|
47. PROMISE FULFILLED
After that, he attacked and
defeated Drona. Seeing Drona standing
spent with fatigue, Aswatthama joined in
the fight and attacked Arjuna, which gave
Arjuna an opportunity of letting Drona
withdraw from the field.
Then, there ensued a bitter struggle
between Aswatthama and Arjuna. When
Aswatthama grew weary, Kripa relieved
him and maintained the attack against
Arjuna.
But Kripa also sustained defeat and the
whole army was routed and fled in fear.
Though rallied and brought back to the
attack by Bhishma, Drona and others,
there was no fight left in them. Finally,
they left the field, after a glorious fight
between Bhishma and Arjuna, which, it is
said, the gods themselves came to see.
The attempt to head off Arjuna’s pursuit
of Duryodhana thus failed and soon
Arjuna came up with Duryodhana and
strongly attacked him. Duryodhana was
defeated and fled from the battlefield, but
not far, because, when Arjuna taunted him
with cowardice, he turned round like a
serpent and resumed the fight.
Bhishma and others surrounded and
protected him. Arjuna fought and finally,
he employed a magic weapon that made
them all fall down unconscious on the
battlefield. While they were in that
condition he snatched away their
garments. The seizure of the clothes of the
enemy was the sign of decisive victory in
those days.
When Duryodhana came, Bhishma sent
him back to the city. The whole army
returned to Hastinapura after this
humiliating defeat.
Arjuna said: "O Uttara, turn back the
horses. Our cows have been regained. Our
enemies have fled. O prince, return to
your kingdom, adorning your person with
sandal paste and decked with flowers."
On the way back, Arjuna deposited the
weapons as before on the tree and dressed
himself once more as Brihannala. He sent
messengers in advance to proclaim in the
city that Uttara had won a glorious
victory.
|
|