na, became filled with rage and grief, and swore in the midst
of all the ear-warriors, saying, "Let me lose merits of all my religious
acts as also my Kshatriya and Brahma energy, if Drona escape me today
with life, or if he succeed in vanquishing me!"[248] Having taken that
oath in the midst of all the bowmen, that slayer of hostile heroes, viz.,
the prince of the Panchalas, supported by his own division, advanced
against Drona. The Panchalas then began to strike Drona from one side,
and Arjuna from another. Duryodhana, and Karna, and Sakuni, the son of
Suvala, and the uterine brothers of Duryodhana (stationed), according to
their precedence, began to protect Drona in battle. Drona being thus
protected in battle by those illustrious warriors, the Panchalas though
struggling vigorously, could not even gaze at him. Then Bhimasena, O
sire, became highly angry with Dhrishtadyumna and, O bull among men, that
son of Pandu pierced Dhrishtadyumna with these fierce words:[249]

"'Bhimasena said, "What man is there who being regarded as a Kshatriya and
who taking his birth in the race of Drupada and who being the foremost of
all persons possessing a knowledge of weapons, would only thus look at
his foe stationed before him? What man having seen his sire and son
slain, and especially, having sworn such an oath in the midst of the
king, would thus be indifferent to his enemy? Yonder stands Drona like a
fire swelling with its own energy. Indeed, with bow and arrows
constituting his fuel, he is consuming with his energy all the
Kshatriyas. Soon will he annihilate the Pandava army. Stand ye (as
spectators) and behold my feat. Against Drona himself will I proceed."
Having said these words, Vrikodara, filled with rage, penetrated into
Drona's array, began to afflict and rout that host. Then the
Panchala prince Dhrishtadyumna, also, penetrating into that large host,
engaged himself with Drona in battle. The battle became furious. Such a
fierce encounter we had never seen or heard of before, O king, as that
which now took place at sunrise of that day. The cars, O sire, were seen
to be entangled with one another. The bodies of embodied creatures
deprived of lives were scattered all over the field. Some, while
proceeding towards another part of the field, were, on the way, assailed
by others. Some, while flying away, were struck on their backs, and
others on their sides. That general engagement continued to rage
fiercely. Soon, however, the