Sanjaya said Then the highly powerful Dhananjaya wounded with those arrows, breathing like a trodden snake, forcibly cut off, in that battle, the bows bows to those mighty car-warriors, discharging shaft after shaft.

Within a moment having severed the bows of those highly powerful monarchs in the battle, O king, that illustrious hero setting his mind upon their destruction began to pierce them simultaneously with his arrows.

Wounded by the son of Shakra (Arjuna), O king, they rolled on the field weltering in their blood, with their bodies mutilated, their heads severed their armours shattered and their lives takes out of them.

Many, of them afflicted with the arrows shot by the son of Pritha (Arjuna), fell down on the earth; and undergoing diverse contortions simultaneously gave up their lives. Beholding those princes slair in battle, the ruler of the Trigartas proceeded (to battle) riding on his own car.

Then thirty two of those car-warriors, protecting his (Trigarta king's) rear, rushed at the son of Pritha. Thereafter those warriors encircled Pritha's son and drawing their bows emitting fierce twangs,

Covered the latter with a thick shower of arrows, just as clouds charged with rain drench with showers of their contents the mountain breast. Afflicted with that shower of arrows, Dhananjaya inflamed with rage in that battle,

With sixty shafts, cleansed with oil, slew all those warriors protecting the rear of the Trigarta king. Vanquishing those sixty carwarriors in battle, filled with delight, the illustrious Dhananjaya,

Ever-attended with victory, hide to slay Bhishma, having slain that division of kings. The king of the Trigaretas beholding those mighty car-warriors, his friends slain,

Speedily advanced towards the son of Pritha in order to slay him, placing in his front large number of kings. Beholding that foremost of those versed in the use of weapons, namely Dhananjaya, thus assailed, the Pandava warriors headed by Shikhandin,

Grasping in their hand well-sharpened weapons, rushed in battle desirous of protecting the car of Arjuna. Beholding those king make towards himself, the son of Pritha,

That fierce bowman, destroyed them in battle, with arrows of exceeding sharpness shot from the Gandiva bow. Desirous of encountering Bhishma in battle, Dhananjaya then observed many kings including Duryodhana and the ruler of the Sindhus.

Then that highly powerful and wonderfullyintelligent hero of infinite prowess and great energy, fighting with them for a moment only and checking them, and then avoiding the king (Duryodhana) and Jayadratha and others, proceeded towards the son of Ganga, holding in his hands his bow and his arrows. Then the illustrious Yudhishthira of fierce prowess, excited with wrath speedily rushed to the battle.

Avoiding in battle the ruler of the Madras of infinite renown who was allotted to his share and who was his kinsmen, Yudhishthira accompanied by the sons Madri and also by Bhimasena, proceeded, desirous of battle, toward Bhishma the son of Shantanu.

Though assailed in battle by all the sons of Pandu, all mighty car-warriors united in a body, the son of Shantanu begotten upon Ganga, that high-souled warrior versed in all modes of warfare, flinched not in the least.

Then king Jayadratha, highly intelligent and endued with great strength, and never failing in his aims in battle, advancing upon those mighty car-warriors forcibly served their bows by means of his own excellent bow.

Then the illustrious Duryodhana, having anger for his poison, waxing wrath in battle, wounded Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, and the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva) with arrows resplendent like fire itself.

Pierced with arrows shot by Kripa, Shalya, Shala and Chitrasena, O master, the Pandava brothers excited to the highest pitch of fury, resembled the celestial wounded with arrows shot by the united hosts of the Daityas.

Beholding Shikhandin with his bow severed by the royal son of Shantanu, the illustrious Ajatashatru (Yudhishthira) waxing worth, angrily said these words to the foriner.

Having said to me even before your father these words viz., 'I will slay with my showers of arrows of the effulgence of the resplendent sun, Bhishma of great vows. This I say you forsooth, you made a promise.'

You have not redeemed that promise of yours, in as much as you have not yet slain Devavrata in battle. O hero, be not of a man of empty promises. Preserve your virtue, your race and your fame.

Behold Bhishma of tremendous impetuosity falling upon my host of troops destroying it with a shower of arrows of excessive effulgence, like the Destroyer himself destroying everything in a moment,

Having your bow severed, shunning the fight, vanquished by the royal son of Shantanu, whither are you going forsaking your friends and your uterine brothers? this does not befit you.

Beholding Bhishma of infinite prowess and seeing this army broken and routed, O son of Drupada, you are indeed seized with panic, in as much as your countenance has assumed a pallid hue.

But, behold, O hero Dhananjaya has engaged in dreadful fight with Bhishma even without your knowledge. Celebrated through out the world, why today, O hero are you afraid to Bhishma?

Hearing this hard-worded speech full of instructions delivered by the very various king Yudhishthira, that high-souled hero Shikhandin considering it to be good counsel, hastened, O king, to bring about the slaughter of Bhishma.

When Shikhandin had been thus advancing with great momentum to fall upon Bhishma, Shalya checked him with a weapon dreadful and difficult of being baffled.

Beholding that weapon effulgent like the fire that appears at the Yuga's end (for destroying the world) shot at him, the son of Drupada, of prowess resembling that of the great Indra, was not at all confounded.

On the other hand, that fierce bowman stood there restating that weapon with numerous arrows. Thereafter Shikhandin fixed on his bow-string the Varuna weapon that was capable of counteracting (the fiery weapon of Shalya).

The celestial in the heavens and the rulers of the earth, all beheld that weapon (fiery darc of Shalya) baffled by Shikhandin's (Varuna) arrow. In that battle, O king, the high-souled and heroic Bhishma also uttered his war-cry having cut off the bow and wonderfully variegated standard of the royal son of Pandu viz., Yudhishthira of the Ajamida race. Thereupon seeing Yudhishthira overwhelmed with fear, leaving aside his bow and his arrows,

And grasping a mace, Bhimasena rushed on foot against Jayadratha in that battle. Then Jayadratha simultaneously pierced Bhimasena who was thus furiously rushing at him with a mace in hand with five hundred sharp-pointed terrible shafts, each resembling the mace of the Destroyer himself. Without paying the least heed to those arrows, the highly active Vrikodara with heart burning in wrath,

Slew in that battle all the steeds of the king of the Shindhus, steeds that resembled (in speed) pegions themselves. Then your son Chitrasena of unequaled prowess and resembling the sovereign of the celestial himself, beholding, Bhimasena, rushed to battle with a view to slay the latter, riding swift on his car and with weapons raised over head Bhimasena also, roaring and uttering his warcry, rushed against him mace in hand.

Beholding that mace, resembling the mace of Death himself, thus raised overhead (by Bhishma), every one of the Kuru warriors, eager to avoid its fall, deserting the van of your son,

Fled in all directions, in that confounding dreadful and ruthless crush of combatants. O Bharata, your son Chitrasena beholding that mighty mace course towards him, was not confounded at heart.

Grasping a resplendent sword and a buckler, Chitrasena leaving his car and jumping down from the crest of a cliff, stood on his legs on the field of the battle.

Meanwhile that mace falling upon that beautiful car with its steeds and elephants, crushed it in battle, and fell on the ground like a blazing and fierce meteor dropping down from the skies.

Seeing that very wonderful feat achieved by your son), your warriors, O Bharata, were filled with delight; and they untidily uttered their war-cries and began to praise your son.