er. Indeed, the valiant Partha received hundreds of arrowy showers
and maces and lances coming towards him as the ocean receives hundreds
upon hundreds of rivers flowing towards it. With the impetuous might of
his own weapons and strength of his arms, Partha received the foremost of
shafts shot at him by those foremost of kings. Although staying on the
ground, and alone, he succeeded yet in baffling all those kings on their
cars, like that one fault, avarice, destroying a host of accomplishments.
The Kauravas, O king, applauded the highly wonderful prowess of Partha as
also of Vasudeva, saying, "What more wonderful incident hath ever taken
place in this world, or will ever take place than this, viz., that Partha
and Govinda, in course of battle, have unyoked their steeds? Displaying
fierce energy on the field of battle and the greatest assurance, those
best of men have inspired us with great thoughts." Then Hrishikesa, of
eyes like lotus-petals, smiling with the coolest assurance, as if, O
Bharata, he was in the midst of an assembly of women (and not armed
foes), after Arjuna had created in the field of battle that hall, made of
arrows, led the steeds into it, in the very sight, O monarch, of all thy
troops. And Krishna, who was well-skilled in grooming horses, then
removed their fatigue, pain, froth, trembling and wounds.[142] Then
plucking out their arrows and rubbing those steeds with his own hands,
and making them trot duly, he caused them to drink. Having caused them to
drink, and removed their fatigue and pain, he once more carefully yoked
them to that foremost of cars. Then, that foremost one among all wielders
of weapons, viz., Sauri, of great energy, mounting on that car with
Arjuna, proceeded with great speed. Beholding the car of that foremost of
car-warriors once more equipped with these steeds, whose thirst had been
slaked, the foremost ones among the Kuru army once more became cheerless.
They began to sigh, O king, like snakes whose fangs had been pulled out.
And they said, "Oh, fie, fie on us! Both Partha and Krishna have gone, in
the very sight of all the Kshatriyas, riding on the same car, and clad in
mail, and slaughtering our troops with as much ease as boys sporting with
a toy. Indeed, those scorchers of foes have gone away in the very sight
of all the kings displaying the prowess and unimpeded by our shouting and
struggling combatants." Seeing them gone away, other warriors said, "Ye
Kauravas, speed ye