Introduction
“You are armored. Now fight.”
— Duryodhana. Bibek Debroy. Mhb. Chapter 908
Bhishma Vadha tells what happened in the first ten days of the Kuru Kshetra war before Bhishma is killed.
https://crackpot.substack.com/t/bhishma
Sequence
The Pandavas form a shyena (hawk) vyuha. The Kauravas form a makara (crocodile) vyuha.
(0) Bhima penetrates the mouth of the Makara to attack Bhishma. Arjuna moves to attack Bhishma with Bhima.
(1) Drona penetrates the Pandava army. Satyaki and Shikhandi fight with Shalya and Drona. Bhima attacks Drona to protect Satyaki. Drona, Bhishma and Shalya attack Bhima. Abhimanyu and the Uppapandavas attack Drona’s soldiers.
(2) Shikhandi movement to attack Bhishma. Bhishma retreats. Shikhandi attacks Drona and is forced to flee.
(3) Duryodhana movement to attack Arjuna.
Sequence
(4) Duryodhana leads Kalinga soldiers to attack the Pandavas with Bhishma. Nakula, Sahadeva and Yudhishthira counterattack. Arjuna attacks Bhishma.
(5) Duhshasana leads large armies of Madras, Kambojas, Souviras, Gandharas and Trigartas into battle. Jayadratha and Shakuni are with them. Bhishma fights with Arjuna. Vinda and Anuvinda fight with the king of Kashi. Bhimasena fights with Jayadratha. Virata fights with Duryodhana and Shakuni.
(6) Yudhishthira fights with Shalya. Sahadeva fights Vikarna. Chitrasena with Shikhandi.
(7) Drupada, Chekitana and Satyaki fight with Drona and Ashvatthama.
(8) Kripa and Kritavarma attack Dhrishtaketu
Tuskers shattered large numbers of chariots. They crushed and dragged down charioteers by the hair, as if they were the branches of trees. As chariots fought with chariots, elephants dragged them down, running in all directions with a loud noise. As they were dragged by the elephants, they looked like masses of lotus stalks.
— Bibek Debroy Mhb. Chapter 927
When it was midday and the sun had reached the midpoint of the sky, burning down with its fierce rays, the Kurus and Pandavas began to kill each other. Chariots roamed around on the field of battle. They had standards decorated with gold and pennants. They were covered with tiger skins and were beautiful. We could not see the sky, the directions, or the sun. Arrows were released in every direction. There were lances, spears and swords.
— Bibek Debroy. Chapter 928
Sequence
At the end of the day Bhishma and Drona lead a charge. The pandavas, led by Dhrishtadyumna, counter.
(15) Bhishma slaughters masses of troops. Virata counter attacks.
(16-17) Arjuna rocks Ashvatthama, then kills many regular troops, sparing Ashvatthama. Bhima fights with Duryodhana.
(18) Abhimanyu attacks several Kurus. Kripa saves Lakshmana, whose chariot has been destroyed by Abhimanyu.
(19) Satyaki slaughters masses of chariots - then fights with Bhurishravas. Bhurishravas routs Satyaki’s troops, then kills ten of Satyaki’s sons. Bhima saves Satyaki - picking him up on his chariot to flee.
Arjuna slaughters masses of troops Duryodhana sends against him to close the day’s fighting.