Goharana Parva — The discomfiture of Karna in Goharana

Vaishampayana said Having quickly routed the enemy's host and recovered the kine, that foremost of bowmen, with a view to fight again, proceeded towards Duryodhana.

Seeing the kine run towards the city of Matsya's and considering Kiritin successful, the heroic Kurus all on a sudden withstood him who was proceeding towards Duryodhana.

Beholding their army and various well arranged divisions as well as numberless flags, that destroyer of enemies, addressing the son of Virata, the king of Matsya's, said,

Soon take these white horses by this way, governed by golden reins. Do you quickly and carefully take me to the row of the leading Kuru heroes.

The wicked-souled son of the charioteer (Karna) wishes to fight with me as an elephant does with another (elephant). Do you take me to him, O prince, who has grown insolent for the protection afforded to him by Duryodhana.

Then breaking through the array of carwarriors with big horses fleet as the wind the son of Virata took Arjuna to the middle of the battle field.

Seeing this, those powerful car-warriors, Chitrasena, Sangramajit, Shatrusaha and Jaya with a view to help Karna, rushed towards the advancing Arjuna.

Thereupon worked up with anger that foremost of men began to consume, with blazing shafts, discharged from his bow, the cars of the leading Kurus like fire consuming the forest.

When the battle grew dreadful, Vikarana, a leading Kuru hero, getting upon his own chariot, moved towards that mighty carwarrior, Partha, the younger brother of Bhima with a dreadful downpour of shafts.

Then cutting off his bow with a strong string and having its tops covered with gold he sundered-his Flag-staff. Then with his Flagstaff broken down he quickly took to heels.

Unable to check his anger, Shatruntapa, with a downpour of shafts, began to afflict Partha-the obstructor of the enemies and the author of superhuman deeds.

Then wounded by that king a mighty carwarrior and drowned as it were in the Kuru army he wounded Shatruntapa with five arrows and then killed his charioteer with ten.

Then wounded by that foremost of Bharatas with a greatly piercing shaft the king leaving his armour fell down dead on the ground like a rock from the mountain summit clapped by the wind.

Assailed by the foremost of men, a greater hero, those heroic leaders of the Kurus began to tremble in battle like a huge forest shaken by the wind at the time of the universal dissolution.

Vanquished in battle and slain by Partha, the son of Indra, those heroes, givers of wealth and endued with the prowess of Vasava and well-dressed, slept on the ground, deprived of their lives,

Like huge Himalaya elephants dressed with armours made of black steel decked with gold. Thus slaying his enemies in battle that heroic man, the holder of Gandiva bow,

Began to move about in the field in all direction like fire consuming a forest at the end of summer. As the wind blows in the spring scattering the withered leaves and clouds.

So the mighty car-warrior Kiritin ranged in the battle field in his chariot dispersing his enemies. Then killing the horses of the brother of Vikartana's son, that one of undeteriorating energy. Ever victorious in battle and decked with a brilliant diadem, with one shaft, speedily cut off his head.

His brother being slain, the son of Suta, Vikartana's son, gathering his energy. Rushed towards that foremost of men like an elephant chief, with the two tusks out or like a tiger. And Vikartana's son quickly wounded Arjuna with twelve arrows.

All the horses on their bodies, and the son of Virata on the hand. Furiously hastening towards Vikartana's son who was quickly proceeding towards him, Kiritin attacked him with great force like Garuda of variegated plumage falling upon snakes.

Both of them were best of bowmen, were greatly powerful and capable of killing all enemies. Understanding that an encounter was soon to take place between Karna and Partha, the Kurus, wishing to witness it, stood at a distance.

Seeing the iniquitous Karna, Arjuna, excited with anger, in great pleasure, quickly made him, his horses and his charioteer invisible by a thick downpour of arrows.

The warriors of the Bharatas, headed by Bhishma, with their horses, elephants and chariots rendered invisible and pierced and having their cars broken by Kiritin with shafts, began to bewail.

Then baffaling with his own arrows those shot by the hands of Arjuna the hero, the highsouled Karna, all on a sudden came into view with his bow and arrow like fire with scintillations.

Then there arose the sound of the clapping of hands and that of conchs, trumpets and bugles while the Kurus spoke highly of Vikartana's son who filled the welkin with the sound of his bow-string striking against his gloves.

Then seeing Kiritin fill the sky with the twang of his Gandiva bow, the upraised tail of the monkey that was on his Flag-staff and the dreadful creatures yelling hideously from the Flag-staff, Karna sent up a shout.

Then assailing with his arrows Vikartana's son, together with his horses, car and charioteer, Arjuna showered a downpour of shafts on him, casting his looks on Bhishma, Drona and Kripa Vikartana's son too covered Partha with a downpour of shafts like a cloud.

And he too, decked with a diadem, covered Karna with sharp arrows. Creating clouds of sharp arrows in a battle rendered furious by huge weapons and shafts.

The two, stationed on cars, appeared to men like the sun and the moon covered by clouds. Then the light-handed and intelligent Karna wounded the horses of Partha with shafts,

Assailed his driver with three arrows and struck down his Flag-staff with three. Thus struck like a sleeping lion awaking, that repressor of enemies in battle,

The holder of Gandiva, the heroic Vishnu, assailed Karna with straight shafts, And assailed with a downpour of arrows and weapons the high-souled performer of superhuman deeds displayed (mighty feats).

He covered Karna's car with shafts like the sun covering the regions with its rays. Like a lion attacked by an elephant he, taking out sharpened arrows from the quiver.

And drawing the bow to his ear wounded the charioteer's son on every part of his body. Then that repressor of enemies pierced Karna's arms, thighs, head, forehead and other parts of his body with sharpened arrows fleet as the thunderbolt, shot from his Gandiva bow.

Thus wounded by the arrows shot by Partha, the son of Pandu, Vikartana's son lef the battle-field and took to his heels like a elephant defeated by another.