SECTION XXXIII
"Vaisampayana said, 'Then, O Bharata, when the world was enveloped in
dust and the gloom of night, the warriors of both sides, without breaking
the order of battle, desisted for a while.[31] And then, dispelling the
darkness the moon arose illumining the night and gladdening the hearts of
the Kshatriya warriors. And when everything became visible, the battle
once more began. And it raged on so furiously that the combatants could
not distinguish one another. And then Trigarta's lord, Susarman with his
younger brother, and accompanied by all his cars, rushed towards the king
of Matsya. And descending from their cars, those bulls among Kshatriyas,
the (royal) brothers, mace in hand, rushed furiously towards the cars of
the foe. And the hostile hosts fiercely assailed each other with maces
and swords and scimitars, battle-axes and bearded darts with keen edges
and points of excellent temper. And king Susarman, the lord of the
Trigartas having by his energy oppressed and defeated the whole army of
the Matsyas, impetuously rushed towards Virata himself endued with great
energy. And the two brothers having severally slain Virata's two steeds
and his charioteer, as also those soldiers that protected his rear, took
him captive alive, when deprived of his car. Then afflicting him sorely,
like a lustful man afflicting a defenceless damsel, Susarman placed
Virata on his own car, and speedily rushed out of the field. And when the
powerful Virata, deprived of his car, was taken captive, the Matsyas,
harrassed solely by the Trigartas, began to flee in fear in all
directions. And beholding them panic-stricken, Kunti's son, Yudhishthira,
addressed that subduer of foes, the mighty-armed Bhima, saying, 'The king
of the Matsyas hath been taken by the Trigartas. Do thou, O mighty-armed
one, rescue him, so that he may not fall under the power of the enemy. As
we have lived happily in Virata's city, having every desire of ours
gratified, it behoveth thee, O Bhimasena, to discharge that debt (by
liberating the king).' Thereat Bhimasena replied, 'I will liberate him, O
king, at your command. Mark the feat I achieve (today) in battling with
the foe, relying solely on the might of my arms. Do thou, O king, stay
aside, along with our brothers and witness my prowess today. Uprooting
this mighty tree of huge trunk looking like a mace, I will rout the
enemy.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Beholding Bhima casting his eyes on that tree
like a mad elephant, the heroic king Yudhishthira the just spake unto his
brother, saying, 'Do not, O Bhima, commit such a rash act. Let the tree
stand there. Thou must not achieve such feats in a super-human manner by
means of that tree, for if you dost, the people, O Bharata, will
recognise you and say, This is Bhima. Take thou, therefore, some human
weapon such as a bow (and arrows), or a dart, or a sword, or a
battle-axe. And taking therefore, O Bhima, some weapon that is human,
liberate you the king without giving anybody the means of knowing thee
truly. The twins endued with great strength will defend your wheels.
Fighting together, O child, liberate the king of the Matsyas!'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed, the mighty Bhimasena endued
with great speed, quickly took up an excellent bow and impetuously shot
from it a shower of arrows, thick as the downpour of a rain-charged
cloud. And Bhima then rushed furiously towards Susarman of terrible
deeds, and assuring Virata with the words--O good king![32] said unto the
lord of the Trigartas,--Stay! Stay! Seeing Bhima like unto Yama himself
in his rear, saying, Stay! Stay! Do you witness this mighty feat,--this
combat that is at hand!--the bull among warriors, Susarman, seriously
considered (the situation), and taking up his bow turned back, along with
his brothers. Within the twinkling of an eye, Bhima destroyed those cars
that sought to oppose him. And soon again hundreds of thousands of cars
and elephants and horses and horsemen and brave and fierce bowmen were
overthrown by Bhima in the very sight of Virata. And the hostile infantry
also began to be slaughtered by the illustrious Bhima, mace in hand. And
beholding that terrible onslaught, Susarman, irrepressible in fight,
thought within himself, 'My brother seems to have already succumbed in
the midst of his mighty host. Is my army going to be annihilated?' And
drawing his bow-string to his ear Susarman then turned back and began to
shoot keen-edged shafts incessantly. And seeing the Pandavas return to
the charge on their car, the Matsya warriors of mighty host, urging on
their steeds, shot excellent weapons for grinding the Trigarta soldiers.
And Virata's son also, exceedingly exasperated began to perform
prodigious fears of valour. And Kunti's son Yudhishthira slew a thousand
(of the foe), and Bhima showed the abode of Yama unto seven thousand. And
Nakula sent seven hundred (to their last account) by means of his shafts.
And powerful Sahadeva also, commanded by Yudhishthira, slew three hundred
brave warriors. And having slain such numbers, that fierce and mighty
warrior, Yudhishthira, with weapons upraised, rushed against Susarman.
And rushing impetuously at Susarman, that foremost of car-warriors, king
Yudhishthira, assailed him with vollies of shafts. And Susarman also, in
great rage, quickly pierced Yudhishthira with nine arrows, and each of
his four steeds with four arrows. Then, O king, Kunti's son Bhima of
quick movements, approaching Susarman crushed his steeds. And having
slain also those soldiers that protected his rear, he dragged from the
car his antagonist's charioteer to the ground. And seeing the king of
Trigarta's car without a driver, the defender of his car-wheels, the
famous and brave Madiraksha speedily came to his aid. And thereat,
leaping down from Susarman's car, and securing the latter's mace the
powerful Virata ran in pursuit of him. And though old, he moved on the
field, mace in hand, even like a lusty youth. And beholding Susarman flee
Bhima addressed him, saying, 'Desist, O Prince! This flight of yours is
not proper! With this prowess of thine, how couldst you wish to carry
off the cattle by force? How also, forsaking your follower, dost thou
droop so amidst foes? Thus addressed by Pritha's son, the mighty
Susarman, that lord of countless cars saying unto Bhima, Stay!
Stay!--suddenly turned round and rushed at him. Then Bhima, the son of
Pandu, leaping down from his car, as he alone could do,[33] rushed
forward with great coolness, desirous of taking Susarman's life. And
desirous of seizing Trigarta's king advancing towards him, the mighty
Bhimasena rushed impetuously towards him, even like a lion rushing at a
small deer. And advancing impetuously, the mighty-armed Bhima seized
Susarman by the hair, and lifting him up in wrath, dashed him down on the
ground. And as he lay crying in agony, the mighty-armed Bhima kicked him
at the head, and placing his knee on his breast dealt him severe blows.
And sorely afflicted with that kicking, the king of Trigartas became
senseless. And when the king of the Trigartas deprived of his car, had
been seized thus, the whole Trigarta army stricken with panic, broke and
fled in all directions, and the mighty sons of Pandu, endued with modesty
and observant of vows and relying on the might of their own arms, after
having vanquished Susarman, and rescued the kine as well as other kinds
of wealth and having thus dispelled Virata's anxiety, stood together
before that monarch. And Bhimasena then said, 'This wretch given to
wicked deeds doth not deserve to escape me with life. But what can I do?
The king is so lenient!' And then taking Susarman by the neck as he was
lying on the ground insensible and covered with dust, and binding him
fast, Pritha's son Vrikodara placed him on his car, and went to where
Yudhishthira was staying in the midst of the field. And Bhima then showed
Susarman unto the monarch. And beholding Susarman in that plight, that
tiger among men king Yudhishthira smilingly addressed Bhima--that
ornament of battle,--saying, 'Let this worst of men be set free.' Thus
addressed, Bhima spoke unto the mighty Susarman, saying, 'If, O wretch,
thou wishest to live, listen to those words of mine. Thou must say in
every court and assembly of men,--I am a slave. On this condition only I
will grant you your life. Verily, this is the law about the vanquished.'
Thereupon his elder brother affectionately addressed Bhima, saying, 'If
thou regardest us as an authority, liberate this wicked wight. He hath
already become king Virata's slave. And turning then to Susarman, he
said, 'Thou are freed. Go you a free man, and never act again in this
way.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 4 : UPA-PARVA 33 ---------------------
