“Sanjaya continued, ’Then that vast force of Yudhishthira once more returned to battle, proceeding to the place where Drona and Karna were grinding their foes in battle.  At dead of night, a fierce encounter took place, resembling that of two oceans swelling at moon-rise.  Then the warriors of thy army, throwing away from their hands the blazing lamps held by them, fought with the Pandavas fearlessly and madly.  On that terrible night when the world was enveloped with gloom and dust, the combatants fought with one another, guided only by the names they uttered.  The names uttered by the kings contending in battle, were heard, O monarch, there, like what happens, O king, at a Swayamvara or self-choice.  Suddenly, a silence overspread the field of battle, and lasted for a moment.  Then, again, a loud uproar was heard made by the angry combatants, victors and vanquished.  Thither where blazing lamps were seen, O bull of Kuru’s race, thither rushed those heroes like insects (towards a blazing fire).  And as the Pandavas, O king, and the Kauravas, contended with each other in battle, the darkness of night thickened around them.’”

SECTION CLXXIII

“Sanjaya said, ’Then Karna, that slayer of hostile heroes, beholding Prishata’s son in battle, struck him on the chest with ten shafts capable of penetrating into the very vitals.  Dhrishtadyumna quickly pierced Karna in return in that great battle, with five shafts, and addressing him, said, Wait!  Wait!’ Shrouding each other in that dreadful combat with showers of arrows, O king, they once more pierced each other with keen shafts, sped from bows drawn to their fullest stretch.  Then Karna, in that battle, despatched to Yama’s abode the driver and the four steeds or Dhrishtadyumna, that foremost warrior among the Panchalas.  He then cut off his enemy’s foremost bow with keen arrows, and felled, with a broad-headed shaft the latter’s driver from his niche in the car.  Then the valiant Dhrishtadyumna, deprived of car, steeds, and driver, quickly jumped down from his car and took up a mace.  Though struck all the while with straight shafts by Karna, the Panchala prince, approaching Karna, slew the four steeds of the latter.  Turning back with great speed, that slayer of hosts, viz., the son of Prishata, quickly ascended the car of Dhananjaya.  Mounting upon that car, the mighty car-warrior Dhrishtadyumna desired to proceed towards Karna.  Dharma’s son (Yudhishthira), however, bade him desist.  Then Karna endued with great energy, mingling his leonine shouts with it twanged his bow loudly and blew his conch with great force.  Beholding Prishata’s son vanquished in battle, those mighty car-warriors, viz., the Panchalas and the Somakas, excited with rage, and taking up all kinds of weapons, proceeded, making death itself their goal, towards Karna, from desire of slaughtering him.  Meanwhile, Karna’s driver had yoked other steeds unto his master’s car, that were