Karna Parva — The slaying of Chitra

Sanjaya said Thereupon, O monarch, the wrathful Shrutakarman had slain down Chitrasena, the lord of the earth, in the battle, by means of fifty different arrows.

O king, Avishara, indeed, after having struck down that Shrutakarman with nine straight shafts, pierced his driver with five other arrows.

Wrathful Shrutakarman, on the other hand, had struck down that Chitrasena, who was then standing at the head of his force, with a keen arrow in the most vital part of his body.

O great king, that hero, having been deeply pierced by the arrow by the lofty-minded warrior, attained the condition of senselessness and entered into the abode of great grief.

During this interval, the highly famous Shrutakirtin closed this ruler of the earth (his insensible foe) with ninety different shafts.

Thereupon Chitrasena, that mighty bowman, having attained consciousness again, struck down his enemy's bow by a broodheaded shafts and also pierced him with seven arrows.

Then he (Shrutakarman) took up another bow, that was capable of casting away fierce arrows and was adorned with gold, made Chitrasena, by piercing him with the torrents of shafts, wear a varied appearance. to

That youthful prince, wearing an wonderful appearance with the shafts and putting on handsome garlands, shone in the field of battle, like an youth, excellently decked with ornaments, in the midst of an assembly.

O monarch, he, indeed, then pierced Shrutakarman in the chest with a keen shaft immediately; and afterwards uttered him-'wait and wait.'

There Shrutakarman, on the other hand, being thus pierced by the arrow in the field of battle, began to shed blood, even as a mountain lets the liquid red chalk flow down.

Thereupon that heroic one, whose limbs were washed in blood and who, again was stained with blood, shone in the field of battle like a Kinshuka covered over with flowers,

At that time, O monarch, Shrutakarman, having been attacked by his antagonist (Chitrasena), became very wrathful and severed his bow, that was capable of resisting the enemies, into two pieces.

Then, again, O monarch, he (Shrutakarman) covered, with three hundred arrows, him, whose bow was already severed into two pieces and pierced him in the field excellent winged shafts.

Thereupon he had severed the head of that high-souled one, that was adorned with an (iron) protection, with another broad-headed, pointed and sharp-headed arrow.

That head of Chitrasena, which looked most resplendent, fell down upon the earth, even as the moon, out of her own will, falls upon the ground, being loosened from heaven.

O sire, the troops of Chitrasena, having seen their king slain, marched with great rapidity against Avishara.

Thereupon that mighty bowman, who became very wrathful, rushed against those troops, shooting arrows upon them; even as, during the period of universal dissolution the king of the nether world (Yama), filled with wrath, rushes against all creatures.

Those warriors, having been slain by that bowman, your grandson, in the field of battle, most speedily ran away in all directions; even, the elephants, burnt by the forestconflagration, (run away from the forest).

Having seen them flying away (from the battle) hopeless of conquering the enemies, Srutakarman, pursuing and shooting keen arrows upon them, looked most brilliant.

Thereupon Prativindhya pierced Chitra with five rapid-going shafts and pierced the driver of his car with three others. Then he broke down his standard by a single arrow. as

Then he, (Chitra) pierced him by throwing at his arms and chest nine broad-handed shafts, that were adorned with the wings of gold and sharp points and ornamented with the feathers of the Kanka and peacock.

O descendant of the Bharata race, Prativindhya, having severed his (enemy's) bow with keen arrows, slaughtered him with five well-sharpened shafts.

Thereupon, O great king, he (Chitra) threw at your grandson the shaft, called Shakti, which was decked with golden bells and which, again, was most irresistible and dreadful and which also, was like the flame of fire.

Prativindhya, as if laughing, severed into two pieces that shaft, in the field of battle, falling upon him, which was like a great flashing meteor suddenly falling from the sky.

That shaft which was cut-off into three pieces by the keen arrows of Prativindhya, fell down like the thunderbolt, during the period of expiration of the Yuga, thus inspiring great fear in all creatures.

Having seen that arrows, called Shakti, severed into pieces, Chitra took up his powerful mace, that was adorned with a network of gold and threw it against Prativindhya.

That mace had smitten his (antagonist's) heroes and the driver of his car in that great battle and then, having smitten his car, fell impetuously upon the ground.

O descendant of the Bharata race, he (Prativindhya), in the mean time, having descended from his car, threw at Chitra the arrow, called Shakti, that was furnished with golden balls and decked with several ornaments.

The high-minded king Chitra caught hold of it (that shaft), whilst it was falling upon him; and thereafter, O descendant of Bharata race, he threw it back at Prativindhya.

That highly resplendent shaft, having pierced heroic Prativindhya in the field of battle and also having penetrated through his right arm, fell down upon the ground; and as it fell, it illuminated that whole region (the battlefield) by its splendour, even as the lightning, falling upon the carth, illumines the entire place, where it falls.

Thereupon, O monarch, the most wrathful Prativindhya, most desirous of slaying Chitra, hurled at him a lance adorned with gold.

That lance, having pierced through his armour and chest, immediately fell down upon the earth; even as the gigantic serpent enters into its hole.

Then that king, having been smitten by the lance, fell upon the earth, stretching out his two long and massive arms, that resembled two iron clubs in splendour.

Having seen Chitra slain (in the battle), the troops on your side, who are all ornaments of battle, rushed from all sides with great impetuosity against Pritivindhya.

Shooting several kinds of arms and the shaft called Shataghni, that was ornamented with the rows of bells (those troops) covered him all ever, even as the clouds cover the Sun.

That mighty-armed one (Prativindhya), having struck those warriors with a net-work of arrows in the field of battle, over threw your force, Indra, who carried the thunderbolt in the hand, over-threw the Asura host.

Thus slain in the battle by the Pandavas, the troops on your side, O monarch, suddenly broke in all directions, even as the clouds, scattered by the wind, run away in all sides.

Amongst your whole force, that was immensely slain and (the rest) running away from the field, the son of Drona alone proceeded with great impetuosity against that highly powerful Bhimasena.

Then there suddenly followed a dreadful conflict between these two parties; even as there took place an encounter between Vritra even and Vashava (Indra) in the battle between the celestials and the Asuras. and Vashava (Indra) in the battle between the celestials and the Asuras.