06.113
Pancharatra and Core: Narration by a different author; recap of the war; Virata's brother Shatanika killed;
Sanjaya said:
O Bharata, in the arranged armies, most of those who followed were focused on attaining the world of Brahma.
The armies did not engage with each other in the confusion. Neither the chariots joined with the charioteers, nor did the foot soldiers with their counterparts.
The horses did not engage in battle with other horses, nor did the elephants with the elephant warriors. A great and fierce conflict arose between the two armies.
In that great and terrible destruction, men, elephants, and chariots were scattered everywhere indiscriminately.
Then Śalya, Kṛpa, Citrasena, Duḥśāsana, and Vikarṇa quickly mounted their chariots and caused the Pāṇḍavas' army to tremble in battle, O Bhārata.
Pandu's army, being attacked in battle by the great souls, could not find a savior, just like a boat sinking in water.
Just as the harsh winter affects the vital parts of cows, Bhishma struck at the vital points of the Pandavas.
Arjuna, the great soul, has exceedingly felled many of your army's elephants, which resembled mountain clouds.
The leaders of men are seen being crushed by Arjuna and struck by countless arrows and iron arrows.
The great elephants, adorned with ornaments, fell here and there with a distressed sound, among the bodies of the slain great souls.
In the fierce battle, the illusionary weapon shone covered with heads and earrings. O king, in that very terrible destruction of great heroes, Bhishma and the valiant Pandava, Dhananjaya (Arjuna), were present.
Upon witnessing the bravery of their grandfather in battle, the Kauravas, guided by the ideals of Brahmaloka, did not retreat.
The Pandavas, desiring to attain heaven by making death in battle their ultimate goal, advanced into that great slaughter of heroes.
O great king, the Pandavas also remember the many troubles you and your son caused them in the past.
The heroes, having cast aside fear, and being honored by Brahmaloka, joyfully engage in battle with your sons and men.
In the battle, the commander, a great chariot-warrior, instructed the army to attack Bhishma along with the Somakas and Srinjayas.
Upon hearing the commander's words, the Somakas and the Sṛñjayas charged at Gāṅgeya, attacking with a barrage of weapons from every direction.
Then, O king, your father, the son of Śāntanu, overwhelmed by anger, engaged in battle with the Sṛñjayas.
O dear, the illustrious one, formerly wise Rama imparted weapon training, indeed, which is the destroyer of enemy forces.
Bhishma, the grandsire of the Kurus, having undertaken that instruction, caused the destruction of the enemy's forces day by day, killing ten thousand of the sons of Pritha, proving himself as the slayer of enemy heroes.
On the tenth day, O best of the Bharatas, Bhishma, single-handedly, in the battle among the Matsyas and Panchalas, killed countless elephants and horses, and seven great warriors were slain.
The great-grandfather killed five thousand charioteers and fourteen thousand men in the great battle.
Thus, O lord of men, your father once again killed a thousand elephants and ten thousand horses by the power of his learning.
Then, after disturbing the armies of all the kings, Virata's beloved brother Shatanika was killed.
The mighty Bhīṣma, after killing Śatānīka in the battle, brought down thousands of kings with his arrows, O great king.
The kings who attacked the sons of Pṛthā and Dhanañjaya, upon approaching Bhīṣma, met their end at the abode of Yama.
Bhishma, surrounded by a barrage of arrows, advanced through the ten directions and positioned himself at the forefront of the Pandavas' army formation.
On the tenth day, he stood between the armies, having accomplished a great feat, holding his bow at the ready.
O king, none of the kings were able to look at him, just as no one can gaze at the sun shining in the sky at midday during summer.
In the battle, just as Indra tormented the army of demons, similarly, Bhishma tormented the Pandavas, O Bharata.
Madhusudana, the son of Devaki, was pleased to see the valiant Dhananjaya and spoke to him.
This is Bhīṣma, the son of Śantanu, standing between the armies. Without defeating him by force, victory will not be yours.
Therefore, hold this position where the army is breaking, for no one else can withstand Bhishma's arrows, O lord.
Then, O king, at that moment, the warrior with the monkey banner, upon being urged, concealed Bhishma along with his banner, chariot, and horses using arrows.
He, the leader among the Kurus, was driven by the Pandavas. He scattered the volleys of arrows in various ways.
By him, the valiant king of the Pāñcālas, Dhṛṣṭaketu, along with the Pāṇḍava Bhīmasena and Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the son of Pṛṣata, were present.
The two sons of Yama, Cekitana, the five Kekayas, Satyaki, the son of Subhadra, and Ghatotkacha were present, O great king.
The sons of Draupadī, along with Śikhaṇḍī, Kuntibhoja, Suśarmā, Virāṭa, and the mighty sons of Pāṇḍu, were present.
These and many others, who were afflicted by Bhishma's arrows, were rescued by Arjuna as they were immersed in the ocean of sorrow.
Then Shikhandi, wielding his supreme weapon, charged at Bhishma with great speed, under the protection of Arjuna.
Then Bibhatsu, the unconquered, after slaying all his followers, charged directly at Bhishma, the master of battle strategies.
Satyaki, Chekitana, Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Prishata, Virata, Drupada, the sons of Madri, and the Pandavas all charged towards Bhishma in the battle, under the protection of the one with a strong bow.
Abhimanyu and the five sons of Draupadi charged towards Bhishma in the battle, wielding their mighty weapons.
All of them, equipped with strong bows and unwavering in battles, honored Bhishma in various ways by creating a path with their arrows.
The undaunted soul of the Pandavas, having shaken off those groups of arrows released by the best of kings, entered the army, creating an obstruction with arrows, as if he were playing, like the grandsire.
Bhishma, smiling repeatedly and recalling Shikhandi's womanhood, refrained from aiming at the Panchala and instead used Shikhandi's arrows to kill seven great chariot warriors in Drupada's army.
Then, suddenly, a loud noise erupted as the Matsyas, Panchalas, and Chedis rushed towards him in unison.
They surrounded Bhishma, the son of Bhagirathi, with their excellent horses, chariots, elephants, and foot soldiers, like clouds enveloping the sun, as he shone in battle against his enemies.
Then, in the battle that was like the one between gods and demons, Arjuna, with Shikhandi in front, attacked Bhishma.
