inst this weapon, will all be slain even if they seek refuge deep
beneath the earth". The warriors of the Pandava army, hearing, O Bharata,
these words of Vasudeva, threw their weapons and drove away from their
hearts all desire of battle. Then Bhimasena, the son of Pandu, beholding
the warriors about to abandon their weapons, said these words, O king,
gladdening them all: "None should lay down his weapons here. I shall,
with my shafts, oppose this weapon of Drona's son. With this heavy mace
of mine, that is decked with gold, I shall career in this battle like the
Destroyer himself, quelling this weapon of Drona's son. There is no man
here that is equal to me in prowess, even as there is no luminary in the
firmament that is equal to the sun. Beholding these two strong arms of
mine like unto the trunks of a couple of mighty elephants, capable of
pulling down the mountain of Himavat, I am the one person here that
possesses the might of the thousand elephants. I am without a peer, even
as Sakra is known to be in heaven among the celestials. Let people
witness today the prowess of these two arms of my broad-chested self,
while engaged in baffling the bright and blazing weapon of Drona's son.
If there be none (else) capable of contending against the Narayana
weapon, even I shall contend against it today in the very sight of all
the Kurus and the Pandavas. O Arjuna, O Vibhatsu, thou shouldst not lay
Gandiva aside. A stain will then attach to thee like that of the moon."
Thus addressed by Bhima, Arjuna said, "O Bhima, even this is my great vow,
viz., that my Gandiva shall not be used against the Narayana weapon,
kine, and Brahmanas." Thus answered by Arjuna, Bhima, that chastiser of
foes, riding on his car of solar effulgence, whose rattle, besides,
resembled the roar of the clouds, rushed against the son of Drona. Endued
with great energy and prowess, the son of Kunti, in consequence of his
extreme lightness of hand, within the twinkling of an eye, covered
Aswatthaman with a shower of weapons. Then Drona's son, smiling at the
rushing Bhima and addressing him (in proper words) covered him with
arrows, inspired with mantras and equipped with blazing points. Shrouded
with those shafts that vomited fire and resembled snakes of blazing
mouths, as if covered with sparks of gold, the form, O king, of Bhimasena
in that battle looked like that of a mountain in the evening when covered
with fire. That weapon of Drona's son, directed again