Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (1884).djvu/343

Rh elephant in season. And Shalya of mighty arms, moved by wrath addressed Bhisma and said, 'Stay, Stay.' Then Bhisma, that tiger among men, that grinder of hostile armies, provoked by those words, flamed up in wrath like a blazing fire. And with bow in hand, and brow furrowed into wrinkles, he stayed on his car, in obedience to Kshatria usage, having checked its course in expectation of the enemy. And all the monarchs, seeing him stop, stood there to become spectators of the coming encounter between him and Shalya. And the two began to exhibit their prowess towards each other like two roaring bulls of great strength at sight of a cow in season. Then that foremost of men, king Shalya, covered Bhisma the son of Shantanu with hundreds and thousands of swift-winged shafts. And those monarchs seeing Shalya thus covering Bhisma at the outset with innumerable shafts, wondered much and uttered shouts of applause. Beholding his lightness of hand in combat, the crowd of kingly spectators became very glad and applauded Shalya greatly. That reducer of hostile towns, Bhisma then, hearing those shouts of the Kshatrias, became very angry, and said, 'Stay, Stay.' In wrath, he commanded his charioteer, saying, 'Lead thou my chariot to where Shalya is, so that I may slay him instantly as Gadura slays a serpent! Then the Kuru chief fixed the Varuna weapon on his bowstring. And with it he slew the four horses of king Shalya. And, O tiger among kings, the Kuru chief then, warding off with his weapons those of his foe, slew Shalya's charioteer. Then that first of men, Bhisma the son of Shantanu, fighting for the sake of those damsels, slew with the Indra weapon the (other) noble steeds ifof [sic] his adversary. He then vanquished that best of monarchs but left him with his life. O thou bull of the Bharata race, Shalya after his defeat returned to his kingdom and continued to rule it virtuously. And, O thou conqueror of hostile towns, the other kings also who had come to see the Swyamvara, returned to their own kingdoms.

"The foremost of smiters, Bhisma then, after defeating those monarchs, set out, with those damsels, for Hastinapore whence the virtuous Kuru prince ruled the Earth like that best of monarchs his father Shantanu. And,