14.073
Victory over Trigarta;
Vaiśampāyana said.
A battle took place between the crown-wearer and the Trigartas, with the sons and grandsons of slain illustrious warriors, who bore enmity. (14-73-1)
Having learned that the best horse for sacrifice had arrived, then the armed heroes surrounded it at the border of their territory. (14-73-2)
O king, the chariot-warriors with fastened quivers, mounted on well-adorned good horses, surrounded the horse and began to seize it. (14-73-3)
Then Kirīti (Arjuna), after considering the intentions of those kings, gently restrained those heroes—he who is the destroyer of enemies. (14-73-4)
Without regarding him, all of them attacked with arrows at that time. Kirīti (Arjuna) drove back those who had been covered by darkness and dust. (14-73-5)
Then the victorious one, as if smiling, said, O Bhārata: “Turn back, you knowers of unrighteousness; living is indeed better for you.” (14-73-6)
He, the hero, was indeed departing, but was restrained by Dharmarāja, saying: "O Pārtha, those kings who have lost their kin are not to be slain by you." (14-73-7)
Then he, having listened to the words of the wise Dharmarāja, told them, "Return"; but they did not return, and they too remained. (14-73-8)
Then, in the battle, Dhanañjaya (Arjuna) smiled at Sūryavarman, the king of the Trigartas, having spread a net of arrows. (14-73-9)
Then they approached Arjuna, filling all directions with the sound of chariots and with the noise of hoofs and wheels. (14-73-10)
Sūryavarmā then, O king, loosed hundreds of curved-jointed arrows at Pārtha, displaying a light missile. (14-73-11)
In the same way, the other great archers, who were his very followers, released showers of arrows, seeking the death of Dhananjaya (Arjuna). (14-73-12)
He, O king, the Pāṇḍava, with very many arrows released from bow-strings, cut them off; they then fell to the ground. (14-73-13)
But Ketuvarma, the brilliant and youthful younger brother of that one, fought for his brother's sake with the great-souled Pāṇḍava. (14-73-14)
Having seen Ketuvarman rushing in battle, Bibhatsu, the destroyer of enemy heroes, struck him with sharp arrows. (14-73-15)
When Ketuvarman was attacked, Dhṛtavarmā, the great chariot-warrior, quickly approached by chariot and showered arrows upon the victorious one. (14-73-16)
Guḍākeśa, the mighty and powerful one, seeing that great swiftness of Dhṛtavarman, the boy, was extremely pleased. (14-73-17)
At that time, Indra saw him neither stringing the bow nor taking up an arrow, but only engaged in showering arrows. (14-73-18)
But he honored Dhṛtavarman in battle; with his mind, he delighted him for a moment in the fight. (14-73-19)
O great king, the Kuru hero, smiling as if, did not destroy him, who was angry like a serpent, even though he had the power to do so, acting with affection. (14-73-20)
Thus, while being protected by Pārtha of boundless brilliance, Dhṛtavarman then released a sharp arrow at Vijaya. (14-73-21)
He—Vijaya (Arjuna)—was quickly and severely pierced in the hand by him while shooting, and, due to pain, let go of his Gāṇḍīva bow, which then fell to the ground. (14-73-22)
O best of the Bharatas, as his bow fell from the hand of Savyasācī, O illustrious one, it appeared just like the weapon of Indra.
O king, when the divine great bow had fallen there, Dhritavarma laughed aloud in the great battle. (14-73-24)
Then, filled with anger, Jiṣṇu (the conqueror) wiped the blood from his hand, picked up his divine bow, and rained arrows down. (14-73-25)
Then, a tumultuous sky-reaching roar arose, as beings of many kinds highly praised that event. (14-73-26)
Then, seeing the angry and victorious one, who was like Kāla, Antaka, and Yama, the swift Traigarta warriors surrounded him. (14-73-27)
Then, having approached with the intent to claim, those armored warriors surrounded Guḍākeśa (Arjuna); there Dhanaṅjaya became angry. (14-73-28)
Then he quickly slew eighteen of those warriors with sharp iron arrows that resembled the mighty Indra's thunderbolt. (14-73-29)
But Dhananjaya (Arjuna), seeing them broken, hastily struck them with serpent-shaped arrows, sounding aloud with his bowstring. (14-73-30)
All the great chariot-warriors of the Trigarta clan, their spirits broken and wounded by Dhananjaya's arrows, fled in every direction. (14-73-31)
They said, "O tiger among men, destroyer of the Saṃśaptakas, all of us are your servants, and all are under your control." (14-73-32)
O Pārtha, command us, your humble servants who stand before you. We shall carry out all that is pleasing to you, O delight of the Kauravas. (14-73-33)
Having heard this statement, he then said to all of them: "Preserve life, O kings; accept the command." (14-73-34)
