Chapter 192

“Dhritarashtra said, ‘Hearing, O Sanjaya, of the slaughter, byunrighteous means, of his aged sire, by Dhrishtadyumna, what, did thevaliant Aswatthaman say, he, that is, in whom human and Varuna and Agneyaand Brahma and Aindra and Narayana weapons are always present? Indeed,learning that the preceptor, that foremost of virtuous men, had beenunrighteously slain by Dhrishtadyumna in battle, what did Aswatthamansay? The high-souled Drona, having obtained the science of weapons fromRama have imparted (a knowledge of) all the celestial weapons unto hisson desirous of seeing the latter adorned with all the accomplishments(of a warrior). There is only one person in this world, viz., the son,and none else, whom people desire to become superior to themselves. Allhigh-souled preceptors have this characteristic, viz., that they impartall the mysteries of their science unto either sons or devoted disciples.Becoming his sire’s pupil. O Sanjaya, and obtaining all those mysterieswith every detail, the son of Saradwat’s daughter has become a secondDrona, and a great hero. Aswatthaman is equal to Karna in knowledge ofweapons, to Purandara in battle, to Kartavirya in energy, and Vrihaspatiin wisdom. In fortitude, that youth is equal to a mountain, and in energyto fire. In gravity, he is equal to an ocean, and in wrath, to the poisonof the snake. He is the foremost of all car-warriors in battle, a firmbowman, and above all fatigue. In speed he is equal to the wind itselfand he careens in the thick of fight like Yama in rage. While his engagedin shooting arrows in battle, the very earth becomes afflicted. Ofprowess incapable of being baffled, hero is never fatigued by exertions.Purified by the Vedas and by vows, he is a thorough master of the scienceof arms, like Rama, the son of Dasharatha. He is like the ocean,incapable of being agitated. Hearing that the preceptor, that foremost ofrighteous persons, had been unrighteously slain in battle byDhrishtadyumna, what, indeed, did Aswatthaman say? Aswatthaman hath beenordained to be the slayer of Dhrishtadyumna, even as Yajnasena’s son, theprince of the Panchalas, was ordained to be the slayer of Drona. What,Oh, did Aswatthaman say, hearing that his sire, the preceptor, had beenslain by the cruel, sinful, and mean Dhrishtadyumna of little foresight?'”