solar rays, smiling the while. Then the son of Pandu,
with a couple of broad-headed arrows, quickly cut off Duryodhana's bow as
also his standard, bearing the device of a jewelled elephant, decked with
diverse gems. Beholding Duryodhana thus afflicted, O sire, by Bhima, the
ruler of the Angas on his elephant came there for afflicting the son of
Pandu. Thereupon, Bhimasena deeply pierced with a long arrow that prince
of elephants advancing with loud roars, between its two frontal globes.
That arrow, penetrating through its body, sank deep in the earth. And at
this the elephants fell down like a hill riven by the thunder. While the
elephant was falling down, the Mleccha king also was falling down it. But
Vrikodara, endued with great activity, cut off his head with a
broad-headed arrow before his antagonist actually fell down. When the
heroic ruler of the Angas fell, his divisions fled away. Steeds and
elephants and car-warriors struck with panic, crushed the foot-soldiers
as they fled.

"'When those troops, thus broken, fled away in all directions, the ruler
of the Pragjyotishas then advanced against Bhima, upon his elephant.[50]
With its two (fore) legs and trunk contracted, filled with rage, and with
eyes rolling, that elephant seemed to consume the son of Pandu (like a
blazing fire). And it pounded Vrikodara's car with the steed yoked
thereto into dust. Then Bhima ran forward and got under the elephant's
body, for he knew the science called Anjalikabedha. Indeed, the son of
Pandu fled not. Getting under the elephant's body, he began to strike it
frequently with his bare arms. And he smote that invincible elephant
which was bent upon slaying him. Thereupon, the latter began to quickly
turn round like a potter's wheel. Endued with the might of ten thousand
elephants, the blessed Vrikodara, having struck that elephant thus, came
out from under Supratika's body and stood facing the latter. Supratika
then, seizing Bhima by its trunk, threw him down by means of its knees.
Indeed, having seized him by the neck, that elephant wished to slay him.
Twisting the elephant's trunk, Bhima freed himself from its twine, and
once more got under the body of that huge creature. And he waited there,
expecting the arrival of a hostile elephant of his own army. Coming out
from under the beast's body, Bhima then ran away with great speed. Then a
loud noise was heard, made by all the troops, to the effect, "Alas, Bhima
hath been slain by the e