“’Encompassing the mighty Dhrishtadyumna, Kritavarma cheerfully addressed him saying, “Wait, Wait!” The encounter then that took place between the Vrishni and the Pancala warriors in that battle became exceedingly fierce, like that between two hawks, O king, for a piece of meat.  Filled with rage, Dhrishtadyumna, in that battle, struck the son of Hridika (Kritavarma, the ruler of Bhoja) with nine arrows in the chest, and succeeded in afflicting him greatly.  Then Kritavarma, thus deeply struck by Prishata’s son in that encounter, covered his assailant, his steeds, and his car with his shafts.  Thus shrouded, O king, along with his car, Dhrishtadyumna became invisible, like the Sun shrouded by rain-charged clouds.  Baffling all those shafts decked with gold, Dhrishtadyumna, O king, looked resplendent in that battle in his wounds.  The commander of the Pandava forces, viz., the son of Prishata, then, filled with rage, approached Kritavarma and poured upon him a fierce shower of arrows.  The son of Hridika, however, in that battle, with many thousands of his own arrows, destroyed that fierce arrowy shower coursing towards him with great impetuosity.  Beholding his irresistible shower of arrows checked in that battle by Kritavarma, the son of Prishata, approaching his antagonist, began to resist him.  And soon he despatched Kritavarma’s driver to Yama’s abode with a broad-headed arrow of great sharpness.  Deprived of life, the driver fell down from the car.  The mighty Dhrishtadyumna, having vanquished his mighty antagonist, began then to resist the Kauravas with shafts, without losing a moment.  Then thy warriors, O king, rushed towards Dhrishtadyumna, uttering loud leonine roars.  At this a battle once more took place between them.’”

55

“Sanjaya said, ’Meanwhile the son of Drona (Ashvatthama), beholding Yudhishthira 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.