showers of arrows. Thereupon, with hundreds and thousands of sundry
fleet weapons inspired with the _mantras_ relating to _Brahma's_
weapons, I swiftly began to burn them. And being sore pressed by me,
those mighty _asuras_ waxing wroth afflicted me together, by pouring
torrents of clubs and darts and swords. Then, O Bharata, I took up that
favourite weapon of the lord of the celestials, Maghavan by name, prime
and of fiery energy and by the energy of that weapon I cut into a
thousand pieces the _Tomaras_, together with the swords and the tridents
hurled by them. And having cut off their arms I in ire pierced them each
with ten shafts. And in the field arrows were shot from the _Gandiva_
like unto rows of black-bees; and this Matali admired. And their shafts
also showered upon me; but those powerful (arrows) I cut off with my
shafts. Then on being struck the _Nivata-Kavachas_ again covered me on
all sides with a mighty shower of arrows. And having neutralised the
force of the arrows by excellent swift and flaming weapons capable of
baffling arms, I pierced them by thousands. And blood began to flow from
their torn frames, even as in the rainy season waters run down from the
summits of mountains. And on being wounded by my fleet and
straight-coursing shafts of the touch of Indra's thunder-bolt, they
became greatly agitated. And their bodies were pierced at hundreds of
places; and the force of their arms diminished. Then the
_Nivata-Kavachas_ fought me by (the help of) illusion.'"


SECTION CLXX

"Arjuna said, 'Then with rocks of the proportions of trees, there
commenced a mighty shower of crags; and this exercised me exceedingly.
And in that high encounter, I crushed (those crags) by swift-speeding
showers of arrows, issuing from Mahendra's weapon, like unto the