son of Pandu, filled with rage, struck off that head which was the root
of the evil policy of the Kurus, with that impetuous shaft winged with
gold and whetted on stone. Beholding Shakuni lying headless on the ground
and all his limbs drenched with gore, thy warriors, rendered powerless
with fear, fled away on all sides with weapons in their hands. At that
time, thy sons, with cars, elephants, horse and foot entirely broken,
heard the twang of Gandiva and fled away with colourless faces, afflicted
with fear and deprived of their senses. Having thrown down Shakuni from
his car, the Pandavas, O Bharata, became filled with delight. Rejoicing
with Keshava among them, they blew their conchs in that battle,
gladdening their troops. All of them, with glad hearts, worshipped
Sahadeva, and said, "By good luck, O hero, Shakuni of wicked soul, that
man of evil course, hath, with his son, been slain by thee!"'"

29

(Hrada-pravesa Parva)

"Sanjaya said, 'After this, the followers of Subala's son, O monarch,
became filled with rage. Prepared to lay down their lives in that
dreadful battle, they began to resist the Pandavas. Resolved to aid
Sahadeva in his victory, Arjuna, as also Bhimasena possessed of great
energy and resembling an angry snake of virulent poison in aspect,
received those warriors. With his Gandiva, Dhananjaya baffled the purpose
of those warriors, who, armed with darts and swords and lances, desired
to slay Sahadeva. Vibhatsu, with his broad-headed arrows, cut off the
steeds, the heads, and the arms, with weapons in grasp of those rushing
combatants. The steeds of those foremost of heroes endued with activity,
struck by Savyasaci, fell down on the earth, deprived of their lives.
King Duryodhana, beholding that carnage of his own troops, O lord, became
filled with rage. Assembling together the remnant of his cars which still
numbered many hundreds, as also his elephants and horse and foot, O
scorcher of foes, thy son said these words unto those warriors,
"Encountering all the Pandavas with their friends and allies, in this
battle, and the prince of Pancala also with his own troops, and slaying
them quickly, turn back from the fight!" Respectfully accepting that
command of his, those warriors, difficult of defeat in battle, proceeded
once more against the Parthas in that battle, at the behest of thy son.
The Pandavas, however, covered with their arrows resembling snakes of
virulent poison, all those warriors, f