those mighty car-warriors.  Then that ruler of men, king Duryodhana, said unto Bhishma, beholding his own troops (thus) afflicted in battle by the son of Pritha.  ’This mighty son of Pandu, O sire, accompanied by Krishna, felling all our troops, cutteth down our roots, even though thou, O son of Ganga, and that foremost of car-warriors, Drona, are alive.  O monarch, it is for thee only that this Karna, laying aside his weapons, doth not fight with the sons of Pritha in battle (though) he is ever a well-wisher of mine, Do, therefore, that, O son of Ganga by which Phalguni may be slain.  ’Thus addressed, O king, thy sire Devavrata, saying, ‘Fie to Kshatriya usage’, then proceeded towards Partha’s car.  And all the kings, O monarch, seeing both those warriors with white steeds yoked unto their cars stationed (for battle), set up loud leonine roars, and also blew their conches, O sire.  And Drona’s son and Duryodhana, and thy son Vikarna, surrounding Bhishma in that combat, stood, O sire, for battle.  And so all the Pandavas, surrounding Dhananjaya, stood for fierce conflict.  And the battle then commenced.  And the son of Ganga pierced Partha in that combat with nine shafts.  And Arjuna pierced him in return with ten shafts penetrating into the very vitals.  Then, with a thousand arrows, well shot, Pandu’s son Arjuna, famed for his skill in battle, shrouded Bhishma on all sides.  That arrowy net, however, of Partha, O king, Bhishma the son of Santanu baffled with an arrowy net (of his own).  And both well-pleased, and both delighting in battle, fought with each other without each gaining any advantage over the other, and each desirous of counteracting the other’s feats.  And the successive flights of arrows shot from Bhishma’s bow were seen to be dispersed by the shafts of Arjuna.  And so the flights of arrows shot by Arjuna, cut off by the arrows of Ganga’s son, all fell down on the ground.  And Arjuna pierced Bhishma with five and twenty arrows of sharp points.  And Bhishma, too, in that combat, pierced Partha in return with nine arrows.  And those two mighty warriors, those chastisers of foes, piercing each other’s steeds, and also the shafts and the wheels of each other’s cars, began to sport.  Then, O king, Bhishma, that foremost of smiters, struck Vasudeva between his two breasts with three arrows.  And the slayer of Madhu, struck with those shafts shot from Bhishma’s bow, shone in that battle, O king, like a flowering Kinsuka.  Then Arjuna, indignant at seeing Madhava, pierced in that combat the charioteer of Ganga’s son with three arrows.  And both heroes, striving with each other against each other’s car, succeeded not in taking aim at each other in the combat.  And in consequence of the ability and dexterity of the charioteers of both those warriors, both displayed, O king, beautiful circles and advancings and retreatings in respect of their moving cars.  And, O monarch, seeing the opportunity to strike, they frequently changed positions, O king, for obtaining what they