at sight of the stupefaction that has overwhelmed thee, is rushing towards the Pandavas.”  Hearing these words of Shalya of immeasurable energy, Karna, reflecting, concluded unalterably that fighting had become unavoidable.  Then Vrishasena, filled with wrath, and riding upon his own car, rushed towards that son of Pandu, viz., Vrikodara, who, armed with his mace, resembled the Destroyer himself with his fatal rod and was employed in slaughtering thy troops.  That foremost of heroes, Nakula, filled with wrath, rushed at that enemy of theirs, Karna’s son, striking him with arrows, like the victorious Maghavat with joyous heart rushing against (the Asura) Jambha.  Then the brave Nakula, with a razor-headed shaft, cut off his enemy’s standard decked with gems.  With a broad-headed arrow, he next cut off the bow also of Karna’s son, with a golden belt attached to it.  Possessed of mighty weapons, Karna’s son then, desirous of showing his regard for Duhshasana, quickly took up another bow, and pierced Nakula, the son of Pandu with many mighty celestial weapons.  The high-souled Nakula, then, filled with rage, pierced his antagonist with shafts that resembled large blazing brands.  At this Karna’s son also, accomplished in weapons, showered celestial weapon upon Nakula.  From rage engendered by the strokes of his enemy’s weapon, as also from his own resplendence and the energy of his weapons, the son of Karna blazed up like a fire with libations of clarified butter.  Indeed, O king, Karna’s son then slew with his excellent weapons the beautiful steeds of the delicate Nakula, that were of the Vanayu breed, white in hue, and decked with trappings of gold.  Alighting then from his steedless vehicle, and taking up a bright shield decked with golden moons, and armed also with a sword that was blue as the sky, Nakula, frequently jumping up, careered there like a bird.  Performing diverse beautiful evolutions in the air, the son of Pandu cut off many foremost of men and steeds and elephants.  Cut off with that sword, they fell down on the earth like animals cut off in a horse-sacrifice by the person appointed to that duty. 2,000 well-trained heroes, delighting in battle, hailing from diverse realms, well-paid, of sure aim, and their limbs smeared with excellent sandal-paste, were quickly cut off by the single-handed Nakula inspired with desire of victory.  Then Karna’s son, suddenly advancing with great speed against the rushing Nakula in that battle pierced him from every side with many keen arrows from desire of slaying him.  Thus struck with shafts (by Vrishasena), Nakula struck his brave antagonist in return.  Pierced by the son of Pandu, Vrishasena became filled with wrath.  Protected, however, in that dreadful battle, by his brother Bhima, the high-souled Nakula achieved such terrible feats on that occasion.  Filled with rage, the son of Karna then pierced with eighteen shafts the heroic Nakula who seemed to sport in that battle, while employed, unaided, in destroying the