dhishthira the just, steedless and driverless, looked like a blazing
fire in consequence of the wrath with which he was then excited.
Beholding the ruler of the Madras before him, he rushed towards that foe
with great impetuosity. Recollecting the words of Govinda, he quickly set
his heart on the destruction of Shalya. Indeed, king Yudhishthira the
just, staying on his steedless and driverless car, desired to take up a
dart. Beholding that feat of Shalya and reflecting upon the fact that the
hero who had been allotted to him as his share still remained unslain,
the son of Pandu firmly set his heart upon accomplishing that which
Indra's younger brother had counselled him to achieve. King Yudhishthira
the just, took up a dart whose handle was adorned with gold and gems and
whose effulgence was as bright as that of gold. Rolling his eyes that
were wide open, he cast his glances on the ruler of the Madras, his heart
filled with rage. Thus looked at, O god among men, by that king of
cleansed soul and sins all washed away, the ruler of the Madras was not
reduced to ashes. This appeared to us to be exceedingly wonderful, O
monarch. The illustrious chief of the Kurus then hurled with great force
at the king of the Madras that blazing dart of beautiful and fierce
handle and effulgent with gems and corals. All the Kauravas beheld that
blazing dart emitting sparks of fire as it coursed through the welkin
after having been hurled with great force, even like a large meteor
falling from the skies at the end of the Yuga. King Yudhishthira the
just, in that battle, carefully hurled that dart which resembled
kala-ratri (the Death Night) armed with the fatal noose or the
foster-mother of fearful aspect of Yama himself, and which like the
Brahmana's curse, was incapable of being baffled. Carefully the sons of
Pandu had always worshipped that weapon with perfumes and garlands and
foremost of seats and the best kinds of viands and drinks. That weapon
seemed to blaze like Samvartaka-fire and was as fierce as a rite
performed according to the Atharvan of Agnirasa. Created by Tvashtri (the
celestial artificer) for the use of Ishana, it was a consumer of the
life-breaths and the bodies of all foes. It was capable of destroying by
its force the Earth and the welkin and all the receptacles of water and
creatures of every kind. Adorned with bells and banners and gems and
diamonds and decked with stones of lapis lazuli and equipped with a
golden hand