cut off his flagstaff. And Vikarna, beholding
his flagstaff cut off, speedily took to flight. And after Vikarna's
flight, Satruntapa, unable to repress his ire, began to afflict Partha,
that obstructer of foes and achiever of super-human feats, by means of a
perfect shower of arrows. And drowned, as it were, in the midst of the
Kuru-array, Arjuna, pierced by that mighty car-warrior,--king
Satruntapa--pierced the latter in return with five and then slew his
car-driver with ten shafts, and pierced by that bull of the Bharata race
with an arrow capable of cleaving the thickest coat of mail, Satruntapa
fell dead on the field of battle, like a tree from a mountain-top torn
up by the wind. And those brave bulls among men, mangled in battle by
that braver bull among men, began to waver and tremble like mighty
forests shaken by the violence of the wind that blows at the time of the
universal dissolution. And struck in battle by Partha, the son of
Vasava, those well-dressed heroes among men--those givers of wealth
endued with the energy of Vasava--defeated and deprived of life, began
to measure their lengths on the ground, like full-grown Himalayan
elephants clad in mails of black steel decked with gold. And like unto a
raging fire consuming a forest at the close of summer, that foremost of
men, wielding the _Gandiva_, ranged the field in all directions, slaying
his foes in battle thus. And as the wind rangeth at will, scattering
masses of clouds and fallen leaves in the season of spring, so did that
foremost of car-warriors--Kiritin--ranged in that battle, scattering all
his foes before him. And soon slaying the red steeds yoked unto the car
of Sangramajit, the brother of Vikartana's son, that hero decked in
diadem and endued with great vigour then cut off his antagonist's head
by a crescent-shaped arrow. And when his brother was slain, Vikartana's
son of the _Suta_ caste, mustering all his prowess, rushed at Arjuna,
like a huge elephant with out-stretched tusks, or like a tiger at a
mighty bull. And the son of Vikarna quickly pierced the son of Pandu
with twelve shafts and all his steeds also in every part of their bodies
and Virata's son too in his hand. And rushing impetuously against
Vikarna's son who was suddenly advancing against him, Kiritin attacked
him fiercely like Garuda of variegated plumage swooping down upon a
snake. And both of them were foremost of bowmen, and both were endued
with great strength, and both were ca