and the sons of Draupadi against the other Kauravas. The mighty
car-warrior Ashvatthama proceeded, with great care, against Arjuna.
Sharadvata's son Kripa proceeded against the mighty bowman Yudhamanyu,
while Kritavarma of great strength proceeded against Uttamauja. The
mighty-armed Bhimasena, O sire, alone and unsupported, resisted all the
Kurus and thy sons at the head of their division. The slayer of Bhishma,
Shikhandi, then, O monarch, with his winged arrows, resisted Karna,
careering fearlessly in that battle. Held in check, Karna then, his lips
trembling in rage, assailed Shikhandi with three arrows in the midst of
his eyebrows. With those three arrows sticking on his forehead, Shikhandi
looked highly beautiful like a silver mountain with three elevated
crests. Deeply pierced by the Suta's son in that encounter, the mighty
bowman Shikhandi pierced Karna, in return, with ninety keen shafts. The
mighty car-warrior Karna then, slaying Shikhandi's steeds and next his
driver with three arrows, cut off his standard with a razor-faced arrow.
That mighty car-warrior then, that scorcher of foes, filled with rage,
jumped down from his steedless car and hurled a dart at Karna. Cutting
off that dart with three shafts in that encounter, Karna then, O Bharata,
pierced Shikhandi with nine keen arrows. Avoiding then the shafts sped
from Karna's bow, that best of men, Shikhandi, exceedingly mangled,
retreated speedily from that spot. Then Karna, O monarch, began to
scatter the troops of the Pandavas, like a mighty wind scattering a heap
of cotton. Meanwhile Dhrishtadyumna, O monarch, afflicted by thy son,
pierced Duhshasana, in return, with three arrows in the centre of the
chest. Then Duhshasana, O sire, pierced his assailant's left arm with a
broad-headed shaft, sharp and straight and equipped with wings of gold.
Thus pierced, Dhrishtadyumna, filled with wrath and the desire to
retaliate, sped a terrible shaft, O Bharata, at Duhshasana. Thy son,
however, O king, with three shafts of his, cut off that impetuous arrow
sped by Dhrishtadyumna as it coursed towards him. Approaching
Dhrishtadyumna then, he struck him in the arms and the chest with
seventeen other broad-headed shafts adorned with gold. Thereat Prishata's
son, filled with rage, cut off Duhshasana's bow, O sire, with a sharp
razor-headed arrow, at which all the troops there uttered a loud shout.
Taking up then another bow, thy son, as if smiling, held Dhrishtadyumna
in che