gether, surrounded him on all sides. The mighty
son of Arjuna, however, eyeing Jayadratha, whirled his sword and shield,
and uttered a loud shout. Having vanquished the ruler of the Sindhus,
Subhadra's son, that slayer of hostile heroes, then began to scorch that
division of the Kaurava army like Sun scorching the world. Then in that
battle Salya hurled at him a fierce dart made wholly of iron, decked with
gold, and resembling a blazing flame of fire. Thereupon, Arjuna's son,
jumping up, caught hold of that dart, like Garuda catching a mighty snake
falling from above. And having seized it thus, Abhimanyu unsheathed his
sword. Witnessing the great activity and might of that warrior of
immeasurable energy, all the kings together uttered a leonine shout. Then
that slayer of hostile heroes, viz., the son of Subhadra, hurled with the
might of his arms at Salya himself that very dart of great effulgence,
decked with stones of lapis lazuli. Resembling a snake that has recently
cast off its slough, that dart, reaching Salya's car slew the latter's
driver and felled him from his niche of the vehicle. Then Virata and
Drupada, and Dhrishtaketu, and Yudhishthira, and Satyaki, and Kekaya, and
Bhima, and Dhrishtadyumna, and Sikhandin, and the twins (Nakula and
Sahadeva), and the five sons of Draupadi, all exclaimed, "Excellent!
Excellent!" And diverse kinds of sounds due to the shooting of arrows,
and many leonine shouts, arose there, gladdening the unretreating son of
Arjuna. Thy sons, however, could not brook those indications of the
victory of their foe. Then all of them suddenly surrounded Subhadra's son
and covered him, O king, with showers of arrows like the clouds pouring
rain on the mountain-breast. Then that slayer of foes, viz., Artayani
(Salya), wishing good of thy sons, and remembering the overthrow of his
own driver, rushed in rage against Subhadra's son.'"

SECTION XV

"Dhritarashtra said, 'Thou hast, O Sanjaya, described to me many
excellent single combats. Hearing about them, I envy those that have
eyes. This battle between the Kurus and the Pandavas, resembling that (of
old) between the gods and the Asuras, will be spoken of as exceedingly
wonderful by all men. I am scarcely gratified by listening to thy
narrations of this stirring battle. Tell me, therefore, about this combat
between Artayani (Salya) and Subhadra's son.'

"Sanjaya said, 'Beholding his driver slain, Salya, upraising a mace made
wholly of iron,