Karna Parva — Kuru soldiers fled away from battle-field

Dhritarashtra said How did Kuru and Srinjaya army look, when on that dreadful day, it was assailed and consumed with arrows in that encounter between Karna and Arjuna and while it was flying from the action.

Sanjaya said Listen, attentively, O king, to the onslaught of men, horses and elephants in that dreadful battle.

When after Karna's fall Partha sent up leonine war-cries your sons were possessed by a mighty fear.

After Kanra's fall no warrior of your side had a heart of rallying your troops or displaying his prowess.

On their main stay being destroyed by Arjuna they were like merchants, whose vessels had been wrecked on the deep main, desirous of crossing it.

After the destruction of the charioteer's son, the Kauravas, terrified and wounded with arrows, having no lord and seeking refuge, locked like a herd of elephants pursued by lion.

Discomfited by Savyasachin that evening they took to their heels like bulls with broken horns or serpents with wounded fangs.

Having the beast of their heroes killed, their soldiers all routed and themselves sounded with sharp arrows your sons, on the fall of Karna, fled away in fear.

Deprived of their coats of mail and weapons, unconscious of the right direction and bewildered they crushed one another in their flight and cast fearful looks upon one another.

on The Kauravas, pale with fear, thought “Vibhatsa is following me, Vrikodaras is pursing me" and fell down as they fled.

Thus fled away in fear all the great carwarriors some on cars, some on horses, some on elephants and some on foot.

In their fearful fight cars were shattered by elephants, the cavalry were crushed by carwarriors and the infantry were trampled down by horses.

After the fall of Karna your warrior behaved like men, having no protector in a forest abounding in beasts of prey and robbers.

They behaved like elephants without riders and men without arms. Stricken with fear they thought that the entire universe was filled with Partha.

Seeing them thus take to their heels in fear of Bhimasena and his soldiers leave the battle field by thousands, Duryodhana, bewailing, said to his driver.

"Partha will not be able to go beyond me standing bow in hand. Drive my horses behind all the troops.

If I fight in the rear of my army forsooth the son of Kunti will not be able to approach me as the ocean is unable to go beyond its banks.

Killing Arjuna, Govinda, the haughty Vrikodara and my other enemies I will repay the debt I owe to Karna."

Hearing the words of the Kuru Chief becoming a hero and an honorable man the driver slowly drove his horses adorned with golden trappings.

Then deprived of cars, cavalry and clephants, twenty-five thousand warriors of your army addressed themselves for fighting on foot.

Then worked up with anger Bhimasena and Prisata's son Dhristadyumna encircled them with four kinds of forces and began to strike them with their arrows.

Your warriors also fought with Bhimasena and Prisata's son. Some of them challenged both the heroes by calling them by name.

Thereat Bhima was worked up with anger. Coming down from his car with a mace in his hand he fought with those warriors standing for battle.

Following the rules of a fair fight, Kunti's son Vrikodara alighted from his car and depending upon the strength of his own arms he began to fight with them on foot.

Taking up his heavy golden mace he made a havoc on them like Death himself armed with his bludgeon.

Then worked up with anger and heedless of their lives the Kuru soldiers rushed upon Bhima like insects falling upon a burning fire.

The maddened warriors, whom it was difficult to vanquish in battle, perished in no time like creatures on seeing Death himself,

Armed with his mace the powerful Bhima moved about like hawk and killed those twenty five thousand warriors.

Having killed that heroic army Bhima, of great strength, whom it was difficult to defeat in battle, stood there with Dhristadyumna before him.

The energetic Dhananjaya Dhananjaya proceeded against the remaining car warriors of the Kuru away. Nakula, Sahadeva and Satyaki with great pleasure proceeded against Shakuni and killed the soldiers of Subala's son.

Having killed with sharp arrows his cavalry and elephants they attacked Shakuni himself upon which a great encounter took place.

In the meantime proceeding against your car-warriors Dhananjaya twanged his bow Gandiva known all over the three worlds.

Seeing his car drawn by white horses and driven by Krishna himself and Arjuna standing on it your soldiers fled away in fear.

Twenty-five thousand foot soldiers, deprived of cars, were killed there with arrows (by Bhima and Dhristadyumna).

Having killed them that best of men, the foremost of car-warriors, the heroic son of Panchala king Dhristadyumna again appeared in view with Bhima before him. That great bowman, the destroyer of the enemies, looked there exceedingly beautiful.

Seeing Dhristadyumna's car, drawn by horses white as pigeons and bearing a standard made of a Kovidara tree the Kuru soldiers fled away in dismay.

Having pursued the light-handed king of Gandharvas the illustrious twins and Satyaki again appeared (amongst the Pandavas.)

Having killed your huge army Chikitan, Shikhandin and the five sons of Draupadi blew their conchs.

Although they saw your soldiers flying away from the battle-field those heroes pursued i them like bulls pursuing other angry bulls.

Still seeing a portion of your army standing for battle Savyasachin was filled with anger.

Drawing his bow Gandiva known all over the three worlds the highly energetic Dhananjaya rushed against your car-warriors.

All on a sudden he covered your soldiers with arrows. The dust covered the directions and nothing was discernible.

When the earth was thus covered with dust and all the quarters were enshrouded with darkness your soldiers, O king, fled away on all sides in dismay.

When his army was thus routed your son, the Kuru king, rushed against his enemies who were proceeding against him.

Duryodhana then challenged all the Pandavas in battle as did the Asura Bali the celestials in days of yore.

Thereat all the Pandava warriors rushed in a body upon Duryodhana, hurled various weapons and chastised him again and again.

Worked up with anger, however, Duryodhana killed his enemies, in hundreds and thousands with keen arrows.

Wonderful was the prowess your son exhibited on that occasion for alone and with none to help him he fought with all the Pandavas in a body.

Duryodhana then saw that all his soldiers were assailed with wounds and about to flee but had not gone very far from the scene of action.

Rallying his soldiers and cheering them up your son, who was bent upon keeping his honor, said-

There is no spot on earth or on mountain, I see, where if you go the Pandavas will not kill you. What is the use of your flying away?

The Pandava army is very small now. The two Krishnas have been assailed with wounds. If we all stand for battle we will surely win victory.

If we however fly away disconcerted the sinsul Pandavas will pursue us and kill us all. It is better therefore that we should die in battle.

Happy is the death in the battle-field. Follow your Kshatriya duties and fight. The dead know no misery. They however enjoy eternal bliss hereafter.

Listen therefore, O Kshatriyas who have assembled here. While death does not spare a hero or a coward what foolish Kshatriya is there who would not fight?

Will you place yourselves under the power of our enemy Bhima? It is not proper that you should neglect the duties followed by your fathers and grand-fathers.

There is no sin greater to a Kshatriya than flight from the battle-field. There is no more blessed road to heaven than battle; killed in battle therefore, O Kshatriyas, enjoy heaven in no time.

Sanjaya said Though your son gave vent to those words the Kuru soldiers greatly wounded fled away on all sides caring not for his speech.