broken bow, the high-souled son of
Drona took up another and pierced Bhima with his winged shafts. Then
those two, viz., Drona's son and Bhima, both possessed of great prowess
and might, began to shower their arrowy downpours like two masses of
rain-charged clouds. Gold-winged arrows, whetted on stone and engraved
with Bhima's name shrouded Drona's son, like gathering masses of clouds
shrouding the sun. Similarly, Bhima was soon shrouded with hundreds and
thousands of strong arrows shot by Drona's son. Though shrouded in that
battle by Drona's son, that warrior of great skill, Bhima yet felt no
pain, O monarch, which seemed exceedingly wonderful. Then the
mighty-armed Bhima sped ten gold-decked arrows, of great keenness and
resembling the darts of Yama himself, at his foe. Those shafts, O sire,
falling upon the shoulders of Drona's son, quickly pierced his body, like
snakes penetrating into an ant-hill. Deeply pierced by the high-souled
son of Pandu, Aswatthaman, closing his eyes, supported himself by seizing
his flagstaff. Recovering his senses within a moment, O king, Drona's son
bathed in blood, mustered all his wrath. Forcibly struck by the
high-souled son of Pandu, Aswatthaman, endued with mighty arms, rushed
with great speed towards the car of Bhimasena. And then, O Bharata, he
sped at Bhimasena, from his bow drawn to its fullest stretch, a hundred
arrows of fierce energy, all looking like snakes of virulent poison.
Pandu's son Bhima also, proud of his prowess in battle, disregarding
Aswatthaman's energy, speedily showered upon him a dense arrowy downpour.
Then Drona's son, O king, cutting off Bhima's bow by means of his arrows,
and filled with rage, struck the Pandava in the chest with many keen
shafts. Incapable of brooking that feat, Bhimasena took up another bow
and pierced Drona's son in that battle with five keen shafts. Indeed,
showering upon each other their arrowy downpours like two masses of
clouds at the close of summer, two warriors, with eyes red as copper in
rage, completely covered each other in that battle with their shafts.
Frightening each other with the terrible sounds they made by their palms,
they continued to fight with each other, each counteracting the feats of
the other. Then bending his formidable bow adorned with gold, Drona's son
began to gaze steadfastly at Bhima who was thus shooting his shafts at
him. At that time, Aswatthaman looked like the meridian sun of blazing
rays in an autumnal