Karna Parva — The battle of Sankula

Sanjaya said After this Vaikartana, himself resisting Bhimasena aided by the king of Panchala, Chedi and Kaikeya, showered numberless arrows upon him.

Karna killed in the battle many strong carwarriors of the Chedis, Karushas and Srinjayas in the very presence of Bhimasena.

Then Bhimasena leaving Karna, the most powerful car-warrior, rushed towards the Kaurava force like a blazing forest fire.

The Suta's son too began to slay by thousands the mighty bowmen of the Panchalas, the Kaikeyas and the Srinjayas.

Indeed, the mighty car-warriors Karna, Partha and Vrikodera began to annihilate the Panchalas, Samasaptakas and Kauravas respectively.

For your bad policy, O king, all these Kshatriyas, burnt down, as it were, by those three heroes resembling three burning flames, got exterminated.

Thereupon, O foremost of the Bharatas, Duryodhana, being enraged, pierced Nakula and the four holes of his car with nine arrows.

Then again, O lord of men, your highly energetic son cut down the golden standard of Shahadeva with a razor.

Nakula then, O king, being greatly enraged, struck you son with seventy three arrows and Sahadeva with five. Filled with anger he struck.

Then both of those great warriors of the Bharata race and the foremost of bowmen, on the breast with five arrows each.

Then he cut-off the bows of both of those two warriors with two of his broad-pointed arrows and suddenly, O king he pierced both of them with twenty-one arrows.

Each of them, taking up two beautiful bows resembling those of Indra's looked very graceful like two celestial youths in the battlefield.

Then, O king, those two brothers, greatly active in battle, began to throw terrible shafts in ceaseless torrents upon their cousins like two great masses of thick clouds pouring their contents on the hills.

Thereupon, O king, your son, the great carwarrior, being greatly enraged resisted those the rays twin sons of Pandu, the great bowmen, with numberless arrows.

The bow of your son, O Bharata, was repeatedly drawn to a circle and the arrows were ceaselessly issued from it towards all directions covered with Duryodhana's arrows those sons of Pandu ceased to shine brightly as the sun and the moon lose their splendour when enveloped with a mass of dark clouds. Indeed, O king, those gold-winged arrows, sharpened on stone, covered all the sides like of the sun.

When the firinament was thus covered and the whole sky looked like a sheet of arrows the twin brothers appeared like the destroyer himself.

But, on the other hand, beholding the valour of your son all the car-warriors took the twin sons of Madri to be at the point of death.

Then, O king, the mighty car-warrior Parsata, the commander of the Pandava army, went towards the direction of Suyodhana (Duryodhana).

Violating the regimental order of those two great car-warriors, the two brave sons of Madri, Dhristadyumna began to oppose your son with his arrows.

Then that highly energetic hero, your son, the foremost of men, full of revengeful spirit and smiling scoffingły, struck the prince of the Panchalas with twenty-five arrows.

Again the most energetic son of yours, actuated by the eager desire of taking revenge, struck the Panchala prince once with sixty arrows and again with five and roared aloud.

Then the king, O sire, cut-off, in the fight, with his razor-shaped arrow his enemy's bow and the leathern fence with the arrows fixed thereon.

Throwing away that broken bow, that oppressor of foes, the prince of Panchala, quickly took up a new and more elastic one.

Then that great bowman, Dhristadyumna, with blood-shot eyes, shone on his car like a burning flame.

Then, O chief of Bharatas, the hero Dhristadyumna, bent bent upon killing him, discharged fifteen sharp shafts, called Narachas, which looked like hissing serpents.

These shafts, set with the feathers of Kanka's (peacocks') and sharpened on stone, were discharged with such a force that cutting through the gold bedecked armour of the king, they ran through his body and entered into the earth.

Being deeply wounded, O king, your son looked exceedingly grand like a Kinshuka tree full of flowers in the spring.

His armour being thus cut through and himself being fatigued with the wounds and his feelings being awfully excited he cut-off Dhristadyumna's bow with a broad pointed arrow.

Then, O lord of the earth, the king penetrated ten arrows into the forehead of his assailant whose bow had already been cut-off by him.

These shafts, polished by the black-smith, looked on the face of Dhristadyumna like so many black bees on a full blown lily desirous of sucking the sweet honey.

Throwing that broken bow aside Dhristadyumna quickly took up another bow and with it sixteen broad-pointed arrows.

Then with five of these arrows he slew Duryodhana's four horses and his Suta charioteer and with another he cut-off his gilded bow.

And with remaining ten shafts the son of Prishata cut-off the royal umbrella, the spear, the sword, the mace, the car with Upaskara and the flag of your son.

Alas, all the chiefs saw the beautiful standard of the Kuru king, adorned with golden Angada and bearing the likeness of an elephant set with jewels, cut-off by Dhristadyumna.

Then, O foremost of the Bharata's race, Duryodhana, thus deprived of all his weapons in the battle, was protected by his brothers.

In the very sight of Dhristadyumna. Dandadhara, taking the king upon his own car, quickly carried him away from the field.

In the meantime, the greatly powerful Karna, having killed Satyaki, proceeded straight on towards the slayer of Drona for the rescue of the Kuru king.

And the son of Sini speedily pursued him striking him with arrows as an elephant pursues his rival piercing him with his tusks on the rear.

Thus, O king, the battle raged furiously amongst these sturdy heroes of both the armies and the spot, lying between Karna and the son of Prishata, grew simply terrifying.

Not a single combatant, of either party, turned his face from the field. Karna then rushed towards the Panchala with great speed.

Then, O best of men, countless men, horses and elephant of both parties fell just when the sun ascended the meridian.

The Panchalas, O king, desirous of victory, rushed towards Karna as birds flock towards their nest.

And the energetic son of Adhiratha began to oppose the Panchalas from the front with his sharp arrows marking specially their leaders, Vyaghraketu, Susharma, Chitra, Ugrayudha, Jaya, Shukla, Rochainan and the unconquerable Singhasena.

All those heroes, quickly driving their cars towards Karna-the glory of the battle field, encompassed him and began to shower their sharp shafts upon that infuriated hero, the foremost of men.

But all those eight heroes who had proceeded to combat that brave hero, the son of Radha, were sorely afflicted by him each with eight piercing arrows.

Thereupon, O king, the powerful son of charioteer killed thousands of other heroes-all skillful in the manoeuvre of war.

Worked up with anger Karna stuck in battle, Jishnu, Jishnukarman, Devapi, Bhadra, Danda, Chitra, Chitrayudha, Hari, Singhaketu, Rochamana, the great car-warriors Shalabha and many other Chedi heroes.

When the son of Adhiratha was engaged in striking those heroes his body, besmeared with blood and swelled with pride and animation, looked like the gigantic form of Rudra himself.

Then, O Bharata, the elephants afflicted by Karna's arrows, bolted with fear and caused great commotion in the battle-field.

Others, oppressed by Karna's arrows, cried aloud in diverse voice and fell down as do the mountain peaks when struck down with thunder.

The earth, along the trace of Karna's car, was fully strewn with broken cars and carcasses of elephants, horses and men.

Verily one of the warriors of your army may not even Bhishma or Drona, did ever achieve such an exploit, as was achieved by Karna in the battle.

Suta's son, O most valiant of men, indeed made a havoc amongst the elephants and horses and destroyed the cars and men in countless numbers.

Like a lion roaming fearlessly among a herd of deer Karna too moved about fcarlessly amongst the Panchalas.

As a lion drives away a herd of timid deer in all directions, so Karna dispelled the crowd of Panchala's cars to all directions.

And as a stag cam never escape from the black jaws of a lion so even those heroes, who happened to approach Karna, could not return with their lives.

As men are sure to be burnt down if they approach a blazing fire so even the Srinjayas, O Bharata, were burnt by the flame of Karna when they approached it.

Many proud and well-approved heroes of the Chedis and Panchalas were killed by Karna.

Beholding the valour of Karna, O king, I was under the impression that not even a single soul of the Panchalas would escape from the son of Adhiratha in that battle. Indeed the Suta's son repeatedly routed the Panchalas in the battle.

Beholding the Panchalas thus slain by Karna in that terrible battle Dharma-Raja Yudhishthira wrathfully rushed towards him.

Dhristadyumna, the sons of Droupadi and hundreds of other heroes, O Sire, speedily encompassed the son of Radha, the slayer of foes.

And many other warriors of immeasurable strength as Sikhandin, Sahadeva, Nakula, his sons, the descendant of Sini and a good many of the Prabhadrakas advancing along with Dhristadyumna in their respective cars looked very grand when they all began to strike Karna with their shafts and many other weapons of different descriptions.

But the son of Adhiratha, though singlehanded, fell ferociously upon all those Panchalas, Chedis and Pandavas in the encounter just as Garuda falls upon a number of snakes.

The battle, O monarch, that was fought between Karna and those warriors, became as fierce as the great battle that, in the days of yore, occurred between the gods and Asuras.

Like unto the rising sun dispelling darkness the single-handed Karna unhesitatingly encountered the united force of all those great warriors ceaselessly showering sharp shafts upon him.

While Karna was thus engaged with the Pandavas, Bhimasena, extremely exercised with anger, began to wound the Kurus with his shafts each of which was as sure as the very rod of Yama. That great bowman, struggling alone with all those Balhikas, Kaikeyas, Matsyas, Vasatiyas, Madras and the Saindhavas, looked exceedingly grand.

The earth itself began to tremble with the violence of the fall of the huge elephants struck fatally with the awful arrows of Bhimasena in the vital parts of their riders shot dead.

Many horses also, with their riders slain and many of the infantries lay down dead pierced with arrows and vomiting blood and bleeding profusely.

Thousands of car-warriors, deprived of their arms, lay senseless through the fear of Bhima and inany lay dead, their bodies mangled with wounds.

Dead bodies of elephants and their drivers, horses and riders, cars and car-warriors and foot soldiers shot dead by Bhimasena, literally covered the battle-field.

The army of Duryodhana, of Duryodhana, O king, melancholy, mainted and grieved through fear of Bhimasena, stood in utter confusion. That poor confounded host stood motionless in the field.

O king, the deep ocean remains quiet in a fair season stood motionless as deep ocean remains clam and quiet in a fair weather season. Your army, in that batile, became poorly and thoroughly insert.

The army of your son, however powerful and energetic it might have been, lost all its glory and pride at that time.

That army, O foremost of the Bharata, when fighting with one another looked as if bathed in blood and went on killing one another.

Suta's son, filled with anger, routed the Pandava army while the enraged Bhimasena routed the Kurus. And both the heroes thus engaged looked exceedingly beautiful.

In that extremely fierce and awe-inspiring battle, Arjuna, that foremost of victorious heroes, having killed a large number of Samasaptakas in the very heart of their array,

This array of these fighting warriors, O Janaradana, has been broken through. These great warriors of the Samasaptakas, unable to withstand my arrows, are running away with their men as a herd of deer at the roar of a lion.

And even the vast force of the Srinjayas appears to give way in this great battle. There in the midst of Yudhishthira's division, the banner, of the highly intelligent Karna, bearing the device of an elephant is seen to move about with great activity.

O Janardana, You are well aware of Karna's energy and prowess. No other warrior of our army is capable of conquering Karna.

Pray, proceed there where Karna is crushing down our force. Leaving all others proceed against that mighty car-warrior, the son of Suta, O Krishna, this is my suggestion; but please do what you think proper,

Hearing these words of his, Govind smiled and addressing Arjuna said-"O son of Pandu, go on killing the Kauravas indiscriminately."

Then those swan white horses, driven by Krishna, penetrated into your strong array bearing both Krishna and himself and the son of Pandu.

And your host gave way on all sides as those two white animals bedecked with golden trappings entered into its midst led by Keshava.

That ape bannered car hoisting its flags in the sky and roaring like thunder-bolt cloud forced its way into your array like a celestial car passing through the welkin.

When cutting through the vast army, Keshava and Arjuna entered the arena with their eyes blooded with anger they looked exceedingly splendid and resplendent.

Taking great delight in battle and accepting the challenge of the Kurus when those two heroes came to the field they looked like the w twin gods Ashvinis invoked with proper rites in a sacrifice by the priests.

Those two enraged heroes of tigerish fierceness grew extremely violent in their moments like two elephants excited at the claps of hunters in a deep forest.

Penetrating into the midst of those cars and horses drawn in array Phalguna move about like the destroyer himself armed with his fatal noose.

Beholding him displaying such courage within his own army, O Bharata, your son tried once more to stir up the Samasaptakas against him.

Thereupon with thousand cars, three hundred elephants, fourteen thousand horses and two hundred thousand valiant footsoldiers, all well practised in aiming and highly skillful in all the ways of war and well armed with bows, the leaders of the Samanaptakas rushed towards the son of Kunti and covered the Pandavas, O king, with showers of shafts from all sides.

Covered with arrows Partha, that repressor of foes, in fight, looked exceedingly fearful like the destroyer himself with the noose in his hand, but he grew still more fierce and worth looking at when he began to kill the Samasaptakas.

Thereupon the sky became enveloped with the arrows mounted with gold and possessed of the lustre of the lightning that were being constantly discharged by Kiriti (Arjuna).

Indeed those arrows, that were ceaselessly being discharged by Arjuna, falling on all sides looked, O lord, as if so many snakes were lying all around.

The immeasurably energetic son of Pandu sent out his straight and sharp-pointed shafts towards all directions.

Hearing the terrible sound of Parth's palms people thought that all the oceans, the whole earth, all the ten directions, the ethereal vault were going to burst out.

Having killed ten thousand of the chiefs, that great car-warrior the son of Kunti proceeded rapidly to the further end of the Samasaptakas array.

Approaching the wing which was being defended by Kamboja he began to harass the troops by his powerful arrows as Vasava had harassed the Danavas.

With his broad-headed arrows he began to chop off quickly the heads, thighs and arms with weapon in the grasp of his rivals who were desirous of killing him.

Deprived of all the limbs and weapons they began to fall down on earth like large trees of many big boughs hurled down by a hurricane.

The younger brother of Sudakshina, the king of Kamboja started shooting volley of arrows on Arjuna, the great warrior capable of killing numerous cluster of elephants, horses, chariots and infantry soldiers.

Arjuna then cut-off the two arms of his assailant with a pair of crescent-shaped arrows and then with razor-headed arrow he knocked down his head containing a face as beautiful as the full moon.

His like extinguished, the body bathed in blood fell down from his car like the summit of Manashila mountain clapped down by a thunder-bolt.

When this most beautiful and handsomelooking young man, the younger brother of Sudakshina and chief of the Kambojas whose beautiful and lovely eyes could be compared with the lotus-petals, lay down dead on the ground it appeared as if the summit of the golden Sumeru was tumbled down on earth.

And the battle, that was fought after this, was exceedingly terrible and awe-inspiring and the fate of each of the fighting combatants changed repeatedly.

All the heroes of the Kambojas, Yavanas and the Sakas were killed by one arrow each and their bleeding bodies, O king, gave the battle-field the look of a vast expanse of red.

The car-warriors were deprived of their steeds and drivers, elephants and horses lost their riders; many riders and drivers lost their horses and elephants; and thus fighting with one another, O king, a great loss of lives took place.

When the wing and further wing of the Samasaptakas had been thus eradicated by Savyasachin (Arjuna) the son of Drona rapidly proceeded against him. Furnished with many terrible arrows and violently shaking his formidable bow Drona's son appeared in the battle-field as the sun appears in the horizon with his fierce rays.

Full of rage and revengeful spirit the mighty warrior, with his mouth wide open and blood red eyes, looked formidable like Death himself with his terrible mace before a dying person.

Then he began to shower sharp shafts on the armies of the Pandavas and rout them.

Again, O king, as soon as he saw the Dasarha on the car he began to discharge his terrible shafts much more quickly.

And their dangerous arrows discharged by Drona's son, O king, falling on Krishna and Dhananjaya, entirely enshrouded both of them on their car.

And thus the violent Ashvatthama, with hundreds of keen arrows, put both Madhava and Pandu's son into utter confusion.

Beholding those two guardians of the world, thus covered with arrows, the creation sent forth piteous cries of woe.

There hordes of Siddhas and Charanas poured in form every direction all solicitous of common weal for the day.

Never before, O monarch, did I witness such prodigies of valor like those displayed by Drouni when shrouding Krishna and Arjuna in the field.

Often and often did I hear in that battle, O king, the din of Drouni's volleys, thundering roars of lion to the consternation of the enemy.

Flinging his shots right and left as he moved round the field, the string of his bow shone like flashes of lightning sparkling amidst the cloudy heavens.

Inspite of the dexterity and inflexibility of his hand, the son of Pandu, beholding the son of Drona, at the time, was greatly bewildered. And he (Arjuna) bethought himself of being deprived of his own prowess by that august personage (Ashvatthaman), whose bearing in the field, O king, presented a dazzling sight for human eyes.

In that deadly conflict between Drouni and the Pandava, O king of kings Krishna, seeing the powerful son of Drona get the better of the son of Kunti, became highly infuriated.

With inflamed eyes and swelling breath, frequently he cast his eyes towards. Ashvatthama and Phalguna, devouring them, as it were, with the fury of his fire.

The indignant Krishna then addressing Partha in an endearing tone and said-O Partha, what a strange part of, see, you play in the field? O son of Bharata, Drona's son overcoming you today in battle!

Have you the same strength of your arms as you had before? Do you still hold your Gandiva in hand? Are you seated in the warchariot?

Has nay thing gone wrong with your arms? Has your fist sustained any injury, or how is it that I see you overwhelmed by Drouni in the field.

O glory of Bharata's race, esteeming your assailant as the son of your preceptor stop not, O Partha, this is not the time for forbearance.

Hearing those words Arjuna just on the nick of time seizing fourteen Bhallas (arrows, with crescent-shaped heads) darted them off, piercing right through his weapons, chariot, standard and umbrella and dismantling Ashvatthama of his equipment's, bows, darts and all. He (Arjuna), then assailing him (Ashvatthama) with calf-toothed arrows.

Inflicted terrible wounds on his shoulderjoints fainting from which he sustained himself with his flag-staff. Seeing him thus stunned with the assaults of his enemy his charioteer, O monarch, for rescuing him from (the army of) Dhananjaya bore him away from the field.

O Bharata, In the meanwhile, that scorcher of enemy, Vijay, before the very eyes of your valiant son slaughtered your army by hundreds and thousands.

Thus, O monarch, owing to your evil counsels such a ruthless slaughter with cruel onslaught of your champions was brought about as these knights presented arms to your foe.

Arjuna then in the twinkle of an eye beset the Samasaptakas, while Vrikodara attacked the Kurus and Karna attacked the Panchalas.

O monarch, as the war raged furiously, destroying the lives of valiant soldiers and presenting a vast scene of carnage, there arose in the field innumerable headless trunks, still retaining vitality.

O the chief of the Bharata race, king Yudhishthira, sorely distressed with his wounds and writhing in agony, stayed in the time two miles off from the scene of action.