The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1 eBook

fat exuded by the bodies of creatures, blazed forth with all his flames, filling the universe with his roar.  Then numerous birds of the Garuda tribe bearing excellent feathers, beholding that the forest was protected by Krishna and Arjuna, descended filled with pride, from the upper skies, desirous of striking those heroes with their thunderlike wings, beaks and claws.  Innumerable Nagas also, with faces emitting fire descending from high, approached Arjuna, vomiting the most virulent poison all the while.  Beholding them approach, Arjuna cut them into pieces by means of arrows steeped in the fire of his own wrath.  Then those birds and snakes, deprived of life, fell into the burning element below.  And there came also, desirous of battle, innumerable Asuras with Gandharvas and Yakshas and Rakshasas and Nagas sending forth terrific yells.  Armed with machines vomiting from their throats (mouths?) iron balls and bullets, and catapults for propelling huge stones, and rockets, they approached to strike Krishna and Partha, their energy and strength increased by wrath.  But though they rained a perfect shower of weapons, Vibhatsu, addressing them reproachfully, struck off their heads with his own sharp arrows.  That slayer of foes, Krishna, also, endued with great energy, made a great slaughter of the Daitya and the Danava with his discus.  Many Asuras of immeasurable might, pierced with Krishna’s arrows and smitten with the force of his discus, became motionless like waifs and strays stranded on the bank by the violence of the waves.  Then Sakra the lord of the celestials, riding on his white elephant, rushed at those heroes, and taking up his thunderbolt which could never go in vain, hurled it with great force.  And the slayer of Asuras said unto the gods, ’These two are slain.’  Beholding the fierce thunderbolt about to be hurled by their chief, the celestials all took up their respective weapons.  Yama, O king, took up the death-dealing mace, and Kuvera his spiked club, and Varuna his noose and beautiful missile.  And Skanda (Kartikeya) took up his long lance and stood motionless like the mountain of Meru.  The Aswins stood there with resplendent plants in their hands.  Dhatri stood, bow in hand, and Jaya with a thick club.  Tvashtri of great strength took up in wrath, a huge mountain and Surya stood with a bright dart, and Mrityu with a battle-axe.  Aryaman stalked about with a terrible bludgeon furnished with sharp spikes, and Mitra stood there with a discus sharp as a razor.  And, O monarch, Pusha and Bhaga and Savitri, in wrath, rushed at Krishna and Partha with bows and scimitars in hand.  And Rudras and the Vasus, the mighty Maruts and the Viswedevas and the Sadhyas, all resplendent with their own energy,—­these and many other celestials, armed with various weapons rushed against those exalted of men, Krishna and Partha, for smiting them down.  Then were seen in that great conflict wonderful portents all around robbing every creature of his sense, and resembling those
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