SECTION CXI
Sanjaya said, "Arjuna then, O king, beholding the prowess of Bhishma in
battle, addressed Sikhandin saying, 'Proceed towards the grandsire. Thou
shouldst not entertain the slightest fear of Bhishma today. Even I will
throw him down from his excellent car by means of my sharp shafts'. Thus
addressed by Partha, Sikhandin, O bull of Bharata's race, having heard
those words, rushed at the son of Ganga. And so Dhrishtadyumna also, O
king, and the mighty car-warrior Abhimanyu, having heard those words of
Partha, joyfully rushed at Bhishma. And old Virata and Drupada, and
Kuntibhoja also, clad in mail, rushed at Bhishma in the very sight of thy
son. And Nakula, Sahadeva, and the valiant king Yudhishthira also, and
all the rest of the warriors, O monarch, rushed against Bhishma. As
regards your warriors O king, that rushed, according to the measure of
their might and courage, against those mighty car-warriors (of the
Pandava army) united together, listen to me as I speak (of them) unto
thee. Like a young tiger attacking a bull, Chitrasena, O king, rushed
against Chekitana who in that battle was proceeding for getting at
Bhishma. Kritavarman, O king, resisted Dhrishtadyumna who had reached the
presence of Bhishma and who was exerting himself with great activity and
vigour in that battle. Somadatta's son, O monarch, with great activity,
resisted Bhimasena excited with fury and desirous of slaying Bhishma.
Similarly Vikarna, desirous of (protecting) Bhishma's life, resisted the
brave Nakula who was scattering innumerable arrows around. And so, O
king, Kripa the son of Saradwat, excited with rage, resisted Sahadeva
proceeding towards Bhishma's car. And the mighty Durmukha rushed at that
Rakshasa of cruel deeds, viz., the mighty son of Bhishmasena, desirous of
Bhishma's slaughter. Thy son Duryodhana himself resisted Satyaki
proceeding to battle. Sudakshina the ruler of the Kamavojas, O king,
resisted Abhimanyu, O monarch, who was proceeding towards Bhishma's car.
And Aswatthaman, O king, excited with rage, resisted old Virata and
Drupada, those two chastisers of foes united together. And Bharadwaja's
son, exerting himself with vigour in battle, resisted the eldest Pandava,
that is to say, king Yudhishthira the just, who was desirous of Bhishma's
death. And that great bowman, viz., Dussasana, in that battle, resisted
Arjuna who was rushing with great speed, with Sikhandin before him,
desirous of coming upon Bhishma, O monarch, and illuminating the ten
quarters (with his bright weapons). And other warriors of your army
resisted in that great battle other mighty car-warriors of the Pandavas
proceeding against Bhishma. Dhrishtadyumna, that mighty car-warrior,
excited with rage, rushed against Bhishma alone and addressing the
troops, repeatedly said in a loud voice, 'There, Arjuna, that delighter
of Kuru's race, is proceeding against Bhishma in battle. Rush the against
Ganga's son. Be not afraid. Bhishma will not be able to attack you in
battle.[476] Vasava himself cannot venture to fight with Arjuna in
battle. What therefore, need be said of Bhishma who, though possessed of
bravery in battle, is feeble and old." Hearing these words of their
commander, the mighty car-warriors of the Pandava army, filled with joy,
rushed towards the car of Ganga's son. Many foremost of men, however, of
thy army cheerfully received and resisted those heroes coming towards
Bhishma like impetuous mass of living energy. That mighty car-warrior,
Dussasana, abandoning all fears, rushed against Dhananjaya, desirous of
protecting the life of Bhishma. And so the heroic Pandavas also, O king,
rushed in. battle against your sons, those mighty car-warriors, stationed
about Bhishma's car. And then, O king we beheld a highly wonderful
incident, viz., that Partha, having proceeded as far as Dussasana's car,
could not advance further. As the continent resists the surging sea, even
so did your son (Dussasana) resist the angry son of Pandu. Both of them
were foremost of car-warriors. Both of them, O Bharata, were invincible.
Both of them, in beauty and splendour, O Bharata, resembled the Sun or
the Moon. Both of them were excited with wrath. And each of them desired
to slay the other. And they encountered each other in dreadful battle
like Maya and Sakra in days of old. And Dussasana, O king, in that battle
pierced the son of Pandu with three shafts and Vasudeva with twenty. Then
Arjuna, excited with rage upon beholding him of Vrishni's race thus
afflicted, pierced Dussasana with a hundred shafts. These, penetrating
through the latter's armour, drank his blood in that battle. Then
Dussasana, excited with wrath, pierced Partha with five shafts. And once
more, O chief of the Bharatas, he pierced Arjuna in the forehead with
three sharp shafts. And with those shafts sticking to his forehead, the
son of Pandu looked beautiful in that battle, like Meru, O king with its
tall crests. That great bowman, viz., Partha, then thus deeply pierced by
thy son wielding the bow, looked resplendent in that battle like a
flowering Kinsuka. The son of Pandu then, excited with rage, afflicted
Dussasana, like Rahu inflamed with rage on the fifteenth day of the
lighted fortnight afflicting the Moon at full. Thus afflicted by that
mighty warrior, your son, O king, pierced Partha in that battle with many
shafts whetted on stone and winged with the features of the Kanka bird.
Then Partha, cutting off Dussasana's bow and splitting his car with three
shafts, sped at him many fierce arrows resembling the darts of Death. Thy
son, however, cut off all those shafts of Partha exerting himself with
vigour before they could reach him. All this seemed highly wonderful.
Then your son pierced Partha with many shafts of great sharpness. Then
Partha, excited with rage in that battle, placed on his bowstring a
number of shafts whetted on stone and furnished with wings of gold and
aiming them, sped them all at his foe. These, O king, penetrated the body
of that high-souled warrior, like swans, O monarch, diving into a lake.
Thus afflicted by the high-souled son of Pandu, your son avoiding Partha,
quickly proceeded to the car of Bhishma. Indeed, Bhishma then became an
island unto him who was thus sinking into fathomless waters. Regaining
consciousness then, your son, O monarch, endued with heroism and prowess,
once more began to resist Partha with sharp arrows like Purandara
resisting (the Asura) Vritra. Of huge form, your son began to pierce
Arjuna, but the latter was scarcely pained (at all this)."
--------------------END OF PARVA 6 : UPA-PARVA 111 ---------------------
