“Sanjaya said, ’Having slain the ruler of the Sindhus in the evening, Partha, after his meeting with Yudhishthira and the great bowman, viz., Satyaki, both proceeded towards Drona.  Then Yudhishthira, and Bhimasena, the son of Pandu, each with a separate division of the army, quickly proceeded against Drona.  Similarly, the intelligent Nakula, and the invincible Sahadeva, and Dhrishtadyumna with his own division, and Virata, and the ruler of the Salwas, with a large force, proceeded against Drona in battle.  Similarly, king Drupada, the father of Dhrishtadyumna, protected by the Panchalas proceeded, O king, against Drona.  And the sons of Draupadi, and the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha, accompanied by their forces, proceeded against Drona of great splendour.  The Prabhadraka-Panchalas also six thousand strong, and all effectual smiters, proceeded against Drona placing Sikhandin at their head.  Other foremost of men and mighty car-warriors among the Pandavas, uniting together, O bull among men, proceeded against Drona.  When those heroic warriors, O bull among the Bharatas, proceeded to battle, the night became pitch dark, enhancing the terrors of the timid.  And during that hour of darkness, O king, many were the warriors that laid down their lives.  And that night also proved the death of many elephants and steeds and foot-soldiers.  On that night of pitch darkness, yelling jackals everywhere inspired great fear with their blazing mouths.  Fierce owls, perching on the standards of Kauravas and hooting therefrom, foreboded fears.  Then, O king, a fierce uproar arose among the troops.  Mingling with the loud beat of drums and cymbals, grunts of elephants, neighings of steeds, and stampings of horse-hoofs, that uproar spread everywhere.  Then, in that hour of evening, fierce was the battle that took place between Drona, O king, and all of the Srinjayas.  The world having been enveloped in darkness, nothing could be noticed.  The welkin was covered with the dust raised by the combatants.  Blood of man and horse and elephant mingled together.  The earthy dust then disappeared.  All of us became perfectly cheerless.  During that night, like the sounds of a burning forest of bamboos on a mountain, frightful sounds were heard of clashing weapons.  With the sounds of Mridangas and Anakas and Vallakis and Patahas,[192] with the shouts (of human beings) and the neigh (of steeds), a dreadful confusion set in everywhere, O lord!  When the field of battle was enveloped in darkness, friends, O king, could not be distinguished from foes.  All were possessed with a madness in that night.  The earthen dust that had arisen, O king, was soon allayed with showers of blood.  Then, in consequence of golden coats of mail and the bright ornaments of the warriors, that darkness was dispelled.  The Bharata host then, adorned with gems and gold (and abounding with darts and standards), looked like the firmament in the night, O bull of Bharata’s race, bespangled with stars.  The field of battle then resounded