afflicted.  Of prowess incapable of being baffled, hero is never fatigued by exertions.  Purified by the Vedas and by vows, he is a thorough master of the science of arms, like Rama, the son of Dasharatha.  He is like the ocean, incapable of being agitated.  Hearing that the preceptor, that foremost of righteous persons, had been unrighteously slain in battle by Dhrishtadyumna, what, indeed, did Aswatthaman say?  Aswatthaman hath been ordained to be the slayer of Dhrishtadyumna, even as Yajnasena’s son, the prince of the Panchalas, was ordained to be the slayer of Drona.  What, Oh, did Aswatthaman say, hearing that his sire, the preceptor, had been slain by the cruel, sinful, and mean Dhrishtadyumna of little foresight?’”

SECTION CXCVI

“Sanjaya said..  ’Hearing of the slaughter of his sire by Dhrishtadyumna, of sinful deeds, Drona’s son was filled with grief and rage, O bull among men.  Filled with rage, O king, his body seems to blaze forth like that of the Destroyer while engaged in slaughtering creatures at the end of Yuga.  Repeatedly wiping his tearful eyes, and breathing hot sighs in rage, he said unto Duryodhana, I have now learnt how my sire has been slain by those low wretches after he laid aside his weapons, and how also has a sinful act been perpetrated by Yudhishthira disguised in the grab of virtue![257] I have now heard of that unrighteous and exceedingly cruel act of Dharma’s son.  Indeed, to those engaged in battle, either of the two things must happen, viz., victory or defeat.  Death in battle is always to be applauded.  That death, in battle, of a person engaged in fight, which takes place under circumstances of righteousness, is not deserving of grief, as has been observed by the sages.  Without doubt, my sire has gone to the region of heroes.  He having met with such a death, I should not grieve for him.  The humiliation, however, of a seizure of his locks, that he sustained in the very sight of all the troops, while he was righteously engaged in battle, is tearing the very core of my heart.  Myself alive, my sire’s locks were seized, why should sonless people then entertain a desire of offspring?[258] People perpetrate unrighteous acts or humiliate others, moved by lust or wrath or folly or hatred or levity.  The cruel and wicked-souled son of Prishata hath perpetrated this exceedingly sinful act in total disregard of me Dhrishtadyumna, therefore, shall surely suffer the dreadful consequence of that act, as also the false-speeched son of Pandu, that has acted so wrongly.  Today, the earth shall certainly drink the blood of that king Yudhishthira the just, who caused the preceptor, by an act of deceit to lay aside his weapons.  I swear by truth, O Kauraveya, as also by my religious acts, that I shall never bear the burden of life if I fail to exterminate the Panchalas.  By every means I contend with the Panchalas in dreadful strife.  I shall certainly slay in battle Dhrishtadyumna, that