th one hand and now with another shot an arrowy
shower. And beholding that shower resembling a flight of locusts, the
spectators wondering applauded him exclaiming, 'Excellent'! 'Excellent'!
And so ceaselessly did he shoot his arrows that the very air was unable
to penetrate the thick array. And the spectators could not perceive any
interval between the taking up of the arrows and letting them off. And in
that fierce encounter characterised by lightness of hand in the discharge
of weapons, Partha began to shoot his arrows more quickly than before.
And then all at once hundreds and thousands of straight arrows fell upon
Drona's car. And, O bull of the Bharata race, beholding Drona completely
covered by the wielder of the Gandiva with his arrows, the Kuru army set
up exclamation of 'Oh'! and 'Alas'! And Maghavat, together with those
Gandharvas and Apsaras that have come there, applauded the fleetness of
Partha's hand. And that mighty car-warrior, the preceptor's son, then
resisted the Pandava with a mighty array of cars. And although enraged
with Arjuna, yet Aswatthaman mentally admired that feat of the
high-souled son of Pritha. And waxing wroth, he rushed towards Partha,
and discharged at him an arrowy shower like a heavy down-pour by the
cloud. And turning his steeds towards Drona's son, Partha gave Drona an
opportunity to leave the field. And thereupon the latter, wounded in that
terrible encounter, and his mail and banner gone sped away by the aid of
swift horses."

SECTION LIX

Vaisampayana said, "Then, O mighty king, Drona's son rushed to an
encounter with Arjuna in battle. And beholding his rush to the conflict
like a hurricane, showering shafts like a rain charged cloud Pritha's son
received him with a cloud of arrows. And terrible was the encounter
between them, like that between the gods and the Danavas. And they shot
arrows at each other like Virata and Vasava. And the welkin being
enveloped on all sides with arrows, the sun was completely hidden, and
the air itself was hushed. And, O conqueror of hostile cities, as they
assailed and struck each other, loud sounds arose as of bamboos on fire.
And, O king, Aswatthaman's horses being sorely afflicted by Arjuna, they
became bewildered and could not ascertain which way to go. And as
Pritha's son ranged on the field, the powerful son of Drona finding an
opportunity, cut off the string of the Gandiva with an arrow furnished
with a horse-shoe head. And beholding