rise.  And king Duryodhana, beholding that army of his rallied for the fight, quickly repaired to Santanu’s son Bhishma and said these words.  ’O grandsire, listen to what I say, O Bharata.  When, O son of Kuru, thou art alive, and Drona, that foremost of persons conversant with weapons, along with his son and with all our other friends (is alive), and then that mighty bowman Kripa also is alive, I do not regard it as at all creditable that my army should thus fly away.  I do not regard the Pandavas to be, by any means, a match for thee or for Drona, in battle, or for Drona’s son, or for Kripa.  Without doubt, O grandsire, the sons of Pandu are being favoured by thee, inasmuch as thou forgivest, O hero, this slaughter of my army.  Thou shouldst have told me, O king, before this battle took place, that thou wouldst not fight with the Pandavas.  Hearing such words from thee, as also from the preceptor, O Bharata, I would then have, with Karna, reflected upon what course I should pursue.  If I do not deserve to be abandoned by you two in battle, then, O bulls among men, do ye fight according to the measure of your prowess.  Hearing these words, Bhishma, laughing repeatedly, and turning up his eyes in wrath, said to thy son, ’Many a time, O king, have I said unto thee words worthy of thy acceptance and fraught with thy good.  The Pandavas are incapable of being vanquished in battle by the very gods with Vasava amongst them.  That, however, which my aged self is capable of doing, I will do to the extent of my power, O best of kings, in this battle.  Witness it now with thy kinsmen.  Today, in the very sight of all, alone I shall check the sons of Pandu at the head of their troops and with all their kinsfolk.’  Thus addressed by Bhishma, thy son, O king, filled with delight, caused conches to be blown and drums to be beaten.  And the Pandavas also, O king, hearing that loud uproar, blew their conches, and caused their drums and cymbals to be played upon.”

SECTION LIX

Dhritarashtra said, “After that dreadful vow had been made in battle by Bhishma enraged by the words of my son, what, O Sanjaya, did Bhishma do unto the sons of Pandu or what did the Panchalas do unto the grandsire?  Tell it all unto me, O Sanjaya.”

Sanjaya said, “After the forenoon of that day, O Bharata, had passed away, and the sun in his westward course had passed a portion of his path, and after the high-souled Pandavas had won the victory, thy sire Devavrata, conversant with the distinction of all codes of morality, rushed carried by the fleetest steeds, towards the army of the Pandavas, protected by a large force and by all thy sons.  Then, O Bharata, in consequence of thy sinful policy, commenced a dreadful battle, making the hair stand on end, between ourselves and the Pandavas.  And the twang of bows, the flapping of bowstrings against the leathern fences (casing the hands of the bowman), mingling together,