Vedic Wisdom Talks

Austerity! Arjuna pierced Bhisma with 10 arrows & at last cut down his royal emblem. When Bhisma picked up another bow, Arjuna immediately cut it to pieces. The Grandsire finally ran out of bows & so he lost all desire to further combat Arjuna, even though latter continued to pierce him with numerous arrows Bhisma said to Duhsasana: Both Arjuna & I are incapable of being slain. Sikhandi's arrows hardly cause me any pain, nor do those released by other Pandava warriors. Only Arjuna's arrows hurt me to the very quick After saying this, Bhisma picked up a fierce dart & hurled it, but Arjuna easily cut it into fragments with his arrows. Then, desiring to either gain victory or death, Bhisma picked up his sword & shield and started to dismount from his chariot. However, before the Grandsire could put his feet on ground, Arjuna cut his shield into a hundred fragments Yudhisthira urged his entire army to attack Bhisma so that there was a great onrush of Pandava war...

  Krsna's plan! All leading Pandava warriors surrounded Bhisma, Arjuna ceaselessly showered his arrows upon Grandsire while keeping Sikhandi in front. Astonishingly, Bhisma didn't even appear to feel pain, despite being pierced all over. Instead, he blazed up more powerfully, like the great fire of annihilation that consumes the universe at end of great millennium As Bhisma was engaged in beating back Pandava warriors, Arjuna suddenly broke his bow. Being unable to tolerate this feat, Drona, Krtavarmã, Jayadratha, Bhurisrava, Salva & Bhagadatta impetuously rushed at Arjuna while releasing their celestial weapons. Bhima, Sätyaki, Dhrstadyumna, Virata, Drupada, Ghatotkaca & Abhimanyu came to Arjuna's aid so that battle that took place became so intense that everyone's hair stood on end When Bhisma's bow broke, Sikhandi was able to pierce him repeatedly & cut down his royal emblem. Bhisma picked up a stronger bow, but Arjuna cut it to pieces with 3 arrows. ...

Determination! After hearing this, the Pandavas placed Sikhandi at their head & became determined to kill Bhisma at all costs. Thereafter, as the fighting raged between Pāndava & Kaurava warriors, the din of the battle, accentuated with blares of conch shells & terrifying shouts, became unbearable Arjuna repeatedly urged Sikhandi to rush towards Bhisma, but each time the Pañcala prince attacked, the Grandsire blazed up like an all-consuming fire & exterminated innumerable Pāndava warriors. In this way Bhisma killed practically all chariot warriors belonging to the Cedis, Somakasas, Kāsis & Kārusās and indeed, everyone else who came near him While rushing at Bhisma, Sikhandi pierced Bhisma with his arrows, but the Grandsire only retaliated against Arjuna. In fact, the arrows released by Sikhandi were received laughingly by Bhisma, for they caused him very little pain Duryodhana ordered a massive attack on Arjuna, assuring his warriors that he would personally...

  Dharmic injunctions! Upon hearing Arjuna's command, Dhrstadyumna, Abhimanyu, Virata, Drupada, Kuntibhoja and many other great heroes combined to rush at Bhisma while the Kaurava warriors fearlessly came to resist them. At this time Duhsasana abandoned all fear of death to perform a wonderful feat by checking Arjuna as he advanced toward Bhisma When Duhsasana pierced him in the forehead with an arrow and also struck Krsna with numerous shafts, Arjuna became inflamed with rage and drove the son of Dhrtarästra back to the shelter of Bhisma At that time Drona observed many inauspicious signs. Because he was very expert in deciphering their meanings, he could understand that there would soon be a dreadful conflict between Bhisma and Arjuna. Drona thus ordered his son, Asvatthama, to come to Bhisma's aid by attacking Sikhandi Krpa, Bhagadatta, Salya, Krtavarmā and Jayadratha ganged up on Bhima, showering upon him unlimited arrows. Bhima stood fast. After piercing all his adversarie...

Determination! As Arjun in grief said: How can I possibly be expected to fight my grandfather? In my childhood I would climb on Bhisma’s lap thinking he was my father. I am not able to gather myself to fight him   Hearing this, Lord Krsna sternly reprimanded Arjuna for his sentimentality & once again reminded him of his vow to kill Bhisma and thus execute his duty as a Kshatriya. Sri Krsna also encouraged Arjuna by assuring him that Bhisma was destined to die in this great battle   Finally, after casting aside his grief, Arjuna said: My dear Krsna, I know that Sikhandi is the ordained slayer of Bhisma and so I will keep the Pañcãla prince in front of me. As I protect Sikhandi by warding off the Kaurava warriors, he can attack Bhisma without impediment   In this way the next day's strategy was decided upon, in accordance with Bhisma's advice. At last, the Pandavas retired for the night   On the tenth day, as the Pāndava army entered the battlefie...