viz., Vegavat, Maharudra, Vidyujihva, and Pramathin.  And once again, O chief of the Bharatas, that warrior of immeasurable soul, sped at the Rakshasa host showers of arrows that could with difficulty be resisted.  Beholding that great feat of thy son, O sire, the mighty son of Bhimasena blazed up with wrath.  Drawing his large bow effulgent as the lightning, he rushed impetuously at the wrathful Duryodhana.  Beholding him (thus) rushing like Death himself commissioned by the Destroyer, thy son Duryodhana, O king, shook not at all.  With eyes red in anger, and excited with rage, Ghatotkacha, then, addressing thy son, said, ’I shall today be freed from the debt I owe to my sires, as also to my mother, they that had so long been exiled by thy cruel self.  The sons of Pandu, O king, were vanquished by thee in that match at dice.  Drupada’s daughter Krishna also, while ill and, therefore, clad in a single raiment, was brought into the assembly and great trouble was given by thee in diverse ways, O thou most wicked, unto her.  While dwelling also in her sylvan retreat, thy well-wisher, that wicked wight, viz., the ruler of the Sindhus, persecuted her further, disregarding my sires.  For these and other wrongs, O wretch of thy race, I shall today take vengeance if thou dost not quit the field.’  Having said these words, Hidimva’s son, drawing his gigantic bow, biting his (nether) lip with his teeth, and licking the corners of his mouth, covered Duryodhana with a profuse shower, like a mass of clouds covering the mountain-breast with torrents of rain in the rainy season.”

SECTION XCIII

Sanjaya said,—­“That arrowy shower, difficult of being borne by even the Danavas, king Duryodhana, however, (quietly) bore in that battle, like a gigantic elephant bearing a shower (from the blue).[442] Then filled with anger and sighing like a snake, thy son, O bull of Bharata’s race, was placed in a position of great danger.  He then shot five and twenty sharp arrows of keen points.  These, O king, fell with great force on that bull among Rakshasas, like angry snakes of virulent poison on the breast of Gandhamadana.  Pierced with those shafts, blood trickled down the Rakshasa’s body and he looked like an elephant with rent temples.[443] Thereupon that cannibal set his heart upon the destruction of the (Kuru) king.  And he took up a huge dart that was capable of piercing even a mountain.  Blazing with light, effulgent as a large meteor, it flamed with radiance like the lightning itself.  And the mighty-armed Ghatotkacha, desirous of slaying thy son, raised that dart.  Beholding that dart upraised, the ruler of the Vangas mounting upon an elephant huge as a hill, drove towards the Rakshasa.  On the field of battle, with the mighty elephant of great speed, Bhagadatta placed himself in the very front of Duryodhana’s car.  And with that elephant he completely shrouded the car of thy son.  Beholding then the way (to Duryodhana’s car)