th one hand and now
with another shot an arrowy shower. And beholding that shower resembling
a flight of locusts, the spectators wondering applauded him exclaiming,
'Excellent! Excellent!' And so ceaselessly did he shoot his arrows that
the very air was unable to penetrate the thick array. And the spectators
could not perceive any interval between the taking up of the arrows and
letting them off. And in that fierce encounter characterised by
lightness of hand in the discharge of weapons, Partha began to shoot his
arrows more quickly than before. And then all at once hundreds and
thousands of straight arrows fell upon Drona's car. And, O bull of the
Bharata race, beholding Drona completely covered by the wielder of the
_Gandiva_ with his arrows, the Kuru army set up exclamation of '_Oh'!_
and '_Alas'!_ And Maghavat, together with those _Gandharvas_ and
_Apsaras_ that have come there, applauded the fleetness of Partha's
hand. And that mighty car-warrior, the preceptor's son, then resisted
the Pandva with a mighty array of cars. And although enraged with
Arjuna, yet Aswatthaman mentally admired that feat of the high-souled
son of Pritha. And waxing wroth, he rushed towards Partha, and
discharged at him an arrowy shower like a heavy down-pour by the cloud.
And turning his steeds towards Drona's son, Partha gave Drona an
opportunity to leave the field. And thereupon the latter, wounded in
that terrible encounter, and his mail and banner gone sped away by the
aid of swift horses."

SECTION LIX

Vaisampayana said, "Then, O mighty king, Drona's son rushed to an
encounter with Arjuna in battle. And beholding his rush to the conflict
like a hurricane, showering shafts like a rain charged cloud Pritha's
son received him with a cloud of arrows. And terrible was the encounter
between them, like that between the gods and the _Danavas_. And they
shot arrows at each other like Virata and Vasava. And the welkin being
enveloped on all sides with arrows, the sun was completely hidden, and
the air itself was hushed. And, O conqueror of hostile cities, as they
assailed and struck each other, loud sounds arose as of bamboos on fire.
And, O king, Aswatthaman's horses being sorely afflicted by Arjuna, they
became bewildered and could not ascertain which way to go. And as
Pritha's son ranged on the field, the powerful son of Drona finding an
opportunity, cut off the string of the _Gandiva_ with an arrow furnished
with a horse-shoe head. And