Chapter 99

Sanjaya said, “The high-souled Bhishma, deeply pierced with wordy daggersby thy son, became filled with great grief. But he said not a singledisagreeable word in reply. Indeed, mangled by those wordy daggers andfilled with grief and rage, he sighed like a snake and reflected (insilence) for a long while. Raising his eyes then, and as if consuming,from wrath, the world with the celestials, the Asuras, and theGandharvas, that foremost of persons conversant with the world, thenaddressed thy son and said unto him these tranquil words, ‘Why, ODuryodhana, dost thou pierce me thus with thy wordy daggers? I alwaysendeavour to the utmost of my might to achieve, and do achieve, what isfor thy good. Indeed, from desire of doing what is agreeable to thee, Iam prepared to cast away my life in battle. The Pandavas are reallyinvincible. When the brave son of Pandu gratified Agni in the forest ofKhandava, having vanquished Sakra himself in battle, even that is asufficient indication.[462] When, O mighty-armed one, the same son ofPandu rescued thee while thou wert being led away a captive by theGandharvas, even that is a sufficient indication. On that occasion, Olord, thy brave uterine brothers had all fled, as also Radha’s son of theSuta caste. That (rescue, therefore, by Arjuna) is a sufficientindication. In Virata’s city, alone he fell upon all of us unitedtogether. That is a sufficient indication. Vanquishing in battle bothDrona and myself excited with rage, he took away our robes. That is asufficient indication. On that occasion, of old, of the seizure of kine,he vanquished that mighty bowman the son of Drona, and Saradwat also.That is a sufficient indication. Having vanquished Karna also who is veryboastful of his manliness, he gave the latter’s robes unto Uttara. Thatis a sufficient indication. The son of Pritha defeated in battle theNivatakavachas who were incapable of defeat by Vasava himself. That is asufficient indication. Who, indeed, is capable of vanquishing in battlethe son of Pandu by force, him, viz., that hath for his protector theProtector of the Universe armed with conch, discus, and mace? Vasudeva ispossessed of infinite power, and is the Destroyer of the Universe. He isthe highest Lord of all, the God of gods, the Supreme Soul and eternal.He hath been variously described, O king, by Narada and other greatRishis. In consequence of thy folly, however, O Suyodhana, thou knowestnot what should be said and what should not. The man on the point ofdeath beholdeth all trees to be made of gold. So thou also, O son ofGandhari, seest everything inverted. Having provoked fierce hostilitieswith the Pandavas and the Srinjayas, fight now (thyself) with them inbattle. Let us see thee act like a man. As regards myself, I will, Otiger among men, slay all the Somakas and the Panchalas assembledtogether, avoiding Sikhandin alone. Slain by them in battle, I will go toYama’s abode, or slaying them in battle, I will give thee joy. Sikhandinwas born in Drupada’s palace as female at first. She became a male inconsequence of the grant of a boon. After all, however, she isSikhandini. Him I will not slay even if I have to lose my life, OBharata. She is the same Sikhandini that the Creator had first made her.Pass the night in happy sleep, O son of Gandhari. Tomorrow I will fight afierce battle about which men will speak as long as the world lasts.’Thus addressed by him, thy son, O monarch, came away. And saluting hissignior with a bow of the head, he came back to his own tent. Comingback, the king dismissed his attendants. And soon then that destroyer offoes entered his abode. And having entered (his tent) the monarch passedthe night (in. sleep). And when the night dawned, rising up, the king,ordered all the royal warriors, saying, Draw up the forces. TodayBhishma, excited with wrath, will slay all the Somakas.’

Hearing those copious lamentations of Duryodhana in the night, Bhishmaregarded them, O king, as commands to himself. Filled with great griefand deprecating the status of servitude, Santanu’s son reflected for along time, thinking of an encounter with Arjuna in battle. Understandingfrom signs that Ganga’s son had been thinking of that, Duryodhana, Oking, commanding Dussasana, saying, ‘O Dussasana, let cars be quicklyappointed for protecting Bhishma. Let all the two and twenty divisions(of our army) be urged on. That hath now come about which we had beenthinking for a series of years, viz., the slaughter of the Pandavas withall their troops and the acquisition (by ourselves) of the kingdom. Inthis matter, I think, the protection of Bhishma is our foremost duty.Protected by us, he will protect us and slay the Parthas in battle. Ofcleansed soul, he said unto me,–I will not slay Sikhandini. He was afemale before, O king, and, therefore, should be avoided by me in battle.The world knoweth, O thou of mighty arms, that from desire of doing goodto my father, I formerly gave up a swelling kingdom. I will not,therefore, slay in battle, O foremost of men, any female or anybody thatwas a female before. This that I tell thee is true. This Sikhandin, Oking, was first born a female. Thou hast heard that story. She was bornas Sikhandini after the manner I told thee before the battle began.Taking her birth as a daughter she hath become a man. Indeed, she willfight with me, but I will never shoot my arrows at her. As regards allother Kshatriyas desirous of victory to the Pandavas, O sire, whom I mayget within my reach on the field of battle, I will slay them.–These werethe words that Ganga’s son acquainted with the scriptures, that chief ofBharata’s race, said unto me. Therefore, with my whole soul I think thatprotecting the son of Ganga is our foremost duty. The very wolf may slaythe lion left unprotected in the great forest. Let not Ganga’s son beslain by Sikhandin like the lion slain by the wolf. Let our maternaluncle Sakuni, and Salya, and Kripa, and Drona, and Vivingsati, carefullyprotect the son of Ganga. If he is protected, (our) victory is certain.’

“Hearing these words of Duryodhana, all surrounded Ganga’s son with alarge division of cars. And thy sons also, taking up their positionaround Bhishma, proceeded to battle. And they all went, shaking the earthand the welkin, and causing fear in the hearts of the Pandavas. Themighty car-warriors (of the Kaurava army), supported by those cars andelephants, and clad in mail, stood in battle, surrounding Bhishma. Andall of them took up their positions for protecting that mightycar-warrior like the celestials in the battle between themselves and theAsuras for protecting the wielder of the thunder-bolt. Then kingDuryodhana once more addressing his brother, said, ‘Yudhamanyu protectsthe left wheel of Arjuna’s car, and Uttamaujas his right wheel. And (thusprotected) Arjuna protects Sikhandin. O Dussasana, adopt such steps that,protected by Partha, Sikhandin may not be able to slay Bhishma leftunprotected by us.’ Hearing these words of his brother, thy sonDussasana, accompanied by the troops, advanced for battle, placingBhishma in the van. Beholding Bhishma (thus surrounded by a large numberof cars), Arjuna, that foremost of car-warriors, addressed Dhrishtadyumnaand said, ‘O prince, place that tiger among men, Sikhandin, today infront of Bhishma, I myself will be his protector, O prince of Panchala.”