________________
98
AN EARLY HISTORY OF ORISSA
the mighty Bhīmasena, from the terrace of his car, covered the division of the Kalingas with showers of sharp arrows. Then, that mighty bowman, the king of the Kalingas, and that car warrior, his son known by the name of Sakradeva, both began to strike the son of Pāņdu with their shafts ...... Sakradeva, shooting in that battle innumerable arrows slew Bhimasena's steeds with them...... But the mighty Bhīmasena staying on his car, whose steeds had been slain, hurled at Śakradeva a mace made of the hardest iron. And slain by that mace, the son of the ruler of the Kalingas fell down from his car on the ground with his standard and his charioteer. Then, that mighty car-warrior, the king of the Kalingas, beholding his own son slain, surrounded Bhīmasena on all sides with many thousands of cars......quickly hurled at him 14-headed darts whetted on stone. The mighty-armed son of Pāņdu, however, fearlessly cut it into fragments in a trice with the help of scimitars ....... and beholding Bhānumat (Prince of the Kalingas) rushed at him........ and shouted very loudly...... so that the army of the Kalingas became filled with fear ...... Then, Bhimasena impetuously jumped upon Bhānumat's excellent elephant with the help of the animal's tusks and cut the prince into two by his sword. Having thus slain the prince of the Kalingas, he descended upon the neck of the elephant, struck its head off and that best of elephants fell down with a loud roar...... Then, beholding Śrutāyus at the head of the Kalinga troops, Bhīmasena rushed at him. And seeing him advancing, the ruler of the Kalingas, of immeasurable soul, pierced Bhimasena in his chest with nine arrows ..... on which he (Bhīmasen) blazed up with wrath like fire fed with fuel ......mounted on a car offered by Aśoka, the best of charioteers......and drawing his bow with great strength, slew the ruler of the Kalingas with seven shafts made wholly
Jain Education International
For Personal & Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
