SECTION LXXXVII
Sanjaya said,--"Approaching then your son Chitrasena of great energy who
had thus been deprived of his car, your son Vikarna caused him to mount on
his car. And during the progress of that general engagement, so fierce
and dreadful, Bhishma, the son of Santanu, impetuously rushed at
Yudhishthira. Then the Srinjayas with their cars, elephants, and horses,
trembled. And they regarded Yudhishthira to be already within the jaws of
Death. The lord Yudhishthira, however, of Kuru's race, accompanied by the
twins, proceeded towards that mighty bowman, that tiger among men viz.,
Bhishma. Then the son of Pandu, shooting in that battle thousands of
arrows, shrouded Bhishma like the clouds shrouding the sun. And those
numberless arrows, well shot by Yudhishthira, were received by the son of
Ganga in distinct sets by hundreds and thousands.[425] And so also, O
sire, innumerable were the arrows shot by Bhishma (in return), which
looked like flights of insects coursing through the air. In half the time
taken up by a wink of the eye, Bhishma, the son of Santanu, in that
battle, made Kunti's son invisible by means of his numberless shafts shot
in sets. Then king Yudhishthira, excited with rage, sped at the
high-souled Kaurava a long arrow resembling a snake of virulent poison.
That mighty car-warrior, Bhishma, however, O king, cut off in that
combat, with a horse-shoe (headed) arrow, that shaft shot from
Yudhishthira's bow before it could reach him. Having cut off that long
arrow resembling Death himself, Bhishma then slew in that battle the
steeds, decked with gold, of that prince of Kuru's line. Then
Yudhishthira the son of Pandu, abandoning that car whose steeds had been
slain, quickly mounted upon the car of the high-souled Nakula. Then
Bhishma that subjugator of hostile cities, excited with rage, and coming
upon the twins in that battle, covered them with arrows. Beholding those
two (brothers), O king, thus afflicted, with the arrows of Bhishma,
Yudhishthira began to reflect earnestly desirous, O monarch, of
(compassing) Bhishma's destruction. Then Yudhishthira, O king, urged his
friends and the rulers (on his side), saying,--'Slay Bhishma the son of
Santanu, uniting together.' Then all those rulers, hearing these words of
Pritha's son, surrounded the grandsire with a large number of cars. Thy
sire Devavrata then, thus surrounded on all sides, began to sport, O
king, with his bow, felling (all the while) many mighty car-warriors. Him
of Kuru's race, thus careering over the field of battle, the Pandavas
beheld resembling a young lion in the forest amid a herd of deer.
Uttering a loud roar in that battle and striking fear into the hearts of
brave warriors by means of his shafts, the Kshatriyas beholding him, O
king, were all struck with fear, like inferior animals upon seeing a
lion. Indeed the Kshatriyas beheld the movements of that lion of
Bharata's race in battle to resemble those of a conflagration aided by
the wind while consuming a heap of dry grass. And Bhishma in that battle
felled the heads of car-warriors like a skilful man felling (with stones)
ripe (palmyra) fruits from trees that bear them. And the heads of
warriors, O king, falling upon the surface of the earth produced a loud
noise resembling that of a stony shower. During the progress of that
fierce and dreadful battle a great confusion set in among all the troops.
And in consequence of that confusion the arrays (of both armies) were
broken. And the Kshatriyas summoning one another individually, approached
one another for fight. Then Sikhandin, sighting the grandsire of the
Bharatas, rushed at him impetuously, saying,--Wait, Wait--Remembering,
however, the femininity of Sikhandin, and disregarding him on that
account, Bhishma proceeded against the Srinjayas. Thereupon the
Srinjayas, beholding Bhishma in that great battle, were filled with joy.
And they set forth diverse kinds of loud shouts, mingled with the blare
of their conches. Then commenced a fierce battle in course of which cars
and elephants got entangled with one another. And it was that hour of the
day, O lord, when the sun was on the other side (of the meridian). Then
Dhrishtadyumna, the prince of the Panchalas, and that mighty car-warrior
Satyaki, greatly afflicted the (Bharata) host with showers of arrows and
lances. And with innumerable shafts, O king, these two began to smite
down your warriors in that battle. Thy combatants, however, O bull among
men, though slaughtered in battle (thus) retreated not from the fight,
having formed an honourable resolution in that engagement. Indeed, thy
troops began to smite according to the measure of their courage. While,
however, O king, your high-souled combatants were being slaughtered by the
illustrious son of Prishata, loud cries of woe were heard among them.
Hearing those loud cries, that couple of mighty car-warriors of your army,
viz., Vinda and Anuvinda of Avanti, quickly proceeded against Prishata's
son. And those mighty car-warriors, speedily slaying his steeds, together
covered Prishata's son with showers of arrows. Thereupon that mighty
car-warrior, viz., the prince of the Panchalas, quickly jumping down from
that car of his, mounted without loss of time the car of the high-souled
Satyaki. Then king Yudhishthira, supported by a large force, proceeded
against those chastisers of foes, viz., the two princes of Avanti excited
with rage. Similarly your son, O sire, with every preparation, stood,
surrounding Vinda and Anuvinda in that battle (for supporting them).
Arjuna also in that battle, excited with rage, fought against many bulls
of the Kshatriya race, like the wielder of the thunder-bolt against the
Asuras. Drona also, who always does what is agreeable to your son,
inflamed with wrath in that battle, began to consume the Panchalas like
fire consuming a heap of cotton. Thy other sons, O king, owning
Duryodhana as their chief, surrounding Bhishma in that battle, fought
against the Pandavas. Then when the sun assumed a red hue,[426] king
Duryodhana, O Bharata, addressing your troops, said,--Lose no time--And
while they were thus battling and achieving feats difficult of
accomplishment, the sun having become invisible in consequence of his
retirement behind the western hill, there soon flowed, towards dusk, an
awful river whose current and billows were of blood, and which was
infested by innumerable jackals. And the field of battle became dreadful,
abounding as it did with spirits and with those jackals howling
hideously, forboding evil. Rakshasas and Pisachas and other cannibals
were seen all round, in hundreds and thousands. Then Arjuna, having
vanquished those kings headed by Susarman along with all their followers,
in the midst of their division, proceeded towards his tent. And the lord
Yudhishthira also of Kuru's race, accompanied by his brothers, and
followed by his troops, proceeded, O king, when night set in, towards his
tent. And Bhimasena, too, having vanquished those kings, viz., those
warriors headed by Duryodhana, proceeded towards his tent. And king
Duryodhana (with his troops), surrounding Bhishma, the son of Santanu, in
that great battle proceeded towards his tent. And Drona, and Drona's son,
and Kripa, and Salya, and Kritavarman of the Satwata race, surrounding
the whole (Dhartarashtra) army, proceeded towards their tents. And
similarly Satyaki also, O king, and Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Prishata,
surrounding their army, proceeded towards their tents. It was thus, O
king, that those chastisers of foes, viz., your troops and the Pandavas,
ceased to fight when darkness came. Then the Pandavas, and the Kauravas,
retiring to their tents, entered the same, applauding one another. And
making arrangements for the protection of their brave warriors and
disposing outposts according to rule, they plucked out the arrows (from
their bodies) and bathed in diverse kinds of water. And Brahmanas
performed propitiatory rites for them, and bards sang their praises. And
those renowned men sported for a while in accompaniment with music both
vocal and instrumental. And for a while the whole scene resembled heaven
itself. And those bulls among men for a while spoke not of battle. And
when both armies abounding with tired men and elephants and steeds slept
there, they became, O monarch, beautiful to behold."
--------------------END OF PARVA 6 : UPA-PARVA 87 ---------------------
