swiftly, regarded it in that battle as multiplied into many.  Indeed, Bhagadatta, mounted on that elephant of his, began to smite down the Pandavas, like the chief of the celestials mounted on Airavata smiting down the Danavas (in days of old).[51] As the Panchalas fled in all directions, loud and awful was the noise that arose amongst them, made by their elephants and steeds.  And while the Pandava troops were thus destroyed by Bhagadatta, Bhima, excited with rage, once more rushed against the ruler of the Pragjyotisha.  The latter’s elephant then frightened the steeds of advancing Bhima by drenching them with water spouted forth from its trunk, and thereupon those animals bore Bhima away from the field.  Then Kriti’s son, Ruchiparvan, mounted on his car, quickly rushed against Bhagadatta, scattering showers of arrows and advancing like the Destroyer himself.  Then Bhagadatta, that ruler of the hilly regions, possessed of beautiful limbs, despatched Ruchiparvan with a straight shaft to Yama’s abode.[52] Upon the fall of the heroic Ruchiparvan, Subhadra’s son and the sons of Draupadi, and Chekitana, and Dhrishtaketu, and Yuyutsu began to afflict the elephant.  Desiring to slay that elephant, all those warriors, uttering loud shouts, began to pour their arrows on the animals, like the clouds drenching the earth with their watery down-pour.  Urged then by its skilful rider with heel, hook, and toe the animal advanced quickly with trunk stretched, and eyes and cars fixed.  Treading down Yuyutsu’s steeds, the animal then slew the charioteer.  Thereupon, O king, Yuyutsu, abandoning his car, fled away quickly.  Then the Pandava warriors, desirous of slaying that prince of elephants, uttered loud shouts and covered it quickly with showers of arrows.  At this time, thy son, excited with rage, rushed against the car of Subhadra’s son.  Meanwhile, king Bhagadatta on his elephant, shooting shafts on the foe, looked resplendent like the Sun himself scattering his rays on the earth.  Arjuna’s son then pierced him with a dozen shafts, and Yuyutsu with ten, and each of the sons of Draupadi pierced him with three shafts and Dhrishtaketu also pierced him with three.  That elephant then, pierced with these shafts, shot with great care, looked resplendent like a mighty mass of clouds penetrated with the rays of the sun.  Afflicted with those shafts of the foe, that elephant then, urged by its riders with skill and vigour, began to throw hostile warriors on both his flanks.  Like a cowherd belabouring his cattle in the forest with a goad, Bhagadatta repeatedly smote the Pandava host.  Like the cawing of quickly retreating crows when assailed by hawks, a loud and confused noise was heard among the Pandava troops who fled away with great speed.  That prince of elephants, struck by its rider with hook, resembled, O king, a winged mountain of old.  And it filled the hearts of the enemy with fear, like to what merchants experience at sight of the surging sea.[53] Then elephants and