Bheeshma formed the Makara vyuha or crocodile formation on the fifth day of the war. Seeing this, the Pandavas created the Syena or hawk formation to counter the Kauravas. Bheema stood at the mouth of the formation with Arjuna at the neck, followed by the rest of the warriors.
As soon as the battle started, Bheema led his troops and smashed open the Kaurava formation. Bheeshma then attacked Bheema and Arjuna came to his brother’s defence. A terrible battle raged between Bheeshma and Arjuna.
Drona then launched his attack on the Pandavas but was stopped by Satyaki. Shikhandi attacked Bheeshma, who remembered that he was Amba reborn and hence stopped fighting him and moved on. Shikhandi then fought with Drona.
Arrows flew all over the place. The sharp arrows of the great warriors beheaded the opponents, causing headless bodies to fall on the battleground. The horses without riders ran around aimlessly. Arjuna then took on Bheeshma and a fierce battle begun.
Arjuna’s shower of arrows killed hundreds of Kauravas, who panicked. An angry Bheeshma took on Arjuna supported by Jayadratha, Dushasana, and other Kaurava warriors. The fighting was so ferocious that it caused a dust storm that blocked the sun.
Elephants charged at chariots, breaking them and bringing down the standards of the warriors. Elephants crushed the chariots and trampled charioteers and soldiers to death. Soon, the bodies piled up on the battlefield.
Bheeshma fought with Bheema and effortlessly used his arrows to break a spear hurled by the Pandava. Satyaki then attacked Bheeshma who killed Satyaki’s charioteer causing the horses to flee. Bheeshma then began to ravage the Pandava forces, killing hundreds of soldiers.
Virata then confronted Bheeshma, and both fought furiously. When Arjuna came to Virata’s help, Ashwatthama hit him on the chest with his arrows. Arjuna cut Ashwatthama’s bow and injured him. Drona’s son picked up another bow and shot hundreds of arrows at Arjuna and Krishna. Even though he could defeat Ashwatthama, Arjuna spared him because he was the son of his teacher.
Bheema fought with Duryodhana while Abhimanyu fought with Chitrasena, Satyavrata, and Purumitra. When Abhimanyu shattered Chitrasena’s bow, Duryodhana’s son Lakshmana charged at him. Abhimanyu soon killed Lakshmana’s charioteer and broke his bow. Kripa came and took Lakshmana away to safety.
Satyaki slaughtered thousands of Kaurava soldiers and then took on Bhurishravas. Satyaki’s ten sons joined him and challenged Bhurishravas. In the battle that took place then, Bhurishravas defeated and killed all ten sons of Satyaki. A furious Satyaki then killed Bhurishravas’ charioteer. Bhurishravas then killed Satyaki’s charioteer, and both warriors broke each other’s bows.
The two then fought with each other using swords. Bheema came to Satyaki’s help and took him away in his chariot. Duryodhana sent 25,000 powerful soldiers to take on Arjuna. The wielder of the Gandiva effortlessly managed to kill all of them.
Even as the fighting intensified, the sun began to set. Seeing this, Bheeshma sounded the retreat and the two sides returned to their respective camps.