The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 2,393 pages of information about The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2.

The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 2,393 pages of information about The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2.
the field of battle.  Then Satwata, O sire, pierced Karna with three arrows.  And Bhimasena pierced him with three arrows, and Partha himself, once more, with seven.  The mighty car-warrior, Karna, then pierced each of those three warriors with sixty arrows.  And thus, O king, raged that battle between Karna alone (on one side) and the many (on the other).  The prowess, O sire, that we then beheld of the Suta’s son was wonderful in the extreme, since, excited with wrath in battle, he singly resisted those three great car-warriors.  Then the mighty-armed Phalguna, in that battle, pierced Karna, the son of Vikartana, in all his limbs with a hundred arrows.  All his limbs bathed in blood, the Suta’s son of great prowess and bravery, pierced Phalguna in return with fifty arrows.  Beholding that lightness of hand displayed by him in battle, Arjuna brooked it not.  Cutting off his bow, that hero, viz., Dhananjaya, the son of Pritha, quickly pierced Karna in the centre of the chest with nine arrows, Then Dhananjaya, with great speed at a time, when speed was necessary shot in that battle a shaft of solar effulgence for the destruction of Karna.  Drona’s son, however, with a crescent-shaped arrow, cut off that shaft as it coursed impetuously (towards Karna).  Thus cut off by Aswatthaman, that shaft fell down on the earth.  Endued with great prowess, the Suta’s son, then, O king, took up another bow, and covered the son of Pandu with several thousands of arrows.  Partha, however, like the wind dispersing flight of locusts, dispelled with his own arrows that extraordinary shower of arrows issuing out of Karna’s bow.  Then Arjuna, displaying his lightness of hands, covered Karna, in that battle, with his arrows, in the very sight of all thy troops.  Karna also, that slayer of hosts, desirous of counteracting Arjuna’s feat, covered Arjuna with several thousands of arrows.  Roaring at each other like two bulls, those lions among men, those mighty car-warriors, shrouded the welkin with clouds of straight shafts.  Each rendered invisible by the other’s arrowy showers, they continued to strike each other.  And they roared at each other and pierced each other with their wordy darts, saying, ’I am Partha, wait’—­or, ‘I am Karna, wait’, O Phalguna!  Indeed these two heroes fought with each other wonderfully, displaying great activity and skill.  And the sight they presented was such that other warriors became witnesses of that battle.  And applauded by Siddhas, Charnas and Pannagas, they fought with each other, O king, each desirous of slaying the other.  Then Duryodhana, O king addressing thy warriors, said, ’Carefully protect the son of Radha!  Without slaying Arjuna he would not abstain from battle.  Even this is what Vrisha told me.’  Meanwhile, O monarch, beholding the prowess of Karna, Arjuna, of white steeds, with four shafts shot from the bow-string drawn to the ear, despatched the four steeds of Karna to Yama’s domain.  And he also felled with a broad-headed
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The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.