Karna Parva — The confused fight

Dhritarashtra said Highly difficult was this feat performed by Bhima, O Sanjaya, by which the mighty-armed Karna was caused to lie down on his car.

“There is Karna who alone will kill the Pandava along with Srinjayas.” This my son Duryodhana oftentimes said to me.

Beholding the son of Radha vanquished by Bhimasena in battle what did my son Duryodhana do afterwards?

Sanjaya said Seeing Karna's retreat in that great battle, your son, O king, said to his own brothers.

May good betide you! Go quickly and rescue the son of Radha who is plunged into the fathomless calamity consequent upon the fear of Bhimasena.

Thus commanded by the king those princes, worked up with anger and desirous of killing Bhimasena, proceeded towards him like a swarm of insects, towards a blazing fire.

They were Srutarvan, Durddhara Kratha, Vivitsu, Vikata, Soma, Nishangin, Kavachin, Pashin, Nava, Upanedaka Duspradharsha, Savahu, Vatavega, Suvarchas, Dhanurgraha, Durmada, Jalasandha, Shala and Saha. Encircled by large car-force, those highly energetic and powerful princes approached Bhimasena and surrounded him on all sides.

They discharged at himn from all sides showers of arrows of various sorts. Thus assailed by them, O king, the highly powerful Bhima soon killed fifty leading car-warriors and five hundred from amongst your sons who fell upon him.

Worked up with anger, Bhima, O king, with a Bhalla, cut-off the head of Vivitsu, adorned with ear-rings and a crown and a face resembling the full-moon. Thus cut-off the prince fell down on earth.

Beholding their heroic brother slain your other sons, from all sides, rushed upon the terribly powerful Bhima.

With two Bhallas Bhima killed two other sons of yours in that great battle.

Then Vikata and Saha, looking like two celestial youths, fell down on earth like a couple of trees uprooted by a tempest.

Then in a moment Bhima dispatched Kratha to the abode of Yama with a long keen arrow. Deprived of life that prince fell down on earth.

O king, when those your heroic sons, great bowmen, were being thus killed people began to send loud cried of lamentations.

When your army was once more agitated Bhima sent Nanda and Upananda in that great battle to the abode of the Regent of death.

Beholding Bhimasena in battle behave like the Destroyer himself at the end of Yuga your sons, worked up greatly with fear, took to their heels.

Seeing those sons of yours thus slain Karna once more urged on his swan-like horses to where that son of Pandu was.

The horses, driven by the king of Madras, approached quickly the car of Bhimasena and entered into battle.

The encounter, O king, that once more took place between Karna and Bhima, was highly dreadful and fierce and accompanied by a loud noise.

Seeing, O king, those two powerful carwarriors near each other I became curious to observe the course of fight.

Then boasting of his power in battle, O king, Bhima covered Karna with Naracha in the presence of your sons.

Then Karna, a master of best weapons, worked up with anger, struck Karna with nine Bhallas purely made of iron.

Thus struck by Karna the highly powerful and mighty-armed Bhima struck his antagonist in return with seven arrows shot off his bowstring drawn to his ear.

Then sighing like a serpent of deadly venom, O king, Karna covered the son of Pandu with a thick shower of arrows.

Then covering the mighty car-warrior Karna with a shower of arrows in return before the very eyes of the Kauravas, Bhima sent up a loud war-cry.

Then worked up with anger Karna grasped his bow very strongly and struck Bhima with ten Kanka-feathered arrows whetted on stone. With another sharp Bhalla he cut-off Bhima's bow.

Then taking up a dreadful Parigha adorned with gold resembling the rod of death the mighty-armed Bhima, with a view to kill Karna, hurled it at him making a great roar.

Then the serpentine arrow Karna sundered into pieces Parigha that was about to fall making a sound like that of a thunderbolt.

Then taking up a bow with grim grasp Bhima, the grinder of enemies, covered Karna with arrows.

Then there took place a dreadful encounter between Karna and Bhima desirous of discomfiting each other every moment like that between Hari and Indra.

Thereupon, O king, drawing firmly to his ear the bow Karna struck Bhima with three arrows.

Then pierced by Karna the great bowman, the foremost of the strong, took up a dreadful arrow capable of piercing Karna's body.

Piercing his coat of mail and body, O king, that arrow entered into the earth like a snake entering into a noble-hill.

Then with that heavy stroke Karna trembled on his car, as if bewildered like a mountain at the time of earth-quake.

Thereupon O great king, filled with anger and revenge Karna discharged twenty-five Narachas at Bhima. With one arrow he then cut-off Bhima's standard.

With another Bhalla he dispatched Bhima's driver to the abode of Yama. Then quickly cutting off his bow with another winged arrow Karna deprived Bhima of dreadful feats of his car.

O best of Bharatas, deprived of his car the mighty-armed Bhima, who resembled the Wind-god, took up a mace and jumped down from his excellent car.

Jumping down furiously from his car Bhima began to kill your troops, O king, like the wind destroying the autumnal clouds.

Suddenly the son ot Pandu, the consumer of enemies worked up with anger, dispersed seven hundred elephants with tusks as large as plough-shares and all skilled in smiting hostile soldiers.

The powerful hero, conversant with vital parts, killed all those elephants striking them on their temples, frontal globes eyes and in parts above the gums.

Then filled with fear those animals ran away. But again urged on by their drivers they surrounded Bhimasena like the clouds covering the sun.

Like Indra, striking down mountains with his thunderbolt Bhima, with his mace, struck down those seven hundred elephants with their riders, weapons and standards.

Then the son of Kunti, the subduer of foes, struck down fiftytwo highly powerful elephants belonging to the son of Subala.

Then scorching your army the Pandava killed, in battle, a hundred of cars and hundreds of powerful foot soldiers.

Scorched by the sun and the high-souled Bhima your army began to shrink like a piece of leather spread over a fire.

O foremost of Bharatas, filled with anxiety consequent upon the fear of Bhima, your troops avoided him and fled away in all directions.

Then five hundred car-warriors, clad in excellent coats of mail, fell upon Bhima with loud shouts discharging a shower of arrows on all sides.

Like Vishnu killing the demons Bhima, with his mace, destroyed those valiant warriors with their drivers, cars, banners, standards and weapons.

Then three thousand cavalry led by Shakuni, held in esteem by all brave men and armed with darts, swords and lances, dashed on the great Bhima.

Advancing impetuously towards them and coursing in various ways that slayer of foes killed them with his mace.

While they were thus being assailed by Bhima loud sounds arose among them like those from among a herd of elephants struck with a large piece of rock.

Having killed those three thousand excellent horses of Subala's son in that way he rode upon another car and worked up with anger proceeded against the son of Radha.

Karna too, O king, coveredwith arrows in battle Dharma's son, the subduer of foes and struck down his charioteer.

Beholding him thus fly away quickly in battle the mighty car-warrior Karna pursued him shooting straight Kanka-feathered arrows.

Covering the earth and sky with arrows, the son of the Wind-god (Bhima) covered him with a shower of arrows while he pursued the king.

Then quickly returning, the son of Radha, the subduer of enemies, covered Bhima on all sides with sharpened arrows.

Then placing himself on the side of Bhima's car, O Bharata, the highly energetic Satyaki began to afflict Karna who was in front of Bhima.

Though greatly assailed by Satyaki Karna still approached Bhima; approaching each : other, those two best of archers, the two highly energetic heroes, appeared highly resplendent as they discharged arrows at each other.

Spread by them, O king, in the sky those rows, shining as the backs of crane, looked exceedingly fierce and terrible.

On account of those thousands of arrows, O king, neither the rays of the sun nor the cardinal quarters could be seen either by ourselves or by the enemy.

The fierceness of the sun's rays burring at midday was removed by those thick showers of arrows discharged by Karna and the son of Pandu.

Beholding the son of Subala, Kritavarma, Drona's son, Adhiratha's son and Kripa fight with the Pandavas the Kauravas rallied and came back to the battle.

O king, the army, dashing impetuously against the enemies, caused a tumult resembling the terrible noise made by many oceans swollen with rams.

Furiously engaged in fight the two armies became filled with delight as the warriors saw and seized one another.

When the sun was at its meridian they engaged in fight the like of which was never seen or heard of before.

One powerful division, meeting with another such, rushed upon it with impetuosity like a huge collection of water rushing towards the ocean. The din, caused by the two armies as they roared at each other, was loud and deep like that which is heard when several oceans mingle with one another.

That the two furious armies, approaching one another, formed one mass like two furious rivers that run into each other.

Then a dreadful encounter took place between the Kurus and Pandavas who were actuated by the desire of gaining glory.

O descendant of Bharata, as those warriors called one another by name a regular confusion of voices was heard.

In that battle, his antagonist was made to hear by a hero whatever matter or ridicule he had of his father, mother, conduct of character.

Beholding those heroes reviling one another in battle, O king, I thought that the lease of their life had run out.

Beholding the bodies of those highly energetic and wrathful heroes my mind was possessed by great fear and I thought, "what will become of them?

O king! Soon thereafter the great chariot riders in Pandava and Kauravas' army started causing injuries to each other by shooting acute arrows. O king! Soon thereafter the great chariot riders in Pandava and Kauravas' army started causing injuries to each other by shooting acute arrows.