Bhishma-Vadha Parva — Colloquy between Bhishma and Duryodhana

Sanjaya said Then, O mighty monarch, those heroes literally bespattered with blood, keeping alive their enmity for one another, retired to their respective tents.

Thereafter having rested awhile, and having duly praised one another (for the feats achieve), they again were seen clad in coats of mail, standing desirous of battle.

Then, O monarch, your son Duryodhana, covered with stains of blood all over the body, and overwhelmed with anxious thought, from confidence, asked the grandsire Bhishma saying;

"Our troops are fierce and formidable and duly arranged; and they carry mighty standards, and yet those heroic and fleet host of car-warrior belonging to the Pandava army, penetrating and slaughtering and crushing.

and confounding us all, has earned great fame in battle. I have also been wounded deeply by those dreadful shafts resembling the club of Death himself, that have been shot by Bhima who broke through our Makara-array that was strong as the thunder bolt itself.

Beholding Bhima, I have been, O sire, unmanned with fear, even now I can not regain the equilibrium of my mind, O you of neverfalling aim, I desire, through your grace, to obtain victory and to slay the sons of Pandava”.

Thus addressed by Duryodhana and knowing him to be possessed by great grief, that high-souled son of Ganga that foremost of all wielders of weapons, endued with intelligence, smiling, replied to the former with a cheerless heart:

"Breaking through the hostile ranks with the greatest exertions and with all my power, O prince, I wish to give you victory and joy. For your sake, I do never dissemble.

These mighty car-warrior, who have sided with the Pandavas in this battle, innumerable, formidable, all foremost horses, endued with renown and accomplished in the use of weapons; they are indefatigable and are seem to vomit forth the venom of their wrath in battle.

These heroes are not to be so easily vanquished; they entertain feelings of the bitterest hostility for you, and are more ever swelling with their powers. Yet O monarch, I will, with all my soul fight these heroes to the bitter end.

For your sake, O generous hero this day will I have no regard for my life in battle. For your sake, will I consume all the regions with their myriad celestial and Daityas, what to speak of your enemies?

I will encounter, O king, the Pandavas, and there by encompass all that is agreeable to you”. Hearing these words Duryodhana became inspired with confidence, and his heart swelled in joy.

Then with a delighted heart, he gave the word of command to the troops and all the assembled kings, saying Proceed. At his command the army consisting of chariots, steeds, foot-soldiers and elephant-riders, began to advance (in battle array).

That extensive army of yours, O king, equipped with various sorts of implements of war, was filled with delight. O king, your army, teeming with elephant-riders, cavalrysoldiers and foot-soldiers arranged in battle order, appeared exceedingly beautiful.

The division of tuskers composed of large numbers ad goaded on by skillful riders, appeared charging from all sides of the filed and your troops were also formed into order by many princely warriors, accomplished in the use of offensive and defensive weapons.

A clouds of dust, resembling in hue the rays of the rising sun and intercepting from the view the sun itself-that was raise by the divisions of cars, elephants, infantry and cavalry as they moved over the filed in due order, appeared exceedingly beautiful.

Just as lightning, flashing amidst a mass of clouds in the firmament, appears beautiful, so the streamers of variegated hue mounted on cars and the backs of elephants, fluttering in the air and whirling along the welkin, appeared highly effulgent.

A dreadful and deafening din was created by monarchs stretching and twanging their bows-din that resembled the roar of the ocean, when in the Satya era, it was churned by the hosts of celestial and Asuras.

At the moment, that army of your sons, uttering fierce war-cries, comprising in it combatants of divers hues, loO king so resplendent, and capable of slaughtering the enemy's host , appcared like the clan of clouds that are seen at the expiration of a Yuga.