elephants, and the fierce clatter of car-wheels. None, O Bharata, (in the
Kaurava army), at that time, felt the loss of Drona, seeing the great
bowman Karna clad in mail and stationed at the head of the array. Both
armies, O monarch, teeming with joyous men, stood, eager for battle and
(ready) to destroy each other without delay. There, the two heroes, viz.,
Karna and the son of Pandu, excited with wrath at sight of each other,
and both firmly resolved, stood or careered, O king, through their
respective divisions. The two armies, as they advanced to meet each
other, seemed to dance (in joy). From the wings and the side-wings of
both, warriors desirous of battle came forth. Then commenced the battle,
O monarch, of men, elephants, steeds, and cars, engaged in destroying one
another.'"



12

"Sanjaya said, 'Then those two vast armies, teeming with rejoicing men
and steeds and elephants, resembling in splendour the celestial and the
Asura hosts, meeting together, began to strike each other. Men, cars,
steeds, elephants, and foot-soldiers of fierce prowess, made sturdy
strokes destructive of bodies and sin. Lion-like men strewed the Earth
with the heads of lion-like men, each resembling the full moon or the sun
in splendour and the lotus in fragrance. Combatants cut off the heads of
combatants, with crescent-shaped and broad-headed shafts and razor-faced
arrows and axes, and battle-axes. The arms of men of long and massive
arms, cut off by men of long and massive arms, falling upon the Earth,
shone, decked with weapons and bracelets. With those writhing arms
adorned with red fingers and palms, the Earth looked resplendent as if
strewn with fierce five-headed snakes slain by Garuda. From elephants and