h his shafts, the
invincible Bhima is also routing that (already broken) host of mine. And
Satyaki, and Chekitana, and the twin sons of Madri, and the valiant
Abhimanyu,--these also are routing my troops. The brave Dhrishtadyumna,
and the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha also, are vigorously breaking and driving
away my army in this fierce conflict. Of these troops that are being
slaughtered by all those mighty car-warriors, I do not see any other
refuge in the matter of their staying and fighting on the field, O
Bharata, save thee, O tiger among men, that art possessed of prowess
equal to that of the celestials. Therefore, receive thou those great
car-warriors without delay, and be thou the refuge of these afflicted
troops.' Thus addressed by him, O king, thy sire Devavrata, the son of
Santanu, reflecting for a moment and settling what he should do, said
these words unto thy son, comforting him (therewith), 'O Duryodhana,
listen calmly to what I say, O king. O thou of great might, formerly I
vowed before thee that slaying every day ten thousand high-souled
Kshatriyas, I would come back from the battle. I have fulfilled that vow,
O bull of Bharata's race! O thou of great might, today I will achieve
even a great feat. Today I will either sleep myself being slain, or, I
will slay the Pandavas. O tiger among men, I will today free myself from
the debt I owe thee,--the debt, O king, arising out of the food, thou
gavest me,--by casting away my life at the head of thy army.' Having said
these words, O chief of the Bharatas, that invincible warrior, scattering
his shafts among the Kshatriyas, attacked the Pandava host. And the
Pandavas then, O bull of Bharata's race, began to resist the son of Ganga
staying in the midst of his forces and excited with wrath like a snake of
virulent poison. Indeed, O king, on that tenth day of the battle,
Bhishma, displaying his might, slew, O son of Kuru's race, hundreds of
thousands. And he drained the energies of those royal and mighty
car-warriors that were the foremost among the Panchalas, like the Sun
sucking up the moisture (of the earth) with his rays. Having slain ten
thousand elephants of great activity and ten thousand steeds also, O
king, along with their riders, and full two hundred thousands of
foot-soldiers, that best of men, viz., Bhishma, shone resplendent in
battle like a fire without a curl of smoke. And no one amongst the
Pandavas was capable of even looking at him who then resembled the