SECTION CIX
Dhritarashtra said, "How did Sikhandin advance against the son of Ganga
in battle, and how did Bhishma also advance against the Pandavas? Say all
this unto me, O Sanjaya!"
Sanjaya said, "Then all those Pandavas, towards the hour of sun-rise,
with beat of drums and cymbals and smaller drums, and with the blare of
conches of milky whiteness, all around, went out for battle, placing
Sikhandin in their van. And they marched out, O king, having formed an
array that was destructive of all foes. And Sikhandin, O monarch, was
stationed in the very van of all the troops. And Bhimasena and Dhananjaya
became the protectors of his car-wheels. And in his rear were the sons of
Draupadi and the valiant Abhimanyu. And those mighty car-warriors, viz.,
Satyaki and Chekitana, became the protectors of the last. And behind them
was Dhrishtadyumna protected by the Panchalas. Next to Dhrishtadyumna,
behind, marched the royal lord Yudhishthira, accompanied by the twins,
filling the air with leonine shouts, O bull of Bharata's race. Next
behind him was Virata, surrounded by his own troops. Next to him marched
Drupada, O mighty-armed one. And the five Kaikeya brothers and the
valiant Dhrishtaketu, O Bharata, protected the rear of the Pandava army.
Having disposed their vast army in such an array, the Pandavas rushed
against your host, prepared to cast away their lives. And similarly the
Kauravas, O king, placing that mighty car-warrior Bhishma at the head of
their whole host, proceeded against the Pandavas. And that invincible
warrior was protected by your mighty sons. Next behind them was the great
bowman Drona, as also his mighty son (Aswatthaman). Next behind was
Bhagadatta surrounded by his elephant division. And behind Bhagadatta
were Kripa and Kritavarman. Behind them were Sudakshina the mighty ruler
of the Kamvojas, and Jayatsena, the king of the Magadhas, and Suvala's
son and Vrihadvala. And similarly, many other kings, that were all great
bowmen, protected the rear of your host, O Bharata. As each day came,
Bhishma the son of Santanu, formed arrays in battle, sometimes after the
manner of the Asuras, sometimes after that of the Pisachas, and sometimes
after that of the Rakshasas. Then commenced the battle between thy
troops, O Bharata, and theirs, both parties smiting one another and
increasing the population of Yama's kingdom. And the Parthas with Arjuna
at their head, placing Sikhandin in the van, proceeded against Bhishma in
that battle, scattering diverse kinds of arrows. And then, O Bharata
afflicted by Bhishma with his shafts, (many of) your warriors, profusely
bathed in blood, repaired to the other world. And Nakula and Sahadeva,
and the mighty car-warrior Satyaki, approaching your army, began to
afflict it with great vigour. Thus slaughtered in battle, O bull of
Bharata's race, your warriors were unable to resist that vast host of the
Pandavas. Then your host, vigorously afflicted by great car-warriors and
thus slaughtered by them everywhere, fled away on all sides. Slaughtered
with sharp shafts by the Pandavas and the Srinjayas they found not a
protector, O bull of Bharata's race."
Dhritarashtra said, "Tell me, O Sanjaya, what the valiant Bhishma,
excited with rage, did in battle, upon beholding my host afflicted by the
Parthas. O sinless one, tell me how that hero, that chastiser of foes,
rushed against the Pandavas in battle, and slaughtered the Somakas."
Sanjaya said, "I will tell thee, O king, what your sire did when your sons'
host was afflicted by the Pandavas and the Srinjayas. With cheerful
hearts, the brave sons of Pandu, O elder brother of Pandu, encountered
thy son's host, slaughtering (all whom they met). That carnage, O chief
of men, of human beings, elephants and steeds, that destruction by the
foe of your army in battle, Bhishma could not brook. That invincible and
great bowman, then, reckless of his very life poured upon the Pandavas,
the Panchalas, and the Srinjayas, showers of long shafts and calf-toothed
and crescent-shaped arrows. And with weapons, O monarch, he checked with
his shafts and with showers of other weapons, both offensive and
defensive, all sped with energy and wrath, the five foremost of mighty
car-warriors of the Pandavas, who had been struggling vigorously in
battle. Excited with wrath, he slaughtered in that battle countless
elephants and steeds. And that bull among men, O monarch, throwing down
many car-warriors from their cars,[473] and horsemen from their horses,
and crowds of foot soldiers, and elephant-warriors from the backs of the
beasts they rode, struck terror into the foe. And the Pandava warriors
all rushed together upon Bhishma singly, upon that mighty car-warrior
struggling in battle with great activity, like the Asuras rushing
together upon him with the thunderbolt in hand. Shooting on all sides his
whetted arrows whose touch resembled that of Indra's thunder, he seemed
to the enemy to have assembled a terrible visage. While fighting in that
battle, his large bow, resembling that of Sakra himself, seemed to be
always drawn to a circle. Beholding those feats in battle, your sons, O
monarch, filled with exceeding wonder, worshipped the grandsire. The
Parthas cast their eyes, with cheerless hearts, upon your heroic sire
struggling in battle, like the celestials upon (the Asura) Viprachitti
(in days of old).[474] They could not resist that warrior who then
resembled the Destroyer himself with wide-open mouth. In that battle on
the tenth day, Bhishma, with his sharp shafts, consumed the division of
Sikhandin like a conflagration consuming a forest. Him resembling an
angry snake of virulent poison, or the Destroyer urged by Death himself,
Sikhandin pierced with three shafts in the centre of the chest. Deeply
pierced therewith, Bhishma saw that it was Sikhandin (who was piercing
him). Excited with wrath, but unwilling (to fight with Sikhandin) Bhishma
laughingly said, 'Whether you choosest to strike me or not, I will never
fight with thee. Thou are that Sikhandin still which the Creator had made
thee first',[475] Hearing these words of his, Sikhandin, deprived of his
senses by wrath, and licking the corners of his mouth addressed Bhishma
in that battle, saying, 'I know thee, O mighty-armed one, to be the
exterminator of the Kshatriya race. I have heard also of your battle with
Jamadagni's son. I have also heard much of your super-human prowess.
Knowing your prowess I will still fight with you today. For doing what is
agreeable to the Pandavas and is agreeable to my own self, O chastiser of
foes, I will today fight with you in battle, O best of men. I will, of a
certainty, slay thee. I swear this before you by my troth! Hearing these
words of mine, do that which you shouldst. Whether you choosest to
strike me or not, you shall not escape me with life. O you that art
ever victorious, O Bhishma, look your last on this world.
Sanjaya continued, "Having said so, Sikhandin in that battle pierced
Bhishma with five straight shafts, having already pierced him with his
wordy shafts. Hearing those words of his, the mighty car-warrior Arjuna,
regarding Sikhandin to be Bhishma's Destroyer, urged him on, saying, 'I
will fight behind thee, routing the foe with my shafts. Excited with
fury, rush you against Bhishma of terrible prowess. The mighty Bhishma
will not be able to afflict you in battle. Therefore, O mighty-armed
one, encounter Bhishma with vigor. If, O sire, you returnest today
without slaying Bhishma, you wilt, with myself, be an object of ridicule
to the world. Seek to do that in battle by which, O hero, we may not
incur ridicule in this great battle. Stay the grandsire. O you of great
strength, I will protect you in this battle, checking all the
car-warriors (of the Kuru army). Do you slay the grandsire. Drona, and
Drona's son, and Kripa, and Suyodhana, and Chitrasena, and Vikarna, and
Jayadratha the ruler of the Sindhus, Vinda and Anuvinda. of Avanti, and
Sudakshina the ruler of the Kamvojas, and the brave Bhagadatta, and the
mighty king of the Magadhas, and Somadatta's son, and the brave Rakshasas
who is Rishyasringa's son and the ruler of the Trigartas, alone with all
the other great car-warriors (of the Kuru army). I will check like the
continent resisting the surging sea. Indeed, I will hold in check all the
mighty warriors of the Kuru army assembled together and battling with us.
Do you slay the grandsire.'
--------------------END OF PARVA 6 : UPA-PARVA 109 ---------------------
