“While the scion of Sini, O sire, was thus being pacified by Sahadeva, the son of the Panchala king, smiling, said these words, ’Release Sini’s grandson, O Bhima who is so proud of his prowess in battle.  Let him come at me like the wind assailing the mountains, till, with my keen arrows, O son of Kunti, I quell his rage and desire for battle and take his life.  Yonder come the Kauravas.  I shall (after staying Satyaki) achieve this great task of the Pandavas that has presented itself.  Or let Phalguna resist all the enemies in battle.  As regards myself, I will fell this one’s head with my arrows.  He taketh me for the armless Bhurisravas in battle.  Release him.  Either I will slay him or he will slay me.’  Hearing these words of the Panchala prince, the mighty Satyaki held fast in Bhima’s clasp, sighing like a snake, began to tremble.  Both of them, endued with great might and possessed of powerful arms, began to roar like a couple of bulls.  Then Vasudeva, O sire, and king Yudhishthira the just, with great effort, succeeded in pacifying those heroes.  Having pacified those two great bowmen, those two heroes, whose eyes had become blood-red with rage, all the Kshatriyas (of the Pandava) army proceeded against the warriors of the hostile army for battle.’

SECTION CC

“Sanjaya said, ’Then Drona’s son began to cause a great carnage amongst his foes in that battle, like the Destroyer himself at the end of the Yuga.  Slaying his enemies by means of his broad-headed arrows, Aswatthaman soon piled a mountain there of the dead.  The standards of cars formed its trees; and weapons its pointed summits; the lifeless elephants formed its large rocks; the steeds, its Kimpurushas; and bows, its creepers and plants.  And it resounded with the cries of all carnivorous creatures, that constituted its feathery population.  And the spirits that walked there formed its Yakshas[266].  Then roaring aloud, O bull of Bharata’s race, Aswatthaman once more repeated his vow in the hearing of thy son, thus, ’Since Kunti’s son, Yudhishthira, assuming only the outward garb of virtue, had caused the preceptor who was (righteously) engaged in battle to lay aside his weapons, I shall, in his very sight, rout and destroy his army.  Having mangled all his troops, I shall, then, slay the sinful prince of the Panchalas.  Indeed, I shall slay all of them, if they contend with me in battle.  I tell thee truly, therefore, rally thou thy troops.’  Hearing these words of Aswatthaman, thy son rallied the troops, having dispelled their fears with a loud leonine, roar.  The encounter, then, O king, that once more took place between the Kuru and the Pandava armies, became as terrible as that of two oceans at full tide.  The terrified Kauravas had their fears dispelled by Drona’s son.  The Pandus and the Panchalas had become fierce in consequence of Drona’s slaughter.  Great was the violence of that collision, on the field of battle, between those warriors, all