The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Vana Parva, Part 1
Religion
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Vana Parva, Part 1
Epic literature, Sanskrit
fight Asvachakra, whose thighs were round, and whose muscular arms were
of exceeding length. Who is there that would be able to go forward to
the car of Samva, who is great in fight, when mounted on a car? As a
mortal coming under the clutches of death can never escape; so who is
there that once coming under his clutches in the field of battle, is
able to return with his life? The son of Vasudeva will burn down by the
volleys of his fiery shafts all the hostile troops, and those two
warriors, Bhishma and Drona,--who are great on a car, and Somadatta
surrounded by all his sons. What is there in all the world including the
gods, which Krishna cannot encounter on an equal footing, when he takes
up the weapons of war, wields in his hands excellent arrows, arms
himself with his mace, and thus becomes unrivalled in fight? Then let
Aniruddha also take up in his hand his buckler and sword, and let him
cover the surface of the earth with Dhritarashtra's sons, their heads
separated from their trunks, their bodies devoid of all consciousness as
in a sacrificial rite the altar is overspread with sacred grass placed
upon the same. And Gada and Uluka, and Vahuka and Bhanu and Nitha and
the young Nishatha valiant in battle and Sarana, and Charudeshna,
irresistible in war, let them perform feats befitting their race. Let
the united army of the Satwatas and Suras, together with the best
soldiers of the Vrishnis, the Bhojas, and the Andhakas, kill those sons
of Dhritarashtra in the field of battle and let them swell their
expanded fame throughout the world. Then let Abhimanyu rule the world so
long as this most excellent of virtuous men, the magnanimous
Yudhishthira, may be engaged in fulfilling his vow,--the vow that was
accepted and declared by him, the most righteous of Kuru's race, on the
occasion of the famous play at dice. Afterwards the virtuous king will
protect the earth, all his foes defeated in battle by shafts which will
be discharged by us. Then there will remain no sons of Dhritarashtra on
earth,--nor the son of the charioteer (Karna). This is the most
important work for us to do, and this will surely lead to fame.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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