And Dhananjaya also cut off with his sharp crescent-shaped
arrows, the heads, as well as the bows of all the twelve Sauvira heroes.
And the great warrior killed in battle, with the arrow, the leaders of
the Ikshwakus and the hosts of Sivis and Trigartas and Saindhavas. And a
great many elephants with their colours, and chariots with standards,
were seen to fall by the hand of Arjuna. And heads without trunks, and
trunks without heads, lay covering the entire field of battle. And dogs,
and herons and ravens, and crows, and falcons, and jackals, and
vultures, feasted on the flesh and blood of warriors slain on that
field. And when Jayadratha, the king of Sindhu, saw that his warriors
were slain, he became terrified and anxious to run away leaving Krishna
behind. And in that general confusion, the wretch, setting down Draupadi
there, fled for his life, pursuing the same forest path by which he had
come. And king Yudhishthira the just, seeing Draupadi with Dhaumya
walking before, caused her to be taken up on a chariot by the heroic
Sahadeva, the son of Madri. And when Jayadratha had fled away Bhima
began to mow down with his iron-arrows such of his followers as were
running away striking each trooper down after naming him. But Arjuna
perceiving that Jayadratha had run away exhorted his brother to refrain
from slaughtering the remnant of the Saindhava host. And Arjuna said, 'I
do not find on the field of battle Jayadratha through whose fault alone
we have experienced this bitter misfortune! Seek him out first and may
success crown thy effort! What is the good of thy slaughtering these
troopers? Why art thou bent upon this unprofitable business?'"
Vaisampayana continued, "Bhimasena, thus exhorted by Arjuna of great
wisdom, turning to Yudhishthira, replied, saying, 'As a great many of
the enemy's warriors have been slain and as they are flying in all
directions, do thou, O king, now return home, taking with thee Draupadi
and the twin brothers and high-souled Dhaumya, and console the princess
after getting back to our asylum! That foolish king of Sindhu I shall
not let alone as long as he lives, even if he find a shelter in the
internal regions or is backed by Indra himself!' And Yudhishthira
replied, saying, 'O thou of mighty arms remembering (our sister) Dussala
and the celebrated Gandhari, thou shouldst not slay the king of Sindhu
even though he is so wicked!'"
Vaisampayana continued, "Hearing these words, Draupadi was greatly
excited.
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