SECTION CLXLII
(Swayamvara Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Then those bulls among Brahmanas shaking their
deer-skins and water-pots made of cocoanut-shells exclaimed, 'Fear not,
we will fight the foe!' Arjuna smilingly addressing those Brahmanas
exclaiming thus, said, 'Stand the aside as spectators (of the fray)
Showering hundreds of arrows furnished with straight points even I shall
check, like snakes with mantras, all those angry monarchs.' Having said
this, the mighty Arjuna taking up the bow he had obtained as dower
accompanied by his brother Bhima stood immovable as a mountain. And
beholding those Kshatriyas who were ever furious in battle with Karna
ahead, the heroic brothers rushed fearlessly at them like two elephants
rushing against a hostile elephant. Then those monarchs eager for the
fight fiercely exclaimed, 'The slaughter in battle of one desiring to
fight is permitted.' And saying this, the monarchs suddenly rushed
against the Brahmanas. And Karna endued with great energy rushed against
Jishnu for fight. And Salya the mighty king of Madra rushed against Bhima
like an elephant rushing against another for the sake of a she-elephant
in heat; while Duryodhana and others engaged with the Brahmanas,
skirmished with them lightly and carelessly. Then the illustrious Arjuna
beholding Karna, the son of Vikartana (Surya), advancing towards him,
drew his tough bow and pieced him with his sharp arrows. And the impetus
of those whetted arrows furnished with fierce energy made Radheya (Karna)
faint. Recovering consciousness Karna attacked Arjuna with greater care
than before. Then Karna and Arjuna, both foremost of victorious warriors,
desirous of vanquishing each other, fought madly on. And such was the
lightness of hand they both displayed that (each enveloped by the other's
shower of arrows) they both became invisible (unto the spectators of
their encounter). 'Behold the strength of my arms.'--'Mark, how I have
counteracted that feat,'--those were the words--intelligible to heroes
alone--in which they addressed each other. And incensed at finding the
strength and energy of Arjuna's arms unequalled on the earth, Karna, the
son of Surya, fought with greater vigour. And parrying all those
impetuous arrows shot at him by Arjuna, Karna sent up a loud shout. And
this feat of his was applauded by all the warriors. Then addressing his
antagonist, Karna said, 'O you foremost of Brahmanas, I am gratified to
observe the energy of your arms that knoweth no relaxation in battle and
thy weapons themselves fit for achieving victory. Art you the embodiment
of the science of weapons, or are you Rama that best of Brahmanas, or
Indra himself, or Indra's younger brother Vishnu called also Achyuta, who
for disguising himself hath assumed the form of a Brahmana and mustering
such energy of arms fighteth with me? No other person except the husband
himself of Sachi or Kiriti, the son of Pandu, is capable of fighting with
me when I am angry on the field of battle.' Then hearing those words of
his, Phalguna replied, saying, 'O Karna, I am neither the science of arms
(personified), nor Rama endued with superhuman powers. I am only a
Brahmana who is the foremost of all warriors and all wielders of weapons.
By the grace of my preceptor I have become accomplished in the Brahma and
the Paurandara weapons. I am here to vanquish you in battle. Therefore,
O hero, wait a little.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed (by Arjuna), Karna the adopted
son of Radha desisted from the fight, for that mighty chariot-fighter
thought that Brahma energy is ever invincible. Meanwhile on another part
of the field, the mighty heroes Salya and Vrikodara, well-skilled in
battle and possessed of great strength and proficiency, challenging each
other, engaged in fight like two elephants in rut. And they struck each
other with their clenched fists and knees. And sometimes pushing each
other forward and sometimes dragging each other near, sometimes throwing
each other down; face downward, and sometimes on the sides, they fought
on, striking, each other at times with their clenched fists. And
encountering each other with blows hard as the clash of two masses of
granite, the lists rang with the sounds of their combat. Fighting with
each other thus for a few seconds, Bhima the foremost of the Kuru heroes
taking up Salya on his arms hurled him to a distance. And Bhimasena, that
bull amongst men, surprised all (by the dexterity of his feat) for though
he threw Salya on the ground he did it without hurting him much. And when
Salya was thus thrown down and Karna was struck with fear, the other
monarchs were all alarmed. And they hastily surrounded Bhima and
exclaimed, 'Surely these bulls amongst Brahmanas are excellent
(warriors)! Ascertain in what race they have been born and where they
abide. Who can encounter Karna, the son of Radha, in fight, except Rama
or Drona, or Kiriti, the son of Pandu? Who also can encounter Duryodhana
in battle except Krishna, the son of Devaki, and Kripa, the son of
Saradwan? Who also can overthrow in battle Salya, that first of mighty
warriors, except the hero Valadeva or Vrikodara, the son of Pandu, or the
heroic Duryodhana? Let us, therefore, desist from this fight with the
Brahmanas. Indeed, Brahmanas, however offending, should yet be ever
protected. And first let us ascertain who these are; for after we have
done that we may cheerfully fight with them.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'And Krishna, having beheld that feat of Bhima,
believed them both to be the son of Kunti. And gently addressing the
assembled monarchs, saying, 'This maiden hath been justly acquired (by
the Brahmana),' he induced them to abandon the fight. Accomplished in
battle, those monarchs then desisted from the fight. And those best of
monarchs then returned to their respective kingdoms, wondering much. And
those who had come there went away saying. 'The festive scene hath
terminated in the victory of the Brahmanas. The princess of Panchala hath
become the bride of a Brahmana.' And surrounded by Brahmanas dressed in
skins of deer and other wild animals, Bhima and Dhananjaya passed with
difficulty out of the throng. And those heroes among men, mangled by the
enemy and followed by Krishna, on coming at last out of that throng,
looked like the full moon and the sun emerging from the clouds.
"Meanwhile Kunti seeing that her sons were late in returning from their
eleemosynary round, was filled with anxiety. She began to think of
various evils having overtaken her sons. At one time she thought that the
sons of Dhritarashtra having recognised her sons had slain them. Next she
feared that some cruel and strong Rakshasas endued with powers of
deception had slain them. And she asked herself, 'Could the illustrious
Vyasa himself (who had directed my sons to come to Panchala) have been
guided by perverse intelligence?' Thus reflected Pritha in consequence of
her affection for her offspring. Then in the stillness of the late
afternoon, Jishnu, accompanied by a body of Brahmanas, entered the abode
of the potter, like the cloud-covered sun appearing on a cloudy day.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 1 : UPA-PARVA 192 ---------------------
