tremble. This terrific uproar, making the hair stand
on end, that is now heard, would, it seems, swallow the three worlds with
Indra at their head. I think this terrible uproar is uttered by the
wielder of the thunderbolt himself. It is evident that upon the fall of
Drona, Vasava himself is approaching (against us) for the sake of the
Kauravas. Our hairs have stood on their ends, our foremost of
car-warriors are all afflicted with anxiety. O Dhananjaya, hearing this
loud and terrible noise, I ask thee who is that mighty car-warrior, like
the lord of the celestials himself, that rallying this terrible and
swelling host, is causing it to return?"

"'Arjuna said, "He, relying upon whose energy the Kauravas, having
addressed themselves to the accomplishment of fierce feats, are blowing
their conchs and staying with patience, he about whom thou hast thy
doubts, O king, as to who he may be that is roaring so loud, having
rallied the Dhartarashtras after the fall of the disarmed preceptor, he,
who is endued with modesty, possessed of mighty arms, has the tread of an
infuriated elephant, owns a face like that of a tiger, always achieves
fierce feats, and dispels the fears of the Kurus, he upon whose birth
Drona gave away a thousand kine unto Brahmanas of high worth, he O king,
that is roaring so loud, is Aswatthaman. As soon as he was born, that
hero neighed like Indra's steed and caused the three worlds to tremble at
that sound. Hearing that sound, an invisible being, O lord, (speaking
audibly) bestowed upon him the name of Aswatthaman (the horse-voiced).
That hero, O son of Pandu, is roaring today. Prishata's son, by an
exceedingly cruel act, assailed Drona and took his life as if the latter
was without a preceptor. Yonder stayeth the preceptor of that Drona.
Since the prince of the Panchalas seized my preceptor by the hair,
Aswatthaman, confident of his own prowess, will never forgive him. Thou,
O monarch, hath told thy preceptor a falsehood for the sake of kingdom!
Although thou art acquainted with the dictates of righteousness, thou
hast yet perpetrated a very sinful act. Thy ill fame, in consequence of
the slaughter of Drona, will be eternal in the three worlds with their
mobile and immobile creatures, like Rama's in consequence of the
slaughter of Bali![261] About thyself, Drona had thought, 'The son of
Pandu is possessed of every virtue; he is, besides, my disciple. He will
never speak an untruth to me.' Thinking so, he