hed at him. Then the battle
that took place between him and the cannibal resembled that between
Vritra and Vasava. And the mighty car-warriors of thy army, as also of
the Pandavas, all became spectators of that engagement. Encountering each
other in fierce battle, blazing with wrath, endued with great might, and
with eyes red in rage, each beheld the other in that battle to resemble
the Yuga fire. And that engagement between them became fierce and awful
like that between Sakra and Samvara in days of old in the battle between
the gods and Asuras."

SECTION CII

Dhritarashtra said, "How, O Sanjaya, did Alamvusha resist in combat the
heroic son of Arjuna smiting many of our mighty car-warriors in battle?
And how also did that slayer of hostile heroes, viz., the son of
Subhadra, fight with Rishyasringa's son? Tell me all this in detail,
exactly as it happened in that fight. What also did Bhima, that foremost
of car-warriors, and the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha, and Nakula, and Sahadeva
and the mighty car-warrior Satyaki, and Dhananjaya, do with my troops in
battle? Tell me all this truly, O Sanjaya, for thou art skilled (in
narration)."

Sanjaya said, "I will presently describe to thee, O sire, the awful
battle that took place between that foremost of the Rakshasas and the son
of Subhadra. I will also describe to thee the prowess that Arjuna put
forth in battle, and Bhimasena the son of Pandu, and Nakula, and Sahadeva,
as also the warriors of thy army headed by Bhishma and Drona, all of whom
fearlessly achieved wonderful feats of diverse kinds. Alamvusha, uttering
loud shouts and repeatedly roaring at Abhimanyu, rushed impetuously
against that mighty car-warrior in battle, saying, 'Wait,
Wait'--Abhimanyu also, repeatedly roaring like a lion, rushed with a
great force at that mighty bowman, viz., the son of Rishyasringa, who was
an implacable foe of the former's sire. Soon then those two foremost of
car-warriors, man and Rakshasa, on their cars, encountered each other,
like a god and Danava. That best of Rakshasa were endued with powers of
illusion, while Phalguni's son was acquainted with celestial weapons.
Then Abhimanyu, O king, pierced Rishyasringa's son in that battle with
three sharp shafts and once more with five. Alamvusha, also, excited with
wrath, speedily pierced Abhimanyu in the chest with nine shafts like a
guide piercing an elephant with hooks. Then, O Bharata, that wanderer of
the night, endued with great acti