ng his right
wheel. There, Bhimasena is fighting with the royal son of Dhritarashtra.
Act in such way, O son of Radha, that Bhima may not be able to slay the
king today in the sight of us all,--that the king may, indeed, escape
him. Behold, Duryodhana is brought under the power of Bhimasena, that
ornament of battle. Approaching if thou canst rescue him, it will,
indeed, be a very wonderful feat. Going thither, rescue the king, for a
great peril has overtaken him. What wilt thou gain by slaying the sons of
Madri or king Yudhishthira?" Hearing these words of Shalya, O lord of
Earth, and beholding Duryodhana overpowered by Bhima in that dreadful
battle, the valiant son of Radha, thus urged by the words of Shalya and
exceedingly desirous of rescuing the king, left Ajatasatru and the twin
sons of Madri by Pandu, and rushed for rescuing thy son. He was borne by
his steeds that were fleet as birds and that were urged by the ruler of
the Madras. After Karna had gone away, Kunti's son Yudhishthira
retreated, borne, O sire, by the fleet steeds of Sahadeva. With his twin
brothers accompanying him, that ruler of men, quickly repairing in shame
to the (Pandava) camp, his body exceedingly mangled with shafts, alighted
from the car and hastily sat down on an excellent bed. The arrows then
being extracted from his body, the royal son of Pandu, his heart
exceedingly afflicted with sorrow's dart, addressed his two brothers,
viz., those two mighty car-warriors, the sons of Madri, saying, "Repair
quickly to the division of Bhimasena. Roaring like a cloud, Vrikodara is
engaged in battle." Riding another car, Nakula, that bull among
car-warriors, and Sahadeva of great energy,--those two brothers, those
two crushers of foes,--both endued with great might, then proceeded
towards Bhima, borne by steeds of the utmost fleetness. Indeed, the
brothers having together repaired to Bhimasena's division, took up their
places there.'"

64

"Sanjaya said, 'Meanwhile Drona's son, surrounded by a large car-force, O
king, suddenly proceeded to that spot where Partha was. Like the
continent withstanding the surging ocean, the heroic Partha having Saurin
(Krishna) for his help-mate withstood the impetuously rushing
Ashvatthama. Then, O monarch, the valiant son of Drona, filled with rage,
covered both Arjuna and Vasudeva with his shafts. Beholding the two
Krishnas shrouded with arrows, the great car-warriors (of the Pandava
army), as also the Kurus that