Bhishma also, that mighty car-warrior,
excited with wrath and afflicting everybody in fight, and noticing that
the mighty car-warriors of the Somakas, having been vanquished, had all
become cheerless, reflected a little, and then ordered the troops to be
withdrawn. Then king Yudhishthira withdrew his forces. And similarly, the
withdrawal of thy forces also took place at the same time. Then those
mighty car-warriors, O chief of the Kurus, having withdrawn their forces,
entered their tents, themselves mangled in battle. Afflicted by the
shafts of Bhishma and reflecting upon that hero's feats in battle, the
Pandavas obtained no peace of mind. Bhishma also, having vanquished the
Pandavas and the Srinjayas in battle, was worshipped by thy sons and
glorified by them, O Bharata. Accompanied by the rejoicing Kurus, he then
entered his tent. Night then set in, that deprives all creatures of their
senses. Then in that fierce hour of night, the Pandavas, the Vrishnis and
the invincible Srinjayas sat down for a consultation. All those mighty
persons, skilled in arriving at conclusions in council, coolly
deliberated about that which was beneficial for them in view of their
immediate circumstances. Then king Yudhishthira, having reflected for a
long while, said these words, casting his eyes on Vasudeva, 'Behold, O
Krishna, the high-souled Bhishma of fierce prowess. He crusheth my troops
like an elephant crushing a forest of reeds. We dare not even look at
that high-souled warrior. Like a raging conflagration he licketh up my
troops. The valiant Bhishma of keen weapons, when excited with wrath in
battle and bow in hand shooting his shafts, becometh as fierce as the
mighty Naga Takshaka of virulent poison. Indeed, the angry Yama is
capable of being vanquished, or even the chief of the celestials armed
with the thunder, or Varuna himself, noose in hand, or the Lord of the
Yakshas armed with mace. But Bhishma, excited with wrath, is incapable of
being vanquished in battle. When this is the case, O Krishna, I am,
through the weakness of my understanding, plunged in an ocean of grief
having got Bhishma (as a foe) in battle. I will retire into the woods, O
invincible one. My exile there would be for my benefit. Battle, O
Krishna, I no longer desire. Bhishma slayeth us always. As an insect, by
rushing into a blazing fire meeteth only with death, even so do I rush
upon Bhishma. In putting forth prowess, O thou of Vrishni's race, for the
sake o