roar to that spot where the mighty and youthful son of Arjuna was.  And he was supported by the heroic warriors of his own division, accomplished in smiting, well-mounted, skilled in battle and fighting with bright lances.  Accompanied by the remnant of that excellent cavalry division (of the Kauravas), he proceeded, desirous of slaying in battle the mighty Iravat.  That slayer of foes, viz., the valiant Iravat, excited with rage, and advancing speedily from desire of slaying the Rakshasa, began to resist him.  Beholding him advance, the mighty Rakshasa speedily set himself about for displaying his powers of illusion.  The Rakshasa then created a number of illusive chargers which were riden by terrible Rakshasas armed with spears and axes.  Those two thousand accomplished smiters advancing with rage, were however, soon sent to the regions of Yama, (falling in the encounter with Iravat’s forces).  And when the forces of both perished, both of them, invincible in battle, encountered each other like Vritra and Vasava.  Beholding the Rakshasa, who was difficult of being vanquished in battle, advancing towards him, the mighty Iravat, excited with rage, began to check his onset.  And when the Rakshasa approached him nearer, Iravat with his sword quickly cut off his bow, as also each of his shafts into five fragments.  Seeing his bow cut off, the Rakshasa speedily rose up into the welkin, confounding with his illusion the enraged Iravat.  Then Iravat also, difficult of approach, capable of assuming any form at will, and having a knowledge of what are the vital limbs of the body, rising up into the welkin, and confounding with his illusion the Rakshasa began to cut off the latter’s limbs in that battle and thus were the limbs of the Rakshasa repeatedly cut into several pieces.[441] [(Rakshasa ceases to be italicized at this point for a couple of pages.—­JBH)] Then the Rakshasa, however, O king, was re-born, assuming a youthful appearance.  Illusion is natural with them, and their age and form are both dependent on their will.  And the limbs of that Rakshasa, O king, cut into pieces, presented a beautiful sight.  Iravat, excited with rage, repeatedly cut that mighty Rakshasa with his sharp axe.  ’The brave Rakshasa, thus cut into pieces like a tree by the mighty Iravat, roared fiercely’.  And those roars of his became deafening.  Mangled with the axe, the Rakshasa began to pour forth blood in torrents.  Then (Alamvusha), the mighty son of Rishyasringa, beholding his foe blazing forth with energy, became infuriate with rage and himself put forth his prowess in that combat.  Assuming a prodigious and fierce form, he endeavoured to seize the heroic son of Arjuna, viz., the renowned Iravat.  In the sight of all the combatants there present, beholding that illusion of the wicked Rakshasa in the van of battle, Iravat became inflamed with rage and adopted steps for himself having recourse to illusion.  And when that hero, never retreating from battle, became inflamed with wrath, a Naga related