is. All the
points of the compass, O Partha, seem empty to my eyes in consequence of
my (unsatisfied) desire to see Dhananjaya and owing also to Satwata."
Repeatedly urged by his superior to go, the valiant son of Pandu, viz.,
Bhimasena, O king, casing his hands in leathern fence, took up his bow.
Urged by his eldest brother, that brother, Bhimasena, who was devoted to
his brother's good, caused drums to be beat. And Bhima forcibly blew his
conch also and uttering leonine roars, began to twang his bow. Damping
the hearts of hostile heroes by those leonine roars, and assuming a
dreadful form, he rushed against his foes. Swift and well-broken steeds
of the foremost breed neighing furiously, bore him. Endued with the speed
of the wind or thought, their reins were held by Visoka. Then the son of
Pritha, drawing the bowstring with great force, began to crush the head
of the hostile array, mangling and piercing the combatants there. And as
that mighty-armed hero proceeded, the brave Panchalas and the Somakas
followed him behind, like the celestials following Maghavat. Then the
brothers Duhsasana and Chitrasena and Kundabhedin and Vivinsati, and
Durmukha and Duhsaha and Sala, and Vinda and Anuvinda and Sumukha and
Dirghavahu and Sudarsana, and Suhasta and Sushena and Dirghalochana, and
Abhaya and Raudrakarman and Suvarman and Durvimochana, approaching,
encompassed Bhimasena. These foremost of car-warriors, these heroes, all
looking resplendent, with their troops and followers, firmly resolved
upon battle, rushed against Bhimasena. That heroic and mighty
car-warrior, viz., Kunti's son Bhimasena of great prowess, thus
encompassed, cast his eyes on them, and rushed against them with the
impetuosity of a lion against smaller animals. Those heroes, displaying
celestial and mighty weapons, covered Bhima with shafts, like clouds
shrouding the risen sun. Transgressing all those warriors with
impetuosity, Bhimasena rushed against Drona's division, and covered the
elephant-force before him with showers of arrows. The son of the
Wind-god, mangling with his shafts almost in no time that elephant
division dispersed it in all directions. Indeed, like animals terrified
in the forest at the roar of a Sarabha, those elephants all fled away,
uttering frightful cries. Passing over that ground with speed, he then
approached the division of Drona. Then the preceptor checked his course,
like the continent resisting the surging sea. Smilingly, he stru