hath penetrated into it.  Hearing these words of Visoka, Prishata’s son Dhrishtadyumna, endued with great strength, said unto the charioteer these words on the field of battle.  ’What need have I today of life itself, if forgetting my affection for the Pandavas, I forsake Bhima in battle?  If I return today without Bhima, what will the Kshatriyas say of me?  What will they say of me when they will learn that while I was on the field Bhima penetrated alone into the hostile array making a single opening in it?  The gods with Indra at their head visit him with evil who, forsaking his comrades in battle, returneth home unhurt!  The mighty Bhima again is my friend and kinsman.  He is devoted to me, and I also am devoted to that slayer of foes.  Therefore, I will go thither, whither Bhima hath gone.  Behold me slaying the foe like Vasava slaying the Danavas.’  Having said this, the heroic Dhrishtadyumna, O Bharata, proceeded through the midst of the foe, along the tracks opened by Bhimasena and marked by elephants crushed with his mace.  He then obtained sight of Bhimasena consuming the hostile ranks or felling Kshatriya warriors like the tempest devastating rows of trees.  And car-warriors and horsemen and foot-soldiers and tuskers, while thus slaughtered by him, uttered loud cries of woe.  And cries of ah and alas arose from thy troops, O sire, while they were slaughtered by the victorious Bhima accomplished in all moods of warfare.  Then the Kaurava warriors all accomplished in arms, surrounding Vrikodara on all sides, fearlessly poured upon him their arrowy showers at the same time.  Then the mighty son of Prishata, beholding that foremost of all wielders of weapons, that celebrated hero, viz., the son of Pandu, thus attacked on all sides by fierce ranks of foes in close array, mangled with shafts, treading the field on foot, and vomiting the poison of his wrath, mace in hand and looking like the Destroyer himself at the hour of the universal dissolution, quickly approached him and comforted him by his presence.  And taking him upon his car, and plucking the arrows off from all his limbs, and embracing him warmly, the high-souled son of Prishata comforted Bhimasena in the very midst of the foe.  Then thy son, in that terrible conflict, quickly coming up to his brothers, said unto them, ’This son of Drupada of wicked soul, is now united with Bhimasena.  Let us all approach him together for slaying him.  Let not the foe seek our ranks (for battle).’  Hearing these words, the Dhartarashtras, thus urged on by the command of their eldest brother and unable to put up (with the foe), quickly rushed, with upraised weapons, for slaying Dhrishtadyumna like fierce comets at the hour of the universal dissolution.  Taking up their beautiful bows, those heroes, making the very earth shiver with the twang of their bowstring and the rattle of their car-wheels, showered shafts on Drupada’s son, like the clouds covering the mountain-breast with torrents of rain.  But that