. Beholding him thus weakened,
Kripa in that encounter, struck him with many arrows, from desire of
slaying him, O Bharata! (Sikhandin then was borne away by his driver).
Beholding that mighty car-warrior, viz., the son of Yajnasena retreating
from battle, the Panchalas and the Somakas surrounded him on all sides
(for rescuing him). Similarly, thy sons also surrounded that foremost of
Brahmans, Kripa, with a large force. Then commenced a battle once more,
between car-warriors, O king, that struck one another. The uproar that
rose became loud as the roaring of clouds, O Bharata, caused by rushing
horsemen and elephants, O monarch, smiting one another down. Then, O
king, the field of battle looked exceedingly fierce. With the tread of
rushing infantry the earth began to tremble, O monarch, like a lady
shaken with fear. Car-warriors, mounting on their cars, rushed
impetuously, attacking compeers by their thousands, O king, like crows
seizing winged insects (in the air). Similarly, mighty elephants with
winy exudation down their bodies, pursuing similar elephants, encountered
them, O Bharata, furiously. So also, horsemen coming upon horsemen, and
foot-soldiers angrily encountered one another in that battle. At dead of
night, the sound of retreating and the rushing of troops and of those
coming again to the encounter became deafening. The blazing lamps also,
placed on cars and elephants and steeds, seemed, O king, large meteors
falling from the firmament. That night, O chief of the Bharatas,
lightened up by those lamps looked like day, O king, on the field of
battle. As the sun, encountering the thick gloom, destroys it completely,
even so the thick gloom of the battle was destroyed by those blazing
lamps. Indeed, the welkin, the earth, the cardinal and the subsidiary
points of the compass, enveloped by dust and darkness, became once more
illuminated by that light. The splendour of weapons and coats of mail,
and of the jewels of illustrious heroes, became overshadowed, by the
light of those blazing lamps. During the progress of that fierce battle
at night, none of the combatants, O Bharata, could know the warriors of
his own side. Sire, O chief of the Bharatas, slew son, and son, from
ignorance, slew sire, and friend slew friend. And relatives slew
relatives, and maternal uncles slew sisters' sons, and warriors slew
warriors of their own side, and foes slew their own men, in that battle,
O Bharata. In that dreadful nocturnal e