ings that formed the (unslain) remnant
of the (Pandava) host uttered loud cries when thy son fell. Loud also
became the blare of conchs and the peal of drums and cymbals. A terrific
noise seemed to come from within the bowels of the earth. Upon the fall
of thy son, O monarch, headless beings of frightful forms, possessed of
many legs and many arms, and inspiring all creatures with dread, began to
dance and cover the earth on all sides. Warriors, O king, that stood with
standards or weapons in their arms, began to tremble, O king, when thy
son fell. Lakes and wells, O best of kings, vomited forth blood. Rivers
of rapid currents flowed in opposite directions. Women seemed to look
like men, and men to look like women at that hour, O king, when thy son
Duryodhana fell! Beholding those wonderful portents, the Pancalas and the
Pandavas, O bull of Bharata's race, became filled with anxiety. The gods
and the Gandharvas went away to the regions they desired, talking, as
they proceeded, of that wonderful battle between thy sons. Similarly the
Siddhas, and the Charanas of the fleetest course, went to those places
from which they had come, applauding those two lions among men."

59

"Sanjaya said, 'Beholding Duryodhana felled upon the earth like a
gigantic Sala uprooted (by the tempest) the Pandavas became filled with
joy. The Somakas also beheld, with hair standing on end, the Kuru king
felled upon the earth like an infuriated elephant felled by a lion.
Having struck Duryodhana down, the valiant Bhimasena, approaching the
Kuru chief, addressed him, saying, "O wretch, formerly laughing at the
disrobed Draupadi in the midst of the assembly, thou hadst, O fool,
addressed us as 'Cow, Cow!' Bear now the fruit of that insult!" Having
said these words, he touched the head of his fallen foe with his left
foot. Indeed, he struck the head of that lion among kings with his foot.
With eyes red in wrath, Bhimasena, that grinder of hostile armies, once
more said these words. Listen to them, O monarch! "They that danced at us
insultingly, saying, 'Cow, Cow!' we shall now dance at them, uttering the
same words, 'Cow, Cow!' We have no guile, no fire, no match, at dice, no
deception! Depending upon the might of our own arms we resist and check
our foes!" Having attained to the other shores of those fierce
hostilities, Vrikodara once more laughingly said these words slowly unto
Yudhishthira and Keshava and Srinjaya and Dhananjaya and the two son