rockets. And
permitting them to come towards me, I soon destroyed them all by
counter-illusion. And on this illusion being rendered ineffectual, he
began the contest with mountain peaks. And, O Bharata, then there was
darkness and light alternately, and the day was now fair, and now
gloomy, and now hot, and now cold. And there was a perfect shower of
coals, and ashes, and weapons. And creating such illusion the enemy
fought with me. And ascertaining it I destroyed his illusion by
counter-illusion. And in the due time I showered arrows all round. And
then, O mighty king, the dome of heaven blazed as with a hundred suns,
and, O son of Kunti, with one hundred moons, and thousands and ten
thousands of stars! And then none could ascertain whether it was day or
night, or distinguish the points of the horizon. And, becoming
bewildered, I fixed on my bowstring the weapon called _Pragnastra_. And,
O son of Kunti, the weapon went like unto flakes of pure cotton blown
away by the winds! And a great fight took place, calculated to make the
down on one's body stand on end. And O best of monarchs, having regained
light, I again fought with the enemy!'"

SECTION XXI

"Vasudeva said, 'O thou tiger among men, my great enemy king Salwa, thus
encountered by me in battle, again ascended the sky. And O mighty
monarch, inspired with the desire of victory, that wicked one hurled at
me _Sataghnis_, and mighty maces, and flaming lances, and stout clubs,
and as the weapons came along the sky, I speedily resisted them with my
swift arrows, and cut them in two or three pieces before they came at
me. And there was a great noise in the welkins. And Salwa covered
Daruka, and my steeds, and my car also with hundreds of straight shafts.
Then, O hero, Daruka, evidently about to faint, said unto me, "Afflicted
with the shafts of Salwa I stay in the field, because it is my duty to
do so. But I am incapable of doing so (any longer). My body hath become
weak!" Hearing these piteous words of my charioteer, I looked at him,
and found the driver wounded with arrows. Nor was there a spot on his
breasts or the crown of his head, or body or his arms which was not, O
thou foremost of sons of Pandu, covered with shafts! And blood flowed
profusely from his wounds inflicted by arrows, and he looked like unto a
mountain of red chalk after a heavy shower. And, O thou of mighty arms,
seeing the charioteer with the reins in his hands thus pierced and
enfeebled by th