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66.THE THIRD DAY'S BATTLE
He had too much regard for his great
grandsire. Krishna thought that, if Arjuna
went on like this, the army, which had
been so badly demoralized already, would
be utterly destroyed and all would be lost.
Krishna managed the chariot skilfully, but
in spite of it, both he and Arjuna were hit
many times by Bhishma's arrows.
Janardana's (Krishna) anger rose. "I can
stand this no longer, Arjuna. I shall kill
Bhishma myself if you will not do it!" he
exclaimed, and dropping the reins, he took
up his discus and jumped down from the
chariot and dashed forward towards
Bhishma.
Bhishma was far from being perturbed at
this. On the contrary, his face expanded
with ecstatic joy. "Come, come, Oh Lotuseyed
One!" he exclaimed.
"I bow to you, Oh Madhava. Lord of the
World, have you indeed come down from
the chariot for my sake? I offer you my
life. If I be slain by you, I shall be
glorified in the three worlds. Give me that
boon. May your hands take this life away
and save me for eternity."
Arjuna was distressed to see this. He
jumped down and ran after Krishna.
Overtaking him with great difficulty, he
entreated Krishna to turn back.
"Do not lose your patience with me.
Desist and I promise not to flinch," he
said, and persuaded Krishna to return. The
chariot reins were again in Krishna's
hands. Arjuna attacked the Kaurava forces
furiously and thousands were slain by
him.
The Kauravas suffered a severe defeat on
the evening of the third day. As they
returned to their camps in torchlight, they
said to one another: "Who can equal
Arjuna? There is nothing strange in his
being victorious." So marvelous was
Arjuna's prowess that day.
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