n that battle the angry Bhimasena. With the arrows, O monarch,
that were shot in that battle, all the points of the compass became
completely shrouded, so that the brave combatants could not distinguish
the cardinal from the subsidiary points of the compass. As regards
Ashvatthama and Bhimasena, O Bharata, both of them were achievers of
cruel feats. Both of them were irresistible in battle. The arms of both
contained many cicatrices in consequence of both having repeatedly drawn
the bow-string. Counteracting each other's feats, they continued to fight
with each other, frightening the whole Universe. The heroic Shakuni
assailed Yudhishthira in that battle. The mighty son of Subala, having
slain the four steeds of the king, uttered a loud roar, causing all the
troops to tremble with fear. Meanwhile, the valiant Sahadeva bore away
the heroic and vanquished king on his car from that battle. Then king
Yudhishthira the just, riding upon another car (came back to battle), and
having pierced Shakuni at first with nine arrows, once more pierced him
with five. And that foremost of all bowmen then uttered a loud roar. That
battle, O sire, awful as it was, became wonderful to behold. It filled
the spectators with delight and was applauded by the Siddhas and the
Charanas. Uluka of immeasurable soul rushed against the mighty bowman
Nakula, in that battle, shooting showers of arrows from every side. The
heroic Nakula, however, in that battle, resisted the son of Shakuni with
a thick shower of arrows from every side. Both those heroes were
well-born and both were mighty car-warriors. They were seen to fight with
each other, each highly enraged with the other. Similarly Kritavarma, O
king, fighting with the grandson of Sini, that scorcher of foes, looked
resplendent, like Shakra battling with the Asura Vala. Duryodhana, having
cut off Dhrishtadyumna's bow in that battle, pierced his bowless
antagonist with keen shafts. Dhrishtadyumna then, in that encounter,
having taken up a formidable bow, fought with the king in the sight of
all the bowmen. The battle between those two heroes became exceedingly
fierce, O bull of Bharata's race, like the encounter between two wild and
infuriate elephants with juicy secretions trickling down their limbs. The
heroic Gautama, excited with rage in that battle, pierced the mighty sons
of Draupadi with many straight shafts. The battle that took place between
him and those five, resembled that which takes place