“Sanjaya said, ‘The ruler of the Madras shrouded on all sides, with clouds of shafts, Virata with his troops, who was proceeding quickly for getting at Drona. The battle that took place between those two great bowmen resembled, O king, that between Vala and Vasava in days of yore. The ruler of the Madras, O monarch, with great activity, struck Virata, that commander of a large division, with a hundred straight shafts. King Virata, in return, pierced the ruler of the Madras with nine keen arrows, and once more with three and seventy, and once again with a hundred. The ruler of the Madras, then, slaying the four steeds yoked unto Virata’s car, cut down with a couple of shafts, the latter’s umbrella and standard. Quickly jumping down from that steedless car, the king stood, drawing his bow and shooting keen shafts. Beholding his brother deprived of his steeds, Satanika quickly approached him on his car in the very sight of all the troops. The ruler of the Madras, however, piercing the advancing Satanika with many shafts, despatched him to the abode of Yama. Upon the fall of the heroic Satanika, Virata, that commander of a large division, ascended the fallen hero’s car, decked with standard and garlands.[223] Opening his eyes wide, and with prowess doubled by wrath, Virata quickly covered the car of the ruler of the Madras with winged arrows. The ruler of the Madras then, excited with rage, deeply pierced Virata, that commander of a large division, in the chest, with a hundred straight shafts. Deeply pierced by the mighty ruler of the Madras, that great car-warrior, viz., Virata, sat down on the terrace of his car and swooned away. His driver, then, beholding him mangled with shafts in that encounter, bore him away. Then that vast force, O Bharata, fled away on that night, oppressed by hundreds of arrows of Salya, that ornament of battle. Beholding the troops flying away, Vasudeva and Dhananjaya quickly advanced to that spot, O monarch, where Salya was stationed. Then that prince of the Rakshasas, viz., Alamvusha, O king, riding upon a foremost car, harnessed with eight steeds, having terrible-looking Pisachas of equine faces yoked unto it, furnished with blood-red banners, decked with floral garlands made of black iron, covered with bear-skins, and possessing a tall standard over which perched a terrible, fierce-looking, and incessantly shrieking vulture, of spotted wings and wide-open eyes, proceeded against those advancing heroes. That Rakshasa, O king, looked beautiful like a loose heap of antimony, and he withstood the advancing Arjuna, like Meru withstanding a tempest, scattering showers of arrows, O monarch, upon Arjuna’s head. The battle then that commenced between the Rakshasa and that human warrior, was exceedingly fierce. And it filled all the spectators there, O Bharata, with wonder. And it conduced to the joy also of vultures and crows, of ravens and owls and Kankas and jackals. Arjuna struck Alamvusha with six shafts and then cut off his standard with ten sharp arrows. With a few other arrows, he cut off his driver, and with some others his Trivenu, and with one more, his bow, and with four others his four steeds. Alamvusha strung another bow, but that also Arjuna cut off in two fragments. Then, O bull of Bharata’s race, Partha pierced that prince of the Rakshasas with four keen arrows. Thus pierced, the Rakshasa fled away in fear. Having vanquished him, Arjuna quickly proceeded towards the spot where Drona was, shooting as he went, many shafts, O king, at men, elephants, and steeds. Slaughtered O monarch, by the illustrious son of Pandu, the combatants fell down on the ground, like trees laid low by a tempest. Thus treated by the illustrious son of Pandu, all of them fled like a frightened herd of deer.’"
SECTION CLXVIII
“Sanjaya said, ‘Thy son, Chitrasena, O Bharata, resisted (Nakula’s son) Satanika who was engaged in scorching thy host with his keen shafts. Nakula’s son pierced Chitrasena with five arrows. The latter then pierced the former in return with ten whetted shafts. And once more Chitrasena, O monarch, in that battle, pierced Satanika in the chest with nine keen shafts. Then the son of Nakula with many straight shafts cut Chitrasena’s armour from off his body. This feat of his seemed exceedingly wonderful. Divested of his armour, thy son, O king, looked exceedingly beautiful, like a snake, O monarch, having cast off his slough at the proper season. Then Nakula’s son, with many keen shafts, cut off the struggling Chitrasena’s standard, and then his bow, O monarch, in that encounter. His bow cut off in that combat, and deprived also of his armour, that mighty car-warrior, then, O king, took up another bow capable of piercing every foe. Then Chitrasena, that mighty car-warrior amongst the Bharatas, quickly pierced the son of Nakula with many straight arrows. Then mighty Satanika, excited with rage, O Bharata, slew the four steeds of Chitrasena and then his driver. The illustrious Chitrasena, endued with great strength, jumping down from that car, afflicted the son of Nakula with five and twenty arrows. Then Nakula’s son with a crescent-shaped arrow, cut off in that combat the gold-decked bow of Chitrasena while the latter was engaged in thus striking him. Bowless and carless and steedless and driverless, Chitrasena then quickly ascended the car of the illustrious son Hridika.
“‘Vrishasena, O king, rushed with great speed, scattering shafts in hundreds, against the mighty car-warrior Drupada, advancing at the head of his troops against Drona.[224] Yajnasena, in that encounter pierced that mighty car-warrior, viz., the son of Karna in the arms and the chest, O lord, with sixty arrows. Vrishasena, then, excited with rage, quickly pierced Yajnasena, standing on his car, with many shafts in the centre of the chest. Those two warriors mangled by arrows, and with shafts sticking to their bodies, looked beautiful like a couple of porcupines with their quills erect. Bathed in blood in consequence of the wounds caused by those straight arrows of keen points and golden wings, they looked exceedingly beautiful in that dreadful encounter. Indeed, the spectacle they presented was that of a couple of beautiful and radiant Kalpa trees or of a couple of Kinsukas rich with their flowery burthens. Then Vrishasena, O king, having pierced Drupada with nine arrows, once more pierced him with seventy, and then again with three other arrows. Then shooting thousands of arrows, Karna’s son, O monarch, looked beautiful in that battle, like a cloud pouring torrents of rain. Then Drupada, inflamed with wrath, cut off Vrishasena’s bow into two fragments, with a broad-headed arrow, sharp and well-tempered. Taking, then, another gold-decked bow that was new and strong, and drawing out of his quiver a strong, whetted, well-tempered, sharp and broad-headed arrow, and fixing it on his string, and carefully aiming it at Drupada, he let it off with great force, inspiring all the Somakas with fear. That arrow, piercing through the breast of Drupada, fell on the surface of the earth. The king (of the Panchalas), then, thus pierced through with Vrishasena’s arrow, swooned away. His driver, then, recollecting his own duty, bore him away from the field. After the retreat, O monarch, of that mighty car-warrior of the Panchalas, the (Kaurava) army, on that terrible night, rushed furiously against Drupada’s troops whose coats of mail had been cut off by means of the arrows of the foe. In consequence of the blazing lamps dropped by the combatants all around, the earth, O king, looked beautiful like the cloudless firmament bespangled with planets and stars. With the fallen Angadas of the combatants, the earth looked resplendent, O king, like a mass of clouds in the rainy season with flashes of lightning. Afflicted with the fear of Karna’s son, the Panchalas fled away on all sides, like the Danavas from fear of Indra in the great battle of yore between the gods and the Asuras. Thus afflicted in battle by Vrishasena, the Panchalas and the Somakas, O monarch, illumined by lamps, looked exceedingly beautiful.[225] Having vanquished them in battle, Karna’s son looked beautiful like the sun, O Bharata, when he reaches the meridian. Amongst all those thousands of kings of thy side and theirs the valiant Vrishasena then seemed to be the only resplendent luminary. Having defeated in battle many heroes and all the mighty car-warriors among the Somakas, he quickly proceeded, O king, to the spot where king Yudhishthira was stationed.
“‘Thy son Duhsasana proceeded against that mighty car-warrior, viz., Prativindhya, who was advancing (against Drona), scorching his foes in battle. The encounter that took place between them, O king, looked beautiful, like that of Mercury and Venus in the cloudless firmament. Duhsasana pierced Prativindhya, who was accomplishing fierce feats in battle, with three arrows on the forehead. Deeply pierced by that mighty bowman, thy son, Prativindhya, O monarch, looked beautiful like a crested hill. The mighty car-warrior Prativindhya, then, piercing Duhsasana with three arrows, once more pierced him with seven. Thy son, then, O Bharata, achieved there an exceedingly difficult feat, for he felled Prativindhya’s steeds with many arrows. With another broad-headed arrow he also felled the latter’s driver, and then his standard. And then he cut off, O king, into a thousand fragments the car of Prativindhya, armed with the bow. Excited with rage, O lord, thy son also cut off, with his straight shafts, into numberless fragments the banner, the quivers, the strings, and the traces (of his antagonist’s car). Deprived of his car, the virtuous Prativindhya stood, bow in hand, and contended with thy son scattering numberless arrows. Then Duhsasana, displaying great lightness of hand, cut off Prativindhya’s bow. And then he afflicted his bowless antagonist with ten shafts. Beholding their brother, (Prativindhya) in that plight, his brothers, all mighty car-warriors, rushed impetuously to that spot with a large force. He then ascended the resplendent car of Sutasoma. Taking up another bow, he continued, O king, to pierce thy son. Then many warriors on thy side, accompanied by a large force, rushed impetuously and surrounded thy son (for rescuing him). Then commenced a fierce battle between thy troops and theirs, O Bharata, at that dreadful hour of midnight, increasing the population of Yama’s kingdom.’"
SECTION CLXIX
“Sanjaya said, ‘Against Nakula who was engaged in smiting thy host, Suvala’s son (Sakuni) in wrath, rushed with great impetuosity and addressing him, said, “Wait! Wait!” Each enraged with the other and each desirous of slaying the other, those two heroes struck each other with shafts sped from their bows drawn to their fullest stretch. Suvala’s son in that encounter displayed the same measure of skill that Nakula displayed, O king, in shooting showers of arrows. Both pierced with arrows, O king, in that battle, they looked beautiful like a couple of porcupines with quills erect on their bodies. The armour of each cut off by means of shafts with straight points and golden wings, and each bathed in blood, those two warriors looked resplendent in that dreadful battle like two beautiful and brilliant Kalpa trees, or like two flowering Kinsukas on the field of battle. Indeed, O king, those two heroes in that encounter, both pierced with arrows, looked beautiful like a couple of Salmali trees with prickly thorns on them. Casting oblique glances at each other, with eyes expanded in rage, whose corners had become red, they seemed to scorch each other by those glances. Then thy brother-in-law, excited with wrath, and smiling the while, pierced Madri’s son in the chest with a barbed arrow of keen point. Deeply pierced by that great bowman, viz., thy brother-in-law, Nakula sat down on the terrace of his car and swooned away. Beholding his proud foe, that mortal enemy of his in that plight, Sakuni uttered a roar loud as that of the clouds at the end of summer. Recovering consciousness, Nakula, the son of Pandu, once more rushed against Suvala’s son, like the Destroyer himself of wide-open mouth. Inflamed with rage, O bull of Bharata’s race, he pierced Sakuni with sixty arrows, and more with a hundred long shafts at the centre of his chest. He then cut off Sakuni’s bow with arrow fixed thereon, into two fragments, at the handle. And then cutting off in a trice Sakuni’s standard, he caused it to fall down on the earth. Piercing next Sakuni’s thigh with keen, sharp, and well-tempered shafts, Nakula, the son of Pandu, caused him to fall down on the terrace of his car, clasping his flag-staff, like an amorous man clasping his mistress. Beholding that brother-in-law of thine laid low and deprived of consciousness, O sinless one, his driver quickly bore him away from the van of battle. The Parthas, then, and all their followers, uttered a loud roar. Having vanquished his foes, Nakula, that scorcher of foes, addressing his driver, said, “Bear me to the host commanded by Drona.” Hearing these words of Madri’s son, his driver proceeded to the spot, O king, where Drona was stationed.[226] Against mighty Sikhandin proceeding towards Drona, Kripa resolutely advanced with great impetuosity. That chastiser of foes, viz., Sikhandin, then, smiling the while, pierced with nine arrows the son of Gotama thus advancing against him towards the vicinity of Drona. Then the preceptor, Kripa, that benefactor of thy sons, piercing Sikhandin first with five arrows, once more pierced him with twenty. The combat that took place, O monarch, between them, was exceedingly dreadful, like that between Samvara and the chief of the celestials in the battle between the gods and the Asuras. Those heroic and mighty car-warriors, both invincible in battle, covered the welkin with their arrows, like clouds covering the welkin on the expiry or summer. Terrible of itself, that night, O chief of the Bharatas, became more terrible still to the heroic combatants engaged in battle. Indeed, of terrible aspects and inspiring all sorts of fear, that night became, as it were, death-night (of all creatures). Then Sikhandin, O king, cut off, with a crescent-shaped arrow, the large bow of Gotama’s son and shot at the latter many whetted shafts. Inflamed with wrath, O monarch, Kripa then sped at his antagonist a fierce dart, equipped with a golden shaft and keen point, and polished by the hands of the smith. Sikhandin, however, cut it off with ten shafts as it coursed towards him. That dart, then, decked with gold (thus cut off), fell down on the earth. Then Gautama, foremost of men, taking up another bow, O king, covered Sikhandin with a large number of whetted shafts. Thus covered in that battle by the illustrious son of Gotama, Sikhandin, that foremost of car-warriors sank on the terrace of his car. Beholding him thus weakened, Kripa in that encounter, struck him with many arrows, from desire of slaying him, O Bharata! (Sikhandin then was borne away by his driver). Beholding that mighty car-warrior, viz., the son of Yajnasena retreating from battle, the Panchalas and the Somakas surrounded him on all sides (for rescuing him). Similarly, thy sons also surrounded that foremost of Brahmans, Kripa, with a large force. Then commenced a battle once more, between car-warriors, O king, that struck one another. The uproar that rose became loud as the roaring of clouds, O Bharata, caused by rushing horsemen and elephants, O monarch, smiting one another down. Then, O king, the field of battle looked exceedingly fierce. With the tread of rushing infantry the earth began to tremble, O monarch, like a lady shaken with fear. Car-warriors, mounting on their cars, rushed impetuously, attacking compeers by their thousands, O king, like crows seizing winged insects (in the air). Similarly, mighty elephants with winy exudation down their bodies, pursuing similar elephants, encountered them, O Bharata, furiously. So also, horsemen coming upon horsemen, and foot-soldiers angrily encountered one another in that battle. At dead of night, the sound of retreating and the rushing of troops and of those coming again to the encounter became deafening. The blazing lamps also, placed on cars and elephants and steeds, seemed, O king, large meteors falling from the firmament. That night, O chief of the Bharatas, lightened up by those lamps looked like day, O king, on the field of battle. As the sun, encountering the thick gloom, destroys it completely, even so the thick gloom of the battle was destroyed by those blazing lamps. Indeed, the welkin, the earth, the cardinal and the subsidiary points of the compass, enveloped by dust and darkness, became once more illuminated by that light. The splendour of weapons and coats of mail, and of the jewels of illustrious heroes, became overshadowed, by the light of those blazing lamps. During the progress of that fierce battle at night, none of the combatants, O Bharata, could know the warriors of his own side. Sire, O chief of the Bharatas, slew son, and son, from ignorance, slew sire, and friend slew friend. And relatives slew relatives, and maternal uncles slew sisters’ sons, and warriors slew warriors of their own side, and foes slew their own men, in that battle, O Bharata. In that dreadful nocturnal encounter, O king, all fought furiously, ceasing to have any regard for one another.’"