I vowed before thee that slaying every day ten thousand high-souled Kshatriyas, I would come back from the battle.  I have fulfilled that vow, O bull of Bharata’s race!  O thou of great might, today I will achieve even a great feat.  Today I will either sleep myself being slain, or, I will slay the Pandavas.  O tiger among men, I will today free myself from the debt I owe thee,—­the debt, O king, arising out of the food, thou gavest me,—­by casting away my life at the head of thy army.’  Having said these words, O chief of the Bharatas, that invincible warrior, scattering his shafts among the Kshatriyas, attacked the Pandava host.  And the Pandavas then, O bull of Bharata’s race, began to resist the son of Ganga staying in the midst of his forces and excited with wrath like a snake of virulent poison.  Indeed, O king, on that tenth day of the battle, Bhishma, displaying his might, slew, O son of Kuru’s race, hundreds of thousands.  And he drained the energies of those royal and mighty car-warriors that were the foremost among the Panchalas, like the Sun sucking up the moisture (of the earth) with his rays.  Having slain ten thousand elephants of great activity and ten thousand steeds also, O king, along with their riders, and full two hundred thousands of foot-soldiers, that best of men, viz., Bhishma, shone resplendent in battle like a fire without a curl of smoke.  And no one amongst the Pandavas was capable of even looking at him who then resembled the burning Sun staying in the northern solstice.  The Pandavas, however, though afflicted in battle by that great bowman, still rushed, accompanied by the mighty car-warriors of the Srinjayas, for slaughtering him.  Battling with myriads upon myriads around him, Santanu’s son Bhishma then looked like the cliff of Meru covered on all sides with masses of clouds.  Thy sons, however, stood, surrounding Bhishma on all sides with a large force (for protecting him).  Then commenced a fierce battle (between the Kurus and the Pandavas).”

SECTION CXI

Sanjaya said, “Arjuna then, O king, beholding the prowess of Bhishma in battle, addressed Sikhandin saying, ’Proceed towards the grandsire.  Thou shouldst not entertain the slightest fear of Bhishma today.  Even I will throw him down from his excellent car by means of my sharp shafts’.  Thus addressed by Partha, Sikhandin, O bull of Bharata’s race, having heard those words, rushed at the son of Ganga.  And so Dhrishtadyumna also, O king, and the mighty car-warrior Abhimanyu, having heard those words of Partha, joyfully rushed at Bhishma.  And old Virata and Drupada, and Kuntibhoja also, clad in mail, rushed at Bhishma in the very sight of thy son.  And Nakula, Sahadeva, and the valiant king Yudhishthira also, and all the rest of the warriors, O monarch, rushed against Bhishma.  As regards thy warriors O king, that rushed, according to the measure of their might and courage, against those