thousands of arrows, the mighty car-warrior Bhishma pierced those others in return with great speed.  And as regards the arrows shot by those warriors, Bhishma, possessed of prowess in battle that was incapable of being baffled, equally checked them all with his own straight arrows.  Those arrows, however, endued with wings of gold and whetted on stone, which the mighty car-warrior Sikhandin shot in that battle, scarcely caused Bhishma any pain.  Then the diadem-decked (Arjuna), excited with rage and placing Sikhandin to the fore, approached Bhishma (nearer) and once more cut off his bow.  And then piercing Bhishma with ten arrows, he cut off the latter’s standard with one.  And striking Bhishma’s chariot with ten arrows, Arjuna caused him to tremble.  The son of Ganga then took up another bow that was stronger.  Within, however, the twinkling of an eye, as soon, in fact, as it was taken up, Arjuna cut that bow also into three fragments with three broad-headed shafts.  And thus the son of Pandu cut off in that battle even all the bows of Bhishma.  After that, Bhishma the son of Santanu, no longer desired to battle with Arjuna.  The latter, however, then pierced him with five and twenty arrows.  That great bowman, thus pierced greatly, then addressed Dussasana, and skid, ’Behold, Partha, that great car-warrior of the Pandavas, excited with wrath in battle, pierceth me alone with many thousands of arrows.  He is incapable of being vanquished in battle by the wielder of the thunder-bolt himself.  As regards myself also, O hero, the very gods, Danavas and Rakshasas united together, are incapable of vanquishing me.  What I shall say then of mighty car-warriors among men?’ While Bhishma was thus speaking to Dussasana, Phalguni with sharp shafts, and placing Sikhandin to the fore, pierced Bhishma in that battle.  Then Bhishma, deeply and excessively pierced by the wielder of Gandiva with keen-pointed shafts, once more addressed Dussasana with a smile and said, ’These arrows coursing towards me in one continuous line, whose touch resembleth that of heaven’s bolt, have been shot by Arjuna.  These are not Sikhandin’s.  Cutting me to the quick, piercing through even my hard coat of mail, and striking me with the force of mushalas, these arrows are not Sikhandin’s.  Of touch as hard as that of the Brahmana’s rod (of chastisement),[487] and of impetus unbearable as that of the thunder-bolt, these arrows are afflicting my vital forces.  These are not Sikhandin’s.  Of the touch of maces and spiked bludgeons, those arrows are destroying my vital forces like messengers of Death commissioned (by the grim king himself).  These are not Sikhandin’s.  Like angry snakes of virulent poison, projecting their tongues out, these are penetrating into my vitals.  These are not Sikhandin’s—­these that cut me to the quick like the cold of winter cutting kine to the quick.  Save the heroic wielder of Gandiva, viz., the ape-bannered Jishnu, even all other kings united together cannot cause me pain.  Saying