Sanjaya said, “O King Dhritarashtra, the grandsire Bhishma, blazing with wrath, struck down the charioteer of Satyaki and shattered his car. The chariot reeled and overturned, the steeds scattering in wild confusion. Satyaki stood stunned at the strange turn of fate. From the Pandava ranks arose anxious cries: ‘Stand before him, shield him, and bear him to safety!’ Yet Bhishma, steadfast in the sacred code of war, would not strike a warrior deprived of his chariot. Thus, his adherence to dharma preserved Satyaki’s life as he moved away toward the Pandava lines.”
King Virata, fierce as Rudra at dissolution, advanced and pierced Bhishma with three keen shafts, wounding even his horses. The grandsire answered with ten arrows that tore through Virata’s frame, his blood streaming like a crimson fountain. Bhishma’s mastery in releasing shafts and breaking enemy ranks drew admiration from both armies; the Pandavas praised his valour, and the Kauravas roared in pride at his momentary glory.
Arjuna then rode forth to confront Bhishma, but was checked by Ashwatthama, who poured upon him a relentless rain of arrows to the cruel delight of Duryodhana. The shafts struck Arjuna, yet he smiled and shattered the bow of the preceptor’s son. Swiftly taking another, Ashwatthama displayed rare skill and Vigor, loosing arrows in fierce succession. His ferocity stirred both Arjuna and Krishna; Arjuna’s eyes reddened with rising wrath, and like the sun breaking through storm, his warrior spirit blazed forth. He pierced Ashwatthama deeply, rending his Armor and drawing profuse blood. Still Ashwatthama fought on with stubborn resolve. Perceiving his foe’s strength waning, Arjuna, honouring his devotion to the throne, turned aside and passed him by.
Meanwhile, Bhimasena, mace in hand and pride aflame, charged at Bhishma, but Duryodhana intercepted him and struck him with ten sharp shafts. The duel between Bhima and Duryodhana astonished onlookers; they fought with equal might, and murmurs rose that had they not been enemies, they might together have conquered the worlds. Their bitter conflict sprang from the blindness and misguided silence of Dhritarashtra, whose indulgence had kindled this consuming fire.
At that hour Chitraratha and Purumitra came to Duryodhana’s aid, driving back the Pandava forces. Arjuna and Abhimanyu, twanging their bows, broke into the Kaurava formation. Abhimanyu loosed ten arrows upon Chitrasena, seven upon Purumitra, and seventy upon Bhishma, troubling them with youthful valor. They answered him in equal measure, striving to restrain his fiery advance. Bhishma himself struck him with nine terrible shafts, yet Abhimanyu, like a blazing forest fire, swept through the Kaurava ranks with indomitable strength.
In the splendour of battle, he shone like Shiva in cosmic dance, his chariot moving with majestic grace. Lakshmana Kumara, angered by his prowess, attacked with a sanctified volley of arrows. Abhimanyu neutralized them and pierced the prince’s chest with a single powerful shaft. Undeterred, the prince fought on until Abhimanyu slew his steeds and wrecked his chariot. In desperation, Lakshmana hurled a dreadful shakti weapon, but Abhimanyu cut it mid-flight and struck him again, leaving him bleeding like a crimson statue. Kripacharya swiftly rescued the wounded prince and bore him to safety.
Encouraged by his troops, Bhishma then thundered upon the Pandava army, felling horses and elephants in heaps, the field resembling dark clouds pouring a river of blood. Satyaki returned to the fray and rained arrows upon the Kauravas, suffocating them in terror and leaving them awestruck by his skill. Bhurisrava, blazing like fire, advanced to meet him, moving with deadly grace and scattering burning shafts that broke the enemy’s spirit. The supporting warriors of Satyaki withdrew before his fury.
Then the ten sons of Satyaki, armored and resolute, entered the field and challenged Bhurisrava to single combat. The great warrior smiled and declared that none alone could endure his arrows; if they possessed courage, they should attack together. They released a storm of shafts, but Bhurisrava cut them down and drenched them in a rain of deadly missiles. Though they fought with inherited valour and unyielding zeal, Bhurisrava, shaking with rage, shattered their bows and severed their heads, offering them as grim tribute to the earth. The Kaurava ranks swayed with fierce delight at the fall of their foes. Thus did Sanjaya recount the dreadful tide of battle to the blind king Dhritarashtra, who listened in solemn silence as the war raged on.
