by the sky when it is filled with myriads of roving fireflies.  Indeed, the sky shrouded with those hundreds of arrows shot (by both the warriors) looked, O monarch, as if it was covered with flights of locusts.  Those arrows, decked with gold, issuing repeatedly in continuous lines, looked beautiful like rows of cranes while flying through the welkin.  When the sky was thus covered with showers of arrows and the sun himself hid from the view, no creature ranging the air could descend on the Earth.  When all sides were thus covered with showers of arrows, those two high-souled warriors looked resplendent like two Suns risen at the end of the Yuga.  Slaughtered with the shafts issuing from Karna’s bow the Somakas, O monarch, greatly afflicted and feeling much pain, began to breathe their last.  Similarly, thy warriors, struck with the shafts of Nakula, dispersed on all sides, O king, like clouds tossed by the wind.  The two armies thus slaughtered by those two warriors with their mighty celestial shafts, retreated from the range of those arrows and stood as spectators of the encounter.  When both the armies were driven off by means of the shafts of Karna and Nakula, those two high-souled warriors began to pierce each other with showers of shafts.  Displaying their celestial weapons on the field of battle, they quickly shrouded each other, each desirous of compassing the destruction of the other.  The shafts shot by Nakula, dressed with Kanka and peacock feathers, shrouding the Suta’s son, seemed to stay in the welkin.  Similarly, the shafts sped by the Suta’s son in that dreadful battle, shrouding the son of Pandu, seemed to stay in the welkin.  Shrouded within arrowy chambers, both the warriors became invisible, like the Sun and the Moon, O king, hidden by the clouds.  Then Karna, filled with rage and assuming a terrible aspect in the battle, covered the son of Pandu with showers of arrows from every side.  Completely covered, O monarch, by the Suta’s son, the son of Pandu felt no pain like the Maker of day when covered by the clouds.  The son of Adhiratha then, smiling the while, sped arrowy lines, O sire, in hundreds and thousands, in that battle.  With those shafts of the high-souled Karna, an extensive shade seemed to rest on the field of battle.  Indeed, with those excellent shafts constantly issuing out (of his bow), a shade was caused there like that formed by the clouds.  Then Karna, O monarch, cutting off the bow of the high-souled Nakula, felled the latter’s driver from the car-niche with the greatest ease.  With four keen shafts, next, he quickly despatched the four steeds of Nakula, O Bharata, to the abode of Yama.  With his shafts, he also cut off into minute fragments that excellent car of his antagonist as also his standard and the protectors of his car-wheels, and mace, and sword, and shield decked with a hundred moons, and other utensils and equipments of battle.  Then Nakula, steedless and carless and armourless, O monarch, quickly alighting from his car, stood,