But he stopped the attacking kings each with two arrows. The battle became so fierce with the dense shower of arrows that it looked like the battle between the Devas and the Danavas. And even brave men were struck with fear to look at it. (Bhishma) cut off by his arrows flag staffs, armours and human heads by hundreds and thousands on the field of battle. Such was his prowess and extraordinary lightness of hand, such was the skill with which he protected himself, that the fighting car-warriors, though his enemies, loudly applauded him. That foremost of all experts in arms (Bhishma), having defeated all the kings in battle and having taken the maidens with him, went towards the capital of the Bharatas. O king, then the great car-warrior king, Shalva, challenged from behind the son of Shantanu, Bhishma, to a combat. Desirous of securing the maidens, he came upon Bhishma like a powerful leader of elephants, rushing upon another of its kinds and tearing with its tusk its opponent's thigh at the sight of a female. That mighty armed king Shalva cried in wrath to Bhishma, “Stay, Stay.” Then the best of men, Bhishma that destroyer of hostile army, provoked by his words, flamed up in anger like a blazing fire. Bow in hand, his brow borrowed into wrinkles, he stopped his car in obedience to the Kshatriya usage and stayed there in expectation of the enemy.
स च तान् प्रतिविव्याध द्वाभ्यां द्वाभ्यां पराक्रमन्। तद् युद्धमासीत् तुमुलं घोरं देवासुरोपमम्॥ पश्यतां लोकवीराणां शरशक्तिसमाकुलम्। स धनूंषि ध्वजाग्राणि वर्माणि च शिरांसि च॥ चिच्छेद समरे भीष्मः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः। तस्याति पुरुषानन्याँल्लाघवं रथचारिणः॥ रक्षणं चात्मनः संख्ये शत्रवोऽप्यभ्यपूजयन्। तान् विनिर्जित्य तु रणे सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः॥ कन्याभिः सहितः प्रायाद् भारतो भारतान् प्रति। ततस्तं पृष्ठतो राजञ्छाल्वराजो महारथः॥ अभ्यगच्छदमेयात्मा भीष्मं शान्तनवं रणे। वारणं जघने भिन्दन् दन्ताभ्यामपरो यथा॥ वासितामनुसम्प्राप्तो यूथपो बलिनां वरः।। स्त्रीकामस्तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति भीष्ममाह स पार्थिवः॥ शाल्वराजो महाबाहुरमर्षेण प्रचोदितः। ततः सः पुरुषव्याघ्रो भीष्मः परबलार्दनः॥ तद्वाक्याकुलितः क्रोधाद् विधूमोऽग्निरिव ज्वलन्। विततेषुधनुष्पाणिविकुञ्चितललाटभृत्॥ क्षत्रधर्म समास्थाय व्यपेतभयसम्भ्रमः। निवर्तयामास रथं शाल्वं प्रति महारथः॥