pierced thus deeply by thy son, bow in hand, forcibly drawing his own with eyes red in wrath, struck Duryodhana in his two arms and the breast with three shafts.  But struck thus, O king, he moved not, like a prince of mountains.  Beholding then those two heroes excited with rage and smiting each other, the younger brothers of Duryodhana, all of whom were heroes prepared to lay down their lives, remembering their previously formed scheme of afflicting Vrikodara of terrible deeds, set about firmly resolved, for smiting him down.  And as they fell upon him in battle, Bhimasena of great strength rushed against them, O king, like an elephant rushing against an attacking compeer.  Excited with fury and endued with great energy, that celebrated hero then, O king, afflicted thy son Chitrasena with a long arrow.  And as regards thy other sons, that descendant of Bharata smote them all in that battle, with diverse kinds of shafts furnished with wings of gold and endued with great impetus.  Then king Yudhishthira the just, disposing all his own divisions properly despatched twelve mighty car-warriors including Abhimanyu and others to follow Bhimasena behind.  Those, O king, all proceeded against those mighty car-warriors, viz., thy sons.  Beholding those heroes on their cars, resembling the Sun himself or the fire in splendour-those great bowmen of blazing effulgence and superb beauty, looking resplendent in that dreadful conflict with ornaments of gold,—­thy mighty sons abandoned Bhima (with whom they had been fighting).  The sons of Kunti, however, could not bear the sight of their abandoning the conflict alive.”

SECTION LXXIX

Sanjaya said, “Then Abhimanyu, accompanied by Bhimasena pursuing thy sons, afflicted them all.  Then the mighty car-warriors of thy army, including Duryodhana and others, beholding Abhimanyu and Bhimasena united with Prishata’s son in the midst of the (Kauravas) troops, took up their bows, and borne by their fleet steeds rushed to the spot where those warriors were.  And on that afternoon, O king, a dreadful conflict took place between the mighty combatants of thy army and those of the foe, O Bharata.  And Abhimanyu, having, in that fierce battle, slain the steeds of Vikarna, pierced the latter with five and twenty small arrows.  Then that mighty car-warrior, Vikarna, abandoning that car whose steeds had been slain, mounted on the resplendent car, O king, of Chitrasena.  Then thus stationed on the same car, viz., those two brothers of Kuru’s race, the son of Arjuna covered, O Bharata, with showers of arrows.  Then Durjaya and Vikarna pierced Abhimanyu with five shafts made wholly of iron.  Abhimanyu however, shook not in the least but stood firm like the mountain Meru.  Dussasana in that battle, O sire, fought with the five Kekaya brothers.  All these, O great king, seemed exceedingly wonderful.  The sons of Draupadi, excited with rage, resisted Duryodhana