, the samsaptakas, in that
battle, began to pour showers of arrows on Arjuna's head. The puissant
Partha, however, quickly checking those arrowy showers, O king, plunged
into that battle, and began to slay many foremost of car-warriors.
Plunging into the midst of that division of cars with the aid of his
whetted shafts equipped with Kanka feathers, Partha came upon Susharma of
excellent weapons. That foremost of car-warriors poured on Arjuna thick
showers of arrows. Meanwhile the samsaptakas also covered Partha with
their shafts. Then Susharma, piercing Partha with ten shafts, struck
Janardana with three in the right arm. With a broad-headed arrow then, O
sire, he pierced the standard of Arjuna. Thereupon that foremost of apes,
of huge dimensions, the handiwork of the celestial artificer himself,
began to utter loud sounds and roared very fiercely, affrighting thy
troops. Hearing the roars of the ape, thy army became inspired with fear.
Indeed, under the influence of a great fear, that army became perfectly
inactive. That army then, as it stood inactive, O king, looked beautiful
like the Citraratha forest with its flowery burthen of diverse kinds.
Then those warriors, recovering their senses, O chief of the Kurus, began
to drench Arjuna with their arrowy downpours like the clouds drenching
the mountains. Then all of them encompassed the great car of the Pandava.
Assailing him, they uttered loud roars although all the while they were
being struck and slaughtered with sharp shafts. Assailing his steeds, his
car-wheels, his car-shaft, and every other limb of his vehicle, with
great force, O sire, they uttered many leonine roars. Some among them
seized the massive arms of Keshava, and some among them, O king, seized
Partha himself with great joy as he stood on his car. Then Keshava,
shaking his arms on the field of battle, threw down all those that had
seized them, like a wicked elephant shaking down all the riders from his
back. Then Partha, encompassed by those great car-warriors, and beholding
his car assailed and Keshava attacked in that manner became filled with
rage, and overthrew a large number of car-warriors and foot-soldiers. And
he covered all the combatants that were close to him with many arrows,
that were fit for close encounters. Addressing Keshava then, he said,
"Behold, O Krishna, O thou of mighty arms, these countless samsaptakas
engaged in accomplishing a fearful task although slaughtered in
thousands. O bu