l fear of death, the warriors of thy army
proceeded against the Pandavas. Horsemen encountered horsemen, and
car-warriors encountered car-warriors. The battle proceeded, darts
against darts, swords against swords, axes against axes. A fierce
encounter with swords took place, producing a terrible carnage. And in
consequence of the collision of elephants against elephants the battle
became furious. Some fell down from the backs of elephants, and some from
the backs of steeds, with heads downwards. And others, O sire, fell down
from cars, pierced with arrows. In that fierce press, as some one fell
down deprived of armour, an elephant might be seen attacking him in the
chest and crushing his head. Elsewhere might be seen elephants crushing
numbers of men fallen down on the field. And many elephants, piercing the
earth with their tusks (as they fell down), were seen to tear therewith
large bodies of men. Many elephants, again, with arrows sticking to their
trunks, wandered over the field, tearing and crushing men by hundreds.
And some elephants were seen pressing down into the earth fallen warriors
and steeds and elephants cased in armour of black iron, as if these were
only thick reeds. Many kings, graced with modesty, their hour having
come, laid themselves down (for the last sleep) on painful beds, overlaid
with vultures' feathers. Advancing to battle on his car, sire slew son;
and son also, through madness all losing regard, approached sire in
battle. The wheels of cars were broken; banners were torn; umbrellas fell
down on the earth. Dragging broken yokes, steeds ran away. Arms with
swords in grasp, and heads decked with ear-rings fell down. Cars, dragged
by mighty elephants, thrown down on the ground, were reduced to
fragments. Steeds with riders fell down, severely wounded by elephants.
That fierce battle went on, without anybody showing any regard for any
one. "Oh father!--Oh son!--Where art thou, friend?--Wait!--Where dost
thou go!--Strike!--Bring! Slay this one!"--these and diverse other cries,
with loud laughs and shouts, and roars were uttered and heard there. The
blood of human beings and steeds and elephants, mingled together. The
earthy dust disappeared. The hearts of all timid persons became
cheerless. Here a hero getting his car-wheel entangled with the car-wheel
of another hero, and the distance being too near to admit of the use of
other weapons, smashed that other's head by means of his mace. Brave
combatan