Then Sahadeva came upon
Subala's son as the latter, who was still expectant of victory, was
flying away, protected by the excellent cavalry of the Gandharas.
Recollecting, O king, that Shakuni, who had fallen to his share, was
still alive, Sahadeva, on his car adorned with gold, pursued that
warrior. Stringing his formidable bow and drawing it with great force,
Sahadeva, filled with rage, pursued the son of Subala and vigorously
struck him with many shafts equipped with vulturine feathers and whetted
on stone, even like a person striking a mighty elephant with pointed
lances. Endued with great energy of mind, Sahadeva, having afflicted his
foe thus, addressed him, as if for calling back to mind (his past
misdeeds), in these words, 'Adhering to the duties of a Kshatriya, fight
(with me) and be a man! Thou hadst, O fool, rejoiced greatly in the midst
of the assembly, while gambling with dice! Receive now, O thou of wicked
understanding, the fruit of that act! All those wicked-souled ones that
had ridiculed us then have perished! Only that wretch of his race,
Duryodhana, is still alive, and thyself, his maternal uncle! Today I
shall slay thee, striking off thy head with a razor-headed arrow like a
person plucking a fruit from a tree with a stick!" Saying these words, O
monarch, Sahadeva of great strength, that tiger among men, filled with
rage, rushed impetuously against Shakuni. Approaching his enemy, the
invincible Sahadeva, that foremost of warriors, forcibly drawing his bow
and as if burning his foe with wrath, pierced Shakuni with ten arrows and
his steeds with four.
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