sire.[371] And so the formidable array of the Pandava
also, protected by Savyasachin, and well-guarded by Bhima, could not be
broken. And the cars and elephants in close ranks, O king, of both the
armies, and other combatants, coming out of their respective arrays,
engaged in conflict. And in that fierce battle cavalry soldiers felled
cavalry soldiers, with polished swords of sharp edges and long lances.
And car-warriors, getting car-warriors (within reach) in that fierce
conflict, felled them with shafts decked with golden wings. And
elephant-riders, of thy side and theirs, felled large numbers of
elephant-riders in close ranks, with broad-headed shafts and arrows and
lances. And large bodies of infantry, inspired with wrath towards one
another, cheerfully felled combatants of their own class with short
arrows and battle-axes. And car-warriors, O king, getting elephant-riders
(within reach) in that conflict, felled them along with their elephants.
And elephant-riders similarly felled car-warriors. And, O bull of
Bharata's race, the cavalry soldier with his lance felled the car-warrior
in that conflict, and the car-warrior also felled the cavalry soldier.
And both the armies the foot-soldier felled the car-warrior in the
combat, and the car-warrior felled the foot-soldiers, with sharp weapons.
And elephant-riders felled horse-riders, and horse-riders felled warriors
on the backs of elephants. And all this appeared exceedingly wonderful.
And here and there foot-soldiers, were felled by foremost of
elephant-riders, and elephant-riders were seen to be felled by the
former. And bands of foot-soldiers, by hundreds and thousands, were seen
to be felled by horse-riders and horse-riders by foot-soldiers. And
strewn with broken standards and bows and lances and housings of
elephants, and costly blankets and bearded darts, and maces, and clubs
furnished with spikes, and Kampanas, and darts, and variegated coats of
mail and Kunapas, and iron hooks, and polished scimitars, and shafts
furnished with golden wings, the field, O best of Bharata's race, shone
as if with floral wreaths. And the earth, miry with flesh and blood,
became impassable with the bodies of men and steeds and elephants slain
in that dreadful battle. And drenched with human blood, the earthy dust
disappeared. And the cardinal points, all around, became perfectly clear,
O Bharata. And innumerable headless trunks rose up all around indicating,
O Bharata, of the destruc