O Arjuna, O Vibhatsu, thou shouldst not lay Gandiva aside.  A stain will then attach to thee like that of the moon.’  Thus addressed Bhima, Arjuna said, O Bhima, even this is my great vow, viz., that my Gandiva shall not be used against the Narayana weapon, kine, and Brahmanas.  Thus answered by Arjuna, Bhima, that chastiser of foes, riding on his car of solar effulgence, whose rattle, besides, resembled the roar of the clouds, rushed against the son of Drona.  Endued with great energy and prowess, the son of Kunti, in consequence of his extreme lightness of hand, within the twinkling of an eye, covered Aswatthaman with a shower of weapons.  Then Drona’s son, smiling at the rushing Bhima and addressing him (in proper words) covered him with arrows, inspired with mantras and equipped with blazing points.  Shrouded with those shafts that vomited fire and resembled snakes of blazing mouths, as if covered with sparks of gold.  The form, O king, of Bhimasena in that battle looked like that of a mountain in the evening when covered with fire.  That weapon of Drona’s son, directed against Bhimasena increased in energy and might, O king, like a conflagration assisted by the wind.  Beholding that weapon of terrible energy thus increasing in might, a panic entered the hearts of all the combatants of the Pandava army with the exception of Bhima.  Then all of them, throwing down their weapons on the earth, alighted from their cars and steeds.  After they had thrown their weapons and alighted from their vehicles, that weapon of exceeding energy fell upon the head of Bhima.  All creatures, especially the Pandavas, uttered cries of Oh and Alas, beholding Bhimasena overwhelmed by the energy of that weapon.’”

SECTION CCI

“Sanjaya said, “Beholding Bhimasena overwhelmed by that weapon, Dhananjaya, for baffling its energy, covered him with the Varuna weapon.  In consequence of the lightness of Arjuna’s arms, and owing also to the fiery force that shrouded Bhima, none could see that the latter had been covered with the Varuna weapon.  Shrouded with the weapon of Drona’s son, Bhima, his steeds, driver, and car became incapable of being gazed at, like a fire of blazing flame in the midst of another fire.  As at the close of the night, O king, all the luminaries run towards the Asta hill, even so the fiery shafts (of Aswatthaman) all began to proceed towards Bhimasena’s car.  Indeed, Bhima himself, his car, steeds, and driver, O sire, thus shrouded by Drona’s son seemed to be in the midst of a conflagration.  As the (Yuga) fire consuming the entire universe with its mobile and immobile creatures when the hour of dissolution comes, at last enters the mouth of the Creator, even so at the weapon of Drona’s son began to enter the body of Bhimasena.  As one cannot perceive a fire if it penetrates into the sun or the sun if it enters into a fire, even so none could perceive that energy which penetrated into Bhima’s body.