Virata and Drupada, falling upon Bhishma in that battle, struck that
mighty car-warrior with numerous arrows. Bhishma then, having pierced
Dhrishtadyumna and Virata each with three arrows, sped a long shaft, O
Bharata, at Drupada. Thus pierced in battle by Bhishma, that grinder of
foes, those great bowmen became filled with wrath, O king, like snakes
trod upon (by human feet). Then Sikhandin pierced the grandsire of the
Bharatas (with many shafts). Of unfading glory, Bhishma, however,
regarding his foe as a female struck him not. Dhrishtadyumna then, in
that battle, blazing up with wrath like fire, struck the grandsire with
three shafts in his arms and chest. And Drupada pierced Bhishma with five
and twenty shafts, and Virata pierced him with ten, and Sikhandin with
five and twenty. Deeply pierced (with those shafts) he became covered
with blood, and looked beautiful like a red Asoka variegated with
flowers. Then the son of Ganga pierced, in return, each of them with
three straight shafts. And then, O sire, he cut off Drupada's bow with a
broad-headed arrow. The latter then, taking up another bow, pierced
Bhishma with five shafts. And he pierced Bhishma's charioteer also with
three sharp shafts on the field of battle. Then the five sons of
Draupadi, and the five Kaikeya brothers and Satyaki also of the Satwata
race, headed by Yudhishthira, all rushed towards Ganga's son, desirous of
protecting the Panchalas headed by Dhrishtadyumna. And so all the
warriors of thy army also, O king, prepared to protect Bhishma, rushed at
the head of their troops against the Pandava host. And then happened
there a fierce general engagement between thy army of men and steeds and
theirs, that increased the population of Yama's kingdom. And car-warriors
falling upon car-warriors despatched one another to Yama's abode. And so
men and elephant-riders and horse-riders, falling upon others (of their
class), despatched them to the other world with straight shafts. And here
and there on the field, O monarch, cars, deprived of riders and
charioteers by means of diverse kinds of fierce shafts, were in that
battle dragged on all sides over the field. And those cars, O king,
crushing large numbers of men and steeds in battle, were seen to resemble
the wind itself (in speed) and vapoury edifices in the firmament (for
their picturesque forms). And many car-warriors cased in mail and endued
with great energy, decked with ear-rings and head-gears and adorn