foes in that battle, with feet and fists, and
brought them down. Car-warriors fell down from cars, and elephant-men
from elephants, like meritorious persons falling down from their
celestial vehicles upon the exhaustion of their merits. Thus the
combatants, engaged with one another in that great battle, slew sires and
friends and sons. Thus occurred that battle, O best of the Bharatas, in
which no consideration was shown by anybody for anyone, and in which
lances and swords and arrows fell fast, on every side and made the scene
exceedingly terrible to behold.'"

24

"Sanjaya said, 'When the loud noise of battle had somewhat subsided and
the Pandavas had slain large numbers of their foes, Subala's son (once
more) came for fight with the remnant of his horsemen numbering seven
hundred. Quickly approaching his own soldiers and urging them to battle,
he repeatedly said, "You chastisers of foes, fight cheerfully!" And he
asked the Kshatriyas present there, saying, "Where is the king, that
great car-warrior?" Hearing these words of Shakuni, O bull of Bharata's
race, they answered saying, "Yonder stayeth that great car-warrior, the
Kuru king, there where that large umbrella of splendour equal to that of
the full moon, is visible--there where those car-warriors, clad in mail,
are staying--there where that loud noise, deep as the roar of clouds, is
being heard! Proceed quickly thither, O king, and thou wilt then see the
Kuru monarch!" Thus addressed by those brave warriors, Subala's son
Shakuni, O king, proceeded to that spot where thy son was staying,
surrounded on all sides by unretreating heroes. Beholding Duryodhana
stationed in the midst of that car-force, Shakuni, gladdening all those
car-warriors of thine, O king cheerfully said these words unto
Duryodhana. Indeed, he said the following words in a manner which showed
that he regarded all his purposes to have been already achieved. "Slay, O
king, the car-divisions (of the Pandavas)! All their horses have been
vanquished by me! Yudhishthira is incapable of being conquered in battle
unless one is prepared to lay down his life! When that car-force,
protected by the son of Pandu, will have been destroyed, we shall then
slay all those elephants and foot-soldiers and others!" Hearing these
words of his, thy warriors, inspired with desire of victory, cheerfully
rushed towards the Pandava army. With quivers on their backs and bows in
their hands, all of them shook their bows