SECTION CII

Dhritarashtra said, “How, O Sanjaya, did Alamvusha resist in combat the heroic son of Arjuna smiting many of our mighty car-warriors in battle?  And how also did that slayer of hostile heroes, viz., the son of Subhadra, fight with Rishyasringa’s son?  Tell me all this in detail, exactly as it happened in that fight.  What also did Bhima, that foremost of car-warriors, and the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha, and Nakula, and Sahadeva and the mighty car-warrior Satyaki, and Dhananjaya, do with my troops in battle?  Tell me all this truly, O Sanjaya, for thou art skilled (in narration).”

Sanjaya said, “I will presently describe to thee, O sire, the awful battle that took place between that foremost of the Rakshasas and the son of Subhadra.  I will also describe to thee the prowess that Arjuna put forth in battle, and Bhimasena the son of Pandu and Nakula, and Sahadeva, as also the warriors of thy army headed by Bhishma and Drona, all of whom fearlessly achieved wonderful feats of diverse kinds, Alamvusha, uttering loud shouts and repeatedly roaring at Abhimanyu, rushed impetuously against that mighty car-warrior in battle, saying, ’Wait, Wait’—­Abhimanyu also, repeatedly roaring like a lion, rushed with at great force at that mighty bowman, viz., the son of Rishyasringa, who was an implacable foe of the former’s sire.  Soon then those two foremost of car-warriors, man and Rakshasa, on their cars, encountered each other, like a god and Danava.  That best of Rakshasa were endued with powers of illusion, while Phalguni’s son was acquainted with celestial weapons.  Then Abhimanyu, O king, pierced Rishyasringa’s son in that battle with three sharp shafts and once more with five.  Alamvusha, also, excited with wrath, speedily pierced Abhimanyu in the chest with nine shafts like a guide piercing an elephant with hooks.  Then, O Bharata, that wanderer of the night, endued with great activity, afflicted Arjuna’s son in that combat with a thousand arrows.  Then Abhimanyu excited with rage, pierced that prince of the Rakshasas in his wide chest with nine straight shafts of great sharpness.  Piercing through his body these penetrated into his very vitals.  And that best of Rakshasas, his limbs mangled by them, looked beautiful like a mountain overgrown with flowering Kinsukas.  Bearing those shafts of golden wings on his body, that mighty prince of Rakshasas looked radiant like a mountain on fire.  Then the vindictive son of Rishyasringa, inflamed with wrath, covered Abhimanyu, who was equal unto Mahendra himself, with clouds of winged arrows.  Those sharp shafts resembling the rods of Yama himself, shot by him, pierced Abhimanyu through and entered the earth.  And similarly the gold-decked arrows shot by Arjuna’s son, piercing Alamvusha through, entered the earth.  The son of Subhadra then, in that battle, with his straight shafts, obliged the Rakshasa to turn his back upon