भीष्म-वध पर्व — आदित्यकेतु आदिको वध

Sanjaya said The Pandavas were unable to look at Bhishma burning like the solar disc, when inflamed with wrath he rushed to the thick of the) fight.

Thereafter the whole army, by the order of the son of Dharma, rushed against the son of Ganga when the latter was wounding them with whetted shafts.

But Bhishma ever proud in battle, began to fell with his shafts, the Somakas, the Srinjayas and the Panchalas, all mighty wielders of the bow.

Through thus slaughtered by Bhishma, the Panchalas with the Somakas impetuously rushed against Bhishma, abandoning all fear of death.

Then that foremost of car-warriors namely Bhishma the son of Shantanu, in that battle, O king, cut off the arms and heads of all those combatants.

Your sire Devavrata deprived car-warriors of their car; and the heads of horse-soldiers fell fast as they rode on their chargers.

We also beheld, O mighty monarch elephants deprived of their riders and fallen on the filled like so many hills and also paralyzed by the weapons of Bhishma.

Not a single person of the Pandava host remained there on the field of battle, except, O ruler of men that foremost of car-warriors namely Bhimasena endued with great prowess.

Encountering Bhishma in battle, Bhima began to resist the former; a dreadful, fierce and deafening uproar arose among all the troops when Bhima and Bhishma thus encountered each another. Thereupon the Pandavas greatly delighted roared out their war-cries.

Thereupon king Duryodhana surrounded by his uterine brothers, protected Bhishma when that battle destructive of creatures was raging furiously.

Then that foremost of car-warriors Bhima, slew the charioteer of Bhishma; thereupon the steeds having none to check them ran away dragging the chariot.

Then that slayer of enemies, Bhima, with an arrow of the shape of horse-shoe and of exceeding sharpness, cut off quickly the head of Sunabha; and the latter fell down on the ground.

When that mighty car-warrior that fierce bowman namely your son Sunabha was slain in battle, O Sire, his other seven uterine brothers, all brave heroic, could not brook it in battle.

Adityaketu, Bahvashin, Kundadhara, Mahodara, Aparajita, Panditaka, and Vishalaksha, all difficult of being conquered in battle,

These seven grinders of foes, clad in coats of mail and owning wonderful armours and weapons, rushed to battle against the son of Pandu, desirous of fighting with him.

Then in that battle, Mahendra pierced Bhima with nine winged shafts resembling the thunder bolt itself, like the slayer of Vritra piercing Namuchi (in the days of yore).

Adityaketu pierced Bhima with seventy shafts, Bahvashin with five, Kundadhara with ninety and Vishalaksha with seven.

That conqueror of foes, namely Aparajita himself, O mighty monarch, that mighty carwarrior, pierced the highly powerful Bhimasena, with innumerable shafts.

Panditaka pierced Bhima with three shafts in that battle. But Bhima did not tolerate these wounds inflicted by his enemies in that battle.

Then that grinder of foes (Bhima) pressing his bow with his left hand, with a straight knotted shaft cut off in that battle, the head of,

Your son Aparajita, graced with a well formed nose. When he was thus conquered by Bhima, his head fell down on the ground.

Then the former, with another broad headed shaft, dispatched the mighty car-warrior Kundadhara to the region of Dead even before the very eyes of the troops.

Then that one of immeasurable soul (Bhima), placing on his bow-string another shaft, sped it, O Bharata, against Panditaka in that battle.

That shaft slaying Panditaka penetrated into the earth, even as a serpent urged by fate, enters the earth having bitten a person whose hour has come.

Thereafter that generous-hearted hero, O ruler of earth remembering the woe he (with his brothers) had to undergo, cutting off with three shafts the head of Vishalaksha felled it on the ground.

He also pierced the mighty car-warrior Mahendra with a long shaft between his breasts, and O king, (thus stricken), the latter fell down dead on the ground.

Severing the umbrella of Adityaketu with a shaft, Bhima cut down the former's head, O Bharata, with a broad-headed arrow of exceeding sharpness.

Thereafter inflamed with rage, with a straight knotted shaft Bhima dispatched Bahvashin to the abode of Death.

Then O ruler of men, the rest of your sons fled away in all directions, considering that the words he had uttered in the assembly hall to be true.

Thereupon king Duryodhana, afflicted with the calamity that had befallen hill brothers, commanded his troops saying "Slay this Bhima."

Thus, O ruler of men, your sons, excellent bowmen, beholding their brothers slain, remembered the words,

Salutary and whole some, that the wonderfully wise Kshatriya had said. Those words of that true speaking one has now been realised,

Words, beneficial and true, to which you paid no heed in past days, being possessed by covetousness and folly, as also, O lord of wealth, by the affection for your sons.

From the in thich that hero (Bhima) of longaiiii, . . .....nungine Kauravas, it may be asserted that mighty son of Pandu has surely taken his birth for the destruction of your sons.

Thereafter king Duryodhana possessed with overwhelming grief, approached Bhishma, and O Sire, began to lament before him in great sorrow.

“My heroic brothers have all been slain in battle by Bhimasena; and other soldiers, through striving their best of resist him, are all being slain and slaughtered.

Though you are always in our midst, yet always neglect us. Alas! what a wrong course have I taken! Behold my evil Destiny!”

Sanjaya said Hearing this, your father Devavrata, inflamed with rage, said these words in Suyodhana, with his eyes overflowing with tears.

Bhishma said Even this had been said before by myself, by Drona, by Vidura and by the illustrious lady Gandhari. But then, O Sire, you did not pay any heed to it.

O Grinder of foes, I have made arrangements with you that, neither myself nor the preceptor Drona shall survive this war.

I tell you truly that, every one of ihe host of Dhritarashtra whom Bhima will deer in battle, he will slay in fight.

Therefore, O king, with all your patience, and forming a firm resolution for battle, do you fight with the sons of Pritha, loO king upon paradise as your final goal.

The sons of Pandu cannot be vanquished even by the celestial headed by Indra himself. Therefore, o Bharata, forming a firm determination for fight, do you fight on (with the Pandavas).