Bhishma-vadha Parva (Chapters: 43–124) - 8th Day of the WAR

Having passed the night, the rulers once more proceed to battle. Kaurava forms the ocean array. Yudhishthira orders Prishata's son to form the Sringataka array against hostile arrays. Bhishma scorches and grinds every side, excited with rage.

Dharma's son sends troops under Bhima against the son of Ganga. Bhishma slaughters all of them with his weapon, save the mighty Bhimasena. Bhima battles Bhishma, who is protected by Duryodhana and his brothers.

Bhima slays Bhishma's charioteer, making his car run on field uncontrollably. Bhima slays 8 more brothers of Duryodhana, making other the sons flee, except Duryodhana, who then goes to Bhishma in grief, to talk.

Dharma's son sends a large army—with Dhrishtadyumna, Sikhandin, Satyaki, Drupada, and Virata among them—against Bhishma alone, from the desire to slay him.

Drona slaughters a large part of the army from here; and Bhimasena, excited with wrath, causes a terrible carnage among the Kauravas and their elephant divisions. Nakula and Sahadeva fall upon the Kaurava cavalry.

In this battle, Arjuna kills a great number of kings. Iravat (Naga), Arjuna's son, joins the fight and destroys enemy forces. Duryodhana sends Alamvusha for the son of Phalguni.

Alamvusha displays his power of illusion and creates 2,000 terribly-armed Rakshasa to advance against Irawat. Irawat sends them to the regions of Yama and fights with difficulty against him, and with his sword cuts off his bow.

Rakshasa uses his illusion, and Irawat uses his power of changing forms, to fight and cut off his body in pieces with an axe. Rakshasa, although cut, recovers his body, and increases his size. Irawat summons his Naga force to surround him, but Rakshasa assumes the form of Garuda and devours those snakes.

When Irawat becomes confounded, he fells Irawat's head on the earth. Bhishma, slaying the Pandavas army, causes them to tremble; and Drona, too, afflicts enemy forces, making Arjuna wonder.

King Duryodhana, with his army, attacks Gatotkacha's troops. Gatotkacha slays king elephants; and attacks Duryodhana and his four Rakshasa and injures him. Gatotkacha gets angry, and picks a huge dart to slay him; but Bhagadatta, mounting upon an elephant, places himself before the king.

Hurling that dart he fells that elephant. Hearing the elephant roar, Bhishma sends a large army—with Jayadratha, Bhurisravas, Salya, Aswatthaman, and Vikarna among it—to aid them. Gatotkacha overwhelms them all, making them tremble. All attack him, covering him with a shower of arrows.

Deeply pierced, he soars up into the sky and utters loud roar. Yudhishthira sends Bhima—with Abhimanyu, the sons of Draupadi, and other troops—to rescue him. Half the warriors fled after just looking at Bhimasena.

King Duryodhana, excited with wrath, rushs towards Bhimasena, cuts off his bow, and, seeing an opportunity, deeply pierces him, injuring him. Gatotkacha and Abhimanyu come to fight Duryodhana.

Drona sends warriors—with Kripa, Bhurisravas, Salya, Aswatthaman, and Kaurava brothers among them—to support Duryodhana. Old Drona himself pierces Bhima, but in return, is deeply pierced by Bhimasena, and sits down in his car.

Beholding him thus pained, his son and Duryodhana, excited with wrath, rush towards Bhimasena. Bhimasena, quickly taking up a mace, jumps down from his car and rushes towards them. All afflict Bhima, from all sides.

Abhimanyu, with his troops, comes to rescue him. Aswatthaman injures King Nila in battle. Gatotkacha, with his kinsmen comes to battle Drona's son.

Filled with wrath, he slays many Rakshasa, which enrages the giant Gatotkacha, who uses his extraordinary powers of illusion, confounding all in that place, making them see each other cut, slain, and bathed in blood.

All fly away from that place. Devavrata cries that it's just an illusion, telling them not to fly away; yet, that does not stop them, their senses having been confounded. Duryodhana talks with Bhishma about battle.

Bhishma addresses Bhagdatta to fight them at his best. Bhagdatta faces the Pandavas army—with Bhimasena, Abhimanyu, Rakshasa Gatotkacha, and the sons of Draupadi among them. Bhagdatta calls out his elephant, Supratika, and rushes against them.

And battle begins by means of barbed arrows, muskets, and shafts. All surround, in anger, with celestial weapons, that single elephant. Bhagdatta resists all but is deeply pierced and exceedingly pained by their attack that elephant, speedily turned back, and flees, crushing Pandava ranks.

Bhagadatta returns, fights with Bhima, and crushes thousands of foot-soldiers under his elephant. Gatotkacha, assuming a terrible form, rushes towards Bhagadatta. Bhagdatta, alone, pierces all the combatants surrounding him and damages Bhima's car.

Bhima, deprived of his car, jumps down, and takes up his mace. Arjuna comes there, and King Duryodhana sends an army towards Arjuna. Arjuna grieves for his slain son Iravat. Bhima faces Kaurava brothers and slays 9 more of them; others flee. Drona checks him from pursuing.

Ganga's son, Bhagadatta, and Gautama resist Arjuna. The field of battle lies covered with fallen darts, swords, arrows, lances, scimitars, axes, bearded darts, iron crows, battle-axes, spiked clubs, short arrows, and rockets.

As night sets in and the battle could no longer be seen, all withdraw their troops. At night, Duryodhana consults with Sakuni, Dussasana, and Karna about battle where their generals showed mercy towards the Pandavas.

Suta's son says that, let Bhishma withdraw from the fight and lay aside his weapons, he will slay Partha along with his army, in the very sight of Bhishma.

Duryodhana and Dussasana go to Bhishma and ask him either slay the brave sons of Pandu or permit Karna to fight, as he will vanquish the Pandava in battle. Bhishma says that next day he will fight a fierce and famed battle.