Karna Parva — The encounter between Shahadeva and Dushasana

Sanjaya said O great monarch, Dushasana rushed against Shahadeva, that is, brother against brother, who was highly enraged and blasted your army.

In the field of battle, the mighty carwarriors, seeing those two thus engaged in a encounter, began to uiter shouts resembling the roars of lions and to wave their cloths.

Thereupon, O descendant of the Bharata race, the most powerful son of Pandu was decply struck in the chest with three shafts by the bowman, your son, who was highly enraged.

Then, O monarch, Shahadeva, after having first pierced your son, again struck him with seventy shafts, as well as his charioteer with threc others.

Thereupon, O king, Dushasana, after having severed his bow in that dreadful battle, struck Shahadeva with seventy-three arrows both in the arms and the chest.

Then the highly enraged Shahadeva, after having taken up his sword and turned it round, had hurled it immediately towards the ear of your son in that fierce encounter.

Thus having severed his (Dusasana's) bow along with its string and arrow, then that fearful sword fell down upon the earth, even as a snake falls down from heaven upon the ground.

Thereupon Shahadeva, possessed of immerise prowess, having taken up another bow, hurled at Dushasana a shaft, capable of bringing about death.

Then the son of Kuru had severed into two fragments, with his keen-edged sword, that shaft, which was as resplendent as the very rod of Death himself, directed towards him.

Then having turned round that sharp-edged sword in the field of battle, the most powerful one took up another bow most rapidly and grasped an arrow.

On the other hand, Shahadeva, as if laughing, had suddenly thrown down that sword with keen arrows, that was directed towards him.

Thereupon, O descendant of the Bharata race, your son most rapidly directed sixty-four arrows against the car of Shahadeva, in that dreadful battle.

Then Shahadeva, O monarch, cut-off every one of these innumerable arrows, that were falling with speed (upon him) with five shafts of his own in that battle.

Having thus restrained those powerful arrows, shot by your son, he (Shahadeva) sent away innumerable shafts against him (his antagonist) in that dreadful battle.

Your son, too, having severed every one of these arrows with three shafts of his own, sent out a great uproar; and thereby caused the whole earth echo with it.

Thereupon, O monarch, Dushasana, having pierced the son of Pandu in that battle, had struck the charioteer of the Madraya chief with nine shafts.

O mighty monarch, the most powerful Shahadeva, being highly enraged at this, fixed an arrow on his bow, that was as deadly as Death himself.

Then having stretched his bow with great force, he shot that arrow at your son. O monarch, that shaft, after having successively pierced with great force through his body and his strong armour, itself entered into the earth, even as the snakes enter into the ant-hill. Thereupon, O king, your son, that mighty carwarrior, became senseless.

Having seen him thus senseless and himself being deeply struck with sharp arrows, his charioteer with great rapidity carried away the car.

Having defeated that Kuru warrior in battle, the son of Pandu looked at the army of Duryodhana and crushed it on all sides.

O descendant of the Bharata race, O monarch, that force belonging to the Kurus was crushed by the son of Pandu, even as a swarm of ants is crushed to death by a man with great rage.