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 monarch, became the stake on which the victory of thy army depended.  Then Dhrishtadyumna, O king, commanded all the troops, saying, ’Rush against the son of Ganga.  Do not fear, ye best of car-warriors.  Hearing those words of their generalissimo, the army of the Pandavas quickly advanced against Bhishma, ready to lay down their lives in that dreadful battle.  Bhishma then, that foremost of car-warriors, received that large host rushing towards him, like the continent receiving the surging sea.”

SECTION CXVI

Dhritarashtra said, “How, O Sanjaya, did Santanu’s son Bhishma of mighty energy fight on the tenth day of battle, with the Pandavas and the Srinjayas?  How also did the Kurus resist the Pandavas in battle?  Describe to me the great battle fought by Bhishma, that ornament of battle.”

Sanjaya said, “I will presently describe to thee, O Bharata, how the Kauravas fought with the Pandavas, and how that battle took place.  Day after day many mighty car-warriors of thy army, excited with wrath, were despatched to the other world by the diadem-decked (Arjuna) with his great weapons.  The ever-victorious Kuru warrior Bhishma also, agreeably to his vow, always caused a great carnage among the Partha army.  O chastiser of foes, beholding Bhishma, fighting at the head of the Kurus, and Arjuna also fighting at the head of the Panchalas, we could not say truly on which side the victory would declare itself.  On the tenth day of battle, when Bhishma and Arjuna encountered each other, awful was the carnage that took place.  On that day, O scorcher of foes, Santanu’s son, Bhishma, conversant with high and mighty weapons, repeatedly slew thousands upon thousands of warriors.  Many, O Bharata, whose names and families were not known, but who, endued with great bravery, were unretreating from battle, were on that day slain by Bhishma.  Scorching the Pandava army for ten days, Bhishma of virtuous soul, gave up all desire of protecting his life.  Wishing his own slaughter presently at the head of his troops,—­No more shall I slay large numbers of foremost of warriors.—­thought thy mighty-armed sire Devavrata.  And seeing Yudhishthira near him, O king, he addressed him, saying, ’O Yudhishthira, O thou of great wisdom, O thou that art acquainted with every branch of learning, listen to these righteous