Then the mighty car-warrior Ashvatthama, and Kripa and Kritavarma,
followed that car, desirous of rescuing thy son. The (Kaurava) troops (at
sight of this) became exceedingly agitated. The followers of Duryodhana
became terrified. At that time, the wielder of Gandiva, drawing his bow,
began to slay them with his arrows. Then Yudhishthira, excited with rage,
rushed against the ruler of the Madras, himself urging his steeds white
as ivory and fleet as thought. We then saw something that was wonderful
in Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, for though very mild and soft, he then
became exceedingly fierce. With eyes opened wide and body trembling in
rage, the son of Kunti cut off hostile warriors in hundreds and thousands
by means of his sharp shafts. Those amongst the soldiers against whom the
eldest Pandava proceeded, were overthrown by him, O king, like mountain
summits riven with thunder. Felling cars with steeds and drivers and
standards and throwing down car-warriors in large numbers, Yudhishthira,
without any assistance, began to sport there like a mighty wind
destroying masses of clouds. Filled with rage, he destroyed steeds with
riders and steeds without riders and foot-soldiers by thousands in that
battle, like Rudra destroying living creatures (at the time of the
universal dissolution). Having made the field empty by shooting his
shafts on all sides, Yudhishthira rushed against the ruler of the Madras
and said, "Wait, Wait!" Beholding the feats then of that hero of terrible
deeds, all thy warriors became inspired with fear.
Pages:
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605