warriors after the fall of Karna. Then the Pandavas,
beholding Karna slain by Phalguna, loudly blew their
conchs. Similarly, Krishna and Dhananjaya also,
filled with delight, and losing no time, blew their
conchs. The Somakas beholding Karna slain and
lying on the field, were filled with joy and uttered
loud shouts with the other troops (of the Pandava
army). In great delight they blew their trumpets
and waved their arms and garments. All the warriors,
O king, approaching Partha, began to applaud him joyfully.
Others, possessed of might, danced, embracing each
other, and uttering loud shouts, said, “By good
luck, Karna hath been stretched on the earth and mangled
with arrows.” Indeed, the severed head of
Karna looked beautiful like a mountain summit loosened
by a tempest, or a quenched fire after the sacrifice
is over, or the image of the sun after it has reached
the Asta hills. The Karna-sun, with arrows for
its rays, after having scorched the hostile army,
was at last caused to be set by the mighty Arjuna-time.
As the Sun, while proceeding towards the Asta hills,
retires taking away with him all his rays, even so
that shaft (of Arjuna) passed out, taking with it
Karna’s life breaths. The death hour of
the Suta’s son, O sire, was the afternoon of
that day. Cut off with the Anjalika weapon in
that battle, the head of Karna fell down along with
his body. Indeed, that arrow of Arjuna, in the
very sight of the Kaurava troops, quickly took away
the head and the body of Karna. Beholding the
heroic Karna thrown down stretched on the earth, pierced
with arrows and bathed in blood, the king of the Madras,
went away on that car deprived of its standard.
After the fall of Karna, the Kauravas, deeply pierced
with shafts in that battle, and afflicted with fear,
fled away from the field, frequently casting their
eyes on that lofty standard of Arjuna that blazed
with splendour. The beautiful head, graced with
a face that resembled a lotus of a 1,000 petals, of
Karna whose feats were like those of the thousand-eyed
Indra, fell down on the earth like the thousand-rayed
sun as he looks at the close of day.’”
92
“Sanjaya said, ’Beholding the troops crushed
with arrows in that encounter between Karna and Arjuna,
Shalya proceeded, filled with wrath, on that car divested
of equipment. Beholding his army deprived of the
Suta’s son and its cars and steeds and elephants
destroyed, Duryodhana, with eyes bathed in tears,
repeatedly sighed the very picture of woe. Desirous
of beholding the heroic Karna, pierced with arrows
and bathed in blood, and stretched on the earth like
the sun dropped from the skies at will, the warriors
came there and stood surrounding the fallen hero.
Amongst those belonging to the enemy and thy army that
thus stood there, some showed signs of joy, some of
fear, some of sorrow, some of wonder, and some gave
themselves up to great grief, according to their respective
natures. Others amongst the Kauravas, hearing