nce of the Panchalas, supported by the Somakas, advanced towards the
great bowman Drona who was engaged in seeking the welfare of Ganga's son.
Then Bhishma, that foremost of car-warriors, speedily pierced the son of
Pandu with eighty sharp arrows, upon which the combatants on thy side
were much gratified. Hearing the shouts of those lions among
car-warriors, Dhananjaya, endued with great prowess, then cheerfully
entered into the midst of those lions among car-warriors and sported with
his bow, O king, (successively) aiming at those mighty car-warriors. Then
that ruler of men, king Duryodhana, said unto Bhishma, beholding his own
troops (thus) afflicted in battle by the son of Pritha, 'This mighty son
of Pandu, O sire, accompanied by Krishna, felling all our troops, cutteth
down our roots, even though thou, O son of Ganga, and that foremost of
car-warriors, Drona, are alive. O monarch, it is for thee only that this
Karna, laying aside his weapons, doth not fight with the sons of Pritha
in battle (though) he is ever a well-wisher of mine, Do, therefore, that,
O son of Ganga by which Phalguni may be slain.' Thus addressed, O king,
thy sire Devavrata, saying, 'Fie to Kshatriya usage', then proceeded
towards Partha's car. And all the kings, O monarch, seeing both those
warriors with white steeds yoked unto their cars stationed (for battle),
set up loud leonine roars, and also blew their conches, O sire. And
Drona's son and Duryodhana, and thy son Vikarna, surrounding Bhishma in
that combat, stood, O sire, for battle. And so all the Pandavas,
surrounding Dhananjaya, stood for fierce conflict. And the battle then
commenced. And the son of Ganga pierced Partha in that combat with nine
shafts. And Arjuna pierced him in return with ten shafts penetrating into
the very vitals. Then, with a thousand arrows, well shot, Pandu's son
Arjuna, famed for his skill in battle, shrouded Bhishma on all sides.
That arrowy net, however, of Partha, O king, Bhishma the son of Santanu
baffled with an arrowy net (of his own). And both well-pleased, and both
delighting in battle, fought with each other without each gaining any
advantage over the other, and each desirous of counteracting the other's
feats. And the successive flights of arrows shot from Bhishma's bow were
seen to be dispersed by the shafts of Arjuna. And so the flights of
arrows shot by Arjuna, cut off by the arrows of Ganga's son, all fell
down on the ground. And Arjuna pierced Bhishma