War Day 8: Bheeshm as Commander-in-Chief-Day-8
8th day of War - The 8th day under the leadership of Bheeshm.

Kaurav army was organized in Oormi (ocean) fashion. Yudhishthir asked Arjun to organize his army in Shringaatak (in the form of horns) way - that is destructive to all hostile arrays. Both the Vyooh were unusual. Only Bheem and Arjun were good at them. As the fight began, Bheem came against Bheeshm. He killed his charioteer and horses. Duryodhan got alarmed to see this so he came there with his brothers. Bheem thought that he would kill as many Duryodhan's brothers as possible today. He killed eight of them one after the other (Sunabh, Aadityaketu, Vaahvaseen, Kundadhar, Mahodar, Aparaajit, Panditakaa and Vishaalaaksh). Seeing this his other brothers fled away. Duryodhan got very furious at this, he shouted at his army - "There is Bheem, kill him now." At that time his brothers remembered Vidur's beneficial words. Duryodhan came to Bheeshm and said angrily - "Bheem has to be killed today. He has already killed my eight brothers more. My army cannot withstand his fight, and your indifferent attitude is responsible for this."

Bheeshm's eyes filled with tears hearing these cruel words of Duryodhan, he said - "Drone, Vidur, Gaandhaaree and I have already told you before, but you don't comprehend it that none of us will come out of this fight alive. That is why keeping the Heaven as your goal you should fight. Paanadv are invincible so set your heart firmly on battle. You take for granted that you and your all brothers will be killed by Bheem in this war. Whenever and wherever he will any of them, he will kill him. You can do nothing about it. Could you yourself save your brothers? So from now on you concentrate on dying in the battlefield, not on the things which are beyond the control of man?" And he started fighting again.

Dhritraashtra said - "What did Bheeshm, Drone and Kripaa do after seeing my so many sons slain by one person? When they were killed protected by so many great warriors then it is nothing but the evil destiny. Now Bheem will be slaying my sons in the battle day after day. My this wicked son doesn't hear anybody." Sanjaya said - "Vidur already said to you, "Stop your son playing dice", but since your Time had come, you didn't listen to it. However, now listen to the account of war further.

Today Paandav were attacking Bheeshm in teams, but it was in vain as he had the Var of Ichchhaa Mrityu. Paandav were attacking Kaurav divided in three teams. Both parties were killing each other's armies. Iraavat came to Arjun. Arjun embraced him and got very happy. He was the son of the Naag Raaj's daughter Uloopee, whom he married when he was on his Praayashchit travel. Her husband was killed by Garud and she was child less and grieved when she requested Arjun to be her husband. Airaavat gave her to Arjun. Arjun accepted her and Iraavat was their son. When he heard that Arjun had gone to Swarg, he went there and introduced himself as his son. Arjun recollected all incidents connected to his mother. He got very happy to see him and said - "When war will take place you will help me." "Yes" After saying this he went away. He came now to help Arjun.

He saw Shakuni's six younger brothers (Gaya, Gavaaksh, Vrishabh, Charmaavat, Arjab, Shuk) doing a lot of mischief, so he came to fight with them. Iraavat was like his father in strength and was like Abhimanyu in handling the weapons. He asked his army to destroy all of them. At this they rushed towards Iraavat, Iraavat killed them all. Seeing this Duryodhan got angry and he called Alambooshaa (son of Jataasur) and said - "See, How this Arjun's son is troubling us, go and fight with him." "Yes" Saying this he went to fight with Iraavat. At last Alambooshaa killed him by cutting him into pieces.

Dhritraashtra asked - "Then what did Paandav do after they heard about the killing of Arjun's son Iraavat?" Sanjaya said - "Seeing Iraavat killed, Ghatotkach made a loud cry and advanced towards Kaurav army. Duryodhan came to face him. He fought with Duryodhan and his helper kings.  He said to him - "Today I will be free from debts to my fathers and mothers. They have been living in forest for so long time only because of you." Then Bheeshm asked Drone to save king from Ghatotkach. Drone taking with him Ashwatthaamaa, Jayadrath etc came to fight with him, but he was withholding everyone. After defeating everyone he again turned towards Duryodhan. Attacking him he made many loud cries.

When Yudhishthir heard those cries, he sent Bheem to help him. Bheem came with other warriors and 6,000 elephants. Your army became pale seeing Bheem coming to them so they left Ghatotkach and fled away. Then the battle between great warriors started but Bheem and his son were difficult to defy for anybody. So Drone asked some warriors to go and save the king. All came to save him and fought with Bheem, Neel (Bheem's friend) and Ghatotkach but all of them were so strong that they started fleeing away Bheeshm and Sanjaya asked them to come back and fight with them but they didn't listen to us and fled away. Ghatotkach scattered the whole Kaurav army at the end of the say, so Paandav blew their conchs.

Duryodhan went to Bheeshm and said to him - "We have commenced this war relying on you as Paandav rely on Krishn. All the 11 Akshauhinee army is at your command still we are defeated by Paandav. I have come to say that I wish to kill him myself." Bheeshm said - "Look son, You should behave properly in this situation. You are king and you should save yourself. You should fight only with Yudhishthir or any other Panndav. We all are here to fight with that Raakshas for you." Then he sent Bhagadatt to fight with Ghatotkach. Bheem, Abhimanyu, Ghatotkach and Draupadee's sons were already waiting there for him. Al tried to stop the elephant of Bhagdatt but they could not stop it. At the same time the king of Dasaarn came and stopped him coming forward, but at last he also had to go back. Then came Arjun and a fierce fight occurred between him and Kaurav army. Then Bheem told him about the killing of Iraavat.

Hearing this Arjun felt very bad that so many innocent people were being killed just because of the obstinacy of one foolish person. He said to Krishn - "This is what my uncle Vidur predicted long time ago that Kaurav and Paandav will be destroyed in a war And that is why he tried to stop Dhritraashtra. This has been done only for wealth. It is better to die as a beggar than to kill so many innocent people. Hey Keshav, What we will gain out of killing our kinsmen? This is very sad that only because of Duryodhan, Shakuni and Karn the whole race of Kshatriya is being exterminated. Now I can realize that why our brother was ready to accept half the kingdom or even five villages. I am fighting only so that people do not call me coward in battle field. Well, now there is no look back, so take me to Kaurav army."