Bhishma-Vadha Parva — The prowess of Bhishma and Arjuna

Sanjaya said Arjuna covered over with his arrows of straight knots that mighty car-warrior Shalya who had been fighting very carefully.

He pierced Susharma and Kripa, each with three shafts; then in that battle, the ruler of the Pragjyotishas, Jayadratha, the ruler of the Sindhus,

Chitrasena, Vikarna, Kritavarma, Durmarshana and, o king, the foremost carwarriors from I.vanti,

All these warriors were pierced each with three shafts winged with Kanka and peacock feathers, by the Atiratha Arjuna, who had been afflicting your army.

Then, O Bharata, Jayadratha who was riding on the car of Chitrasena, having pierced Partha in battle, pierced Bhima also with his arrows.

Shalya and Kripa those foremost of carwarriors also pierced in battle, Jishnu with myriads of shafts. O king, each capable to penetrating into the very vitals.

Then, O ruler of men, your sons headed by Chitrasena, in that battle quickly pierced Bhima and Arjuna, O sire, each shooting five arrows of exceeding sharpness. Then these two foremost of car-warriors the two illustrious descendants of the Bharata race, viz., the sons of Kunti.

Afflicted in battle the mighty division of Trigarta troops; thereupon Susharma pierced Partha in battle with nine swift causing arrows.

And then he roared out his fierce war-cry, striking, terror into the heart of the enemy's host. ther heroic car-warriors pierced Bhimasena and Dhananjaya with straight-going exceedingly sharp arrows, all furnished with golden wings. Those two foremost descendants of the Bharata race, viz., the two sons of Kunti, sporting on their cars amidst those carwarriors, appeared beautiful, and resembled two enraged lions loO king out for flesh amidst a herd of cows.

Cutting off the bows and arrows of the heroes in battle, those two fierce warriors began to fell the heads of men by hundreds.

Many cars were shattered; and steeds by hundreds were slain and in that fierce conflict, elephants with their riders fell on the ground by hundreds.

Here and there car-warriors and horse-men were slain; and many were seen to tremble en all sides.

The earth there was covered with fell down many umbrellas, flags, Ankushas, hunters, the ornaments like Keyura, Angada, garland and gem-studded ear-rings, the delicate hide of Ranku stag, turbans of warriors, Rishti etc. weapons and with Camara and Vyajana etc.

The battle-field was layered fully with the cut-off and fell everywhere the sandal smeared arms and the legs of the kings slaughtered there.

The earth become strewn over with slain elephants, and mangled foot-soldiers and chargers, and with cars broken into splinters.

In that battle we bcheld the marvelous prowess of the mighty Arjuna, in as much as, checking those heroes by his shafts, he slew troops by hundreds.

Mighty Duryodhana, your son himself was frightened to see that valour as exhibited by Bhimasena and Arjuna. Hence, he rushed soon near the chariot of Bhishma, the son of Ganga.

Then Kripa and Kritavarman, and Jayadratha the ruler of the Sindhus, and Vinda and Anuvinda from Avanti, did not abandon the fight.

Then the fierce bowman Bhima and the mighty car-warrior Phalguna began to crush severely the dreadful army of the Kurus.

Thereupon, the rulers of earth quickly began to pour on the car of Dhananjaya thousands and thousands of arrows.

Then checking those mighty car-warriors with the net-work of arrows woven by himself, Partha began to dispatch them to the regions of Death.

Then in that battle, the mighty car-warrior Shalya inflamed with wrath, pierced, as if sporting, Vishnu on the breast with broadheaded and straight-knotted shafts.

Then Partha having cut off the former's bow and gloves with five arrows, pierced him in his vital parts with arrows of great sharpness.

Thereupon taking up another bow capable of bearing great strain, the ruler of the Madras waxing worth, pierced Vishnu in battle,

With three arrows, and the son of Vasudeva with five and Bhimasena on the breast and arms with nine shafts.

Then, O monarch, Drona and the king of the Magadhas, both being commanded by Duryodhana, hide to that spot,

Where the two mighty car-warriors, Partha and Bhimasena, the sons of Pandu, had been slaughtering the mighty divisions of the Kaurava host.

O foremost of the Bharatas, then Jayatsena in that battle Bhimasena possessed of terrible weapon, with eight sharp arrows.

Then Bhima piercing him with ten shafts again pierced him with five, and he felled the latter's charioteer from his seat on the box of the car.

Then borne by the unrestrained steeds flying hither and thither, the ruler of the Magadhas was carried away from the field of battle even before the every eyes of the onloO king troops.

Then, O foremost of the Bharatas, Drona availing himself of an weakness of Bhima pierced the latter with eight keen pointed dares whetted on stone.

Then, O Bharata, Bhima, that hero ever proud in battle, pierced his sire-like preceptor first with five broad-headed arrows and then with another sixty of the same.

Arjuna also having pierced king Susharma with many shafts of iron, began to scatter the latter's host like a tempest scattering mighty masses of clouds.

Thereupon Bhishma, king Duryodhana himself, the ruler of the Kosalas and Brihadbala, all excited with rage assailed in a body Bhimasena and Dhananjaya.

So also the Pandava heroes, Prishata's son Dhrishtadyumna and others, rushed against Bhishma who then resembled Death with mouth wide open.

Shikhandin also approaching the grandsire of the Bharatas delightedly rushed at him, harboring no fear from that mighty car-warrior.

The Partha's accompanied by the Srinjayas, and headed by Yudhishthira himself, with Shikhandin at their van fought on with Bhishma.

Similarly all your warriors with Bhishma of regulated vows at their forefront fought with the Partha warriors headed by Shikhandin.

Then the contest that ensued between the sons of Pandu and the Kauravas for the conquest of Bhishma, became terrible to the extreme.

In that battle, O ruler of men, that may be compared to a game at dice, for the sake of victory or the reverse, Bhishma was the stake of your warriors.

Then, 0 foremost of kings, Dhrishtadyumna urged on the troops to assail Ganga's son exclaiming, “Fear not, O excelient car-warriors.”

Hearing the words of their generallissimo, the division of the Pandavas disregarding their lives quickly rushed at Bhishma.

Like the banks receiving the surging waves of the mighty main, Bhishma also, O monarch, that foremost of car-warrior, received that assailing host of the enemy.