SECTION CX
Dhritarashtra said, "How did Sikhandin the prince of the Panchalas,
excited with wrath, rushed in battle against the grandsire, viz., Ganga's
son of righteous soul and regulated vows. What mighty car-warriors of the
Pandavas army, upraised weapons, desirous of victory, and exerting
themselves with activity, protected Sikhandin on that occasion which
required great activity? How also did Bhishma the son of Santanu, endued
with great energy, fight on that tenth day of battle with the Pandavas
and the Srinjayas? I cannot brook the idea of Sikhandin encountering
Bhishma in battle. (Indeed, when Sikhandin attacked Bhishma), was
Bhishma's car or his bow broken?"
Sanjaya said, "While fighting in that battle, O bull of Bharata's race,
neither the bow nor the car of Bhishma had suffered any injury. He was
then slaying the foe with straight shafts. Many thousands of mighty
car-warriors belonging to your army, as also elephants, O king, and steeds
well harnessed, proceeded for battle, with the grandsire in the van.
Agreeably to his vow, O you of Kuru's race, the ever-victorious Bhishma
was incessantly engaged in slaughtering the troops of the Parthas. The
Panchalas and the Pandavas were unable to bear that great bowman battling
(with them) and slaying his foes with his shafts. When the tenth day
came, the hostile army was torn into pieces by Bhishma with his shafts by
hundreds and thousands. O elder brother of Pandu, the sons of Pandu were
incapable of defeating in battle the great bowman Bhishma who resembled
the Destroyer himself armed with the lance.
"Then, O king, the unvanquished Vibhatsu or Dhananjaya, who was capable
of drawing the bow with even the left hand, came to that spot,
frightening all the car-warriors. Roaring loudly like a lion, and
repeatedly drawing the bow-string, and scattering showers of arrows,
Partha careered on the field of battle like Death himself. Frightened at
those roars of his, your warriors, O bull of Bharata's race, fled away in
terror, like smaller animals, O king, at the sound of the lion. Beholding
the son of Pandu crowned with victory and thus afflicting that host,
Duryodhana, himself under the influence of terror addressed Bhishma and
said, 'You son of Pandu, O sire, with white steeds (yoked unto his car),
and having Krishna for his charioteer, consumeth all my troops like a
conflagration consuming a forest. Behold, O son of Ganga, all troops,
slaughtered by Pandu's son in battle, are, O foremost of warriors,
fleeing away. Indeed, as the herdsman belaboureth his cattle in the
forest, even so, O scorcher of foes is my army being belaboured. Broken
and driven away on all sides by Dhananjaya with his shafts, the
invincible Bhima is also routing that (already broken) host of mine. And
Satyaki, and Chekitana, and the twin sons of Madri, and the valiant
Abhimanyu,--these also are routing my troops. The brave Dhrishtadyumna,
and the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha also, are vigorously breaking and driving
away my army in this fierce conflict. Of these troops that are being
slaughtered by all those mighty car-warriors, I do not see any other
refuge in the matter of their staying and fighting on the field, O
Bharata, save thee, O tiger among men, that are possessed of prowess
equal to that of the celestials, Therefore, receive you those great
car-warriors without delay, and be you the refuge of these afflicted
troops. Thus addressed by him, O king, your sire Devavrata, the son of
Santanu, reflecting for a moment and settling what he should do, said
these words unto your son, comforting him (therewith), 'O Duryodhana,
listen calmly to what I say, O king, O you of great might, formerly I
vowed before you that slaying every day ten thousand high-souled
Kshatriyas, I would come back from the battle. I have fulfilled that vow,
O bull of Bharata's race! O you of great might, today I will achieve
even a great feat. Today I will either sleep myself being slain, or, I
will slay the Pandavas. O tiger among men, I will today free myself from
the debt I owe thee,--the debt, O king, arising out of the food, thou
gavest me,--by casting away my life at the head of your army.' Having said
these words, O chief of the Bharatas, that invincible warrior, scattering
his shafts among the Kshatriyas, attacked the Pandava host. And the
Pandavas then, O bull of Bharata's race, began to resist the son of Ganga
staying in the midst of his forces and excited with wrath like a snake of
virulent poison. Indeed, O king, on that tenth day of the battle,
Bhishma, displaying his might, slew, O son of Kuru's race, hundreds of
thousands. And he drained the energies of those royal and mighty
car-warriors that were the foremost among the Panchalas, like the Sun
sucking up the moisture (of the earth) with his rays. Having slain ten
thousand elephants of great activity and ten thousand steeds also, O
king, along with their riders, and full two hundred thousands of
foot-soldiers, that best of men, viz., Bhishma, shone resplendent in
battle like a fire without a curl of smoke. And no one amongst the
Pandavas was capable of even looking at him who then resembled the
burning Sun staying in the northern solstice. The Pandavas, however,
though afflicted in battle by that great bowman, still rushed,
accompanied by the mighty car-warriors of the Srinjayas, for slaughtering
him. Battling with myriads upon myriads around him, Santanu's son Bhishma
then looked like the cliff of Meru covered on all sides with masses of
clouds. Thy sons, however, stood, surrounding Bhishma on all sides with a
large force (for protecting him). Then commenced a fierce battle (between
the Kurus and the Pandavas)."
--------------------END OF PARVA 6 : UPA-PARVA 110 ---------------------
