able of bearing a great strain, the
ruler of the Madras then furiously attacked Jishnu with three arrows, O
king, and Vasudeva with five. And he struck Bhimasena in the arms and the
chest with nine arrows. Then Drona, O king, and that mighty car-warrior,
viz., the ruler of the Magadhas, commanded by Duryodhana, both came to
that spot where those two mighty car-warriors, viz., Partha and
Bhimasena, were slaughtering the mighty host of the Kuru king. Jayatsena
(the king of the Magadhas) then, O bull of Bharata's race pierced Bhima,
that wielder of awful weapons in battle, with eight sharp arrows. Bhima,
however, pierced him (in return) with ten arrows, and once more with
five. And with another broad-headed shaft he felled Jayatsena's
charioteer from his niche in the car. The steeds (of his car), no longer
restrained, ran wildly in all directions and thus carried away the ruler
of the Magadhas (from battle) in the sight of all the troops. Meanwhile
Drona, noticing an opening, pierced Bhimasena, O bull of Bharata's race,
with eight keen shafts furnished with heads shaped after the frog's
mouth. Bhima, however, ever delighting in battle, pierced the preceptor,
who was worthy of paternal reverence, with five broad-headed arrows, and
then, O Bharata, with sixty. Arjuna, again piercing Susarman with a large
number of arrows made (wholly) of iron, destroyed his troops like the
tempest destroying mighty masses of clouds. Then Bhishma, and the king
(viz., Duryodhana), and Vrihadvala, the ruler of the Kosalas, excited
with rage, advanced upon Bhimasena and Dhananjaya. At this, the heroic
warriors of the Pandava army, and Dhrishtadyumna the son of Prishata,
rushed in battle against Bhishma who was advancing like Death himself
with wide-open mouth. Sikhandin also, sighting the grandsire of the
Bharatas, was filled with joy and rushed at him, abandoning all fear of
the mighty car-warrior. Then all the Parthas with Yudhishthira at their
head, placing Sikhandin in the van, and uniting with the Srinjayas,
fought with Bhishma in battle. And similarly all the warriors of thy
army, placing Bhishma of regulated vows in their van, fought in battle
with all the Parthas headed by Sikhandin. The battle then that commenced
there between the Kauravas and the sons of Pandu for the sake of
Bhishma's victory or victory over Bhishma, was exceedingly terrible.
Indeed, in that game of battle, played for the sake of victory or the
reverse, Bhishma, O monar