backs of steeds, with heads downwards.  And others, O sire, fell down from cars, pierced with arrows.  In that fierce press, as some one fell down deprived of armour, an elephant might be seen attacking him in the chest and crushing his head.  Elsewhere might be seen elephants crushing numbers of men fallen down on the field.  And many elephants, piercing the earth with their tusks (as they fell down), were seen to tear therewith large bodies of men.  Many elephants, again, with arrows sticking to their trunks, wandered over the field, tearing and crushing men by hundreds.  And some elephants were seen pressing down into the earth fallen warriors and steeds and elephants cased in armour of black iron, as if these were only thick reeds.  Many kings, graced with modesty, their hour having come, laid themselves down (for the last sleep) on painful beds, overlaid with vultures’ feathers.  Advancing to battle on his car, sire slew son; and son also, through madness all losing regard, approached-sire in battle.  The wheels of cars were broken; banners were torn; umbrellas fell down on the earth.  Dragging broken yokes, steeds ran away.  Arms with swords in grasp, and heads decked with ear-rings fell down.  Cars, dragged by mighty elephants, thrown down on the ground, were reduced to fragments.  Steeds with riders fell down, severely wounded by elephants.  That fierce battle went on, without anybody showing any regard for any one.  ’Oh father!—­Oh son!—­Where art thou, friend?—­Wait!—­Where dost thou go!—­Strike!—­Bring!  Slay this one!’—­these and diverse other cries, with loud laughs and shouts, and roars were uttered and heard there.  The blood of human beings and steeds and elephants, mingled together.  The earthy dust disappeared.  The hearts of all timid persons became cheerless.  Here a hero getting his car-wheel entangled with the car-wheel of another hero, and the distance being too near to admit of the use of other weapons, smashed that other’s head by means of his mace.  Brave combatants, desirous of safety where there was no safety, dragged one another by the hair, and fought fiercely with fists, and teeth and nails.  Here was a hero whose upraised arm with sword in grasp was cut off, There another’s arm was lopped off with bow, or arrow or hook in grasp.  Here one loudly called upon another.  There another turned his back on the field.  Here one severed another’s head from his trunk, getting him within reach.  There another rushed with loud shouts Upon an enemy.  Here one was filled with fear at another’s roar.  There another slew with sharp shafts a friend or a foe.  Here an elephant, huge as a hill, slain with a long shaft, fell down en the field and lay like a flat island in a river during the summer season.  There an elephant, with sweat trickling down its body, like a mountain with rills flowing adown its breast, steed, having crushed by its tread a car-warrior with his steeds and charioteer on the field.  Beholding brave warriors, accomplished