and resembling a yawning tiger or the Destroyer himself with wide open mouth?  What also did they do in battle, O sire, viz., Drona’s son and Karna and Kripa and others headed by Duryodhana that protected the preceptor?  Tell me, O Sanjaya, how my warriors in that battle covered with their shafts Dhananjaya and Vrikodara who were solicitous of slaying Bharadwaja’s son.  How, indeed, did these excited with wrath at the death of the ruler of the Sindhus, and those at the death of Ghatotkacha, each side unable to brook their loss, fight that nocturnal battle?’

“Sanjaya said, ’Upon the slaughter, that night, O king, of the Rakshasa, Ghatotkacha, by Karna, thy troops, filled with joy, uttered loud shouts.  In that dark hour of the night, they fell impetuously upon the Pandava troops and began to slay them.  Seeing all this, king Yudhishthira became exceedingly cheerless, O chastiser of foes.  The mighty-armed son of Pandu, then addressed Bhimasena and said, ’O thou of mighty arms, resist Dhritarashtra host.  In consequence of the slaughter of Hidimva’s son, a great stupefaction overwhelms me.’  Having ordered Bhimasena thus, he sat down on his car.  With tearful face and sighing repeatedly, the king became exceedingly cheerless at the sight of Karna’s prowess.  Beholding him so afflicted, Krishna said these words, ’O son of Kunti, let not such grief be thine.  Such cheerlessness does not become thee, O chief of the Bharatas, as it does an ordinary person.  Rise, O king, and fight.  Bear the heavy burden, O lord!  If cheerlessness overtakes thee, our victory becomes uncertain.’  Hearing these words of Krishna, Dharma’s son, Yudhishthira, wiping his eyes with his hands, replied unto Krishna, saying, ’O thou of mighty arms, the excellent path of duty is not unknown to me.  The dire consequences of a Brahmana’s slaughter are his that forgets the services he receives at other’s hands.  Whilst we were living in the woods the high-souled son of Hidimva, although then a mere child did us many services, O Janardana!  Learning that Partha, having white steeds, had departed for the acquisition of weapons, that great bowman (viz., Ghatotkacha), O Krishna, came to me at Kamyaka.  He dwelt with us till Dhananjaya’s reappearance.  Whilst proceeding over many inaccessible fastnesses, he himself carried on his back the tired princess of Panchala.  The feats he achieved, O lord, show that he was skilled in all modes of warfare.  Indeed, that high-souled one accomplished many difficult feats for my benefit.  My affection for Ghatotkacha, that prince of the Rakshasas is twice that, O Janardana, which I naturally bear towards Sahadeva.  That mighty-armed one was devoted to me.  I was dear to him and he was dear to me.  It is for this that, scorched by grief, O thou of Vrishni’s race, I have become so cheerless.  Behold, O thou of Vrishni’s race, our troops afflicted and routed by the Kauravas.  Behold, those mighty car-warriors, viz., Drona and Karna,