The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3: Books 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12
General
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3: Books 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12
Epic literature, Sanskrit
"Sanjaya said, 'Hearing the roars of cars and the leonine shouts (of the
warriors) in battle, Arjuna addressed Govinda, saying, "Urge the steeds
to greater speed." Hearing these words of Arjuna, Govinda said unto him,
"I am proceeding with great speed to the spot where Bhima is stationed."
Then many lions among men (belonging to the Kaurava army), excited with
wrath and accompanied by a large force of cars and horse and elephants
and foot-soldiers and making the earth resound with the whizz of their
arrows, the rattle of their car wheels, and the tread of their horses'
hoofs, advanced against Jaya (Arjuna) as the latter proceeded for
victory, borne by his steeds white as snow or conchs and decked in
trappings of gold and pearls and gems like the chief of the celestials in
great wrath proceeding, armed with the thunder, against (the asura)
Jambha for slaying him. Between them and Partha, O sire, occurred a great
battle destructive of body, life, and sin, like the battle between the
Asuras and the god Vishnu, that foremost of victors for the sake of the
three worlds. Alone, Partha, decked with diadem and garlands, cut off the
mighty weapons sped by them, as also their heads and arms in diverse
ways, with his razor-faced and crescent-shaped and broad-headed arrows of
great keenness. Umbrellas, and yak-tails for fanning, and standards, and
steeds, and cars, and bands of foot-soldiers, and elephants, fell down on
the earth, mutilated in diverse ways, like a forest broken down by a
tempest. Huge elephants, decked in caparisons of gold and equipped with
triumphal standards and warriors (on their backs), looked resplendent, as
they were pierced with shafts of golden wings, like mountains ablaze with
light. Piercing elephants and steeds and cars with excellent shafts
resembling Vasava's thunder, Dhananjaya proceeded quickly for the
slaughter of Karna, even as Indra in days of yore for riving (the asura)
Vala. Then that tiger among men, that mighty-armed chastiser of foes,
penetrated into thy host like a makara into the ocean. Beholding the son
of Pandu, thy warriors, O king, accompanied by cars and foot-soldiers and
a large number of elephants and steeds, rushed against him. Tremendous
was the din made by them as they advanced against Partha, resembling that
made by the waters of the ocean lashed into fury by the tempest. Those
mighty car-warriors, resembling tigers (in prowess) all rushed in that
battle against that tiger among men, abandoning all fear of death.
Arjuna, however, routed the troops of those leaders of the Kurus as they
advanced, shooting at him showers of weapons, like a tempest driving off
masses of congregated clouds. Those great bowmen, all skilled in smiting,
united together and proceeded against Arjuna with a large number of cars
and began to pierce him with keen shafts. Then Arjuna, with his shafts,
despatched to Yama's abode several thousands of cars and elephants and
steeds.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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