owards Arjuna in that battle, that host
of Yudhishthira, O king, once more rallied. Then once more occurred a
battle between Drona and the Pandavas. Drona, surrounded, O king, on all
sides, by thy sons, began to consume the Pandava host, like fire
consuming a heap of cotton. Beholding him radiant like the sun and endued
with the splendour of a blazing fire, and fiercely and continually, O
king, emitting his ray-like arrows, with bow incessantly drawn to a
circle and scorching everything around like the sun himself, and
consuming his foes, there was none in that army that could check him. The
shafts of Drona cutting off the head of all those that ventured to
approach him in the face, penetrated into the earth. Thus slaughtered by
that illustrious warrior, the Pandava host, once more fled away in fear
in the very sight of Arjuna. Beholding that force, O Bharata, thus routed
on that night by Drona, Jishnu asked Govinda to proceed towards Drona's
car. Then he of Dasarha's race urged those steeds, white as silver or
milk or the Kunda flower, or the moon, towards the car of Drona.
Bhimasena also, beholding Phalguna proceed towards Drona, commanded his
own charioteer, saying, "Bear me towards Drona's division." Hearing those
words of Bhima, his driver Visoka urged his steeds, following in the
wake, O chief of the Bharatas, of Jishnu, of sure aim. Beholding the two
brothers resolutely proceeding towards Drona's division, the mighty
car-warriors among the Panchalas, the Srinjayas, the Matsyas, the Chedis,
the Karushas, the Kosalas, and the Kaikeyas, O king, all followed them.
Then, O monarch, took place a terrible battle that made the hair stand on
end. With two mighty throngs of cars, Vibhatsu and Vrikodara attacked thy
host; the former on the right and the latter in the front. Seeing those
tigers among men, viz., Bhimasena and Dhananjaya (thus engaged),
Dhrishtadyumna, O monarch, and Satyaki of great strength, rushed behind.
Then, O king, an uproar arose there in consequence of the two hosts
striking each other, that resembled the noise made by many seas lashed
into fury by a tempest. Beholding Satyaki in battle, Aswatthaman, filled
with rage at the slaughter of Somadatta's son, rushed furiously against
that Satwata hero at the van of battle. Seeing him rush in that battle
against the car of Sini's grandson, Bhimasena's son, the gigantic
Rakshasa, Ghatotkacha, endued with great strength, rushed at him, riding
on a huge and terri