viz., the ruler of the Pragjyotishas, excited with rage, sped four and
ten lances at that elephant. These, speedily penetrating through the
excellent armour, decked with gold, that covered the animal's body,
entered into it, like snakes entering anthills. Deeply pierced and
exceedingly pained, that elephant, O chief of the Bharatas, its fury
quelled, speedily turned back with great force. And it fled away with
great swiftness, uttering frightful shrieks, and crushing the Pandava
ranks like the tempest crushing trees with its violence. After that
elephant was (thus) vanquished, the mighty car-warriors of the Pandava
army, uttering loud leonine shouts, approached for battle. Placing Bhima
at their head, they rushed at Bhagadatta scattering diverse kinds of
arrows and diverse kinds of weapons. Hearing the fierce shouts, O king,
of those advancing warriors swelling with rage and vengeance, that great
bowman Bhagadatta, filled with rage and perfectly fearless, urged his own
elephant. That prince of elephants then, thus urged with the hook and the
toe, soon assumed the form of the (all-destructive) Samvarta fire (that
appears at the end of the Yuga). Crushing crowds of cars and (hostile)
compeers and steeds with riders, in that battle, it began, O king, to
turn hither and thither. Filled with rage it also crushed foot-soldiers
by hundreds and thousands. Attacked and agitated by that elephant, that
large force of the Pandavas shrank in dimensions, O king, like a piece of
leather exposed to the heat of fire. Beholding, then the Pandava array
broken by the intelligent Bhagadatta, Ghatotkacha, of fierce mien, O
king, with blazing face and eyes red as fire, filled with rage, rushed
towards him. Assuming a terrible form and burning with wrath, he took up
a bright dart capable of riving the very hills. Endued with great
strength, he forcibly hurled that dart that emitted blazing flames from
every part desirous of slaying that elephant. Beholding it coursing
towards him with great impetuosity, the ruler of the Pragjyotishas sped
at it a beautiful but fierce and sharp arrow with a crescent head.
Possessed of great energy he cut off that dart with that arrow of his.
Thereupon that dart, decked with gold, thus divided in twain, dropped
down on the ground, like the bolt of heaven, hurled by Indra, flashing
through the welkin. Beholding that dart (of his adversary), O king,
divided in twain and fallen on the ground, Bhagadatta took up a lar