“Sanjaya said, ‘Slaying the force of Duhsasana, the mighty car-warrior, Savyasachin, desirous of getting at the ruler of the Sindhus, proceeded against the division of Drona. Having approached Drona who was stationed at the entrance of the array, Partha, at Krishna’s request joined his hands and said these words unto Drona: “Wish me well, O Brahmana, and bless me, saying Swasti! Through thy grace, I wish to penetrate into this impenetrable array. Thou art to me even as my sire, or even as king Yudhishthira the just, or even as Krishna! I tell thee this truly, O sire, O sinless one! Even as Aswatthaman deserves to be protected by thee, I also deserve to be protected by thee, O foremost of regenerate ones! Through thy grace, O foremost of men, I desire to slay the ruler of the Sindhu in battle. O lord, see that my vow is accomplished.”’
“Sanjaya continued, ‘Thus addressed by him, the preceptor, smiling, replied unto him, saying, “O Vibhatsu, without vanquishing me, thou shalt not be able to vanquish Jayadratha.” Telling him this much, Drona, with a smile covered him with showers of sharp arrows, as also his car and steeds and standard and charioteer. Then, Arjuna baffling Drona’s arrowy showers with his own arrows, rushed against Drona, shooting mightier and more awful shafts. Observant of Kshatriya duties, Arjuna then pierced Drona in that battle with nine arrows. Cutting the shafts of Arjuna by his own shafts, Drona then pierced both Krishna and Arjuna with many shafts that resembled poison or fire. Then, while Arjuna was thinking of cutting off Drona’s bow with his arrows, the latter, endued with great valour, fearlessly and quickly cut off with shafts the bow-string of the illustrious Phalguna. And he also pierced Phalguna’s steeds and standard and charioteer. And the heroic Drona covered Phalguna himself with many arrows, smiling the while. Meantime, stringing his large bow anew, Partha, that foremost of all persons conversant with arms, getting the better of his preceptor, quickly shot six hundred arrows as if he had taken and shot only one arrow. And once more he shot seven hundred other arrows, and then a thousand arrows incapable of being resisted, and ten thousand other arrows. All these slew many warriors of Drona’s array. Deeply pierced with those weapons by the mighty and accomplished Partha, acquainted with all modes of warfare, many men and steeds and elephants fell down deprived of life. And car-warriors, afflicted by those shafts, fell down from their foremost of cars, deprived of horses and standards and destitute of weapons and life. And elephants fell down like summits of hills, or masses of clouds, or large houses, loosened, dispersed, or burnt down by the thunder, or by the wind, or fire. Struck with Arjuna’s shafts, thousands of steeds fell down like swans on the breast of Himavat, struck down by the force of watery current. Like the Sun, that rises at the end of the Yuga, drying up with his rays, vast quantities of water, the son of Pandu, by his showers of weapons and arrows, slew a vast number of car-warriors and steeds and elephants and foot-soldiers. Then like the clouds covering the sun, the Drona-cloud, with its arrowy showers, covered the Pandava-sun, whose rays in the shape of thick showers of arrows were scorching in the battle the foremost ones among the Kurus. And then the preceptor struck Dhananjaya at the breast with a long shaft shot with great force and capable of drinking the life-blood of every foe. Then Arjuna, deprived of strength, shook in all his limbs, like a hill during an earthquake. Soon, however, regaining his fortitude, Vibhatsu pierced Drona with many winged arrows. Then Drona struck Vasudeva with five arrows. And he struck Arjuna with three and seventy arrows, and his standard with three. Then, O king, the valorous Drona getting the better of his disciple, within the twinkling of an eye made Arjuna invisible by means of his arrowy showers. We then beheld the shafts of Bharadwaja’s son falling in continuous lines, and his bow also was seen to present the wonderful aspect of being incessantly drawn to a circle. And those shafts, countless in number, and winged with the Kanka feathers, shot by Drona in that battle, incessantly fell, O king, on Dhananjaya and Vasudeva. Beholding then that battle between Drona and the son of Pandu, Vasudeva of great intelligence began to reflect upon the accomplishment of the (important) task. Then Vasudeva, addressing Dhananjaya, said these words: “O Partha, O thou of mighty arms, we should not waste time. We must go on, avoiding Drona, for a more important task awaits us.” In reply Partha said unto Krishna, “O Kesava, as thou pleasest!” Then keeping the mighty-armed Drona to their right, Arjuna proceeded onwards. Turning his face round, Vibhatsu proceeded, shooting his shafts. Then Drona, addressing Arjuna, said, “Whither dost thou proceed, O son of Pandu! Is it not true that thou ceasest not (to fight) till thou hast vanquished thy foe?"
“‘Arjuna answered, “Thou art my preceptor and not my foe. I am thy disciple and, therefore, like to thy son. Nor is there the man in the whole world who can vanquish thee in battle.”’
“Sanjaya continued, ‘Saying these words, the mighty-armed Vibhatsu, desirous of slaying Jayadratha, quickly proceeded against the (Kaurava) troops. And while he penetrated into thy army, those high-souled princes of Panchala, viz., Yudhamanyu, and Uttamaujas, followed him as the protector of his wheels. Then, O King, Jaya, and Kritavarman of the Satwata race, and the ruler of the Kamvojas, and Srutayus, began to oppose the progress of Dhananjaya. And these had ten thousand car-warriors for their followers. The Abhishahas, the Surasenas, the Sivis, the Vasatis, the Mavellakas, the Lilithyas, the Kaikeyas, the Madrakas, the Narayana Gopalas, and the various tribes of the Kamvojas who had before been vanquished by Karna, all of whom were regarded as very brave, placing Bharadwaja’s son at their head, and becoming regardless of their lives, rushed towards Arjuna, for resisting that angry hero, burning with grief on account of the death of his son, that warrior resembling all-destroying Death himself, clad in mail, conversant with all modes of warfare, prepared to throw away his life in thick of battle,—that mighty bowman of great prowess, that tiger among men,—who resembled an infuriate leader of elephantine herd, and who seemed ready to devour the whole hostile army. The battle then that commenced was exceedingly fierce and made the hair stand on end, between all those combatants on the one side and Arjuna on the other. And all of them, uniting together, began to resist that bull among men, advancing for the slaughter of Jayadratha, like medicines resisting a raging disease.’"
SECTION XCI
“Sanjaya said, ‘Held in check by them, that foremost of car-warriors, viz., Partha of great might and prowess, was quickly pursued by Drona from behind. The son of Pandu, however, like diseases scorching the body, blasted that army, scattering his sharp shafts and resembling on that account the sun himself scattering his countless rays of light. And steeds were pierced, and cars with riders were broken and mangled, and elephants were overthrown. And umbrellas were cut off and displaced, and vehicles were deprived of their wheels. And the combatants fled on all sides, exceedingly afflicted with arrows. Even thus progressed that fierce battle between those warriors and Arjuna encountering each other. Nothing could be distinguished. With his straight shafts, Arjuna, O monarch, made the hostile army tremble incessantly. Firmly devoted to truth, Arjuna then, of white steeds desirous of accomplishing his vow rushed against the foremost of car-warriors, viz., Drona of red steeds. Then the preceptor, Drona, struck his disciple, viz., the mighty bowman Arjuna, with five and twenty straight shafts capable of reaching the very vitals. Thereupon, Vibhatsu, that foremost of all wielders of weapons, quickly rushed against Drona, shooting arrows capable of baffling the force of counter arrows, shot at him. Invoking into existence then the Brahma weapon, Arjuna, of immeasurable soul, baffled with his straight shafts those shot so speedily at him by Drona. The skill we then beheld of Drona was exceedingly wonderful, since Arjuna, though young, and though struggling vigorously, could not pierce Drona with a single shaft. Like a mass of clouds pouring torrents of rain, the Drona cloud rained shower on the Partha-mountain. Possessed of great energy, Arjuna received that arrowy downpour, O king, by invoking the Brahma weapon, and cut off all those arrows by arrows of his own. Drona then afflicted Partha of white steeds with five and twenty arrows. And he struck Vasudeva with seventy arrows on the chest and arms. Partha then, of great intelligence, smiling the while resisted the preceptor in that battle who was incessantly shooting sharp arrows. Then those two foremost of car-warriors, while thus struck by Drona, avoided that invincible warrior, who resembled the raging Yuga fire. Avoiding those sharp shafts shot from Drona’s bow, the diadem-decked son of Kunti, adorned with garlands of flowers, began to slaughter the host of the Bhojas. Indeed, avoiding the invincible Drona who stood immovable like the Mainaka mountain, Arjuna took up his position between Kritavarman and Sudakshina the ruler of the Kamvojas. Then that tiger among men, viz., the ruler of the Bhojas, coolly pierced that invincible and foremost descendant of Ruru with ten arrows winged with Kanka feathers. Then Arjuna pierced him, O monarch, in that battle with a hundred arrows. And once more he pierced him with three other arrows, stupefying that hero of the Satwata race. The ruler of the Bhojas then, laughing the while, pierced Partha and Vasudeva each with five and twenty arrows. Arjuna then, cutting off Kritavarman’s bow, pierced him with one and twenty arrows resembling blazing flames of fire or angry snakes of virulent poison. Then Kritavarman, that mighty car-warrior, taking up another bow, pierced Arjuna in the chest, O Bharata, with five arrows. And once more he pierced Partha with five sharp arrows. Then Partha struck him in return in the centre of the chest with nine arrows. Beholding the son of Kunti obstructed before the car of Kritavarman, he of Vrishni’s race thought that no time should be wasted. Then Krishna addressing Partha, said, “Do not show any mercy to Kritavarman! Disregarding thy relationship (with him), crush and slay him!” Then Arjuna, stupefying Kritavarman with his arrows, proceeded, on his swift steeds, to the division of the Kamvojas. Seeing Arjuna of white steeds penetrate into the Kamvoja force, Kritavarman became filled with wrath. Taking his bow with arrows fixed thereon, he then encountered the two Panchala princes. Indeed, Kritavarman, with his arrows resisted those two Panchala princes as they advanced, following Arjuna for protecting his wheels. Then Kritavarman, the ruler of the Bhojas, pierced them both with sharp shafts, striking Yudhamanyu with three, and Uttamaujas with four. Those two princes in return each pierced him with ten arrows. And once more, Yudhamanyu shooting three arrows and Uttamaujas shooting three cut off Kritavarman’s standard and bow. Then the son of Hridika, taking up another bow, and becoming infuriated with rage, deprived both those warriors of their bows and covered them with arrows. Then those two warriors, taking up and stringing two other bows, began to pierce Kritavarman. Meanwhile Vibhatsu penetrated into the hostile army. But those two princes, resisted by Kritavarman, obtained no admittance into the Dhritarashtra host, although those bulls among men struggled vigorously. Then Arjuna of white steeds quickly afflicted in that battle the divisions opposed to him. That slayer of foes, however, slew not Kritavarman although he had got him within reach. Beholding Partha thus proceeding, the brave king Srutayudha, filled with wrath, rushed at him, shaking his large bow. And he pierced Partha with three arrows, and Janardana with seventy. And he struck the standard of Partha with a very sharp arrow having a razor-like head. Then Arjuna, filled with wrath deeply pierced his antagonist with ninety straight shafts, like (a rider) striking a mighty elephant with the hook. Srutayudha, however, could not, O king, brook that act of prowess on the part of Pandu’s son. He pierced Arjuna in return with seven and seventy shafts. Arjuna then cut off Srutayudha’s bow and then his quiver, and angrily struck him on the chest with seven straight shafts. Then, king Srutayudha, deprived of his senses by wrath, took up another bow and struck the son of Vasava with nine arrows on the latter’s arms and chest. Then Arjuna, that chastiser of foes laughing the while, O Bharata, afflicted Srutayudha with many thousands of arrows. And that mighty car-warrior quickly slew also the latter’s steeds and charioteer. Endued with great strength the son of Pandu then pierced his foe with seventy arrows. Then the valiant king Srutayudha abandoning that steedless car, rushed in that encounter against Partha, uplifting his mace. The heroic king Srutayudha was the son of Varuna, having for his mother that mighty river of cool water called Parnasa. His mother, O king, had for the sake of her son, begged Varuna saying, “Let this my son become unslayable on earth.” Varuna, gratified (with her), had said, “I give him a boon highly beneficial to him, viz., a celestial weapon, by virtue of which this thy son will become unslayable on earth by foes. No man can have immortality. O foremost of rivers, every one who hath taken birth must inevitably die. This child, however, will always be invincible by foes in battle, through the power of this weapon. Therefore, let thy heart’s fever be dispelled.” Having said these words, Varuna gave him, with mantras, a mace. Obtaining that mace, Srutayudha became invincible on earth. Unto him, however, illustrious Lord of the waters again said, “This mace should not be hurled at one who is not engaged in fight. If hurled at such a person, it will come back and fall upon thyself. O illustrious child, (if so hurled) it will then course in an opposite direction and slay the person hurling it.” It would seem that when his hour came, Srutayudha disobeyed that injunction. With that hero-slaying mace he attacked Janardana. The valiant Krishna received that mace on one of his well-formed and stout shoulders. It failed to shake Sauri, like the wind failing to shake the Vindhya mountain. That mace, returning unto Srutayudha himself, struck that brave and wrathful king staying on his car, like an ill-accomplished act of sorcery injuring the performer himself, and slaying that hero fell down on the earth. Beholding the mace turn back and Srutayudha slain, loud cries of Alas and Oh arose there among the troops, at the sight of Srutayudha that chastiser of foes, slain by a weapon of his own.[137] And because, O monarch, Srutayudha had hurled that mace at Janardana who was not engaged in fighting it slew him who had hurled it. And Srutayudha perished on the field, even in the manner that Varuna had indicated. Deprived of life, he fell down on the earth before the eyes of all the bowmen. While falling down, that dear son of Parnasa shone resplendent like a tall banian with spreading boughs broken by the wind. Then all the troops and even all the principal warriors fled away, beholding Srutayudha, that chastiser of foes, slain. Then, the son of the ruler of the Kamvojas, viz., the brave Sudakshina, rushed on his swift steeds against Phalguna that slayer of foes. Partha, then, O Bharata, sped seven shafts at him. Those shafts passing through the body of that hero, entered the earth. Deeply pierced by those shafts sped in battle from Gandiva, Sudakshina pierced Arjuna in return with ten shafts winged with Kanka feathers. And piercing Vasudeva with three shafts, he once more pierced Partha with five. Then, O sire, Partha, cutting off Sudakshina’s bow, lopped off the latter’s standard. And the son of Pandu pierced his antagonist with a couple of broad-headed arrows of great sharpness. Sudakshina, however, piercing Partha once more with three arrows, uttered a leonine shout. Then the brave Sudakshina, filled with wrath, hurled at the wielder of Gandiva a terrible dart made wholly of iron and decked with bells. That dart blazing as a large meteor, and emitting sparks of fire, approaching that mighty car-warrior pierced him through and fell down on the earth. Deeply struck by that dart and overcome with a swoon, Arjuna soon enough recovered. Then that hero of mighty energy, licking the corners of his mouth, that son of Pandu, of inconceivable feats, pierced his foe, along with his steeds, standard, bow, and charioteer, with four and ten shafts winged with Kanka feathers. With other arrows, countless in number, Partha then cut Sudakshina’s car into fragments. And then the son of Pandu pierced Sudakshina, the prince of the Kamvojas, whose purpose and prowess had both been baffled, with a sharp arrow in the chest. Then the brave prince of the Kamvojas, his coat of mail cut off, his limbs weakened, his diadem and Angadas displaced, fell head downwards, like a pole of Indra when hurled from an engine. Like a beautiful Karnikara tree in the spring, gracefully growing on a mountain summit with beautiful branches, lying on the earth when uprooted by the wind, the prince of the Kamvojas lay on the bare ground deprived of life, though deserving of the costliest bed, decked with costly ornaments. Handsome, possessed of eyes that were of a coppery hue, and bearing on his head a garland of gold, endued with the effulgence of fire, the mighty-armed Sudakshina, the son of the ruler of the Kamvojas, overthrown by Partha with his shafts, and lying on the earth, reft of life, looked resplendent like a beautiful mountain with a level top. Then all the troops of thy son fled away, beholding Srutayudha, and Sudakshina the prince of the Kamvojas, slain.’"
SECTION XCII
“Sanjaya said, ‘Upon the fall of Sudakshina and of the heroic Srutayudha, O monarch, thy warriors, filled with wrath, rushed with speed at Partha. The Abhishahas, the Surasenas, the Sivis, the Vasatis began, O king, to scatter their arrowy showers on Dhananjaya. The son of Pandu then consumed by means of his arrows six hundred of them at once. Thereupon, those warriors, terrified, fled away like smaller animals from a tiger. Rallying, they once more surrounded Partha, who was slaying his foes and vanquishing them in battle. Dhananjaya then, with shafts sped from Gandiva, speedily felled the heads and arms of the combatants thus rushing upon him. Not an inch of the field of battle was unstrewn with fallen heads, and the flights of crows and vultures and ravens that hovered over the field seemed to form a cloudy canopy. Seeing their men thus exterminated, Srutayus and Achyutayus were both filled with wrath. And they continued to contend vigorously with Dhananjaya. Endued with great might, proud, heroic, of noble lineage, and possessed of strength of arms, those two bowmen, O king, solicitous of winning great fame and desirous, for the sake of thy son, to compass the destruction of Arjuna, quickly showered upon the latter their arrowy downpours at once from his right and left. Those angry heroes, with a thousand straight shafts, covered Arjuna like two masses of clouds filling a lake. Then that foremost of car-warriors viz., Srutayus filled with wrath, struck Dhananjaya with a well-tempered lance. That crusher of foes viz., Arjuna, then, deeply pierced by his mighty foe, swooned away in that battle, stupefying Kesava also (by that act). Meanwhile, the mighty car-warrior Achyutayus forcibly struck the son of Pandu with a keen-pointed spear. By the act he seemed to pour an acid upon the wound of the high-souled son of Pandu. Deeply pierced therewith, Partha supported himself by seizing the flag-staff. Then a leonine shout was sent forth by all the troops, O monarch, in the belief that Dhananjaya was deprived of life. And Krishna also was scorched with grief upon beholding Partha senseless. Then Kesava comforted Dhananjaya with soothing words. Then those foremost of car-warriors, (viz., Srutayus and Achyutayus), of true aim, pouring their arrowy showers on all sides, in that battle, made Dhananjaya and Vasudeva of Vrishni’s race invisible with their car and car-wheels and Kuvaras, their steeds and flagstaff and banner. And all this seemed wonderful. Meanwhile, O Bharata, Vibhatsu slowly regained his senses, like one come back from the very abode of the king of the dead. Beholding his car with Kesava overwhelmed with arrows and seeing also those two antagonists of his staying before him like two blazing fires, the mighty car-warrior Partha then invoked into existence the weapon named after Sakra. From that weapon flowed thousands of straight shafts. And those shafts struck Srutayus and Achyutayus, those mighty bowmen. And the arrows shot by the latter, pierced by those of Partha, coursed through the welkin. And the son of Pandu quickly baffling those arrows by the force of his own arrows, began to career over the field, encountering mighty car-warriors. Meanwhile Srutayus and Achyutayus were, by Arjuna’s arrowy showers, deprived of their arms and heads. And they fell down on the earth, like a couple of tall trees broken by the wind. And the death of Srutayus and slaughter of Achyutayus created surprise equal to what men would feel at the sight of the ocean becoming dry. Then slaying fifty car-warriors amongst the followers of those two princes, Partha proceeded against the Bharata army, slaying many foremost of warriors. Beholding both Srutayus and Achyutayus slain, their sons, those foremost of men, viz., Niyatayus and Dirghayus, O Bharata, both filled with rage, rushed against the son of Kunti, scattering shafts of diverse kinds, and much pained by the calamity that had happened to their sires. Arjuna, excited with rage, in a moment despatched them both towards Yama’s abode, by means of straight shafts. And those bulls among Kshatriyas (that were in the Kuru army) were unable to resist Partha who agitated the Dhartarashtra ranks, like an elephant agitating the waters of a lake filled with lotuses. Then thousands of trained elephant-riders amongst the Angas, O monarch, filled with rage, surrounded the son of Pandu with their elephant-force. Urged by Duryodhana, many kings also of the west and the south, and many others headed by the ruler of the Kalingas, also surrounded Arjuna, with their elephants huge as hills. Partha however, with shafts sped from Gandiva, quickly cut off the heads and arms, decked with ornaments, of those advancing combatants. The field of battle, strewn with those heads and arms decked with Angadas, looked like golden stones entwined by snakes. And the arms of warriors cut off therewith, while falling down, looked like birds dropping down from trees. And the elephants, pierced with thousands of arrows and shedding blood (from their wounds), looked like hills in the season of rains with liquefied red chalk streaming down their sides. Others, slain by Partha with sharp shafts, lay prostrate on the field. And many Mlecchas on the backs of elephants, of diverse kinds of ugly forms, robed in diverse attires, O king, and armed with diverse kinds of weapons, and bathed in blood, looked resplendent as they lay on the field, deprived of life by means of diverse kinds of arrows. And thousands of elephants along with their riders and those on foot that urged them forward, struck with Partha’s shafts, vomited blood, or uttered shrieks of agony, or fell down, or ran ungovernably in all directions. And many, exceedingly frightened, trod down and crushed their own men. And many which were kept as reserves and which were fierce as snakes of virulent poison, did the same. And many terrible Yavanas and Paradas and Sakas and Valhikas, and Mlecchas born of the cow (belonging to Vasishtha), of fierce eyes, accomplished in smiting looking like messengers of Death, and all conversant with the deceptive powers of the Asuras and many Darvabhisaras and Daradas and Pundras numbering by thousands, of bands, and together forming a force that was countless, began to shower their sharp shafts upon the son of Pandu. Accomplished in various modes of warfare, those Mlecchas covered Arjuna with their arrows. Upon them, Dhananjaya also quickly poured his arrows. And those arrows, shot from Gandiva, looked like flights of locusts, as they coursed through the welkin. Indeed, Dhananjaya, having by his arrows caused a shade over the troops like that of the clouds, slew, by the force of his weapons, all the Mlecchas, with heads completely shaved or half-shaved or covered with matted locks, impure in habits, and of crooked faces. Those dwellers of hills, pierced with arrows, those denizens of mountain-caves, fled away in fear. And ravens and Kankas and wolves, with great glee, drank the blood of those elephants and steeds and their Mleccha-riders overthrown on the field by Partha with his sharp shafts. Indeed, Arjuna caused a fierce river to flow there whose current consisted of blood. (Slain) foot-soldiers and steeds and cars and elephants constituted its embankments. The showers of shafts poured constituted its rafts and the hairs of the combatants formed its moss and weeds. And the fingers cut off from the arms of warriors, formed its little fishes. And that river was as awful as Death itself at the end of the Yuga. And that river of blood flowed towards the region of Yama, and the bodies of slain elephants floating on it, obstructed its current. And the earth was covered all over with the blood of Kshatriyas and of elephants and steeds and their riders, and became one bloody expanse like to what is seen when Indra showers a heavy down-pour covering uplands and lowlands alike. And that bull among Kshatriyas despatched six thousand horsemen and again a thousand foremost of Kshatriyas in that battle into the jaws of death. Thousands of well-equipped elephants, pierced with arrows, lay prostrate on the field, like hills struck down by thunder. And Arjuna careered over the field, slaying steeds and car-warriors and elephants, like an elephant of rent temples crushing a forest a reeds. As a conflagration, urged by the wind, consumes a dense forest of trees and creepers and plants and dry wood and grass, even so did that fire, viz., Pandu’s son Dhananjaya, having shafts for its flames and urged on by the Krishna-wind, angrily consume the forest of thy warriors. Making the terraces of cars empty, and causing the earth to be strewn, with human bodies, Dhananjaya seemed to dance bow in hand, in the midst of those vast masses of men. Deluging the earth with blood by means of his shafts, endued with the strength of the thunder, Dhananjaya, excited with wrath, penetrated into the Bharata host. While thus proceeding, Srutayus, the ruler of the Amvashthas, resisted him. Arjuna then, O sire, speedily felled with keen shafts equipped with Kanka feathers, the steeds of Srutayus struggling in battle. And cutting off with other shafts, the bow also of his antagonist, Partha careered over the field. The ruler of the Amvashthas, then with eyes troubled in wrath, took up a mace and approached the mighty car-warrior Partha and Kesava also in that battle. Then that hero, uplifting his mace, stopped the (progress of Arjuna’s) car by its strokes, and struck Kesava also therewith. Then that slayer of hostile heroes, viz., Arjuna, beholding Kesava struck with that mace, became filled with wrath. And, then, O Bharata, that hero, with his shafts, equipped with wings of gold, covered the ruler of the Amvashthas, that foremost or car-warriors, armed with mace, like clouds covering the risen sun. With other shafts, Partha then cut off the mace of that high-souled warrior in fragments, reducing it almost to dust. And all this seemed highly wonderful. Beholding that mace of his cut off in fragments, the ruler of the Amvashthas took up another huge mace, and repeatedly struck both Arjuna and Kesava therewith. Then, Arjuna with a couple of sharp broad-faced arrows, cut off the uplifted arms of Srutayus which held the mace, those arms that looked like a couple of Indra’s standard, and with another winged arrow, he cut off the head of that warrior. Thus slain, Srutayus fell down, O king, filling the earth with a loud noise, like a tall standard of Indra when the strings, tying it to the engine on which it is set, are cut off. Surrounded then on all sides by rounds of cars and by hundreds upon hundreds of elephants and cars, Partha became invisible like the sun covered with clouds.’"