08.032
Core and Pancharatra: The Pandava army's military formation and a general overview of the battlefield. Bhima kills Karna's son Satyasena. Satyaki attacks Vṛṣasena who was protecting Karna's rear.
Dhritarashtra said:
Thus, O Sanjaya, in the midst of the arranged and engaged armies, how did Arjuna approach the sworn warriors and Karna the Pandavas?
Please describe this battle in detail, as you are skilled in it. I am not yet satisfied by hearing about the exploits of the heroes in battle.
Sanjaya said:
In that place, Arjuna, having stationed great strength against the enemy, arranged the formation to counter your son's evil plan.
The great army, filled with horsemen, elephants, infantry, and chariots, and led by Dhrishtadyumna, was splendidly arrayed.
Parshata, with his pigeon-colored horse, shone with a splendor equal to the moon and sun, appearing like time itself embodied as an archer.
The sons of Draupadi, eager for battle, stood around the son of Prishata, accompanied by followers, resembling stars surrounding the moon.
Then, upon seeing the Trigartas in their battle formations, the enraged Arjuna charged at them, wielding his Gandiva bow.
Then the Trigartas, determined to achieve victory or die trying, attacked Arjuna.
The vast assembly of horses, along with intoxicated elephants and chariots, swiftly advanced towards Arjuna, accompanied by streams of brave infantry heroes.
The fierce battle that took place was with the crowned warrior. We have indeed heard of him in the context of the Nivatakavacas.
The chariots, horses, flags, elephants, infantry, and chariot-warriors, as well as arrows, bows, swords, discs, and axes, were all present.
Arjuna, with great skill, severed the raised arms and weapons of his armed foes, along with their heads, in thousands.
In the army, which was like a great whirlpool leading to the netherworld, the warriors sworn to die joyfully shouted, thinking that the chariot was submerged.
He, like the fierce and angry Rudra, killed the enemies in front and then moved to the rear, attacking from the north and south, like a hunter among animals.
Then, O great one, a very fierce battle took place between the Pāñcālas, Cedis, and Sṛñjayas along with your forces.
Kṛpa, Kṛtavarmā, and Śakuni, the son of Subala, were all very excited and delighted with their armies, striking with their chariot divisions.
The Kosalas, Kashi, Matsyas, Karushas, Kekayas, Shurasenas, and brave heroes all fought fiercely, driven by the intoxication of battle.
The battle that brings an end to them, annihilating the sins of the body, is considered righteous, heavenly, and brings glory to the Shudras, merchants, and warrior heroes.
Duryodhana, along with his brothers, was protected by the Kuru heroes and the great charioteers of the Madras, O best of the Bharatas.
The Kuru hero defended Karna in the battle, alongside the Pandavas, Panchalas, Chedis, and Satyaki.
Karna, with his sharp arrows, not only destroyed the great army but also crushed the best charioteers and afflicted Yudhishthira.
He defeated thousands of enemies, taking away their lives, and brought joy to his people by uniting with heavenly fame.
Dhritarashtra said:
Sanjaya, tell me about that event where Karna, having entered the army of the sons of Pritha, caused destruction and then worshipped the king.
The heroes among the sons of Pritha who stopped Karna in battle, and whom Adhiratha crushed and afflicted Yudhishthira.
Sanjaya said:
Upon seeing the sons of Pṛthā led by Dhṛṣṭadyumna ready for battle, Karṇa swiftly advanced towards the Pāñcālas, known for crushing enemies.
The victorious Panchalas swiftly approached him, O great king, like swans heading towards the vast ocean.
Then, the heart-touching sound of thousands of conches arose, and on both sides, there was the terrible sound of drums.
Then, there arose a terrible roar from the heroes, mingled with the various sounds of musical instruments, and the noises of elephants, horses, and chariots.
The earth, adorned with mountains, trees, and oceans, along with the sky filled with wind and clouds, and the heaven with the sun, moon, planets, and stars, all became manifest and began to whirl.
The beings were greatly disturbed by that sound and trembled. Most of the non-floating creatures were dead.
Then Karṇa, in a fit of intense anger, swiftly unleashed his weapon, decimating the demonic forces of the Pandavas, much like Maghavan (Indra) would.
He swiftly entered the chariots of the Pandavas and, releasing his arrows, killed seventy-seven of the foremost Prabhadraka warriors.
Then, the best of charioteers, using his well-feathered and sharp arrows, killed twenty-five warriors from the Panchala tribe.
The hero, with his golden-feathered arrows that could pierce bodies, slew the Cedis in their hundreds and thousands.
The chariots of the Pāñcālas surrounded him as he performed superhuman feats in battle, O great king.
Then Karna, the son of Vikartana, fixed five irresistible arrows and killed the five Panchalas, O descendant of Bharata.
In the battle, Bhānudeva, Citrasena, Senābindu, Tapana, Śūrasena, and the Pāñcālas were slain, O Bhārata.
In the great battle, as the Panchalas and heroes were being slain by arrows, a great uproar arose among the Panchalas.
As they were being scattered, the directions echoed with cries. Karṇa once again swiftly killed them with his arrows.
The sons of Karna, Suṣeṇa and Satyasena, known as the protectors of the wheel, fought valiantly and invincibly, sacrificing their lives, O Māriṣa.
Vrishasena, the eldest son of Karna and a great charioteer, acted as the protector of the rear and personally safeguarded Karna from behind.
Dhṛṣṭadyumna, Sātyaki, the sons of Draupadī, Vṛkodara, Janamejaya, Śikhaṇḍī, along with the heroes and Prabhadrakas, were present.
The Cedis, Kekayas, Panchalas, the sons of Yama, and the Matsyas, all wounded, charged at Radheya (Karna) with the intent to kill, as fierce attackers.
They attacked him with a variety of weapons and a barrage of arrows, overwhelming him like rain clouds in the monsoon season overwhelm a mountain.
The sons of Karna, eager to protect their father, were attacking. Meanwhile, your warriors, O king, along with others, were holding back the heroes.
Suṣeṇa cut Bhīmasena's bow with an arrow and then pierced Bhīma's heart with seven iron arrows, roaring triumphantly.
Then, Vrikodara, known for his terrible prowess, took another very strong bow, strung it, and cut off Sushena's bow.
In a fit of rage, he shot nine arrows at him, appearing as if he were dancing. He then swiftly targeted Karna, striking him with seventy-three sharp arrows.
In the midst of friends watching, Satyasena, with ten horses, a charioteer, banner, and weapons, felled Karna's son.
His head, severed by a razor, appeared beautiful and auspicious, resembling a lotus that has fallen from its stalk.
After killing Karna's son, Bhima once again attacked your forces. He also cut the bows of Kripa and Hardikya and then attacked them.
He struck Duhshasana with three arrows and Shakuni with six iron arrows, rendering both Uluka and the bird without their chariots.
O Suṣeṇa, as he declared 'You are killed', he took the arrow. Karṇa intercepted his arrow and struck him with three of his own.
Then Bhīma took another well-feathered, well-made arrow and released it towards Suṣeṇa. Bhīma also cut off Vṛṣaḥ's arrow.
Once more, Karna, in a fierce attempt to protect his son, struck Bhimasena with seventy-three arrows from his chariot, driven by a cruel intent to kill.
Suṣeṇa, wielding his excellent bow, struck Nakula with five arrows, hitting him in the arms and chest.
Nakula pierced Karna with twenty strong and heavy arrows and let out a mighty roar, instilling fear in him.
Suṣeṇa, the great chariot-warrior, swiftly pierced him with ten arrows and cut off his bow with a razor-sharp arrow, O great king.
Then Nakul, filled with rage, took another bow and halted Sushena with a barrage of arrows during the battle.
The warrior, having covered the directions with arrows, struck down the enemy charioteer and Suṣeṇa with three arrows. Then, with three arrows, he cut the strong bow into three pieces.
Then Suṣeṇa, in a fit of rage, took another bow and shot Nakula with sixty arrows and Sahadeva with seven.
The battle was immense and terrifying, resembling the legendary battles between gods and demons. Both sides were swiftly aiming to destroy each other with their arrows.
Satyaki killed Vṛṣasena's charioteer with three arrows, cut off his bow with a shaft, and killed the horses with seven arrows. Then, having uprooted the banner with one arrow, he struck Vṛṣasena in the heart with three arrows.
Exhausted in his chariot, he rose again after a moment. Then, with the intent to kill Satyaki, he approached, bearing his sword and shield.
Sātyaki swiftly attacked the stationary Vṛṣasena with ten arrows shaped like boar ears, along with his sword and shield.
Dushasana, upon seeing him without a chariot and weapons, quickly lifted him onto his own chariot and transported him to another one.
Then Vṛṣasena, a great warrior and invincible in battle, mounted another chariot and once again protected Karṇa's rear.
The son of Shini, using nine new swift horses, crafted an excellent chariot and struck Duhshasana on the forehead with three arrows.
He then mounted another well-arranged chariot and fought again with the Pandavas, enhancing Karna's strength.
Dhṛṣṭadyumna then shot ten arrows at Karṇa. The sons of Draupadī attacked with seventy-three arrows, while Yuyudhāna attacked with seven.
Bhimasena fought with sixty-four arrows, Sahadeva with five, Nakula with thirty, Shatanika with seven, Shikhandi with ten, and the heroic Dharmaraja with a hundred.
These and other heroes, O King, eager for victory, are attacking the great archer, the son of a charioteer, in the great battle.
The heroic son of a charioteer skillfully maneuvered his chariot and struck his foes with ten sharp arrows, demonstrating his prowess as a subduer of enemies.
There, O great king, we witnessed the remarkable strength and agility of Karna's weaponry, which seemed almost miraculous.
The warriors could not perceive the great chariot as it swiftly took up, fixed, and released arrows in a fit of rage.
The sky, space, earth, and directions were swiftly cleared by sharp arrows. In that region, the sky appeared with a form enveloped by reddish clouds.
Radheya, with his bow in hand and displaying great might, appeared to be dancing as he skillfully countered each of his attackers with threefold arrows for every arrow that struck him.
After piercing them again with ten arrows each, he roared. Then, with horses, charioteer, flags, and umbrellas, they created an opening.
Radheya, with his showers of arrows, crushed the great archers and entered the unobstructed royal army, tormenting his enemies.
After slaying three hundred chariots of the steadfast Cedis, Karna then fiercely attacked Yudhishthira with his sharp arrows.
Then, O king, the Pāṇḍavas, along with Śikhaṇḍī and Sātyaki, surrounded the king to protect him from Karṇa.
In the same way, all your men, the great archers of the army, diligently protected Karna, who was irresistible in battle, from all sides.
Various sounds of musical instruments filled the air, O lord of the people, accompanied by the lion's roar of the brave warriors who never retreat.
Then once more, the fearless Kurus and Pandavas gathered, led by Yudhishthira and the sons of Pritha, as well as us, led by the son of a charioteer.
