The fourteenth day of war – 5

OM! Having bowed down unto Narayan, and unto that most exalted of male beings, viz., Nara, and unto the goddess Saraswati also, must the word Jaya be uttered.

Yudhishthira sends Bhima to help Arjun and Satyaki

When the army of the Pandavas was thus agitated on all sides, the Parthas and the Panchalas and the Somakas, retreated to a great distance. During the progress of that fierce battle, making the hair stand on end, and that universal carnage like to what happens at that end of the Yuga, when, indeed, Drona of great prowess was repeatedly uttering leonine shouts, and when the Panchalas were being weakened and the Pandavas slaughtered, king Yudhishthira the Just, failing in that battle to find any refuge in that distress, began to think how the matter would end. Casting his eyes around in expectation of seeing Savyasachin, Yudhishthira, however, saw neither that son of Pritha nor Madhava. Not seeing that tiger among men viz., the ape-bannered Arjuna, and not hearing also the twang of Gandiva, the monarch became filled with anxiety, not seeing Satyaki also, that foremost of car-warriors among the Vrishnis, king Yudhishthira the Just became equally anxious. Indeed, not seeing those two foremost of men, Yudhishthira knew no peace. The high-souled king Yudhishthira the Just, of mighty arms, fearing the evil opinion of the world, began to think of Satyaki's car.

“Shini's grandson Satyaki, of true prowess, that dispeller of the fears of friends, has been sent by me in the track of Phalguna. I had only one source of anxiety before, but now I have two. I should have tidings of both Satyaki and Dhananjaya, the son of Pandu. Having despatched Satyaki to follow in the track of Arjuna, whom shall I now send in the track of Satyaki? If by every means I endeavour to obtain intelligence of my brother only, without enquiring after Yuyudhana, the world will reproach me. They will say that,

“Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, having enquired after his brother, leaves Satyaki of Vrishni's race, that hero of unfailing prowess, to his fate!”

Fearing, as I do, the reproach of the world, I should therefore, send Vrikodara, the son of Pritha, in the track of the high-souled Madhava. The love I bear to the Vrishni hero, to that invincible warrior of the Satwata race, (viz., Satyaki), is not less than the love I bear to Arjuna, that slayer of foes. The delighter of the Shinis has again, been set by me to a very heavy task. That mighty warrior, however, has, either for the sake of a friend's request or for that of honour, penetrated into the Bharata army like a Makara into the ocean. Loud is the noise I hear of unretreating heroes, fighting together against that Vrishni hero of great intelligence. Without doubt, they are too many for him. The time, therefore, is come when I should think of his rescue. It seems to me that armed with the bow, Bhimasena, the son of Pandu, should go there where those two mighty car-warriors are. There is nothing on earth that Bhima cannot bear. If he struggles with resolution, he is a match in battle for all the bowmen in the world. Depending on the might of his own arms, he can stand against all foes. Relying on the strength of arms of that high-souled warrior, we have been able to come back from our exile in the woods and we have never been vanquished in battle. If Bhimasena, the son of Pandu, proceeds hence to Satyaki, both Satyaki and Phalguna will derive real aid. Without doubt, I should not feel any anxiety for Satyaki and Phalguna. Both of them are accomplished in weapons, and Vasudeva himself is protecting them. (For all that, I feel anxious on their account), I should certainly seek to remove my anxiety. I shall, therefore, set Bhima to follow in the wake of Satyaki. Having done this, I should regard my arrangements complete for the rescue of Satyaki.”

Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, having settled this in his mind, addressed his charioteer and said, “Take me to Bhima.” Hearing the command of king Yudhishthira the Just, the charioteer who was versed in horse-lore, took that car decked with gold to where Bhima was. Arrived at the presence of Bhima, the king, remembering the occasion, became unmanned by grief, and pressed Bhima with diverse solicitations. Indeed, overwhelmed with grief, the monarch addressed Bhima. These were the words that Yudhishthira the son of Kunti then said unto him,

“O Bhima, I do not behold the standard of that Arjuna, who on a single car had vanquished all the gods, the Gandharvas and Asuras!”

Then Bhimasena, addressing king Yudhishthira the Just who was in that plight, said,

“Never before did I see, or hear your words afflicted with such cheerlessness. Indeed, formerly, when we were smitten with grief, it was you who had been our comforter. Rise, Rise, O king of kings, say what I am to do for you. O giver of honours, there is nothing that I cannot do. Tell me what your commands are, O foremost one of Kuru's race! Do not set your heart on grief.”

Unto Bhimasena then, the king with a sorrowful face and with eyes bathed in tears, said, sighing the while like a black cobra,

“The blasts of the conch Panchajanya, wrathfully blown by Vasudeva of world-wide renown, are being heard. It seems, from this, that your brother Dhananjaya lies today on the field, deprived of life. Without doubt, Arjuna having been slain, Janardana is fighting. That hero of great might, relying on whose prowess the Pandavas are alive, he to whom we always turn in times of fear like the celestials towards their chief of a thousand eyes, that hero has, in search after the ruler of Sindhus, penetrated into the Bharata host. I know this, O Bhima, viz., that he has gone, but he has not yet returned. Dark in complexion, youthful in years, of curly locks, exceedingly handsome mighty car-warrior, of broad chest and long arms, possessed of the tread of an infuriated elephant, of eyes of the colour of burnished copper and like those a chakra, that brother of yours enhances the fears of foes. Blessed be you, even this is the cause of my grief, O chastiser of foes! For Arjuna's sake, O you of mighty arms, as also for the sake of Satwata, my grief increases like a blazing fire fed with libations of clarified butter. I do not see his standard. For this am I stupefied with sorrow. Without doubt, he has been slain, and Krishna, skilled in battle, is fighting. Know also that the tiger among men, that mighty car-warrior, Satwata is slain. Alas! Satyaki has followed in the wake of that other mighty car-warrior, with your brother. Without seeing Satyaki also, I am stupefied by grief.

Therefore, O son of Kunti, go there, where Dhananjaya is and Satyaki also of mighty energy, if, of course, you think it your duty to obey my words, O you that are acquainted with duty, remember that I am your eldest brother. You should think Satyaki to be dearer to you than Arjuna himself. O son of Pritha, Satyaki has gone, from desire of doing good to me, in the track of Arjuna, a track that is incapable of being trod by persons of vile souls. Beholding the two Krishnas and Satyaki also of the Satwata race sound and whole, send me a message, O son of Pandu, by uttering a leonine roar.”

Bhima said,

“That car which formerly bore Brahma and Ishana and Indra and Varuna (to battle), mounting upon that car, have two Krishnas gone. They can have no fear of danger, Taking, however, your command on MY head, lo, I am going. Do not grieve. Meeting with those tigers among men, I shall send you intelligence.”

Having said those words, the mighty Bhima began to prepare for setting out, repeatedly making over Yudhishthira to Dhrishtadyumna and the other friends (of the Pandava cause). Indeed, Bhimasena of mighty strength addressing Dhrishtadyumna, said,

“It is known to you, O you of mighty arms, how the mighty car-warrior Drona is always on the alert to seize king Yudhishthira the Just by all means in his power. Indeed, O son of Prishata, I should never place my going (to Arjuna and Satyaki) above my duty of protecting the king. King Yudhishthira, however, has commanded me to go, I dare not contradict him. I shall go there where the ruler of the Sindhus stays, at the point of death. I should, in complete truthfulness, act according to the words of my brother (Arjuna) and of Satyaki endued with great intelligence. You should, therefore, vigorously resolved on fight, protect Yudhishthira the son of Pritha today. Of all tasks, this is your highest duty in battle.”

Thus addressed by Vrikodara, Dhrishtadyumna replied,

“I shall do what you wish. Go, O son of Pritha, without any anxiety of the kind. Without slaying Dhrishtadyumna in battle, Drona will never be able to humiliate king Yudhishthira in the fight.”

Thus making the royal son of Pandu over to Dhrishtadyumna, and saluting his elder brother, Bhimasena, proceeded towards the spot where Phalguna was. Before dismissing him, however, king Yudhishthira the Just, embraced Bhimasena and smelt his head and pronounced auspicious blessings upon him. After circumambulating a number of Brahmanas, gratified with worship and presents, and touching the eight kinds of auspicious articles, and quaffing Kairataka honey, that hero, the corners of whose eyes had become red in intoxication, felt his might to be doubled. The Brahmanas performed propitiatory ceremonies for him. Various omens, indicative of success, greeted him. Beholding them, he felt the delight of anticipated victory. Favourable winds began to blow and indicate his success. Then the mighty-armed Bhimasena, the foremost of car-warriors, clad in mail, decked with earrings and Angadas, and his hands cased in leathern fences, mounted on his own excellent car. His costly coat of mail, made of black steel and decked with gold, looked like a cloud charged with lightning. His body Was beautifully covered with yellow and red and black and white robes. Wearing a coloured cuirass that protected also his neck, Bhimasena looked resplendent like a cloud decked with a rainbow.

While Bhimasena was on the point of setting out against Dhritarashtra’s troops from desire of battle, the fierce blasts of Panchajanya were once more heard. Hearing those loud and terrible blasts, capable of filling the three Worlds with fear, the son of Dharma once more addressed Bhimasena, saying,

“There, the Vrishni hero is fiercely blowing his conch. Indeed, that Prince of conchs is filling the earth and the welkin with its sound. Without doubt, Savyasachin having fallen into great distress, the bearer of the discus and the mace is battling with all the Kurus. Without doubt, the venerable Kunti, and Draupadi, and Subhadra, are all, with their relatives and friends, beholding today exceedingly inauspicious omens. Therefore, O Bhima, go there with speed where Dhananjaya is. All the points of the compass, O Partha, seem empty to my eyes in consequence of my (unsatisfied) desire to see Dhananjaya and owing also to Satwata.”

Repeatedly urged by his superior to go, the valiant son of Pandu, viz., Bhimasena, casing his hands in leathern fence, took up his bow. Urged by his eldest brother, that brother, Bhimasena, who was devoted to his brother's good, caused drums to be beat. Bhima forcibly blew his conch also and uttering leonine roars, began to twang his bow. Damping the hearts of hostile heroes by those leonine roars, and assuming a dreadful form, he rushed against his foes.

Bhima kills 11 sons of Dhritarashtra

Swift and well-broken steeds of the foremost breed neighing furiously, bore him. Endued with the speed of the wind or thought, their reins were held by Vishoka. Then the son of Pritha, drawing the bowstring with great force, began to crush the head of the hostile array, mangling and piercing the combatants there. As that mighty-armed hero proceeded, the brave Panchalas and the Somakas followed him behind, like the celestials following Maghavat. Then the brothers Duhshasana and Chitrasena. and Kundabhedin and Vivimshati, and Durmukha and Duhsaha and Shala, and Vinda and Anuvinda and Sumukha and Dirghabahu and Sudarshana, and Suhasta and Sushena. and Dirghalochana, and Abhaya and Raudrakarman and Suvarman and Durvimochana, approaching, encompassed Bhimasena. These foremost of car-warriors, these heroes, all looking resplendent, with their troops and followers, firmly resolved upon battle, rushed against Bhimasena. That heroic and mighty car-warrior, viz., Kunti's son Bhimasena of great prowess, thus encompassed, cast his eyes on them, and rushed against them with the impetuosity of a lion against smaller animals.

Those heroes, displaying celestial and mighty weapons, covered Bhima with shafts, like clouds shrouding the risen sun. Transgressing all those warriors with impetuosity, Bhimasena rushed against Drona's division, and covered the elephant-force before him with showers of arrows. The son of the Wind-god, mangling with his shafts almost in no time that elephant division dispersed it in all directions. Indeed, like animals terrified in the forest at the roar of a Sharabha, those elephants all fled away, uttering frightful cries. Passing over that ground with speed, he then approached the division of Drona. Then the preceptor checked his course, like the continent resisting the surging sea. Smilingly, he struck the son of Pandu in his forehead with a shaft. Thereupon, the son of Pandu looked resplendent like the sun with upward rays. The preceptor thought that Bhima would show him reverence as Phalguna had done before. Addressing Vrikodara, therefore, he said,

“O Bhimasena, it is beyond your power to enter into the hostile host, without vanquishing me, your foe, in battle, O you of mighty strength! Although Krishna with your younger brother has penetrated this host with my permission, yourself, however, will never succeed in doing so.”

Hearing these words of the preceptor, the dauntless Bhima, excited with wrath, and his eyes red as blood or burnished copper, quickly replied unto Drona, saying,

“O wretch of a Brahmana, it cannot be that Arjuna has entered this host with your permission. He is invisible. He would penetrate into the host commanded by Shakra himself. If he offered you reverential worship, it was only for honouring you. But know, O Drona, that myself, I am not compassionate like Arjuna. On the other hand, I am Bhimasena, your foe. We regard you as our father, preceptor, and friend. Ourselves we look upon as your sons. Thinking so we always humble ourselves to you. When, however, you use such words towards us today, it seems that all that is altered. If you regard yourself as our foe, let it be as you think. Being none else than Bhima, I will presently act towards you as I should towards a foe.”

Saying this, Bhima whirling a mace, like the Destroyer himself whirling his fatal rod, hurled it at Drona. Drona, however, had quickly jumped down from his car, (and that proved his safety). For that mace pressed down into the earth the car of Drona, with its steeds, driver, and standard. Then Bhima crushed numerous warriors like the tempest crushing trees with its force.

Then those sons of Dhritarashtra once more encompassed that foremost of car-warriors. Meanwhile, Drona, that foremost of smiters mounting another chariot, proceeded to the gate of the array and stayed there for battle.

Then, the angry Bhima of great prowess, covered the car-division in his front with showers of shafts. Then those mighty car-warriors, viz., Dhritarashtra’s sons, thus struck in battle, endued as they were with great strength fought with Bhima from desire of victory. Then Duhshasana, excited with wrath, hurled at Bhimasena a keen dart made entirely of iron, wishing to slay the son of Pandu. Bhima however, cut in twain that fierce dart hurled by Dhritarashtra’s son, as it coursed towards him. This feat seemed exceedingly wonderful. The mighty son of Pandu, then, with three other keen shafts, slew the three brothers Kundabhedin and Sushena and Dirghanetra. Again, amongst those heroic sons of Dhritarashtra battling with him, Bhima slew heroic Brindaraka, that enhancer of the fame of the Kurus. Again, with three other shafts, Bhima slew three other sons of Dhritarashtra, viz., Abhaya and Raudrakarman and Durvimochana. Thus slaughtered by that mighty warrior, Dhritarashtra’s sons surrounded Bhima, that foremost of smiters on all sides. They then showered their arrows upon that son of Pandu, of terrible deeds, like the cloud at the end of summer pouring torrents of rain on the mountain-breast. That slayer of hosts, the heir of Pandu, received that arrowy shower, like a mountain receiving a shower of stones. Indeed, the heroic Bhima felt no pain. Then the son of Kunti, smiling the while, despatched by means of his shafts Dhritarashtra’s son Vinda and Anuvinda and Suvarman to the abode of Yama. Then the son of Pandu quickly pierced in that battle your heroic son Sudarshan. The latter, thereupon, fell down and expired. Within a very short time, the son of Pandu, casting his glances on that car-force caused it by his shafts to fly away in all directions. Then like a herd of deer frightened at the clatter of car-wheels, or a loud shout, Dhritarashtra’s sons, in that battle, afflicted with the fear of Bhimasena, suddenly broke and fled. The son of Kunti, however, pursued that large force of Dhritarashtra’s sons, and began to pierce the Kauravas from every side. Dhritarashtra’s soldiers, thus slaughtered by Bhimasena, fled away from battle, avoiding the son of Pandu and urging their own excellent steeds to their greatest speed. The mighty Bhimasena then, having vanquished them in battle, uttered leonine roars and made a great noise by slapping his armpits. The mighty Bhima, having made also a fierce noise with his palms, and thereby frightened that car-force and the foremost of warriors that were in it, passed towards the division of Drona, transgressing that car-force (which he had vanquished.)

After the son of Pandu had crossed that car-force, the preceptor Drona, smiling the while, covered him with showers of arrows, desirous of checking his course. Stupefying your force then with his powers of illusion, and drinking, as it were, those shafts shot from the bow of Drona, Bhimasena rushed against those brothers (viz., Dhritarashtra’s sons). Then many kings, that were all great bowmen, urged by Dhritarashtra’s sons, rushing impetuously, began to surround him. Encompassed by them, Bhima smiling the while and uttering a leonine roar, took up and hurled at them with great force a fierce mace destructive of hostile ranks. That mace of adamantine strength, hurled like Indra's thunder by Indra himself, crushed Dhritarashtra’s soldiers in battle. It seemed to fill the whole earth with loud noise. Blazing forth in splendour, that fierce mace inspired Dhritarashtra’s sons with fear. Beholding that mace of impetuous course and endued with lightning flashes, coursing towards them, Dhritarashtra’s warriors fled away, uttering frightful cries. At the unbearable sound of that fierce mace, many men fell down where they stood, and many car-warriors also fell down from their cars. Slaughtered by Bhimasena armed with the mace, Dhritarashtra’s warriors fled away in fear from battle, like the deer attacked by a tiger. The son of Kunti, routing in battle those valorous foes of his, impetuously crossed that force like Garuda of beautiful feathers.

Bhima defeats Drona and sees Satyaki and Arjuna; and sends a signal to Yudhishthira

While Bhimasena, that leader of leaders of car-divisions, was engaged in such carnage, Bharadwaja's son rushed at him. Drona, checking Bhima by means of his arrowy showers, suddenly uttered a leonine roar that inspired the Pandavas with fear. The battle that took place between Drona and the high-souled Bhima was furious and terrible and resembled the encounter between the gods and the Asuras of old. Heroic warriors by hundreds and thousands in that battle slain by the keen shafts shot from the bow of Drona. The son of Pandu then, jumping down from his car shut his eyes and rushed on foot with great speed towards the car of Drona. Indeed, as a bovine bull easily bears a heavy shower of rain, even so that tiger among men, viz., Bhima, bore that arrowy downpour from Drona's bow. Struck in that battle by Drona, the mighty Bhima, seizing Drona's car by the shaft, threw it down with great force. Thus thrown down in battle, Drona, however, quickly mounting another car, proceeded towards the gate of the array, his driver urging his steeds at that time with great speed. That feat achieved by Bhimasena, seemed exceedingly wonderful.

The mighty Bhima, then, mounting upon his own car, rushed impetuously towards the army of Dhritarashtra’s son. He crushed the Kshatriyas in battle, like a tempest crushing rows of trees. Indeed, Bhima proceeded, resisting the hostile warriors like the mountain resisting the surging sea. Coming then upon the Bhoja-troops that were protected by the son of Hridika, Bhimasena ground it greatly, and passed through it. Frightening the hostile soldiers with the sound of his palms, Bhima vanquished them all like a tiger vanquishing a herd of bovine bulls. Passing through the Bhoja division and that of the Kambojas also, and countless tribes of Mlecchas too, who were all accomplished in fight, and beholding that mighty car-warriors, Satyaki, engaged in fight, Bhimasena, the son of Kunti proceeded resolutely and with great speed, desirous of having a sight of Dhananjaya. Transgressing all Dhritarashtra’s warriors in that battle, the son of Pandu then sighted the mighty car-warrior Arjuna engaged in the fight. The valiant Bhima, that tiger among men, beholding Arjuna putting forth his prowess for the slaughter of the ruler of the Sindhus, uttered a loud shout, like the clouds roaring in the season of rains.

Those terrible shouts of the roaring Bhimasena were heard by both Arjuna and Vasudeva in the midst of the battle. Both those heroes, simultaneously hearing that shout of the mighty Bhima, repeatedly shouted from desire of beholding Vrikodara. Then Arjuna uttering loud roar, and Madhava also doing the same, careered in battle like a couple of roaring bulls. Hearing then that roar of Bhimasena, as also that of Phalguna armed with the bow, Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, became highly gratified. King Yudhishthira, hearing those sounds of Bhima and Arjuna, had his grief dispelled. The lord Yudhishthira repeatedly wished success to Dhananjaya in battle.

While the fierce Bhima was thus roaring, the mighty-armed Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, that foremost of virtuous men, smilingly reflected a while and thus worded the thoughts that inspired his heart,

“O Bhima, you have truly sent me the message. You have truly obeyed the commands of your superior. They, O son of Pandu, can never have victory that have you for their foe. By good luck it is that Dhananjaya, capable of shooting the bow with (even) his left hand, still lives. By good luck, the heroic Satyaki also, of prowess incapable of being baffled, is safe and sound. By good luck, it is that I hear both Vasudeva and Dhananjaya uttering these roars. He who having vanquished Shakra himself in battle, had gratified the bearer of sacrificial libations, that slayer of foes, viz., Phalguna, by good luck, still lives in this battle. He, relying upon the might of whose arms all of us are alive, that slayer of hostile armies, Phalguna, by good luck, lives still. He by whom with the aid of a single bow the Nivatakavachas were vanquished, those Danavas, that is, that were incapable of being defeated by the very gods, he, viz., Partha, by good luck, lives still. He who had vanquished in Matsya's city all the Kauravas assembled together for seizing Virata's kine, that Partha, by good luck, lives still. He who, by the might of his arms, slew fourteen thousands of Kalakeyas, that Partha, by good luck, lives still. He who, for Duryodhana's sake, had vanquished, by the energy of his weapons, the mighty king of the Gandharvas, that Partha, by good luck, lives still. Decked with diadem and garlands (of gold), endued with great strength, having white steeds (yoked to his car) and Krishna himself for his charioteer, that Phalguna, always dear to me, by good luck, lives still. Burning with grief on account of the death of his son, endeavouring to achieve a most difficult feat, and even now seeking to slaughter Jayadratha, alas, he that has made that vow, viz., Dhananjaya, will he succeed in slaying the ruler of the Sindhus in battle? After he, protected by Vasudeva, will have accomplished that vow of his, shall I behold that Arjuna again, before the sun sets? Shall the ruler of the Sindhus who is devoted to Duryodhana's welfare, slain by Phalguna, gladden his foes? Shall king Duryodhana, beholding the ruler of the Sindhus slain in battle make peace with us? Beholding his brother slain in battle by Bhimasena shall the wicked Duryodhana make peace with us? Beholding other great warriors lying prostrate on the surface of the earth, shall wicked Duryodhana give way to remorse? Shall not our hostilities cease with the single sacrifice of Bhishma? Shall that Suyodhana, make peace with us for saving the remnant (of what is still left to him and us)?”

Diverse reflections of this kind passed through the mind of king Yudhishthira who was overwhelmed with compassion. Meanwhile, the battle (between the Pandavas and the Kauravas) raged furiously.

Karna fights Bhima

While the mighty car-warriors Bhimasena was uttering those roars, mighty Karna, unable to bear them, rushed at him with a loud shout, stretching his bow with great force. Indeed, the mighty Karna, desirous of battle, displayed his strength and checked Bhima's course like a tall tree withstanding tempest. The heroic Bhima also, beholding Vikartana's son before him, suddenly blazed up in wrath and sped at him with great force many shafts whetted on stone. Karna received all those shafts and sped many in return. At that encounter between Bhima and Karna, hearing the sounds of their palms, the limbs of all the struggling combatants, car-warriors, and horsemen, began to tremble. Indeed, hearing the terrible roars of Bhimasena on the field of battle, even all the foremost of Kshatriyas regarded the whole earth and the welkin to be filled with that noise. At the fierce peals uttered by the high-souled son of Pandu, the bows of all warriors in that battle dropped on the earth. Steeds and elephants, dispirited, ejected urine and excreta. Various frightful omens of evil then made their appearance. The welkin was covered with flights of vultures and Kankas during that terrific encounter between Bhima and Karna.

Then Karna struck Bhima with twenty arrows, and quickly pierced the latter's charioteer also with five. Smiling the while, the mighty and active Bhima then, in that battle, quickly sped at Karna four and sixty arrows. Then Karna sped four shafts at him. Bhima, by means of his straight shafts, cut them into many fragments, displaying his lightness of hand. Then Karna covered him with dense showers of arrows. Thus covered by Karna, the mighty son of Pandu, however, cut off Karna's bow at the handle and then pierced Karna with ten straight arrows. The Suta's son then, that mighty car-warrior of terrible deeds, taking up another bow and stringing it quickly, pierced Bhima in that battle (with many shafts). Then Bhima, excited with rage, struck the Suta's son with great force on the chest with three straight shafts. With those arrows sticking at his breast, Karna looked beautiful like a mountain with three tall summits. Thus pierced with mighty shafts, blood began to flow from his wounds, like torrents of liquid red-chalk down the breast of a mountain. Afflicted with those shafts shot with great force, Karna became agitated a little.

Fixing an arrow then on his bow, he pierced Bhima, again. Once more he began to shoot arrows by hundreds and thousands. Suddenly shrouded with shafts by that firm bowman, viz., Karna, the son of Pandu, smiling the while, cut off Karna's bow-string. Then with a broad-headed arrow, he despatched Karna's charioteer to the abode of Yama. That mighty car-warrior, viz., Bhima, deprived the four steeds also of Karna of their lives. The mighty car-warrior Karna then speedily jumping down from his steedless car, mounted the car of Vrishasena.

The valiant Bhimasena then, having vanquished Karna in battle, uttered a loud shout deep as the roar of the clouds. Hearing that roar, Yudhishthira became highly gratified, knowing that Karna had been vanquished by Bhimasena. The combatants of the Pandava army blew their conchs from every side, Their enemies, viz., Dhritarashtra’s warriors, hearing that noise, roared loudly. Arjuna stretched Gandiva, and Krishna blew Panchajanya. Drowning, however, all those sounds, the noise made by the roaring Bhima, was heard by all the combatants. Then those two warriors, viz., Karna, and Bhima, each struck the other with straight shafts. The son of Radha, however, shot shafts mildly, but the son of Pandu shot his with great force.

Duryodhana fights Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas

After that army had (thus) been routed, and Arjuna and Bhimasena had all gone after the ruler of the Sindhus, Dhritarashtra’s son (Duryodhana) proceeded towards Drona. Duryodhana went to the preceptor, on his single car, thinking, by the way, of diverse duties. That car of Dhritarashtra’s son, endued with the speed of the wind or thought, proceeded with great celerity towards Drona. With eyes red in wrath, Dhritarashtra’s son addressed the preceptor and said,

“O grinder of foes, Arjuna and Bhimasena, and unvanquished Satyaki, and many mighty car-warriors, defeating all our troops, have succeeded in approaching the ruler of the Sindhus. Indeed, those mighty car-warriors, who vanquished all the troops, themselves unvanquished, are fighting even there. O giver of honours, how have you been transgressed by both Satyaki and Bhima? O foremost of Brahmanas, this your defeat at the hands of Satwata, of Arjuna, and of Bhimasena, is like the drying of the ocean, exceedingly wonderful in this world. People are loudly asking, “How, indeed, could Drona, that master of the science of arms, be vanquished?” Even thus all the warriors are speaking in depreciation of you. Destruction is certain for my luckless self in battle, when three car-warriors, O tiger among men, have if, succession transgressed you. When, however, all this has happened, tell us what you have to say on the business that awaits us. What has happened, is past. O giver of honours, think now of what is remaining. Say quickly what should next be done for the ruler of the Sindhus on the present occasion, and let what you say be quickly and properly carried out.”

Drona said,

“Listen, O great king, to what I, having reflected much, say unto you about what should now be done. As yet only three great car-warriors among the Pandavas have transgressed us. We have as much to fear behind those three as we have to dread before them. There, however, where Krishna and Dhananjaya are, our fear must be greater. The Bharata army has been attacked both on the front and from behind. In this pass, I think, the protection of the ruler of the Sindhus is our first duty. Jayadratha, afraid of Dhananjaya, deserves of everything else to be protected by us. The heroic Yuyudhana and Vrikodara have both gone against the ruler of the Sindhus.

All this that has come is the fruit of that match at dice conceived by Shakuni's intellect. Neither victory nor defeat took place in the (gaming) assembly. Now that we are engaged in this sport, there will be victory or defeat. Those innocent things with which Shakuni had formerly played in the Kuru assembly and which he regarded as dice, were, in reality, invincible shafts. Truly, there where, O sire, the Kauravas were congregated, they were not dice but terrible arrows capable of mangling your bodies.

At present, however, O king, know the combatants for players, these shafts for dice, and the ruler of the Sindhus, without doubt, O monarch, as the stake, in this game of battle. Indeed, Jayadratha is the great stake about which we are playing today with the enemy. Under the circumstances, therefore, O monarch, all of us becoming reckless of our very lives, should make due arrangements for the protection of the ruler of the Sindhus in battle. Engaged as we are in our present sport, it is here that we shall have victory or defeat, here, that is, where those great bowmen are protecting the ruler of the Sindhus. Go there, therefore, with speed, and protect those protectors (of Jayadratha).

As regards myself, I will stay here, for despatching others (to the presence of Jayadratha) and checking the Panchalas, the Pandus and the Srinjayas united together.”

Thus commanded by the preceptor, Duryodhana quickly proceeded (to the place indicated) with his followers, resolutely setting himself to (the accomplishment of) a fierce task. The two protectors of the wheels of Arjuna's car, viz., the Panchala princes, Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas, were at that time proceeding towards Savyasachin by the skirts of the Kuru array. Formerly while Arjuna penetrated Dhritarashtra’s host from desire of battle, those two princes had been checked in their progress by Kritavarman.

Now, the Kuru king beheld them proceeding by the skirts of his host. The mighty Duryodhana of Bharata's race lost no time in engaging in a fierce battle with those two brothers thus rushing furiously. Those two foremost of Kshatriyas, reputed as mighty car-warriors, then rushed in that battle at Duryodhana, with outstretched bows. Yudhamanyu pierced Duryodhana with twenty, and his four steeds with four shafts. Duryodhana, however, with a single shaft, cut off Yudhamanyu's standard. Dhritarashtra’s son then cut off the former's bow also with another shaft. Then with a broad-headed arrow, the Kuru king felled Yudhamanyu's charioteer from his niche in the car. Then he pierced the four steeds of the latter with four shafts. Then Yudhamanyu, excited with wrath, quickly sped, in that battle, thirty shafts at the centre of Dhritarashtra’s son's chest. Then Uttamaujas also, excited with wrath, pierced Duryodhana's charioteer with shafts decked with gold, and despatched him to Yama's abode. Duryodhana also then slew the four steeds as also the two Parshni charioteers of Uttamaujas, the prince of Panchalas. Then Uttamaujas, in that battle, becoming steedless and driverless, quickly ascended the car of his brother, Yudhamanyu. Ascending on the car of his brother, he struck Duryodhana's steeds with many shafts. Slain therewith, those steeds fell down on the earth. Upon the fall of his steeds, the valiant Yudhamanyu then, by a mighty weapon, quickly cut off Duryodhana's bow and then (with another shaft), his leathern fence. That bull among men then, viz., Dhritarashtra’s son, jumping down from that steedless and driverless car, took up a mace and proceeded against the two princes of Panchala. Beholding that subjugator of hostile town, thus advancing in wrath, both Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas jumped down from the terrace of their car. Then Duryodhana armed as he was with a mace, pressed down into the earth with that mace that foremost of cars furnished with gold, with steeds and driver and standard. Dhritarashtra’s son then, that scorcher of foes, having thus crushed that car, steedless and driverless as he himself was, quickly ascended the car of the king of the Madras. Meanwhile, those two mighty car-warriors, viz., those two foremost Panchala princes, ascending on two other cars, proceeded towards Arjuna.

Karna fights Bhima

During the progress of that battle, making the hair stand on end, and when all the combatants were filled with anxiety and greatly afflicted, the son of Radha proceeded against Bhima for battle, like an infuriated elephant in the forest proceeding against another infuriated elephant.

Leaving Radha's son, that foremost of car-warriors Bhimasena, desired to proceed to the place where those two heroes, viz., Krishna and Dhananjaya were. The son of Radha, however, rushing towards him as he proceeded, covered him with dense showers of arrows, like a cloud pouring, torrents of rain on a mountain. The mighty son of Adhiratha, his face beautiful as a full-blown lotus, lighted up with a smile, challenged Bhimasena to battle, as the latter was proceeding. Karna said,

“O Bhima, I dreamt not that you know how to fight. Why then do you show me your back from desire of meeting with Arjuna? O delighter of the Pandavas, this is scarcely fit for a son of Kunti. Staying, therefore, where you are, cover me with your arrows.”

Bhimasena, hearing that challenge of Karna, brooked it not, but wheeling his car a little, began to fight with the Suta's son. The illustrious Bhimasena showered clouds of straight shafts. Desiring also to arrive at the end of those hostilities by slaying Karna, Bhima began to weaken that hero conversant with every weapon and clad in mail, and staying before him for engaging in a single combat. Then mighty Bhima, that scorcher of foes, that wrathful son of Pandu, having slain numerous Kauravas, shot diverse showers of fierce shafts at Karna. The Suta's son, endued with great strength, swallowed, by means of the power of his own weapons, all those showers of arrows shot by that hero, possessed of the tread of an infuriated elephant. Duly favoured by knowledge, that great bowman, viz., Karna, began in that battle to career like a preceptor (Of Military science). The wrathful son of Radha, smiling the while, seemed to mock Bhimasena as the latter was battling with great fury. The son of Kunti brooked not that smile of Karna in the midst of many brave warriors witnessing from all sides that fight of theirs. Like a driver striking a huge elephant with a hook, the mighty Bhima, excited with rage, pierced Karna whom he had obtained within reach, with many calf-toothed shafts in the centre of the chest. Once more, Bhimasena pierced the Suta's son of variegated armour with three and seventy well-shot and keen arrows equipped with beautiful wings and eased in golden armour, each with five shafts. Soon, within the twinkling of the eye, was seen a network of shafts about Bhima's car caused by Karna. Indeed, those shafts shot from Karna's bow completely shrouded that car with its standard and driver and the Pandava himself. Then Karna pierced the impenetrable armour of Bhima with four and sixty arrows. Excited with rage he then pierced Partha himself with many straight shafts capable of penetrating into the very vitals. The mighty-armed Vrikodara, however, disregarding those shafts shot from Karna's bow fearlessly struck the Suta's son. Pierced with those shafts, resembling snakes of virulent poison, shot from Karna's bow, Bhima felt no pain in that battle. The valiant Bhima then, in that encounter, pierced Karna with two and thirty broad-headed shafts of keen points and fierce energy, Karna, however, with the greatest indifference, covered, in return, with his arrows, the mighty-armed Bhimasena who was desirous of Jayadratha's slaughter. Indeed, the son of Radha, in that encounter, fought mildly with Bhima, while Bhima, remembering his former wrongs, fought with him furiously.

The wrathful Bhimasena could not brook that disregard by Karna. Indeed, that slayer of foes quickly shot showers of arrows at Radha's son. Those arrows, sped in that encounter by Bhimasena, fell on every limb of Karna like cooing birds. Those arrows equipped with golden wings and keen points, shot from Bhimasena's bow, covered the son of Radha like a flight of insects covering a blazing fire. Karna, however, shot showers of fierce shafts in return. Then Vrikodara cut off, with many broad-headed arrows, those shafts resembling thunderbolts, shot by that ornament of battle, before they could come at him. That chastiser of foes, viz., Karna, the son of Vikartana, once more, covered Bhimasena with his arrowy showers. Bhima so pierced in that encounter with arrows resembled a porcupine with its quilts erect on its body. Like the sun holding his own rays, the heroic Bhima held in that battle all those shafts, whetted on stone and equipped with wings of gold, that were shot from Karna's bow. All his limbs bathed in blood, Bhimasena looked resplendent like an Asoka tree in spring adorned with its flowery burden. The mighty-armed Bhima could not brook that conduct, in battle, of the mighty-armed Karna. Rolling his eyes ill wrath, he pierced Karna with five and twenty long shafts. Thereupon, Karna looked like a white mountain with many snakes of virulent poison (hanging from its sides). Once more, Bhimasena, endued with the prowess of a celestial, pierced the Suta's son who was prepared to lay down his life in battle, with six and then with eight arrows. Again, with another arrow, the valiant Bhimasena quickly cut off Karna's bow, smiling the while. He slew also with his shafts the four steeds of Karna and then his charioteer, and then pierced Karna himself in the chest with a number of long shafts endued with the effulgence of the sun. Those winged shafts, piercing through Karna's body, entered the earth, like the rays of the sun piercing through the clouds. Afflicted with arrows and his bow cut off, Karna, though proud of his manliness, felt great pain and proceeded to another car.

Mounting upon another car that was duly equipped Karna once more proceeded against the son of Pandu, with the fury of the ocean tossed by the tempest. Beholding Adhiratha's son excited with rage, Dhritarashtra’s sons regarded Bhimasena to be already poured as a libation on the (Karna) fire. With furious twang of bowstring and terrible sounds of his palms, the son of Radha shot dense showers of shafts towards Bhimasena's car. Once more, a terrible encounter took Place between the heroic Karna and the high-souled Bhima. Both excited with wrath, both endued with mighty arms, each desirous of slaying the other, those two warriors looked at each other, as if resolved to burn each other with their (wrathful) glances. The eyes of both were red in rage, and both breathed fiercely, like a couple of snakes. Endued with great heroism, those two chastisers of foes approached and mangled each other. Indeed, they fought with each other like two hawks endued with great activity, or like two Sharabhas excited with wrath.

Then that chastiser of foes, viz., Bhima recollecting all the woes suffered by him on the occasion of the match at dice, and during his exile in the woods and residence in Virata's city, and bearing in mind the robbing of their kingdom swelling with prosperity and gems, by Dhritarashtra’s sons, and the numerous other wrongs inflicted on the Pandavas by Dhritarashtra and the Suta's son and remembering also the fact that Dhritarashtra had conspired to burn innocent Kunti with her sons, and calling to his memory the sufferings of Krishna in the midst of the assembly at the hands of those wretches, as also the seizure of her tresses by Duhshasana, and the harsh speeches uttered by Karna, to the effect, “Take you another husband, for all your husbands are dead: the sons of Pritha have sunk into hell and are like sesamum seeds without kernel,” remembering also those other words that the Kauravas uttered in Dhritarashtra’s presence, and the fact also that Dhritarashtra’s sons had been desirous of enjoying Krishna as a slave, and those harsh words that Karna spoke to the sons of Pandu when the latter, attired in deer-skins were about to be banished to the woods, and the joy in which Dhritarashtra’s wrathful and foolish son, himself in prosperity, indulged, thinking the distressed sons of Pritha as veritable straw, the virtuous Bhima that slayer of foes, remembering these and all the woes he had suffered since his childhood, became reckless of his very life.

Stretching his invincible and formidable bow, the back of whose staff was decked with gold, Vrikodara, that tiger of Bharata's race, utterly reckless of his life, rushed against Karna. Shooting dense showers of bright arrows whetted on stone, Bhima shrouded the very light of the sun. Adhiratha's son, however, smiling the while, quickly baffled, by means of his own winged arrows whetted on stone, that arrowy downpour of Bhimasena. Endued with great strength and mighty arms, that mighty car-warrior, the son of Adhiratha, then pierced Bhima with nine keen arrows. Struck with those arrows, like an elephant struck with the hook. Vrikodara fearlessly rushed against the Suta's son. Karna, however, rushed against that bull among the Pandavas who was thus rushing towards him with great impetuosity and might, like an infuriated elephant against an infuriated compeer. Blowing his conch then, whose blast resembled the sound of a hundred trumpets, Karna cheerfully agitated the force that supported Bhima, like the raging sea. Beholding that force of his consisting of elephants and steeds and cars and foot-soldiers, thus agitated by Karna, Bhima, approaching the former, covered him with arrows. Then Karna caused his own steeds of the hue of swans to be mingled with those of Bhimasena's of the hue of bears, and shrouded the son of Pandu with his shafts.

Beholding those steeds of the hue of bears and fleet as the wind, mingled with those of the hue of swans, cries of oh and alas arose from among the troops of Dhritarashtra’s sons. Those steeds, fleet as the wind, thus mingled together, looked exceedingly beautiful like white and black clouds mingled together in the firmament. Beholding Karna and Vrikodara to be both excited with wrath, great car-warriors of Dhritarashtra’s army began to tremble with fear. The field of battle where they fought soon became awful like the domain of Yama. Indeed, it became as frightful to behold as the city of the dead. The great car, warriors of Dhritarashtra’s army, looking upon that scene, as if they were spectators of a sport in an arena, beheld not any of the two to gain any advantage over the other in that dreadful encounter. They only beheld that mingling and clash of the mighty weapons of those two warriors, as a result of the evil policy of Dhritarashtra and his son. Those two slayers of foes-continued to cover each other with their keen shafts. Both endued with wonderful prowess, they filled the welkin with their arrowy downpours. Those two mighty car-warriors shooting at each other keen shafts from desire of taking each other's life, became exceedingly beautiful to behold like two clouds pouring torrents of rain. Those two chastisers of foes, shooting gold-decked arrows, made the welkin look bright as if with blazing meteors. Shafts equipped with vulturine feathers, shot by those two heroes, looked like rows of excited cranes in the autumn sky.

Meanwhile, Krishna and Dhananjaya, those chastisers of foes, engaged in battle with the Suta's son, thought the burden too great for Bhima to bear. As Karna and Bhima for baffling each other's shafts, shot these arrows at each other, many elephants and steeds and men deeply struck therewith, fell down deprived of life. In consequence of those falling and fallen creatures deprived of life counting by thousands, a great carnage took place in the army of Dhritarashtra’s sons. Soon, the field of battle became covered with the bodies of men and steeds and elephants deprived of life.

The son of Vikartana, excited with rage and putting forth his prowess, pierced that chastiser of foes, viz., the angry Bhima of great prowess with thirty shafts. Indeed, Vikartana's son struck Bhima with many arrows of keen points, decked with gold, and endued with great impetuosity. Bhima, however, with three sharp shafts cut off the bow of Karna, as the latter was engaged in striking him. With a broad-headed arrow, the son of Pandu then felled on the earth Karna's charioteer from his niche in the car. The son of Vikartana, then desirous of slaying Bhimasena, seized a dart whose shaft was adorned with gold and stones of lapis lazuli. Grasping that fierce dart, which resembled a second dart of death, and uplifting and aiming it, the mighty son of Radha hurled it at Bhimasena with a force sufficient to take away Bhima's life. Hurling that dart, like Purandara hurling the thunderbolt, Radha's son of great strength uttered a loud roar. Hearing that roar Dhritarashtra’s sons became filled with delight. Bhima, however, with seven swift arrows, cut off in the welkin that dart endued with the effulgence of the sun or fire, hurled from the hands of Karna. Cutting off that dart, resembling a snake just freed from its slough, Bhima, as if on the lookout for taking the life-breath of the Suta's son, sped, in great wrath, many shafts in that battle that were equipped with peacock-feathers and golden wings and each of which, whetted of' stone, resembled the rod of Yama. Karna also of great energy, taking up another formidable bow, the back of whose staff was adorned with gold, and drawing it with force, shot many shafts. The son of Pandu, however, cut off all those arrows with nine straight arrows of his own. Having cut off those mighty shafts shot by Vasushena, Bhima uttered a loud roar like that of a lion. Roaring at each other like two mighty bulls for the sake of a cow in season, or like two tigers for the sake of the same piece of meat, they endeavoured to strike each other, each being desirous of finding the other's laches.

At times they looked at each other with angry eyes, like two mighty bulls in a cow-pen. Then like two huge elephants striking each other with the points of their tusks, they encountered each other with shafts shot from their bows drawn to the fullest stretch. Scorching each other with their arrowy showers, they put forth their prowess upon each other, eyeing each other in great wrath. Sometimes laughing at each other, and sometimes rebuking each other, and sometimes blowing their conchs, they continued to fight with each other. Then Bhima once more cut Karna's bow at the handle and despatched by means of his shafts the latter's steeds, white as conchs, to the abode of Yama, and the son of Pandu also felled his enemy's charioteer from his niche in the car. Then Karna, the son of Vikartana, made steedless and driverless, and covered in that battle (with shafts), became plunged into great anxiety. Stupefied by Bhima with his arrowy showers, he knew not what to do.

Bhima kills Dhritarashtra’s son Durjaya

Beholding Karna placed in the distressful plight, king Duryodhana, trembling with wrath, commended (his brother) Durjaya, saying,

“Go, O Durjaya! There the son of Pandu is about to devour the son of Radha! Slay that beardless Bhima soon, and infuse strength into Karna!”

Thus addressed, Dhritarashtra’s son Durjaya, saying unto Duryodhana, “So be it”, rushed towards Bhimasena engaged (with Karna) and covered him with arrows. Durjaya struck Bhima with nine shafts, his steeds with eight, his driver with six, his standard with three, and once more Bhima himself with seven. Then Bhimasena, excited with wrath, piercing with his shafts the very vitals of Durjaya, and his steeds and driver, despatched them of Yama's abode.

Then Karna, weeping in grief, circumambulated that son of Dhritarashtra, who, adorned with ornaments, lay on the earth, writhing like a snake. Bhima then, having made that deadly foe of his, viz., Karna, carless, smiling by covered him with shafts and made him look like a Sataghni with numberless spikes on it. The Atiratha Karna, however, that chastiser of foes, though thus pierced with arrows, did not yet avoid the enraged Bhima in battle.

Bhima kills Dhritarashtra’s son Durmukha

Then the carless Karna, thus once more completely defeated by Bhima, mounted another car and speedily began to pierce the son of Pandu. Like two huge elephants encountering each other with the points of their tusks, they struck each other with shafts, shot from their bows drawn to the fullest stretch. Then Karna, striking Bhimasena with showers of shafts, uttered a loud roar, and once more pierced him in the chest. Bhima, however, in return, pierced Karna with ten straight arrows and once more with twenty straight arrows. Then Karna, piercing Bhima with nine arrows in the centre of the chest, struck the latter's standard with a sharp shaft. The son of Pritha then pierced Karna in return with three and sixty arrows, like a driver striking a mighty elephant with the hook, or a rider striking a steed with a whip. Deeply pierced by the illustrious son of Pandu, the heroic Karna began to lick with his tongue the corners of his mouth, and his eyes became red in rage. Then, Karna, sped at Bhimasena, for his destruction, a shaft capable of piercing everybody, like Indra hurling his thunderbolt. That shaft equipped with beautiful feathers sped from the bow of the Suta's son, piercing Partha in that battle, sank deep into the earth.

Then the mighty-armed Bhima, with eyes red in wrath, hurled without a moment's reflection, at the Suta's son, a heavy six-sided mace, adorned with gold measuring full four cubits in length, and resembling the bolt of Indra in force. Indeed, like Indra slaying the Asuras with his thunderbolt, that hero of Bharata's race, excited with wrath, slew with that mace the well-trained steeds of the foremost breed, of Adhiratha's son. Then, the mighty-armed Bhima, with a couple of razor-faced arrows, cut off the standard of Karna. Then he slew, with a number of shafts his enemy's charioteer. Abandoning that steedless and driverless and standardless car, Karna, cheerlessly stood on the earth, drawing his bow. The prowess that was then beheld of Radha's son was extremely wonderful, inasmuch as that foremost of car-warriors, though deprived of car, continued to resist his foe. Beholding that foremost of men, viz., the son of Adhiratha, deprived of his car, Duryodhana said unto (his brother) Durmukha,

“There, O Durmukha, the son of Radha has been deprived of his car by Bhimasena. Furnish that foremost of men, that mighty car-warrior with a car.”

Hearing these words of Duryodhana, Dhritarashtra’s son Durmukha quickly proceeded towards Karna and covered Bhima with his shafts. Beholding Durmukha desirous of supporting the Suta's son in that battle, the son of the Wind god was filled with delight and began to lick the corners of his mouth. Then resisting Karna the while with his shafts, the son of Pandu quickly drove his car towards Durmukha. In that moment, with nine straight arrows of keen points, Bhima despatched Durmukha to Yama's abode,

Upon Durmukha's slaughter, the son of Adhiratha mounted upon the car of that prince and looked resplendent like the blazing sun. Beholding Durmukha lying prostrate on the field, his very vital pierced (with shafts) and his body bathed in blood, Karna with tearful eyes abstained for a moment from the fight. Circumambulating the fallen prince and leaving him there, the heroic Karna began to breathe long and hot breaths and knew not what to do.

Seizing that opportunity, Bhimasena shot at the Suta's son four and ten long shafts equipped with vulturine feathers. Those blood-drinking shafts of golden wings, endued with great force illuminating the ten points as they coursed through the welkin, pierced the armour of the Suta's son, and drank his life-blood, and passing through his body, sank into the earth and looked resplendent like angry snakes, urged on by Death himself, with half their bodies inserted within their holes. Then the son of Radha, without reflecting a moment, pierced Bhima in return with four and ten fierce shafts adorned with gold. Those fierce-winged arrows, piercing through Bhima's right arms, entered the earth like birds entering a grove of trees. Striking against the earth, those arrows looked resplendent, like the blazing rays of the sun while proceeding towards the Asta hills. Pierced in that battle with those all-piercing arrows, Bhima began to shed copious streams of blood, like a mountain ejecting streams of water. Then Bhima pierced the Suta's son in return with three shafts endued with the impetuosity of Garuda and he pierced the latter's charioteer also with seven. Then, Karna thus afflicted by Bhima's might, became exceedingly distressed. That illustrious warrior then fled, forsaking the battle, borne away by his fleet steeds. The Atiratha Bhimasena, however, drawing his bow adorned with gold, stayed in battle, looking resplendent like a blazing fire.

Bhima slays five sons of Dhritarashtra

Beholding Karna defeated by Bhimasena, five of Dhritarashtra’s sons, those uterine brothers that were great bowmen, could not brook it. They were Durmarshana and Duhsaha and Durmada and Durdhara and Jaya. Clad in beautiful mail, all of them rushed against the son of Pandu. Encompassing the mighty-armed Vrikodara, on all sides, they shrouded all the points of the compass with their shafts looking like flights of locusts. Bhimasena, however, in the battle, smilingly received those princes of celestial beauty thus rushing suddenly against him. Beholding Dhritarashtra’s sons advancing against Bhimasena, Radha's son, Karna rushed against that mighty warrior, shooting arrows of keen points that were equipped with golden wings and whetted on stone. Bhima, however, quickly rushed against Karna, though resisted by Dhritarashtra’s sons. Then the Kurus, surrounding Karna, covered Bhimasena with showers of straight shafts. With five and twenty arrows, Bhima, armed with his formidable bow, despatched all those bulls among men to Yama's abode with their steeds and charioteers. Falling down from their cars along with their charioteers, their lifeless forms looked like large trees with their weight of variegated flowers uprooted by the tempest. The prowess of Bhimasena was exceedingly wonderful, inasmuch as, resisting Adhiratha's son the while, he slew those sons of Dhritarashtra. Resisted by Bhima with whetted arrows on all sides, the Suta's son only looked at Bhima. Bhimasena also, with eyes red in wrath, began to cast angry glances on Karna, stretching his formidable bow the while.

Bhima slays six sons of Dhritarashtra

Beholding Dhritarashtra’s sons lying (on the field), Karna of great prowess filled with great wrath, became hopeless about his life. Adhiratha's son regarded himself guilty, seeing Dhritarashtra’s sons slain before his eyes in battle by Bhima. Then Bhimasena, recollecting the wrongs formerly inflicted by Karna, became filled with rage and began with deliberate care to pierce Karna with many keen arrows. Then Karna, piercing Bhima with five arrows, smiling the while, once more pierced him with seventy arrows, equipped with golden wings and whetted on stone. Disregarding these shafts shot by Karna, Vrikodara pierced the son of Radha in that battle with a hundred straight shafts. Once more, piercing him in his vitals with five keen arrows, Bhima cut off with a broad-headed arrow the bow of the Suta's son. The cheerless Karna then, taking up another bow shrouded Bhimasena on all sides with his arrows. Then Bhima, slaying Karna's steeds and charioteer, laughed a laugh, having thus counteracted Karna's feats. Then that bull amongst men, viz., Bhima, cut off with his arrows the bow of Karna. That bow of loud twang, and the back of whose staff was decked with gold, fell down (from his hand).

Then the mighty car-warrior Karna alighted from his car and taking up a mace in that battle wrathfully hurled it at Bhima. Beholding that mace, impetuously coursing towards him, Vrikodara resisted it with his arrows in the sight of all Dhritarashtra’s troops. Then the son of Pandu, gifted with great prowess and exerting himself with great activity, shot a thousand arrows at the Suta's son, desirous of taking the latter's life. Karna, however, in the dreadful battle, resisting all those shafts with his own, cut off Bhima's armour also with his arrows. Then he pierced Bhima with five and twenty small shafts in the sight of all the troops. All this seemed exceedingly wonderful. Then, Bhima, excited with rage, sped nine straight shafts at the Suta's son. Those keen shafts, piercing through Karna's coat of mail and right arm, entered the earth like snakes into an ant-hill. Shrouded with showers of shafts shot from Bhimasena's bow, Karna once more turned his back upon Bhimasena. Beholding the Suta's son turn back and flying away on foot, covered all over with the arrows of Kunti's son, Duryodhana said,

“Go you quickly from all sides towards the car of Radha's son.”

Then, Dhritarashtra’s sons, hearing these words of their brother that were to them a surprise, rushed towards the son of Pandu for battle, shooting showers of shafts. They were Chitra, and Upachitra, and Charuchitra, and Sharasan, and Chitrayudha, and Chitravarman. All of them were well-versed in every mode of warfare. The mighty car-warrior, Bhimasena, however, felled each of those sons of Dhritarashtra thus rushing against him, with a single arrow. Deprived of life, they fell down on the earth like trees uprooted by a tempest.

Bhima slays seven sons of Dhritarashtra

Beholding those sons of Dhritarashtra, all mighty car-warriors, thus slain, Karna, with tearful face, recollected the word of Vidura. Mounting upon another car that was duly equipped, Karna, endued with great prowess, quickly proceeded against the son of Pandu in battle. Piercing each other with whetted arrows, equipped with wings of gold, the two warriors looked resplendent like two masses of clouds penetrated by the rays of the sun. Then the son of Pandu, excited with rage, cut off the armour of Suta's son with six and thirty broad-headed arrows of great sharpness and fierce energy. The mighty-armed Suta's son also pierced the son of Kunti with fifty straight arrows. The two warriors then, smeared with red sandal-paste with many a wound caused by each other's arrows, and covered also with gore, looked resplendent like the risen sun and the moon. Their coats of mail cut off by means of arrows, and their bodies covered with blood, Karna and Bhima then looked like a couple of snakes just freed from their sloughs. Indeed, those two tigers among men mangled each other with their arrows, like two tigers mangling each other with their teeth. The two heroes incessantly showered their shafts, like two masses of clouds pouring torrents of rain. Those two chastisers of foes tore each other's body with their arrows, like two elephants tearing each other with the points of their tusks. Roaring at each other and showering their arrows upon each other, causing their cars to trace beautiful circles. They resembled a couple of mighty bulls roaring at each other in the presence of a cow in her season. Indeed, those two lions among men then looked like a couple of mighty lions endued with eyes red in wrath, these two warriors endued with great energy fought on like Shakra and Virochana's son (Bali).

Then, the mighty-armed Bhima, as he stretched his bow with his two hands, looked like a cloud charged with lightning. Then mighty Bhima-cloud, having the twang of the bow for its thunder and incessant showers of arrows for its rainy downpour, covered the Karna-mountain. Once more Pandu's son, Bhima of terrible prowess shrouded Karna with a thousand shafts shot from his bow. As he shrouded Karna with his winged shafts, equipped with Kanka feathers, Dhritarashtra’s sons witnessed his extra ordinary prowess. Gladdening Partha himself and the illustrious Keshava, Satyaki and the two protectors of (two) wheels (of Arjuna's car), Bhima fought even thus with Karna. Beholding the perseverance of Bhima who knew his own self, Dhritarashtra’s sons all became cheerless.

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 Dhritarashtra that had been slain by Bhimasena, Beholding them, 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. Indeed, 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. 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, Dhritarashtra’s warriors, as also the Charanas, filled with joy; applauded him. Bhurishravas, and Kripa, and Drona's son, and the ruler of the Madras, and Uttamaujas and Yudhamanyu, and Keshava, and Arjuna, these great car-warriors, 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, Dhritarashtra’s son Duryodhana quickly said unto all the kings and princes and particularly his uterine brothers, these words,

“Blessed be you, proceed towards Karna for rescuing him from Vrikodara, else the shafts shot from Bhima's bow will slay the son of Radha. You mighty bowmen, strive you to protect the Suta's son.”

Thus commanded by Duryodhana, seven of his uterine brothers 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 like the seven planets afflicting the moon at the hour of the universal dissolution. The son of Kunti, then, drawing his beautiful bow with great force and firm grasp, and knowing that his foes were but men, aimed seven shafts. 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 Dhritarashtra. Those arrows, 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 Dhritarashtra’s sons, looked beautiful, as they passed into the sky, like birds of excellent plumage. Decked with gold and covered all over with blood, those arrows, drinking the blood of Dhritarashtra’s 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 Dhritarashtra that were thus slain were Shatrunjaya, and Shatrusaha, and Chitra, and Chitrayudha, and Dridha, and Chitrasena and Vikarna. Amongst all Dhritarashtra’s 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 you have been slain. My vow has been accomplished. O hero, you came to battle, bearing in mind the duties of a Kshatriya. You were 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 your illustrious self.”

Having slain those princes in the very sight of Radha's son, the son of Pandu uttered a terrible leonine roar. That loud shout of the heroic Bhima 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 received that leonine shout of his brother with sounds and other musical instruments. 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, beholding one and thirty of Dhritarashtra’s 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, Dhritarashtra’s 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 the king himself, and the sons of Pandu, in Dhritarashtra’s hearing and that of all the Kurus, viz., “O Krishna, the Pandavas are lost and have sunk into eternal hell, therefore, choose you other husbands”, the fruit of all that was then manifesting itself in the battlefield. Then, again, 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, was compassing the destruction of Dhritarashtra’s sons. Indulging in copious lamentations, Viduara had failed to persuade Dhritarashtra towards peace. Others, again, among Dhritarashtra’s sons whom Bhima saw come within the range of his vision, he slew in a trice.

Indeed, 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, failing on all sides, an agitation was produced among the troops resembling that of the very ocean. Many were the combatants in Dhritarashtra’s 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, Dhritarashtra’s 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 Dhritarashtra 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. It was caused by the blood of elephants and steeds and men. 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 Shataghnis, the earth looked resplendent. 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, 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. 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. Dhritarashtra’s host looked like a mass of clouds of men, and great was the carnage caused in that battle by Karna and Bhima.

Karna defeats and insults Bhima

Then Karna, 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, 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. It felled down 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. Once again, 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, 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. 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, the mighty and wrathful Karna, maddened with rage, shot at Bhimasena 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, excited with rage, 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, 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 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. 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 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 Dhritarashtra’s sons, 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, 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, those arrowy showers shot by both of them, seemed to clash against each other like two opposite currents of wind. In consequence of that clash of the arrowy showers of those two lions among men, a conflagration 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.” The wrathful and mighty son of Pandu, like an all-consuming conflagration, once more shot in rage showers of fierce shafts. Then in consequence of their leathern fences striking against their bow-strings, loud sounds were generated. 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. All the combatants 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. The celestial Rishis and Siddhas and Gandharvas, applauded them, saying, "Excellent, Excellent!” 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 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. 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).

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, smiling the while, cut off that bright shield of Bhima with many fierce shafts. Then, car-less, Bhima, 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 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 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, challenging as they approached each other, those two bulls among men, roared at each other, like clouds at the close of summer. 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. 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 skill in weapons, do not fight with me. You are but a child, a laggard in battle! There, son of Pandu, where occurs a profusion of eatables and drink, there, O wretch, should you be but never in battle. Subsisting on roots, flowers, and observant of vows and austerities, you, O Bhima, should pass your days in the woods for you are 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, you are not fit for being engaged in battle. You have an aptitude for a life in the woods. Urging cooks and servants and slaves in the house to speed, you are fit only for reproving them in wrath for the sake of your dinner, O Vrikodara! O Bhima, O you of a foolish understanding, betaking yourself to a Muni's mode of life, gather you fruits (for your food). Go to the woods, O son of Kunti, for you are not skilled in battle. Employed in cutting fruits and roots or in waiting upon guests, you are unfit, I think, to take a part, O Vrikodara, in any passage-at-arms.”

All the wrongs done to him in his younger years, were also reminded by Karna in harsh words. As he stood there in weakness, Karna once more touched him with the bow. And laughing loudly, Vrisha once more told Bhima those words,

“You should 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 there where the two Krishnas are! They will protect you in battle. Or, O son of Kunti, go home, for, a child as you are, what business have you 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 have you been vanquished by me. How can you indulge, then, in such idle boast? In this world the ancients witnessed the victory and defeat of the great Indra himself. O you of ignoble parentage, engage yourself with me in an athletic encounter with bare arms. Even as I slew the mighty Kichaka of gigantic frame, I would then slay you 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 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 Keshava, shot at the Suta's son 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, 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, and addressing him, said,

“Do not fly away, O Ashwatthaman, 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, Partha, the son of Indra, began to exterminate that host teeming with steeds and elephants and men.