he beheld a wonderful sight,
even that of a Danava named Muka, seeking, in the form of a boar, to
slay Arjuna. Phalguna, at the sight of the enemy seeking to slay him,
took up the _Gandiva_ and a number of arrows resembling snakes of
virulent poison. And stringing his bow and filling the air with its
twang, he addressed the boar and said, 'I have come here but done thee
no injury. As thou seekest to slay me, I shall certainly send thee to
the abode of Yama.' And beholding that firm wielder of the
bow--Phalguna--about to slay the boar, Sankara in the guise of a
_Kirata_ suddenly bade him stop saying, 'The boar like the mountain of
_Indrakila_ in hue hath been aimed at by me first'; Phalguna, however,
disregarding these words, struck the boar. The _Kirata_ also blazing
splendour, let fly an arrow like flaming fire and resembling the
thunderbolt at the same object. And the arrows thus shot by both fell at
the same instant of time upon the wide body of Muka, hard as adamant.
And the two shafts fell upon the boar with a loud sound, even like that
of Indra's thunderbolt and the thunder of the clouds falling together
upon the breast of a mountain. And Muka, thus struck by two shafts which
produced numerous arrows resembling snakes of blazing mouths, yielded up
his life, assuming once more his terrible Rakshasa form. Jishnu--that
slayer of foes--then beheld before him that person, of form blazing as
god, and attired in the dress of a _Kirata_ and accompanied by many
women. And beholding him, the son of Kunti with a joyous heart addressed
him smilingly and said, 'Who art thou that thus wanderest in these
solitary woods, surrounded by women? thou of the splendour of gold, art
thou not afraid of this terrible forest? Why, again, didst thou shoot
the boar that was first aimed at by me? This _Rakshasa_ that came
hither, listlessly or with the object of slaying me, had been first
aimed at by me. Thou shalt not, therefore, escape from me with life. Thy
behaviour towards me is not consistent with the customs of the chase.
Therefore, O mountaineer, I will take thy life.' Thus addressed by the
son of Pandu, the _Kirata_, smiling, replied unto his capable of
wielding the bow with his left hand, in soft words, saying, 'O hero,
thou needst not be anxious on my account. This forest land is proper
abode for us who always dwell in the woods. Respecting thyself, however,
I may inquire, why thou hast selected thy abode here amid such
difficulties