encounter, filled with rage, struck the son of Radha
in the shoulder-joint with ninety straight shafts.
The son of Adhiratha, then, of great might laughing
in scorn, and drawing his excellent bow let off many
keen shafts, afflicting his foes. The son of
Radha pierced each of them in return with five arrows.
Cutting off the bow of Satyaki, as also his standard,
O bull of Bharata’s race, Karna pierced Satyaki
himself with nine shafts in the centre of the chest.
Filled with wrath, he then pierced Bhimasena with thirty
shafts. With a broad-headed arrow, O sire, he
next cut off the standard of Sahadeva, and with three
other arrows, that chastiser of foes afflicted Sahadeva’s
driver. Within the twinkling of an eye he then
deprived the (five) sons of Draupadi of their cars,
O bull of Bharata’s race, which seemed exceedingly
wonderful. Indeed, with his straight shafts casting
those heroes to turn back from the fight, the heroic
Karna began to slay the Pancalas and many mighty car-warriors
among the Cedis. Thus struck in that battle.
O monarch, the Cedis and the Matsyas, rushing against
Karna alone, poured upon him showers of shafts.
The Suta’s son, however, that mighty car-warrior,
began to smite them with his keen shafts. I beheld
this exceedingly wonderful feat. O Bharata, viz.,
that the Suta’s son of great prowess, alone
and unsupported in that battle, fought with all those
bowmen who contended with him to the utmost of their
prowess, and checked all those Pandava warriors, O
monarch, with his shafts. With the lightness
of hand, O Bharata, of the high-souled Karna on that
occasion, all the gods as also the Siddhas and the
Charanas were gratified. All the great bowmen
among the Dhartarashtras also, O best of men, applauded
Karna, that foremost of great car-warriors, that first
of all bowmen. Then Karna, O monarch, burnt the
hostile army like a mighty and blazing conflagration
consuming a heap of dry grass in the summer season.
Thus slaughtered by Karna, the Pandava troops, struck
with fear, fled in all directions, at the very sight
of Karna. Loud wails arose there among the Pancalas
in that great battle, while they were thus struck with
the keen shafts sped from Karna’s bow.
Struck with fear at the noise, the vast host of the
Pandavas, those enemies of Karna, regarded him as the
one warrior in that battle. Then that crusher
of foes, viz., the son of Radha, once more achieved
an exceedingly wonderful feat, inasmuch as all the
Pandavas, united together, were unable to even gaze
at him. Like a swelling mass of water breaking
when it comes in contact with a mountain, the Pandava
army broke when it came in contact with Karna.
Indeed, O king, the mighty-armed Karna in that battle,
burning the vast host of the Pandavas, stood there
like a blazing fire without smoke. With great
activity that hero, with his shafts, cut off the arms
and the heads of his brave foes, O king, and their
ears decked with earrings. Swords with hilts