aketu. The shaft, O monarch, piercing through the prince of
Panchala, quickly entered the earth, bathed in blood and blazing like a
flame of fire. Then the prince of the Panchalas quickly fell down from
his car, like a Champaka tree uprooted by the wind, falling down from a
mountain summit. Upon the fall of that great bowman, that prince endued
with great might, the Panchalas speedily encompassed Drona on every side.
Then Chitraketu, and Sudhanwan, and Chitravarman, O Bharata, and
Chitraratha also, all afflicted with grief on account of their (slain)
brother, together rushed against the son of Bharadwaja, desirous of
battling with him, and shooting shafts (at him) like the clouds (pouring)
at the end of summer. Struck from all sides by those mighty car-warriors
of royal lineage, that bull among Brahmanas mustered all his energy and
wrath for their destruction. Then Drona shot showers of shafts at them.
Struck with those shafts of Drona shot from his bow to its fullest
stretch, those princes, O best of monarchs, became confounded and knew
not what to do. The angry Drona, O Bharata, beholding those princes
stupefied, smilingly deprived them of their steeds and charioteers and
cars in that battle. Then the illustrious son of Bharadwaja, by means of
his sharp arrows and broad-headed shafts, cut off their heads, like a
person plucking flowers from a tree. Deprived of life, those princes
there, O king of great splendour, fell down from their cars on the earth,
like the (slain) Daityas and Danavas in the battle between the gods and
the Asuras in days of old. Having slain them in battle, O king, the
valiant son of Bharadwaja shook his invincible bow, the back of whose
staff was decked with gold. Beholding those mighty car-warriors,
resembling the very celestials among the Panchalas slain, Dhrishtadyumna
inflamed with rage, shed tears in that battle. Excited with wrath, he
rushed, in that encounter, against Drona's car. Then, O king, cries of
woe suddenly arose there at the sight of Drona covered with arrows by the
prince of Panchala. Completely shrouded by the high-souled son of
Prishata, Drona, however, suffered no pain. On the other hand, he
continued to fight, smiling the while. The prince of the Panchalas then,
furious with rage, struck Drona in the chest with many straight shafts.
Deeply pierced by that mighty warrior, the illustrious son Of Bharadwaja
sat down on the terrace of his car and fell into a swoon. Beholding him
i