is our protector in return.  Therefore, surrounding the grandsire with all our troops, do thou protect him, who always achieveth the most difficult feats in battle.  Thus addressed by Duryodhana, thy son Dussasana, surrounding Bhishma with a large force on all sides took up his position.  Then Suvala’s son Sakuni, with hundreds and thousands of horsemen having bright spears and swords and lances in hand, and who formed a proud, well-dressed, and strong body bearing standards, and who were mingled with excellent foot-soldiers that were all well-trained and skilled in battle began to cheek Nakula, and Sahadeva, and Yudhishthira the son of Pandu, surrounding those foremost of men on all sides.  Then king Duryodhana despatched ten thousand (other) brave horsemen for resisting the Pandavas.  When these rushed like so many Garudas towards the enemy with great impetuosity, the earth, O king, struck with their horse-hoofs, trembled and uttered a loud noise.  And the loud clatter of their hoofs was heard resembling the noise made by a large forest of bamboos, in conflagration on a mountain.  And as these dashed over the field, there rose a cloud of dust, which rising to the welkin shrouded the very Sun.  And in consequence of those impetuous steeds, the Pandava army was agitated like a large lake with a flight of swans suddenly alighting on its bosom.  And in consequence of their neighing, nothing else could be heard there.  Then king Yudhishthira, and the two sons of Pandu by Madri, quickly checked the charge of those horsemen in battle, like the continent, O king, bearing the force, at full tide, of the surging sea swollen with the waters of the rainy season.  Then those (three) car-warriors, O monarch, with their straight shafts, cut off the heads of those horse-riders.  Slain by those strong bowmen, they fell down, O king, (on the earth), like mighty elephants tumbling into mountain caves, slain by huge compeers.  Indeed, coursing all over the field, those warriors (of the Pandavas army) cut off the heads of those cavalry soldiers with sharp-bearded darts and straight shafts.  Struck with swords, those horsemen, O bull of Bharata’s race, suffered their heads to drop like tall trees, dropping their fruits.  All over the field, O king, steeds along with their riders were seen fallen or falling, deprived of life.  And while being (thus) slaughtered, the steeds, affected with panic, fled away like smaller animals desirous of saving their lives at sight of the lion.  And the Pandavas, O king, having vanquished their foes in that great battle, blew their conches and beat their drums.  Then Duryodhana, filled with grief on seeing his troops vanquished, addressed the ruler of the Madras, O chief of the Bharatas, and said, ’There, the eldest son of Pandu, accompanied by the twins in battle, in thy very sight, O thou of mighty arms, routeth our troops, O lord.  O mighty-armed one, resist him like the continent resisting the ocean.  Thou art exceedingly well-known as possessed of might and