With the
aid of this weapon, thou too shalt pour diverse showers of celestial
weapons in battle and blaze with energy in consequence of it.' Having said
these words, the divine Lord ascended to heaven. Even this is the history
of the Narayana weapon which has been obtained by my sire's son. With
that I will rout and slay the Pandavas, the Panchalas, the Matsyas, and
the Kaikeyas, in battle, like Sachi's lord routing and slaying the
Asuras. My shafts, O Bharata, will fall upon the contending foes, in
those particular forms which I shall wish them to assume. Staying in
battle, I will pour showers of weapons as I desire. I will rout and slay
all the foremost of car warriors with sky-ranging arrows of iron-points.
Without doubt, I will shower innumerable battle-axes upon the foe. With
the mighty Narayana weapon, a scorcher of foes that I am, I will destroy
the Pandavas, causing an immense carnage amongst them. That wretch
amongst the Panchalas, (viz., Dhrishtadyumna), who is an injurer of
friends and Brahmanas and of his own preceptor, who is a deceitful wretch
of the most reprehensible conduct, shall never escape from me today with
life." Hearing these words of Drona's son, the (Kuru) army rallied. Then
many foremost of men blew their gigantic conchs. And filled with delight,
they beat their drums and dindimas by thousands. The earth resounded with
loud noises, afflicted with the hoofs of steeds and the wheels of cars.
That loud uproar made the earth, and the firmament also echo with it.
Hearing that uproar, deep as the roll of the clouds, the Pandavas, those
foremost of car-warriors, uniting together, took counsel of one another.
Meanwhile, Drona's son, having said those words, O Bharata, touched water
and invoked the celestial weapon called the Narayana.'"

SECTION CXCVII

"Sanjaya said, 'When the weapon called Narayana was invoked, violent
winds began to blow with showers of rain, and peals of thunder were heard
although the sky was cloudless. The earth trembled, and the seas swelled
up in agitation. The rivers began to run in a contrary course. The
summits of mountains, O Bharata, began to split. Diverse animals began to
pass by the left side of the Pandavas.[260] Darkness set in, the sun
became obscure. Diverse kinds of carnivorous creatures began to alight on
the field in joy. The gods, the Danavas, and the Gandharvas, O monarch,
all became inspired with fear. Beholding that tremendous agitation (in
nature), all