Arjuna Battles Hara in Kirata Form

Arjuna looked at the kirata — golden-complexioned, dressed in the garb of a hunter, accompanied by women — and was delighted despite his anger. He smiled and spoke. "Who are you, wandering in this deserted forest with women? This animal was chosen by me. Why did you pierce it? Whether you did this from desire or to insult me, you will not escape with your life. What you have done is not in accordance with the rules of hunting." The hunter laughed. "He became my target first. I chose him first. It was my shot that robbed him of his life. Insolent about your own strength, do not blame others for your own faults. You have insulted me. You will not escape with your life. Stay there. I will shoot arrows like thunder at you. Do the best you can." They shouted at each other. Then they shot arrows at each other — arrows like venomous serpents. Arjuna covered the hunter with a shower of arrows. But Shankara — for it was he, though Arjuna did not yet know it — received them all in a happy frame of mind. He stood there like an immobile mountain, unhurt in body, the wielder of the pinaka unmoved by the storm. Arjuna was astonished. "Excellent! Excellent!" he exclaimed. "This one with the delicate body makes his home on the peak of the Himalayas, but he receives the iron arrows unleashed from Gandiva and is not moved. Who is he? Is he a god? Is he Rudra himself? Is he a yaksha or the lord of the gods? Except the god Pinaki, there is no one who can withstand the force of the net of thousands of arrows I have created. As long as it is anyone other than Rudra who stands here, I will send him to Yama's abode." He shot iron arrows by the hundreds, capable of piercing one's weak spots, spreading them like the sun spreads its rays. The illustrious god, the one who holds the trident, cheerfully received them, like a mountain withstands a shower of rocks. In a short while, all of Arjuna's arrows were exhausted. He began to tremble. He thought of the fire-god, who had given him two inexhaustible quivers in Khandava. "What will I unleash from my bow now? My arrows are gone. Who is this man who swallows them all? I will kill him with the curved end of my bow, like a spear used on elephants." He grasped the hunter with the curved end of his bow. The mountain-dweller snatched away his divine bow. Bereft of Gandiva, Arjuna drew his sword and dashed at the hunter with great force. He struck at his head with the sharp sword — one that even mountains could not resist. The sword shattered into pieces. Then Arjuna fought with trees and rocks. The gigantic god in the form of a hunter withstood them all. Smoke billowed from Arjuna's mouth. He struck the hunter with fists that had the force of the vajra (Indra's thunderbolt). The hunter struck back with terrible fists like Shakra's thunder. The sound of slapping arose there — a hair-raising battle of fists, like the ancient battle between Vritra and Vasava. The powerful Arjuna grasped the kirata and pressed his chest. The kirata struck Pandava with great force. From the pressure of their arms and the pressing of their chests, a fire with smoke and embers emerged from their bodies. Then Mahadeva grasped Arjuna's body firmly and attacked him with such energy and force that Arjuna was deluded of his senses. His body became bruised, like a ball of flesh. He lost control. His breathing stopped. He fell down unconscious. And Bhava was pleased.