udhishthira protected by the grandson of Sini (Satyaki) and by the
heroic sons of Draupadi, cheerfully advanced against the king, scattering
many fierce arrows equipped with wings of gold and whetted on stone, and
displaying diverse manoeuvres of his car and the great skill he had
acquired and his exceeding lightness of hands. He filled the entire
welkin with shafts inspired with the force of celestial weapons.
Conversant with all weapons, Drona's son encompassed Yudhishthira in that
battle. The welkin being covered with the shafts of Drona's son, nothing
could be seen. The vast space in front of Ashvatthama became one expanse
of arrows. The welkin then, thus covered with that dense shower of arrows
decked with gold, looked beautiful, O chief of the Bharatas, as if a
canopy embroidered with gold had been spread there. Indeed, the
firmament, O king, having been covered with that bright shower of arrows,
a shadow, as that of the clouds, appeared there on the occasion.
Wonderful was the sight that we then beheld when the sky had thus become
one expanse of arrows, for not one creature ranging the sky could course
through his element. Then Satyaki, though struggling resolutely, and
Pandu's son king Yudhishthira the just, as also all the other warriors,
could not display their prowess. Beholding the great lightness of hands
displayed by the son of Drona, the mighty car-warriors (of the Pandava
army) were filled with wonder. All the kings became incapable of even
looking at Ashvatthama, O monarch, who then resembled the scorching Sun
himself in the sky. While the Pandava troops were thus being slaughtered,
those mighty car-warriors, viz., the sons of Draupadi, and Satyaki, and
king Yudhishthira the just, and the Pancala warriors, all uniting
together, cast off their fears of death and rushed against the son of
Drona. Then Satyaki, piercing the son of Drona with seventy arrows, once
more pierced him with seven long shafts decked with gold. And
Yudhishthira pierced him with three and seventy arrows, and Prativindya
with seven, and Srutakarman pierced him with three arrows and Srutakirti
with five. And Sutasoma pierced him with nine arrows, and Satanika with
seven. And many other heroes pierced him with many arrows from every
side. Filled then with rage and breathing, O king, like a snake of
virulent poison, Drona's son pierced Satyaki in return with five and
twenty arrows whetted on stone. And he pierced Srutakirti with nine
arrow