sped some
shafts at Kritavarman. Struck therewith, that Atiratha of the Satwata
race, excelling all in might, trembled not, O king, but (instead) pierced
Bhima (in return) with many sharp arrows. Then the mighty Bhimasena,
slaying the four steeds of Kritavarman, felled the latter's charioteer,
and then his beautiful standard. And that slayer of hostile heroes (viz.,
Bhima) then pierced Kritavarman himself with many shafts of diverse
kinds. And Kritavarman, pierced all over, seemed to be excessively
mangled in every limb. Then from that car whose steeds had been slain,
Kritavarman quickly went to the car of Vrishaka, in the very sight, O
king, of both Salya and thy son. And Bhimasena, excited with rage, began
to afflict thy troops. Goaded to fury, he began to slay them, like the
destroyer himself armed with his club."

SECTION LXXXIV

Dhritarashtra said, "Many and wonderful, O Sanjaya, were the single
combats I hear thee speak of between the Pandavas and my warriors. Thou
speakest not, however, O Sanjaya, of any one of my side having been
cheerful (on such occasions). Thou always speakest of the sons of Pandu
as cheerful and never routed, O Suta and thou speakest of mine as
cheerless, deprived of energy, and constantly vanquished in battle. All
this, without doubt, is Destiny."

Sanjaya said, "Thy men, O bull of Bharata's race, exert themselves
according to the measure of their might and courage, and display their
valour to the utmost extent of their strength. As contact with the
properties of the ocean make the sweet waters of the celestial stream
Ganga brakish, so the valour, O king, of the illustrious warriors of thy
army coming in contact with the heroic sons of Pandu in battle, becometh
futile. Exerting themselves according to their might, and achieving the
most difficult feats, thou shouldst not, O chief of the Kurus, find fault
with thy troops. O monarch, this great and awful destruction of the
world, swelling the (population of the) domains of Yama, hath arisen from
thy misconduct and that of thy sons. It behoveth thee not, O king, to
grieve for what hath arisen from thy own fault. Kings do not always in
this world protect their lives. These rulers of Earth, desirous of
winning by battle the regions of the righteous, daily fight, penetrating
into (hostile) divisions, with heaven only for their aim.

"On the forenoon of that day, O king, great was the carnage that ensued,
resembling what occurred in the ba