he seven javelins, fleet
as arrows, shot by Bhurisravas, cut off with another keen-edged shaft the
lance hurled from Duryodhana's arm. And the blazing dart coming towards
him--effulgent as lightning--hurled by Santanu's son, and the mace hurled
from the arm of the ruler of the Madras, that hero cut off with two
(other) shafts. Then drawing with his two hands and with great force his
beautiful bow Gandiva of immeasurable energy, he invoked with proper
mantras the highly wonderful and terrible Mahendra weapon and caused it
to appear in the welkin. And with that mighty weapon producing profuse
showers of arrows endued with the effulgence of the blazing fire, that
high-souled and mighty bowman, decked with diadem and garland of gold,
checked the entire Kaurava host. And those shafts from Partha's bow,
cutting off the arms, bows, standard-tops, and cars, penetrated into the
bodies of the kings and of the huge elephants and steeds of the foe. And
filling the cardinal and the subsidiary directions with those sharp and
terrible shafts of his, Pritha's son decked with diadem and garland of
gold, agitated the hearts of his foes by means of the twang of Gandiva.
And in that awful passage at arms, the blare of conches and beat of drums
and the deep rattle of cars were all silenced by the twang of Gandiva.
And ascertaining that twang to be of Gandiva, king Virata and other
heroes among men, and the brave Drupada, the king of the Panchalas, all
proceeded to that spot with undepressed hearts. And all thy combatants
stood, struck with fear, each at the spot where he heard that twang of
Gandiva. And none amongst them ventured to proceed to that place whence
that sound was heard. And in that awful slaughter of kings, heroic
combatants were slain and car-warriors with those that guided their cars.
And elephants with resplendent housings of gold and gorgeous standards
(on their backs), afflicted with broad-headed shafts falling upon them,
suddenly fell down, deprived of life and their bodies mangled by Kiritin.
And forcibly struck by Partha with his winged arrows of great impetuosity
and broad-headed shafts of keen edge and points, the standards of
innumerable kings stationed at the heads of their yantras and Indrajalas
were cut off.[372] And bands of infantry and car-warriors, in that
battle, and steeds and elephants, fell fast on the field, their limbs
paralysed, or themselves speedily deprived of life, affected by
Dhananjaya with those sh