Bhishma-vadha Parva (Chapters: 43–124) - 10th Day of the WAR

On the 10th day, Bhishma slaughters divisions of Pandavas. Sikhandin pierces him, but he does not fight him.

Arjuna comes to support Sikhandin and destroys car-warriors, who all flee away in fear. Bhishma slays more than 200,000 soldiers in battle.

The mighty Dussasana, abandoning all fear, battles Dhananjaya and Partha, who cut off his bow, split his car; but he still resists Partha.

Alamvusha resists Satyaki and wounds him. Bhagadatta comes to battle Satyaki, cutting off his bow, and Duryodhana, surrounding him with a large number of cars. Aswatthaman encounters both Old Virata and Drupada. Kripa proceeds against Sahadeva, who cuts his bow. Vikarna battles Nakula. Dhrishtadyumna battles Kritavarman.

Bhimsena proceeds against Bhurisravas. Drona resists Yudhishthira, who, accompanied by a large force, was going towards Bhishma. A group attacks Bhima, who resists all, breaks Kripa's and Jayadratha's bows and destroys Jayadratha's car. Salya afflicts Bhima's charioteer and all pierce Bhima, who does not tremble, stands still, and, filled with wrath, cuts Kritavarman's bow. Dhananjaya, with Sikhandin, comes thither.

King Duryodhana sends Susarman, with a large force, against both. They both fell heads of combatants by hundreds and rout the fierce host of the Kauravas. Patha cuts Salya's bow. Drona, commanded by Duryodhana, comes to that spot.

Yudhisthira meets Bhishma, who tells him to slay him as planned. Abhimanyu fights with Duryodhana who is supported by a large force. The son of Drona battles Satyaki. Bhimasena slaughters an elephant-division. Yudhishthira encounters Salya. Jayadratha battles Virata.

Dhrishtadyumna battles Drona, who cuts his bow. Arjuna, with Sikhandin, taking the opportunity, rushes at Bhishma. King Bhagadatta comes, but Arjuna ignores him, so he proceeds against Drupada. Arjuna disperses divisions around Bhishma, and Bhishma slays fourteen-thousand car warriors, following Arjuna.

Sikhandin pierces Bhishma, but Bhishma only looks, Sikhandin, however, does not understand. Arjuna encourages Sikhandin and Devavrata to check an angry Arjuna in battle. Dussasana comes and again battles Arjuna, felling down many car warriors. Arjuna vanquishes Dussasana, but Dussasana still fights.

Duryodhana sends troops against Phalguni. Vibhatsu aims diverse celestial weapons at their heads and fells them, routing them and causing them to flee. Bhishma invokes a celestial weapon at Arjuna, Sikhandin comes dashing between them, and he withdraws that fiery weapon.

Salya, Kripa, Dussasana, and Vikarna slaughter a Pandava host. Bhishma slays twenty-seven thousand soldiers more, with seven great car warriors among them. Bhishma slays Satanika. Krishna urges Dhananjaya to slay Bhishma.

Bhishma afflicts all the Pandavan generals, and Phalguni comes to rescue them all. All pierce Bhishma; and, except for Sikhandin, he fights them all back. Arjuna cuts Bhishma's bow.

Seven great car warriors from Kurus come to save him, invoking celestial weapons, at Phalguni's car; and seven great Pandavan car warriors come to check them. Sikhandin pierces Bhishma and Arjuna cuts off Bhishma's bow multiple times, disarming him.

Bhishma thinks that if Vishnu himself was not their protector, he could have slain all Pandavas with a single strike. His time now had come. Rishis and Vasus appear to talk with him, and no one heard the words spoken by them, save Bhishma and Sanjaya, by Vyasa's grace. Both pierce Bhishma, and he still fights; but Arjuna, placing Sikhandin to the fore, cuts Bhishma's bow two more times and damages his car.

Bhishma addresses Dussasana for his bravery. Bhishma takes up a shield, but Arjuna cuts off that shield. Yudhishthira sends an army at Bhishma and the Kaurava brothers surround Bhishma. Although Bhishma was pierced in all his vital limbs, yet that day he stayed calmly in the battle.

Arjuna afflicts them all, breaking their formations and all flee from battle. All attack Bhishma, surrounding him, and soon fatally injure him. That foremost of all bowmen fell down from his car, pierced all over with arrows, which kept his body from touching the ground. Loud cries were heard over there.

And that hero, even with loss of blood, permitted not his senses to depart, as per his father's boon to him. The Kurus, headed by Kripa and Duryodhana, sighed and wept. All Pandavas obtaining victory, blew their conches and rejoiced. Rishis and the Pitris all applauded Bhishma with high vows.