The latter, in
their turn pierced Bhishma, each with five shafts. But, O king, Bhishma
checked those by his prowess and pierced each of the contending kings with
two shafts. The combat became so fierce with that dense shower of arrows
and other missiles that it looked very much like the encounter between the
celestials and the Asuras of old, and men of courage who took no part in
it were struck with fear even to look at the scene. Bhishma cut off, with
his arrows, on the field of battle, bows, and flagstaffs, and coats of
mail, and human heads by hundreds and thousands. And such was his terrible
prowess and extraordinary lightness of hand, and such the skill with which
he protected himself, that the contending car-warriors, though his enemies,
began to applaud him loudly. Then that foremost of all wielders of weapons
having vanquished in battle all those monarchs, pursued his way towards
the capital of the Bharatas, taking those maidens with him.
"It was then, O king, that mighty car-warrior, king Salya of immeasurable
prowess, from behind summoned Bhishma, the son of Santanu, to an encounter.
And desirous of obtaining the maidens, he came upon Bhishma like a mighty
leader of a herd of elephants rushing upon another of his kind, and
tearing with his tusks the latter's hips at the sight of a female elephant
in heat. And Salya of mighty arms, moved by wrath addressed Bhishma and
said, 'Stay, Stay.' Then Bhishma, that tiger among men, that grinder of
hostile armies, provoked by these words, flamed up in wrath like a blazing
fire.
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