Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (Volume 1).pdf/442

428 doms, lives, treasures, sons, grandsons, and whatever other wealth we have, all exist for Brabmanas. Something must be done here (even unto him) so that from fear of disgrace and the desire of maintaining what properly belongeth unto each order, other Swayamvaras may not, terminate in this way.'

"Having addressed one another thus, those tigers among monarchs endued with arms like unto spiked iron maces, took up their weapons and rushed at Drupada to slay him then and there. And Drupada beholding those monarchs all at once rushing towards him in anger with bows and arrows, sought, from fear, the protection of the Brahmanas. But those mighty bowmen (Bhima and Arjuna) of the Pandavas, capable of chatising all foes, advanced to oppose those monarchs rushing towards them impetuously like elephants in the season of rut. Then the monarchs with gloved fingers and upraised weapons rushed in anger at the Kuru princes, Bhima and Arjuna to slay them. Then the mighty Bhima of extraordinary achievements, endued with the strength of thunder, tore up like an elephant a large tree and divested it of its leaves. And with that tree, the strong-armed Bhima the son of Pritha, that grinder of all foes.-stood, like unto the mace-bearing king of the dead (Yama) armed with his fierce mace, near Arjuna that bull amongst men. And beholding that feat of his brother, Jishnu of extraordinary intelligence and himself also of inconceivable feats, wondered much. And equal unto Indra himself in achievements, shaking off all feat he stood with his bow ready to receive those assailants. And beholding those feats of both Jishnu and his brother, Damodara (Krishna) of superhuman intelligence and inconceivable feats, addressing his brother, Halayudha (Valadeva ) of fierce energy, said, -That hero there, of tread like that of a mighty lion, who draweth the large bow in his hand four full cubits in length, is Arjuna ! There is no doubt,

Sankarshana, about this, if I am Vasudeva! That other hero who having speedily torn up the tree hath suddenly become ready to drive off the monarchs is Vrikodara ! For no one in the world, except Vrikodara, could to-day perform such a feat in the field of battle! And O Achyuta, that other youth of eyes like unto lotus-petals of full four cubit's height, of gait like that of a mighty lion, and humble withal, of fair complexion and prominent and shining nose, who had, a little before, left the amphitheatre, is Dharma's son (Yudhishthira). The two other youths, like unto Kartikeya, are. I suspect, the sons of the twin Aswinas. I heard that the sons of Pandu along with their mother Pritha had all escaped from the conflagration of the house of lac.' Then Halayudha of complexion like unto that of clouds uncharged with rain, addressing his younger brother (Krishna), said with great satisfaction