Section CXXII

"Sanjaya said,—

'Stringing then his large bow and reverentially saluting the grandsire, Arjuna, with eyes filled with tears, said these words,

'O foremost one among the Kurus, O you that art the first among all wielders of weapons, command me, O invincible one, for I am your slave! What shall I do, O grandsire!—Unto him Santanu’s son said,—My head, O sire, hangs down!—O foremost one among the Kuru’s O Phalguni, get me a pillow! Indeed, give me one without delay O hero, that would become my bed! You O Partha, art competent, you are the foremost of all wielders of bows! You are conversant with the duties of Kshatriyas and you are endued with intelligence and goodness!—

Then Phalguni, saying,—So be it—desired to do Bhishma’s bidding. Taking up Gandiva and a number of straight shafts, and inspiring them with mantras, and obtaining the permission of that illustrious and mighty car-warrior of Bharata’s race, Arjuna then, with three keen shafts endued with great force, supported Bhishma’s head. Then that chief of the Bharatas, viz., Bhishma of virtuous soul, conversant with the truths of religion, seeing that Arjuna, having divined his thought, had achieved that feat, became highly gratified. And after that pillow had thus been given to him, he applauded Dhananjaya.

And casting his eyes upon all the Bharatas there, he addressed Kunti’s son Arjuna, that foremost of all warriors, that enhancer of the joys of his friends and said,—

You have given me, O son of Pandu, a pillow that becomes my bed! If you had acted otherwise, I would have cursed you, from wrath! Even thus, O mighty-armed one, should a Kshatriya, observant of his duties, sleep on the field of battle on his bed of arrows!—

Having addressed Vibhatsu thus, he then said unto all those kings and princes that were present there, these words:—Behold you the pillow that the son of Pandu has given me! I will sleep on this bed till the Sun turns to the northern solstice! Those king that will then come to me will behold me (yield up my life)! When the Sun on his car of great speed and unto which are yoked seven steeds, will proceed towards the direction occupied by Vaisravana, verily, even then, will I yield up my life like a dear friend dismissing a dear friend! Let a ditch be dug here around my quarters you kings! Thus pierced with hundreds of arrows will I pay my adorations to the Sun? As regards yourselves, abandoning enmity, cease you from the fight, you kings—

'Sanjaya continued,—

"Then there came unto him some surgeons well trained (in their science) and skilled in plucking out arrows, with all becoming appliances (of their profession).

Beholding them, the son of Ganga said unto your son,—

'Let these physicians, after proper respect being paid to them, be dismissed with presents of wealth. Brought to such a plight, what need have I now of physicians? I have won the most laudable and the highest state ordained in Kshatriya observances! You kings, lying as I do on a bed of arrows, it is not proper for me to submit now to the treatment of physicians. With these arrows on my body, you rulers of men, should I be burnt!'—

Hearing these words of his, your son Duryodhana dismissed those physicians, having honoured them as they deserved. Then those kings of diverse realms, beholding that constancy in virtue displayed by Bhishma of immeasurable energy, were filled with wonder. Having given a pillow to your sire thus, those rulers of men, those mighty car-warriors, viz., the Pandavas and the Kauravas, united together, once more approached the high-souled Bhishma lying on that excellent bed of his. Reverentially saluting that high-souled one and circumambulating him thrice, and stationing guards all around for his protection, those heroes, with bodies drenched in blood, repaired for rest towards their own tents in the evening, their hearts plunged into grief and thinking of what they had seen.

Then at the proper time, the mighty Madhava, approaching the Pandavas, those mighty car-warriors cheerfully seated together and filled with joy at the fall of Bhishma, said unto Dharma’s son Yudhishthira these words,—

"By good luck victory has been thine, O you of Kuru’s rare! By good luck has Bhishma been overthrown, who is unslayable by men, and is a mighty car-warrior of aim incapable of being baffled! Or, perhaps, as destiny would have it, that warrior who was master of every weapon, having obtained you for a foe that canst slay with your eyes alone, has been consumed by your wrathful eye!—"

Thus addressed by Krishna, king Yudhishthira the just, replied unto Janardana, saying,—Through Your grace is Victory, through Your wrath is Defeat! You are dispeller of the fears of those that are devoted to you. You are our refuge! It is not wonderful that they should have victory whom You always protectest in battle, and in whose welfare You are always engaged, O Kesava! Having got You for our refuge, I do not regard anything as wonderful! Thus addressed by him, Janardana answered with a smile,—O best of kings, these words can come from you alone!"