14.076
The defeat of the Sindhu.
Vaiśampāyana said.
Then there was a battle between the Sindhus and that crowned one (Arjuna). O great king, it was fought by the survivors as well as by the sons of those who had been slain. (14-76-1)
Hearing that Śvetavāhana (Arjuna) had entered their territory, the indignant kings went out to confront the foremost of the Pāṇḍavas. (14-76-2)
Having touched that horse at the edge of the region, those who were like poison did not fear Pārtha (Arjuna) and Bhīmasena, immediately thereafter. (14-76-3)
They, not far away, approached Bībhatsu (Arjuna), who was standing on foot, with bow in hand, near the yajñiya horse. (14-76-4)
Then, those kings of great strength, though previously defeated in battle, surrounded (him), desiring to conquer, O tiger among men. (14-76-5)
Then they, proclaiming their names, clans, and varied deeds, covered Pārtha with showers of arrows. (14-76-6)
Desiring victory in battle, they scattered sharp arrows capable of repelling mighty elephants and surrounded the son of Kunti. (14-76-7)
All the chariot-borne warriors, without observing that warrior of fierce deeds in battle, fought against him, the infantryman. (14-76-8)
They struck him, the heroic destroyer of the Nivātakavacas, slayer of the Saṃśaptakas, and also the slayer of Saindhava (Jayadratha). (14-76-9)
Then, having enclosed the son of Kunti with a thousand chariots and ten thousand horses, they fought with great delight. (14-76-10)
O descendant of Kuru, the heroes were remembering the killing in battle of the wise king of Sindhu, Jayadratha, by Savyasācin (Arjuna). (14-76-11)
Then, like rain-clouds, all released a shower of arrows; covered by them, Arjuna shone like the sun among clouds. (14-76-12)
O Bhārata, the bull among the Pāṇḍavas was seen, covered entirely with arrows, like a bird moving within a cage. (14-76-13)
Thereupon, when the son of Kunti was afflicted by arrows, an uproar of ‘ha-ha’ arose everywhere. O king, sound resounded across the three worlds, and the dust became reddened. (14-76-14)
Then, O great king, a hair-raising wind blew. At the same time, Rāhu seized both the sun and the moon. (14-76-15)
Meteors struck the sun, scattering in all directions, and trembling arose, O king, in Kailāsa, the great mountain. (14-76-16)
The seven sages and the divine sages, filled with pain and grief and having become fearful, shed very hot tears. (14-76-17)
O King, then the hare quickly burst through the disk of the moon and fell, as a sign of a portent, but in the opposite direction. (14-76-18)
Clouds, resembling red donkeys, bearing bows and with lightning, covered the sky and rained flesh and blood. (14-76-19)
Thus, O best of the Bharatas, at that time in the world, when the hero was enveloped by a shower of arrows, that appeared like a wonder. (14-76-20)
Because he was entirely covered by that shower of arrows, his Gandiva bow and even the quiver fell from his hand due to delusion. (14-76-21)
When that delusion had set in, the Sindhus swiftly released a very great volley of arrows upon the great chariot-warrior, whose life had departed. (14-76-22)
Then, knowing that Arjuna had been overcome by delusion, all the celestials, whose minds were fearful, became devoted to seeking peace. (14-76-23)
Then all the divine sages, as well as the seven sages and the brahma-sages, chanted the victory of the wise Pārtha. (14-76-24)
O king, then, when the brilliance of Pārtha was illumined by the gods, the wise knower of supreme weapons stood firmly in battle like a mountain. (14-76-25)
Then the descendant of the Kauravas drew the divine bow. Again and again, a great sound, like that of a machine, arose from it here. (14-76-26)
Then Pārtha (Arjuna), the lord, showered volleys of arrows at his enemies with his bow, just as the lord of the gods (Indra) pours down rains. (14-76-27)
Then all those Sindhu warriors, along with their kings, were not to be seen, covered with arrows, like fires (concealed) by swarms of moths. (14-76-28)
Frightened by his sound, those distressed by fear ran away; some of the Sindhu horses, afflicted by grief, shed tears, and some even fell down unconscious. (14-76-29)
But the best of men, powerful and moving everywhere on all sides, O king, assailed all of them with volleys of arrows just like a revolving wheel of fire. (14-76-30)
He, the destroyer of enemies, released that network of arrows, resembling a magical illusion, in all directions just like Mahendra (Indra), the wielder of the thunderbolt. (14-76-31)
Having torn apart the army resembling a mass of clouds, he whose splendor was like the sun—the chief of the Kauravas—shone like the sun in autumn. (14-76-32)
