Soon
the field became strewn with heads, beautiful as the filaments of the
lotus, adorned with earrings and graced with faces set with eyes upturned
in wrath and lips bit in rage. Covered also, O monarch, with the severed
arms of warriors that resembled the trunks of huge elephants, that were
adorned with Angadas and cased in leathern fences, and that still held
swords and lances and battle-axes, and with headless bodies risen on
their feet and bleeding and dancing on the field, and swarming with
carnivorous creatures of diverse kinds, the Earth, O lord, presented a
frightful aspect! After the Bharata army had been reduced to a small
remnant, the Pandavas, filled with delight in that dreadful battle began
to despatch the Kauravas to Yama's abode. Meanwhile, the heroic and
valiant son of Subala's son very forcibly struck Sahadeva on the head
with a lance. Exceedingly agitated, O monarch, in consequence of the
blow, Sahadeva sat down on the terrace of his car. Beholding Sahadeva in
that plight, the valiant Bhima, filled with rage, O Bharata, held the
whole Kuru army in check. With his cloth-yard shaft he pierced hundreds
and thousands of hostile warriors, and having pierced them so, that
chastier of foes uttered a leonine roar. Frightened at that roar, all the
followers of Shakuni, with their steeds and elephants, precipitately fled
away in fear. Beholding them broken, king Duryodhana said unto them,
"Stop, ye Kshatriyas, unacquainted with morality! Fight! What is the use
of flight? That hero, who, without showing his back casteth away his life
breath in battle, achieveth fame here and enjoyeth regions of bliss
hereafter!" Thus exhorted by the king, the followers of Subala's son once
more advanced against the Pandavas, making death their goal.
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