors then
began to fly. Seeing them retreat, Dhananjaya,
with great speed, shot many shafts at them that resembled
wrathful snakes of virulent poison, and laughed aloud.
The mighty car-warriors of the Trigartas, with dispirited
hearts, fled in all directions, exceedingly afflicted
by Dhananjaya with his arrows. They then addressed
that tiger among men, that slayer of the Samsaptaka
host (on the field of Kurukshetra), saying, ’We
are your slaves. We yield to thee.[190] Do thou
command us, O Partha. Lo, we wait here as the
most docile of thy servants. O delighter of the
Kurus, we shall execute all thy commands.’
Hearing these words expressive of their submission,
Dhananjaya, said unto them, ‘Do ye, O kings,
save your lives, and accept my dominion.’”
SECTION LXXV
“Vaisampayana said, ’That foremost of
steeds then proceeded to the realm of Pragjyotisha
and began to wander there. At this, Bhagadatta’s
son, who was exceedingly valorous in battle, came
out (for encountering Arjuna). King Vajradatta,
O chief of the Bharatas, finding the (sacrificial)
steed arrived within his realm, fought (for detaining
it). The royal son of Bhagadatta, issuing out
of his city, afflicted the steed that was coming (and
seizing it), marched back towards his own place.
Marking this, the mighty-armed chief of the Kuru race,
speedily stretched his Gandiva, and suddenly rushed
towards his foe. Stupefied by the shafts sped
from Gandiva, the heroic son of Bhagadatta, letting
off loose the steed, fled from Partha.[191] Once more
entering his capital, that foremost of kings, irresistible