all asleep. He slew all those
trembling and shrieking warriors like animals in a sacrifice. Taking up
his sword then, he slew many others. Proceeding along the diverse paths
of the camp, one after another, Ashvatthama, accomplished in the use of
the sword, beheld diverse gulmas and slew in a trice the unarmed and
tired warriors sleeping within them. With that excellent sword he cut off
combatants and steeds and elephants. Covered all over with blood, he
seemed then to be Death himself commissioned by time. Causing his foes to
tremble by the repeated blows of his sword that were of three kinds,
Ashvatthama became bathed in blood. Covered as he was with blood, and
wielding as he did a blazing sword, his form, as he careered in battle,
became exceedingly terrible and superhuman. Those who awaked from sleep,
O Kaurava, became stupefied with the loud noise (they heard around).
Beholding Drona's son, they looked at each other's faces and trembled
(with fear). Those Kshatriyas, beholding the form of that crusher of
foes, believed him to be a Rakshasa and closed their eyes.

"'Of terrible form, he careered in the camp like Yama himself, and at last
saw the sons of Draupadi and the remnant of the Somakas. Alarmed by the
noise, and learning that Dhrishtadyumna had been slain, those mighty
car-warriors, the sons of Draupadi, armed with bows, fearlessly poured
their shafts on Drona's son. Awakened by their noise, the Prabhadrakas
with Shikhandi at their head, began to grind the son of Drona with their
arrows. Drona's son, beholding them shower their arrows on him, uttered a
loud roar and became desirous of slaying those mighty car-warriors.
Recollecting the death of his sire, Ashvatthama became filled with rage.
Alighting from the terrace of his car, he rushed furiously (against his
enemies). Taking up his bright shield with a 1,000 moons and his massive
and celestial sword decked with gold, the mighty Ashvatthama rushed
against the sons of Draupadi and began to lay about him with his weapon.
Then that tiger among men, in that dreadful battle, struck Prativindhya
in the abdomen, at which the latter, O king, deprived of life, fell down
on the Earth. The valiant Sutasoma, having pierced the son of Drona with
a lance, rushed at him with his uplifted sword. Ashvatthama, however cut
off Sutasoma's arm with the sword in grasp, and once more struck him in
the flank. At this, Sutasoma fell down, bereft of life. The valiant
Shatanika, the s