es,
deprived of life, fell into the burning element below. And there came
also, desirous of battle, innumerable Asuras with Gandharvas and Yakshas
and Rakshasas and Nagas sending forth terrific yells. Armed with machines
vomiting from their throats (mouths?) iron balls and bullets, and
catapults for propelling huge stones, and rockets, they approached to
strike Krishna and Partha, their energy and strength increased by wrath.
But though they rained a perfect shower of weapons, Vibhatsu, addressing
them reproachfully, struck off their heads with his own sharp arrows.
That slayer of foes, Krishna, also, endued with great energy, made a
great slaughter of the Daitya and the Danava with his discus. Many Asuras
of immeasurable might, pierced with Krishna's arrows and smitten with the
force of his discus, became motionless like waifs and strays stranded on
the bank by the violence of the waves. Then Sakra the lord of the
celestials, riding on his white elephant, rushed at those heroes, and
taking up his thunderbolt which could never go in vain, hurled it with
great force. And the slayer of Asuras said unto the gods, 'These two are
slain.' Beholding the fierce thunderbolt about to be hurled by their
chief, the celestials all took up their respective weapons. Yama, O king,
took up the death-dealing mace, and Kuvera his spiked club, and Varuna
his noose and beautiful missile. And Skanda (Kartikeya) took up his long
lance and stood motionless like the mountain of Meru. The Aswins stood
there with resplendent plants in their hands. Dhatri stood, bow in hand,
and Jaya with a thick club. Tvashtri of great strength took up in wrath,
a huge mountain and Surya stood with a bright dart, and Mrityu with a
battle-axe. Aryaman stalked about with a terrible bludgeon furnished with
sharp spikes, and Mitra stood there with a discus sharp as a razor. And,
O monarch, Pusha and Bhaga and Savitri, in wrath, rushed at Krishna and
Partha with bows and scimitars in hand. And Rudras and the Vasus, the
mighty Maruts and the Viswedevas and the Sadhyas, all resplendent with
their own energy,--these and many other celestials, armed with various
weapons rushed against those exalted of men, Krishna and Partha, for
smiting them down. Then were seen in that great conflict wonderful
portents all around robbing every creature of his sense, and resembling
those that appeared at the time of the universal dissolution. But Arjuna
and Krishna, fearless and invincible