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MARRIAGES OF ŚĀMBA AND PRADYUMNA 231 Rukmin's 227 battle, son of Mādri?”
Pierced by Hari's speech like an arrow piercing chinks in armor, the King of Cedi twanged his bow and discharged sharp arrows. Hari destroyed his bow, armor, and chariot with arrows and, drawing his sword, ran after him, like a fire with high smoke. Hari cut down in turn the sword, crown, and then the head of the King of Cedi who was shouting abuse, evil-minded. Angered by. Siśupāla's killing, Jarāsandha, terrible like Kștānta, attacked with his sons and kings. He said to the Yadus: “Do not die uselessly, sirs! Hand over the two cowherds. Nothing has been hurt today."228
Angered by that speech, like serpents touched by a stick, the Yadus attacked with shouts, raining various weapons. Though he was one, Jarāsandha pierced the Yadu-soldiers with terrible arrows from all sides, as if he had become many, like a hunter deer. Neither foot-soldiers, nor charioteers, nor cavalry, nor elephant-riders were able to stand before Jarāsandha as he fought. Like cotton blown by the wind, the whole army of the Yadus fled in every direction, injured by Jarāsandha's arrows. Jarāsandha dived into the great pool of Yadu-soldiers on all sides, like a buffalo, and the Yadus became frogs in it.
Twenty-eight sons of Jarāsandha, throwing the poison of weapons, like serpents, attacked Rāma. The other sixty-nine sons of Jarāsandha, wishing to kill Janārdana, besieged him like demons. A terrible fight took place between Rāma and Kșşņa and them, which rained sparks from the destruction of each other's missiles. Rāma dragged Jarāsandha's twentyeight sons by the plow and crushed them, like ants, with the pestle. Shouting, “ Even now this cowherd, disregarded, is killing," Jarāsandha struck Rāma with a club like a thunderbolt. Rāma vomited blood from the blow with the club and
227 401. As a matter of fact, Rukmin was not responsible. It was Jivayaśas, who incited her father.
228 406. Apparently he means that nothing has happened so far to prevent peace, if Rāma and Kțşņa are surrendered.
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