And the two warriors, Kshemankara and Mahamuksha, singling
out Nakula, began to pour on him from both sides a perfect shower of
keen-edged arrows. The son of Madri, however, succeeded in slaying, with
a couple of long shafts, both those warriors who had been pouring on him
an arrowy shower--like clouds in the rainy season. Suratha, the king of
Trigartas, well-versed in elephant-charges, approaching the front of
Nakula's chariot, caused it to be dragged by the elephant he rode. But
Nakula, little daunted at this, leaped out of his chariot, and securing
a point of vantage, stood shield and sword in hand, immovable as a hill.
Thereupon Suratha, wishing to slay Nakula at once, urged towards him his
huge and infuriate elephant with trunk upraised. But when the beast came
near, Nakula with his sword severed from his head both trunk and tusks.
And that mail-clad elephant, uttering a frightful roar, fell headlong
upon the ground, crushing its riders by the fall. And having achieved
this daring feat, the heroic son of Madri, getting up on Bhimasena's
car, obtained a little rest. And Bhima too, seeing prince Kotikakhya
rush to the encounter, cut off the head of his charioteer with a
horse-shoe arrow. That prince did not even perceive that his driver was
killed by his strong-armed adversary, and his horses, no longer
restrained by a driver, ran about on the battle-field in all directions.
And seeing that prince without a driver turn his back, that foremost of
smiters, Bhima the son of Pandu, went up to him and slew him with a
bearded dart.
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