Then, O king, the son of Hridika, inflamed with rage in that battle, rushed impetuously at that mighty car-warrior, viz., the son of Yajnasena, that warrior, O monarch, who was the cause of the illustrious Bhishma’s fall in battle.  Indeed, the heroic Kritavarman rushed at Sikhandin, displaying his might, like a tiger at an elephant.  Then those two chastisers of foes, who resembled a couple of huge elephants or two blazing fires, encountered each other with clouds of shafts.  And they took their best of bows and aimed their arrows, and shot them in hundreds like a couple of suns shedding their rays.  And those two mighty car-warriors scorched each other with their keen shafts, and shone resplendent like two Suns appearing at the end of the Yuga.  And Kritavarman in that battle pierced that mighty car-warrior viz., Yajnasena’s son, with three and seventy shafts and once more with seven.  Deeply pierced therewith, Sikhandin sat down in pain on the terrace of his car, throwing aside his bow and arrows, and was overtaken by a swoon.  Beholding that hero in a swoon, thy troops, O bull among men, worshipped the son of Hridika, and waved their garments in the air.  Seeing Sikhandin thus afflicted with the shafts of Hridika’s son his charioteer quickly bore that mighty car-warrior away from the battle.  The Parthas, beholding Sikhandin lying senseless on the terrace of his car, soon encompassed Kritavarman in that battle with crowds of cars.  The mighty car-warrior, Kritavarman, then achieved a most wonderful feat there, inasmuch as, alone, he held in check all the Parthas with their followers.  Having thus vanquished the Parthas, that mighty car-warrior then vanquished the Chedis, the Panchalas, the Srinjayas, and the Kekayas, all of whom are endued with great prowess.  The forces of the Pandavas then, thus slaughtered by the son of Hridika began to run in all directions, unable to stay coolly in battle.  Having vanquished the sons of Pandu headed by Bhimasena himself, the son of Hridika stayed in battle like a blazing fire.  Those mighty car-warriors, afflicted with torrents of shafts and routed by Hridika’s son in battle, ventured not to face him.’”

SECTION CXIV

“Sanjaya said, ’Listen with undivided attention, O king.  After the rout of that force by the high-souled son of Hridika, and upon the Parthas being humiliated with shame and thy troops elated with joy, he that became protector of the Pandavas who were solicitous of protection while sinking in that fathomless sea of distress, that hero, viz., the grandson of Sini, hearing that fierce uproar, of thy army in that terrible fight, quickly turned back and proceeded against Kritavarman.  Hridika’s son, Kritavarman, then excited with wrath, covered the grandson of Sini with clouds of sharp shafts.  At this, Satyaki also became filled with rage.  The grandson of Sini then quickly sped at Kritavarman a sharp and broad-headed arrow in the encounter and