Seeing their king slain, all
the wives of Dhrishtadyumna, filled with great sorrow, cried. At that
wail of theirs many mighty kshatriyas, awaking, put on their armour and
came there for enquiring after the cause of those cries. Those ladies,
terrified at the sight of Ashvatthama, in piteous tones asked the men to
pursue him without delay. They said, "Whether he is a rakshasa or a human
being, we know not what he is! Having slain the Pancala king, he stayeth
there!" At these words, those foremost of warriors suddenly surrounded
Drona's son. The latter slew them all by means of the rudrastra. Having
slain Dhrishtadyumna and all those followers of his, he beheld Uttamauja
sleeping on his bed. Attacking him with his foot on the throat and chest,
Drona's son slew that great hero also while the latter writhed in agony.
Yudhamanyu, coming up and believing his comrade to have been slain by a
rakshasa, speedily struck Drona's son in the chest with a mace. Rushing
towards him, Ashvatthama seized him and brought him down to the ground
and slew him like an animal while the latter uttered loud shrieks.
Having slain Yudhamanyu thus, that hero proceeded against the other
car-warriors of the king, who were all asleep. He slew all those
trembling and shrieking warriors like animals in a sacrifice. Taking up
his sword then, he slew many others. Proceeding along the diverse paths
of the camp, one after another, Ashvatthama, accomplished in the use of
the sword, beheld diverse gulmas and slew in a trice the unarmed and
tired warriors sleeping within them.
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