and lying about, with polished and sharp lances and bright swords, with variegated head-gears fallen off (from heads) and scattered about, with beautiful crescent-shaped arrows decked with gold, with housings of steeds, with skins of the Ranku deer, torn and crushed, with beautiful and costly gems that decked the head-gears of kings, with their umbrellas lying about and yak tails and fans, with faces, bright as the lotus or the moon, of heroic warriors, decked with beautiful ear-rings and graced with well-cut beards, lying about and radiant with other ornaments of gold, the earth looked like the firmament besmangled with planets and stars.  Thus, O Bharata, the two armies, viz., thine and theirs, encountering each other in battle, crushed each other.  And after the combatants had been fatigued, routed, and crushed, O Bharata, dark night set in and the battle could no longer be seen.  Thereupon both the Kurus and the Pandavas withdrew their armies, when that awful night of pitchy darkness came.  And having withdrawn their troops, both the Kurus and the Pandavas took rest for the night, retiring to their respective tents.

SECTION XCVIII

Sanjaya said, “Then king Duryodhana, and Sakuni the son of Suvala, and thy son Dussasana, and the invincible Suta’s son (Karna) meeting together, consulted in the following way.  How could the sons of Pandu, with their followers, be vanquished in battle?  Even this was the subject of their consultation.  Then king Duryodhana, addressing the Suta’s son and the mighty Sakuni, said unto all those counsellors of his, ’Drona, Bhishma, and Kripa, and Salya and Somadatta’s son do not resist the Parthas.  I do not know what the cause is of such conduct (of theirs).  Unslain by any of these, the Pandavas are destroying my forces.  Therefore, O Karna, I am becoming weaker in strength and my weapons also are being exhausted’.  I am deceived by the heroic Pandavas—­they that are incapable of being vanquished by the very gods.  Doubt filleth my mind as to how, indeed, I shall succeed is smiting them in battle.’  Unto the king who said so, O great monarch, the Suta’s son answered, ’Do not grieve, O chief of the Bharata.  Even I will do what is agreeable to thee.  Let Santanu’s son Bhishma soon withdraw from the great battle.  After Ganga’s son will have withdrawn from the fight and laid aside his weapons, I will slay the Partha along with all the Somakas, in the very sight of Bhishma.  I pledge my truth, O king.  Indeed, Bhishma every day showeth mercy towards the Pandavas.  He is, besides incapable of vanquishing those mighty car-warriors.  Bhishma is proud of showing his prowess in battle.  He is again, very fond of fight.  Why, O sire, will he, therefore, vanquish the assembled Pandavas (for then the battle will be over)?  Therefore, repairing without delay to the tent of Bhishma, solicit that old and reverend signior to lay aside his weapons.  After he will have laid aside his weapons, O Bharata,