hat mountain-like mass of antimony, with countless
weapons falling from it, Drona's son was not at all moved. The latter
invoked into existence the Vajra weapon.[200] The prince of mountains,
then, struck with that weapon, was quickly destroyed. Then the Rakshasa,
becoming a mass of blue clouds in the firmament, decked with rainbow,
began furiously to shower upon Drona's son in that battle a downpour of
stones and rocks. Then that foremost of all persons acquainted with
weapons, viz., Aswatthaman, aiming the Vayavya weapon, destroyed that
blue cloud which had risen on the firmament. Drona's son, that foremost
of men, covering then all the points of the compass with his shafts, slew
a hundred thousand car-warriors. He then beheld Ghatotkacha fearlessly
coming towards him with bent bow and accompanied by a large number of
Rakshasas that resembled lions or infuriated elephants of great strength,
some riding on elephants, some on cars, and some on steeds. The son of
Hidimva was accompanied by those fierce followers of his, with frightful
faces and heads and necks. Those Rakshasas consisted of both Paulastyas
and Yatudhanas.[201] Their prowess was equal to that of Indra himself.
They were armed with diverse kinds of weapons and were cased in diverse
kinds of armour. Of terrible visage, they swelled with rage. Ghatotkacha
came to battle, accompanied by those Rakshasas, who were, indeed,
incapable of being easily defeated in battle. Beholding them, thy son,
Duryodhana, became exceedingly cheerless. Unto him the son of Drona said,
"Wait, O Duryodhana! Thou needst have no fear. Stand aside with these thy
heroic brothers and these lords of earth, endued with the prowess of
Indra. I will slay thy foes. Defeat thou shalt not have. I tell thee
truly. Meanwhile, assure thy troops."

"'Duryodhana said, "I do not regard what thou sayest to be at all
wonderful, since thy heart is large. O son of Gautama's daughter, thy
regard for us is great."'

"Sanjaya continued, 'Having said those words unto Aswatthaman, he then
addressed the son of Suvala, saying, "Dhananjaya is engaged in battle
surrounded by a hundred thousand car-warriors of great valour. Go thou
against him, with sixty thousand cars. Karna also, and Vrishasena and
Kripa, and Nila, and the Northerners, and Kritavarman, and the sons of
Purumitra, and Duhsasana, and Nikumbha, and Kundabhedin, and Puranjaya
and Dridharatha, and Hemakampana, and Salya, and Aruni, and Indrasena,
and