uck by Partha, thy warriors were in great pain. They fled away, and in
flying killed many among their own number. The arrows shot by Arjuna,
winged Kanka feathers and capable of penetrating into every body, fell
covering all sides, like flights of locusts. Piercing steeds and
car-warriors and elephants and foot-soldiers, O sire, like snakes through
ant-hills, those shafts entered the earth. Arjuna never shot multiple
arrows at any elephant, steed or man. Struck with only one arrow, each of
these, severely afflicted, fell down deprived of life. With slain men and
elephant and shaft-struck steeds lying all about, and echoing with yells
of dogs and jackals, the field of battle presented a variegated and awful
sight. Pained with arrows, sire forsook son, and friend forsook friend
and son forsook sire. Indeed, every one was intent upon protecting his
own self. Struck with Partha's shafts, many warriors abandoned the very
animals that bore them.'"

SECTION XXIX

"Dhritarashtra said, 'When those divisions (of mine), O Sanjaya, were
broken and routed, and all of you retreated quickly from the field, what
became the state of your minds? The rallying of ranks when broken and
flying away without beholding a spot whereon to stand, is always
exceedingly difficult. Tell me all about it, O Sanjaya!'

"Sanjaya said, '[Although thy troops were broken], yet, O monarch, many
foremost of heroes in the world, inspired by the desire of doing good to
thy son and of maintaining their own reputation, followed Drona. In that
dreadful pass, they fearlessly followed their commander, achieving
meritorious feats against the Pandava troops with weapons upraised, and
Yudhishthira within accessible distance.[58] Taking advantage of an error
of Bhimasena of great energy and of heroic Satyaki and Dhrishtadyumna, O
monarch, the Kuru leaders fell upon the Pandava Army.[59] The Panchalas
urged their troops, saying, "Drona, Drona!" Thy sons, however, urged all
the Kurus, saying, "Let not Drona be slain. Let not Drona be slain!" One
side saying, "Slay Drona", "Slay Drona," and the other saying, "Let not
Drona be slain," "Let not Drona be slain," the Kurus and the Pandavas
seemed to gamble, making Drona their stake. Dhrishtadyumna, the prince of
the Panchalas, proceeded to the side of all those Panchala car-warriors
whom Drona sought to crush. Thus no rule was observed as to the
antagonist one might select for battling with him. The strife became
dreadfu