weapons, fell with great
wrath upon that son of Pandu, and covered him with their arrows. And as
they rushed towards Phalguni's car, the noise made by them was heard to
resemble that made by the ocean itself when it swelleth in rage at the
end of the Yuga, Kill, Bring up (our forces), Take, Pierce, Cut off, this
was the furious uproar heard about Phalguni's car. Hearing that furious
uproar, the mighty car-warriors of the Pandava army rushed forward, O
bull of Bharata's race, for protecting Arjuna. They were Satyaki, and
Bhimasena, and Dhrishtadyumna of Prishata's race, and both Virata and
Drupada, and the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha, and the wrathful Abhimanyu. These
seven, inflamed with rage, and armed with excellent bows, rushed with
great speed. And the battle that took place between these and the Kaurava
warriors was fierce, making the hair stand on end, and resembling O chief
of the Bharatas, the battle of the gods with the Danavas. Sikhandin,
however, that foremost of car-warriors, protected in the battle by the
diadem-decked (Arjuna), pierced Bhishma, in that encounter, with ten
shafts after the latter's bow had been cut off. And he struck Bhishma's
charioteer with other shafts, and cut off the latter's standard with one
shaft. Then the son of Ganga took up another bow that was tougher. That
even was cut off by Phalguni with three sharp shafts. Indeed, that
chastiser of foes, viz., Arjuna, who was capable of drawing the bow with
even his left hand, excited with rage, one after another, cut off all the
bows that Bhishma took up. Then Bhishma, whose bows were thus cut off,
excited with rage, and licking the corners of his mouth, took up a dart
that was capable of riving a hill. In rage he hurled it at Phalguni's
car. Beholding its course towards him like the blazing bolt of heaven,
the delighter of the Pandavas fixed five sharp broad-headed arrows (on
his bow-string). And with those five arrows, O chief of the Bharatas, the
angry Arjuna cut off into five fragments that dart hurled from Bhishma's
arms. Thus cut off by the angry Arjuna, that dart then fell down like a
flash of lightning separated from a mass of clouds. Beholding his dart
cut off, Bhishma became filled with rage. That hero, that subjugator of
hostile cities, then began to reflect. And he said unto himself, 'With
only a single bow I could slay all the Pandavas, if the mighty Vishnu
himself had not been their protector. For two reasons, however, I will
not figh