themselves with ceaseless shafts, proceeded towards the car of Salya.  And beholding that generalissimo of the (Pandava) forces proceeding quickly towards Salya’s car, a loud uproar of oh and alas arose in thy army, O Bharata.  Then thy mighty son, with Bhishma at the head, and supported by heroic warriors and many troops, proceeded towards Sweta’s car.[337] And he (thus) rescued the ruler of the Madras who had already entered the jaws of Death.  And then commenced a battle, terrific and making the hair stand on end, between thy troops and those of the enemy, in which cars and elephants all got mixed up in confusion.  And upon Subhadra’s son and Bhimasena, and that mighty car-warrior Satyaki, and upon the ruler of the Kekayas, and Virata, and Dhrishtadyumna of Prishatas’ race, and upon the Chedi troops, the old Kuru grandsire poured showers of arrows.[338]

SECTION XLVIII

Dhritarashtra said,—­“When that great bowman Sweta proceeded towards Salya’s car, what did the Kauravas and the Pandavas do, O Sanjaya?  And what also did Bhishma the son of Santanu do?  Tell me who ask thee, all this.”

Sanjaya said,—­“O king, hundreds and thousands of bulls among Kshatriyas, all brave and mighty car-warriors, placing the generalissimo Sweta in the van, and displaying their strength.  O Bharata, unto thy royal son and with Sikhandin also at their head, desired to rescue (Sweta).  And those mighty car-warriors rushed towards Bhishma’s car decked with gold desirous of slaying that foremost of warriors.  And the battle that ensued then was terrible.  I shall describe to thee that wonderful and terrific battle as it occurred between thy troops and those of the enemy.  The son of Santanu made the terraces of many cars empty, (for) that best of car-warriors showering (his) arrows, cut off many heads.  Endued with energy equal to that of the Sun himself, he shrouded the very Sun with his arrows.  And he removed his enemies from around him in that combat like the rising Sun dispelling the darkness around.  And in that battle, O king, arrows were shot by him in hundreds and thousands that were powerful and possessed of great impetuosity and that took in that conflict the lives of numberless Kshatriyas.  And in that combat he felled heads, by hundreds, of heroic warriors, O king, and elephants cased in thorny mail, like summits of mountains (felled) by heaven’s bolt.  And cars, O king, were seen to mingle with cars.  A car might be seen upon another car, and a steed upon another steed.  And impetuous chargers, O king, bore hither and thither heroic riders in the prime of youth, slain and hanging (from their saddles) with their bows (still in their grasp).[339] With swords and quivers attached (to their persons) and coats of mail loosened (from their bodies), hundreds of warriors, deprived of life, lay on the ground, sleeping on beds (worthy) of heroes.  Rushing against one another, falling down and rising up again