art vainglorious and suspicious of everything. For this,
thou suspectest even us. I think, O king, thou art wicked, of sinful
soul, and an embodiment of sin. Mean and of sinful thoughts, thou
doubtest us and others. As regards myself, fighting with resolution for
thy sake, I am prepared to lay down my life. I will presently go to
battle for thy sake, O chief of the Kurus. I will fight with the foe and
slay a large number of the enemy. I will fight with the Panchalas, the
Somakas, the Kaikeyas, and the Pandavas also, in battle, for doing what
is agreeable to thee, O chastiser of foes. Scorched with my arrows today,
the Chedis, the Panchalas, and the Somakas, will fly away on all sides
like a herd of kine afflicted by a lion. Today, the royal son of Dharma
with all the Somakas, beholding my prowess, will regard the whole world
to be filled with Aswatthamans. Dharma's son, Yudhishthira, will become
exceedingly cheerless, beholding the Panchalas and Somakas slain (by me)
in battle. I will, O Bharata, slay all those that will approach me in
battle. Afflicted with the might of my arms, none of them, O hero, will
escape me today with life." Having said so unto thy son, Duryodhana, the
mighty-armed (Aswatthaman) proceeded to battle, and afflicted all bowmen.
That foremost of all living beings thus sought to achieve what was
agreeable to thy sons. The son of Gotama's daughter, then addressing the
Panchalas and the Kaikeyas, said unto them, "Ye mighty car-warriors,
strike ye all at my body. Displaying your lightness in the use of arms,
fight ye with me coolly." Thus addressed by him, all those combatants, O
king, poured showers of weapons upon Drona's son like clouds pouring
torrents of rain. Baffling that shower, Drona's son in that battle, slew
ten brave warriors amongst them, in the very sight, O lord, of
Dhrishtadyumna and the sons of Pandu. The Panchalas and the Somakas then,
thus worked in battle, abandoned the son of Drona and fled away in all
directions. Beholding those brave warriors, viz., the Panchalas and the
Somakas, flying away, Dhrishtadyumna, O king, rushed against Drona's son
in that battle. Surrounded then by a hundred brave and unreturning
car-warriors mounted upon cars, decked with gold, and the rattle of whose
wheels resembled the roar of rain-charged clouds, the mighty car-warrior
Dhrishtadyumna, the son of the Panchala king, beholding his warriors
slain, addressed Drona's son and said these words, "O foolish s