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, "Marching out of the city, those heroic smiters the
Matsyas, arrayed in order of battle, overtook the Trigartas when the sun
had passed the meridian. And both excited to fury and both desirous of
having the king, the mighty Trigartas and the Matsyas, irrepressible in
battle, sent up loud roars. And then the terrible and infuriate
elephants ridden over by the skilful combatants of both sides were urged
on with spiked clubs and hooks. And the encounter, O king, that took
place when the sun was low in the horizon, between the infantry and
cavalry and chariots and elephants of both parties, was like unto that
of old between the gods and the _Asuras_, terrible and fierce and
sufficient for making one's hair stand on end and calculated to increase
the population of Yama's kingdom. And as the combatants rushed against
one another, smiting and slashing, thick clouds of dust began to rise,
so that nothing could be discovered. And covered with the dust raised by
the contending armies, birds began to drop down on the earth. And the
sun himself disappeared behind the thick cloud of arrows shot, and the
firmament looked bright as if with myriads of the fireflies. And
shifting their bows, the staves of which were decked with gold, from one
hand to another, those heroes began to strike each other down,
discharging their arrows right and left. And cars encountered cars, and
foot-soldiers fought with foot-soldiers, and horse-men with horsemen,
and elephants with mighty elephants. And they furiously encountered one
another with swords and axes, bearded darts and javelins, and iron
clubs. And although, O king, those mighty-armed warriors furiously
assailed one another in that conflict, yet neither party succeeded in
prevailing over the other. And severed heads, some with beautiful noses,
some with upper lips deeply gashed, some decked with ear-rings, and some
divided with wounds about the well-trimmed hair were seen rolling on the
ground covered with dust. And soon the field of battle was overspread
with the limbs of Kshatriya warriors, cut off by means of arrows and
lying like trunks of _Sala_ trees. And scattered over with heads decked
in ear-rings, and sandal-besmeared arms looking like the bodies of
snakes, the field of battle became exceedingly beautiful. And as cars
encountered cars, and horsemen encountered horsemen, and foot-soldiers
fought with foot-soldiers, and elephants met with elephants, the
frightful dust soon became drenched with torrents of blood. And some
amongst the combatants began to swoon away, and the warriors began to
fight reckless of consideration of humanity, friendship and
relationship. And both their course and sight obstructed by the arrowy
shower, vultures began to alight on the ground. But although those
strong-armed combatants furiously fought with one another, yet the
heroes of neither party succeeded in routing their antagonists. And
Satanika having slain a full hundred of the enemy and Visalaksha full
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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