my has
been totally destroyed,--even this was the belief of every body. Others
amongst thy troops, fled away, O king, throwing off their coats of mail.
The soldiers loudly called upon one another, O bull of Bharata's race,
saying,--"Wait, Wait, do not fly," but none of them that said so
themselves stood on the field. Abandoning their vehicles and cars decked
with ornaments, the warriors, riding on steeds or using their legs, fled
away with great speed.

"'While the troops, deprived of energy, were thus flying away with speed,
only Drona's son, Aswatthaman, like a huge alligator coming up against
the current of a stream, rushed against his foes. A fierce battle took
place between him and many warriors headed by Sikhandin and the
Prabhadrakas, the Panchalas, the Chedis, and the Kaikeyas. Slaying many
warriors of the Pandava army that were incapable of being defeated with
ease, and escaping with difficulty from the press of battle, that hero,
possessed of the tread of an infuriated elephant, saw the (Kaurava) host
running away, resolved on flight. Proceeding towards Duryodhana, Drona's
son, approaching the Kuru king, said, "Why, O Bharata, are the troops
flying away as if in fear? Although flying away, thus, O monarch, why
dost thou not yet rally them in battle? Thyself, too, O king, dost not
seem to be in thy usual frame of mind. Upon the slaughter of that lion
among car-warriors, O monarch, hath thy force fallen into this plight. O
Kaurava, O king, all these that are headed (even) by Karna, wait not on
the field. In no battle fought before did the army fly away thus. Hath
any evil befallen thy troops, O Bharata?" Hearing these words of Drona's
son on that occasion, Duryodhana, that bull among kings, felt himself
unable to impart the bitter intelligence. Indeed, thy son seemed to sink
into an ocean of grief, like a foundered boat. Beholding Drona's son on
his car, the king became bathed in tears. Suffused with shame, O monarch,
the king then addressed Saradwat's son, saying, "Blessed be thou, say
thou, before others, why the army is thus flying away". Then Saradwat's
son, O king, repeatedly feeling great anguish, told Drona's son how his
sire had been slain.

"'Kripa said, "Placing Drona, that foremost of car-warriors, at our head,
we commenced to fight with only the Panchalas. When the battle commenced,
the Kurus and the Somakas, mingled together, roared at one another and
began to strike down one another with their wea