08.035
Core and Pancharatra: Duryodhana orders his brothers to attack Bhima, in-order to protect Karna. But eleven of them are killed by Bhima. Though Karna wanted to help, was held back by Satyaki.
Dhritarashtra said:
Sanjaya, Bhima accomplished the formidable task of felling the mighty-armed Karna on the chariot seat.
Duryodhana repeatedly told me, O charioteer, that Karna alone is the slayer of the Srinjayas and the Pandavas in battle.
Upon witnessing Radheya's defeat at the hands of Bhima in the battle, what actions did my son Duryodhana take next?
Sanjaya said:
Seeing Karna, the son of Radha, bewildered in the great battle, O king, he addressed his brothers with a mighty army.
Quickly go and protect your noble Radheya, who is drowning in the deep ocean of troubles and the fear of Bhimasena.
Ordered by the king, they, enraged and intent on killing Bhimasena, advanced like moths drawn to a flame.
Śrutāyu, Durdhara, Krātha, Vivitsu, Vikaṭa, Sama, Niṣaṅgī, Kavacī, Pāśī, along with Nanda and Upananda, were present.
He is difficult to attack, with strong arms, swift as the wind and radiant. He wields a bow, is proud, and is also equal in strength and enduring.
The mighty and valiant warriors, encircled by chariots, approached Bhimasena from all directions and surrounded him. They unleashed volleys of arrows of various kinds from every direction.
Mighty Bhimasena, though being attacked by them, quickly struck down fifty and a half of your sons' chariots, O king.
In his wrath, Bhima severed Vivitsa's head with an arrow, the head adorned with earrings and a helmet, shining like the full moon. O great king, Vivitsa fell dead on the ground.
Upon seeing the fallen hero, the brothers, from all directions, rushed towards Bhima, who was of formidable strength, in the battlefield, O lord.
Then, with his formidable prowess, Bhima used two other arrows to take the lives of your sons in the great battle.
O king, they both descended to the earth like trees broken by the wind, appearing both huge and equal, resembling celestial beings.
Then, with great speed, Bhima sent Kratha to the realm of Yama. Struck by a sharp arrow, he fell lifeless to the ground.
An intense uproar arose among the people when your sons, the archers, were being slain, O king.
In the midst of the shattered army, the mighty Bhimasena sent Nanda and Upananda to the realm of Yama during the battle.
Then, the terrified sons, overwhelmed with fear, fled upon seeing Bhimasena in the battlefield, who appeared like the very embodiment of death.
Upon witnessing the death of your sons, the noble-minded son of a charioteer dispatched white horses once more to the location of the Pandava.
The horses, dispatched by the king of Madra, swiftly reached and were harnessed to Bhimasena's chariot, O great king.
The tumultuous and terrifying clash, O lord of the people, was fierce, O great king, during the battle between Karna and the Pandavas.
O great king, having seen those two great charioteers assembled, I thought: how indeed will this happen today?
Then, O King, after a moment, Karna, with apparent ease and a smile, made the mighty Bhima lose his chariot.
The best of the Bharatas, smiling and swift as the wind, descended from his excellent chariot, mace in hand, showcasing his mighty arms.
Bhima, in his wrathful form, suddenly attacked and destroyed seven hundred elephants with sharp tusks, O king, demonstrating his fierce power.
He, knowing the vital points, roared and pierced violently in the teeth, eyes, shoulders, hips, and vital parts.
Then, in fear, they ran away again in the opposite direction as sent. The ministers surrounded him like clouds enveloping the sun.
Standing firmly on the ground, he struck down the seven hundred elephants with their riders, weapons, and banners, just as the wind disperses autumn clouds.
Then the son of Kunti once again crushed the fifty-two mighty elephants of Subala's son in the battle.
In this way, the Pāṇḍava destroyed more than a hundred chariots and numerous other foot soldiers in the battle, causing distress to your forces.
Your army, scorched by the sun and the mighty Bhima, shrank like skin exposed to fire.
Terrified by Bhima, your soldiers, O best of the Bharatas, fled in all directions, abandoning Bhima in the battlefield.
Five hundred other roaring chariots, clad in leather armor, swiftly attacked Bhima from all directions with volleys of arrows.
Bhima, like Vishnu vanquishing demons, smashed all those chariots along with their charioteers, banners, flags, and weapons with his mace.
Then, as indicated by Shakuni, three thousand horsemen, esteemed by heroes, advanced towards Bhima, armed with spears, javelins, and lances.
The great enemy slayer approached the Yavana horse riders, moving through various paths, and killed and crushed them.
O Bhārata, there was a great sound everywhere of them being struck, like reeds being cut by swords.
Thus, after killing the three thousand finest horses of Subala's son, he mounted another chariot in anger and approached Radheya.
Karna, in the battle, O King, covered Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma and subduer of enemies, with arrows and also knocked down his charioteer.
Then the great warrior, seeing the chariot fleeing in battle, chased it, showering it with straight-flying feathered arrows.
The angry Hanuman, son of the wind, charged towards the king, enveloping the sky and earth with arrows, and shrouded him in a net of arrows.
Then Radheya, known for tormenting his enemies, swiftly returned and surrounded Bhima with a barrage of sharp arrows.
Satyaki, with his immeasurable soul, attacked Karna, who was absorbed in Bhimasena's chariot, O Bharata, to seize the rear. Despite being severely afflicted by arrows, Karna turned back.
Those two spirited warriors, like bulls among all archers, approached each other and shone brightly as they released their varied arrows.
O King, in the sky, a terrifying and fierce network of arrows, crimson like the back of a heron, was seen by those two.
We were unable to see the sunlight, the sky, or any directions due to the thousands of arrows released by them.
At noon, O king, the brilliant rays of the sun were obscured by the shower of arrows from Karna and Madhava.
Upon witnessing Saubala, Kritavarma, Ashwatthama (Drona's son), Karna, and Kripa engaged in battle with the Pandavas, the Kauravas decided to retreat once more.
The sound of their attack was intense and terrifying, O lord of the people, like the roar of oceans agitated by a storm.
The armies, greatly agitated, saw each other in the great battle and, filled with great joy, they embraced each other.
Then, as the sun reached its zenith, a battle commenced, the likes of which had never been seen or heard before.
"But the mighty force, having suddenly approached the other mighty force in battle, advanced swiftly like a torrent of water towards the ocean."
There was a tremendous noise as the mighty armies clashed with each other, resembling the roaring of ocean waves, creating a great sound.
The two swift armies approached each other and united, like rivers coming together.
Then the battle of a terrible form commenced, O lord of men, between the Kauravas and the Pandavas, who were desiring great fame.
O King, O Bharata, the voices of the Kurus, roaring without interruption, are heard there, mentioning various names.
In battle, one reveals the defects inherited from father, mother, actions, or character.
Upon witnessing the heroes threatening each other in battle, I realized, O king, that these men have no chance of survival.
Seeing their angry forms of immeasurable splendor, I was struck with intense fear; how will this turn out?
Then, O king, the great warriors, the Pāṇḍavas and the Kauravas, engaged in fierce battle, striking each other with sharp arrows.
