That vast host of thine, O
ruler of men, thus slaughtered, swooned away on the field, like a woman
under the influence of liquor. Having stupefied that army, Bhimasena and
Dhananjaya blew their conchs and uttered leonine roars. As soon as they
heard that loud peal, Dhrishtadyumna and Shikhandi, placing king
Yudhishthira at their head, rushed against the ruler of the Madras.
Exceedingly wonderful and terrible, O monarch, was the manner in which
those heroes, unitedly and as separate bodies, then fought with Shalya.
The two sons of Madri, endued with great activity, accomplished in
weapons, and invincible in battle, proceeded with great speed against thy
host, inspired with desire of victory. Then thy army, O bull of Bharata's
race, mangled in diverse ways with shafts by the Pandavas eager for
victory, began to fly away from the field. That host, thus struck and
broken by firm bowmen, O monarch, fled away on all sides in the very
sight of thy sons. Loud cries of "Oh!" and "Alas!" O Bharata, arose from
among thy warriors, while some illustrious Kshatriyas among the routed
combatants, desirous of victory, cried out saying, "Stop, stop!" For all
that, those troops of thine, broken by the Pandavas, fled away, deserting
on the field their dear sons and brothers and maternal, uncles and
sister's sons and relatives by marriage and other kinsmen. Urging their
steeds and elephants to greater speed, thousands of warriors fled away, O
bull of Bharata's race, bent only upon their own safety.
Pages:
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569