isravas
then was about to cut off from Satyaki's trunk his head decked with
ear-rings. For sometime, the Satwata hero rapidly whirled his head with
the arm of Bhurisravas that held it by the hair, like a potter's wheel
whirled round with the staff. Beholding Satwata thus dragged in battle by
Bhurisravas. Vasudeva once more, O king, addressed Arjuna and said,
"Behold, that tiger among the Vrishnis and the Andhakas, that disciple of
thine, O mighty-armed one, not inferior to thee in bowmanship, hath
succumbed to Somadatta's son. O Partha, since Bhurisravas is thus
prevailing over the Vrishni hero, Satyaki, of prowess incapable of being
baffled, the very name of the latter is about to be falsified."[168] Thus
addressed by Vasudeva the mighty-armed son of Pandu, mentally worshipped
Bhurisravas in that battle, saying, "I am glad that, Bhurisravas, that
enhancer of the fame of the Kurus, is dragging Satyaki in battle, as if
in sport. Without slaying Satyaki that foremost one among the heroes of
the Vrishni race, the Kuru warrior is only dragging him like a mighty
lion in the forest dragging a huge elephant." Mentally applauding the
Kuru warrior thus, O king, the mighty-armed Arjuna, the son of Pritha,
replied unto Vasudeva, saying, "My eyes having rested upon the
Sindhus, I could not, O Madhava, see Satyaki. I shall, however, for the
sake of that Yadava warrior, achieve a most difficult feat." Having said
these words, in obedience to Vasudeva, the son of Pandu, fixed on Gandiva
a sharp razor-headed arrow. That arrow, shot by Partha's hand and
resembling a meteor flashing down from the firmament, cut off the Kuru
warrior's arm with the sword in the grasp and decked with Angada.'"

SECTION CXLII

"Sanjaya said, 'That arm (of Bhurisravas) decked with Angada and the
sword in its grasp (thus cut off), fell down on the earth to the great
grief of all living creatures. Indeed, that arm, which was to have cut
off Satyaki's head itself, cut off by the unseen Arjuna, quickly dropped
down on the earth, like a snake of five heads. The Kuru warrior,
beholding himself incapacitated by Partha abandoned his hold on Satyaki
and wrathfully reproved the son of Pandu.'

"'Bhurisravas said, "Thou hast, O son of Kunti, done a cruel and heartless
deed, since without being engaged with me, thou hast, unseen by me, cut
off my arm. Shalt thou not have to say unto Yudhishthira, the royal son
of Dharma, even this, viz., 'Bhurisravas, while otherwi