भीष्म-वध पर्व — सातौँ दिनको युद्धको आरम्भ

Sanjaya said Then, O foremost of the Bharatas, the son of Ganga, seeing your son plunged in thought, once more addressed these delightful words to him.

“Myself, Drona, Shalya, Kritavarma, of the Satvata race, Ashvathama, Vikarna, Somadatta with Shindhus.

And Vinda and Anuvinda of Avanti, and Balhika with the Balhikas, and the mighty king of the Trigartas and the formidable sovereign of the Magadhas,

Brihadabala the ruler of the Kosalas Chitrasena, Vivingshati, with many thousand of car-warriors, decorated with tall standards,

And a large number of country-born steeds, O king, mounted with excellent horse soldiers and innumerable huge elephants infuriate with shedding temporal juice from their temples and mouth.

And many heroic foot-soldiers accomplished in the use of various kinds of weapons, and born in various countries, are all prepared to fight for your sake.

These and many others, prepared to lay down their very lives for your sake, are I consider, capable of obtaining victory even over the gods in battle.

It is my bounded duty, O king, to tell always what will be for your good. The Pandavas are incapable of being vanquished even by the very gods led by Vasava himself.

They are supported by the son of Vasudeva himself in battle, and are endued with prowess equal to that of the great Indra himself. But, O foremost of kings, I will ever carry out your commands.

Either I will conquer the Pandavas in battle, or they will conquer my”. Having thus spoken, Bhishma gave to Duryodhana the excellent herb called Vishalya Karanee, (that which kills all pain).

That most efficacious remedy for healing all wounds. Therewith your son cured himself of all his wounds. Then at the fair dawn, the most powerful Bhishma that foremost of men accomplished in the are of arraying troops, formed with his own troops, the array called Mandala, bristling with the glitter of various kings of weapons.

The array teemed with excellent warriors, as also with tuskers and infantry and it was surrounded on all sides with many thousand cars.

And with large division of cavalry armed with scimitars and lances. Near every elephants were stationed seven car-warriors, and near every car were placed seven horsemen,

Behind every horsemen were stationed ten bowmen, and behind each bowman were placed seven foot-soldiers. Thus, O monarch, your troops urged by mighty and great carwarriors.

Stood ready for the fierce encounter being protected by Bhishma. Then a thousand horseman, and as many tuskers. on

And ten thousand chariots, along with your heroic sons, all accounted in mail, headed by Chitrasena, supported the grandsire.

It was seen that as Bhishma was supported by those heroic warriors themselves endued with great strength and clad in mail they were in their turn protect by the grandsire.

Duryodhana also that battlefield, occupying his car and clad in mail, and endued with all grace, looked beautiful like Indra himself in paradise.

Then, O Bharata, loud were the war cries uttered by your sons, and defending was clatter of chariots and the sound of the musical instruments.

Then that mighty and impenetrable Mandala, array of those slayers of enemies viz., the sons of Dhritarashtra, formed by Bhishma himself, began to march forward facing the west.

Invulnerable in battle by the enemies, O monarch, that array appeared beautiful in every pare. Then beholding that formidable Mandala, array.

King Yudhishthira himself formed his troops in the array known as Vajra. Thus when the troops were thus formed into battle array, and were stationed in proper ranks.

The car-warriors and cavalry soldiers uttered their war-cries (resembling leonine roars). Then, desirous of battle fierce warriors began to leave their ranks.

And those heroes supported by their respective division, began to smite down one another. The son of Bharadvaja encoun the ruler of the Matsyas, and the son of Drona engaged Shikhandin.

King Duryodhana, himself rushed against the son of Prishata; the twins Nakula and Sahadeva proceeded against the king of the Madras.

Vinda and Anuvinda from Avanti went against king Iravat. All the other monarchs engaged Dhananjaya in battle.

Putting forth all his exertions Bhimasena checked the son of Hridika in battle. Endued with great prowess Arjuna's son, O king engaged in battle, your sons viz., Chitrasena Vikarna, and Durmarshana. Against that fierce bow-man, viz., the ruler of the Pragjyotishas, Hidimba, the ruler of the Rakshasas.

Rushed with impetuosity, like an infuriate elephants mecting a compeer in the same state. Then O monarch, the Rakshasa Alambusha excited with wrath rushed in that battle, against Satyaki invincible in battle surrounded though he was with his own division. Exerting himself well, Bhurishravas engaged in that conflict Dhrishtaketu.

Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, engaged king Shrutayush; and in that battle Chekitana fought with Kripa.

The rest putting forth all their endeavors advanced against the mighty car-warrior Bhima. Thereafter thousand of monarchs surrounded Dhananjaya on all sides.

Wielding in their hands dares, lances arrows, maces, and bludgeons; threat, highly enraged, Arjuna addressed the descendant of the Vrishni race (Krishna) saying:

"Behold, O Madhava, the troops of the sons of Dhritarashtra formed in battle array by the high-souled son of Ganga, who is versed in all the modes of forming soldiers in battle array,

Behold also, O Madhava, innumerable heroes all ardently longing for battle. Behold also, O Keshava, the king of the Trigartas supported by his brothers.

Today, before your very eyes, I will O Janardana, slay all these, O foremost of the Yadus, who are desirous of fighting with me in the battle".

Having thus spoken, the on of Kunti, rubbing his bow-string poured an arrow downpour on those hosts of kings.

Those fierce bowmen also covered him in return with showers of shafts, just as clouds, in the season of rain, fill the tanks with showers of rain.

Then, O ruler of men, when in that great battle the two Krishna's were seen to be covered with fast-falling arrows, loud shouts of "Oh!” “Oh!” were heard in your troops.

The celestial, the divine divine sages, the Gandharvas, and the mighty reptiles, were all overwhelmed with amazement beholding Krishna and Arjuna thus situated.

Thereafter waxing worth, Arjuna invoked, O king, the weapon called Indra: then wonderful was the prowess that we beheld of Vijaya.

In as much as he baffled the thick shower of arrows discharged by his enemies with myriad of shafts shot by himself. There was none, O ruler of men, that was not wounded.

Among those thousands of kings, steeds and tuskers. The rest, O sire, the son Pritha pierced, each with two or three shafts.

While being thus slaughtered by the son of Pritha, they sought protection from the son of Shantanu, and then Bhishma became the rescuer of those warriors who resembled men sinking in the fathomless deep.

Then those flying and broken ranks of your arniy, moving and falling back upon the division of Bhima, created a great confusion in the latter ranks, like the raging tempest agitating the mighty main.