The fifth day of war

OM! Having bowed down to Narayana, and Nara, the most exalted of male beings, and also to the goddess Saraswati, must the word 'Jaya' be uttered.

The war resumes on the fifth day

After the night had passed away and the sun had risen, the two armies approached each other for battle. Beholding each other, each rushed in united ranks towards the other excited with rage and desirous of vanquishing the other. In consequence of Dhritarashtra’s evil policy, the Pandavas and the Dhartarashtras thus rushed, cased in mail and forming battle-array, for striking each other. The array that Bhishma protected from all sides was of the shape of a Makara. So the Pandavas also protected the array they had formed (of their troops). Then Devavrata, that foremost of car-warriors, proceeded in advance, supported by a large division of cars. Others, viz., car-warriors, infantry, elephants, and cavalry, all followed him, each stationed in the place allotted.

Beholding them prepared for battle, the illustrious sons of Pandu arrayed their troops in that invincible and prince of arrays called the Shyena. In the beak of that array shone Bhimasena of great strength. In its two eyes were the invincible Shikhandin and Dhrishtadyumna of Prishata's race. In the head was the heroic Satyaki of prowess incapable of being baffled. In its neck was Arjuna shaking his Gandiva. In its left wing was the high-souled and blessed Drupada with his son and supported by an akshauhini of all forces. The king of the Kekayas, owning an akshauhini, formed the right wing (of that array). In its back were the sons of Draupadi, and Subhadra's son of great prowess. In its tail was the heroic king Yudhishthira himself, of excellent prowess, supported by his twin brothers.

Then in the battle (that ensued), Bhima, penetrating the Makara array (of the Kauravas) through its mouth, and approaching Bhishma, covered him with his shafts. Then in that great battle, Bhishma possessed of great prowess shot his mighty weapons, confounding the combatants of the Pandavas disposed in battle-array. When the combatants (of the Pandava army) were thus confounded, Dhananjaya, speedily proceeding, pierced Bhishma at the forefront of battle with a thousand arrows. Counteracting, in that conflict, the weapons shot by Bhishma, Arjuna stood ready for the combat, supported by his own division filled with cheerfulness. Then king Duryodhana, that foremost of mighty men, that great car-warrior, beholding that terrible carnage of his troops and remembering the slaughter of his brothers (on the previous day), came quickly towards Bharadwaja's son, and addressing him, said,

“O preceptor, O sinless one, you are ever my well-wisher. Relying on you as also on the grandsire Bhishma, ourselves, hope to vanquish without doubt the very gods in battle, let alone the sons of Pandu that are destitute of energy and prowess. Blessed be you, act in such away that the Pandavas may be slain.”

Thus addressed in battle by Dhritarashtra’s son, Drona penetrated into the Pandava array in the very sight of Satyaki. Then, Satyaki checked the son of Bharadwaja, (and thereupon) ensued a battle that was fierce in its incidents and awful to behold. Then Bharadwaja's son excited with rage and endued with great prowess, as if smiling the while, pierced the grandson of Shini with ten shafts at his shoulder-joint. Bhimasena also, excited with rage, pierced Bharadwaja's son (with many shafts), desirous of protecting Satyaki from Drona that foremost of all warriors. Then Drona and Bhishma, and Shalya also, excited with rage, covered Bhimasena, in that battle, with their shafts. Thereupon Abhimanyu excited with wrath, and the sons of Draupadi pierced with their sharp-pointed shafts all those warriors with upraised weapons. Then in that fierce battle, the great bowman Shikhandin rushed against those two mighty warriors, viz., Bhishma and Drona who, excited with rage, had (thus) fallen upon the Pandavas. Firmly grasping his bow whose twang resembled the roar of the clouds, that hero, shrouding the very Sun with his arrows, quickly covered his antagonists therewith. The grandsire of the Bharatas, however, getting Shikhandin before him, avoided him, remembering the femininity of his sex.

Then, urged by Dhritarashtra’s son, Drona rushed to battle, desirous of protecting Bhishma in that stress. Shikhandin, however, approaching Drona that foremost of all wielders of weapons, avoided, from fear, that warrior resembling the blazing fire that appears at the end of the Yuga. Then, Dhritarashtra’s son with a large force, desirous of winning great glory, proceeded to protect Bhishma. The Pandavas also proceeded firmly setting their hearts upon victory, and the battle then that took place between the combatants of both armies desirous of victory and fame, was fierce and highly wonderful, resembling that (in days of yore) between the gods and Danavas.

Bhishma fights Bhima

Then Bhishma the son of Shantanu fought fiercely, desirous of protecting Dhritarashtra’s sons from the fear of Bhimasena. The battle that then took place between the kings of the Kaurava and the Pandava armies was awful in the extreme and destructive of great heroes. In that general engagement, so fierce and terrible, tremendous was the din that arose, touching the very heavens. In consequence of the shrieks of huge elephants and the neigh of steeds and the blare of conches and beat of drums, the uproar was deafening. Fighting for the sake of victory, the mighty combatants endued with great prowess roared at one another like bulls in a cow-pen. Heads cut off in that battle with keen-edged shafts, incessantly falling created the appearance of a stony shower in the welkin. Indeed, innumerable were the heads lying on the field of battle, decked with ear-rings and turbans and resplendent with ornaments of gold. The earth was covered with limbs cut off with broad-headed shafts, with heads decked with ear-rings, and with arms adorned with ornaments. In a moment the whole field was strewn over with bodies cased in mail, with arms decked with ornaments, with faces beautiful as the moon and having eyes with reddish corners, and with every limb of elephants, steeds and men. The dust (raised by the warriors) looked like a thick cloud, and the bright implements of destruction, like flashes of lightning. The noise made by the weapons resembled the roar of thunder. That fierce and awful passage-at-arms between the Kurus and the Pandavas caused a very river of blood to flow there. In that terrible, fierce, and awful battle causing the hair stand on end, Kshatriya warriors incapable of defeat incessantly poured their arrowy showers. The elephants of both the armies afflicted with those arrowy showers, shrieked aloud and ran here and there in fury. In consequence of (the twang of) bows, endued with great energy, of fierce and heroic warriors excited with fury, and of flapping of their bow-strings against their leathern fences, nothing could be distinguished. All over the field which looked like a lake of blood, headless trunks stood up, and the kings bent upon slaying their foes, rushed to battle. Brave warriors of immeasurable energy and possessed of arms resembling stout bludgeons, slew one another with arrows and darts and maces and scimitars. Elephants, pierced with arrows and deprived of riders to guide them with hooks, and steeds destitute of riders, wildly ran in all directions. Many warriors belonging to both the armies, deeply pierced with shafts jumped up and fell down. In that encounter between Bhima and Bhishma, heaps of arms and heads, as also of bows and maces and spiked clubs and hands and thighs, of legs and ornaments and bracelets, were seen lying over the field. Here and there over the field were seen large bodies of unretreating elephants and steeds and cars. The Kshatriya warriors, urged on by fate, slew one another with maces, swords, lances, and straight shafts. Others endued with great heroism and accomplished in fight, encountered one another with their bare arms that resembled spiked clubs made of iron. Other heroic warriors of your army, engaged with the combatants of the Pandava host, fought on slaying one another with clenched fists and knees, and slaps and blows. With the fallen and falling warriors and those weltering in agony on the ground, the field of battle everywhere became terrible to behold, and car-warriors, deprived of the cars and grasping excellent swords, rushed at one another, desirous of slaughter.

Then king Duryodhana, surrounded by a large division of Kalingas, and placing Bhishma ahead, rushed towards the Pandavas. So the Pandava combatants also, supporting Vrikodara, and owning fleet animals, rushed, excited with rage, against Bhishma.

Beholding his brothers and the other kings engaged in battle with Bhishma, Dhananjaya, with weapons upraised, rushed against the son of Ganga. Hearing the blare of Panchajanya and the twang of the bow Gandiva, and seeing also the standard of Pritha's son, a great fear entered hearts of Kauravas. The standard of the wielder of Gandiva bore the device of lion's tail and looked like a blazing mountain in the welkin. Beautiful and of celestial workmanship, it was variegated with diverse hues, and looking like a risen comet it could not be obstructed by trees. In that great battle, the warriors beheld Gandiva, the back of whose staff was decked with pure gold, and which looked beautiful like a flash of lightning in the midst of a mass of clouds in the firmament. While slaying the combatants of Dhritarashtra’s army, the shouts heard uttered by Arjuna seemed to resemble the loud roars of Indra himself, and the slaps also of his palms were frightfully loud. Like a roaring mass of clouds charged with lightning and aided by a raging tempest, Arjuna incessantly poured his arrowy showers on all sides, completely shrouding the ten points of the compass. Dhananjaya then possessed of terrible weapons, quickly proceeded towards the son of Ganga. Deprived of four senses in consequence of his weapons, none could then distinguish the East from the West. Dhritarashtra’s warriors, then, their animals tired, steeds slain, and hearts depressed, thoroughly confounded and huddling close to one another, sought Bhishma's protection along with all Dhritarashtra’s sons.

In that battle, Bhishma the son of Shantanu became their protector. Struck with fear, car-warriors jumping down from their cars, cavalry soldiers jumping down from the backs of their steeds, and the foot-soldiers where they stood, all began to fall down on the earth. Hearing the twang of Gandiva that resembled the roar of the thunder, all Kaurava warriors were struck with fear and seemed to melt away. Then, with many huge and fleet steeds of the Kamboja breed, and surrounded by many thousand of Gopas with a large Gopayana force and supported by the Madras, the Sauviras, the Gandharas and the Trigartas, and surrounded by all the principal Kalingas, the king of the Kalingas, and king Jayadratha accompanied by all the kings and supported by a large force of diverse races with Duhshasana at their head, and fourteen thousand principal horsemen, urged by Dhritarashtra’s son, surrounded the son of Subala (for supporting him). Then in that battle, all the Pandavas, united together, and riding on separate cars and animals, began to slaughter Dhritarashtra’s troops. The dust raised by car-warriors and steeds and foot-soldiers, looking like a mass of clouds, made the field of battle exceedingly awful.

With a large force consisting of elephants, steeds and cars, and armed with lances and bearded darts and broad-headed shafts, Bhishma engaged in battle with the diadem decked (Arjuna). The king of Avanti engaged with the ruler of Kashi, and the ruler of the Sindhus engaged with Bhimasena. King Yudhishthira with his sons and counsellors engaged with Shalya, the famous chief of the Madras. Vikarna engaged with Sahadeva, and Chitrasena with Shikhandin. The Matsyas engaged with Duryodhana, and Shakuni; and Drupada and Chekitana, and that mighty car-warrior Satyaki engaged in battle with the high-souled Drona aided by his son. Kripa and Kritavarman both rushed against Dhrishtadyumna. Thus, all over the field, rushing bodies of horses, of elephants and cars, engaged with one another in battle.

Although there were no clouds in the sky, yet flashes of lightning were seen. All the points of the compass were covered with dust. Fierce meteors were seen failing with thundering noise. Violent winds blew and a shower of dust fell from above. The sun, covered by the dust raised by the troops, disappeared in the firmament. All the warriors, covered by that dust and battling with weapons, were deprived of their senses. The sound made by weapons, all capable of penetrating through every armour and hurled from heroic arms, became a tremendous uproar. Weapons hurled from excellent arms and possessed of stellar brightness, illumined the whole welkin. Variegated shields made of bull's hides and embossed with gold were strewn, all over the field. Heads and limbs were seen falling on all sides, cut off with swords and scimitars possessed of solar effulgence. Great car-warriors, the wheels, axles, and boxes of whose cars were broken, fell down on the ground, their steeds slain and their tall standards tumbling down. Many car-warriors having been slain, their steeds, mangled with weapons, fell down as they ran dragging the cars (to which they were yoked). In many places over the field, excellent steeds, afflicted with arrows, with limbs mangled, and with their traces on, ran, dragging the car-yokes after them. Many car-warriors, with their charioteers and steeds, were seen to be crushed by single elephants endued with great strength. In that battle, in the midst of large forces, many elephants, scenting the odour of the temporal juice of their compeers, began to snuff the breeze repeatedly. The whole field was strewn with slain elephants, deprived of life by means of broad-headed shafts and falling down with the wooden edifices and the guides on their backs. Many elephants, in, the midst of large forces crushed, with the standards and warriors on their backs, by huge compeers urged by their guides, fell down on the field. Many car-shafts were seen to be broken in that battle by huge elephants using their trunks, each of which resembled the trunk of the prince of elephants (called Airavata). Many car-warriors also, in that conflict, the Jalas of whose cars had been broken, were like branches of trees dragged down by tuskers, seized by the hair of their heads and, thrashed violently on the ground, were crushed into shapeless masses. Other huge elephants, dragging cars that were entangled with other cars, ran in all directions shrieking loudly. Those elephants, thus dragging those cars, looked like others of their species dragging lotus-stalks growing in lakes. Thus was that vast field of battle strewn over with cavalry soldiers and foot-soldiers and great car-warriors and standards.

Shikhandin with Virata king of the Matsyas speedily approached Bhishma that invincible and mighty bowman. Dhananjaya encountered Drona and Kripa, and Vikarna and many other kings, brave in battle, all mighty bowmen endued with great strength, as also that mighty bowman the ruler of the Sindhus supported by his friends and kinsmen and many kings of the west and the south also. Bhimasena proceeded against that mighty bowman, viz., Dhritarashtra’s vindictive son Duryodhana, and also against Dussaha. Sahadeva proceeded against those invincible warriors, viz., Shakuni and that mighty car-warrior Uluka, those great bowmen, who were sire and son. That mighty car-warrior Yudhishthira, deceitfully treated by Dhritarashtra’s son, proceeded in that battle against the elephant division (of the Kauravas). That son of Pandu and Madri, viz., the heroic Nakula capable of wringing tears from the foe, engaged in battle with the excellent car-warriors of the Trigartas. Those invincible warriors, viz., Satyaki and Chekitana, and the mighty son of Subhadra, proceeded against Shalya and the Kaikeyas. Dhrishtaketu and the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha, both invincible in battle, proceeded against the car-division of Dhritarashtra’s sons. That mighty car-warrior Dhrishtadyumna, that generalissimo (of the Pandava forces) of immeasurable soul, engaged in battle with Drona of fierce achievements. It was thus that those heroic and mighty bowmen of Dhritarashtra’s army and the Pandavas, engaged in battle, began to strike one another.

When the sun had reached the meridian and the sky was brilliantly illumined by his rays, the Kauravas and the Pandavas began to slay one another. Then cars, furnished with standards from whose tops pennons were afloat, variegated with gold and covered with tiger-skins, looked beautiful as they moved on the field of battle. The shouts of warriors engaged in battle from desire of vanquishing one another, became as loud as leonine roars. That encounter between the heroic Srinjayas and the Kurus, was fierce in the extreme and highly wonderful. In consequence of the arrows shot all around, the firmament, the sun and the cardinal and the subsidiary points of the compass could not be distinguished. The splendour, like that of the blue lotus, of darts with polished points, of bearded lances hurled (at the foe), of well-tempered sabres and scimitars, of variegated coats of mail and of the ornaments (on the persons of the warriors), illumined the welkin and the cardinal and the subsidiary points with its effulgence. The field of battle in many places, shone in consequence of the bodies of monarchs whose effulgence resembled that of the moon and the sun. Brave car-warriors, tigers among men shone in that battle like the planets in the firmament.

Bhishma, that foremost of car-warriors, excited with rage, checked the mighty Bhimasena in the very sight of the troops. The impetuous shafts shot by Bhishma, furnished with golden wings, and whetted on stone, and rubbed with oil pierced Bhima in that battle. Then Bhimasena endued with great strength hurled at him a dart of fierce impetuosity that resembled a wrathful snake. But Bhishma in that combat cut off with straight shafts that dart with staff made of gold and difficult of being borne, as it coursed impetuously towards him. With another broad-headed shaft, sharp and well-tempered, he cut off Bhimasena's bow into two parts. Then, in that battle, Satyaki, coming quickly towards Bhishma, pierced him with innumerable keen-edged and sharp-pointed shafts of fierce impetuosity shot from his bowstring drawn to the ear. Then Bhishma, aiming an exceedingly fierce shaft, felled the charioteer of the Vrishni hero from his box in the car. When the charioteer of Satyaki's car was thus slain, his steeds bolted away. Endued with the speed of the tempest or the mind, they ran wild over the field. Then cries were uttered by the whole army which became a loud uproar. Exclamation of “oh” and “alas” arose from the high-souled warriors of the Pandava army. Those cries said “Run, seize, check the horses, go in haste”. This uproar followed Yuyudhana's car.

Meanwhile, Bhishma the son of Shantanu began to slay the Pandava forces like Indra slaying the Danavas. But the Panchalas and the Somakas, though slain by Bhishma thus, forming yet a laudable resolution, rushed towards Bhishma. Other warriors of the Pandava army, headed by Dhrishtadyumna, and desirous of slaughtering the ranks of Dhritarashtra’s son, rushed towards Shantanu’s son in that battle. So also, the warriors of the Kaurava army, headed by Bhishma and Drona, impetuously rushed towards their foes. Thereupon another battle took place. King Virata then pierced that mighty car-warrior, viz., Bhishma, with three shafts. That great car-warrior pierced his (antagonist's) steeds also with three shafts furnished with golden wings.

Ashwatthama fights Arjuna

That terrible bowman and mighty car-warrior of firm hand, viz., Drona's son, pierced with six shafts the wielder of Gandiva between his two breasts. Thereupon that grinder of foes, viz., Phalguni, that slayer of hostile heroes, cut off Ashwatthaman's bow and deeply pierced him in return with five shafts. Deprived of his senses by anger, and unable to bear the cutting off of his bow in that battle, Drona's son, taking up another bow that was tougher, pierced Phalguni with ninety sharp-shafts, and Vasudeva also with seventy fierce arrows. Then, with eyes red in wrath, Phalguni, with Krishna, breathing long and hot breaths, reflected for a moment. Firmly grasping the bow with his left hand, that grinder of foes, viz., the wielder of gandiva excited with rage, fixed on his bowstring a number of fierce shafts, sharp and perfectly straight, and capable of taking (the foe's) life. That foremost of mighty men speedily pierced Drona's son, in that battle, with those arrows. Those arrows, penetrating through his armour, drank his life-blood. But though thus pierced by the wielder of Gandiva, Drona's son wavered not. Shooting in return similar arrows at Partha, he stayed unperturbed, in that battle, desirous of protecting Bhishma of high vows. That feat of his was applauded by the foremost warriors of the Kuru army, consisting, as it did, of his having encountered the two Krishnas united together. Indeed, Ashwatthaman daily battled fearlessly amid the forces, having obtained from Drona all weapons with the methods also of their withdrawal.

“This one is the son of my preceptor. He is again the dear son of Drona. He is especially a Brahmana, and, therefore, worthy of my regard.”

Thinking so, that scorcher of foes, the heroic Bibhatsu, that foremost of car-warriors, showed mercy to the son of Bharadwaja. Avoiding the son of Drona, Kunti's son endued with great prowess and having white steeds (yoked unto his car), began to fight, displaying great quickness of arms and causing a great carnage of Dhritarashtra’s troops.

Duryodhana then pierced that great bowman Bhima with ten shafts winged with vulturine feathers, adorned with gold, and whetted on stone. Thereupon Bhimasena, excited with wrath, took up a tough and well-adorned bow capable of taking the life of the foe, and also ten sharp shafts. Steadily aiming those sharp-pointed shafts of fierce energy and impetuous velocity, and drawing the bow-string to his ear, he deeply pierced the king of the Kurus in his wide chest. Thereupon the gem hanging on his breast on threads of gold, surrounded by those shafts, looked beautiful like the Sun in the firmament surrounded by the planets. Dhritarashtra’s son, however, endued with great energy, thus struck by Bhimasena, could not bear it (coolly), like a snake unable to bear the sounds of a man's slap. Excited with wrath and desirous of protecting his army, he then pierced Bhima in return, with many shafts whetted on stone and endued with golden wings. Thus struggling in battle and mangling each other fiercely, those two mighty sons of Dhritarashtra looked like a pair of celestials.

That tiger among men and slayer of hostile heroes, viz., the son of Subhadra, pierced Chitrasena with many sharp shafts and Purumitra also with seven shafts. Piercing Satyavrata too with seventy shafts, that hero resembling Indra himself in battle, began as it were to dance on the field, and caused us much pain. Chitrasena then pierced him in return with ten shafts, and Satyavrata with nine, and Purumitra with seven. Then the son of Arjuna, thus pierced, while yet covered with blood, cut off the large and beautiful bow of Chitrasena that was capable of checking foes. Cutting through his coat of mail he pierced his antagonist's breast with a shaft. Then the princes of Dhritarashtra’s army, all heroic and mighty car-warriors, excited with wrath and united together in that conflict, pierced him with sharp arrows. Abhimanyu, acquainted with the mightiest weapons, smote them all with keen shafts. Beholding that feat of his, Dhritarashtra’s sons then surrounded the son of Arjuna, who was consuming Dhritarashtra’s army in that conflict like a swelling fire of blazing flames consuming a heap of dry grass in summer. The son of Subhadra, while smiting Dhritarashtra’s troops (thus), seemed to glow in splendour. Seeing that conduct of his, Dhritarashtra’s grandson Lakshmana then quickly fell upon the son of Subhadra. Thereupon that mighty car-warrior Abhimanyu, excited with wrath, pierced Lakshmana graced with auspicious marks, as also his charioteer, with six sharp arrows. But Lakshmana also pierced Subhadra's son with many keen shafts. That feat seemed to be highly wonderful. Then that mighty car-warrior, viz., Abhimanyu, slaying the four steeds as also the charioteer of Lakshmana with sharp shafts, rushed towards the latter. Thereupon Lakshmana, that slayer of hostile heroes, staying on that car of his whose steeds had been slain, and excited with wrath, hurled a dart towards the car of Subhadra's son. Abhimanyu, however, with his sharp arrows, cut off that irresistible dart of fierce mien, resembling a snake, and coming impetuously towards him. Then Kripa, taking Lakshmana up on his own car, bore him away from the conflict, in the very sight of all the troops.

Then when that awful conflict became general, the combatants rushed against one another, desirous of taking another's life. The mighty bowmen of Dhritarashtra’s army and the great car-warriors of the Pandava host, prepared to lay down their lives in battle, slew one another. With hair dishevelled, divested of their coats of mail, deprived of their cars, and their bows broken, the Srinjayas fought with the Kurus with their bare arms. Then the mighty-armed Bhishma, endued with great strength, and excited with wrath, slew with his celestial weapons the troops of the high-souled Pandavas. The earth became covered with the fallen bodies of elephants deprived of their guides of men and steeds and car-warriors and cavalry-soldiers.

Bhurishrava kills Satyaki’s sons

Then, the mighty-armed Satyaki invincible in battle, drawing in that conflict an excellent bow capable of bearing a great strain shot innumerable winged arrows resembling snakes of virulent poison, displaying his wonderful lightness of hand. While slaying his foes in battle, so quickly did he draw the bow, take out his arrows, fix them on the bowstring, and letting them off throw them among the foe, that he then seemed to be a mass of clouds pouring a thick shower of rain. Beholding him then thus blazing up (like a swelling fire), king Duryodhana despatched ten thousand cars against him. But that great bowman, Satyaki, of prowess incapable of being baffled and possessed of great energy, slew with his celestial weapons all those mighty car-warriors. Having achieved, bow in hand, that fierce feat, that hero then approached Bhurishravas in battle. Bhurishravas also, that enhancer of the fame of the Kurus, beholding the Dhartarashtra ranks thus felled by Yuyudhana, rushed in wrath against the latter. Drawing his great bow which resembled that of Indra himself in hue, he shot thousands of shafts looking like snakes of virulent poison and possessed of the strength of the thunder, displaying his extreme lightness of hand. Thereupon the combatants that followed Satyaki, unable to bear those shafts of fatal touch, fled away in all directions, abandoning the invincible Satyaki in that conflict.

Beholding this, the mighty sons of Yuyudhana, all mighty car-warriors of great renown, cased in excellent mail, bearing diverse arms, and possessing excellent standards, approaching that great bowman, viz., Bhurishravas, in battle, wrathfully addressed that warrior bearing on his standard the device of a sacrificial stake, and said these words,

“Listen, O kinsman of the Kauravas, O you that are possessed of great strength, come, fight in battle with us, i.e., with either all of us jointly or with each of us separately. Vanquishing us in battle you may win great renown, or ourselves, vanquishing you, will have great gratification.”

Thus addressed by them, that mighty hero endued with great strength and proud of his prowess, that foremost of men, beholding them before him, replied unto them, saying,

“You heroes, you have said well. If such be now your wish, fight you then all together with care. I shall slay all of you in battle.”

Thus addressed by him, those heroic and mighty bowmen endued with great activity covered that chastiser of foes with a thick shower of arrows. It was towards the afternoon that that dreadful battle took place between Bhurishravas alone on one side and the many united together on the other. Those ten heroes covered that single mighty car-warrior with showers of arrows like the clouds showering rain on a mountain cliff in the season of rains. That mighty car-warrior, however, cut off, those clouds of shafts shot by them resembling the fatal darts of Death or the very thunder in effulgence, before they could reach him. They then, surrounding that mighty-armed warrior, endeavoured to slay him. But the son of Somadatta, excited with rage, cut off their bows and then their heads, with sharp shafts. Thus slain, they fell down like mighty trees felled by the thunder.

Beholding then his mighty sons thus slain in battle, the Vrishni hero (Satyaki), uttering a loud roar, rushed against Bhurishravas. Those mighty warriors then each pressed his car against the other. Each of them in that combat slew the other's car-steeds. Both deprived of their cars, those mighty warriors jumped down on the ground. Both taking up large scimitars and excellent shields encountered each other. Those tigers among men, stationed for the encounter, shone brightly. Then Bhimasena quickly coming up to Satyaki thus armed with an excellent scimitar, took him up on his own car. Dhritarashtra’s son also speedily took up Bhurishravas on his car, in that battle, at the very sight of all the bowmen.

Meanwhile, during the continuance of that battle, the Pandavas, excited with wrath, fought with that mighty car-warrior Bhishma. When the sun assumed a red hue, Dhananjaya exerting himself actively, slew five and twenty thousand great car-warriors. These, urged on by Duryodhana for slaying Partha, were thus completely destroyed before they could even come up to him, like insects on a blazing fire. Then the Matsyas and the Kekayas, all accomplished in the science of arms, surrounded that mighty car-warrior Partha as also his son (for supporting them). Just at that time the sun disappeared, and all the combatants seemed to be deprived of their senses. Then at twilight, Devavrata, his animals having been tired, caused the troops to be withdrawn. The troops of both the Pandavas and the Kurus, filled with fear and anxiety in course of that dreadful encounter, proceeded to their respective camps, the Pandavas with the Srinjayas and the Kauravas also rested for the night agreeably to the rules (of military science).