ded Drona's son as slain. Beholding Aswatthaman in that plight, the
Panchalas and the Srinjayas in that battle uttered leonine roars. Then
that crusher of foes, viz., the mighty car-warrior Aswatthaman,
recovering his senses, forcibly drawing the bow with his left hand,
stretching the bowstring to his ear, quickly shot a terrible shaft
resembling the rod of Yama himself, aiming at Ghatotkacha. That excellent
shaft, fierce and equipped with golden wings, piercing through the chest
of the Rakshasa, entered the earth, O king. Deeply pierced, O monarch, by
Drona's son who was proud of his prowess in battle, that prince of
Rakshasas, endued with great strength, sat down on the terrace of his
car. Beholding Hidimva's son deprived of his senses, his charioteer,
inspired with fear, speedily removed him from the field, bearing him away
from the presence of Drona's son. Having pierced that prince of
Rakshasas, viz., Ghatotkacha, in that encounter thus, Drona's son, that
mighty car-warrior, uttered a loud roar. Worshipped by thy sons as also
by all thy warriors, O Bharata, Aswatthaman's body blazed up like the
midday sun.

"'As regards Bhimasena who was battling in front of Drona's car, king
Duryodhana himself pierced him with many whetted shafts. Bhimasena,
however, O Bharata, pierced him in return with nine arrows. Duryodhana,
then, pierced Bhimasena with twenty arrows. Covered with each other's
arrows on the field of battle, those two warriors looked like the sun and
the moon covered with clouds in the firmament. Then king Duryodhana, O
chief of Bharatas, pierced Bhima with five winged arrows and said, "Wait!
Wait!" Bhima then, cutting off his bow as also his standard with keen
shafts, pierced the Kuru king himself with ninety straight arrows. Then,
Duryodhana filled with rage, taking up a more formidable bow, O chief of
the Bharatas, afflicted Bhimasena, at the van of battle, with many
whetted shafts, in the very sight of all the bowmen. Baffling those
shafts shot from Duryodhana's bow, Bhima pierced the Kuru king with five
and twenty short arrows. Duryodhana then, O sire, excited with wrath, cut
off Bhimasena's bow with a razor-faced arrow and pierced Bhima himself
with ten shafts in return. Then the mighty Bhimasena, taking up another
bow, quickly pierced the king with seven keen shafts. Displaying great
lightness of hand, Duryodhana cut off even that bow of Bhima. The second,
the third, the fourth, and the fifth, bow that Bh