MAHABHARATA CONDENSED INTO ENGLISH ... - Mandhata Global
MAHABHARATA CONDENSED INTO ENGLISH ... - Mandhata Global
MAHABHARATA CONDENSED INTO ENGLISH ... - Mandhata Global
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Save thee then, O mighty archer I while I drive my sounding car,<br />
Pandu's son hath met no equal in the valiant art of war!<br />
Darkly frowned the angry Karna, Salya held the loosened rein,<br />
Dashing through the hostile forces then the warrior sped amain,<br />
Through the serried ranks of battle Karna drove in f urious mood,<br />
Facing him in royal splendour good Yudhishthir fearless stood!<br />
Surging ranks of brave Nishadas closed between and fought in vain,<br />
Proud Panchalas stout and faithful vainly strove among the slain,<br />
Onward came the fiery Karna like the ocean's heaving swell,<br />
With the sweeping wrath of tempest on the good Yudhishthir fell!<br />
Wrathful then the son of Pandu marked his noblest chieftains dead,<br />
And in words of scornful anger thus to archer Karna said:<br />
"Hast thou, Karna, vowed the slaughter of my younger Arjun brave,<br />
Wilt thou do Duryodhan's mandate, proud Duryodhan's willing slave,<br />
Unfulfilled thy vow remaineth, for the righteous gods ordain,<br />
By Yudhishthir's hand thou fallest, go and slumber with the slain!"<br />
Fiercely drew his bow Yudhishthir, fiercely was the arrow driven,<br />
Rocky cliff or solid mountain might the shaft have pierced and riven,<br />
Lightning-like it came on Karna, struck and pierced him on the left,<br />
And the warrior fell and fainted as of life and sense bereft!<br />
Soon he rose; the cloud of anger darkened o'er his livid face,<br />
And he drew his godlike weapon with a more than godlike grace,<br />
Arrows keen and dark as midnight gleaming in their lightning flight,<br />
Struck Yudhishthir's royal armour with a fierce resistless might!<br />
Clanking fell the shattered armour from his person fair and pale,<br />
As from sun's meridian splendour clouds are drifted by the gale,<br />
Armourless but bright and radiant brave Yudhishthir waged the fight,<br />
Bright as sky with stars bespangled on a clear and cloudless night,<br />
And he threw his pointed lances like the summer's bursting flood,<br />
Once again Yudhishthir's weapons drank his fiery foeman's blood!