arrows.  Then Drona’s son, O monarch, with a straight shaft, pierced the forehead of Bhima’s driver.  The latter, deeply pierced by the mighty son of Drona, fell into a swoon, O king, abandoning the reins of the steeds.  The driver of the Bhima’s car having fallen into a swoon, the steeds, O king, began to fly away with great speed, in the very sight of all the bowmen.  Beholding Bhima carried away from the field of battle by those running steeds, the unvanquished Aswatthaman joyfully blew his huge conch.  Beholding Bhimasena borne away from the field, all the Panchalas, inspired with fear, abandoning the car of Dhrishtadyumna, fled away on every side.  Then Drona’s son, shooting his shafts fiercely, pursued those broken troops, causing a great carnage among them.  Thus slaughtered in battle by the son of Drona, those Kshatriyas fled away in all directions from fear of that warrior.

“Sanjaya said, ’Beholding that force broken, Kunti’s son, Dhananjaya, of immeasurable soul, proceeded against Aswatthaman from desire of slaying him.  Those troops then, O king, rallied with effort by Govinda and Arjuna, stayed on the field of battle.  Only Vibhatsu, supported by the Somakas and the Matsyas, shot his arrows at the Kauravas and checked their onset.[268] Quickly approaching Aswatthaman, that great bowman having the mark of the lion’s tail on his banner, Arjuna addressed him, saying, ’Show me now the might thou hast, the energy, the knowledge, and the manliness, that are in thee, as also thy affection for the Dhartarashtras and thy hatred for us, and the high mettle of which thou art capable.  Even Prishata’s son, that slayer of Drona, will quell thy pride today.  Come now and encounter the Panchala prince, that hero resembling the Yuga fire and like the Destroyer himself with Govinda.  Thou hast displayed thy pride in battle, but I shall quell that pride of thine.’

“Dhritarashtra said, ’The preceptor’s son, O Sanjaya, is possessed of might and worthy of respect.  He beareth great love to Dhananjaya and the high-souled Dhananjaya also loveth him in return.  Vibhatsu had never addressed Drona’s son before in this way.  Why then did the son of Kunti address his friend in such words?’

“Sanjaya said, ’Upon the fall of the youthful prince of the Chedis, of Vrihatkshatra of Puru’s race, and of Sudarsana, the chief of the Malavas, who was well-accomplished in the science of arms, and upon the defeat of Dhrishtadyumna and Satyaki and Bhima, and feeling great pain and touched to the quick by those words of Yudhishthira, and remembering a his former woes, O lord, Vibhatsu, in consequence of his grief, felt such wrath rise within him the like of which he had never experienced before.  It was for this that like a vulgar person, he addressed the preceptor’s son who was worthy of every respect, in such unworthy, indecent, bitter, and harsh language.  Addressed, from wrath, in such harsh and cruel words by Partha, O king, Drona’s son, that foremost