Page:The Mahabharata (Kishori Mohan Gangopadhyay, First Edition) Volume 16.djvu/25

8 dhāna, having achieved this fear, began to strike down others there present. Hrishikeça ran to prevent him from doing further mischief. At that time, however, O monarch, the Bhojas and Andhakas, impelled by the perverseness of the hour that had come upon them, all became as one man and surrounded the son of Cini. Janārddana of mighty energy, knowing the character of the hour, stood unmoved without giving way to anger at the sight of those heroes rushing in wrath at Sātyaki from every side. Urged by fate and inebriated with drink, they began to strike Yuyudhāna with the pots from which they had been eating. When the son of Cini was being thus assaulted, Rukmini's son became highly enraged. He rushed forward for rescuing Sātyaki who was engaged with the Bhojas and the Andhakas. Endued with might of arms and wealth of energy, those two heroes exerted themselves with great courage. But as the odds were overwhelming, both of them were slain in the very sight of Krishna. The delighter of the Yadus, beholding his own son, and the son of Cini too, slain, took up, in wrath, a handful of the Erakā grass that grew there. That handful of grass became a terrible bolt of iron endued with the energy of the thunder bolt. With it Krishna slew all those that came before him. Then the Andhakas and the Bhojas, the Caineyas and the Vrishnis, urged by Time, struck one another in that fearful melee. Indeed, O king, whoever amongst them took up in wrath a few blades of the Erakā grass, these, in his hands, became soon converted into a thunder-bolt, O puissant one! Every blade of grass there was seen to be converted into a terrible iron bolt. All this, know, O king, was due to the curse denounced by Brāhmanas. He who hurled a blade of grass saw that it pierced through even such things as were utterly impenetrable. In fact, every blade was seen to become a terrible bolt having the force of thunder. Son killed sire, and sire killed son, O Bhārata! Inebriated with wine, they rushed and fell upon one another. The Kukuras and the Andhakas met with destruction like insects rushing at a blazing fire. As they were thus being slaughtered, no one among them thought of escaping by