the science of arms, and upon the defeat of
Dhrishtadyumna and Satyaki and Bhima, and feeling great pain and touched
to the quick by those words of Yudhishthira, and remembering all his former
woes, O lord, Vibhatsu, in consequence of his grief, felt such wrath rise
within him the like of which he had never experienced before. It was for
this that like a vulgar person, he addressed the preceptor's son who was
worthy of every respect, in such unworthy, indecent, bitter, and harsh
language. Addressed, from wrath, in such harsh and cruel words by Partha,
O king, Drona's son, that foremost of all mighty bowmen, became highly
angry with Partha and especially with Krishna. The valiant Aswatthaman,
then, staying resolutely on his car, touched water and invoked the Agneya
weapon incapable of being resisted by the very gods. Aiming at all his
visible and invisible foes, the preceptor's son, that slayer of hostile
heroes, inspired with mantras a blazing shaft possessed of the effulgence
of a smokeless fire, and let it off on all sides, filled with rage. Dense
showers of arrows then issued from it in the welkin. Endued with fiery
flames, those arrows encompassed Partha on all sides. Meteors flashed
down from the firmament. A thick gloom suddenly shrouded the (Pandava)
host. All the points of the compass also were enveloped by that darkness.
Rakshasas and Pisachas, crowding together, uttered fierce cries.
Inauspicious winds began to blow. The sun himself no longer gave any
heat. Ravens fiercely croaked on all sides. Clouds roared in the welkin,
showering blood. Birds and beasts and kine, and Munis of high vows and
souls under complete control, became exceedingly uneasy. The very
elements seemed to be perturbed. The sun seemed to turn. The universe,
scorched with heat, seemed to be in a fever. The elephants and other
creatures of the land, scorched by the energy of that weapon, ran in
fright, breathing heavily and desirous of protection against that
terrible force. The very waters heated, the creatures residing in that
element, O Bharata, became exceedingly uneasy and seemed to burn. From
all the points of the compass, cardinal and subsidiary, from the
firmament and the very earth, showers of sharp and fierce arrows fell and
issued with the impetuosity of Garuda or the wind. Struck and burnt by
those shafts of Aswatthaman that were all endued with the impetuosity of
the thunder, the hostile warriors fell down like trees burnt down by