charioteers, and
standards, and armies decked with Angadar, and heads, the son of Phalguni
cut off with his sharp shafts. Those hundred princes were slain and
felled by Subhadra's son like a tope of five-year old mango-trees just on
the point of bearing fruit (laid low by a tempest). Beholding those
youthful princes brought up in every luxury, and resembling angry snakes
of virulent poison, all slain by the single-handed Abhimanyu, Duryodhana
was filled with fear. Seeing (his) car-warriors and elephants and steeds
and foot-soldiers crushed, the Kuru king quickly proceeded in wrath
against Abhimanyu. Continued for only a short space of time, the
unfinished battle between them became exceedingly fierce. Thy son then,
afflicted with Abhimanyu's arrows, was obliged to turn back from the
fight.'"

SECTION XLIV

"Dhritarashtra said, 'That which thou tellest me, O Suta, about the
battle, fierce and terrible, between the one and the many, and the
victory of that illustrious one, that story of the prowess of Subhadra's
son is highly wonderful and almost incredible. I do not, however, regard
it as a marvel that is absolutely beyond belief in the case of those that
have righteousness for their refuge. After Duryodhana was beaten back and
a hundred princes slain, what course was pursued by the warriors of my
army against the son of Subhadra?'

"Sanjaya said, 'Their mouths became dry, and eyes restless. Sweat covered
their bodies, and their hairs stood on their ends. Despairing of
vanquishing their foe, they became ready to leave the field. Abandoning
their wounded brothers and sires and sons and friends and relatives by
marriage and kinsmen they fled, urging their steeds and elephants to
their utmost speed. Beholding them broken and routed, Drona and Drona's
son, and Vrihadvala, and Kripa, and Duryodhana, and Karna, and
Kritavarman, and Suvala's son (Sakuni), rushed in great wrath against the
unvanquished son of Subhadra. Almost all these, O king, were beaten back
by thy grandson. Only one warrior then, viz., Lakshmana, brought up in
luxury, accomplished in arrows, endued with great energy, and fearless in
consequence of inexperience and pride, proceeded against the son of
Arjuna. Anxious about his son, his father (Duryodhana) turned back for
following him. Other mighty car warriors, turned back for following
Duryodhana. All of them then drenched Abhimanyu with showers of arrows,
like clouds pouring rain on the mountain-brea