Then those
warriors excited to fury rushed against each other on their cars and
began to shower their arrows upon each other like clouds pouring
torrents of rain.[30] And enraged with each other, those fierce
warriors, both skilled in weapons, both wielding swords and darts and
maces, then moved about (on the field of battle) assailing each other
with whetted arrows. Then king Virata pierced Susarman with ten shafts
and each of his four horses also with five shafts. And Susarman also,
irresistible in battle and conversant with fatal weapons, pierced king
of Matsya with fifty whetted shafts. And then, O mighty monarch, in
consequence of the dust on the field of battle, the soldiers of both
Susarman and Matsya's king could not distinguish one another."
[29] Some differences of reading are noticeable here, for
_Yasaswinau_ some texts read _Manaswinau_, and for
Vahusamravdhau-Vahusanrambhat; and for Nakha-naki--Ratha-rathi.
[30] Some texts read Ghanabiva for Ghanarva. The latter is
unquestionably better in form.
SECTION XXXIII
Vaisampayana said, "Then, O Bharata, when the world was enveloped in
dust and the gloom of night, the warriors of both sides, without
breaking the order of battle, desisted for a while.[31] And then,
dispelling the darkness the moon arose illumining the night and
gladdening the hearts of the Kshatriya warriors. And when everything
became visible, the battle once more began.
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