day of battle with the Pandavas and the Srinjays? I cannot brook the idea of Cikhandin encountering Bhishma in battle! (Indeed, when Cikhandin 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 his straight shafts. Many thousands of mighty car-warriors belonging to thy army, as also elephants, O king, and steeds well harnessed, proceeded for battle, with the grandsire in the van. Agreeably to his vow, O thou of Kuru's race, the ever-victorious Bhishma was incessantly engaged in slaughtering the troops of the Parthas. The Panchālas 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.10 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 bowstring, and scattering showers of arrows, Partha careered on the field of battle like Death himself.18 Frightened at those roars of his, thy warriors, O bull of Bharata's race, fled away in terror, like smaller animals, O king, at the sound of the lion.14 Beholding the son of Pandu crowned with victory and thus afflicting that host, Duryodhana, himself under the influence of terror, addressed Bhishma and said,"-Yon 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 !1 Behold, O son of Ganga, all my troops, slaughtered by Pandu's son in battle, are, O foremost of warriors, flying 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

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on all sides by Dhananjaya with his shafts, the invincible Bhima also is routing that (already broken) host of mine!1 And Satayki, and Chekitāna, and the twin sons of Madri, and the valiant Abhimanyu,—these also are routing my troops 20 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 art possessed of prowess equal to that of the celestials! Therefore, receive thou those great car-warriors without delay, and be thou the refuge of these afflicted troops !**3-Thus addressed by him, O king, thy sire Devavrata, the son of Cantanu, reflecting for a moment and settling what he should do, said these words unto thy son, comforting him (therewith):-O Duryodhana, listen calmly to what I say, O king - O thou of great might, formerly I vowed before thee 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 16-27 0 thou of great might, today I will achieve even a greater 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 the army "-Having said these words, O chief of the Bharatas, that invincible warrior, scattering his shafts among the Kshatriyas, attacked the Pandava host.s0 And the Pandavas then, O bull of Bharata's race, began to resist the son of Gangā staying in the midst of his forces and excited with wrath like a snake of virulent poison. Indeed, O king, on that the tenth day of 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 Panchālas, like the Sun sucking up the moisture (of the earth)

*The Bomby reading of the first line of this verse is vicious.-T.

with his rays."

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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, shoue 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 resem bled 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, Cantanu'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.)' "'39

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SECTION CXI.

"Sanjaya said,—'Arjuna then, O king, beholding the prow ess of Bhishma in battle, addressed Cikhandin, 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, Cikhandin, 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 carwarrior Abhimanyu, having heard those words of Partha, joy fully rushed at Bhishma. And old Virāta and Drupada, and Kuntibhoja also, clad in mail, rushed at Bhishma in the very sight of thy son." And Nakula, and Sahadeva, and the valiant king Yudhishthira also, and all the rest of the warriors, O monarch, rushed against Bhishma. As regards thy 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 Chekitāna who in that battle was proceed

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ing for getting at Bhishma. Kritavarman, O king, resistedDhrishtadyumna who had reached the presence of Bhishma and who was exerting himself with great activity and vigor in that battle. Somadatta's son, O monarch, with great activity, resisted Bhimasena excited with fury and desirous of slaying Bhishma.19 Similary 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 Caradwat, 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 Bhimasena, desirous of Bhishma's slaughter." Thy son Duryodhana himself resisted Satyaki proceeding to battle. Sudakshina the ruler of the Kām vojas, O king, resisted Abhimanyu, O monarch, who was proceeding towards Bhishma's car. And Açwatthāman, O king, excited with rage, resisted old Virāta and Drupada, those two chastisers of foes, united together. And Bharadwaja's son, exerting himself with vigor 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., Dusçāsana, in that battle, resisted Arjuna who was rushing with great speed, with Cikhandin before him, desirous of coming upon Bhishma, O monarch, and illuminating the ten quarters (with his bright weapons). And other warriors of thy army resisted in that great battle other mighty car-warriors of the Pandavas proceeding against Bhisma. 14-19 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 proceed, ing against Bhishma in battle! Rush ye against Ganga's son ! Be not afraid! Bhishma will not be able to attack you in battle !*21 Vāsava 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 ?2*-Hearing these words of their commander, the mighty

*Literally, "will not get or obtain you."-T.

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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 masses of living energy. That mighty car-warrior, Dusçãsana, 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 thy 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 Dusçasana's car, could not advance further."" As the continent resists the surging sea, even so did thy son (Dusçāsana) resist the angry son of Pandu !28 Both of them were foremost of car-warriors. Both of them, O Bharata, were invincible. Both of them, in beauty and splendour, O Bhārata, resemble 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 Cakra in days of old.30 And Dusçāsana, O king, in that battle pierced the son of Pandu with three shafts and Vasudeva with twenty.81 Then Arjuna, excited with rage upon beholding him of Vrishni's race thus afflicted, pierced Dusçasana with a hundred shafts. These, penetrating through the latter's armour, drank his blood in that battle. Then Dusçasana, 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., Pārtha, then, thus deeply pierced by thy son wielding the bow,35 looked resplendent in that battle like a flowering Kinçuka. The son of Pandu then, excited with rage, afflicted Duscāsana," like Rāhu inflamed with rage on the fifteenth day of the lighted fortnight afflicting the Moon at full. Thus afflicted by that mighty warrior, thy son, O king, pierced Pārtha in that battle with many shafts whetted on stone and winged with the feathers of the Kanka bird. Then Partha,.

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