foremost of armies owned by Virata, crowded with
soldiers armed with strong weapons, and abounding in elephants, horses
and cars, looked really splendid."

[26] _Bhagasas_ lit., each in its proper place. It may also
mean, 'according to their respective division.'

[27] _Kalyana-patalam_ is explained by Nilakantha to mean
_suvarna pattachchaditam_.

[28] One of the generals of Virata.

SECTION XXXII

Vaisampayana said, "Marching out of the city, those heroic smiters the
Matsyas, arrayed in order of battle, overtook the Trigartas when the sun
had passed the meridian. And both excited to fury and both desirous of
having the king, the mighty Trigartas and the Matsyas, irrepressible in
battle, sent up loud roars. And then the terrible and infuriate
elephants ridden over by the skilful combatants of both sides were urged
on with spiked clubs and hooks. And the encounter, O king, that took
place when the sun was low in the horizon, between the infantry and
cavalry and chariots and elephants of both parties, was like unto that
of old between the gods and the _Asuras_, terrible and fierce and
sufficient for making one's hair stand on end and calculated to increase
the population of Yama's kingdom. And as the combatants rushed against
one another, smiting and slashing, thick clouds of dust began to rise,
so that nothing could be discovered. And covered with the dust raised by
the contending armies, birds began to drop down on the earth. And the
sun himself disappeared behind the thick cloud of arrows shot, and the
firmament looked bright as if with myriads of the fireflies. And
shifting their bows, the staves of which were decked with gold, from one
hand to another, those heroes began to strike each other down,
discharging their arrows right and left. And cars encountered cars, and
foot-soldiers fought with foot-soldiers, and horse-men with horsemen,
and elephants with mighty elephants. And they furiously encountered one
another with swords and axes, bearded darts and javelins, and iron
clubs. And although, O king, those mighty-armed warriors furiously
assailed one another in that conflict, yet neither party succeeded in
prevailing over the other. And severed heads, some with beautiful noses,
some with upper lips deeply gashed, some decked with ear-rings, and some
divided with wounds about the well-trimmed hair were seen rolling on the
ground covered with dust. And soon the field of battle was oversprea