गोहरण पर्व — भीष्मको पराजय

Vaishampayana said The warriors being thus slain, Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, the grandfather of Bharatas, rushed at Dhananjaya,

Taking up the best of bows made of burnished gold, and sharp arrows capable of piercing to the very vitals.

And on account of a white umbrella being held over his head, that foremost of men shone like a hill at sun-rise.

Blowing his conch and cheering up the son of Dhritarashtra, the son of Ganga encountered Bibhatsu.

Seeing him approach, that slayer of hostile heroes, the son of Kunti received him gladly like a hill receiving a cloud.

Then the greatly energetic Bhishma discharged eight quick arrows, sighing like serpents, at Partha's flag.

Reaching the flag-staff of the son of Pandu, those winged arrows struck the blowing monkey and other creatures stationed on the flag-staff.

Then with a huge and sharp dart, the son of Pandu quickly cut off Bhishma's umbrella and it fell down on the ground.

The son of Kunti, with arrows, struck his flag-staff, his two horses and her driver that protected his flanks.

Unable to bear this, Bhishma though he knew Arjuna's prowess covered Dhananjaya, the son of Pandu with celestials weapons.

Then discharging a celestials weapon at Bhishma, Pandava, of incomparable energy, received him like a hill receiving a huge mass of cloud.

There was a mighty and hair-stirring encounter between Partha and Bhishma like that between Bali and Vasava,

The Kuru warriors, with their soldiers witnessed that encounter between Bhishma and Partha attacking each other with darts. Partha shooting arrows with both the hands, the Gandiva bow looked like a continuous circle of fire. The son of Kunti enveloped Bhishma with hundreds of sharp arrows like a cloud covering the mountain with rain. Bhishma with his own arrows counteracted that shower of arrows like banks resisting the surging deep, and covered Arjuna with shafts. Those shafts, sundered into a thousand pieces, fell on Arjuna's car. Then arose a downpour of gold-winged shafts going through the sky like a swarm of locusts. He then pierced Bhishma with hundred sharpened shafts.

All Kauravas at that moment thanked Bhishma by saying-"Hurrah! Bhishma has showed this rare valour as to wage battle against Arjuna. a

Arjuna is mighty, young, efficient and quick in shooting arrows. Hence, who otherwise than Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, Srikrishna, the son of Devaki or Drona, the son of Bharadvaja, mighty and great preceptor (Acharya), can face Partha in battle.

Both the mighty warriors, crown to the Bharata's dynasty were detouring or splitting the weapons shot by each other as if it was a play not war for them and the spectators were dazed to see it.

Both of the great warriors were thus engaged in battle-field by shooting the weapons Prajapatya, Aiendra, Agneya, Raudra, Kaubera, Varuna, Yama and Vayavya.

All spectators to that battle could not resist them saying frequently, Ogreat warrior Partha! we thank you. O great warrior Bhishma! We thank you (viz. we appreciate your war-craft and expertise).

The great use of specific divine arms and weapons as it is being seen in the battle of Bhishma and Partha, impossible to anywhere and amid other warriors.

see O Janamejaya! a battle with divine arms between Bhishma and Arjuna both experts kept on incessant for a certain time. A battle with arrows then started.

The victorious Arjuna then marched closer to Bhishma and cut in pieces the gold studded bow of him by shooting an arrow having sword like blade.

The great warrior Bhishma with his huge arms picked-up just at an eye-wink another bow, tied it with string and shot a volley of arrows at Arjuna in sheer anger.

Arjuna, the great valorous also shot several acute arrows at Bhishma and Bhishma in reaction also shot numerous arrows at Arjuna.

O king! both of the warriors were expert in divine arms and weapons and therefore, shooting at each other acute arrows. No difference anyway was seen them at that time viz. both were equally valorous.

Arjuna, the son of Kunti holding a crown on head and Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, both were Atirathi warrior. They had covered the directions, ten in number with the arrows shot at each other.

o king Janamejaya! it was really a phenomenon to see of this world that at one time Arjuna, the son of Pandu was seen overlapping Bhishma while Bhishma overlapping Arjuna on the other moment.

O king! the chivalrous soldiers protecting the chariot of Bhishma were fell down dead both side of that chariot as Arjuna had killed them.

The arrows bearing wings then started moving forward at their release from the bow named Gandiva of Arjuna rode on the white chariot. They started coming from all sides as if intended to make this entire universe free from enemies.

The white arrows with golden wings appears as a row of swans in the sky when they flew from the side where Arjuna's chariot was existed.

Arjuna was shooting divine arms capable to pierce the heart in an excellent manner and Indra etc. all gods were watching his war-craft from the sky where they had come and stood to see this phenomenal battle,

The chivalrous Gandharva Chitrasena was impressed highly with Arjuna and he said Indra, the king of gods in appreciation of his excellent and phenomenal war-craft.

O sovereign king! see that forwarding swiftly and compact with each other on release from Arjuna's bow. This arrows strategy of Arjuna is really excellent and splendid as he is expert in using divine arms.

As this arm is not with other people, they cannot use this divine arm for battle. An excellent conglomeration of the powerful arms has been made only in this battle here.

Nobody could measure the difference of time between the acts of picking up arrows from holster, putting on bow, shooting and giving tension to the bow.

The soldiers on part of Kauravas have lost courage even to see straight way at valorous son of Pandu as nobody can gaze at the sun glowing in sky with acute rays in the noon. Similarly, nobody can dare to look straight at Bhishma, the son of Ganga.

Both warriors are famous for their excellent deeds through the world. Both are aggressively valorous. Both equally chivalours and tough to defeat in the battle.

O Bharata! Indra, the king of gods revealed honour for this excellent battle between Arjuna and Bhishma with showing flowers on them when so reported by Chitrasena.

Bhishma, the son of Shantanu suddenly penetrated the left collateral of Arjuna's body who had wounded the Kauravas' army in course of the fierce battle so fought. are

The smiling Bibhatsu with sharp shafts furnished with vulture feathers cut off the bow of Bhishma resembling the sun in effulgence.

Then with ten shafts Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti, wounded him, brave as he was, on the breast.

Thus assailed, the powerful son of Ganga stood leaning for a long time on the pole of the car.

Beholding him senseless, his charioteer remembering his instructions took away the mighty car-warrior.