angry with us.  O sinless one, I will not strike thee unless thou strikest me first.  Even this is my intention.  It behoveth thee to act as thou choosest.’  Thus addressed Drona discharged at him more than twenty arrows.  But the light-handed Partha cut them off before they could reach him.  And at this, the mighty Drona, displaying his lightness of hand in the use of weapons, covered Partha’s car with a thousand arrows.  And desirous of angering, Partha, that hero of immeasurable soul, then covered his steeds of silvery whiteness with arrows whetted on stone and winged with the feathers of the Kanka bird.  And when the battle between Drona and Kiritin thus commenced, both of them discharging in the encounter arrows of blazing splendour, both well-known for their achievements, both equal to the wind itself in speed, both conversant with celestial weapons, and both endued with mighty energy, began shooting clouds of arrows to bewilder the royal Kshatriyas.  And all the warriors that were assembled there were filled with wonder at sight of all this.  And they all admired Drona who quickly shot clouds of arrows exclaiming,—­Well done!  Well done!  Indeed, who else save Falguna, is worthy of fighting with Drona in battle?  Surely the duties of a Kshatriya are stern, for Arjuna fighteth with even his own preceptor!—­And it was thus that they who stood on the field of battle said unto one another.  And inflamed with fire, those mighty-armed heroes standing before other, and each incapable of overcoming the other, covered each other with arrowy showers.  And Bharadwaja’s son, waxing worth, drew his large and unconquerable bow plated on the back with gold, and pierced Falguna with his arrows.  And discharging at Arjuna’s car innumerable whetted arrows possessed of solar effulgence, he entirely shrouded the light of the sun.  And that great car-warrior of mighty arms, violently pierced Pritha’s son with keen-edged shafts even as the clouds shower upon a mountain.  Then taking up that foremost of bows, the Gandiva, destructive of foes and capable of withstanding the greatest strain, the impetuous son of Pandu cheerfully discharged countless shafts of various kinds adorned with gold, and that powerful warrior also baffled in a moment Drona’s arrowy shower by means of those shafts shot from his own bow.  And at this the spectators wondered greatly.  And the handsome Dhananjaya, the son of Pritha, ranging on his car, displayed his weapons on all sides at the same time.  And the entire welkin covered with his arrows, became one wide expanse of shade.  And at this Drona become invisible like the sun enveloped in mist.  And shrouded by those excellent arrows on all sides, Drona looked like a mountain on fire.  And beholding his own car completely enveloped by the arrows of Pritha’s son, Drona that ornament of battle, bent his terrible and foremost of bows whose noise was as loud as that of the clouds.  And drawing that first of weapons, which was like unto a circle of fire, he discharged