Bhishma-Vadha Parva — The prowess of Bhimasena

Sanjaya said Having heard those words of the highsouled Drona, Bhagadatta, Kripa, Shalya, Kritvarma, the princes Vinda and Anuvinda from Avanti, Jayadratha the ruler of the Sindhus, Chitrasena, Vikarna and Durmarshana and others,

These ten warriors of your army engaged with Bhimasena in battle, supported by a large division consisting of troops recruited from various countries,

And desirous, o king, of winning great fame in that battle for Bhishma's sake. Then Shalya pierced Bhimasena with nine arrows;

Kritavarma pierced him with there shafts, Kripa with nine, and O sire, Chitrasena, Vikarna and Bhagadatta.

Each pierced Bhimasena with ten arrows separately. The ruler of the Sindhus pierced Bhimasena with three arrows.

Vinda and Anuvindu pierced the son of Pandu, with five shafts each; and Durmarshana pierced him with twenty shafts of exceeding sharpness.

Then, O mighty monarch, that slayer of hostile heroes, viz., the heroic son those mighty car-warriors of the Dhritarashtra host, of world-wide fame. He pierced Shalya with seven arrows, Kritavarma with eight;

And, O Bharata, he cut in the middle Kripa's bow with arrows fixed on the string in that battle. Then again he pierced the latter whose bow had been cut in twain with seven shafts.

He also wounded Vinda and Anuvinda with three shafts each, and Durmarshana with twenty and Chitrasena with five.

Then Bhima having pierced Vikarna with ten arrows and the ruler of the Sindhus with five, roared out in delight; and then again he pierced Jayadratha with three arrows.

Therefore that Dhananjaya of car-warriors, that son of Gautami, taking up another bow and waxing worth, pierced Bhima with ten shafts of great sharpness.

Then like a huge elephant pierced with the hook, the mighty Bhimasena, pierced with those ten arrows, was worked up with rage, O monarch,

And he pierced the son of Gautami with numerous arrows in battle. Then with three arrows, that one of effulgence like that of the Destroyer himself dispatched to the regions of Death, the steeds and driver of the ruler of the Sindhus. Then that mighty car-warrior quickly jumping down from the car, the steed of which were slain,

Discharged sharp arrow towards Bhimasena in that battle. Then, O sire, with a couple of broad-headed arrows Bhima cut in twain the bow, O foremost of the Bharatas, of the illustrious ruler of the Sindhus. Then the latter, O king, with his bow burst, his horses and charioteer slain, and deprived of his car,

Speedily ascended, o king, the chariot of Chitrasena. Then that son of Pandu achieved marvelous feats in that battle,

In as much as piercing all those mighty carwarriors with arrows and resisting them, he deprived, O sire, the ruler of the Sindhus, of his car, before the eyes of all on-lookers.

Then Shalya did not tolerate the prowess of Bhimasena; and fixing sharp arrows burnished of the forgers,

He pierced Bhima in battle, exclaiming 'Stay, Stay.' Then Kripa and Kritavarma, and the highly powerful Bhagadatta,

And Vinda and Anuvinda from Avanti, and Chitrasena, and Durmarshana Vikarna, the valiant ruler of the Sindhus,

All these subduers of foes, then quickly pierced Bhima (with arrows), for rescuing Shalya. He (Bhima) also pierced them in return, each with five shafts,

He pierced Shalya also first piercing him with seventy shafts and again with ten shafts. Shalya also first piercing him with nine arrows next wounded him with five.

Then he pierced Bhima's charioteer deeply into the vitals with a broad-headed shaft. Then the mighty Bhimasena, beholding his charioteer Vishoka thus mangled,

Wounded the king of the Madras in the breast and arms with three arrows. He then also pierced other bowmen in that battle, each with three shafts, and then roared aloud like a lion. Then all those bowmen, fighting with care, pierced Pandu's son, versed in all modes of warfare, in his vitals, each with three shafts of keen points. Through thus deeply pierced that fierce bowman Bhimasena was not pained in the least,

Like a mountain washed with thick shower of rain poured down by the clouds. Then possessed with anger that mighty car-warrior of the Pandavas,

Of illustrious fame, having pierced the king of the Madras with three shafts, and having pierced Kripa with nine arrows by all sides and too wounded the ruler of the Pragjyotishas, O king, with hundred shafts in battle.

Then that high-famed warrior having pierced Kripa with many arrows, cut off the bow and the arrows of the illustrious descendant of the Satvata race,

With horse-shoe headed arrow of great lightness, displaying the while great lightness of hands. Then that afflicter of foes Kritavarma taking up another bow, struck Vrikodara between his two brows with a long and sharp shaft. Bhima then wounding Shalya in battle with nine shafts wholly made of iron, pierced, Bhagadatta with three and Kritavarma with eight arrows, and each of the other warriors including the son of Gautami &c, with two shafts.

Those heroes also, O king, pierced him with exceedingly sharp arrows. Through thus pierced by all those mighty car-warriors with all kinds of weapons.

Yet regarding them as mere straws, he careered through the field without the least pain. Those foremost of car-warriors also patiently sped at Bhima sharp arrows by hundreds and thousands. Then the highly powerful heroic Bhagadatta let go his lance of great velocity and of a golden staff at that illustrious warrior Bhima. The mighty-armed king of the Sindhus hurled at the latter a lance and a battle-axe.

Kripa hurled at Bhima a Shataghni, and O king, Shalya a fierce dare; of the other warriors cach, aiming at Bhima, forcibly let go five shafts whetted on stone. Then the son of the wind-god (Bhima), with a horse-shoe-headed arrow, cut that lance in twain.

He also served that battle-axe as if it were sesame stalk with three arrows; he broke into pieces the Shataghni with nine shafts furnished with wings of the feathers of Kanka birds.

Bhimasena, expert in archery cut down Shakti weapon of Bhagadatta quickly and had splitted the volley of fierce arrows shot by another warriors each in three pieces by shooting a number of arrows having bent knot. Effacing thus, the power of weapons and arms practised by enemies, Bhimasena injured those great archers hitting each by three arrows.

Then whom the combat was thus raging fiercely, Dhananjaya came there on his car, and beheld Bhima that mighty car-warrior.

Slay in battle his opponents and fight with them with his arrows. Then beholding those two illustrious sons of Pandu together,

Your warriors, all foremost of men, did not cherish any hope of victory then. Then Arjuna, who was proceeding desirous of slaying Bhishma, with Shikhandin before him, seeing Bhima fight with the ten mighty car-warriors of your army, confronted them in battle.

Then, O monarch, out of a desire for doing an act pleasurable of Bhima, Vibhatsu pierced those heroes who had been so coolly fighting with Bhima in battle.

Thereupon king Duryodhana urged king Susharma for bringing about the slaughter of Arjuna as also of Bhima.

Go you, O Susharma, speedily surrounded by a large host of your troops. Slay me these two sons of Pandu, viz., Dhananjaya and Vrikodara.

Hearing these words of the king, the chief of the Trigarta's, the ruler of Prasthala, assaulting the two bowmen Bhima and Arjuna,

Surrounded them on all sides with many thousand chariots. Then ensured a fierce battle between Arjuna and his opponents.