e in the car. Then
the son of Sahadeva, ascertaining the foe to be on the point of leaving
the field in consequence of the brothers, cut off, with a razor-faced
arrow, the head of that illustrious warrior. That head, decked with
ear-rings of gold, fell on the earth and adorned the field like the sun
of brilliant effulgence that rises at the end of the Yuga. Beholding the
head of the high-souled son of Somadatta thus fallen on the ground, thy
troops, O king, overcome with fear, fled in all directions.

"'The Rakshasa Alamvusha in that battle, filled with rage, fought with the
mighty Bhimasena, like Ravana's son (Indrajit) with (Rama's brother)
Lakshmana. Beholding that Rakshasa and that human warrior engaged in
fight, all creatures experienced both joy and wonder. Then Bhima, O king,
laughing the while, pierced that wrathful prince of Rakshasa, viz.,
Rishyasringa's son (Alamvusha), with nine keen shafts. Then that
Rakshasa, thus pierced in battle, uttered a loud and awful sound, and
rushed, with all his followers, against Bhima. Piercing Bhima then with
five straight shafts, he quickly destroyed in that battle, thirty cars
supporting Bhima. And once more destroying four hundred cars of
Bhimasena, the Rakshasa pierced Bhimasena himself with winged arrows.
Then the mighty Bhima deeply pierced by the Rakshasa, sat down on the
terrace of his car, overcome by a swoon. The son of the Wind-god then,
recovering his senses, became filled with rage. Drawing his excellent and
terrible bow that was capable of bearing a great strain, he afflicted
Alamvusha, in every part of his body, with keen shafts. Thereupon, the
Rakshasa who resembled a huge mass of antimony, looked resplendent O
king, like a flowering Kinsuka. Whilst being struck in that battle with
those shafts sped from the bow of Bhima, the Rakshasa recollected the
slaughter of his brother (Vaka) by the illustrious Pandava. Assuming then
an awful form, he addressed Bhima, saying, "Wait a little in this battle,
O Partha! Behold today my prowess. O thou of wicked understanding, that
foremost of Rakshasas, viz., the mighty Vaka, was my brother. It is true
he was slain by thee. But that took place out of my sight." Having said
these words unto Bhima, Alamvusha made himself invisible, and began to
cover Bhimasena with a dense shower of arrows. Upon the disappearance of
the Rakshasa, Bhima, O monarch, covered the welkin with straight shafts.
Thus afflicted by Bhima, Alamvusha soon r