08.017
Sanjaya said:
Urged by your son, the great ministers, in anger, approached Dhṛṣṭadyumna with elephants, intending to kill him.
The eastern and southern heroes, skilled in elephant warfare, include the Angas, Vangas, Pundras, Magadhas, and Tamraliptakas.
The Mekalas, Koshalas, Madras, Dasharnas, and Nishadhas are adept in elephant warfare alongside the Kalingas, O Bharata.
The warriors, with their arrows, javelins, and iron arrows, showered like clouds, pouring down upon the Panchala mountain in the battle.
He fiercely crushed the elephants using his heels, thumbs, and goads. Pārṣata then struck and showered them with arrows and iron arrows.
O Bharata, each elephant was pierced by ten, six, and eight arrows that were like mountains, thrown at them, and they were covered by elephants like the sun is covered by clouds.
The Pandavas and Panchalas, equipped with sharp weapons, moved around roaring, and showered arrows upon the elephants, creating a sound with their bowstrings.
Nakula, Sahadeva, the sons of Draupadi, the Prabhadrakas, Satyaki, Shikhandi, and the valiant Cekitana were present.
The elephants, sent by the barbarians, in their great anger, seized and crushed men, horses, and chariots with their trunks and feet.
They pierced with the tips of their horns and threw them after seizing. Others, stuck with horns, ran around in a terrifying manner.
Satyaki, standing in front, pierced the elephant of Vanga with a swift iron arrow, causing it to fall in its vital parts.
His elephant, bent and about to leap, was struck in the chest by an iron arrow and fell to the ground near Satyaki.
Sahadeva, with great effort, struck the elephant of Puṇḍra, which was falling like a moving mountain, with three arrows.
Sahadeva, having rendered the elephant devoid of its banner, charioteer, armor, and life, once again approached the region of Anga.
Nakula stopped Sahadeva and fiercely attacked the elephant with arrows that resembled the rod of Yama, using three arrows and a hundred more to strike.
The warrior, whose limbs were as renowned as the sun's hand, hurled spears at Nakula. However, Nakula skillfully cut each of the eight hundred spears into three parts.
The Pandava, using the half-moon weapon, severed the head of his enemy. The barbarian, along with his elephant, fell dead.
The ministers of Anga, enraged by the killing of the teacher's son who was an expert in elephant training, approached Nakul with their elephants.
They moved swiftly with their flags fluttering, adorned with prominent gold-belted coverings, crushing everything in their path like blazing mountains.
The warriors from Mekala, Utkala, Kalinga, Nishada, and Tamraliptaka released a barrage of arrows and spears, intent on destruction.
Nakula was surrounded by the Pandavas, Panchalas, and Somakas, who were very enraged, just as the sun is covered by clouds.
Then there was a battle between the charioteers and the elephants, with thousands of arrows and spears being released.
The temples of the elephants were bursting, and various vital parts and tusks were pierced by arrows, along with their ornaments.
Sahadeva swiftly defeated eight great serpents accompanied by sixty-four warriors, and they all fell along with their riders.
Nakula, the joy of the Kurus, skillfully stretched his excellent bow and struck the elephants with his arrows.
Then the sons of Śinī and Pāñcālī, along with the sons of Draupadī, the Prabhadrakas, and Śikhaṇḍī, attacked the great warriors with a barrage of arrows.
The enemy elephants, resembling mountains, were struck down by the Pandava warriors, who were like clouds, with their showers of arrows, and they fell as if hit by showers of thunderbolts, just like mountains would.
Thus, after slaying your elephants, the Pandava warriors swiftly observed the army, resembling a river with its banks broken.
The soldiers, upon seeing the army of the son of Pandu, became agitated and once again charged directly at Karna.
Then, O great king, Duḥśāsana approached his brother Sahadeva, who was enraged and destroying your army.
The two of them, having gathered in the great battle, saw the kings there and made roaring sounds like lions, shaking their garments in excitement.
Then, O Bharata, your son, in anger, struck the mighty son of Pandu on the chest with three arrows.
Sahadeva then, O king, pierced your son with an arrow and struck the charioteer with seventy arrows and three arrows.
Then, O king, Duhshasana, in the great battle, cut the bow and pierced Sahadeva with seventy-three arrows on his arms and chest.
Then, in the great battle, the angry Sahadeva took up his sword and wielded it against your glorious son, who was the best among warriors.
After severing his bow and the cluster of arrows with a mighty sword, he fell to the ground like a snake dropping from the sky.
Then, the valiant Sahadeva, taking another bow, shot a deadly arrow at Duhshasana.
The Kaurava, with his sharp-edged sword, cut the descending arrow, which shone like the staff of Yama, into two.
Sahadeva, with a smile, swiftly shot sharp arrows in battle, causing the approaching sword to fall.
Then, O Bharata, your son swiftly shot sixty-four arrows at Sahadeva's chariot during the great battle.
In the battle, O king, Sahadeva swiftly cut down each of the many approaching arrows with five of his own.
He skillfully deflected the mighty arrows launched by your son and then, in turn, the son of Mādrī collected numerous arrows to retaliate.
Then the mighty and angry King Sahadeva took up a terrible arrow, resembling the wrath of death itself, and drawing his bow with great strength, he released it towards your son.
He swiftly pierced and broke through the great armor, entering the earth like a serpent into an anthill, O king. Then your son, the great warrior, fainted, O king.
Seeing him confused, the charioteer quickly drove the chariot away, greatly afraid as he was being attacked by sharp arrows.
After defeating him in battle, the Pandava, the elder son of Pandu, joyfully destroyed Duryodhana's forces from all directions.
O king, just as a man angrily crushes an ant's nest, similarly, the Kaurava army was crushed by him, O Bharata.
Nakul, fierce in battle, was tearing through the army. Then, Karna, the son of Vikartana, restrained him, O King.
Nakul, with a smile, addressed Karna, saying: "It is indeed after a long time that I have been seen by the gods with their gentle gaze."
You, who have become the sinful object of my sight in battle, are indeed the root of misfortunes, enmity, and conflict.
Because of your fault, the Kurus have been weakened by fighting among themselves. Today, by killing you in battle, I have fulfilled my duty and am relieved of all distress.
Upon being addressed in this manner, the son of Suta responded to Nakul, in a manner befitting a prince and particularly an archer.
Strike in the battle, young one, and we shall witness your valor. Only after performing deeds in the battle, O hero, do you deserve to boast.
O dear, without uttering a word, heroes fight with all their might in battle. So, you too fight with all your strength; today, I shall vanquish your pride.
Having said this, the son of the charioteer swiftly attacked the son of Pandu and struck him in the battle with seventy-three arrows.
Nakula was struck by the son of a charioteer, O Bharata. In return, he shot back eighty serpent-like arrows at him.
Karna, the great archer, cut the bow with his golden-feathered, stone-sharpened arrows and tormented the Pandava with thirty arrows.
They pierced his armor and drank his blood in battle, just as serpents pierce the earth and drink water.
Then, he took another formidable bow with a gold back and shot twenty arrows at Karna and three at the charioteer.
Then, the great king Nakula, known for defeating enemy warriors, in his anger, severed Karna's bow with a razor-sharp arrow.
Then, smiling, the hero struck the great chariot-warrior of all worlds with hundreds of arrows, even though his bow was broken.
Upon witnessing Karna being overwhelmed by the son of Pandu, dear sir, the charioteers and the gods were struck with great wonder.
Then Karna, the son of Vikartana, took another bow and pierced Nakul in the collar region with five arrows.
The son of Mādrī, with arrows fixed in his chest, shone brilliantly like the sun spreading its rays across the world.
Nakula, however, then pierced Karna with seven iron arrows and subsequently cut off the end of his bow once more, O lord.
He picked up another, more powerful bow in the battle and then blocked all directions with Nakula's arrows from every side.
Suddenly enveloped by arrows shot from Karna's bow, the great chariot-warrior swiftly severed those arrows with his own, demonstrating his prowess in battle.
Then, a net made of arrows appeared spread across the sky, resembling the sky filled with swarms of flying fireflies.
At that time, the sky was densely covered with hundreds of arrows released by them, just as it is filled with swarms of locusts.
The golden arrows, repeatedly falling, appeared like swans arranged in a line.
The sky was covered by a net of arrows, obscuring the sun. Then, O lord of men, something indeed moved.
When the path was obstructed by arrows on all sides, the two illustrious warriors shone brilliantly, resembling the rising suns.
The Somakas, under the assault of arrows shot from Karna's bow, retreated in pain, O king, as they were overwhelmed by the piercing arrows.
Nakula's army, struck by arrows, scattered in all directions like clouds driven by the wind, O king.
The army was being slain by the two warriors with divine great arrows, and having retreated from the shower of arrows, they then stood watching like spectators.
Encouraged by the people, the great warriors Karna and Pandava engaged in a fierce battle, showering arrows upon each other.
They displayed their divine weapons in the battlefield, and suddenly covered each other with the intent to kill.
Nakula released arrows adorned with peacock feathers. These arrows covered Karna and stood like others.
They entered the house of arrows and saw no one, just as the moon and sun are obscured by clouds, O king.
Then, in his anger on the battlefield, Karna assumed a more terrifying form and enveloped the Pandava from all directions with a barrage of arrows.
The Pandava, though being covered in battle by the son of a charioteer, did not cause any distress, O king, just as the sun is not affected by clouds.
Then, with a smile, Adhirathi sent forth volleys of arrows, O sir, in the battle by the hundreds and thousands.
The great soul's arrows made everything appear as one shadow, as if a cloud shadow had arisen with the falling of the finest arrows.
Then, O great king, Karṇa, having severed the bow of the noble one, made the charioteer fall from the chariot seat, seemingly with a laugh.
Thus, O Bharata, he swiftly dispatched the four horses to Yama's abode using four sharp arrows.
Then he swiftly broke apart the chariot with arrows, along with its flag, wheel guards, banner, sword, O respected one, and the shield adorned with a hundred moons, as well as all its equipment.
The lord of men, having lost his horses and chariot, and without armor, quickly descended from the chariot, took up a club, and stood firm.
The son of Suta, O king, cut off that very terrible club, which was raised, with hundreds and then thousands of arrows.
Karṇa aimed his weapon and shot many curved arrows at him, but he could not overpower him.
O king, Nakula, being attacked in the battle by a stronger warrior who had prepared his weapons, suddenly fled in confusion, his senses agitated.
Radheya, with a smile, repeatedly attacked and released his bow that was strung around his neck, O Bharata.
Then he shone brightly, O king, with a great bow around his neck, as he arrived at the scene, like the moon in the sky; just like a white cloud adorned with a rainbow.
Then Karna said, "You have spoken in vain. Now, speak joyfully again, for you will kill me repeatedly."
O Pandava, do not engage in battle with your elders and the mighty. Fight with those who are your equals, dear son, and do not feel ashamed. Return home, son of Madri, or go to where Krishna and Arjuna are.
Having spoken thus, O great king, he dismissed him. However, the son of Suta did not kill him, even though he deserved death, remembering the words of Kunti, O king, he dismissed him again.
O king, the son of Pandu, released by the son of a charioteer and archer, went towards Yudhishthira's chariot as if ashamed.
He ascended the chariot, empowered by the prowess of the charioteer's son, sighing and afflicted by sorrow, like a serpent thrown into a pot.
After releasing him in the battle, Karna swiftly proceeded towards the Panchalas in his chariot, which was adorned with a grand flag and drawn by moon-colored horses.
There was a great lamentation among the Pandavas, O lord of the people, when they saw the general of the Panchalas proceeding with the groups of chariots.
In that place, the great king, son of Sūta, wrought havoc. As the sun reached its zenith, the lord moved in a circular path.
O lord, we observed the Pāñcālas' chariots, some with broken wheels and torn flags, being carried away, along with their charioteers, both living and slain, and their broken axles.
In various places, the confused and intoxicated elephants wandered with scorched limbs due to the forest fire, as would indeed happen in a great forest.
The elephants, with their pots broken, blood-stained, and trunks severed, with limbs and tails cut, O gentle one, fell like torn clouds as they were being slain by the great soul.
Frightened by hundreds of iron arrows and spears, the other elephants move towards him just like moths are drawn to a flame.
Others, roaring loudly, appeared like great elephants, shedding blood from their bodies, resembling mountains submerged in a flood.
The horses were adorned with silver, bronze, and gold ornaments, having been freed from their breastplates and tail bands.
They were devoid of coverings and bridles, bereft of fly-whisks, blankets, and quivers, even fallen.
We saw in the battle there excellent horses wandering, adorned by heroes and killed with riders.
"O king, we see horse warriors adorned with spears, swords, and shields, wearing armor and turbans."
We observed the chariots, beautifully adorned with gold and well-equipped with swift horses, moving swiftly among the fallen charioteers.
O dear, there were some with broken axles and yokes, and others with cut wheels. Some were without flags and standards, and others had cut poles and yoke-fellows.
O lord of the people, we saw the charioteers, deprived and running all around, terrified by the arrows of the son of the Sun.
Many of your people, both those without weapons and those with weapons, were killed. They were covered with nets and adorned with breast bells.
We observed foot soldiers adorned with various colorful and wonderful flags, running all around.
We saw heads, arms, and thighs cut off, and others separated in battle by arrows from Karna's bow.
A great and fierce battle among the warriors was witnessed, where the slain were pierced by Karna's sharp arrows.
The Sṛñjayas, being slaughtered in battle by the son of a charioteer, rush towards him like moths drawn to a flame.
The warriors avoided the great chariot-warrior who was destroying armies everywhere, like the fierce fire at the end of an era.
The remaining great charioteers of the Pāñcālas, who were heroes, were scattered and swift. Karṇa, the radiant one, rushed at them from behind, showering arrows, with their armor and banners broken.
The great warrior, the son of a charioteer, attacked them with arrows at midday, dispelling darkness like a bright light.
