ces,
fell down on the earth by hundreds and thousands. And car-warriors upon
their cars, slaughtering heroic adversaries in that battle by means of
barbed arrows and muskets and shafts, uttered leonine shouts.[454] And
during the progress of the battle making the hair stand on end, that
great bowman, viz., Bhagadatta, rushed towards Bhimasena, on his elephant
of rent temples and with juice trickling down in seven currents and
resembling (on that account) a mountain with (as many) rillets flowing
down its breast after a shower. And he came, O sinless one, scattering
thousands of arrows from the head of Supratika (whereon he stood) like
the illustrious Purandara himself on his Airavata. King Bhagadatta
afflicted Bhimasena with that arrowy shower like the clouds afflicting
the mountain breast with torrents of rain on the expiry of summer. That
mighty bowman Bhimasena, however, excited with rage, slew by his arrowy
showers the combatants numbering more than a hundred, that protected the
flanks and rear of Bhagadatta.[455] Beholding them slain, the valiant
Bhagadatta, filled with rage, urged his prince of elephants towards
Bhimasena's car. That elephant, thus urged by him, rushed impetuously
like an arrow propelled from the bowstring towards Bhimasena, that
chastiser of foes. Beholding that elephant advancing, the mighty
car-warriors of the Pandava army, placing Bhimasena at their head,
themselves rushed towards it. Those warriors were the (five) Kekaya
princes, and Abhimanyu, and the (five) sons of Draupadi and the heroic
ruler of the Dasarnas, and Kshatradeva also, O sire, and the ruler of the
Chedis, and Chitraketu. And all these mighty warriors came, inflamed with
anger, and exhibiting their excellent celestial weapons. And they all
surrounded in anger that single elephant (on which their adversary rode).
Pierced with many shafts, that huge elephant, covered with gore flowing
from his wounds, looked resplendent like a prince of mountain variegated
with (liquified) red chalk (after a shower). The ruler of the Dasarnas
then, on an elephant that resembled a mountain, rushed towards
Bhagadatta's elephant. That prince of elephants, however, viz.,
Supratika, bore (the rush of) that advancing compeer like the continent
bearing (the rush of) the surging sea. Beholding that elephant of the
high souled king of the Dasarnas thus resisted, even the Pandava troops,
applauding, cried out 'Excellent, excellent!' Then that best of kings,