fire, and coursed straight with the force of the thunder-bolt.  And then he pierced Duryodhana’s bow with two shafts, and his charioteer with two.  And with four shafts he despatched Duryodhana’s (four) steeds to the regions of Yama.  And that grinder of foes then, with two shafts shot with great force, cut off in that battle the king’s umbrella from his excellent car.  And with three other shafts he cut off his handsome and blazing standard.  And having cut it off, he uttered a loud shout in the very sight of thy son.  And that beautiful standard of the latter, decked with diverse gems, suddenly fell down on the earth from his car like a flash of lightning from the clouds.  And all the kings beheld that beautiful standard of the Kuru king, bearing the device of an elephant, decked with gems, and blazing like the sun, fell down cut off (by Bhimasena).  And that mighty car-warrior, viz., Bhima, then pierced Duryodhana in that battle, smiling the while, with ten shafts like a guide piercing a mighty elephant with the hook.  Then that foremost of car-warriors, viz., the mighty king of the Sindhus, supported by many brave warriors, placed himself on the flank of Duryodhana.  And then that great car-warrior, viz., Kripa, O king, caused the vindictive Duryodhana, that son of Kuru’s race, of immeasurable energy, to mount on his own car.  Then king Duryodhana, deeply pierced by Bhimasena and feeling great pain, sat down on the terrace of that car.  Then Jayadratha, desirous of slaying Bhima, surrounded him on all sides with several thousands of cars.  Then, O king, Dhrishtaketu and Abhimanyu of great energy, and the Kekayas, and the sons of Draupadi, all encountered thy sons.  And the high-souled Abhimanyu smote them all, piercing each with five straight shafts, resembling the bolts of heaven or Death’s selves, shot from his excellent bow.  Thereupon, all of them, unable to bear it (coolly), showered on that foremost of car-warriors, viz., the son of Subhadra, a perfect down-pour of sharp shafts like rain-charged clouds pouring rain on the breast of the mountains of Meru.  But Abhimanyu, that invisible warrior accomplished in arms, thus afflicted by them in battle, caused all thy sons, O king, to tremble like the wielder of the thunder-bolt causing the mighty Asuras to tremble in the battle between the celestials and the latter.  Then that foremost of car-warriors, O Bharata, shot fourteen broad-headed shafts, fierce and looking like snakes of virulent poison, at Vikarna.  Endued with great prowess and as if dancing in that battle, he felled with those shafts the standard of Vikarna from his car and slew also his charioteer and steeds.  Then that mighty car-warrior, the son of Subhadra, again sped at Vikarna many other arrows that were well-tempered, straight-going, and capable of penetrating every armour.  And those arrows furnished with feathers of the kanka bird, coming at Vikarna and passing through his body, entered the earth, like