a cloud of keen-edged shafts.  And then there were heard on the field loud sounds like the splitting of bamboos set on fire.  And that warrior of immeasurable soul, shooting from his bow arrows furnished with golden wings, covered all sides, shrouding the very light of the sun.  And those arrows with knots well-peeled off, and furnished with golden wings, looked like flocks of birds in the sky.  And the arrows discharged by Drona from his bow, touching one another at the wings, appeared like one endless line in the sky.  And those heroes, thus discharging their arrows decked with gold, seemed to cover the sky with showers of meteors.  And furnished with feathers of the Kanka bird, those arrows looked like rows of cranes ranging in the autumnal sky.  And the fierce and terrible encounter that took place between the illustrious Drona and Arjuna resembled that between Virata and Vasava of old.  And discharging arrows at each other from bows drawn at their fullest stretch, they resembled two elephants assailing each other with their tusks.  And those wrathful warriors—­those ornaments of battle—­fighting strictly according to established usage, displayed in that conflict various celestial weapons in due order.  Then that foremost of victorious men, Arjuna, by means of his keen shafts resisted the whetted arrows shot by that best of preceptors.  And displaying before the spectators various weapons, that hero of terrible prowess covered the sky with various kinds of arrows.  And beholding that tiger among men, Arjuna, endued with fierce energy and intent upon striking him, that foremost of warriors and best of preceptors (from affection) began to fight with him playfully by means of smooth and straight arrows.  And Bharadwaja’s son fought on with Falguna, resisting with his own the celestial weapons shot by the former.  And the fight that took place between those enraged lions among men, incapable of bearing each other, was like unto encounter between the gods and the Danavas.  And the son of Pandu repeatedly baffled with his own, the Aindra, the Vayavya, and the Agneya weapons that were shot by Drona.  And discharging keen shafts, those mighty bowmen, by their arrowy showers completely covered the sky and made a wide expanse of shade.  And then the arrows shot by Arjuna, falling on the bodies of hostile warriors, produced the crash of thunderbolt.  O king, elephants, cars, and horses, bathed in blood, looked like Kinsuka trees crowned with flowers.  And in that encounter between Drona and Arjuna, beholding the field covered with arms decked with bangles, and gorgeously-attired car-warriors, and coats of mail variegated with gold, and with banners lying scattered all about, and with warriors slain by means of Partha’s arrows, the Kuru host became panic-stricken.  And shaking their bows capable of bearing much strain, those combatants began to shroud and weaken each other with their shafts.  And, O bull of the Bharata race, the encounter that took place between Drona and Kunti’s son was