soft words, and said, ’Our steeds are afflicted with arrows and tired.  The ruler of the Sindhus is still at a distance.  What do you think to be the best that should be done now?  Tell me, O Krishna, truly.  Thou art always the wisest of persons.  The Pandavas having thee for their eyes, will vanquish their foes in battle.  That which seems to me should be done next, truly shall I say unto thee.  Unyoking the steeds to their case, pluck off their arrows, O Madhava!’ Thus addressed by Partha, Kesava replied unto him, ’I am, also O Partha, of the opinion which thou hast expressed.’

“Arjuna then said, ’I will hold in check the whole army, O Kesava!  Do thou properly perform that which should be done next.’

“Sanjaya continued, ’Alighting then from the terrace of his car, Dhananjaya, taking up his bow, Gandiva, fearlessly stood there like an immovable hill.  Beholding Dhananjaya standing on the ground, and regarding it a good opportunity, the Kshatriyas, desirous of victory and uttering loud shouts, rushed towards him.  Him standing along, they surrounded with a large throng of cars, all stretching their bows and showering their shafts on him.  Filled with wrath, they displayed diverse kinds of weapons and entirely shrouded Partha with their shafts like the clouds shrouding the sun.  And the great Kshatriya warriors impetuously rushed against that bull among Kshatriyas, that lion among men, like infuriated elephants rushing towards a lion.  The might then that we beheld, of Partha’s arms was exceedingly great, since, filled with rage, alone, he succeeded in resisting those countless warriors.  The puissant Partha, baffling with his own weapons those of the foes, quickly covered all of them with countless shafts.  In that part of the welkin, O monarch, in consequence of the clash Of those dense showers of shafts, a fire was generated emitting incessant sparks.  There, in consequence of hostile heroes, countless in number, all filled with wrath, and all great bowmen united together for a common Purpose, seeking victory in battle, aided by steeds, covered with blood and breathing hard, and by infuriated and foe-grinding elephants, uttering loud shrieks, the atmosphere became exceedingly hot.  That uncrossable, wide, and limitless ocean of cars, incapable of being agitated, had arrows for its current, standards for its eddies, elephants for its crocodiles, foot-soldiers for its countless fishes, the blare of conchs and the beat of drums for its roar, cars for its surging waves, head-gears of combatants for its tortoises, umbrellas and banners for its froth, and the bodies of slain elephants for its (submarine) rocks:  Partha resisted with his arrows, the approach of the sea like a continent.  Then, in course of that battle, the mighty-armed Janardana, fearlessly addressing that dear friend of his, that foremost of men, viz., Arjuna, said unto him.  ’There is no well here in the field of battle, O Arjuna, for the steeds to drink from.  The steeds want