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The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2 by or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli

o >> or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli >> The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2






SECTION CXXXVI

"Sanjaya said, 'Hearing the twang of Bhimasena's bow and the sound of his
palms, the son of Radha could not brook it, like an infuriated elephant
incapable of brooking the roars of an infuriated rival. Returning for a
moment from before Bhimasena, Karna cast his eyes upon those sons of
thine that had been slain by Bhimasena, Beholding them, O best of men,
Karna became cheerless and plunged in grief. Breathing hot and long
sighs, he, once more, proceeded against the son of Pandu. With eyes red
as copper, and sighing in wrath like a mighty snake, Karna then, as he
shot his arrows, looked resplendent like the sun scattering his
rays.[159] Indeed, O bull of Bharata's race, Vrikodara was then covered
with the arrows, resembling the spreading rays of the sun that were shot
from Karna's bow. The beautiful shafts, equipped with peacock-feathers,
shot from Karna's bow, penetrated into every part of Bhima's body, like
birds into a tree for roosting there. Indeed, the arrows, equipped with
wings of gold, shot from Karna's bow falling incessantly, resembled
continuous rows of cranes. So numerous were the shafts shot by
Adhiratha's son that, these seemed to issue not from his bow alone but
from his standard, his umbrella, and the shaft and yoke and bottom of his
car also. Indeed, Adhiratha's son shot his sky-ranging shafts of
impetuous energy, decked with gold and equipped with vulturine feathers,
in such a way as to fill the entire welkin with them. Beholding him
(thus) excited with fury and rushing towards him like the Destroyer
himself, Vrikodara, becoming utterly reckless of his life and prevailing
over his foe, pierced him with nine shafts.[160] Beholding the
irresistible impetuosity of Karna as also that dense shower of arrows,
Bhima, endued as he was with great prowess, quailed not in fear. The son
of Pandu then counteracting that arrowy downpour of Adhiratha's son,
pierced Karna himself with twenty other sharp shafts. Indeed, as Pritha's
son himself had before been shrouded by the Suta's son, even so was the
latter now shrouded by the former in that battle. Beholding the prowess
of Bhimasena in battle, thy warriors, as also the Gharanas, filled with
joy; applauded him. Bhurisravas, and Kripa, and Drona's son, and the
ruler of the Madras, and Uttamaujas and Yudhamanyu, and Kesava, and
Arjuna,--these great car-warriors: O king, among both the Kurus and the
Pandavas,--loudly cheered Bhima, saying, 'Excellent, Excellent,' and
uttered leonine roars. When that fierce uproar, making the hair stand on
end rose, thy son Duryodhana, O king, quickly said unto all the kings and
princes and particularly his uterine brothers, these words, 'Blessed be
ye, proceed towards Karna for rescuing him from Vrikodara, else the
shafts shot from Bhima's bow will slay the son of Radha. Ye mighty
bowmen, strive ye to protect the Suta's son.' Thus commanded by
Duryodhana, seven of his uterine brothers, O sire, rushing in wrath
towards Bhimasena, encompassed him on all sides. Approaching the son of
Kunti they covered him with showers of arrows, like clouds pouring
torrents of rain on the mountain-breast in the season of rains. Excited
with wrath, those seven great car-warriors began to afflict Bhimasena, O
king, like the seven planets afflicting the moon at the hour of the
universal dissolution. The son of Kunti, then, O monarch, drawing his
beautiful bow with great force and firm grasp, and knowing that his foes
were but men, aimed seven shafts. And lord Bhima in great rage sped at
them those shafts, effulgent as solar rays. Indeed, Bhimasena
recollecting his former wrongs, shot those shafts as if for extracting
the life from out of the bodies of those sons of thine. Those arrows, O
Bharata, whetted on stone and equipped with wings of gold, shot by
Bhimasena, piercing through the bodies of those Bharata princes, flew
into the sky. Indeed, those arrows winged with gold, piercing through the
hearts of thy sons, looked beautiful, O monarch, as they passed into the
sky, like birds of excellent plumage. Decked with gold and covered all
over with blood, those arrows, O king, drinking the blood of thy sons
passed out of their body. Pierced in their vital limbs by means of those
arrows, they fell down on the earth from their cars, like tall trees
growing on mountain precipices, broken by an elephant. The seven sons of
thine that were thus slain were Satrunjaya, and Satrusaha, and Chitra,
and Chitrayudha, and Dridha, and Chitrasena and Vikarna. Amongst all thy
sons thus slain, Vrikodara, the son of Pandu, grieved bitterly from
sorrow for Vikarna who was dear to him. And Bhima said, 'Even thus was
the vow made by me, viz., that all of you should be slain by me in
battle. It is for that, O Vikarna, that thou hast been slain. My vow hath
been accomplished. O hero, thou camest to battle, bearing in mind the
duties of a Kshatriya. Thou wert ever engaged in our good, and especially
in that of the king (our eldest brother). It is scarcely proper,
therefore, for me to grieve for thy illustrious self.' Having slain those
princes, O king, in the very sight of Radha's son, the son of Pandu
uttered a terrible leonine roar. That loud shout of the heroic Bhima, O
Bharata, informed king Yudhishthira the Just that the victory in that
battle was his. Indeed, hearing that tremendous shout of Bhima armed with
the bow, king Yudhishthira felt great joy in the midst of that battle.
The gladdened son of Pandu, then, O king, received that leonine shout of
his brother with sounds and other musical instruments. And after
Vrikodara, had sent him that message by the sign agreed upon,
Yudhishthira, that foremost of persons acquainted with weapons, filled
with joy, rushed against Drona in battle. On the other hand, O king,
beholding one and thirty of thy sons slain, Duryodhana recollected the
words of Vidura.-Those beneficial words spoken by Vidura are now
realised! Thinking even so, king Duryodhana was unable to do what he
should. All that, during the match at dice, thy foolish and wicked son,
with Karna (on his side), said unto the princes of Panchala causing her
to be brought into the assembly, all the harsh words, again, that Karna
said unto Krishna, in the same place, before thyself, O king, and the
sons of Pandu, in thy hearing and that of all the Kurus, viz., O Krishna,
the Pandavas are lost and have sunk into eternal hell, therefore, choose
thou other husbands,--alas, the fruit of all that is now manifesting
itself. Then, again, O thou of Kuru's race, diverse harsh speeches, such
as sesamum seeds without kernel, etc., were applied by the wrathful sons
to those high-souled ones, viz., the sons of Pandu. Bhimasena, vomiting
forth the fire of wrath (which these enraged) and which he had restrained
for thirteen years, is now compassing the destruction of thy sons.
Indulging in copious lamentations, Viduara failed to persuade thee
towards peace. O chief of the Bharatas, suffer the fruit of all that with
thy sons. Thou art old, patient, and capable of foreseeing the
consequences of all acts. Being so, when thou didst yet refuse to follow
the counsels of thy well-wishers, it seems that all this is the result of
destiny. Do not grieve, O tiger among men! All this is thy great fault.
In my opinion, thou art thyself the cause of the destruction of thy sons.
O monarch, Vikarna hath fallen, and Chitrasena also of great prowess.
Many other mighty car-warriors and foremost ones among thy sons have also
fallen. Others, again, among thy sons whom Bhima saw come within the
range of his vision, O mighty-armed one, he slew in a trice. It is for
thee only that I had to see our array scorched in thousands by means of
the arrows shot by Pandu's son, Bhima and Vrisha (Karna)!'"



SECTION CXXXVII

"Dhritarashtra said, 'O Suta, O Sanjaya, this grievous result that has
now overtaken us is, I think, certainly due to my evil policy. I had
hitherto thought that what is past. But, O Sanjaya, what measures should
I now adopt? I am now once more calm, O Sanjaya, therefore, tell me how
this slaughter of heroes is going on, having my evil policy for its
cause.'

"Sanjaya said, 'Indeed, O king, Karna and Bhima, both endued with great
prowess, continued in that battle to pour their arrowy showers like two
rain-charged clouds. The arrows, winged with gold and whetted on stone
and marked with Bhima's name, approaching Karna, penetrated into his
body, as if piercing into his very life. Similarly, Bhima also, in that
battle was shrouded with the shafts of Karna in hundreds and thousands,
resembling snakes of virulent poison. With their arrows, O king, failing
on all sides, an agitation was produced among the troops resembling that
of the very ocean. Many were the combatants, O chastiser of foes, in thy
host that were deprived of life by arrows, resembling snakes of virulent
poison shot from Bhima's bow. Strewn with fallen elephants and steeds
mixed with the bodies of men, the field of battle looked like one covered
with trees broken by a tempest. Slaughtered in battle with the arrows
from Bhima's bow, thy warriors fled away, 'saying, What is this?' Indeed,
that host of the Sindhus, the Sauviras, and the Kauravas, afflicted with
the impetuous shafts of both Karna and Bhima, was removed to a great
distance. The remnant of those brave soldiers, with their steeds and
elephants killed, leaving the vicinity of both Karna and Bhima, fled away
in all directions. (And they cried out), 'Verily, for the sake of the
Parthas, the gods are stupefying us, since those arrows shot by both
Bhima and Karna are slaying our forces. Saying those words, these troops
of thine afflicted with fear avoiding the range of (Karna's and Bhima's)
arrows, stood at a distance for witnessing that combat. Then, on the
field of battle there began to flow a terrible river enhancing the joy of
the heroes and the fears of the timid. And it was caused by the blood of
elephants and steeds and men. And covered with the lifeless forms of men
and elephants and steeds, with flagstaffs and the bottoms of cars, with
the adornments of cars and elephants and steeds with broken cars and
wheels and Akshas and Kuveras, with loud-twanged bows decked with gold,
and gold-winged arrows and shafts in thousands, shot by Karna and Bhima,
resembling snakes just freed from their sloughs, with countless lances
and spears and scimitars and battleaxes, with maces and clubs and axes,
all adorned with gold, with standards of diverse shapes, and darts and
spiked clubs, and with beautiful Sataghnis, the earth, O Bharata, looked
resplendent. And strewn all over with earrings and necklaces of gold and
bracelets loosened (from wrists), and rings, and precious gems worn on
diadems and crowns, and head-gears, and golden ornaments of diverse
kinds, O sire, and coats of mail, and leathern fences, and elephants'
ropes, and umbrellas displaced (from their places) and Yak-tails, and
fans with the pierced bodies of elephants and steeds and men, with
blood-dyed arrows, and with diverse other objects, lying about and
loosened from their places, the field of battle looked resplendent like
the firmament bespangled with stars. Beholding the wonderful,
inconceivable, and superhuman feats of those two warriors, the Charanas
and the Siddhas were exceedingly amazed. As a blazing conflagration,
having the wind for its ally, courses through an (extended) heap of dry
grass, even so, Adhiratha's son, engaged with Bhima, coursed fiercely in
that battle.[161] Both of them felled countless standards and cars and
slew steeds and men and elephants, like a pair of elephants crushing a
forest of reeds while engaged in battle with other. Thy host looked like
a mass of clouds, O king, of men, and great was the carnage caused in
that battle by Karna and Bhima.'"[162]



SECTION CXXXVIII

"Sanjaya said, 'Then Karna, O king, piercing Bhima with three arrows,
poured countless beautiful arrows upon him. The mighty-armed Bhimasena,
the son of Pandu, though thus struck by the Suta's son, showed no signs
of pain but stood immovable like a hill pierced (with arrows). In return,
O sire, in that battle, he deeply pierced Karna in the ear with a barbed
arrow, rubbed with oil, of great keenness, and of excellent temper. (With
that arrow) he felled on the earth the large and beautiful ear-ring of
Karna. And it felled down, O monarch, like a blazing luminary of great
effulgence from the firmament. Excited with wrath, Vrikodara, then,
smiling the while, deeply pierced the Suta's son in the centre of the
chest with another broad-headed arrow. And once again, O Bharata, the
mighty-armed Bhima quickly shot in that battle ten long shafts that
looked like snakes of virulent poison just freed from their sloughs. Shot
by Bhima, those shafts, O sire, striking Karna's forehead, entered it
like snakes entering an ant-hill. With those shafts sticking to his
forehead, the Suta's son looked beautiful, as he did before, while his
brow had been encircled with a chaplet of blue lotuses. Deeply pierced by
the active son of Pandu, Karna, supporting himself on the Kuxara of his
car, closed his eyes. Soon, however, regaining consciousness, Karna, that
scorcher of foes, with his body bathed in blood, became mad with
rage.[163] Infuriated with rage in consequence of his being thus
afflicted by that firm bowman Karna, endued with great impetuosity,
rushed fiercely towards Bhimasena's car. Then, O king, the mighty and
wrathful Karna, maddened with rage, shot at Bhimasena, O Bharata, a
hundred shafts winged with vulturine feathers. The son of Pandu, however,
disregarding his foe and setting at nought his energy, began to shoot
showers of fierce arrows at him. Then Karna, O king, excited with rage, O
scorcher of foes, struck the son of Pandu, that embodiment of wrath with
nine arrows in the chest. Then both those tigers among men (armed with
arrows and, therefore), resembling a couple of tigers with fierce teeth,
poured upon each other, in that battle, their arrowy showers, like two
mighty masses of clouds. They sought to frighten each other in that
battle, with sounds of their palms and with showers of arrows of diverse
kinds. Excited with rage, each sought in that battle to counteract the
other's feat. Then that slayer of hostile heroes, viz., the mighty-armed
Bhima, O Bharata, cutting off, with a razor-faced arrow, the bow of the
Suta's son, uttered a loud shout. Casting off that broken bow, the Suta's
son, that mighty car-warrior, took up another bow that was stronger and
tougher. Beholding that slaughter of the Kuru, the Sauvira, and the
Sindhu heroes, and marking that the earth was covered with coats of mail
and standards and weapons lying about, and also seeing the lifeless forms
of elephants, foot-soldiers and horsemen and car-warriors on all sides,
the body of the Suta's son, from wrath, blazed up with effulgence.
Stretching his formidable bow, decked with gold, Radha's son, O king,
eyed Bhima with wrathful glances. Infuriated with rage, the Suta's son,
while shooting his arrows, looked resplendent, like the autumnal sun of
dazzling rays at mid-day. While employed with his hands in taking up an
arrow, fixing it on the bow-string, stretching the string and letting it
off, none could notice any interval between those acts. And while Karna
was thus engaged in shooting his arrows right and left, his bow
incessantly drawn to a circle, like a terrible circle of fire. The keen
pointed arrows, equipped with wings of gold, shot from Karna's bow,
covered, O king, all the points of the compass, darkening the very light
of the sun. Countless flights were seen, in the welkin, of those shafts
equipped with wings of gold, shot from Karna's bow. Indeed, the shafts
shot from the bow of Adhiratha's son, looked like rows of cranes in the
sky. The arrows that Adhiratha's son shot were all equipped with
vulturine feathers, whetted on stone, decked with gold, endued with great
impetuosity, and furnished with blazing points. Impelled by the force of
his bow, those arrows urged by Karna, while coursing in thousands through
the welkin looked beautiful like successive flights of locusts. The
arrows shot from the bow of Adhiratha's son, as they coursed through the
welkin, looked like one long continuously drawn arrow in the sky. Like a
cloud covering a mountain with torrents of rain, Karna in rage, covered
Bhima with showers of arrows. Then thy sons, O Bharata, with their
troops, beheld the might, energy, prowess and perseverance of Bhima, for
the latter, disregarding that arrowy downpour, resembling the raging sea,
rushed in wrath against Karna, Bhima, O monarch, was armed with a
formidable bow, the back of whose staff was decked with gold. He
stretched it so quickly that it seemed, like a second bow of Indra,
incessantly drawn to a circle. Shafts issued continuously from it seemed
to fill the welkin. With those straight arrows, equipped with wings of
gold, shot by Bhima, a continuous line was made in the sky that looked
effulgent like a garland of gold. Then those showers of (Karna's) arrows
spread in the welkin, struck by Bhimasena with his shafts, were scattered
in portions and fell down on the earth. Then the sky was covered with
those showers of gold-winged and swiftly-coursing arrows, of both Karna
and Bhimasena, that produced sparks of fire as they clashed against each
other. The very sun was then shrouded, and the very wind ceased to blow.
Indeed, when the welkin was thus covered with those arrowy showers,
nothing could be seen. Then the Suta's son, disregarding the energy of
the high-souled Bhima, completely shrouded Bhima with other arrows and
endeavoured to prevail over him. Then, O sire, those arrowy showers shot
by both of them, seemed to clash against each other like two opposite
currents of wind. And in consequence of that clash of the arrowy showers
of those two lions among men, a conflagration, O chief of the Bharatas,
seemed to be generated in the sky. Then Karna, desirous of slaying Bhima,
shot at him in rage many whetted arrows equipped with wings of gold and
polished by the hands of the smith. Bhima, however, cut off with his own
shafts every one of those arrows into three fragments, and prevailing
over the Suta's son, he cried out, 'Wait, Wait.' And the wrathful and
mighty son of Pandu, like an all-consuming conflagration, once more shot
in rage showers of fierce shafts. And then in consequence of their
leathern fences striking against their bow-strings, loud sounds were
generated. And loud also became the sound of their palms, and terrible
their leonine shouts, and fierce the rattle of their car-wheels and the
twang of their bow-strings. And all the combatants, O king, ceased to
fight, desirous of beholding the prowess of Karna and of the son of
Pandu, each of whom was desirous of slaying the other. And the celestial
Rishis and Siddhas and Gandharvas, applauded them, saying, "Excellent,
Excellent!' And the tribes of Vidyadharas rained flowery showers upon
them. Then the wrathful and mighty-armed Bhima of fierce prowess,
baffling with his own weapons the weapons of his foe, pierced the Suta's
son with many shafts. Karna also, endued with great might, baffling the
shafts of Bhimasena, sped at him nine long shafts in that battle. Bhima,
however, with as many arrows, cut off those shafts of Suta's son in the
welkin and addressed him, saying, 'Wait, Wait!' Then the mighty-armed and
heroic Bhima, excited with rage, shot at Adhiratha's son an arrow
resembling the rod of Yama or Death himself. Radha's son, however,
smiling, cut off that arrow, O king, of Pandu's son, however, of great
Prowess, with three arrows of his, as it coursed towards him through the
welkin. The son of Pandu then once more shot showers of fierce shafts.
Karna, however, fearlessly received all those arrows of Bhima. Then
excited with rage, the Suta's son, Karna, by the power of his weapons,
with his straight arrows, cut off in that encounter the couple of quivers
and the bow-string of fighting Bhima, as also the traces of his steeds.
And then slaying his steeds also, Karna pierced Bhima's charioteer with
five shafts. The charioteer, quickly running away, proceeded to
Yudhamanyu's car. Excited with rage, the son of Radha then, whose
splendour resembled that of the Yuga-fire, smiling the while, cut off the
flag-staff of Bhima and felled his banner. Deprived of his bow, the
mighty-armed Bhima then seized a dart, such as car-warriors may use.
Excited with wrath, he whirled it in his hand and then hurled it with
great force at Karna's car. The son of Adhiratha then, with ten shafts,
cut off, as it coursed towards him with the effulgence of a large meteor,
the gold-decked dart thus hurled (by Bhima).[164] Thereupon, that dart
fell down, cut off into ten fragments by those sharp shafts of the Suta's
son, Karna, that warrior conversant with every mode of warfare, then
battling for the sake of his friends. Then, the son of Kunti took up a
shield decked with gold and a sword, desirous of obtaining either death
or victory, Karna, however, O Bharata, smiling the while, cut off that
bright shield of Bhima with many fierce shafts. Then, car-less, Bhima, O
king, deprived of his shield, became mad with rage. Quickly, then, he
hurled his formidable sword at Karna's car. That large sword, cutting off
the stringed bow of the Suta's son, fell down on the earth, O king, like
an angry snake from the sky. Then Adhiratha's son, excited with rage in
that battle, smilingly took up another bow destructive of foes, having a
stronger string, and tougher than the one he had lost. Desirous of
slaying the son of Kunti, Karna then began to shoot thousands of arrows,
O king, equipped with wings of gold and endued with great energy. Struck
by those shafts shot from Karna's bow, the mighty Bhima leaped into the
sky, filling Karna's heart with anguish. Beholding the conduct of Bhima,
in battle desirous of victory, the son of Radha beguiled him by
concealing himself in his car. Seeing Karna concealing himself with an
agitated heart on the terrace of his car, Bhima catching hold of Karna's
flagstaff, waited on the earth. All the Kurus and the Charanas highly
applauded that attempt of Bhima of snatching Karna away from his car,
like Garuda snatching away a snake. His bow cut off, himself deprived of
his car, Bhima, observant of the duties of his order, stood still for
battle, keeping his (broken) car behind him. The son of Radha, then, from
rage, in that encounter, proceeded against the son of Pandu who was
waiting for battle. Then those two mighty warriors, O king, challenging
as they approached each other, those two bulls among men, roared at each
other, like clouds at the close of summer. And the passage-at-arms that
then took place between those two engaged lions among men that could not
brook each other in battle resembled that of old between the gods and the
Danavas. The son of Kunti, however, whose stock of weapons was exhausted,
was (obliged to turn back) pursued by Karna. Beholding the elephants,
huge as hills that had been slain by Arjuna, lying (near), unarmed
Bhimasena entered into their midst, for impeding the progress of Karna's
car. Approaching that multitude of elephants and getting into the midst
of that fastness which was inaccessible to a car, the son of Pandu,
desirous of saving his life, refrained from striking the son of Radha.
Desirous of shelter, that subjugator of hostile cities viz., the son of
Pritha, uplifting an elephant that had been slain by Dhananjaya with his
shafts, waited there, like Hanumat uplifting the peak of
Gandhamadana.[165] Karna, however, with his shafts, cut off that elephant
held by Bhima. The son of Pandu, thereupon, hurled at Karna the fragments
of that elephant's body as also car-wheels and steeds. In fact, all
objects that he saw lying there on the field, the son of Pandu, excited
with rage, took up and hurled at Karna. Karna, however, with his sharp
arrows, cut off every one of those objects thus thrown at him. Bhima
also, raising his fierce fists that were endued with the force of the
thunder, desired to slay the Suta's son. Soon, however, he recollected
Arjuna's vow. The son of Pandu, therefore, though competent, spared the
life of Karna, from desire of not falsifying the vow that Savyasachin had
made. The Suta's son, however, with his sharp shafts, repeatedly caused
the distressed Bhima, to lose the sense. But Karna, recollecting the
words of Kunti, took not the life of the unarmed Bhima. Approaching
quickly Karna touched him with the horn of his bow. As soon, however, as
Bhimasena was touched with the bow, excited with rage and sighing like a
snake, he snatched the bow from Karna and struck him with it on the head.
Struck by Bhimasena, the son of Radha, with eyes red in wrath, smiling
the while, said unto him repeatedly these words, viz., 'Beardless eunuch,
ignorant fool and glutton.' And Karna said, 'Without skin in weapons, do
not fight with me. Thou art but a child, a laggard in battle! There, son
of Pandu, where occurs a profusion of eatables and drink, there, O
wretch, shouldst thou be but never in battle. Subsisting on roots,
flowers, and observant of vows and austerities, thou, O Bhima, shouldst
pass thy days in the woods for thou art unskilled in battle. Great is the
difference between battle and the austere mode of a Muni's life.
Therefore, O Vrikodara, retire into the woods. O child, thou art not fit
for being engaged in battle. Thou hast an aptitude for a life in the
woods. Urging cooks and servants and slaves in the house to speed, thou
art fit only for reproving them in wrath for the sake of thy dinner, O
Vrikodara! O Bhima, O thou of a foolish understanding, betaking thyself
to a Muni's mode of life, gather thou fruits (for thy food). Go to the
woods, O son of Kunti, for thou art not skilled in battle. Employed in
cutting fruits and roots or in waiting upon guests, thou art unfit, I
think, to take a part, O Vrikodara, in any passage-at-arms.' And, O
monarch, all the wrongs done to him in his younger years, were also
reminded by Karna in harsh words. And as he stood there in weakness,
Karna once more touched him with the bow. And laughing loudly, Vrisha
once more told Bhima those words, 'Thou shouldst fight with others, O
sire, but never with one like me. They that fight with persons like us
have to undergo this and else! Go thither where the two Krishnas are!
They will protect thee in battle. Or, O son of Kunti, go home, for, a
child as thou art, what business hast thou with battle?' Hearing those
harsh words of Karna, Bhimasena laughed aloud and addressing Karna said
unto him these words in the hearing of all, 'O wicked wight, repeatedly
hast thou been vanquished by me. How canst thou indulge, then, in such
idle boast? In this world the ancients witnessed the victory and defeat
of the great Indra himself. O thou of ignoble parentage, engage thyself
with me in an athletic encounter with bare arms. Even as I slew the
mighty Kichaka of gigantic frame, I would then slay thee in the very
sight of all kings.' Understanding the motives of Bhima, Karna, that
foremost of intelligent men, abstained from that combat in the very sight
of all the bowmen. Indeed, having made Bhima carless, Karna, O king,
reproved him in such boastful language in the sight of that lion among
the Vrishnis (viz., Krishna) and of the high-souled Partha. Then the
ape-bannered (Arjuna), urged by Kesava, shot at the Suta's son, O king,
many shafts whetted on stone. Those arrows adorned with gold, shot by
Partha's arms and issuing out of Gandiva, entered Karna's body, like
cranes into the Krauncha mountains. With those arrows shot from Gandiva
which entered Karna's body like so many snakes, Dhananjaya drove the
Suta's son from Bhimasena's vicinity. His bow cut off by Bhima, and
himself afflicted with the arrows of Dhananjaya, Karna quickly fled away
from Bhima on his great car. Bhimasena also, O bull among men, mounting
upon Satyaki's car, proceeded in that battle in the wake of his brother
Savyasachin, the son of Pandu. Then Dhananjaya, with eyes red in wrath,
aiming at Karna, quickly sped a shaft like the Destroyer urging forward
Death's self. That shaft shot from Gandiva, like Garuda in the welkin in
quest of a mighty snake, quickly coursed towards Karna. The son of Drona,
however, that mighty car-warrior, with a winged arrow of his, cut it off
in mid-air, desirous of rescuing Karna from fear of Dhananjaya. Then
Arjuna, excited with wrath, pierced the son of Drona with four and sixty
arrows, O king, and addressing him, said, 'Do not fly away, O Aswathaman,
but wait a moment.' Drona's son, however, afflicted with the shafts of
Dhananjaya, quickly entered a division of the Kaurava army that abounded
with infuriated elephants and teemed with cars. The mighty son of Kunti,
then, with the twang of Gandiva, drowned the noise made in that battle by
all other twangings of bows, of shafts decked with gold. Then, the mighty
Dhananjaya followed from behind the son of Drona who had not retreated to
a great distance, frightening him all the way with his shafts. Piercing
with his shafts, winged with the feathers of Kankas and peacocks, the
bodies of men and elephants and steeds, Arjuna began to grind that force.
Indeed, O chief of the Bharatas, Partha, the son of Indra, began to
exterminate that host teeming with steeds and elephants and men.'"

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