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
People beheld those two tigers among men, those
two foremost of car-warriors, stationed on their cars, each armed with
his formidable bow, each equipped with arrows and darts, and each owning
a lofty standard. Both were clad in mail, both had scimitars tied to
their belts, both had white steeds, and both were adorned with excellent
conchs. One had Krishna for driver on his car, and the other had Shalya.
Both of them were great car-warriors and both looked alike. Both
possessed of leonine necks and long arms, the eyes of both were red, and
both were adorned with garlands of gold. Both were armed with bows that
seemed to flash like lightning, and both were adorned with wealth of
weapons. Both had yak-tails for being fanned therewith, and both were
decked with white umbrellas held over them. Both had excellent quivers
and both looked exceedingly handsome. The limbs of both were smeared with
red sandal-paste and both looked like infuriated bulls. Both were
broad-necked like the lion, both were broad-chested, and both endued with
great strength. Challenging each other, O king, each desired to slay the
other. And they rushed against each other like two mighty bulls in a
cow-pen. They were like a couple of infuriated elephants or of angry
mountains or of infant snakes of virulent poison or of all-destroying
Yamas. Enraged with each other like Indra and Vritra, they looked like
the sun and the moon in splendour. Filled with wrath, they resembled two
mighty planets risen for the destruction of the world at the end of the
Yuga. Both of them born of celestial fathers, and both resembling gods in
beauty, they were of godlike energy. Indeed, they looked like the sun and
the moon come of their own accord on the field of battle. Both of them
endued with great might, both filled with pride in battle, they were
armed with diverse weapons. Beholding those two tigers among men, those
two heroes endued with the impetuosity of tigers, thy troops, O monarch,
were filled with great joy. Seeing those two tigers amongst men, viz.,
Karna and Dhananjaya, engaged in battle, a doubt entered the hearts of
all as to which of them would be victorious. Both armed with superior
weapons, and both well-practised in battle, both made the welkin resound
with the slaps on their armpits. Both possessed of great celebrity in
consequence of prowess and might, they resembled the Asura Samvara and
the chief of the celestials in respect of their skill in battle. Both
equal to Kartavirya or Dasaratha's son in battle, both resembled Vishnu
himself in energy or Bhava himself in fight. Both had white steeds, O
king, and both were borne on foremost of cars. Both of them, again, had
foremost of drivers in that great battle. Beholding, O monarch, those two
great car-warriors looking resplendent on their cars, the bands of
Siddhas and Charanas that came there became filled with wonder. The
Dhartarashtras then, O bull of Bharata's race, with their troops,
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