04.054
Vaiśampāyana said.
Pārtha (Arjuna) received him, who was rushing with the force of the wind, with his great network of arrows, just as one would meet a cloud pouring rain. (04-54-1)
A great clash between the two, equal to that of gods and demons, arose, and the showers of arrows from the two Kirātas resembled those exchanged by Vṛtra and Indra. (04-54-2)
At that time, neither did the sun shine nor did the wind blow, as the sky had become completely shadowed on all sides by the mass of arrows. (04-54-3)
O conqueror of enemy cities, there arose a great crackling sound from the two warriors being struck, as if bamboos were being burned. (04-54-4)
Arjuna has made all his horses short-lived. He, O King, being deluded, does not know any direction. (04-54-5)
Then Drona's son, the mighty hero, seeing a tiny opening as Arjuna moved, cut his bowstring with a razor-headed arrow. The gods, witnessing this superhuman feat, praised his action. (04-54-6)
Then Drauṇi, after retreating eight bows' distance from the bull among men, again struck Pārtha in the heart with arrows with vulture-feathered shafts. (04-54-7)
Then Arjuna, mighty of arms, smiling, strung his Gāṇḍīva bow with a new mūrva bowstring, forcefully and making it resound. (04-54-8)
Then, having circled in a half-moon formation, Pārtha advanced against him, like an intoxicated elephant-king moving against another intoxicated elephant. (04-54-9)
Then, on the earth, a battle was undertaken between the two heroes. In the midst of combat, there was indeed a very great and hair-raising fight between the two. (04-54-10)
All the Kurus, filled with wonder, saw those two great-souled heroes fighting each other, like two leaders of troops who had come together. (04-54-11)
Those two heroes, the foremost among men, struck each other with blazing arrows shaped like venomous serpents, as if fighting with fiery serpents. (04-54-12)
With his two imperishable and pure divine (weapons), Pārtha, the great-souled hero, stood immovable in battle like a mountain. (04-54-13)
Aśvatthāman's arrows, as he swiftly and repeatedly shot them in battle, were quickly exhausted; thereby, Arjuna became superior. (04-54-14)
Then Karṇa, drawing his great bow with intense anger, let loose (an arrow). At that moment, a great outcry of alarm arose. (04-54-15)
There, Pārtha fixed his gaze where the bow was being stretched; there he saw Rādheya, and his anger increased greatly. (04-54-16)
The chief of the Kurus, overcome by anger, looked at Karṇa alone with the desire to kill him, his eyes wide open. (04-54-17)
But thus, when Pārtha had turned away, O king, quick men brought thousands of arrows belonging to the son of Droṇa near. (04-54-18)
And having left Droṇa’s son, the mighty-armed Dhanañjaya, the conqueror of foes, suddenly rushed towards Karṇa. (04-54-19)
Having rushed toward him, the son of Kunti, his eyes reddened by anger and desiring battle on the dueling chariot, spoke these words. (04-54-20)
