“Vaishampaayana said, ‘Then those bulls among Brahmanas shaking their
deer-skins and water-pots made of coconut-shells exclaimed, ‘Fear not, we will
fight the enemy!’ Arjuna smilingly addressing those Brahmanas exclaiming thus,
said, ‘You stand aside as spectators (of the fray). Showering hundreds of arrows furnished with straight points I shall
check, like snakes with mantras, all those angry monarchs.’
“Having said this, the mighty Arjuna taking up the bow he had obtained
as dower accompanied by his brother Bhima stood immovable as a mountain. Seeing
those Kshatriyas who were ever furious in battle with Karna ahead, the heroic
brothers rushed fearlessly at them like two elephants rushing against a hostile
elephant. Then those monarchs eager for the fight fiercely exclaimed, ‘The
slaughter in battle of one desiring to fight is permitted.’ Saying this, the
monarchs suddenly rushed against the Brahmanas. Karna filled with great energy
rushed against Jishnu (Arjuna) for
fight. Shalya, the mighty king of Madra, rushed against Bhima like an elephant
rushing against another for the sake of a she-elephant in heat; while
Duryodhana and others engaged with the Brahmanas, fought with them lightly and
carelessly.
“Then the illustrious Arjuna seeing Karna, the son of Vikartana (Lord
Surya), advancing towards him, drew his
tough bow and pieced him with his sharp arrows. The drive of those sharpened
arrows furnished with fierce energy made Radheya (Karna) faint. Recovering consciousness, Karna
attacked Arjuna with greater care than before. Then Karna and Arjuna, both
foremost of victorious warriors, desirous of defeating each other, fought madly
on. Such was the lightness of hand they both displayed that (each enveloped
by the other’s shower of arrows) they
both became invisible (to the spectators of their encounter). ‘See the strength of my arms.’—‘Mark, how
I have nullified that feat,’ -- those were the words -- understandable to heroes
(Veera in Sanskrit) alone -- in
which they addressed each other.
“Angered at finding the strength and energy of Arjuna’s arms unequalled
on the earth, Karna, the son of (Lord) Surya,
fought with greater strength. Avoiding all those violent arrows shot at him by
Arjuna, Karna sent up a loud shout. This feat of his was applauded by all the
warriors.
“Then addressing his antagonist (Arjuna), Karna said, ‘O you foremost of Brahmanas, I am pleased to observe the
energy of your arms that knows no relaxation in battle and your weapons
themselves fit for achieving victory. Are you the (human) embodiment of Dhanurveda (the science
of weapons), or are you (Parashu)Rama that best of Brahmanas, or (Lord) Indra himself, or (Lord) Indra’s younger brother (Lord) Vishnu called also Achyuta, who for
disguising himself has assumed the form of a Brahmana and collecting such
energy of arms fights with me? No other person except the husband himself of
Sachi (Lord Indra) or Kiriti (Arjuna) – the Pandava, is capable of fighting with
me when I am angry on the field of battle.’
“Then hearing those words of his, Phalguna (Arjuna) replied, saying, ‘O Karna, I am neither
the Dhanurveda (personified), nor (Parashu)Rama filled with superhuman powers. I am
only a Brahmana who is the foremost of all warriors and all wielders of
weapons. By the grace of my Guru I have become accomplished in the Brahma and
the Paurandara astras (Astra is weapon in English). I am here to defeat you in battle. Therefore, O hero (Veera in
Sanskrit), wait a little.’
“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘Thus addressed (by Arjuna), Karna – the adopted son of Radha – desisted
from the fight, for that mighty chariot-fighter thought that Brahma energy (Brahma
Tejas in Sanskrit) is ever invincible.
Meanwhile on another part of the field, the mighty heroes Shalya and Vrikodara (Bhimasena), well-skilled in battle and possessed of
great strength and proficiency, challenging each other, engaged in fight like
two elephants in rut. They struck each other with their squeezed fists and
knees. Sometimes pushing each other forward and sometimes dragging each other
near, sometimes throwing each other down; face downward, and sometimes on the
sides, they fought on, striking, each other at times with their squeezed fists.
“Encountering each other with blows hard as the clash of two masses of
granite, the arena rang with the sounds of their combat. Fighting with each other
thus for a few seconds, Bhima the foremost of the Kuru heroes taking up Shalya
on his arms hurled him to a distance. Bhimasena, that bull among men, surprised
all (by the capability of his achievement) for though he threw Shalya on the ground he did it without hurting him
much. When Shalya was thus thrown down and Karna was struck with fear, the
other monarchs were all alarmed. They quickly surrounded Bhima and exclaimed, ‘Surely
these bulls amongst Brahmanas are excellent (warriors)! Discover in what race (kula in Sanskrit) they have been born and where they live. Who can encounter Karna, the
son of Radha, in fight, except (Parashu)Rama or Drona or Kiriti (Arjuna) – the Pandava? Who also can encounter Duryodhana in battle except (Sri)
Krishna, the son of Devaki, and Kripa,
the son of (Rishi) Sharadwana? Who
also can overthrow in battle Shalya, that first of mighty warriors, except the hero
Baladeva (Balarama) or Vrikodara (Bhimasena) – the Pandava, or the heroic (Veera in
Sanskrit) Duryodhana? Let us, therefore,
stop from this fight with the Brahmanas. Indeed, Brahmanas, however offending,
should yet be ever protected. First let us ascertain who these are; for after
we have done that we may cheerfully fight with them.’
“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘(Sri) Krishna, having seen that feat of Bhima, believed them both to be the
son of Kunti. (Sri Krishna) Gently
addressing the assembled monarchs, saying, ‘This lady (Draupadi) has been justly acquired (by the
Brahmana),’ he induced them to stop the
fight. Accomplished in battle, those monarchs then stopped from the fight. Those
best of monarchs then returned to their respective kingdoms, wondering much. Those
who had come there went away saying, ‘The festive scene has terminated in the
victory of the Brahmanas. The princess of Paanchaala (Draupadi) has become the bride of a Brahmana.’
“Surrounded by Brahmanas dressed in skins of deer and other wild
animals, Bhima and Dhananjaya (Arjuna)
passed with difficulty out of the crowd. Those heroes among men, crushed by the
enemy and followed by Krishna (Draupadi), on coming at last out of that crowd, looked like the full moon and
the Sun emerging from the clouds.
“Meanwhile, Kunti seeing that her sons were late in returning from
their round of Bhiksha (alms getting in English), was filled with anxiety. She began to think of various evils having
overtaken her sons. At one time, she thought that the sons of Dhritarashtra
having recognised her sons had slain them. Next she feared that some cruel and
strong Rakshasas filled with powers of deception (Maayaa in Sanskrit) had slain them. She asked herself, ‘Could
the illustrious (Rishi) Vyasa
himself (who had directed my sons to come to Paanchaala) have been guided by spoiled intelligence?’
“Thus thought Pritha (Kunti)
in consequence of her affection for her children. Then in the stillness of the
late afternoon, Jishnu (Arjuna),
accompanied by a body of Brahmanas, entered the house of the potter, like the
cloud-covered Sun appearing on a cloudy day.’”
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