hira alone who hath for his brothers Dhananjaya, and the mighty
Bhimasena, and the twin sons of Madri by Pandu, and who hath Vasudeva of
the Vrishni race for his protector. The wrath, born of grief, of that
Yudhishthira whose body hath been purified by the flames of penance,
directed to the wicked-souled son of Dhritarashtra, is consuming this
Bharata host. There cometh Partha, having Vasudeva for his protector,
checking (as he cometh) this entire Dhartarashtra army. Behold, Kiritin
is agitating this host like a large whale agitating the vast sea of
crested waves. Hark, cries of distress and woe are heard in the van of
the army. Go, encounter the heir of the Panchala king. As for myself, I
will proceed against Yudhishthira. The heart of king Yudhishthira's very
strong array is difficult of access. Inaccessible as the interior of the
sea, it is guarded on all sides by Atirathas. Satyaki, and Abhimanyu and
Dhrishtadyumna, and Vrikodara, and the twins, even these are protecting
that ruler of men, viz., king Yudhishthira. Dark as the younger brother
of Indra, and risen like a tall Sala, behold Abhimanyu advancing at the
head of the (Pandava) host, like a second Phalguna! Take up thy mighty
weapons, and with thy large bow in hand proceed against the royal son of
Prishata (viz., Sikhandin), and against Vrikodara. Who is there that doth
not wish his dear son to live for many years? Keeping the duties of a
Kshatriya, however, before me, I am engaging thee (to this task). So
Bhishma also, in this battle, is consuming the mighty host of the
Pandavas. O son, he is, in battle, equal to Yama or Varuna himself.'"

SECTION CXIV

Sanjaya said, "Hearing these words of the high-souled Drona, Bhagadatta
and Kripa and Salya and Kritavarman, and Vinda and Anuvinda of Avanti,
and Jayadratha the ruler of the Sindhus, and Chitrasena and Vikarna and
Durmarshana and others, these ten warriors of thy army, supported by a
large host consisting of many nationalities, fought with Bhimasena,
desirous of winning high renown in the battle for Bhishma's sake. And
Salya struck Bhima with nine arrows, and Kritavarman struck him with
three, and Kripa with nine. And Chitrasena and Vikarna and Bhagadatta, O
sire, each struck him with ten arrows. And the ruler of the Sindhus
struck him with three, and Vinda and Anuvinda of Avanti each struck him
with five arrows. And Duryodhana struck that son of Pandu with twenty
sharp arrows. Bhimasena, O king, pierced