a thick down-pour of keen-edged shafts.  And the two heroes stationed on their cars, creating clouds of keen-edged arrows in a combat carried on by means of countless shafts and weapons, appeared to the spectators like the sun and the moon covered by clouds, and the light-handed Karna, unable to bear the sight of the foe, pierced the four horses of the diadem-decked hero with whetted arrows, and then struck his car-driver with three shafts, and his flagstaff also with three.  Thus struck, that grinder of all adversaries in battle, that bull of the Kuru race, Jishnu wielding the Gandiva, like a lion awaked from slumber, furiously attacked Karna by means of straight-going arrows.  And afflicted by the arrowy shower (of Karna), that illustrious achiever of super-human deeds soon displayed a thick shower of arrows in return.  And he covered Karna’s car with countless shafts like the sun covering the different worlds with rays.  And like a lion attacked by an elephant, Arjuna, taking some keen crescent-shaped arrows from out of his quiver and drawing his bow to his ear, pierced the Suta’s son on every part of his body.  And that grinder of foes pierced Karna’s arms and thighs and head and forehead and neck and other principal parts of his body with whetted shafts endued with the impetuosity of the thunderbolt and shot from the Gandiva in battle.  And mangled and afflicted by the arrows shot by Partha the son of Pandu, Vikartana’s son, quitted the van of battle, and quickly took to flight, like one elephant vanquished by another.’”

SECTION LV

Vaisampayana said, “After the son of Radha had fled from the field, other warriors headed by Duryodhana, one after another, fell upon the son of Pandu with their respective divisions.  And like the shore withstanding the fury of the surging sea, that warrior withstood the rage of that countless host rushing towards him, arrayed in order of battle and showering clouds of arrows.  And that foremost of car-warriors, Kunti’s son Vibhatsu of white steeds, rushed towards the foe, discharging celestial weapons all the while.  Partha soon covered all the points of the horizon with countless arrows shot from the Gandiva, like the sun covering the whole earth with his rays.  And amongst those that fought on cars and horses and elephants, and amongst the mail-clad foot-soldiers, there was none that had on his body a space of even two finger’s breadth unwounded with sharp arrows.  And for his dexterity in applying celestial weapons, and for the training of the steeds and the skill of Uttara, and for the coursing of his weapons, and his prowess and light-handedness, people began to regard Arjuna as the fire that blazeth forth during the time of the universal dissolution for consuming all created things.  And none amongst the foe could cast his eyes on Arjuna who shone like a blazing fire of great effulgence.  And mangled by the arrows of Arjuna, the hostile ranks looked like