SECTION LIX
"Vaisampayana said, 'Then, O mighty king, Drona's son rushed to an
encounter with Arjuna in battle. And beholding his rush to the conflict
like a hurricane, showering shafts like a rain charged cloud Pritha's son
received him with a cloud of arrows. And terrible was the encounter
between them, like that between the gods and the Danavas. And they shot
arrows at each other like Virata and Vasava. And the welkin being
enveloped on all sides with arrows, the sun was completely hidden, and
the air itself was hushed. And, O conqueror of hostile cities, as they
assailed and struck each other, loud sounds arose as of bamboos on fire.
And, O king, Aswatthaman's horses being sorely afflicted by Arjuna, they
became bewildered and could not ascertain which way to go. And as
Pritha's son ranged on the field, the powerful son of Drona finding an
opportunity, cut off the string of the Gandiva with an arrow furnished
with a horse-shoe head And beholding that extraordinary feat of his, the
celestials applauded him highly. And exclaiming--'Well done'!---'Well
done'! Drona and Bhishma, and Karna, and the mighty warrior Kripa, all
applauded that feat of his greatly. And the son of Drona, drawing his
excellent bow, pierced with his shafts, furnished with the feathers of
the Kanka bird, the breast of Partha, that bull among warriors.
Thereupon, with a loud laughter, the mighty-armed son of Pritha attached
a strong and fresh string to Gandiva. And moistening his bow-string with
the sweat that stood on his forehead resembling the crescent moon,
Pritha's son advanced towards his adversary, even as an infuriated leader
of a herd of elephants rusheth at another elephant. And the encounter
that took place between those two matchless heroes on the field of battle
was exceedingly fierce and made the bristles of the spectators stand on
their ends. And as those heroes endued with mighty energy fought on, the
two mighty elephants, the Kurus beheld them with wonder. And those brave
bulls among men assailed each other with arrows of snaky forms and
resembling blazing fires. And as the couple of quivers belonging to the
Pandava was inexhaustible, that hero was able to remain on the field
immovable as a mountain. And as Aswatthaman's arrows, in consequence of
his ceaseless discharge in that conflict, were quickly exhausted, it was
for this that Arjuna prevailed over his adversary. Then Karna, drawing
his large bow with great force twanged the bow-string. And thereupon
arose loud exclamation of 'Oh'! and 'Alas'! And Pritha's son, casting his
eyes towards the spot where that bow was twanged, beheld before him the
son of Radha. And at that sight his wrath was greatly excited. And
inflamed with ire and desirous of slaying Karna, that bull of the Kuru
race stared at him with rolling eyes. And, O king, beholding Partha turn
away from Aswatthaman's side, the Kuru warriors discharged thousands of
arrows on Arjuna. And the mighty-armed Dhananjaya, that conqueror of
foes, leaving Drona's son, all on a sudden rushed towards Karna. And
rushing towards Karna, with eyes reddened in anger the son of Kunti,
desirous of a single combat with him, said these words."
--------------------END OF PARVA 4 : UPA-PARVA 59 ---------------------
