in return every one of those
kings, those foremost of men in the world, those mighty car-warriors of
the Dhartarashtra army, one after another. The brave Pandava, that slayer
of hostile heroes, pierced Salya with seven arrows, and Kritavarman with
eight. And he cut off Kripa's bow with arrow fixed thereon, O Bharata, in
the middle, dividing it in twain. And after thus cutting off his bow, he
pierced Kripa once more with seven arrows. And he struck Vinda and
Anuvinda with three arrows each. And he pierced Durmarshana with twenty
arrows, and Chitrasena with five, and Vikarna with ten, and Jayadratha
with five. And once more striking the ruler of the Sindhus with three
arrows, he uttered a loud shout, filled with joy. Then Gautama, that
foremost of car-warriors, taking up another bow, angrily pierced Bhima
with ten sharp shafts. Pierced with those ten shafts like a huge elephant
with the hook, the valiant Bhimasena, O king, filled with wrath, struck
Gautama in that battle with many shafts. Possessed of the splendour of
Yama himself, as he appears at the end of the Yuga, Bhimasena then, with
three arrows, despatched unto Death's domain the steeds of the ruler of
the Sindhus as also his charioteer. Thereupon that mighty car-warrior,
(viz., Jayadratha), quickly jumping down from that car whose steeds had
been slain, shot in that battle many sharp-pointed shafts at Bhimasena.
Then, O sire, with a couple of broad-headed arrows, he cut off, O chief
of the Bharatas, the bow of the high-souled king of the Sindhus in the
middle. His bow cut off, himself deprived of car, his steeds and
charioteer slain, Jayadratha then, O king, quickly mounted on the car of
Chitrasena. Indeed, the son of Pandu achieved in that battle a most
wonderful feat, for piercing all those mighty car-warriors and holding
them in check, he deprived, O sire, the ruler of the Sindhus of his car
in the very sight of all the army. Salya could not brook to see the
prowess that Bhimasena displayed, for saying unto him,--'Wait, Wait,'--he
aimed some sharp arrows well-polished by the forger's hands, and pierced
Bhima therewith in that battle. And Kripa and Kritavarman and the valiant
Bhagadatta, and Vinda and Anuvinda of Avanti, and Chitrasena, and
Durmarshana, and Vikarna, and the valiant ruler of the Sindhus also, in
that battle,--These chastisers of foes, all quickly pierced Bhima for the
sake of Salya. Bhima then pierced each of them in return with five
arrows. And h