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 Kauravas form a square vyuha.
(0) Abhimanyu destroys an army. Duryodhana dispatches Rishyaringa and Alambusa and an army of Rakshasas to counter Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu wrecks them with support from the Uppapandavas.
(1) Bhishma dispatches many chariots that surround Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu begins fighting and killing them.
(2) Arjuna movement to support Abhimanyu. Bhishma attacks Arjuna.
Abhimanyu brought down charioteers, horse-riders and elephant riders together with the elephants. Subhadra’s son drove away many colorful armies, like masses of cotton blown away by the wind. Abhimanyu stood like a flaming fire without smoke. All those on your side could not counter him and were like insects, driven by destiny, into the flame. The arrows released from his bow were like flocks of bees, visiting blossoming trees in the forest. His chariot roared like the clouds. They thought the world now had two Arjunas.
— Bibek Debroy. Mhb. Chapter 956
Sequence
After Abhimanyu drives Alambusa (son of Rishyaringa) from the battlefield.
(3) Kripa skirmishes with Arjuna. Satyaki attacks Kripa. Ashvatthama attacks Satyaki, Satyaki drives Ashvatthama from the battlefield.
(4) Arjuna and Satyaki skirmish with Drona. Duryodhana dispatches Suaharma to protect Drona’s flank.
(5) Movements - Duryodhana, Kripa, Ashvatthama, Shalya, Bahlika, Sudakshina, Vinda and Anuvinda surround Arjuna.
Bhurishrava, Shala and Shakuni check Sahadeva and Nakula.
Shrutayu and Bhagadatta surround Bhima with an elephant army.
(6) Bhishma and many of Dhritarashtra’s sons surround and attack Yudhishthira.
(7) Bhima kills many elephants with his club.
On seeing that army of elephants descend, Bhimasena licked the corners of his mouth. Bhima descended from his chariot, club in hand. The elephant-riders surrounded him from every side. But Pandava penetrated in the midst of elephants and roamed around. He was like the sun in the middle of a large mass of clouds. Bhima slaughtered the tuskers. He was like the wind, scattering a large mass of clouds. He ripped out tusks and used their tusks to strike the elephants on their temples. The club was covered with blood and his body was spattered with fat and marrow. The mighty elephants fled in panic, crushing their own soldiers in the process.
— Bibek Debroy. Mhb. Chapter 958
(8) Dhrishtadyumna, Drupada, Shikhandi, and the Upapandavas fight with Bhishma. The Somakas and Bhishma’s forces fight a terrible battle.
(9) Arjuna fights with Susharma, king of Trigartas, and destroys legions of Trigarta soldiers.
Elephants clashed with elephants and swiftly crushed infantry and horses. Horses crushed men. A fearful river began to flow, with blood as its waves. It was choked with masses of bones and the hair was like moss and weeds. Chariots were the lakes and arrows were the currents, with horses as the unassailable fish. It was covered with heads as pebbles. It was infested with elephants as crocodiles. Armor and headdresses constituted the foam. Bows were islands and swords were turtles. Flags and pennants were trees along the banks. Men were the banks that the river destroyed. It was infested with predatory creatures.
— Bibek Debroy. Mhb. Chapter 159
Sequence
(10) Bhishma moves to stop Arjuna from killing the Trigartas, but is attacked by Drupada.
Satyaki repulses Kritavarma. Bhima rocks Bahlika, who is saved by Lakshmana. Abhimanyu drives off Chitrasena. Drupada attacks Drona. The Pandavas rush to surround Bhishma.
(11) Duryodhana dispatches Duhshasana to help Drona.
(12) Shakuni and army of cavalry approach Sahadeva, Nakula and Yudhishthira.
(13) Shalya descends and attacks Bhima, Sahadeva and Nakula.
(14) Bhishma goes ballistic - Attacking everyone - then killing many Chedis, Karushas and Kashis.
(15) Krishna returns with Arjuna from slaughtering Trigartas to fight Bhishma. Krishna again becomes frustrated with Arjuna for not fighting with the intent to kill against the beloved Bhishma and moves to attack Bhishma. Arjuna again holds on to Krishna’s legs to stop him.
Vasudeva saw that Partha was fighting mildly. Krishna’s eyes were coppery red with anger. Full of anger, the great yogi descended from his chariot and advanced toward Bhishma. Arjuna ran after Keshava and grabbed him with both arms. Krishna dragged Arjuna along. Partha grabbed Krishna’s legs and stopped him at the tenth step.
— Bibek Debroy. Chapter 962