Sanjaya said While they were thus fighting and when the sun set, the pall of hideous twilight enveloped the earth, and the battle became lost of view.

Then o Bharata, king Yudhishthira, beholding that twilight had set in and that his own soldiers, slaughtered by Bhishma, had thrown down their weapons, and that terrorstruck and repulsed from the field of battle, they are flying away in all directions; beholding also the mighty car-warrior Bhishma inflicting everybody, and seeing also the mighty car-warriors if the Somakas defeated and cheerless, pondered a while and then commanded the withdrawal of the forces.

Then king Yudhishthira withdrew his troops; so also the withdrawal of your forces was also done at the same time.

Then the mighty car-warriors, having withdrawn their forces, foremost of the Kurus, entered their tents, with their bodies mangled with wounds.

The Pandavas, afflicted with the arrows of Bhishma and thinking of the feats achieved in battle, did not obtain any peace.

Having vanquished the Pandavas and the Srinjayas in battle and adored and honoured by your sons, Bhishma then, O monarch.

Accompanied by the delighted Kurus, entered his tent. Then night set in, that renders all creatures unconscious (in sleep).

In the beginning of that dread time of night, the Pandavas along with the Vrishnis and the invincible Srinjayas, sat together for consultation.

The highly powerful heroes, accomplished in drawing conclusion from inferences, coolly consulted about what would be most profitable to them under these circumstances.

Thereafter king Yudhishthira, O king, having pondered for a considerable length of time, addressed these words to the son of Vasudeva, casting his eyes on the latter.

Behold, O Krishna, the high-souled Bhishma of fierce prowess crush my ariny like an elephant crushing a forest of reeds.

We dare not even look at that illustrious warrior when he licks, like a raging conflagration, all my troops up.

The mighty puissant Bhishma, possessed of sharp weapons and inflamed with rage battle, appears like the mighty snake Takshaka of great ferocity and virulent venom.

Indeed the god of Death wrought up with wrath and shooting whetted shafts from his bow, or the king of the celestial armed with the thunder-bolt, or Varuna holding his mighty in noose or the god of wealth wielding his mace, may be vanquished in battle. But Bhishma cnraged in battle could not be vanquished.

When, O Krishna, such is the state of affairs, I am, in consequence of the weakness of my own understanding, sunk in sorrow, having to fight with Bhishma as an opponent in battle.

I will again retire, O invincible one, to the forests, even that is better for me now. Battle I no longer like, O Krishna, as Bhishma always slaughters our troops.

Just as an insect rushing at a blazing fire reaps only death, so llave I reaped the same result having dared a combat with Bhishma.

Put as I may, my prowess forth, ) descendant of the Vrishni race, I am being Vriven to destruction for the sake of my kingdom. My brave brothers are all surely afflicted with the shafts of Bhishma.

Through their fraternal affection, they had to go into exile into the woods, for me, deprived of their kingdom. So also, O slayer of Madhu, Krishna had to undergo various troubles for me only.

I prize life very much; and it is dear and scare to be obtained. If I can save it now, shall husband out the rest of it in the performance of excellent deeds of piety

If, indeed, I and my brothers be worthy of your grace, then O Keshava, advice me what will be beneficial to me, without clashing against our prescribed duties.

Hearing these many words of Yudhishthra describing the state of affairs in details, out of compassion, Krishna spoke these words in reply to console the former.

O son of Dharma, do not indulge so much in grief, O you who are always firin in truth, you who have got, heroic and invincible warriors, all slayers of foes, in your brothers.

Arjuna and Bhimasena are both powerful like the Wind and the Fire respectively. The twin sons of Madri equal in prowess even the Lord of the celestial himself.

Out of the friendship that exists between lis, employ me also (to perforin the task of slaying Bhishma). O son of Pandu, I will fight Bhishma. For you, O mighty monarch, what could I not do in battle.

Summoning that foremost of men Bhishma in battle, I will slay him, even before the very eyes of the Dhritarashtra's troops, if indeed Arjuna desists from slaying the former.

If, O son of Pandu, by the slaughter of Bhishma you see victory certain to yourself, then even this day riding on a singie car, I will slay the venerable grandsire of the Kurss.

Behold, O king, my rowess in battle, o be cqual to that of tl.. great Indra himself. I will overthrow nim (Bhishma) from lus car, in spite of his shooting mighty weapons.

He that is inimical to the sons of Pandu, is surely inim.cal also to myself. Those that are friendly to you are also so to me and those that are friendly to me are also so to you

Your brother, Arjuna, is my friend, relative and pupil; O ruler of earth, I can cut off and give away my own flesh for Arjuna's sake.

This foremost of men also will lay down his own life for my sake. This O sire, is our understanding, that we will protect one another.

So, O most excellent king, command me so that I may fight for you. The vow that formerly Partha took at Upaplavya saying 'I will slay the son of Ganga' before the presence of all creatures, even that vow of intelligent Partha should be kept inviolate.

But if the son of Pritha permits me, I will with certitude do it for him. As it seems to me the task of Phalguna is easy and it is not difficult for him to perform.

Arjuna will slay in battle, Bhishma that conqueror of hostile cities. Putting forth his energies in fight, Partha can achieve what is incapable of being achieved.

Arjuna is capable of slaying in battle, O ruler of men, the very immortals along with the Daityas and Danavas, exerting their best in the fight, what to speak of Bhishma.

The highly puissani Bhishma the son of Shantanu, now perverted in his judgment, decayed in intelligence and in vitality surely knows not what he ought to do."

Yudhishthira said It is even so as you say, O mightv-armed descendant of Madhu's race. All these (universe) taken together are not capable of bearing your force.

I am sure of obtaining all those things that I may desire, I, O foremost of men, on whose side you are staying.

O foremost of those that are ever victorious, with yourself as our master, we can conquer in battle, even the celestial with Indra at their head, what to speak of Bhishma that mighty car-warrior.

For my own glorification, I dare not falsify your words; so do you render me assistance, O Madhava, as promised, without fighting on my behalf.

Before this battle there was an understanding between me and Bhishma. He said 'I will give you good counsel, but will not fight for your interests.

I shall fight for the interests of Duryodhana; this I speak to you, O lord, for certain.' Therefore, O you of Madhu's race, he may offer us salutary advice which will enable us to obtain the kingdom.

Therefore once more accompanied by you, Oslayer of Madhu, we shall repair to Bhishma for inquiring of him the means of his own death.

So, O descendant of the Vrishni race, repairing speedily with you to that foremost of men Bhishma, we shall seek counsel from that descendant of Kuru's race.

He, O Janardana, will truly offer us salutary advice; and O Krishna, in battle we will do, what he shall advice.

O you of firm vows, he will give us counsel as well as victory. We became fatherless when we were mere children. It was he who reared us.

O Madhava, even such an aged grandsire, I want to slay-him who is the father of our dearloved father! Fie on the life of a Kshatriya.”

Sanjaya said Thereupon, O mighty monarch, he of the Vrishni race, said to that delighter of the Kuru race, O highly wise king, your words find an echo in soul.

Devavrata of fierce Vows, is wellaccomplished in weapons. He can consume the foe even by his glances only. Let us go to that son of the ocean-going Ganga for asking the means of his death.

It behooves him to speak the truth, specially when questioned by you. Therefore let us go to the grandşire of the Kurus for asking him about the means of his death.

Repairing to that aged son of Shantanu, we shall seek counsel of him. And following the advice he will offer we shall fight with the enemy.

Having thus consulted, the heroic Pandavas, together with the highly powerful son of Vasudeva, went, O elder brother of Pandu,

Towards the tent of Bhishma, having previously cast off their armours and dresses. Then entering the tent, they all touched his feet with their hands.

Then, O mighty monarch, the Pandavas, saluting that foremost of the Bharatas with their bent heads, sought his protection.

Then the mighty-armed Bhishma the grandsire of the Kurus thus addressed them saying “All hail, O you of Vrishni's race, all hail, O Dhananjaya.

Welcome to the son of Dharma and also to Bhima and the twins. What act enhancing your delight shall I do now?

I shall do it with all iny soul even if it be exceedingly difficult of being accomplished' When the son of Ganga had thus repeate addressed them with afflictio..

King Y hishthira with a cheerful heart spoke these words to him affectionately. “O you who are acquainted with all these things, how shall we conquer and how shall we acquire our kirgdom?

How may stop be put to this destruction of creatures? Say, O lord, all this to me. Tell us yoursell the means of your own death.

How, O hero, shall we be competent enough to withstand you in battle? You do not disclose even the slightest weakness to your enemy, O grandsire of the Kurus, whereby to overthrow you.

You are always seen in battle with your bow drawn to a circle. None can mark when you take up your shafts, place them in the bowstring or draw the string for shooting them.

O slayer of hostile heroes, slaying as you do, car-warriors, horsemen and elephant-riders, we behold you, O mighty-armed one, as a second sun on the chariot.

What person, O foremost of the Bharatas, dared variquish yi" this day, when showering a arrows downpour, you spread havoc among my troops.

My mighty army is every day being reduced by you in battle. How could we vanquish you in battle, hov. could sovereignty be ours?

How also could my troops he saved from this destruction? O grandsire, tell me the means for accompiishing all these ends." Thereupon, O elder brother of Pandu, the son of Shantanu said these words to the Pandavas.

“O son of Kunti, so long as I am alive, you will not be able to obtain victory, O you who know everything. This I tell you truly.

When I shall be slain in battle, the Pandavas will surely win victory, in battle. Smite me down without delay, if you at all long to have victory in this war.

I permit you, O sons of Pritha, to strike me as you please. Indeed I consider it to be a favourable circumstance for you that you know me (to te invincible). When i shall be slaughtered, all eise will be slaughtered. So do as I tell you."

Yudhishthira said Tell us the means by which we may be able to vanquish your enraged self in battle-you who resemble the vely god of Death himself wielding the mace.

We can vanquish the wielder the thunder-bolt, or Varuna, or Yama himself, but you are incapable of being defeated by the celestial and Asuras rnited together with Indra at their head.

Bhishma said O son of Pandu, O mighty-armed one, what you have said is indeed true. I am indeed incapable of being vanquished by the celestial and the Asuras united together with Indra at their head,

When with my weapons and my excellent bow in hard I engage myself in battle with care. But when I lay aside my weapons, even these mighiy car-warriors may slay me.

One who lays his weapons aside, one who is fallen, one whose armour and standard have been shattered, one who flies away, one who is panic-struck, one who say “I am yours”

One who is a female, one who bears a feminine designation, one who is disabled, one who has got only one son, and one who is a mean fellow, with these I do not like to fight.

Hear also, O foremost of kings, about the vow that I had formerly taken. Beholding any inauspicious sign I would under no circumstance fight.

That mighty car-warrior, O king, that son of Draupada, who belongs to your army, who is known under the name of Shikhandin, who is wrathful in battle, valiant and ever attended with victory,

He was female before, but afterwards attained manhood. You all know truly how all this came to pass.

Let the heroic Arjuna clad in mail placing Shikhandin in front of him assail me with exceedingly sharp shafts

Beholding them an inauspicious man in the person of him who was female before, I will not strike though I may be armed with arrows.

Availing himself of that opportunity, let Pandu's son Dhananjaya quickly pierce me, O foremost of the Bharatas, on all sides.

Except the illustrious Krishna or Dhananjaya the son of Pandu, I do not find any one in the three worlds who can slay me in battle.

Therefore let Vibhatsu armed with weapons and excreting in battle to the best of his abilities and wielding his excellent bow, overthrow me in battle, placing (this Shikhandin or) any one else before him. Thus victory will be yours with certainty. O foremost of kings, O you of chaste vows, do as I tell you. Then you shall be able to slay in battle all the Dhritarashtra assembled together.

Sanjaya said Then, the sons of Pritha, ascertaining all these things, went back to their own camps, having saluted the high-souled Bhishma the grandsire of the Kurus.

When Ganga's son ready to repair to the regions of the departed, had thus spoken, Arjuna, afflicted with grief and with his face covered with blushes of shame, said :Arjuna said

"How, O Madhava, shall I fight in battle, with the venerable and aged preceptor of the Kurus, the grandsire of accomplished understanding and intelligence.

O Vasudeva, while playing in the days of childhood, I used to soil the garments of the high-souled and illustrious one by climbing on his lap with my body smeared with dust.

O elder brother of Gada, in my childhood, climbing on the lap of the high-souled father of Pandu (our father), I used to say 'Father';

I am not your father, but your father's father, O Bharata' even these were the words he used to say in reply to me. Oh he who used to treat me thus how could he be now slain by me!

Let him slay all my troops. I will not fight with that high-souled one, whether thereby I reap victory or death. What do you, O Krishna, think?

O Vishnu, having promised to slay Bhishma in battle, how can you desist from slaying him without transgressing the duties of a Kshatriya?

Vasudeva said Overthrow, O son of Pritha, this Kshatriya ever invincible in battle, from his car. Without slaying Ganga's son in battle you can not hope to win victory.

It have been foredoomed, O Partha by the gods that Bhishma shall go to the abode of Death. That must come to pass which has been destined by the gods.

Except yourself, O invincible one, none including the wielder of the thunder bolt himself will be able to fight with Bhishma who resembles Death himself with wide open mouth.

Do you slay Bhishma, with great coolness. Hear also these words of mine which were said to Shakra formerly by the highly intelligent Brihaspati.

One ought to slay even an aged man, or a person who is older than himself, or one who may be endowed with all virtues, if he comes as an enemy, or indeed any one else who comes for destroying him.

This, O Dhananjaya, is the eternal duty prescribed for Kshatriyas viz., they should fight, protect their subjects, and perform sacrifices, all without any maliciousness.

Arjuna said Surely, O Krishna, Shikhandin has been born as the Death of Bhishma; for as soon as Bhishma sees the Panchala prince, he desists from striking.

Therefore, placing Shikhandin in front of him (Bhishma) and stationing him in our van, we shall, by this means, overthrow the son of Ganga. This is my opinion.

I will preclude the attack made by the great archers through arrows I shot on them. Shikhandi too should carry battle against Bhishma, the best warrior.

I have heard that foremost of the Kurus viz., Bhishma say, 'I will never strike Shikhandin, in as much as formerly born as a daughter he attained manhood subsequently." Having formed this resolution the Pandavas with him of Madhu's race went back to their tents with cheerful hearts, and with the permission of the illustrious Bhishma.