The two Kuru warriors, however, (who
were on their cars) gave quarter to none. None amongst those that escaped
from the camp was let off by those two wicked persons, Kripa and
Kritavarma. Then again, for doing that which was highly agreeable to
Drona's son, those two set fire to the Pandava camp in three places.

"'When the camp was lighted, Ashvatthama, that delighter of his sires, O
monarch, careered, sword in hand and smiting his foes with great skill.
Some of his brave foes rushed towards him and some ran hither and
thither. That foremost of regenerate ones, with his sword, deprived all
of them of their lives. The valiant son of Drona, filled with rage,
felled some of the warriors, cutting them in twain with his sword as if
they were sesame stalks. The Earth, O bull of Bharata's race, became
strewn with the fallen bodies of the foremost of men and steeds and
elephants mingled together and uttering woeful wails and cries. When
thousands of men had fallen down deprived of life, innumerable headless
trunks stood up and fell down. Ashvatthama, O Bharata, cut off arms
adorned with angadas and holding weapons in grasp, and heads, and thighs
resembling trunks of elephants, and hands, and feet. The illustrious son
of Drona mangled the backs of some, cut off the heads of some, and caused
some to turn away from the fight. And he cut off some at the middle, and
lopped off the ears of others, and struck others on the shoulders, and
pressed down the heads of some into their trunks.

"'As Ashvatthama careered in this way, slaughtering thousands of men, the
deep night became more terrible in consequence of the darkness that set
in. The earth became terrible to behold, strewn with thousands of human
beings dead and dying and innumerable steeds and elephants. Cut off by
the enraged son of Drona, his foes fell down on the earth that was then
crowded with Yakshas and Rakshasas, and frightful with (broken) cars and
slain steeds and elephants. Some called upon their brothers, some upon
their sires, and some upon their sons. And some said, "The Dhartarashtras
in rage could never accomplish such feats in battle as these which
Rakshasas of wicked deeds are achieving (upon us) during the hour of
sleep! It is only in consequence of the absence of the Parthas that this
great slaughter is going on. That son of Kunti, who hath Janardana for
his protector, is incapable of being vanquished by gods, Asuras,
Gandharvas, Yakshas and Rakshasas! Devo