and thousands.[256] Urged by fate, the Pandavas, the Kaikeyas, the Matsyas, and the Panchalas, O foremast of regenerate ones, approaching Drona’s car, began to perish.  With his Brahma weapon, Drona despatched unto Yama’s abode a thousand brave warriors and two thousand elephants.  Of a dark complexion, with his gray locks hanging down to his ears, and full five and eighty years old, the aged Drona used to careen in battle like a youth of sixteen, When the enemy’s troops were thus afflicted and the kings were being slain, the Panchalas, though filled with desire of revenge, turned back from the fight.  When the enemy, turning back, partially lost their order, that vanquisher of foes, (viz., Drona), invoking celestial weapons into the existence, shone resplendent like the risen sun.  Indeed, thy valiant sire, getting into the midst of the Pandavas, and having arrows for the rays that emanated from him, resembled the midday sun at whom none could gaze.  Scorched by Drona, as if by the blazing sun, they became cheerless and deprived of their energy and senses.  Beholding them thus afflicted by Drona with his shafts, the slayer of Madhu, desirous of victory to the son of Pandu, said these words:  ’Truly, this foremost of all wielders of arms, this leader of the leaders is incapable of being vanquished in battle by the slayer of Vritra himself.  Ye sons of Pandu, laying aside righteousness, take care of victory, so that Drona of the golden car may not slay all of you in battle.  I think he will not fight after the fall of Aswatthaman.  Let some man falsely tell him that Aswatthaman has been slain in battle.’  Hearing these words Kunti’s son, Dhananjaya, approved them not.  The advice, however, met with the approval of all others, and even of Yudhishthira with some difficulty.  Then, Bhimasena, with a tinge of bashfulness, said unto thy sire, ‘Aswatthaman hath been slain.’  Thy sire, however, did not believe him.  Suspecting the intelligence to be false, thy father, so affectionate towards thee, enquired of Yudhishthira as to whether thou wert really dead or not.  Afflicted with the fear of a lie, solicitous at the same time of victory, Yudhishthira, beholding a mighty elephant, huge as a hill and called Aswatthaman, belonging to the Malava chief, Indravarman, slain on the field by Bhima, approached Drona and answered him, saying, ’He for whom thou wieldest weapons, he, looking upon whom thou livest that ever dear son of thine, viz., Aswatthaman, hath been slain, Deprived of life he lieth on the bare ground like a young lion.’  Aware fully of the evil consequences of falsehood, the king spoke those words unto that best of Brahmans, indistinctly adding elephant (after Aswatthaman).  Hearing of the fall of his son, he began to wail aloud, afflicted with grief, Restraining (the force of) his celestial weapons, he fought not as before.  Beholding him filled with anxiety, and almost deprived of his senses by grief, the son of the Panchala king, of cruel deeds, rushed towards