hat
resembled the report of Sakra's thunder, thy warriors were filled with
fear. And at those roars of the hero, the steeds and elephants all
ejected urine and excreta like other animals at the roar of the lion. And
roaring like a deep mass of clouds, and assuming an awful form, that hero
frightened thy sons and fell upon them.[319] Thereupon the brothers,
viz., thy sons Duryodhana, and Durmukha and Dussaha, and that mighty
car-warrior Dussasana, and Durmarshana, O king, and Vivinsati, and
Chitrasena, and the great car-warrior Vikarna and also Purumitra, and
Jaya, and Bhoja, and the valorous son of Somadatta, shaking their
splendid bows like masses of clouds exhibiting the lightning's flashes,
and taking out (of their quivers) long arrows resembling snakes that have
just cast off their sloughs, surrounded that mighty bowman rushing
(towards them) covering him with flights of arrows like the clouds
shrouding the sun. And the (five) sons of Draupadi, and the mighty
car-warrior Saubhadra,[320] and Nakula, and Sahadeva, and Dhrishtadyumna
of Prishata's race, rushed against (those) Dhartarashtras, tearing them
with whetted shafts like summits of mountains with the impetuous bolts of
heaven. And in that first encounter characterised by the awful twang of
bow-strings and their flapping against the leathern fences (of the
warriors)[321] no combatant, either on thy side or that of the foe,
turned back. And, O bull of Bharata's race, I beheld the lightness of
hand of the disciples of Drona (in particular), who, shooting innumerable
arrows, O king, always succeeded in hitting the mark.[322] And the twang
of sounding bowstrings ceased not for a moment, and the blazing arrows
shot through (the air) like meteors (falling) from the firmament. And all
the other kings, O Bharata, stood like (silent) spectators witnessing
that interesting and awful encounter of kinsmen. And then those mighty
car-warriors, with wrath excited and remembering the injuries sustained
at one another's hands, strove in battle, O king, challenging one
another. And the two armies of the Kurus and the Pandavas, teeming with
elephants, steeds and cars, looked exceedingly beautiful on the field of
battle like painted figures on a canvas. And then the (other) kings all
took up their bows. And the Sun himself was shrouded by the dust raised
by the combatants. And they fell upon one another, at the heads of their
(respective) troops, at the command of thy son. And the lo