BHISHMA
PARV MAHABHARAT BOOK 6 CHAPTER 68
Mahabharat
Book 6 Chapter 68 : English
SECTION LXXII
Sanjay
said, "Sikhandin with Virat king of the Matsyas speedily approached
Bhishma that invincible and mighty bowman. And Dhananjay encountered
Dron and Kripacharya, and Vikarn and many other kings, brave
in battle, all mighty bowmen endued with great strength, as also
that mighty bowman the ruler of the Sindhus supported by his friends
and kinsmen and many kings of the west and the south also, O bull
of Bharat's race. And Bhimsen proceeded against that mighty bowman,
viz., thy vindictive son Duryodhan, and also against Dussaha. And
Sahadeva proceeded against those invincible warriors, viz., Sakuni
and that mighty car-warrior Uluk, those great bowmen, who were sire
and son. And that mighty car-warrior Yudhishthir, deceitfully treated
by thy son, proceeded in that battle, O king, against the elephant
division (of the Kauravs). And that son of Pandu and Madri, viz.,
the heroic Nakul capable of wringing tears from the foe, engaged
in battle with the excellent car-warriors of the Trigartas. And
those invincible warriors, viz., Satyaki and Chekitana, and the
mighty son of Subhadra, proceeded against Shalya and the Kaikeyas.
And Dhrishtaketu and the Rakshash Ghatotkach, both invincible in
battle, proceeded against the car-division of thy sons. And that
mighty car-warrior Dhrishtadyumn, that generalissimo (of the Pandava
forces) of immeasurable soul, engaged in battle, O king, with Dron
of fierce achievements. And it was thus that those heroic and mighty
bowmen of thy army and the Pandavas, engaged in battle, began to
strike one another. And when the sun had reached the meridian and
the sky was brilliantly illumined by his rays, the Kauravs and the
Pandavas began to slay one another. Then cars, furnished with standards
from whose tops pennons were afloat, variegated with gold and covered
with tiger-skins, looked beautiful as they moved on the field of
battle. And the shouts of warriors engaged in battle from desire
of vanquishing one another, became as loud as leonine roars. And
that encounter which we beheld between the heroic Srinjayas and
the Kurus, was fierce in the extreme and highly wonderful. And in
consequence of the arrows shot all around, we could not, O king,
distinguish, O chastiser of foes, the firmament, the sun and the
cardinal and the subsidiary points of the compass. And the splendour,
like that of the blue lotus, of darts with polished points, of bearded
lances hurled (at the foe), of well-tempered sabres and scimitars,
of variegated coats of mail and of the ornaments (on the persons
of the warriors), illumined the welkin and the cardinal and the
subsidiary points with its effulgence. And the field of battle in
many places, O king, shone in consequence of the bodies of monarchs
whose effulgence resembled that of the moon and the sun. And brave
car-warriors, tigers among men shone in that battle, O king, like
the planets in the firmament. And Bhishma, that foremost of car-warriors,
excited with rage, checked the mighty Bhimasena in the very sight
of the troops. And the impetuous p. 183
shafts
shot by Bhishma, furnished with golden wings, and whetted on stone,
and rubbed with oil pierced Bhima in that battle. Then Bhimasena
endued with great strength hurled at him, O Bharata, a dart of fierce
impetuosity that resembled a wrathful snake. But Bhishma in that
combat cut off with straight shafts that dart with staff made of
gold and difficult of being borne, as it coursed impetuously towards
him. And with another broad-headed shaft, sharp and well-tempered,
he cut off Bhimasena's bow, O Bharata, into two parts. Then, O king,
in that battle, Satyaki, coming quickly towards Bhishma, pierced
thy sire with innumerable keen-edged and sharp-pointed shafts of
fierce impetuosity shot from his bowstring drawn to the ear. Then
Bhishma, aiming an exceedingly fierce shaft, felled the charioteer
of the Vrishni hero from his box in the car. And when the charioteer
of Satyaki's car was thus slain, his steeds, O king, bolted away.
Endued with the speed of the tempest or the mind, they ran wild
over the field. Then cries were uttered by the whole army which
became a loud uproar. And exclamation of oh and alas arose from
the high-souled warriors of the Pandav army. And those cries-said--Run,
seize, check the horses, go in haste. And this uproar followed Yuyudhan's
car. Meanwhile, Bhishma the son of Santanu began to slay the Pandava
forces like Indra slaying the Danavs. But the Panchals and the Somaks,
though slain by Bhishma thus, forming yet a laudable resolution,
rushed towards Bhishma. And other warriors of the Pandava army,
headed by Dhrishtadyumn, and desirous of slaughtering the ranks
of thy son, rushed towards Santanu's son in that battle. And so
also, O king, the warriors of thy army, headed by Bhishma and Dron,
impetuously rushed towards their foes. And thereupon another battle
took place."
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