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 capable of slaying foes.  And seeing that an encounter was imminent between them, the Kauravas, anxious to witness it, stood aloof as lookers on.  And beholding the offender Karna, the son of Pandu, excited to fury, and glad also at having him, soon made him, his horses, his car, and car-driver invisible by means of a frightful shower of countless arrows.  And the warriors of the Bharatas headed by Bhishma, with their horses, elephants, and cars, pierced by Kiritin and rendered invisible by means of his shafts, their ranks also scattered and broken, began to wail aloud in grief.  The illustrious and heroic Karna, however counteracting with numberless arrows of his own those shafts by Arjuna’s hand, soon burst forth in view with bow and arrows like a blazing fire.  And then there arose the sound of loud clapping of hands, with the blare of conchs and trumpets and kettle-drums made by the Kurus while they applauded Vikartana’s son who filled the atmosphere with the sound of his bow-string flapping against his fence.  And beholding Kiritin filling the air with the twang of Gandiva, and the upraised tail of the monkey that constituted his flag and that terrible creature yelling furiously from the top of his flagstaff, Karna sent forth a loud roar.  And afflicting by means of his shafts, Vikartana’s son along with his steeds, car and car-driver, Kiritin impetuously poured an arrowy shower on him, casting his eyes on the grandsire and Drona and Kripa.  And Vikartana’s son also poured upon Partha a heavy shower of arrows like a rain-charged cloud.  And the diadem-decked Arjuna also covered Karna with