her excited with rage
and desirous of vanquishing the other. And in consequence of thy evil
policy, O king, the Pandavas and the Dhartarashtras thus rushed, cased in
mail and forming battle-array, for striking each other. And the array
that Bhishma protected from all sides, O king, was of the shape of a
Makara.[391] And so the Pandavas also, O king, protected the array they
had formed (of their troops). Then thy sire Devavrata, O great king, that
foremost of car-warriors, proceeded in advance, supported by a large
division of cars. And others, viz., car-warriors, infantry, elephants,
and cavalry, all followed him, each stationed in the place allotted. And
beholding them prepared for battle, the illustrious sons of Pandu arrayed
their troops in that invincible and prince of arrays called the
Syena.[392] And in the beak of that array shone Bhimasena of great
strength. And in its two eyes were the invincible Sikhandin and
Dhrishtadyumna of Prishata's race. And in the head was the heroic Satyaki
of prowess incapable of being baffled. And in its neck was Arjuna shaking
his Gandiva. And in its left wing was the high-souled and blessed Drupada
with his son and supported by an Akshauhini of all forces. And the king
of the Kekayas, owning an Akshauhini, formed the right wing (of that
array). And in its back were the sons of Draupadi, and Subhadra's son of
great prowess. And in its tail was the heroic king Yudhishthira himself,
of excellent prowess, supported by his twin brothers. Then in the battle
(that ensued). Bhima, penetrating the Makara array (of the Kauravas)
through its mouth, and approaching Bhishma, covered him with his shafts.
Then in that great battle, Bhishma possessed of great prowess shot his
mighty weapons, confounding the combatants of the Pandavas disposed in
battle-array. And when the combatants (of the Pandava army) were thus
confounded, Dhananjaya, speedily proceeding, pierced Bhishma at the van
of battle with a thousand arrows. And counteracting, in that conflict,
the weapons shot by Bhishma, Arjuna stood ready for the combat, supported
by his own division filled with cheerfulness.[393] Then king Duryodhana,
that foremost of mighty men, that great car-warrior, beholding that
terrible carnage of his troops and remembering the slaughter of his
brothers (on the previous day), came quickly towards Bharadwaja's son,
and addressing him, said, 'O preceptor, O sinless one, thou art ever my
well-wisher,--Relying on th