This Bhishma, this son of Shantanu, this foremost of the Kurus, has resolved to fight with Dhananjaya, heedless of his very life and to the best of his abilities,
एष भीष्मः शान्तनवो योद्धुकामो धनंजयम्। सर्वात्मना कुरुश्रेष्ठस्त्यक्त्वा जीवितमात्मनः॥