Karna Parva — Destruction of Ten thousand Samsaptakas by Arjuna

Sanjaya said While that war, destructive of the Kshatriyas, raged on, the dreadful twang of the Gandiva bow was heard, O Sire.

O king, there the son of Pandu brought about the destruction of the Samsaptakas, the Kosalas and the army of Narayana.

The Samsaptakas too, desirous of acquiring victory and worked up with rage, made a downpour of their arrows from all sides on the head of Partha.

That shower of arrows, O king, the powerful Arjuna soon checked and plunging into battle destroyed many leading carwarriors.

Having assailed the car-warriors with Kanka-feathered and sharp arrows, Partha approached the mighty car-warrior, Susharma.

That foremost of car-Warriors made a downpour of arrows and the Samsaptakas too covered Partha with their shafts.

Thereupon, Susharma having pierced Partha with ten quick-coursing arrows struck Janardana on his right arm with three arrows.

Then with another Bhalla he struck down his standard. That huge monkey, created by Vishvakarma, O king, being terrified emitted a tremendous roar.

Hearing the roar of the monkey, your army was agitated. And possessed by terrible fear they became inactive.

Becoming inactive, O king, that army looked like the garden of Chitraratha filled with various flowers.

Then regaining their consciousness, O foremost of Kurus, your soldiers made a downpour of arrows on Arjuna like clouds on a mountain.

They, then, all surrounded the huge car of Pandava. And then assailing him with sharpened arrows they, desirous of killing him, began to emit terrific cries.

O king, then assailing with with great vehemence his horses, the wheels of his car and Ishadanda.

Thousand of soldiers seized his car and began to send up leonine roars.

O sire, Some among them seized the long arins of Kesava and others seized Arjuna who was on his car.

Then shaking his arms on the field of battle Keshava struck down all of them like an elephant assailing other leading elephants.

Surrounded by those mighty car-warriors and beholding his car assailed and thus Keshava attacked, Partha, boiling with rage, overthrew a large number of car-warriors and foot-soldiers.

He pushed down a number of infantry soldiers rode on his chariot while fighting, covered all Samsaptaka warriors stood nearby through volley of arrows useful for proxy war and said with vigour to lord Krishna in the battle-field.

“Behold, O Krishna, O you of long arms, those numberless Samsaptakas, bent upon a dreadful feat, are killed by thousands.

O foremost of Yadus, there is none on earth, save myself who is capable of bearing such a close attack on his car."

Having said this Vibhatsu blew his Devadatta conch and Krishna his Panchajanya filling the earth and sky with the blare.

Hearing that sound the army of the Samsaptakas began to tremble and were filled with fear.

O monarch, then repeatedly invoking the Naga weapon, Paridava, the slayers of hostile horses, tied down their legs.

When they were thus bound down by the high-souled son of Pandu, O king, they became inactive like horses and dogs.

Then the son of Pandu began to slay all those inactive warriors as Indra killed the Asuras in the days of yore in his encounter with Taraka.

They, thus being slaughtered in battle, began to leave the best of cars and throw off all their weapons.

Having their legs bound down they could make no effort, O king. Then Partha slew them all with his straight arrows.

All those warriors, against whom Partha discharged his weapon of tying legs, were encircled by serpents in battle.

Then beholding his army thus bound down, O king, the might car-warrior Susharma speedily invoked his Sauparna weapon.

Then numerous vultures began to come down and devour snakes. Then, O king, beholding those birds the serpents began to fly away.

Freed from that foot-trapping weapon the Samsaptakas, O monarch, looked like the sun giving rays unto all creatures when freed from clouds.

Thus freed, the warriors once more discharged their arrows and weapons at Arjuna's car. And all of them pierced Partha with numerous weapons

Cutting off with his own arrows the brightly weapons showered on him, Vasava's son, the slayer of hostile heroes, began to kill those warriors.

Thereupon Susharma, O king, struck Arjuna to his very vitals with arrows and three weapons.

Deeply wounded and felling great pain Arjuna sunk down on the terrace of his car. Then all the soldiers cried aloud Partha is killed. Then there arose the blare of conch, the profuse sound of bugles and many other musical instruments and the leonine roars of the warriors.

Then regaining his consciousness the highly energetic Arjuna of white steeds and with Krishna for his charioteer, quickly discharged the Aindra weapon.

Thereupon, thousands of arrows were seen on all sides which killed the kings and elephants.

Thousands of horses and cars were also destroyed by those weapons. The army being thus slaughtered they were possessed by terrible fear. O descendant of Bharata, there was no man amongst the Samsaptakas and Gopalas who could withstand Arjuna.

There in the very presence of all the heroes Arjuna began to destroy your army.

Beholding that slaughter all of them were petrified and could not display their prowess. Having killed ten thousand warriors in that battle the son of Pandu shone like the blazing fire without smoke.

O Bharata! there remained living as much as fourteen thousand infantry soldiers, ten thousand chariot riders and three thousand elephants with Samsaptakas (Kauravas) till then.

Then the Samsaptakas surrounded Dhananjaya determined upon either gaining victory or meeting with death.

Then there took place a dreadful encounter between your army, O king and the heroic, diadem-decked son of Pandu.