The History of Antiquity, Vol. 4 (of 6)Duncker, Max
History
The History of Antiquity, Vol. 4 (of 6)
Duncker, Max
History, Ancient
Duryodhana, Çalya undertook to do this, but his heart was angered at the
degrading thought that he was guiding the horses of a waggoner, and he
guided them so that while Karna was fighting against Arjuna, and had
wounded him with his arrows, the chariot sank in a marsh. As Karna
sprang down in order to draw the chariot out, Arjuna, at Krishna's
instigation, shot a deadly arrow into the hero's back. Then one hero of
the Kurus fell after the other. On the eighteenth day of the struggle,
Duryodhana and Bhima met. As two raging elephants goad each other for
the possession of a female elephant, so did these princes meet with
their battle-clubs, whirling round sometimes to the right and sometimes
to the left, each seeking the unprotected part of his opponent, and
brandishing his club in the air. Duryodhana has the advantage. He has
retired before a stroke of Bhima's club, which has thus spent itself on
the ground; seeing the unprotected state of his opponent, he has dealt
him a mighty blow on the breast. Then, on Krishna's advice, Bhima dealt
a blow at Duryodhana's thigh, broke the bone, and the two fell to the
earth. The army of the Pandus shouted for joy, but Duryodhana spoke with
his dying voice: "We have always fought honourably, and, therefore, the
honour remains with us. You have won by craft and dishonour, and
dishonour attends your victory. In honourable fight you would never have
conquered us. In the garments of Çikhandin, Arjuna slew Bhishma when
defenceless. To Drona ye cried in subtlety that his son was dead, and
slew him as he dropped his arms. Karna, Arjuna slew by a shameful blow
from behind; by dishonour Bhima brings me to the ground, for it is said,
'In battle with the club it is dishonourable to strike below the
navel.'" Red with rage, Bhima stepped up to the king-lion who lay
outstretched, with his club beside him, beat in his skull with his foot,
and said: "We have not laid fire to burn our enemies, nor cheated them
in the game, nor outraged their wives; by the strength of our arms alone
we destroy our enemies." On the evening of the eighteenth day of the
battle, all the brothers of Duryodhana, all the princes who fought for
the Kurus, and all the warriors of the Kurus were dead. The victors blew
their shells, called Yudishthira to the king, and obtained as booty
numberless treasures in gold and silver, in precious stones, in cloths,
skins, and slave-women. Then all is sunk in deep slumber. But three
warriors of the army of the Kurus have escaped into the forest;
Açvatthaman, the son of the slain Drona, Kritavarman and Kripa. Sorrow
for his father made rest impossible for Açvatthaman; on the branches of
the fig-tree under which he lay he saw a troop of crows asleep; an owl
softly flew up and slew one crow after the other. Açvatthaman set out
with his companions and penetrated into the camp of the Pandus. First he
slays the brother of Draupadi who had killed his father; then he throws
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