The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Virata Parva
Religion
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Virata Parva
Epic literature, Sanskrit
Vaisampayana said, "After the son of Radha had fled from the field,
other warriors headed by Duryodhana, one after another, fell upon the
son of Pandu with their respective divisions. And like the shore
withstanding the fury of the surging sea, that warrior withstood the
rage of that countless host rushing towards him, arrayed in order of
battle and showering clouds of arrows. And that foremost of
car-warriors, Kunti's son Vibhatsu of white steeds, rushed towards the
foe, discharging celestial weapons all the while. Partha soon covered
all the points of the horizon with countless arrows shot from the
_Gandiva_, like the sun covering the whole earth with his rays. And
amongst those that fought on cars and horses and elephants, and amongst
the mail-clad foot-soldiers, there was none that had on his body a space
of even two finger's breadth unwounded with sharp arrows. And for his
dexterity in applying celestial weapons, and for the training of the
steeds and the skill of Uttara, and for the coursing of his weapons, and
his prowess and light-handedness, people began to regard Arjuna as the
fire that blazeth forth during the time of the universal dissolution for
consuming all created things. And none amongst the foe could cast his
eyes on Arjuna who shone like a blazing fire of great effulgence. And
mangled by the arrows of Arjuna, the hostile ranks looked like
newly-risen clouds on the breast of a hill reflecting the solar rays, or
like groves of _Asoka_ trees resplendent with clusters of flowers.
Indeed, afflicted by the arrows of Partha, the soldiers looked like
these, or like a beautiful garland whose flowers gradually wither and
drop away: And the all-pervading wind bore on its wings in the sky the
torn flags and umbrellas of the hostile host. And affrighted at the
havoc amongst their own ranks, the steeds fled in all directions, freed
from their yokes by means of Partha's arrows and dragging after them
broken portions of cars and elephants, struck on their ears and ribs and
tusks and nether lips and other delicate parts of the body, began to
drop down on the battle-field. And the earth, bestrewn in a short time
with the corpses of elephants belonging to the Kauravas, looked like the
sky overcast with masses of black clouds. And as that fire of blazing
flames at the end of the _yuga_ consumeth all perishable things of the
world, both mobile and immobile, so did Partha, O king, consumeth all
foes in battle. And by the energy of his weapons and the twang of his
bow, and the preter-natural yells of the creatures stationed on his
flagstaff, and the terrible roar of the monkey, and by the blast of his
conch, that mighty grinder of foes, Vibhatsu, struck terror into the
hearts of all the troops of Duryodhana. And the strength of every
hostile warrior seemed, as it were, to be levelled to the dust at the
very sight of Arjuna. And unwilling to commit the daring act of sin of
slaying them that were defenceless, Arjuna suddenly fell back and
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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