ge and unable to brook it, like an
elephant when pierced with the hook. Bearing the device of the boar on
his banner, he quickly sped towards Phalguna's car many straight shafts
equipped with vulturine feathers, resembling angry snakes of virulent
poison, well-polished by the hands of the smith, and shot from his bow
drawn to the fullest stretch. Then piercing Govinda with three shafts, he
struck Arjuna with six. And then he pierced the steeds of Arjuna with
eight arrows and his standard also with one. Then Arjuna, baffling the
keen arrows sped by the ruler of the Sindhus, cut off at the same time,
with a pair of shafts, the head of Jayadratha's driver and the
well-decked standard also of Jayadratha. Its stay cut off and itself
pierced and struck with arrows, that standard fell down like a flame of
fire. Meanwhile, the sun was going down quickly. Janardana then quickly
addressed the son of Pandu and said, "Behold, O Partha, the ruler of the
Sindhus hath, by six mighty and heroic car-warriors, been placed in
their-midst! Jayadratha also, O mighty-armed one, is waiting there in
fear! Without vanquishing those six car-warriors in battle, O bull among
men, thou wilt never be able to slay the ruler of the Sindhus even if
thou exertest thyself without intermission. I shall, therefore, resort to
Yoga for shrouding the sun. Then the ruler of the Sindhus will (in
consequence) behold the sun to have set. Desirous of life, O lord,
through joy that wicked wight will no longer, for his destruction,
conceal himself. Availing yourself of that opportunity, thou shouldst
then, O best of the Kurus, strike him. Thou shouldst not give up the
enterprise, thinking the sun to have really set." Hearing these words,
Vibhatsu replied unto Kesava, saying, "Let it be so." Then Krishna
otherwise called Hari, possessed of ascetic powers, that lord of all
ascetics, having taken recourse to Yoga, created that darkness. Thy
warriors, O king, thinking the sun to have set were filled with delight
at the prospect of Partha's laying down his life. Indeed, thy warriors,
not seeing the sun, were filled with gladness. All of them stood, with
heads thrown backwards. King Jayadratha also was in the same attitude.
And while the ruler of the Sindhus was thus beholding the sun, Krishna,
once more addressing Dhananjaya said these words, "Behold, the heroic
ruler of the Sindhus is now looking at the sun, casting off his fear of
thee, O foremost one among the Bharatas!