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Cataghni, and Calya an arrow. And the other great bowmen each sped at him five arrows with great force. The son of the Wind-god then cut off, with a sharp shaft, that lance in twain, 39-40 And he cut off that axe also with three shafts as if it were a sessame stalk. And with five shafts winged with the feathers of the Kanka bird, he cut that Cataghni into frag ments." That mighty car-warior then, having cut off the arrow sped by the ruler of the Madras, forcibly cut off the dart sped by Bhagadatta in that battle." As regards the other fierce shafts, Bhimasena, proud of his feats in battle, cut them each into three fragments by means of his own straight shafts. And he struck each of those great bowmen also with three shafts. Then Dhananjaya, during the progress of that dreadful battle, beholding the mighty car-warrior Bhima striking the foe and battling (against many) with his arrows, came thither on his car." Then those bulls among men, of thy army, beholding those two high-souled sons of Pandu together, gave up all hopes of victory." Then Arjuna, desirous of slaying Bhishma, placing Cikhandin before him, approached Bhima who had been fighting with those great car-warriors and fell upon those fierce combatants, numbering ten, of thy army, O Bhārata. Then Vibhatsu, desirous of doing what was agreeable to Bhima, pierced all those warriors, O king, who had been battling with Bhima. Then king Duryodhana urged Suçarman,47-49 for the destruction of both Arjuna and Bhimasena, saying,-O Suçarman, go thou quickly, supported by a large force 150 Slay those two sons of Pandu, viz., Dhananjaya and Vrikodara!-Hearing these words of his, the Trigarta king who ruled the country called Prasthala," quickly rushed in battle upon those two bowmen, viz., Bhima and Dhananjaya, and surrounded them both by many thousands of cars. Then commenced a fierce battle between Arjuna and the foe." "

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SECTION CXV.

"Sanjaya said,—'Arjuna covered with his straight shafts, the mighty car-warrior Calya who was struggling vigorously

in battle. And he pierced Suçarman and Kripa with three arrows each. And in that battle the Atiratha Arjuna, afflict ing thy host, struck the ruler of the Pragyotishas, and Jayadratha the king of the Sindhus, and Chitrasena, and Vikarna, and Kritavarman, and Durmarshana, O monarch, and those two mighty car-warriors, viz., the princes of Avanti, each with three arrows winged with the feathers of the Kanka and the peacock. Jayadratha, staying on the car of Chitrasena, pierced Partha (in return), O Bhārata, and then, without los of time, Bhima also, with his shafts. And Calya, and that foremost of car-warriors, viz., Kripa, both pierced Jishnu, O monarch, with diverse arrows capable of penetrating into the very vitals. Thy sons headed by Chitrasena, O king, each quickly pierced Arjuna and Bhimasena in that battle, O sire, with five sharp shafts. Those two foremost of car-warriors however, viz., those sons of Kunti, those bulls of Bharata's race," began in that battle to afflict the mighty host of the Trigartas. Suçarman (in return) pierced Pārtha: with nine swift arrows,' and uttered a loud shout frightening the vast host (of the Pandavas). And other heroic carwarriors pierced Bhimasena and Dhananjaya with many straight-going arrows of keen points and golden wings. Amid these car-warriors, however, those two bulls of Bharata's race, viz, the two sons of Kunti,10-11 those great car-warriors, looked exceedingly beautiful. And they seemed to sport amid them like two furious lions amid a herd of kine. Cutting off in various ways the bows and arrows of many brave warriors in that battle, those two heroes felled the heads of combatants by hundreds upon hundreds.18 Innumerable cars were broken, and steeds by hundreds were slain, and many elephants, along with their riders, were laid low on the field in that dreadful battle. And car-warriors and horsemen and elephant-riders in large numbers, O king, deprived of life, were seen moving in convulsions all over the field. And the earth was covered with slain elephants and foot-soldiers in large bands, and steeds deprived of life, and cars broken in diverse ways. And the prowess we beheld there of Partha was highly wonderful, inasmuch as holding in check all those heroes, that mighty warrior

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caused a great slaughter." Kripa, and Kritavaman, and Jayadratha the ruler of the Sindhus, and Vinda and Anuvinda of Avanti, these did not forsake the battle." Then that great bowman Bhima, and that mighty car-warrior Arjuna, began in that battle to rout the fierce host of the Kauravas." The kings (in that army) quickly sped at Dhananjaya's car myriads upon myriads and millions upon millions of arrows furnished with peacock feathers.so Partha, however, checking those arrows by means of his own arrowy showers, began to send those mighty car-warriors to Yama's abode." The great car-warrior Calya then, excited with wrath and as if sporting in that battle, struck Pārtha in the chest with some straight shafts of broad heads." Partha then, cutting off by means of five shafts Calya's bow and leathern fence, pierced the latter deeply in the very vitals with many arrows of keen points." Taking up another bow capable of bearing a great strain, the ruler of the Madras then furiously attacked Jishnu with three arrows, O king, and Vasudeva with five. And he struck Bhimasena in the arms and the chest with nine arrows. Then Drona, O king, and that mighty car warrior, viz., the ruler of the Magadhas, commanded by Duryodhana, both came to that spot where those two mighthy car-warriors, viz., Pārtha and Bhimasena, were slaughtering the mighty host of the Kuru king." Jayatsena (the king of the Magadhas) then, O bull of Bharata's race, pierced Bhima, that wielder of awful weapons in battle, with eight sharp arrows.28 Bhima, however, pierced him (in return) with ten arrows, and once more with five. And with another broad-headed shaft he felled Jayatsena's charioteer from his niche in the car. The steeds (of his car), no longer restrained, ran wildly in all directions and thus car-ried away the ruler of the Magadhas (from battle) in the sight of all the troops. Meanwhile Drona, noticing an opening, pierced Bhimasena, O bull of Bharata's race, with eight keen shafts furnished with heads shaped after the frog's mouth." Bhima, however, ever delighting in battle, pierced the preceptor, who was worthy of paternal reverence, with five broad-headed arrows, and then, O Bharata, with sixty,” Arjuna, again, piercing Suçarman with a large number

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of arrows made (wholly) of iron, destroyed his troops like the tempest destroying mighty masses of clouds. Then Bhishma, and the king (viz., Duryodhana), and Vrihadvala the ruler of the Koçalas, excited with rage, advanced upon Bhimasena and Dhananjaya. At this, the heroic warriors of the Pandava army, and Dhrishtadyumna the son of Prishata, rushed in battle against Bhishma who was advancing like Death himself with wide-open mouth. Cikhandin also, sighting the grandsire of the Bharatas, was filled with joy and rushed at him, abandoning all fear of that mighty car-warrior. Then all the Parthas with Yudhishthira at their head, placing Cikhandin in the van, and uniting with the Srinjayas, fought with Bhishma in battle." And similarly all the warriors of thy army, placing Bhishma of regulated vows in their van, fought in battle with all the Parthas headed by Cikhandin. The battle then that commenced there between the Kaura vaš and the sons of Pandu for the sake of Bhishma's victory or victory over Bhishma, was exceedingly terrible." Indeed, in that game of battle, played for the sake of victory or the reverse, Bhishma, O monarch, became the stake on which the victory of thy army depended. Then Dhrishtadyumna, O king, commanded all the troops, saying,-Rush against the son of Ganga! Do not fear, ye best of car-warriors!4. Hearing those words of their generalissimo, the army of the Pandavas quickly advanced against Bhishma, ready to lay down their lives in that dreadful battle." Bhishma then, that foremost of car-warriors, received that large host rushing towards him, like the continent receiving the surging sea.'

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SECTION CXVI.

"Dhritarashtra said, 'How, O Sanjaya, did Cantanu's son Bhishma of mighty energy fight on that the tenth day of battle, with the Pandavas and the Srinjayas? How also did the Kurus resist the Pandavas in battle? Describe to me the great battle fought by Bhishma that ornament of battle!'"

"Sanjaya said, "I will presently describe to thee, O Bhārata, how the Kura vas fought with the Pandavas, and how

that battle took place. Day after day many mighty car-warriors of thy army, excited with wrath, were despatched to the other world by the diadem-decked (Arjuna) with his great weapons. The ever-victorious Kuru warrior Bhishma also, agreeably to his vow, always caused a great carnage among the Partha army. O chastiser of foes, beholding Bhishma fighting at the head of the Kurus, and Arjuna also fighting at the head of the Panchālas, we could not say truly on which side the victory would declare itself. On that the tenth day of battle, when Bhishma and Arjuna encountered each other, awful was the carnage that took place. On that day, O scorcher of foes, Cantanu's son Bhishma, conversant with high and mighty weapons, repeatedly slew thousands upon thousands of warriors." Many, O Bhārata, whose names and families were not known, but who, endued with great bravery, were unretreating from battle, were on that day slain by Bhishma. Scorching the Pandava army for ten days, Bhishma of virtuous soul gave up all desire of protecting his life.10 Wishing his own slaughter presently at the head of his troops,—No more shall I slay large numbers of foremost of warriors!—thought thy mighty-armed sire Devavrata. And seeing Yudhishthira near him, O king, he addressed him, saying,"-O Yudhishthira, O thou of great wisdom, O thou that art acquainted with every branch of learning, listen to these righteous and heaven-leading words, O sire, that I say! O Bhārata, I no longer desire to protect, O sire, this body of mine! I have passed much time in slaying large numbers of men in battle 14 If thou wishest to do what is agreeable to me, strive to slay me, placing Partha with the Panchālas and the Srinjayas at thy van !1-Ascertaining this to be his intention, king Yudhishthira of true sight proceeded to battle with the Srinjayas (for his support). Then Dhrishtadyumna, O king, and Pandu's son Yudhishthira, having heard those words of Bhishma, urged their array on." And Yudhishthira said,-Advance! Fight! Vanquish Bhishma in battle! Ye all will be protected by that conqueror of foes, viz., Jishnu of unbaffled aim! And this great bowman, this generalissimo (of our forces), viz., the son of Prishata, as also Bhima, will assuredly protect you 18-19 Ye Srinjayas, entertain no fear today of

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