SECTION 62
"Sanjaya said, 'The handsome Arjuna then, on that foremost car of his,
unto which were yoked white steeds, and which was urged by Narayana
himself, appeared on the scene. Like the tempest agitating the ocean,
Vijaya, O foremost of kings, in that battle, agitated that host of thine
teeming with horsemen. When the white-steeded Arjuna was otherwise
engaged, your son Duryodhana, filled with rage and surrounded by half his
troops, approached suddenly, and encompassed the advancing Yudhishthira
inspired with the desire of revenge. The Kuru king then pierced the son
of Pandu with three and seventy razor-headed arrows. At this,
Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, became inflamed with ire, and quickly
struck your son with thirty broad-headed arrows. The Kaurava troops then
rushed impetuously for seizing Yudhishthira. Understanding the wicked
intentions of the enemy, the great car-warriors of the Pandava army,
uniting together, rushed towards Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, for
rescuing him. Indeed, Nakula and Sahadeva and Dhrishtadyumna, the son of
Prishata, surrounded by a full Akshauhini of troops, thus proceeded
towards Yudhishthira. Bhimasena also, in that battle, crushing the great
car-warriors of your army, proceeded towards the king surrounded by foes.
Karna, otherwise called Vaikartana, O king, shooting dense showers of
arrows, checked, single-handed, all those mighty bowmen thus advancing
(to the rescue). Though they shot dense showers of arrows and hurled
innumerable lances, fighting with determination, yet they were unable
even to look at the son of Radha. Indeed, the son of Radha, that master
of all weapons offensive and defensive, by shooting dense showers of
shafts checked all those great bowmen. The high-souled Sahadeva, however,
quickly approaching (the spot where Duryodhana was), and invoking without
loss of time a (celestial) weapon, pierced Duryodhana with twenty arrows.
Thus pierced by Sahadeva, the Kuru king, covered with blood, looked
beautiful, like a huge elephant of split temples. Beholding your son
deeply pierced with many arrows of great energy, that foremost of
car-warriors, viz., the son of Radha, filled with rage, rushed to that
spot. Seeing Duryodhana reduced to that plight, Karna, invoking his
weapons quickly, began to slaughter the troops of Yudhishthira and
Prishata's son. Thus slaughtered by the high-souled Karna, Yudhishthira's
troops, O king, afflicted with the arrows of the Suta's son, soon fled
away. Showers of shafts fell together. Indeed, those sped subsequently
from the bow of the Suta's son touched with their heads the wings of
those sped before. In consequence of those falling showers, of shafts, O
monarch, colliding with one another, a conflagration seemed to blaze
forth in the welkin. Soon Karna shrouded the ten points of the compass, O
king, with arrows capable of piercing the bodies of foes, as if with
advancing flights of locusts. Displaying the highest weapons, Karna began
to wave with great force his two arms smeared with red sandal-paste and
adorned with jewels and gold. Then stupefying all sides, O king, with his
shafts, Karna deeply afflicted Yudhishthira the just. Filled with rage at
this, Dharma's son Yudhishthira struck Karna with fifty keen shafts. In
consequence then of the darkness caused by those showers of arrows, the
battle became awful to look at. Loud cries of woe arose from among thy
troops, O monarch, while they were being slaughtered by Dharma's son, O
sire, with diverse kinds of keen shafts equipped with Kanka feathers and
whetted on stone, with numerous broad-headed arrows, and with diverse
kinds of darts and swords and clubs. Thither where Pandu's son of
virtuous soul cast his eyes with the desire of producing evil, thither
thy army broke, O bull of Bharata's race. Inflamed with great rage, Karna
also, of immeasurable soul, inspired with the desire of retaliating, his
face flushed in anger, rushed in that battle against Pandu's son, king
Yudhishthira the just, shooting cloth-yard shafts and crescent-shaped
arrows and those equipped with heads like the calf's tooth. Yudhishthira
also pierced him with many whetted arrows equipped with wings of gold. As
if smiling the while, Karna pierced the royal son of Pandu in the chest
with three broad-headed arrows, whetted on stone, and equipped with Kanka
feathers. Deeply afflicted therewith, king Yudhishthira the just, sitting
down on the terrace of his car, ordered his driver to retreat. Thereupon
all the Dhartarashtras, with their king, set up a loud shout, saying,
"Seize! Seize!" and all of them then pursued the (Pandava) king. Then
seventeen hundred Kekaya troops, skilled in smiting, united with a body
of the Pancala troops, O king, checked the Dhartarashtras. During the
progress of that fierce and terrible battle, Duryodhana and Bhima, those
two warriors endued with great might, encountered each other.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 8 : UPA-PARVA 62 ---------------------
