iron, once more, struck him quickly in the centre of the chest fifty shafts.  And similarly, O king, Prishata’s son struck Kritavarman with nine sharp and blazing shaft, winged with the feathers of the Kanka bird.  Encountering each other with great vigour, the battle that took place between them for Bhishma’s sake was as fierce as that between Vritra and Vasava.  Against Bhimasena who was advancing upon the mighty Bhishma, proceeded Bhurisravas with great speed, saying,—­Wait, Wait,—­And the son of Somadatta struck Bhima in the centre of the chest with an arrow of exceeding sharpness and golden wings in that battle.  And the valiant Bhimasena, with that arrow on his chest, looked beautiful, O best of kings, like the Krauncha mountain in days of old with the dart of Skanda.  And those two bulls among men, enraged in battle, shot at each other shafts brightly polished by their forgers and endued with effulgence of the Sun.  Bhima, longing for Bhishma’s death, fought with the mighty son of Somadatta, and the latter, desirous of Bhishma’s victory, fought with the former, each carefully seeking to counteract the other’s feats.  Bharadwaja’s son resisted Yudhishthira the son of Kunti, who, accompanied by a large force, was coming towards Bhishma.  Hearing the rattle of Drona’s car, O king, that resembled the roar of the clouds, the Prabhadrakas, O sire, began to tremble.  That large force, of Pandu’s son, resisted by Drona in battle, could not, exerting vigorously, advance even one step.  Thy son Chitrasena, O king, resisted Chekitana of wrathful visage who was exerting vigorously for coming upon Bhishma.  Possessed of great prowess and great dexterity of hand, that mighty car-warrior for the sake of Bhishma, battled with Chekitana, O Bharata, according to the utmost of his power.  And Chekitana also fought with Chitrasena to the utmost of his power.  And the battle that took place there in consequence of the meeting of those two warriors, was exceedingly fierce.  As regards Arjuna, although he was resisted by all means, O Bharata, he still compelled thy son to turn back and then crushed thy troops.  Dussasana however, to the utmost stretch of his power, began to resist Partha, wishing, O Bharata, to protect Bhishma.  The army of thy son, O Bharata, undergoing such slaughter, began to be agitated here and there by many foremost car-warriors (of the Pandava).”

SECTION CXIII

Sanjaya said, “The heroic Drona, that great bowman endued with the prowess of an infuriate elephant, that foremost of men possessed of great might, taking up his large bow which was capable [of] checking even an infuriate elephant, and shaking it (in his hands), was engaged in afflicting the Pandava ranks, having penetrated into their midst.  That valiant warrior acquainted with every omen, beholding the omens on all sides, addressed his son who also was scorching the hostile ranks and said these words, ’This is that day, O son, on which the mighty Partha, desirous