these words, Bhishma, the valiant son of Santanu, as if for the object of consuming the Pandavas, hurled a dart at Partha.  Partha, however, caused that dart to drop down, cutting it into three fragments with three shafts, in the very sight, O Bharata, of all the Kuru heroes of thy army.  Desirous of obtaining either death or victory, the son of Ganga then took up a sword and a shield decked with gold.  Before, however, he could come down from his car, Arjuna cut off by means of his arrows, that shield into a hundred fragments.  And that feat of his seemed exceedingly wonderful.  Then the king Yudhishthira urged his own troops, saying, ’Rush ye at Ganga’s son.  Do not entertain the slightest fear’.  Then, armed with bearded darts, and lances, and arrows, from all sides, with axes, and excellent scimitars, and long shafts of great sharpness, with calf-toothed arrows, and broad-headed shafts, they all rushed at that single warrior.  Then arose from among the Pandava host a loud shout.  Then thy sons also, O king, desirous of Bhishma’s victory, surrounded him and uttered leonine shouts.  Fierce was the battle fought there between thy troops and those of the enemy on that the tenth day, O king, when Bhishma and Arjuna met together.  Like unto the vortex that occurs at the spot where the Ganga meets the Ocean, for a short while a vortex occurred there where the troops of both armies met and struck one another down.  And the Earth, wet with gore, assumed a fierce form.  And the even and the uneven spots on her surface could no longer be distinguished.  Although Bhishma was pierced in all his vital limbs, yet on that the tenth day he stayed (calmly) in battle, having slain ten thousand warriors.  Then that great bowman, Partha, stationed at the head of his troops, broke the centre of the Kuru army.  Ourselves then, afraid of Kunti’s son Dhananjaya having white steeds attached to his car, and afflicted by him with polished weapons, fled away from the battle.  The Sauviras, the Kitavas, the Easterners, the Westerners, the Northerners, the Malavas, the Abhishahas, the Surasenas, the Sivis, the Vasatis, the Salwas, the Sayas, the Trigartas, the Amvashthas, and the Kaikeyas.[488]—­these and many other illustrious warriors,—­afflicted with arrows and pained by their wounds, abandoned Bhishma in that battle while he was fighting with the diadem-decked (Arjuna).  Then a great many warriors, surrounding that single warrior on all sides, defeated the Kurus (that protected him) and covered him with shower of arrows.  Throw down, Seize, Fight, Cut into pieces,—­this was the furious uproar, O king, heard in the vicinity of Bhishma’s car.  Having slain in that battle, O monarch, (his foes) by hundreds and thousands, there was not in Bhishma’s body space of even two fingers’ breadth that was not pierced with arrows.  Thus was thy sire mangled with arrows of keen points by Phalguni in that battle.  And then he fell down from his car with his head to the east, a little before sunset, in the very sight of