son of Bhimasena with diverse kinds of
weapons. The son of Hidimva, however, alone and unsupported began to
grind Alamvusha and Karna and the vast Kuru host, like the tempest
crushing a mass of clouds. Seeing then the power of (Ghatotkacha's)
illusion, the Rakshasa Alamvusha covered Ghatotkacha with showers of
diverse kinds of arrows. Having pierced Bhimasena's son with many shafts,
Alamvusha, without losing any time, began to afflict the Pandava host
with his arrows. Thus afflicted by him, O Bharata, the Pandava troops, at
dead of night, broke and fled away like clouds dispersed by a tempest.
Similarly, thy host also, mingled with the shafts of Ghatotkacha, fled
away at dead of night, O king, in thousands, throwing down their torches.
Alamvusha then, excited with great wrath, struck Bhimasena's son in that
dreadful battle with many shafts, like a driver striking an elephant.
Then Ghatotkacha cut off into minute fragments the car, the driver, and
all the weapons of his foe and laughed frightfully. Then, like the clouds
pouring torrents of rain on the mountains of Meru, Ghatotkacha poured
showers of arrows on Karna, Alamvusha and all the Kurus. Afflicted by the
Rakshasa, the Kuru host became exceedingly agitated. The four kinds of
forces, of which thy army consisted, began to press and crush one
another. Then Jatasura's son, carless and driverless, wrathfully struck
Ghatotkacha, in that battle, with his fists. Thus struck, Ghatotkacha
trembled like a mountain with its trees and creepers and grass at the
time of an earthquake. Then Bhimasena's son, mad with rage, raising his
own foe-slaying arm that resembled a spiked mace, dealt a severe blow on
Jatasura's son. Crushing him then in rage, Hidimva's son quickly threw
him down, and seizing him with his two arms he began to press him with
great force upon the earth. Then Jatasura's son freeing himself from
Ghatotkacha, rose up and assailed Ghatotkacha with great impetuosity.
Alamvusha also, dragging and throwing down the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha, in
that battle, began to crush him in rage on the surface of the earth. The
battle then that took place between those two roaring and gigantic
warriors, viz., Ghatotkacha and Alamvusha, became exceedingly fierce and
made the hair stand on end. Endeavouring to prevail over each other by
means of their powers of illusion, those two proud warriors, endued with
great energy, fought with each other like Indra and Virochana's son.
Becoming fir