division, where he is careering with activity.
The other great car-warriors (of our army) are incapable
of vanquishing Karna. Thou knowest that Karna
is possessed of great energy as regards prowess in
battle. Proceed thither where Karna is routing
our force. Avoiding (other warriors) in battle,
proceed against the Suta’s son, that mighty
car-warrior. This is what I wish, O Krishna.
Do, however, that which thou likest.” Hearing
these words of his, Govinda smiled, and addressing
Arjuna, said, “Slay the Kauravas, O son of Pandu,
without delay.” Then those steeds, white
as swans, urged by Govinda, and bearing Krishna and
the son of Pandu penetrated thy vast force. Indeed,
thy host broke on all sides as those white steeds in
trappings of gold, urged by Keshava, penetrated into
its midst. That ape-bannered car, the clatter
of whose wheels resembled the deep roar of the clouds
and whose flags waved in the air, penetrated into
the host like a celestial car passing through the
welkin. Keshava and Arjuna, filled with rage,
and with eyes red as blood, as they penetrated, piercing
through thy vast host, looked exceedingly resplendent
in their splendour. Both delighting in battle,
as those two heroes, challenged by the Kurus, came
to the field, they looked like the twin Ashvinis invoked
with proper rites in a sacrifice by the officiating
priests. Filled with rage, the impetuosity of
those two tigers among men increased like that of two
elephants in a large forest, enraged at the claps
of hunters. Having penetrated into the midst
of that car-force and those bodies of horse, Phalguna
careered within those divisions like the Destroyer
himself, armed with the fatal noose. Beholding
him put forth such prowess within his army, thy son,
O Bharata, once more urged the samsaptakas against
him. Thereupon, with a 1,000 cars, and 300 elephants,
and 14,000 horses, and 200,00 of foot-soldiers armed
with the bow, endued with great courage, of sureness
of aim and conversant with all the ways of battle,
the leaders of the samsaptakas rushed (from every
side) towards the son of Kunti (in the great battle)
covering the Pandava, O monarch, with showers of arrows
from all sides. Thus covered with shafts in that
battle, Partha, that grinder of hostile forces, exhibited
himself in a fierce form like the Destroyer himself,
armed with the noose. While engaged in slaughtering
the samsaptakas, Partha became a worthy object of sight
to all. Then the welkin became filled with shafts
decked with gold and possessed of the effulgence of
lightning that were ceaselessly short by the diadem-decked
Arjuna. Indeed, everything completely shrouded
with mighty shafts sped from Arjuna’s arms and
falling ceaselessly all around, looked resplendent,
O lord, as if covered with snakes. The son of
Pandu, of immeasurable soul, shot on all sides his
straight shafts equipped with wings of gold and furnished
with keen points. In consequence of the sound
of Partha’s palms, people thought that the Earth,


