elephants (called Airavata). And many car-warriors
also, in that conflict, the Jalas of whose cars had
been broken, were like branches of trees dragged down
by tuskers, seized by the hair of their heads and,
thrashed violently on the ground, were crushed into
shapeless masses. And other huge elephants, dragging
cars that were entangled with other cars, ran in all
directions shrieking loudly. And those elephants,
thus dragging those cars, looked like others of their
species dragging lotus-stalks growing in lakes.
And thus was that vast field of battle strewn over
with cavalry soldiers and foot-soldiers and great
car-warriors and standards.”
Sanjaya said, “Sikhandin with Virata king of
the Matsyas speedily approached Bhishma that invincible
and mighty bowman. And Dhananjaya encountered
Drona and Kripa, and Vikarna and many other kings,
brave in battle, all mighty bowmen endued with great
strength, as also that mighty bowman the ruler of
the Sindhus supported by his friends and kinsmen and
many kings of the west and the south also, O bull of
Bharata’s race. And Bhimasena proceeded
against that mighty bowman, viz., thy vindictive
son Duryodhana, and also against Dussaha. And
Sahadeva proceeded against those invincible warriors,
viz., Sakuni and that mighty car-warrior Uluka,
those great bowmen, who were sire and son. And
that mighty car-warrior Yudhishthira, deceitfully
treated by thy son, proceeded in that battle, O king,
against the elephant division (of the Kauravas).
And that son of Pandu and Madri, viz., the heroic
Nakula capable of wringing tears from the foe, engaged
in battle with the excellent car-warriors of the Trigartas.
And those invincible warriors, viz., Satyaki and
Chekitana, and the mighty son of Subhadra, proceeded
against Salya and the Kaikeyas. And Dhrishtaketu
and the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha, both invincible in battle,
proceeded against the car-division of thy sons.
And that mighty car-warrior Dhrishtadyumna, that generalissimo
(of the Pandava forces) of immeasurable soul, engaged
in battle, O king, with Drona of fierce achievements.
And it was thus that those heroic and mighty bowmen
of thy army and the Pandavas, engaged in battle, began
to strike one another. And when the sun had reached
the meridian and the sky was brilliantly illumined
by his rays, the Kauravas and the Pandavas began to
slay one another. Then cars, furnished with standards
from whose tops pennons were afloat, variegated with
gold and covered with tiger-skins, looked beautiful
as they moved on the field of battle. And the
shouts of warriors engaged in battle from desire of
vanquishing one another, became as loud as leonine
roars. And that encounter which we beheld between
the heroic Srinjayas and the Kurus, was fierce in the
extreme and highly wonderful. And in consequence
of the arrows shot all around, we could not, O king,
distinguish, O chastiser of foes, the firmament, the
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