ud uproar made
by the elephants and the chargers of those kings rushing to the combat,
mingled with the leonine shouts of the combatants and the din made by the
blare of conches and the sounds of drums. And the uproar of that ocean
having arrows for its crocodiles, bows for its snakes, swords for its
tortoises, and the forward leaps of the warriors for its tempest,
resembled the din made by the (actual) ocean when agitated. And kings in
thousands, commanded by Yudhishthira, with their (respective) troops fell
upon the ranks of thy son. And the encounter between the combatants of
the two hosts was fierce in the extreme. And no difference could be
perceived between the combatants of our side or that of the foe, while
battling, or retreating in broken array or rallying again to the fight.
In that terrific and awful battle, thy father (Bhishma) shone,
transcending that countless host."

SECTION XLV

Sanjaya said, "On the forenoon of that awful day, O king, the terrible
battle that mangled the bodies of (so many) kings commenced. And the loud
shouts, resembling leonine roars of the Kurus and the Srinjayas, both
desirous of victory in battle, made both the welkin and the earth resound
therewith. And a tumultuous uproar was heard mingled with the flaps of
leathern fences and the blare of conches. And many were the leonine roars
that rose there of men shouting against one another. And, O bull of
Bharata's race, the sound of bowstrings stretched by (hands cased in)
fences, the heavy tread of infantry, the furious neigh of chargers, the
falling of sticks and iron hooks (on the heads of elephants), the clash
of weapons, the jingle of bells of elephants rushing against one another,
and the clatter of cars resembling the roar of clouds, mingled together,
produced a loud uproar making one's hair stand on end. And all the Kuru
warriors, reckless of their very lives and with cruel intentions, rushed,
with standards upraised, against the Pandavas. And Santanu's son himself,
taking up a terrible bow that resembled the rod of Death, rushed, O king,
on the field of battle, against Dhananjaya. And Arjuna also, endued with
great energy, taking up the bow Gandiva celebrated overall the world,
rushed, on the field of battle, against Ganga's son. And both those
tigers among the Kurus became desirous of slaying each other. The mighty
son of Ganga however, piercing in battle the son of Pritha could not make
him waver. And so, O king, the son