The
Kuru army, O thou of the race of Kuru, encountering the proud Pandavas
endued with great strength, skilled in smiting, and possessed of sureness
of aim, became weakened and agitated like a herd of she-deer frightened
at a forest conflagration.
Beholding that army weakened and helpless like a cow sunk in mire,
Shalya, desirous of rescuing it, proceeded against the Pandava army.
Filled with rage, the ruler of the Madras, taking up an excellent bow,
rushed for battle against the Pandava foes. The Pandavas also, O monarch,
in that encounter, inspired with desire of victory, proceeded against the
ruler of the Madras and pierced him with keen shafts. Then the ruler of
the Madras, possessed of great strength, afflicted that host with showers
of keen arrows in the very sight of king Yudhishthira the just.
At that time diverse portents appeared to the view. The Earth herself,
with her mountains, trembled, making a loud noise. Meteors, with keen
points bright as those of lances equipped with handles, piercing the air,
fell upon the Earth from the firmament. Deer and buffaloes and birds, O
monarch, in large numbers, placed thy army to their right, O king. The
planets Venus and Mars, in conjunction with Mercury, appeared at the rear
of the Pandavas and to the front of all the (Kaurava) lords of Earth.
Blazing flames seemed to issue from the points of weapons, dazzling the
eyes (of the warriors). Crows and owls in large numbers perched upon the
heads of the combatants and on the tops of their standards.
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