battle: VI, 18δ, 688 (follow the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra when
going to battle) (Bhagavadgītāp.).—(b) 9th day; VI, 106τ,
4809 (defend Bhīṣma; otherwise PCR.) (Bhīṣmav.).—
(c) 10th day: VI, 119αα, 5648 (defend in vain Bhīṣma,
when he is slain by Arjuna) (Bhīṣmav.).—(d) 14th day:
VII, 91β, 3254 (attempt to prevent Arjuna from killing
Jayadratha) (Jayadrathavadhap.); 93γ, 3339 (they angrily
attack Arjuna, after he has slain Śrutāyudha and Sudakṣiṇa)
(do.), 150β1, 6526 (Duryodhana complains that they have
been slain in defending Jayadratha, etc.) (do.); 157ρ, 6949
(are slain by Yudhiṣṭhira) (Ghaṭotkacavadhap.); 161εε,
7207 (are slain by Bhīma) (do.).—After the 15th day:
VIII, 5, 127 (Sañjaya relates to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that they
have been slain) (Karṇap.).
pada and its people; mentioned almost
always along with Śūrasenas, Śibis and
Vasātis (in 7. 132. 24 Bāhlīkas appear in
place of Śibis).
A. Characteristic: They are counted
twice among the twelve Janapadas (abhī-
ṣāhāḥ śūrasenāḥ … dvādaśaite janapadāḥ)
6. 18. 12-13; 6. 114. 76-77; Kṣatriyas (7.
136. 4), distinguished by their armour, they
are said to be brave, ready to die in battle
(śūrās tanutyajaḥ 6. 18. 14) and haughty
due to pride (abhīṣāhāḥ kavacinaḥ praha-
ranto madotkaṭāḥ) 8. 4. 37; very much
excited in battle (abhīṣāhān...yuddhadur-
madān) 7. 136. 4; strong (balavantaḥ) 6.
112. 107; they ranked as mahārathas 6.
112. 107, 111. B. Epic events: (1)
Abhīṣāhas, Śūrasenas, Śibis and Vasātis
were among the thousands of charioteers
who followed Duḥśāsana and other heroes
acting as rear-guards (pṛṣṭhagopāḥ 6. 18.
10) of Bhīṣma (rathā viṃśatisāhāsrās …
abhīṣāhāḥ śūrasenāḥ śibayo 'tha vasāta-
yaḥ// … mahatā rathavaṃśena te 'bhya-
rakṣan pitāmaham) 6. 18. 10, 12, 14; (2)
On the ninth day of the war, Abhīṣāhas,
Śūrasenas and others did not run away
from Bhīṣma though they were being killed
by the sharp arrows of the Pāṇḍavas (ābhī-
ṣāhāḥ śūrasenāḥ śibayo 'tha vasātayaḥ/
saṃgrāme nājahur bhīṣmaṃ vadhyamānāḥ
śitaiḥ śaraiḥ// … vadhyamānāḥ pāṇḍa-
veyair mahātmabhiḥ) 6. 102. 7-8; (3)
On the tenth day of the war, Abhīṣāhas,
Śūrasenas, Śibis and Vasātis attacked
Arjuna as the moths jump on fire; they
were burnt by Arjuna with his heavenly
missiles; struck by Arjuna the charioteers
fell down with their standards, the horse-
riders with their horses, and the elephant-
riders with their elephants (abhīṣāhāḥ śūra-
senāḥ śibayo 'tha vasātayaḥ/ … abhipetū
raṇe pārthaṃ pataṅgā iva pāvakam//)
6. 112. 109-112; (sadhvajā rathinaḥ petur
hayārohā hayaiḥ saha/gajāḥ saha gajā-
rohaiḥ) 6. 112. 115; (4) On the tenth
day of the war, a little before the fall of
Bhīṣma, twelve Janapadas, among whom
were Abhīṣāhas, Śūrasenas, Śibis and Va-
sātis, who did not forsake Bhīṣma, fighting
with Arjuna, though they were themselves
pierced by arrows and wounded (abhī-
ṣāhāḥ śūrasenāḥ śibayo 'tha vasātayaḥ/
… dvādaśaite janapadāḥ śarārtā vraṇapīḍi-
tāḥ/saṃgrāme na jahur bhīṣmaṃ yudhya-
mānaṃ kirīṭinā//) 6. 114. 76-77; (5)
On the fourteenth day of the war, Abhī-
ṣāhas, Śūrasenas, Śibis and Vasātis were
among the tens of thousands of charioteers
who followed Kāmboja and Śrutāyu(dha)
who attempted to arrest the march of
Arjuna towards Jayadratha; then there was
a fierce fight (eṣāṃ daśasahastrāṇi rathā-
nām anuyāyinām/abhīṣāhāḥ śūrasenāḥ
śibayo 'tha vasātayaḥ/ … maheṣvāsaṃ parā-
krāntaṃ naravyāghram avārayan//tataḥ
pravavṛte yuddhaṃ tumulam) 7. 66.
37, 41-43; (6) When Śrutāyudha and
Sudakṣina (a Kāmboja) were killed by
Arjuna, Abhīṣāhas, Śūrasenas, Śibis and
Vasātis showered arrows on Arjuna; when
Arjuna retaliated, afraid, they ran away;
however, they returned and surrounded
Arjuna; Arjuna cut off their heads and
arms (abhīṣāhāḥ śūrasenāḥ śibayo 'tha
vasātayaḥ/abhyavarṣaṃs … śaravarṣair
dhanaṃjayam// … te sma bhītāḥ palāyanta
… /te nivṛtya punaḥ pārthaṃ sarvataḥ
paryavārayan//) 7. 68. 2-6; after the fall
of Jayadratha, Duryodhana referred to this
incident and said that Abhīṣāhas and others
had given their life for his sake while fight-
ing with Arjuna (abhīṣāhāḥ śūrasenāḥ
śibayo 'tha vasātayaḥ … hatā madarthaṃ
saṃgrāme yudhyamānāḥ kirīṭinā//) 7. 125.
31-32; (7) In the night war, Abhīṣāhas,
Śūrasenas and Vasātikas are mentioned
among those who were killed by Yudhi-
ṣṭhira (abhīṣāhāñ śūrasenān … savasātikān/
nikṛtya pṛthivīṃ rājā cakre śoṇitakarda-
mām//) 7. 132. 24; Śibis are mentioned in
7. 136. 3; (8) Bhīma too killed Abhīṣāhas
and Śūrasenas in the night war (abhīṣāhāñ
śūrasenān … nikṛtya prthivīṃ cakre bhīmaḥ
śoṇitakardamām//) 7. 136. 4; (9) Saṃ-
jaya, while recounting to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the
names of fallen heroes, mentioned among
others Vasātis, Śūrasenas, Abhīṣāhas and
Śibis who were killed while fighting with
Arjuna (vasātayo mahārāja … /śūrasenāś
ca vikrāntāḥ … /abhīṣāhāḥ kavacinaḥ pra-
haranto madotkaṭāḥ … /śibayaś ca ratho-
dārāḥ … te sarve pārtham āsādya gatā
vaivasvatakṣayam//) 8. 4. 36-38.